Help! I’m getting custody of my niece and I have no experience with curly toddler girls hair. My other 5 kids all have fine straight hair. Im assuming she gets it from her dads side. As my sister in law has straight hair as well. Anyway my point is on my last visit with her at the foster parents home her hair feels crunchy like straw. Just wondering what other moms use on their girls hair. I understand they need to leave in conditioner and to never brush their hair but use a comb when wet? What are other moms hair routines with very curly hair.
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Youtube will be your best friend.
Look up school styles for curly hair
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Leave the conditioner in her hair while in the shower and start combing your way from the bottom of her head to the top of her head. However start from the tip of her hair and make your way to the roots this way you dont rip out her hair. But youtube hair products by people who have a similar curl pattern as her.
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Is it mix. My kids r mix and has curly hair and i use pink loction, coconut oil and suave kids shampoo
Little CG’s UK 
try the curly girl method
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Join the curly girls group on Facebook. Tons of advice and a great community
I have super curly hair, some tips I use, only brush it right after the shower when super wet. Or even brush it when the conditioner is in before you rinse it out. And then kinda scrunch it up with your hands, or even a towel to dry it a bit. The natural curl will come out. But like you said don’t brush it dry it will friz pretty bad
Get a wet brush. They have them at Walmarts/targets/online. You might have to play around with different kinds of products. Some may be too heavy for her hair or greasy… or not do anything at all. Also get a silk cap for her to use at night. It will protect her hair from the pillow soaking in all the oils and making her hair easier to break off. You can also put her hair in protective styles (braids for example). Just don’t use cheap products. You get what you pay for. Most of the products she will probably need are going to be in the ethnic section. Try Hawaiian silky. It’s a white bottle with green writing on it. Good luck!!
I’m curly here! Use professional products and comb from the bottom up. Mousse to add volume. Gel will weigh it down if you use too much.
Deva curl products are amazing according to a good friend of mine.
I have crazy textured hair. Leave conditioner in for a few minutes in the bath, only brush her hair while it’s still wet. You don’t need to only use a comb, I use a plastic flat/square brush. There’s tons of products like leave in conditioners, the ones that specify “curls” on the bottle are best. Don’t overdo it or leave stuff like coconut oil in her hair, it will make it greasy and heavy. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions. I’ve had my hair almost 26 years, I’ve learned a lot about it lol
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My daughter whose two has very curly hair from her dad side I have sworn by suave leave in conditioner and a fine brush
My neighbor uses Whole Blends Honey shampoo and conditioner for her youngest boy. He has really fine hair as well as curls and that seems to work wonders for keeping it moist and healthy.
My baby boy has red curly hair… I comb it when its wet in the bath, I use a tiny bit of hair oil ( his hair isnt very long) I style his hair while wet with a comb… a little bit of hairspray to keep in place. & only wash every other day 
My little girl I adopted has really curly hair I wash it put conditioner in it then I put leave in conditioner for curly hair and it has helped plus if you can afford it they are stuff called love your curls it works wonders
We love using Wet brush. We also use Cantu products. Usually the detangler and the leave in curl cream. They wont make her hair crunchy.
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Carols daughter products are the best to use!!
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It depends on her hair texture and curl type. Is 4C or 3B? Google “curl type chart”. Once you know what kind of curls you are working with you will know what products work best. My oldest daughter and I both have curly hair but different types. She can get away with just regular washing and some added oil for styling but I have to use strictly curl related products like Shea Moisture Curl & Shine. We both wash every 3 days and comb with conditioner in our hair. I personally use the Curly Girl Method.
Join curly girls hair group on Facebook that will be a huge help! Best tips and advice on curly hair
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Leave in conditioners will be your best bet. Try Garnier Frutise
First take the little girl to a nice salon and get her hair shampooed, deep conditioning and a least a trime. There are great products out there for natural curly have.
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I have no advice but would just like to say I think what u are doing for your niece is truely amazing!! Taking another child into you home when u have 5 kids already is a pure act of selfless love! I wish all the best for family! 
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I use a combination of Garnier fructis leave in conditioner and smoothing milk…ive sworn by it for years
Buy Pink lotion its leave in conditioner for kids hair it works wonder just use a little while wet and use a comb and leave it after you scrunch it up. Pink hair lotion for kids is amazing!!
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Whole blends honey shampoo and conditioner, and a little bit of coconut oil while the hair is damp 
dont blow dry
I dont have any advice as I have fine, straight hair too… but I LOVE that you are taking the time to inform yourself to take the best care of your niece. 
