Many of us have them—they’re short & thin & we’re always looking for new ways to use them to our stylistic advantage. What are we talking about?
Baby hairs
You know the ones—the fine, wispy strands along your hairline that often add a new level of dimension to your everyday look.
While you may be wondering how to get rid of baby hairs, we think it’s time to embrace them. Whether you boastfully wear them in their natural, feathery glory or you smooth them out to complete your sleek sense of style, baby hairs are a blessing.
Rather than finding ways to rid ourselves of our natural beauty, let’s dive right into everything related to your beautiful baby hairs, such as how to fix baby hairs, whether or not they grow & how you can keep them healthy.
How to Keep Baby Hairs at Bay
If you’re interested in learning how to keep baby hairs down—baby, you’re in the right place.
The basic process of laying your edges is easy to learn. With a little more context behind the commonly asked question of “What is edge control?” paired with practice, you’ll know enough of the fundamentals to master some of the trendy edge hair styles worn by trailblazing trendsetters like FKA Twigs & Queen B herself.
Amp your look up a notch (or three) with these steps on how to style baby hairs:
#1 Smooth Your Edges With an Edge Control Tool
While some people use mascara brushes or toothbrushes to separate their baby hairs, we much prefer the benefits of a dual-ended edge tool, like PATTERN’s edge control brush. With two ends, you receive the advantage of three helpful tools in one small package that easily lets you comb, brush & define your edges.
To start, begin by separating your baby hairs from the rest of your natural hair with the comb end of the edge tool. Gently comb them in the direction you plan to style them.1
#2 Use an Edge Control to Style Your Baby Hairs
Once you’ve separated your edges, feel free to embrace your inner creativity. Whether you’re simply attempting to calm your flyaways or you want to add some sassy swoops & swivels, the sky’s the limit.
The key to keeping your edges in place is the use of a well-crafted edge control product. In essence, an edge control is similar to a hair gel, but with a consistency closer to pomade (so it’s less likely to leave your hair with that unpleasant crunchy feel).
Edge control can work wonders for your baby hairs by:
- Smoothing flyaways
- Giving your edges a long-lasting hold
- Laying your edges along your hairline
- Providing your hairline with a little extra shine
To style your edges, apply a dab of our Edge Control to your baby hairs & use the edge tool to shape or swoop them however tickles your fancy.1
#3 Set Your Edges With a Bonnet
Once you’ve laid your edges, one of the quickest methods to finesse your look is by wrapping your curly hair (especially near the hairline) with a satin cap. Leave it on for 10 or more minutes to protect your style & help it set properly.2 When you take it off, your baby hairs will lay perfectly along your hairline, & you’ll be ready to take on the world.
Do Baby Hairs Grow Out?
As a person of color, the texture of your curly hair typically means that you’ve been gifted with baby hairs (a.k.a. edges) on your hairline. These tiny hair strands tend to be shorter than the rest of your coils, & you might find yourself wondering—will my baby hair ever grow out?
The good news? They do grow!
However, you might not notice that growth for a couple of different reasons:
- Your baby hairs are actually vellus – It’s completely natural to have vellus, or baby hairs. Although vellus does grow, its growth cycles are much shorter than the hair on the rest of your head, & because of that, it doesn’t grow as long as your other locks normally would.2
- Your baby hairs are damaged – It’s easy to damage those fine strands of natural hair because they’re thin & delicate. In some cases, styling them with a brush & gel too often may lead to natural hair breakage, hair thinning & hair loss, making it difficult to notice that they’re growing.2
How Do I Keep My Baby Hairs Healthy?
Try as you might, it can be challenging to keep those fine little wisps in pristine condition. But—never say never!
With careful consideration & management of your baby hair, it is possible to maintain their health so they can continue on their mini-growth spurts & grow, baby, grow.
Here are a few hair care tips we’ve compiled to help you manage & maintain healthy baby hairs:
- Avoid applying too much tension – Don’t get us wrong, we love easy protective hairstyles as much as the next person. They keep the delicate ends of your hair safe from the elements, but if they pull too tightly at your crown, they can put stress on your hairline & your fragile baby hairs. Instead, try separating your hair into larger chunks around your crown to decrease tension in that area. Your edges will thank you.
