At a year and a half old, my daughter’s hair has been growing from the back of her cowlick at her crown all the way to her eyes, making it a little difficult to manage. For us so far, it’s been quite the battle to figure out how to style baby girl hair.
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What Is A Cowlick?
If you’re not familiar with a cowlick, it’s like a hurricane swirl that directs hair in different directions. It’s a chunk of hair that has a life of its own.
They are usually on the crown of one’s scalp, although sometimes on the forehead or back of the neck. They cannot be removed, only somewhat managed. Children’s cowlicks are said to mature on their own.
Baby Cowlicks Are Genetic
My husband and I both have them and our kids seem to have picked up on our genetics. For boys, frequent and short haircuts short seem to be the solution.Â
But for us ladies, it can be a bit more labor-intensive. I part my hair around it but for our daughter, who’s still got baby hair, it’s a little more difficult especially now that it’s in her eyes.
Battling the Baby Cowlick
While wet, it’s easy to manage and brush to the sides. But the moment her hair dries, it flops forward.
When she wakes up in the morning her hair is a mess. Not only is it completely covering her eyes but it’s full of static with flyaways at the top-it’s so funny! I have to pat it down with water every morning just to manage it a little.
Her hair refuses to go backward or stay parted in the center so I part it to the side and have been using a hair clip at the front. At first, this worked great but now that she’s got a lot more hair it keeps slipping out so I’ve been trying to get creative and silly with the hair do’s.
How to Manage Baby Cowlick
When trying to manage baby cowlicks there are two options: frequent and short haircuts or growing it out to weigh it down.
For our son, keeping it short has been successful. We know it’s time for a haircut when he has a few hairs sticking straight up at the cowlick. But for our daughter, that’s not an option.
Hair experts advise massaging the area. They also say that the best way to redirect the hair is to keep directing it by force with ponytails, pigtails, hair clips, whatever works! Cutting bangs will not help in redirecting the hair and there is no proof that shaving a baby’s head will allow thicker hair to grow.
Other suggested options include the use of hairspray, pomades, and other hair products to “tease” the area.Â
How To Style Baby Girl Hair With Cowlick
Trying to figure out how to style baby girl hair with a wild double cowlick has proven itself to be tricky during the hair growth process.
For a few months, a simple hair clip or hair tie did the trick.Â
But as her hair is trying to grow, and it’s growing toward her forehead, I have to be patient and find ways to redirect it.Â
Styles that have worked for us at this stage have been a little unconventional and definitely asymmetrical. Wetting and combing the hair to style it is always helpful.Â
Our favorite styles include pigtails, half-ponytails with a headband or multiple hairclips, segmented ponytails with hair clips, and the ever-popular ‘palm-tree’ pony.
It’s been a lot of fun getting creative with silly hairstyles for our little girl.
These are some of our favorite styling tools:
- Baby Comb & Brush (Minnie Mouse)
- Wet Brush (for when they have a lot of hair)
- Tubby Todd Shampoo
- Baby Alligator Hairclips
- Decorative Hand-Made Felt Hairclips
- Claw Clips with silicone grip
- Soft Mini Hair Scrunchies
- Elastic Hair Ties (for tiny sections)
- Baby Headbands
- Toddler/Girls Headbands (Target and Claire’s has great ones too)
Update: A Few Years Later
A few years have passed and my daughter now has beautiful long silky hair that doesn’t grow directly toward her forehead. The double cowlick is still there (it always will be) and it’s still difficult to part her hair down the middle or hold the center section back unless it’s wet. Everyone’s hair speaks its own language, we just have to be patient and go with its flow.
As her hair grew, things became a little easier and headbands, braids, half-ponytails, ponytails, and a combination became easier and our best solutions.
She is known around town for styling in her varied collection of headbands and sunglasses these days.
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My name is Paula and I’m a mom of two scrumptious cuties. Thanks Mommy Blog became a project for me to help guide other new moms and current moms through any of my own personal experiences and struggles. My hobbies include singing, doing jigsaw puzzles, baking, designing and trying to stay creative.
So cute! It’s worth every bit of effort I’m sure! x
I am loving all the hair accessories! Your daughter is adorable and it looks like you have come up with some pretty cute ideas to manage her hair..Keep playing and having fun and you’ll come up with many more!
When growing up I remember my younger sister had the same type of hair. She’s adorable though.
My daughters hair is so curly I barley was able to do anything with it. She didnt fully get a head of haor till about 2 anyway. I love the accessories that you chose to share with us. They look adorable!