How To Promote Independent Hair Care with SoCozy

Thanks to Beautystat for sponsoring this post so I can share some independent hair care ideas with you. As always, all opinions are my own. #SoCozyAtTarget You can find SoCozy products at Target and check out SoCozy Stylers.

Nearly every morning there is one debate in our home which slowly brings me closer to the edge of parenting insanity. It’s the hair debate.  Did you brush it?  No, you CAN’T go to school like that! Why is it so tangled? How would you like me to do it? No, I’m NOT trying to hurt you! While I’d like to blame the bulk of this struggle on my 6 year old, the reality is that upon examination I could  come to the table with a better approach. That’s right, I’m calling myself out here.

Initially, I thought it was just us. However, over the last couple of weeks I’ve noticed at least 3 other little girls walking into school with either a mother trailing behind them wielding a hairbrush, or in the case of the older kids, whipping a brush  out while making the walk from the bus to their classroom. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!  AND it doesn’t care if you’ve had coffee yet or not.

So moving from negative to positive I gave some serious thought as to what would help turn this morning hair situation around. All signs pointed to encourage, excite, involve.  Deep breath…

Start with Something They Love.

Kayla loves color, flowers, and anything that feels grown up to her.  I started with a nice array of colorful hair clips to help secure her accidental bangs (a self inflicted hair cut) that are still growing out.  Since what to do with them is the #1 source of conflict for us, I thought freedom of choice and creativity would help.

Add Easy To Use Products.

Have you ever noticed that a lot of kid-friendly products are actually not all that kid-friendly?  In encouraging Kayla to be an active participant in taking care of her hair I looked to SoCozy’s line of kid-friendly hair care products while shopping the hair care section at Target. If you’re a native New Yorker like me, a light may have just gone off.  Yes, that is SoCozy as in Cozy’s Cuts For Kids…  As in the original super amazing place to get your child’s hair cut.  The first thing I noticed was the bottle design.  Products with pumps are hard to operate with little fingers and often get stuck or don’t spray properly.  This nozzle allows kids to leverage their strength and use the product without frustration.  Simple, but important.

I grabbed three products I thought would truly help us.  The first was Cinch 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner and body wash.  As an adult, I’d never try to group those all into one. However, it makes perfect sense for a child learning independence in the shower.  Less stuff to keep track of and less things to forget.  Next came the sister product, a detangler and leave in conditioner. Poor Kayla has inherited my hair type which is somewhere between wavy and curly and very prone to tangles. Sorry kid!

Boo! Lice Prevention Spray just seemed like a good idea.  The world is dirty my friends. So so very dirty. If you’re like me, you cringe in horror every time you see your child reach for a hat in a store or rub their head on an airline seat. In fact I will be stealing a few sprays of this before getting on a plane to Phoenix next month…

Give Everything A Home.

One of my biggest mistakes was not assigning things like Kayla’s brushes, clips, hairbands, etc. a real home.  On top of the debate we are constantly looking for things in the morning while I’m trying to get lunch in her backpack and telling her to stop coloring and put her shoes on.  I picked up this clear organizer as a visually easy to navigate and functional spot for all of her newly acquired goodies to live.  It’s filled with hair care products she can use, brushes that are meant to be tangle friendly, and lots of hair accessories to choose from.

Reap The Rewards.

Do I think every morning will be a breeze?  Definitely NOT.  I’m a realist.  However, I think I’ve given myself a fighting chance and taken one more thing out of the equation that leads us to morning drama.  Honestly, I hate leaving for school feeling like Kayla and I aren’t getting along.  It adds stress and sets a bad tone for the rest of the day.  Since Kayla is strong willed and craves independence to a fault (no idea where she gets that from) this setup serves her need to do things her way while still getting her to do what I want.  You see what we just did there? Mmmhmmm. Score – Kayla 43792, Jillian – 1. I’ll take it.

Think you want to try this approach?  You can pin the image below and it will be waiting for you when you’re ready!

SoCozy products are made without parabens, sulfates, synthetic colors, propylene glycol (ew), gluten, wheat or nuts. Basically, they’re products that even a “don’t you dare spray that aerosol sunscreen near my child” mom like me will use.  I found them right in the hair care section at Target, though admittedly high up on the shelf for my 5’5″ (on a good day) stature.

I received products and compensation from BeautyStat.com for this post. As always, my opinion is my own and not edited by BeautyStat you can read my Disclosure Policy or call up my husband who will confirm my “always opinionated” status.