5 Steps to a Better You!

Being a mom is arguably the most under appreciated title in the world. We are loving, dedicated and hardworking 24/7, but aren’t there days you’re missing your “me time”? I call it, BC- Before Children!

Since No Slippy Hair Clippy’s mission is to make the world prettier one girl at a time (of any age!), we have a few tricks that might give you a refreshing new boost! We must not forget that we deserve to be pampered too! It’s those little things that can make a big difference, and you won’t have to endure a head-to-toe makeover. Seriously, who has the time for that? All you need are a few little steps here and there, and the outcome can be very uplifting.

The Skin You’re In

Your skin ages with you, so as the years roll by, it may start to develop brown spots and splotches. It’s simply how nature works and is beyond anyone’s control. But you can do something to at least make sure that your skin tone is even! Look for skin products that are especially formulated to address this and include them in your morning and bedtime beauty routines.

Hair We Go!

Let your hair down! For an entire day, resist any urge to put your hair up in the usual bun or ponytail. Just keep some shorter strands away from your face by using one of your favorite No Slippy Hair Clips and you’re good to go! Or, if you really have to bun it up, acessorize with a lovely hair clip! Sometimes, it's the simplest things like these that can do wonders in helping you relax and rejuvenate. All you have to do now is to count how many compliments will come your way.

Accessorize

As they say, big things can come in small packages. Accessories may be small, but they make big style statements—even when you’re at home! An instant dose of pretty always helps to boost your mood. Experiment on adding a bracelet or two, or maybe cute earrings, or even a dainty headband. Mix and match with your outfits and pretty soon, you’ll find yourself coordinating stylishly and with ease.

You Are What You Eat

The “D”-word may automatically trigger an eye-roll from you, but you can stay healthy even without having to do major overhauls to your diet. Start with a healthy baby steps. Resist those urges to snack by choosing a favorite fruit. (I recently discovered Honey Crips Apples, from Washington state, and they are unbelievable!) Stay away from grazing on your kids’ food, from picking at the leftovers, and secretly snatching Mc D’s french fries (you can’t just have one!) If you can avoid those nickel-and-dime calories, it will be easier to make wiser decisions with food. Sit down and eat a meal. Chew and enjoy your food whenever possible. It can help by simply making this change. (Easier said than done, definitely!)

Tea for Two—Or Just for You!

Oftentimes, there’s nothing like a freshly-brewed cuppa’ joe! But even though coffee perks us up and gets us going, it can also be the reason why we’re jittery and even a little stressed. A healthier substitute is green tea, which is packed with antioxidants that help boost metabolism and does wonders for the skin, but doesn’t usually have the adverse reactions as coffee sometimes does. ( I still love my coffee!)

Update Your Hairstyle!

How quick time flies! Before we know it, we’ll be right smack in the middle of the holiday rush once again. But isn’t it exciting?! It’s a season for getting together with family and friends, so of course you will want to look your holiday best! We don’t mean a total overhaul of your style, just fun little changes here and there to keep you looking refreshed. Before you are neck-deep in all the madness of gift-hunting and gatherings, here are our top 5 tips for updating your hairstyle.

Dare to Get Bangs!

If you want something new that is not too drastic, then why not consider getting bangs? (They’re all the rage among young Hollywood.) Whether wispy, chunky or side-swept, bangs can help soften your look. The right bangs can also frame your face and add character to your style. One good thing about having bangs is that if you don’t like the look, you can easily twist and pin them back with a cute No Slippy® hair clip, while they are growing back!

Make Accessories Your Best Friends

A quick way to add flair to any style is by simply adding the right accessories. Sometimes, an elegant necklace or trendy earrings can single-handedly complete your look! It works the same way for hair accessories. Almost any hairdo gets an instant update by adding a dainty headband or cute hair clips.

Add Some Shimmer

Even with a smashing new hairstyle, you don’t want dull and lifeless hair. Visit your favorite salon to get a gloss or glaze treatment that will give your hair a fabulous shine.

Update Your Ponytail

If you find it difficult to part with your beloved ponytail, then at least give it a stylish update. Let your ponytail loose! These past few seasons, it has become very fashionable to wear Bridget Bardot-esque ponytails that have volume at the crown of your head. To do this, use a fine-tooth comb to tease one-inch sections of hair at a time and then gently pushing hair down towards your scalp. Lightly smooth back your hair over the teased section and then secure with elastic. For extra hold, mist with hairspray.

Trick or Treatin' with No Slippy Hair Clippy!