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Use a moisturizer shampoo and conditioner DONT WASH IT EVERYDAY, wash it 1x a week. When you wash it every day, you strip the natural oils that it needs. The Pink hair lotion is the best, the gardiner leave is good,
I have curly hair and NEVER brush my hair. All it does is anger the beast. Lol. I use conditioner in the shower but not everyday, no shampoo. And cantu products. LOVE them.
Live clean leave in conditioner.
(I have curly hair and this is what I do)
I use the leave in conditioner every time i wash my hair. Which is every other day!
I brush it once a week while wet (paddle brush and after leave in gas gone in.)
But comb it while wet every time it wet.
I also put a small about of devacurl in it to keep the curl soft if I wear it curly or I will side braid it should I not want it down.
Also top knot can really harm it. Lots of knots
If you want a bun you should do it while wet and twist it into a nice near bun it will dry beautifully if you do it while wet 
Hope his makes sense!
I reccomend a “wet brush” you can buy at target or walmart. Amazing for curly and thick hair. Like you said yes lots of conditioner especially on any tangley parts. I let dry for about ten to fifteen minuets after I’ve squeezed dry, never do the crazy shake the towel all over the head thing to dry it, that doesnt help. I seperate my daughter’s hair. Makes it so much easier in the long run. And for thoes tuff spots I learned to comb bottom to top because pulling from the top down just rips out the hair. Also a detangler or a leave in conditioner. Really depends on the kind of curl and thickness. Good luck! Your doing a great thing taking her in under your wing! Makes me proud to be a woman ometimes hearing how amazing some of us are!
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Baby shampoo & a conditioner for curly hair. My twins have curls.
My granddaughter has very curly hair I use Johnson & Johnson no Tangles and it worked great
No combs! No combs even when wet ! Curly haired ppl will understand this… a pick helps, but ultimately u wanna use a brush when curls are soaked with leave in conditioner. Me personally, for myself, daughter and my son… once a week we use organic coconut oil in our hair over night w/shower cap on to save the pillowcases. It keeps the hair pliable and healthy and just beautiful !!!
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Look into Lange’ products. They are having a ginormous sale. Their products are the biggest out right now and 9$ a piece with CARE9. My hair is the healthiest it has ever been. They have everything for every hair type. They also do videos everyday giving out free tools and telling you what’s best for what kind of hair and how to properly take care/style of your hair. Their brushes are a GAME CHANGER! I HATED brushing my hair and after I got my paddle brush I couldn’t wait to brush it because it was so easy. I recommend the detangling conditioning spray, the nourishing gloss, marucla oil spray, and the sobert lotion.
I use a comb on my daughters hair when wet, leave in conditioner and Detangler are a must for my daughter. I don’t use any other products on it, and I wash it about once a week. My curls I brush when wet, use conditioner and a good shampoo, leave in conditioner and use mousse to help tame them.
Comb is better than brush for very curly hair it doesnt break that hair as much as a brush does. Do not brush Curly hair when it is dry. It will make it frizz out. Might be easier to comb it while water is running on it! Never blow dry curly hair it will also frizz it out. Let it air dry.
For a toddler I would say use a regular shampoo and conditioner and use an adult for of leave in conditioner.
Kantu for kids products 
I just had my niece here for a week and she has super curly hair and bought some kids moisturizing shampoo and conditioner specifically for curly headed kids and check out Cantu products for kids. Use wide tooth comb. Heres my niece after a bath.
OP:
Could you add… unfortunately my nieces hair was falling out when she was removed, so her hair is super short now. Here is a photo for an idea. When it’s longer will it be ringlets then? Right now it just always looks like an Afro.
We use a wet brush, leave in conditioner is our best friend and we use a tshirt instead of a towel to dry, also we get a serum (it looks like oil) and rub through after the hair is dry to give it a shin and some oil it needs. My little one usually gets sand or sucker in her hair so it has to be washed every night. The serum really helps it from drying out.
Detangling wet brush, moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, a deep conditioner two to three times a week, hair detangler.
Hydrating conditioner. Detangling spray. Coconut oil for the ends. Always wet the hair if you’re combing it when its dry, so it doesnt poof up.
the best thing to do is take her to a salon, they will show how to care for and style her hair.
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I was told NEVER put a brush or comb to my son’s head. I wish I would have found this out a year or two earlier. With the right products they are not needed. I have used neither a comb or a brush for my son’s curly hair for a year and it is super easy to comb through his hair with just my fingers.