5 Kids' Hairstyling Secrets

Switch up your brush.

“Little kids’ hair is extra knotty and fine, so you need a special brush for it,” says Scully, a lead hairstylist at Walt Disney World Resort and a “princess” hairstyle master. “I swear by the Wet Brush Kids Detangler. The bristles have a lot of give, so they flex if they hit a tangle—they’re painless.”

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Stop tangles before they start.

Condition well in the bath or shower, and detangle when hair is still damp. Mist a good detangling product (like Fairy Tales StaticFree Detangling Spray) through hair, then use a Wet Brush.

Add glitter.

Kids love sparkle. “I think everything looks better—and everyone feels better—with pixie dust,” says Scully. “It’s a great way to make your child’s day magical.” Try Lime Crime North Star Unicorn Hair Star Mist.

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Give your styles staying power.

“A lot of moms don’t like using products on their kids’ hair, but that’s what keeps a style from falling out,” says Rocio Medina. A lightweight hairspray or a dime-size dollop of hair paste goes a long way. Our go-to: Original Sprout Natural Balm.

Braid hair while it’s wet.

It’s much easier to manage, says Risa Barash, founder of Fairy Tales Hair Care. And if your kid sleeps with her hair in a braid, it will still be tangle-free come morning.

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• By Alyssa Hertzig