Halloween is just around the corner and soon you’ll be dressing up your cutest little characters on the block! Of course you need to make sure the costume you choose is safe and comfortable, as well as adorable! Here are some basic guidelines:

Choose a costume that allows easy movement. Your little ones will be moving and active trick or treating, so make sure that their costume is comfortable. Avoid too many frills and high heels (for the older girls)! Your child may be the adventurous type, but avoid using masks for the under 3 crowd, as they may obscure vision and make it difficult for seeing and breathing. Comfortable attire will allow a more enjoyable evening.

Choose a costume that is visible in the dark. Since Halloween celebrations traditionally take place in the evening outside, it’s important to consider costumes that are easily visible to motorists. One suggestion is to add reflective tape to their costumes or trick or treat bag, so they are seen easily in the dark.

Choose a costume that will stay put as she moves about but can also be removed quickly. In case of an emergency, it’s best for an easy on and off costume. Look for ones that have zippers, velcro and snap-on closures. And of course, no costume is ever complete without the right hair accessories. No Slippy's® wide range of hair clips are guaranteed to stay put and add some flair to her costume! Our patent-pending design is easy to clip in, and you won’t need to worry about losing her hair clip, it will stay in snug and secure all night long!

Just in time for Halloween, the October issue of Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine has included No Slippy Hair Clippy® in their "All Dressed Up" feature about little ones getting dressed up for Trick or Treat! This lovely little ballerina is wearing our Haley Baby Bow® in pink, fast becoming a best-selling bow! Haley baby bow® comes on our 1 ¼” mini clippy, so it’s smaller, but just as grippy, and a steal at $5.95!

Haley Mini Grosgrain Baby Bow® in Pink
(available in 14 colors!)

$5.95

Aren't they simply adorable? What about you: have you thought of what your baby girl will dress up as this Halloween?

Baby Gifts Times Two!

This week, we are blogging about baby gifts and picking the perfect one for your loved ones and friends who are welcoming a baby into the world. While it can be overwhelming enough to pick a gift for one baby, imagine having to pick for parents of multiples! But it can be easy as pie with our tips below:

Baby gifts need not be expensive. The key is to stick to items that are practical and yet also unique that the twins will be able to use for a long time. One more thing to consider is that twins share everything! While it’s fun to have matching items for the darling pair, it’s also a good idea to get gifts that are unique for each baby.

Nursing Pillows
These will make feeding easier for the new mom, especially since she has two to feed!

Double Stroller

Going outdoors will be less stressful with a stroller that can hold two or more babies comfortably. There are adjustable strollers that fit smaller babies in the beginning, and can grow as they grow. This is a practical feature, but one that is much appreciated.

Personalized Stuff

For gifts that truly stand out from the rest, a personalized CD of nursery rhymes or lullabies, or picture frames bearing the names of the twins always make nice gifts.

Volunteer Babysitting

Having twins can be quite a handful, so if you have time to help take care of the little ones, we’re sure that will be greatly appreciated. Sometimes, there’s nothing better than the gift of time!

Hair Accessories

If she has twin girls, then you know she’s in for a lot of dressing up! It’s likely she’ll receive baby clothes as gifts, so why not gift some cute hair accessories instead? To promote individuality between the twins, choose hair accessories that don’t exactly match. For example, they can accessorize in the same style but in two different colors. Or they can wear two entirely different hair accessories altogether!

No Slippy’s® monogrammed clips and head wraps come with a letter of your choice! Have them monogrammed with the twins’ initials.

Joss Headband

Salena Monogram Button

With these hair accessories, the girls can still have something matching and yet uniquely their own! And you always know who is who!

Baby Gifts 101

There is nothing quite as momentous as the birth of a child, especially to a new mom! It is an experience that is both joyful and terrifying. If you have a friend or a loved one who is a first-time mom, we have a roundup of the best baby gifts to help ease her into the wonderful world of motherhood. This week, we’ll be blogging all about baby gifts!

Today, let’s start off with the most practical baby gifts for new moms.

During baby showers for new moms, the usual gifts are adorable baby clothes, cuddly stuffed toys and baby mobiles. While we are sure that the new moms appreciate these gifts, sometimes we tend to forget the more practical things that she’ll need.

Baby Monitor

To help busy moms keep track of every sigh, yawn, or cry, a good baby monitor will be a much-appreciated gift. With a baby monitor, she can still attend to other needs in the house as her baby sleeps.

