Biracial hair - Need Stylist ASAP (Akron, Canton: hair salon, how much, living in)

[mommiegeek]

My daughter is 7 years old and biracial (black/white). I've been struggling with managing her hair for her whole life. I am desperate to find a stylist who specializes in managing, styling and care of biracial hair to style and offer advice. Even parents who have been there, much help would be welcome!

Thanks in advance!

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by mommiegeek

My daughter is 7 years old and biracial (black/white). I've been struggling with managing her hair for her whole life. I am desperate to find a stylist who specializes in managing, styling and care of biracial hair to style and offer advice. Even parents who have been there, much help would be welcome!

Thanks in advance!

Those would be called "black hair salons" and there's no shortage in Akron or Canton, although it looks like you're in Stow so you may have to drive a little. I don't think any of them specifically specialize in "biracial" hair, but that would be kind of like asking a barber if he specializes in blond hair.

I'm a guy so I'm not the best reference but my connections (ha) have been to both Shear Serenity (515 W Exchange St [Five Points / West Hill] Akron, OH 44302-1403 - (330) 379-2307) and Artistic Hair Design (1948 W Market St [Wallhaven] Akron, OH 44313-6932 (330) 384-0122) and haven't had any complaints. Other than that you could probably flip through the phone book and go by address if you're really hard pressed. Of course, like any hair stylist, you may have to try a few out before you find one you're comfortable with.

If you're really, really out of the hair loop you're going to need a batch of hair care products as well - Beauty Mart in the Gabriel Brothers plaza in Wallhaven has everything.

What it really sounds like is you need black female friends (amusing to say, I know). You might consider signing your daughter up for some extracurricular activities closer to Akron where you would be more likely to cross paths, like sports, cheerleading, dancing, music, etc.

A parting note -you sound a little frustrated, but don't feel bad - you're not the first person to run into hair issues like that. I just can't believe it's been 7 years!

Hope that was at least a little helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions - I probably won't know the answers but I probably get them for you.

[mommiegeek]

Thanks for the input, but actually, I am black and I have tried various stylists and salons (all on referral from my own stylist) and none of them can manage my daughter's hair. They treat it like it's black hair and I at least learned years ago that it is very different from black hair. It's also very different from white hair. (Unfortunately the assumption that it's like black hair and can be treated exactly like black hair is a common one.)

My daughter's hair is a breed all its own, and it requires specialized care from someone more familiar. I've discovered lots of websites and salons specializing in multiracial/multiethnic hair but they are all in the "big cities" like New York and Chicago.

I'm hoping that posting here might net me a contact with someone exactly like my daughter, or who has children/nieces/nephews/cousins/sisters/clientele that are in the same boat.

Edited to add: My aunt used to be a stylist and even she could only manage to either flatten my daughter's hair down with the more heavy oily products meant for black hair. She said that she hadn't really dealt with biracial hair like my daughter's and that I needed to find someone who had. I'm not looking to "straighten" her hair; I want her curls healthy and manageable.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by mommiegeek

Thanks for the input, but actually, I am black and I have tried various stylists and salons (all on referral from my own stylist) and none of them can manage my daughter's hair. They treat it like it's black hair and I at least learned years ago that it is very different from black hair. It's also very different from white hair. (Unfortunately the assumption that it's like black hair and can be treated exactly like black hair is a common one.)

My daughter's hair is a breed all its own, and it requires specialized care from someone more familiar. I've discovered lots of websites and salons specializing in multiracial/multiethnic hair but they are all in the "big cities" like New York and Chicago.

I'm hoping that posting here might net me a contact with someone exactly like my daughter, or who has children/nieces/nephews/cousins/sisters/clientele that are in the same boat.

Edited to add: My aunt used to be a stylist and even she could only manage to either flatten my daughter's hair down with the more heavy oily products meant for black hair. She said that she hadn't really dealt with biracial hair like my daughter's and that I needed to find someone who had. I'm not looking to "straighten" her hair; I want her curls healthy and manageable.

I'm having a hard time visualizing what could be so unusual about her hair (?) Is it like:






Generally speaking you shouldn't use oil-based products. "No Frizz" non-oil-based gels seem to work well. Smooth'n Shine seems to be a good one. I don't know how much experimenting you've done but it shouldn't be that difficult... (?)

[HTown001]

Being biracial myself, I can say it can be very difficult because it is a different texture. You can not treat it like black nor can you treat it like white hair. I have found if I go to a black salon they try and treat it like black hair. You need to use a shampo designed for curly hair, along with a conditioner for curly hair. Curly hair is dryer and those shampoos and conditioners are designed to hold in moister. Do not brush it while it is dry. Use your fingers to comb through her wet hair. Shampoo no more then twice a week, but you can rinse it and use a conditioner instead of shampoo. After that process use a good leave in conditioner and Frizz Ease Serum while wet. If her hair is long enough put it in a loose bun to sleep on. Also do not blow dry, let her hair air dry. This process with train her hair to hold their natrual curls and will get better and better with time.

[calimom66]

Hello! I know that sometimes biracial hair can be difficult to deal with! I am a black femaleborn and raised in akron now living in cali with my husband and 2 young biracial boys. My 5 yr old has very straight hair and my 2 yr old has hair exactly like your pics, tight ringlets. I personally take them to black barbers who know exactly what to do with both types of hair. I also maintain both hair types with a product called carols daughter based in new york city. Her products are excellent for both boys. Go to the website and check it out, you may like it!

Hope this helps!