The 9 Best Hair Products for Kids with Natural Hair

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Hair Products for Kids with Natural Hair

Verywell Family / Lecia Landis

Whether your child is growing out, styling, or maintaining their natural hair, they need products that are formulated to keep their strands strong and healthy in the process. Keeping their scalp and their gorgeous kinks, curls, and coils moisturized is essential to preventing breakage, promoting growth, and avoiding knots and tangles. There are a lot of hair care products out there, but the key is finding the right ones for natural hair care needs.

Look for products that are specifically formulated for natural coils and kinky hair textures and prioritize products free of parabens and sulfates (which can be drying). These products will target the needs of natural hair like moisture, detangling, and a healthy sheen. We carefully considered ingredients, formula, value, and hair textures when reviewing products.

Here are some of the best products for kids with natural hair that will keep their hair healthy and strong.

Best Detangler

Kinky Curly Knot Today Detangler

kinky-curly-knot-today-detangler

Amazon

The Kinky Curly Knot Today Detangler ranks high on our list because this creamy conditioner helps to coat the kinky-coils and curly strands to make detangling pain-free for your little one. For wavy hair, this product can be used as a wash-out conditioner, while thick coils can benefit from using this product as a leave-in conditioner. Along with making detangling less of a struggle, the thick conditioner also helps prevent breakage and preserve hair growth retention.

Price at time of publication: $13

Best Styling Tool

Denman D3 Original Styler 7 Row

4.8
 Denman D3 Original Styler 7 Row

Amazon

On a good day, getting a kid to sit still to brush through their hair can be difficult, let alone if you’re using a brush that pulls at their hair. This styling brush is designed with tapered pins that work especially well at gently combing through the kinks, coils, and thick curls of natural hair, whether it’s wet or dry.

It’s lightweight and designed for comfort with a balanced grip handle. It’s also available in a variety of color combinations, so your little one can have some fun choosing their favorite.

Price at time of publication: $22

Best Shampoo

Honey Baby Naturals Honeychild Gentle Shampoo

honey baby shampoo

This honey look-alike shampoo is created to nourish and feed your little one's curls. Sulfate-free and made with a blend of natural ingredients, the natural-based formula gently cleanses the scalp while restoring and maintaining moisture to prevent excessive shedding and breakage. The rich honey acts as a humectant to pull in moisture from the environment, while chamomile soothes and nourishes the scalp.

Price at time of publication: $11

Best Conditioner

SHEA MOISTURE Mango & Carrot Kids’ Conditioner

SHEA MOISTURE Mango & Carrot Kids’ Conditioner

Courtesy of Amazon

Made with natural and organic ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, orange blossom, and carrot oil, this conditioner will leave your child’s natural curls and coils soft, strong, and moisturized. The conditioner also soothes dry scalps, prevents breakage, and adds lasting shine and bounce to the hair.

It also works as a great detangler as it provides a slip coating over the hair to make it easier to brush through tight curls and coils.

Price at time of publication: $8

Best Moisturizer

The Mane Choice Sweet Strawberry Fruit Medley Kids Moisturizer

The Mane Choice Sweet Strawberry Fruit Medley Kids Moisturizer

Courtesy of Amazon

If your kid’s natural hair is prone to extra dryness, add this moisturizer into their hair care regime. It has emollient and humectant properties, which allow it to pull moisture from the air throughout the day, giving the hair an extra layer of protection from drying out.

Some of the moisturizer’s ingredients include strawberry extract, coconut oil, castor oil, shea butter, and avocado oil which hydrate the hair without weighing it down or stiffening bouncy curls. 

Price at time of publication: $15

Best Curl Definer

SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie

4.3
shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie

Courtesy of Shea Moisture

There’s nothing cuter than a kid with tight curls, and this definer will help keep their locks healthy and looking great. It’s made with silk protein, neem oil, coconut oil, and shea butter, which works to not only moisturize the hair but also add definition to natural curls.

This leave-in product will also add some shine to their hair, reduce and control frizz, and even give their curls a little extra bounce.  

Price at time of publication: $12

Best Treatment

Carol's Daughter Goddess Strength 7 Oil Blend Hair & Scalp Oil

Carol's Daughter Goddess Strength 7 Oil Blend Hair & Scalp Oil

Amazon

This treatment is great for anyone with natural hair, and especially someone who is trying to grow theirs out, as it’s designed to add moisture from their scalp down to the ends of their curls. It’s made with castor oil and black seed oil which helps hydrate the scalp and reduce itchy dryness and dandruff, promote hair growth, and protect against breakage and split ends.

This treatment is made without petrolatum, mineral oil, or artificial colors, making it weightless, resulting in bouncy, soft curls.

Price at time of publication: $14

Best for Protective Styles

Just For Me Curl Peace Braiding & Twisting Grip Glaze

Just For Me Grip Glaze

Courtesy of Walmart

Your kiddo’s protective style will last a little longer with this glaze that is formulated to hold braids and twists in place, smooth styles, and control frizz. It’s formulated with linseed oil, avocado oil, and castor oil to leave the hair nourished, shiny, and clean.

This glaze also nourishes the scalp and helps prevent breakage so your child’s hair will be strong as it continues to grow out.

Price at time of publication: $13

Best for Edge Control

Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Edge Control Smoother

Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Edge Control

Carol’s Daughter

This product provides protection, moisture, and edge control along the hairline using ingredients like aloe, shea butter, and almond oil. It can be applied to your child’s hair when it’s dry and allows you to safely smooth the edges without risking breakage. There are no silicones, parabens, petrolatum, mineral oils, or artificial colors in this smoother, and it will leave your child’s hair feeling soft and healthy. 

Price at time of publication: $8

Final Verdict

Individual hair needs play a major role in choosing the best natural hair care product for your child. That being said, the Denman D3 Original Styling Brush (view on Amazon) and Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength 7 Oil Blend Hair & Scalp Oil (view on Amazon) are beneficial to anyone with natural hair. 

What to Look for When Buying Hair Care Products for Kids with Natural Hair?

Ingredients

Your child's natural hair will benefit from high-quality ingredients that help maintain the health, shine, and feel of their strands. Stay away from parabens and sulfates that can dry out their hair and petroleum that can weigh their strands down.

Formula

While there are hundreds of hair care products on the market for children, it is important that you use products that are specifically formulated for natural coils and kinky hair textures. These products will target the needs of natural hair like moisture, detangling, and a healthy sheen.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What products are good for natural hair?

    Look for products that provide moisture to the scalp as well as throughout hair strands without washing away natural oils. Always read ingredient lists to ensure that you are choosing products that are free of chemicals, parabens, and heavy petroleum that will weigh down curls.

  • What is a good frizz control for natural hair?

    The key to limiting frizz is ensuring your child's coils are well moisturized and nourish. When it comes to natural hair, there is a certain amount of frizz that should be expected and embraced. However, to keep your child's frizz in check, reach for moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and castor oil. 

Why Trust Verywell Family?

Ashley Ziegler is a full-time writer specializing in family and parenting content. For these recommendations, she sought advice from someone with natural hair, carefully reviewed product ingredients, and considered user reviews and ratings.