Hair Accessories

If it’s a baby girl, among the most practical baby gifts are her very first hair accessories! Cute baby clothes are always fun to receive, but it’s that little bow or headband that can tie it all together. Plus it screams “I’m a Girl!” They’ll be no mistaking if she’s a girl when you adorn her with baby hair accessories! Wonderful gift ideas are No Slippy Hair Clippy® Baby’s First Hair Clips® and Baby’s First Bows® trio. There are 7 choices, and they each come with an adorable organza bag. This option makes gift giving easy and affordable!

Books

It’s never too early for story time! One of my favorite gifts as a new mom were my first books for the family library, like the classic Doctor Seuss, Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear. Some of my fondest memories were reading bedtime stories, even when my kids were babies.

Books in general are a must for a new mom. One of my personal favorites was “What To Expect When You’re Expecting”. It’s about the whole experience of motherhood, and educating ourselves about this new chapter in our lives. Acquiring a nice reading collection is a must-have for families. Books are timeless heirlooms and wonderful gifts.

Nappy Needs

Gifts to ease diaper duty are always appreciated! A diaper disposal bin will help take care of those soiled diapers in a hygienic way. Or for a care-free day outdoors, find a cool diaper bag with lots of pockets to store those necessities when you’re on the go, like baby wipes, bottles, diapers, changing pads, you name it! There are endless options for diaper bag shopping, ones to fit any budget, and they make terrific gifts.

Baby Blanket

Another fabulous gift idea are baby blankets. Whether it’s a smaller receiving blanket or a full sized crib blanket, new parents truly appreciate blankets as a baby gift.

Head Over Heels for Headbands!

Now that the back-to-school season is in full swing, it’s the season to add splashes of color to your style. But don’t stop with your clothes—jazz up your hair accessories too!

This year, among the biggest trends to make a comeback are hair accessories. It seems that mainstream fashion has fallen head over heels in love with ultra feminine hair accessories, particularly headbands. What used to be good for the basic “Plain Jane” is now one of the hottest hair accessories of the season. And No Slippy Hair Clippy® has a range of headband styles to suit girls of all ages and stages!

Our lovely model is wearing our Tonya Headband in Brown! It's available in Pink too:

Headbands instantly add a dash of femininity and sophistication to a look. They come in such a wide range of styles that it’s easy to find one that perfectly complements your wardrobe—from frilly to edgy, from classic to modern, from dainty to flamboyant.

Headbands with simple but elegant designs are perfect for the classic attire. It may seem understated, but it clearly pulls everything together. Headbands with floral designs go hand in hand with outgoing, vivacious personalities. Flower headbands are among the most popular headband styles for babies, girls, and women, especially big bold flowers. That’s why No Slippy® offers a vast collection of flower headbands in lots of sizes.

Special occasions flash the green light to really dress up from head to toe. Just check out the red carpet, and see all the gorgeous hair styles and accessories! On such events, it works to be a little more flashy with fashion! Headbands embellished with sequins and rhinestones can give that sparkle to last throughout the night.

Here are some tips from Seventeen.com on fun ways to wear headbands with romantic waves, a current favorite among young Hollywood:

Straight Hair

If you have straight hair, spritz on a wave-enhancing spray all over damp hair. Make several braids. Once dry, let loose and top with a dainty headband and you’re all set for a beautiful day.

Curly Hair
Relax your curls by applying a dime-size amount of serum while hair is dry. Go over two-inch sections of your hair with a large-barrel curling iron. Top with a chic headband and get ready to steal the show!

Wavy Hair
Scrunch a golf ball-size amount of a curl-defining mousse into damp hair. Dry with a diffuser. Then put on your favorite headband and get some heads turning.

Relaxed Hair
If you have had your hair relaxed, protect your strands by spritzing a heat-styling spray onto dry hair. Wrap one-inch sections of your hair around a one-inch-barrel curling iron. After 30 seconds, unwind the strands and then repeat until you have gone through the rest of your strands. Finish off with a fashionable headband.

Styling Tricks for Healthy Hair

Ever thought about the abuse our hair receives on a daily basis? It could be from strong shampoos and conditioners, harsh styling products, poor water quality, too much heat-styling, plus the sun and pollution once we go outside! The result? A bad-hair-day!

No Slippy Hair Clippy is on a mission to make the world prettier one girl at a time. So this week, it’s all about keeping hair healthy! To start things off, we are revealing the top styling tricks to make sure you have not just good-hair-days, but awesome hair days every day! These small but smart tricks are guaranteed to make a big difference in the health of your hair.

