Littleman's Lounge: Lewis

Tell us a little about yourself and your son:

I’m Alison, mum to Lewis 5 (and Layla 2). Lewis is bi-racial (I’m white and nat: English and my husband is black, nat: Nigerian)

What is your son's hair care routine?

When Lewis was younger I left his hair to grow but he didn’t enjoy having his hair washed (he still doesn’t) and detangled. I had his hair put in cornrows a couple of times but they always looked untidy quickly, with flyaways and at the time I wasn't sure how to run maintenance.

I really didn’t want to cut his hair and clung onto it. Finally, finally when he was around 2 and a half I allowed my husband to take him to the barbershop (with the compromise that ‘I must still see curls’). We get his hair cut every 4-6 months because he doesn’t like the barbershop either (the hair clippers scare him and his eyes get all teared up) and I’m walking the fine line of not wanting to take him to the barbershop because its such drama when he’s there versus his hair getting so long that it take more time to comb and detangle thoroughly. When he was around 4 he decided he wanted his hair to grow and I explained that was ok but we’d need to take more time to look after it and so we went along with that for about 9 months and he told me that “ your combing my hair and making it long and its taking a long time to comb” I asked him if he wanted to have shorter hair that would take less time to comb or continue with growing and he said “short” … so off to the barbers we went (and he cried again).

What kind of products do you use on his hair?

Since trying A’s routine on my daughter and trying some Bee Mine samples (which I love) I’ve adapted the routine for Lewis:

Shampoo Twice a Week

(1) wash with the Bee Mine Tea Tree & Peppermint Shampoo x 2 a week (Lewis sweats a lot running around and in bed and so I like to shampoo his hair more often)

(2) Condition with Bee Mine Deep conditioner (leave on for 10 mins whilst he plays in the bath and I comb) then light rinse out

(3) Then I use Bee Mine Luscious Moisturiser in his hair and style (comb)

Daily

(1) Comb out with either Bee Mine Juicy Daily spritz or Bee Mine Curly Butter (depends on my mood and if I think his hair looks dry)


After Swimming

(1) Co-wash with Bee Mine Daily Moisturiser x 1 a week after swimming.

(2) Apply Bee Mine Luscious Moisturiser and comb

None of it takes a long time because his hair is short.

Can we see some hair pictures?

Pic 1: This is the most recent snap of Lewis Feb 2011



Pic 2: July 2010 – this is about as long as Lewis’s hair gets before we go to the Barbers, perhaps with Bee Mine products that seem to cause less crying we can go longer if he wants.



Pic 3: Lewis @ around 3 years, this was after his 2nd haircut



Pic 4: Lewis @ around 18 months with his hair a little longer



Pic 5: Lewis with his Dad @ around 18 months (this is as long as we got his hair before cutting , it was very tightly curled and would spring back up but when wet it would be a good 3-4 inches down his back)



Pic 6: Lewis first hair braids Summer 2007



Pic 7: This is the after Lewis’s first hair cut, it is the shortest it has ever been (his Dad took him), I cried when he came home, it made him look so much older and here he is actually younger than he was in Pic 3



Pic 8 & 9 I can’t resist sharing 2 of my fav pics of my little man



How does your son feel about his hair?

He’s a typical boy and not really bothered by it, I think he’ll become more interested as he gets older. As I’ve mentioned he doesn’t like sitting still a long time for combing OR going to the Barbershop and at the moment it HAS to be one or the other. I bribe him into the barbershop when the daily “its taking a long time” complaints about combing his hair start to get too much. Although since I’ve started using Bee Mine the complaints about hair routines have become a lot less.

If you had to share one hair care tip, what would it be?

I'm not sure I'm in a place to give tips because I'm so new to looking after curly hair properly but if what I've learned is “listen to your child” and the signs they give you about their hair. If I’m honest I clung onto Lewis’s long hair longer than I should have done because of my own desires and visions of a beautiful baby with glorious curls and long hair that I could style and I associated his curls / longer hair with the baby / toddler years. I still have my beautiful baby with glorious curls that are easier to manage and now less drama for both of us.

The other tip is finding a routine that works for both of you and always MOISTURISE (since I’ve paid more attention to this area the *routine* has become easier). I’ll continue to maintain his hair in a short style but that is in great condition so if he decides he wants to grow it out again we’ll have the basic tools, products and hair condition already in place.

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Yay! Finally a Littleman's Lounge submission! How handsome is Lewis? Put this child in modeling or TV! lol :) I love that even though Lewis doesn't have much anymore, mom still knows it should be properly cared for and moisturized. I look forward to seeing a future Diva Spotlight from little sister, Layla! Thanks again for sharing, Alison!
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