Baby Hair Care & Styling

With the right products and a little patience, the time you spend caring for your toddler’s hair can mean much more. Your gentle touch and the familiar scents of JOHNSON’S^® baby hair products help your little one’s development while enhancing your bond.

Taking care of your baby’s hair can sometimes be very challenging. But if you don’t take care of your little one’s hair, it can get dry, messy and lead to an unhealthy scalp and skin.

Here are some helpful tips for taking care of your child’s hair with no fuss and no tears.

Make It Fun

While most toddlers will never love having their hair washed, do your best to make it as painless as possible. Sing a song together. Tell your little one that you're giving her a scalp massage as you lather the baby shampoo. Let her blow bubbles while you're doing it. Distraction is key and your touch has the power to soothe her, which also improves sleep quality when part of a bedtime routine.

Comb Hair When Wet

As soon as you're done washing and conditioning her hair, comb it with a wide-tooth comb and get the little knots out before they become big knots. Never use a brush on wet hair. To help with manageability for thin and straight or thick and curly hair, use JOHNSON’S^® Soft & Shiny® Kids Conditioner Spray.

Get the Right Hair Cut

With the right haircut, your toddler's hair should be relatively easy to care for. If your child has curly hair, you may want her hair all one length with no bangs. If your child has very thick or wavy hair, a layered haircut can help cut back the tangles. Talk to a hairdresser about your options.

Protect Your Child’s Eyes

No toddler likes to get anything in their eyes, so consider putting a visor on her forehead or rinsing her hair while she’s leaning back towards you so that you can avoid getting water in her face.

And a newborn’s eyes are still developing. Compared to adults, they blink less often, tear less and it takes time for the blink reflex to develop, making it easier for an unwanted substance to get into the eye and cause irritation.

For worry-free bath time, try JOHNSON’S^® baby shampoo with our NO MORE TEARS^® formula—developed for babies and young children, it is mild to the scalp and as gentle to eyes as pure water.

Protect Against Frizz and Static Cling

If your toddler has curly hair, there's a good chance that it may become wild or unruly in rainy or humid weather. And straight hair can stick upwards or outwards in cold, dry weather. Try styling your toddler's hair by tying it up, for example.

Watch Out for Knots

Compared with adult hair, baby hair is thinner and more prone to tangling and breakage. And when it comes to tangles, brushing may cause a temper tantrum. But with help from the right products, the moments you spend gently combing can become another chance to bond with your toddler.

Thick and curly hair can sometimes tangle very easily. For easy combing and detangling, consider using our three-step routine. Try JOHNSON’S^® Soft & Shiny® 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner to unlock knots and tangles. Also, it's a good idea to wash hair in the direction that it falls.

For extra detangling or hard to manage hair, you can use a detangling spray like JOHNSON’S^® Soft & Shiny® Kids Conditioner Spray. It can be used on wet or dry hair, so you can apply it and comb your toddler's hair even on days when you are not washing it. This will help you prevent knots before they start.

Protect long hair overnight — never leave clips in or keep hair tied up. If it's long enough, you can braid it before sleep.

Only Use Gentle Products

Baby and toddler hair is very different from adult hair, and it needs very different products to stay clean and healthy. To care for your child's hair, it is important to use gentle products with mild ingredients formulated especially for them. Use a shampoo that's enriched with conditioners for the delicate nature of your baby's hair. And also be mindful of scent, as smell is the #1 sense linked to memory, and familiar and enjoyable fragrances, like the scents of JOHNSON’S^® baby products, have been shown to improve your little one’s mood and alertness.

To encourage your little one to cooperate during hair care time, compliment your toddler on her appearance and use positive reinforcement. With proper hair care, you can help eliminate tangles and make combing easier for both of you.