Detangle with care. Unknotting “bare” hair will only give you split ends or breakage. To make sure that the comb glides down your hair smoothly, apply leave-in conditioner or your usual styling product first.

Brush up. Not all hair brushes were created equal. The general rule is that the longer your hair is, the bigger the brush you need. Your hair brush’s bristles help distribute your hair’s natural oils and keep it lustrous from roots to tips. The type of brush that will work best for you will depend on the length of your hair. If you have shoulder-length or longer hair, round brushes are best. If you have shorter strands, go for a paddle.

Go easy on the heat. Your hair needs a vacation too! Limit blow-drying to twice a week only. Before switching on the heat, first wrap your wet hair in a towel for five minutes then air-dry for five minutes more. Doing these two things will not only minimize the damage from heat styling, it will also dramatically cut down your blow-drying time and help conserve electricity.

Change it up. Styling your hair into a ponytail all the time can cause breakage. Experiment on different hair styles. You don’t even have to go to extremes, simply put your ponytail a little higher or a little lower. Try a hair clip today and then a headband the next day. Remember, our hair clips are velvet lined, so they don’t break or damage hair. What’s important is that you avoid putting your hair accessories on the same spot all the time. This will help detour flatness and fly-away strands, and keep your hair healthy.

Hair Discipline 101 Part 2

A continuation of tips for how to get your hair to behave especially for this eventful back-to-school season!

Issue #3 Limp and Lifeless Hair

It’s hot and your hair shows it. It is important to note that you may need to swap your hair care products depending on the weather. When the hot seasons come in, you may have to say goodbye of your cold-weather regimen in favor of products that help your hair react better in the heat.

Solution: Go for hair products that are not oil-based or cream-based. These will only weigh your hair down and make it look even more limp and lifeless. Choose water-based volumizers to add the needed boost. You can also spritz on an anti-humidity hairspray at your roots and then blow-dry your hair into place.

If you're not so big on hair styling products, then make sure your shampoo and conditioner aren’t weighing your hair down. Avoid using too much shampoo; a little goes a long way. As for conditioners, limit use on the ponytail of your hair only. You scalp already produces natural oils and adding more oil might just weigh your hair down.

Issue #4 Highlight Problems

When you’re out in the sun too much, you may be over exposing your hair which can cause damage. If you have color-treated hair, the sun brings out unwanted warmth in your highlighted or lightened strands.

Solution: Use shampoos with blue or violet pigment to counteract yellow, red, and orange tones.

Issue #5 Green Hair!

No, this isn’t because you’re turning into the Hulk. It’s all thanks to all those trips to the pool last summer. Just as copper metal turns into a turquoise color from the oxidation process, chlorine reacts with the hard metals in the pool water and creates a similar effect. Your hair absorbs these metals and ends up giving your hair a greenish tinge.

Solution: Use a post-swim shampoo specially formulated to remove pool and hard-water buildup.

Helping Kids Appreciate What They Have

Did you know that on average, kids are exposed to 360, 000 ads by the time they graduate from high school? Yikes!

It’s no wonder they are always under tremendous pressure and influence to get their hands on all the newest fashion staples: the most stylish clothes, the hippest shoes, the trendiest hair accessories. In turn, parents feel the tremendous pressure to buy those things for them!

As most parents know all too well, sometimes it’s easier to just give in to what our children want than have to battle with them why they can’t have what they want. Yet on the other side, we also know that getting our children everything they want is not a good idea either. It's our job to help them understand why that's so.

The key is to help them appreciate what they already have… sounds so simple, but it’s no way simple when kids are directly targeted daily by media, even toddlers!

Try your best to make them understand how fortunate they are on a global level. Show them examples in your own community of people who may not be as fortunate as they are. If there are opportunities in your community for them to participate in programs to help the homeless, by serving meals for example, encourage them to join. Nothing beats a first-hand experience. Your kids will come back with a better idea of how less fortunate people live.

Such experiences will not only help them appreciate what they have, but it will help foster in them a sense of social responsibility. It will be very beneficial to them and to the world around them if they can begin learning at an early age to appreciate what they have and to share when they can, and give back.

Teaching Your Kids about Savings

Young children don’t usually grasp the general concept of money until somewhere between the age of 3 and 4. So they expect to get whatever captures their fancy and expect you to get it for them, like picking fruit from a tree. It’s there, and I want it, so pick it for me mom!

