Q: “I follow you on Instagram, and Lina Bobina’s curl pattern looks a lot like both mine and my niece’s. I need to know what you put in her hair. Even if it’s kiddie stuff. My curls are so dry and frizzy…and my sister always puts my niece’s hair in braids, because her spirals are too overwhelming. So whatever you use on Bobina, we need to get into…asap!” – Jeanine
A: Hi Jeanine! Lina Lina Bobina has a ton of hair. A TON. I understand you and your sister being flummoxed. It took me ages to find the perfect hair cocktail to get us through wetting, washing, and detangling sans tears.
The little girl…with the temper tantrum-inducing curls.
Lina’s hair is thick, with a fine curl and about four inches of shrinkage (a lot). Let’s cut to the chase. In her five years on Earth, I’ve tried everything…and the two product lines that prettify her curls most brilliantly are the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus collection (organic; paraben-free; made of gentle, soothing, kid-friendly botanicals…so fancy, and yet SOLD AT TARGET!!!), and the new CurlyKids Mixed Hair Care collection (also super-gentle, paraben-free, and shockingly inexpensive). I’ve found that these products are moisturizing enough to keep Lina’s ultra-dry hair hydrated for a good three days…but they’re also lightweight, non-sticky and don’t leave a residue. Hence, the bounciness. These are the three we keep in heavy rotation:
STEP 1: We skip shampoo, and just use SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser, which geennntttly strips away product buildup, while leaving her curls moisturized and luscious. It’s loaded with silk proteins to strengthen and nourish her ringlets.
STEP 2: The Co-Wash does a great job of getting rid of most of Lina’s tangles (as long as I apply it by running my fingers downwards through her hair, not roughing it up, shampoo-style, at the roots). But there’s always a few tangles left after I rinse. So, I spritz the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Kids Extra-Moisturizing Detangling SPray from scalp to ends and use my fingers to gently separate her curls.
STEP 3: Finally, I squeeze dry her hair with a towel, rub a dollop of CurlyKids Mixed Hair HairCare Gel Moisturizer between my hands, and run it throughout her hair. I don’t COAT her curls with it, just squeeze it in, lightly. I don’t want her to have Top Ramen spirals…you can’t get a good bounce if the strands are weighed down with product. Extra tip? On the second and third day, I spritz her curls with the Detangling Spray for extra moisture and frizz-fighting definition.
And there you have it, Jeanine! Lina Lina Bobina’s hair regimen. Hopefully this helps you and your niece. Send me a pic so I can see results!
xxoo,
Ms. Trilliams
