photo courtesy of crewcuts.com

For parents, finding information on how to properly care for your boy’s hair can be a challenge. Much of the information about kids’ hair care focuses on girls’ hair care and hairstyles. (I’m guilty of this too, I wrote a whole book on girls’ hair!) But the fact of the matter is, boys are actually in the salon more often than girls.

This isn’t because boys’ hair is biologically any different from girls’ hair, it’s just that boys and girls wear their hair differently. Girls tend to have longer hair, so more effort goes into daily styling and upkeep. Boys generally have shorter hair, and subsequently require frequent haircuts.

So not surprisingly, I get a lot of questions about caring for boys’ hair. Parents come to me in search of advice on which shampoo to use, how often to shampoo, how to shampoo, if conditioner is necessary, etc. Well look no further, parents! Cozy’s boys’ hair care cheat sheet is here!

Which Shampoo to Use?

• Tear-free shampoos are best for little ones because they are very mild, hypoallergenic, and soap-free.
• Clarifying shampoos work to get the built-up gunk—chlorine, mineral deposits, dirt, etc.—out of his hair. Use once a week for oily hair, and once a month or as needed for normal to dry hair.
• Hydrating shampoos are best for curly, dry, and extra thick hair. Use three times a week to help his hair retain moisture

Shampoo Every Day?

How often you shampoo depends on your son’s hair. For thick and dry hair, washings can be spaced, but thin and oily hair should be washed more frequently. Getting the right shampooing routine requires a little trial and error. Try washing every other day—if his scalp gets too dry, add another day between washings.

Is There a Right Way to Wash Hair?

1. Pour a quarter sized dollop of shampoo into your hand and focus on lathering at the roots—the scalp is where the oil comes from
2. Gently massage the scalp with your fingertips to loosen any (inevitable) dirt
3. Wash the ends last, simply working the suds through the ends of the hair
4. Be sure to wash out all shampoo—leaving product in the hair can cause and dry itchy scalp
5. Contrary to the popular adage, you do NOT need to lather, rinse and repeat on your son’s hair

Conditioner?

In my experience, a lot of parents use a 2-in-1 conditioning shampoo on boys. Not as much upkeep goes into styling boys’ hair, so it is easy to assume that washing habits should be just as quick. However, 2-in-1 conditioning shampoo doesn’t cut it for everyone. Boys with thick or dry hair should ALWAYS use a separate conditioner.

I know that even adding a minute onto bath-time can be difficult but trust me, his healthy hydrated hair will thank you! Condition his hair in the bath after shampooing. If staying in the bath is a challenge, a spray-on leave-in conditioner will do the trick.

Stopping Static

When the air is dry and winter hats are required, boys’ hair tends to take an unsightly turn for the worst. Luckily, there are a few ways to combat static cling and other winter hair woes:

• Rubbing a fabric softener sheet—yup, the same kind you use for laundry —lightly over your son’s head will help to manage stubborn static
• A dime-sized amount of light styling cream works just as well to smooth flyway’s and static
• If his hair is curly, misting with water and scrunching will restore bounce to curls and waves
• For fixing hat hair, flat hair can be fluffed at the roots with your fingertips
• Shampoo hair less frequently in the winter to prevent over-drying

Keep your eye on my blog for more tips on boys’ hair and boys’ hairstyles coming your way in March!

Have a question? Just Ask Cozy!

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