But you can begin teaching your kids early on the value of a dollar and the importance of saving money. According to WC Randall of Edward Jones Investment, take your next bank visit as an opportunity to teach them the concepts of a bank and what you are doing with your money. Make things simple. Take the following short explanation as an example:

The nice people that you are giving the money to are called “tellers.” Then when you give the money, tell them that this is called a “deposit.” The money you are depositing to the teller is placed in a “checking account” or a “savings account” to keep it safe. This is so that mommy doesn’t have to carry a lot of money with her all the time.

Explain to them that the money that stays in the savings account earns interest and becomes more money. Mommy’s plan for how to save and spend that money is called a “budget.” Tell them that if you follow this budget, you can be sure that there is enough money for you to use on things you need to buy and pay for. If you save more, it means you can possibly afford more in the future, like splurging a little on your budding fashionista’s No Slippy Hair Clippy collection!

It might not be easy for kids to grasp right away, but it will be helpful for them to become familiar with the words that are commonly used:

Deposit- to put money into an account
Withdrawal - to take money out of an account
Teller - the person who takes deposits and withdrawals
Savings Account - an account where money is left to accumulate interest and grow
Interest - the money earned by the money in a savings account
Checking Account - an account where money is deposited and that checks draw from
Budget - a plan for saving and spending money

Explaining Money Matters to Your Kids

It’s a fact: we’re living in challenging times. But while we are struggling with our personal financial budget deficit, we can learn from it too. As parents, our natural instincts tell us to try to deal with it alone, and not involve our family, but as we try to shield our kids from it, they can easily see through our façade, and see what’s happening, at least our frustration.

Nobody is immune to the hardships of raising a family, and the financial stress that has been more apparent the past few years.

So this week, I wanted to give some helpful hints on how to have a talk about money matters with our kids, and about my recent experience with regards to money and budgets and my son Austin.

Though it’s difficult at times, it’s also a good reason to begin the conversation with our kids, even if when they are young. Children between ages 3 & 4 may be too young to understand entire concepts, but they can grasp general concepts, like buying something with money.

This weekend I went shopping for back-to-school clothes with my 16-year-old son Austin. (Now I do admit that boys are much easier on the pocketbook and less costly than teenage girls, so I’m feeling a bit fortunate about that!) My shopping experience with him was insightful and positive, and I wanted to share it:

I gave Austin a budget for our shopping event, and that was all I could spend. I wanted him to try to make conscious decisions, and make sure each purchase was what he needed, not necessarily what he wanted. So before we went off to Kohl’s Saturday, I asked him, what did he need most? He told me pants, shorts and some socks, and a jacket. I knew right away the jacket would put us over budget because he likes expensive brands for jackets, and besides, we live in California, and don’t need a jacket right now. So with that said, he agreed to put off purchasing a jacket for winter until September sometime. I was amazed that we came $9 under budget! He got exactly what he wanted, felt good about it, and we didn’t over spend.

Funny, he wouldn’t show me his jeans and shorts when he was trying them on, just that they all “fit” and not until we got home, did he model ALL his clothes! So that’s a 16-year-old's way of saying, I love my clothes! He also said thank you as we left the store, and I could tell he was very pleased. So I was pleased that he stuck to the budget, didn’t give me a hard time about buying more clothes (the “I want” list) and was satisfied with what he got.

How are money-related decisions made?
A chorus of “But Mooooom, all my friends have it!” should make it obvious to you that children want things and they want them now. It’s the instant gratification generation, and all that marketing via TV, Web, etc… makes it even harder for them to understand “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” like that Rolling Stones' song! It’s best to explain to your kids the difference between wants and needs and let them know that right now, the money you have is only for necessities. This sounds easy, but it’s not. My kids have finally gotten to the age where they do understand it better, but getting them there took a lot of patience.

Is the family on a budget?
You need to make it clear that your financial situation differs from that of other families, and that they should not compare. They may see friends who always have the latest gadgets and gizmos, and wonder why they cannot have the same. Let them know that at this time, your family is on a budget and money must be spent wisely for things the family needs, not what the family wants.

Suffering from Parental Burnout? Here’s How to Cope

Parenting is arguably one of the toughest jobs in the world. In most jobs, once you spot the signs of burnout, you know that it's time to re-evaluate whether or not the job is right for you. Obviously, with parenting, that is not an option!

Don’t worry, you are not alone. Parental burnout is actually common. Working all day and then coming home to keep the house organized AND tending to your children’s needs is a lot of work. Just like anything that you devote your best efforts to, it can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed out. In fact, most of the signs of parental burnout are similar to those of any other job burnout. Daniel Buccino, a director of the Baltimore Psychotherapy Institute, agrees that it's probably the hardest job you'll ever have.

