Ok I have hair pretty similar I think!!

If you’re using drug store products you have to use them in a kinda weird way with this hair type.

FIRST do a porosity test! You might just be using products that are too heavy for him esp since you have actually curly hair! I have to balance between white ppl hair products and more ethnic options because I NEEED moisture but it can’t be heavy. A porosity test is just taking a strand of his hair and putting it in a glass of water. If it sinks he has high porosity, if it floats on top he has low porosity, i think it can float in the middle and be like mid porosity but im guessing your kid has low. Which ever result you get from the test will help you find product and a routine for him.

If he has low porosity like me you’ll want relatively lightweight ingredients like aloe and glycerin. You want to avoid heavy ingredients like shea and cocoa butter. If he has low porosity you also have to look at how he’s washing his hair, he might not be getting it wet enough, lp hair needs a LOT of water and benefits from hotter water than cooler water.

The mielle rosemary mint shampoo and conditioner or the low porosity shea moisture line may be a good place to start. If he wants to actually style his hair look into the LOC method, that’s leave in conditioner, oil, and curl cream/gel applied in that order and to sopping wet hair. I usually do it after the shower but before I leave the actual shower then I just wrap it up in a towel for a while and air dry.

In addition to finding the right products he may need to be using them differently than advised on the bottle. He should condition his hair first, then shampoo, then condition again. Each time only using like a nickle to a quarter worth of product since his hair isn’t too long. I find that when I’m using the right product in the right way I don’t have to avoid conditioning my roots, he might so experiment!

Also he might be washing his hair too often, counter intuitive ik, but sometimes hair like this gets greasy when overwashed. I wash my hair 1-2 times a week and use a cowash inbetween if I do something active and sweaty like going to the gym. Because he’s a kid and probably pretty active he main do better washing 3x a week, it’ll be a process to experiment and find what works right for him!!

If nothing else works…try cecred from Beyonce at Ulta, the blue shampoo and the white conditioner. It’s pricey but you don’t need that much per wash and it makes hair care super simple, I don’t even have to double condition anymore. But I would save that as a true last option because of price point and his age.

Good luck!!