- Use a cleansing shampoo – Besides offering you that fresh, wash-day glow, a cleansing shampoo can do wonders for your scalp. It gently removes buildup from any gels, edge controls or other styling products you’ve used in your hair without stripping it of its natural oils. Our curl cleansing shampoo is formulated to eliminate residue while ensuring your strands maintain moisture, helping to minimize breakage in your baby hair.
- Hydrate your edges – You & your precious hair face environmental stressors every day—pollutants, dry air, hot environments & UV rays (to name a few). Believe it or not, those stressors can impact the quality of your baby hairs, too. Quench their thirst with our Hydrating Mist made with nourishing ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil & avocado oil.
- Try not to over-style – We applaud the sophisticated sleek updos & we salute you for rocking them from time to time. Just remember that hairstyles with excessive twisting, pulling & tucking may lead to breakage & thinning edges.3 To counteract your tight, sleek styles, try letting your hair loose for the day to relieve it of any unnecessary tension.
- Stimulate your hairline – In addition to moisturizing & hydrating your baby hairs, it’s important to keep them stimulated, too. Regularly massaging your hairline can promote healthy hair growth,3 which is useful when styling the ultimate edges.
Dos & Don’ts of Baby Hairs
Whether you embrace them as a natural accessory to your luscious coils or decide today’s the day you lock them down with artful designs that become the focus of your entire ensemble, baby hairs are a blessing. As such, they deserve baby hair products for curly hair that honor & nourish them.
Here are a few dos & don’ts to consider when laying your edges or letting them fly free:
Laying Your Edges
If you want to know how to style baby hair & make a statement alongside your natural curls, we suggest the following for laid edges:
- Do edge your baby hairs while they’re wet – Not soaking wet, not completely dry—just right. If you have freshly washed hair, excellent. However, if it’s the middle of the week & your hair has gone a few days without a soak, you can still lay your edges like a pro. Use a spray bottle & spritz your hairline with water to dampen your edges. Then, comb & style them into whatever swirls & swoops your heart desires.
- Don’t lay your edges without edge control – Hairspray can help keep your edges in place, but cause dryness and possible breakage. The real foundation of laying solid, sleek-looking edges is a well-formulated Edge Control. Pro tip: A strong-hold product like PATTERN’s Strong Hold Gel is an excellent backup option if you find yourself in a hair product bind.
Letting Them Fly Free
Some days you wake up & you just know—today is the day I let my baby hairs dance & breathe & blow in the wind (as you should!). Embrace your exquisite coils & baby hairs & let them fly free in all of their natural glory.
On such a freeing occasion, remember these helpful tips:
- Do opt for a casual hairstyle – Baby hairs complement an everyday style that, while you may have put a lot of thought & effort into creating, appears effortless & captivating to everyone else.
- Don’t hide them behind your hair – If you’re ready to show off your oh-so-natural tresses, go all in. Wear your hair in a stylish messy bun, letting your baby hairs shine as the focal point, or create a fun & flirty half-up-half-down style that highlights your natural baby hairs.
Wear Your Baby Hairs Proudly With PATTERN
If you have baby hairs, you know that they can be the perfect accessory to any hairstyle. Whether you’re laying edges that are the focus of your look or you’re manifesting beauty itself by embracing your natural baby hairs, you can proudly show them off day after day with the help of our styling products for baby hairs.
With products developed specifically for curly & coily hair texture, PATTERN wants to make it easy for you to showcase your natural, luscious crown. Our curly hair products are made with luxuriously nourishing ingredients like biotin & tea tree oil to keep your hair hydrated & ready for any occasion.
On days you feel like taming those flyaways, we’ve created our very own Edge Control to lay them perfectly along your hairline while giving you just the right amount of luster.
The choice is yours when it comes to your hair type—to style or not to style? That is the question. Shop our natural hair styling products today.
Sources:
- Teen Vogue. Edges 101: How to Do Your Edges in 4 Easy Steps. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-edges-hair-in-4-easy-steps
- MBG. 3 Steps To Style Baby Hairs + How To Tell If You Have Breakage. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-style-baby-hairs
- Puff Cuff. 4 Easy Ways to Protect Your Edges. https://thepuffcuff.com/blogs/news/4-easy-ways-to-protect-your-edges