According to Robin F. Goodman, PhD., Director of the A Caring Hand, Billy Esposito Foundation Bereavement Center, parental burnout is often linked to the desire to be a good parent. But if you are in chronic stress, it will make it increasingly difficult to be the best parent that you can be.

It is a common dilemma, but it doesn't have to be the norm for you. Here are some tips to help you address parental burnout:

Pacing is key. View parenting as a marathon, not a sprint. You need to pace yourself. Not everything has to be done all at once.

Find a support group. It's not always easy to admit that we need help but for the sake of your sanity, it’s okay to call on family and friends for support.

Realistic expectations. Keep the expectations of yourself as a parent, and those of your children reasonable and manageable.

Don’t compare. Don’t aspire to be somebody you’re not. It’s very unlikely that your neighbor is Super Mom is real life.

“Me” Time. Believe it or not, you do need that vacation. It’s actually good for your over-all well-being when you take a break every now and then. If you really cannot afford to go anywhere, then at least make sure to take a few minutes or a few hours of rest each day.

Distractions. Especially for parents of little ones, sometimes a little time out helps. If your daughter loves to play dress-up, then you can get her some fancy hair accessories to style her hair with so she can pretend to be a princess. If your active boy fantasizes about riding a spaceship, then you can get him toy space shuttles for him to play with. When the little ones are occupied with something, it gives you a little freedom to relax.

How Are You Spending Your Time?

In today’s busy world, it’s hard enough to find time for the tasks that we have to do. And if we hardly have enough time for the things that must be done, how much less time do we have for the things we’d like to do? In the middle of all the hustle and bustle, are you sure that you are spending your time on things that truly matter?

Time with Your Children
Spending time with your children is one of the most important things you can do. According to the Office of National Drug Control Strategy, strong ties formed between children and their families make them least likely to develop drug problems.

Spend Quality Time
Assure your children that they can count on your time with them. Try to set aside particular times when you can give your full attention to them, with no distractions. Younger children need more time, but older children need regular time with you as well.

Three Kinds of Time
According to education.com, here are the three kinds of time that you can spend with your kids:

• One-on-one time: Just you and your child talking, shopping, cooking, going to the playground or the park, watching TV, reading aloud, or playing a game
• Family time: The whole family eating a meal, cleaning the house or car, hiking, making plans, reading aloud, cooking, going to a movie, or playing a game
• Community time: Family, or you and your child, attending neighborhood or sports events

The Perfect Cut: Rules of Hair to Live By

When it comes to style, there are no hard and fast rules. The same holds true for your hair. While there are specific haircuts that complement particular face shapes, sometimes taking risks and trying something new pay off!

Gad Cohen, who has styled for fashion magazines like Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle, shared a few "Rules of Hair" to live by in an interview at Parents Connect.

* Have a great cut four times a year.

* Curly, wavy, or coarse hair needs more conditioning than other types.

* For curly hair, shampoo less frequently but wet hair daily to rinse and add a leave-on conditioner to maintain control.

* For fine hair, only condition the ends.

* For flat hair, you should use a product that pumps up your hair. I like Prograine (from the makers of Rogaine).

* Let your color enhance, not detract from, your face.

* Color coordinate. When dyeing your hair, don't go too far out of range from your natural hue.

* Always get highlights done at a salon if you can (a professional single process will look better than anything out of a box.)

Model is wearing No Slippy Hair Clippy's Ramie Clip. Photographed by Amanda Elkins.

Questions Before the Cut

We have all been through it before: we step into a salon, get a shiny new hair style, and then we go home. And the next morning, no matter how we style our hair, we can't seem to replicate that fresh-from-the-salon-look. Or worse, we realize that the cut doesn't complement our face shapes or is too high-maintenance that it doesn't fit our lifestyles.

According to Harry Josh, International Creative Consultant for John Frieda, your hairdresser is a goldmine of hair info and you're cheating yourself if you don't grill him/her for styling tips!

So what exactly should you be asking? Here are a few suggestions from Yahoo's Shine! network.

Before the cut:
1. Will this work with my hair type?
2. Will this flatter my face shape?
3. (If you're coloring your hair) Will this work with my skin tone?

During the cut:
4. What shampoo and conditioner do you recommend?
5. How often should I wash my hair?
6. Should I use conditioner at all? Just on my ends?

