Understanding Kids' Hair Types and How To Care For Them
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Time to read 7 min
When parents are asked to describe their child's hair, it is often a single word: straight, wavy or curly. This is a useful start but it doesn't explain why the same shampoo works well on one kid and leaves the other sibling with dry or knotted strands.
That is because "hair type" is really a combination of a few different traits. This guide walks you through the research behind hair types, how to read your child's hair at home, and building a simple routine around what you find.
Kids' Hair Type Isn't Just About Straight Or Curly
Curl pattern is the trait we notice first, and it is set below the skin. A 2017 review in Experimental Dermatology on how hair takes its shape points to the follicle itself: straight hair grows from straighter follicles and produces a rounder fibre, while curly hair grows from curved follicles where cells divide unevenly, producing a flatter, more oval strand that bends as it grows.
From straight to coily hair, curl pattern sits on a spectrum. A study published in the International Journal of Dermatology identified eight curl types from completely straight to tightly coiled, which explains why siblings, or mother and daughter, can land at different points on it.
However, pattern isn't the only trait that defines children's hair type; there are other traits that contribute to it: strand thickness, density and condition, and each one changes what a good routine looks like.
How To Read Your Kid's Hair At Home
Knowing your child's hair type and what it needs will help you manage it better, and with the right products. This exercise just requires a clean head of hair and a few minutes. The best time is after a wash, once the hair has air-dried, so you're seeing its natural behaviour.
Curl Pattern
How to check: Look at a section of hair from the crown and one section from the back of the head once fully dry.
What you'll notice:
- Straight hair falls flat from root to tip
- Wavy hair forms loose S-bends, often only from the mid-lengths
- Curly hair forms defined loops or spirals
- Coily hair forms tight coils or zigzags close to the scalp.
It is common to have more than one curl pattern. For instance, hair can be straighter on top and wavier underneath or at the nape. Go by the pattern that covers most of the head.
Strand Thickness
This describes how wide each individual hair is, from fine to coarse.
How to check: Take one shed strand and roll it between your fingers, or lay it next to a piece of sewing thread.
What you'll notice:
- Fine strands are hard to feel and thinner than the thread.
- Medium strands are about the same
- Coarse strands feel wiry and also look thicker
Hair Density
This refers how much hair grows on the scalp, which decides how full the hair looks overall.
How to check: Part the hair in a few places and look at how much of the scalp shows.
What you'll notice:
- If the scalp is easy to see, density is usually lower
- If you have to search for the scalp, density is usually higher
Hair Condition
This is determined by how much wear the hair has picked up along its length, from lifestyle elements such as sun, pool water and everyday handling.
How to check: Run your fingers from the root to tip and look closely at the ends
What you'll notice:
- Hair in good condition feels smooth and looks shiny along its length
- Hair with more wear feels rough at the ends, looks dull or frizzy, and also dries noticeably faster after a wash
Overall, most children are a mix of the four traits. Read each row on its own before combining them for a comprehensive picture of your child's hair type. For example, wavy, fine, high density and smooth.
Caring For Each Hair Type
The biggest difference between hair types isn’t only about which products you use, but how and when you use them, from where conditioner goes to when it’s best to detangle. Find the section for your child's hair type below for the routine that works best with it.
Straight Hair
With straight strands, scalp oil has a direct path from root to tip. This tends to look like grease appearing at the roots sooner than other types, especially after a sweaty school day in our heat. Fine straight hair also goes flat easily under heavy products.
With that said, straight hair isn't always fine. A 2020 review of Asian hair in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology describes it as typically straight, round and the largest in cross-sectional area of the major hair groups studied, so straight hair that feels thick could be coarse rather than fine.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Cleanse | Focus shampoo on the scalp rather than the lengths. The Pineapple & Coconut variant of TOOFRUIT Kapidoux Shampoo is designed to lift away buildup and excess oil, which suits kids whose roots get oily quickly. |
| Condition | Apply a silicone-free conditioner like TOOFRUIT Kapidoux Conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends only.