After the cut:
7. What styling products should I use?
8. How much of them should I use?
9. Where should I apply them (roots, ends, all over)?
10. When should I apply them (right after I shower, once hair is somewhat dry)?
11. What styling tools should I use?
12. How should I use them? (Ask her to walk you through the styling processes step-by-step.)
13. What are some other ways I can style this cut? Any tricks for days I'm feeling lazy?

Now that's a more productive way of spending time while in the salon! Then maybe you can continue with the celebrity gossip afterwards :)

Model is wearing No Slippy Hair Clippy's Wendy Clip. Photographed by Amanda Elkins.

All the Single Dads... Part 2

As you know, we are celebrating that special man in our life whom we call Dad (or Daddy or Papa or Pops...) Our last blog post was about parenting tips for single fathers who may be struggling with parenting (for all you new moms too!)

Here's a second installment, this time it's all about how to deal with a biting, hitting child. Great advice from BreezyMama.

Do's and Don'ts to End Hitting and Biting for Good

For kids UNDER the age of three, hitting and biting is more of a training issue than a “misbehavior.” To a frustrated toddler with limited vocabulary and few social skills, taking a bite out of mom or dad’s arm or hitting a playmate who refuses to give up Thomas the Train seems perfectly logical. Our job is to train the child for better behavior in the future without creating a payoff that may cause the hitting and biting to continue and possibly escalate.

Here are a few Do’s and Don'ts to end hitting and biting:

DON’T spank or slap a child for hitting or biting. It reinforces that hitting is okay and models exactly the behavior you’re trying to stop.

DO supervise closely. You can probably tell when your toddler is getting frustrated or tired. When that’s the case, end the play date or swiftly remove him from the situation before it escalates to hitting or biting.

DO remain calm. It’s understandable to be upset when you see your toddler hurt another child, but you’ll get better results by remaining calm. When you get upset and raise your voice, your child gets a big dose of attention for a negative behavior. Even negative attention is very reinforcing and almost guarantees the behavior will continue. If your toddler hits or bites someone else, calmly remove him from the situation and use simple words – “No Hitting” or “Biting Hurts.”

Decide what YOU will do. Try as you might, you can’t “force” your child to NOT hit or bite. All you can do is decide what YOU will do when that happens. When your toddler hits or bites you, calmly put him down without eye contact and walk out of the room. This isn’t letting the child “get away” with the behavior; it’s creating a consequence that a young child can understand. The consequence is “when I hit or bite, mom goes away.” It also ensures that you’re not providing attention that reinforces the negative behavior. Take comfort that you’re not abandoning your child. As soon your toddler can speak calmly and kindly and use gentle touch with you, you are happy to interact with him again.

DO practice alternative strategies. Have pretend play dates with stuffed animals and practice what she can do when she gets frustrated. She can walk away, ask for help or use her words to say how she feels. Being able to use these conflict resolution strategies in the heat of the moment won’t happen over night, but practicing them early and often is the key.

DON’T force the child to apologize. A toddler’s “I’m sorry’s” are rarely heartfelt. When he is calm, talk about what he can do to “make it right” or “make the injured party feel better.” Coloring a picture or demonstrating an act of kindness teaches your child to take responsibility for his actions and shows empathy for the other person.

For tips for kids over the age of 3, head on over to BreezyMama's site here!

All the Single Dads...

All you single fathers out there, we salute you! Parenting has got to be one of the toughest jobs on the planet and doing it alone requires near-superhuman powers. This Father's Month (yes, we have declared it!) we give you this little tribute to hopefully make your lives a little easier.

This week will be all about parenting tips that has helped us moms through the years and which we hope will be helpful to you as well. I found an insightful rundown of tips from BabyZone on how to calm a crying baby:

22 Ways to Calm a Crying Baby

Stay Calm

The best thing parents can do when their infant is crying is to stay calm. An increase in your stress level will increase your baby's. Remain calm and your baby might follow suit.

Check Baby's Diaper

A wet or soiled diaper is one of the most common reasons for a baby's tears. Even if you have recently changed your baby's diaper, it's still a good idea to check again. Check Baby's diaper first before trying other calming methods, and change as needed.

Check Baby's Temperature

Feel the back of your baby's neck to see if she is too hot or too cold. Add or remove layers accordingly. If you're not sure whether the skin temperature feels normal, take your baby's temperature with a thermometer. If your baby has a fever—any temperature above 100.4°F or 38°C—you should call your child's doctor.

Feed Baby

Most babies cry when they are hungry. Try offering the breast or bottle to soothe your little one. Sometimes breastfeeding mothers worry that they will overfeed their babies because their babies seem to want to eat so often. Experts say it is normal for breastfeeding babies to eat often, as breast milk is quickly absorbed.