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| Detangle | Wait until the hair is towel-blotted and mostly dry rather than combing it soaking wet. Research in the Journal of Cosmetic Science found that straight-to-wavy hair was easier to comb dry than wet, while tightly coiled hair was the reverse. If necessary, a few spritzes of TOOFRUIT Detangling Spray on dry hair helps the comb glide through the ends, where straight hair tends to knot. |
| Rough ends | Worn ends are usually where straight hair snags. Give the ends a little extra conditioner or mist detangling spray there before combing so the comb glides instead of catching, and keep up regular trims to clear away the most worn tips. |
Wavy Hair
Wavy hair sits somewhere in the middle. It can tangle like curly hair underneath while looking straight on top, and it is most prone to frizz in humid weather.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Cleanse | Either of the TOOFRUIT Kapidoux Shampoo variants works. Go for Pineapple & Coconut if the roots get oily, and Apple & Almond if the lengths feel dry. |
| Condition | Use conditioner on the lengths, then gently scrunch the hair upwards with a towel instead of rubbing. This helps the waves keep their shape.
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| Detangle | Like straight hair, waves are easier to comb once mostly dry. A light mist of a detangling spray tames morning bedhead and static without flattening the waves. |
| Rough ends | Worn ends can contribute to frizzy waves. Focus conditioner on the bottom third of the hair and leave it on a little longer, and always blot, never rub. |
Curly or Coily Hair
The more a strand bends, the harder it is for scalp oil to travel down it, so curly and coily hair is usually drier from the mid-lengths down even when the scalp is healthy. Tight coils can also form knots within single strands and those knots are where breakage tends to happen.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Cleanse | The Apple & Almond variant of TOOFRUIT Shampoo is the more hydrating choice. Massage it into the scalp and let the lather run through the lengths while rinsing, rather than scrubbing the strands directly. |
| Condition | The American Academy of Dermatology recommends conditioner for children with curly or dry hair. Apply conditioner generously and leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes. Fine curls still need conditioner, but rinse it out thoroughly so the curls don't clump or flatten. |
| Detangle | This is the most important step. Unlike straight hair, curls and coils comb more easily when wet, so detangle with a detangling spray while the conditioner is still in, working with fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Avoid brushing curly or coily hair once dry. |
| Rough ends | Worn ends are where curly and coily strands are most likely to snap. Be extra gentle when detangling the last few centimetres, and keep up regular trims so the most worn ends don't catch and tangle. |
Small Habits For All Hair Types
Once a hair strand is damaged, it can’t repair itself. Although new growth comes in healthy, but the hair lengths carry every bit of wear it has accumulated over time, so the goal is to cause less wear in the first place. Some habits recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology that apply to all hair types:
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Shampoo the scalp, not the lengths. A coin-sized amount massaged into the scalp is enough. Rubbing shampoo along the lengths can roughen and break strands. Since the scalp gets the most contact, a gentle formula matters for kids. TOOFRUIT Kapidoux Shampoo is sulfate-free, dermatologically tested on young, sensitive skin, and made to respect their still-developing scalps. It cleanses without leaving it feeling stripped or dry.
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Blot, never rub. Pat, blot and wrap wet hair in a towel to absorb water instead of rubbing the strands to dry it, which can contribute to damage over time.
- Always rinse after swimming. Pool chemicals left in kids' hair can damage it, so make sure to get a good rinse after every swim, followed with conditioner if your child's hair is dry or curly.
Before You Go
There's rarely a one-size-fits-all routine that suits every child's hair type, and there doesn't need to be. Once you can tell whether your child's hair is straight or curly, fine or coarse, full or sparse, and how well it holds up with products, the right steps become much easier to choose.
With that said, their hair will change as they grow. Children's strands grow steadily thicker, curl pattern can shift and more time outdoors and in the pool means more wear on the lengths. It's worth re-reading your child's hair once a year or so, or whenever a routine that used to work starts to feel off, so you can keep up as it changes.
A final tip: get your child involved in their own hair care. This builds habits that will carry into their tween and teen years, when they'll be taking over their routine independently.