Ease Gas Pain

If Baby starts crying after a feeding, he may have a gas bubble. Try patting his back, bending his knees toward his chest, or rubbing his back while he lies on your lap to release the gas. Successful burping is a skill most parents come to pride themselves on, but it's also one of the oddest things a person could have imagined doing before becoming a parent.

Distract Baby

It's surprising how often this method works. Parents who've tried this suggest making faces or blowing raspberries as surefire ways to make Baby laugh, and to take her mind off of the reason for her tears.

Snuggle

Sometimes, all a baby needs is love. Take a few moments to snuggle with your little one. Give him kisses and hugs, hold him close, and tell him how much you love him.

Change the Way You Hold Baby

Some little ones like to be held over the shoulder, some prefer the football hold, and still others like to be held facing out. Experiment to learn what your infant likes best.

Sing or Hum

Soft, gentle songs sung by a familiar voice will often calm Baby's cries. Even if the singer is not particularly gifted, give this tip a try. Humming also offers a soothing vibratory sensation.

Dance

A slow, repetitive motion can lull Baby into a peaceful state. The warmth of a loved one's body and the snuggling that goes along with the dance are added benefits.

More tips at BabyZone!

Our lovely little model is wearing No Slippy Hair Clippy's Lindsey Headband. Photographed by Amanda Elkins.

Best Summer Hairstyles

I love summer (next to spring, though, but I love it nonetheless). First of all, and I won't deny it, I love it because school's out: back when I was still in school and even until now! There's just that fantastic feeling of slowing down, taking things a wee bit easy, more opportunities to sleep in, and of course, all the activities you can do now that you and your kids aren't swamped with schoolwork.

Second, summer always opens so many opportunities to go out and have some fun sun time. Of course, if you're going out there to strut your stuff, you'll have to be at your best. Well, for all things hairstyle, you know you can count on me *wink*

This season, to see the trendiest hairstyles, just look at the stars. Hollywood, that is. Being public figures, celebrities know that staying in the public eye is either looking horrific or looking fabulous. Like us, normal human beings, most of them thankfully choose the latter. So here's an excerpt of Elle.com's top celebrity hair trends for summer:

BEST SUMMER HAIRSTYLES FOR 2010

Wavy Bob
For a carefree summer do, above-the-shoulder waves are the way to go. Both Zoe Saldana and Jessica Alba have recently trimmed their tresses to sport this tousled style.


Messy Side Braid
Boho-chic fashionista Nicole Richie rocks a messy side-braid effortlessly.

Ballerina Bun
As Rachel McAdams demonstrates, a ballerina bun is ideal for showing off shoulders and statement earrings.



Straight Hair
Beach waves are always fun for summer, but as the spring and fall catwalks proved, straight strands like Reese Witherspoon's are back.

Pixie Cut
It Girl Carey Mulligan and her Twiggy-esque do have been ruling the red carpet.


Side Pony
Showcasing this sideswept look just right: reality TV star turned author Lauren Conrad.
And here's one from us!

Accessorize!
No matter what type of hair you have, summery hair accessories will always give you that extra oomph! Just like this fun and playful Tonya headband!


Or this dainty and delicate Ryan hairclip!


More trendy summer hairstyles at Elle.com!

Have a fun summer ;o)

No Slippy Hair Clippy photos by Amanda Elkins. Celebrity photos from Getty Images.

Top 10 Summer Travel Tips

Summer offers so many opportunities to go out and enjoy the world! But traveling with the kiddos can be tricky and sometimes even downright impossible. Here are ten tips from Breezy Mama on how you can make your summer road trips as smooth sailing as possible. These were compiled from Colleen Lanin of TravelMamas.com:

TOP 10 TRAVEL TIPS FOR PARENTS

10. Print a packing list
I used to wrack my brain writing out every little thing I didn’t want to forget before each trip with the kids. It finally occurred to me to save the list and simply modify it for each trip. I have been perfecting that packing list ever since I became a mom five years ago.

9. Keep a separate stash of toys and books for travel.
Sure, a new diversion or two is always fun. But a hidden toy is a forgotten toy. Kids will be psyched to rediscover old favorites on the go, saving you money and effort.

8. Never, ever count on feeding your children food provided on an airplane.
A three-hour delay on the tarmac could easily thwart your plans. Instead, bring plenty of healthy snacks. A steady stream of sliced and dried fruits, whole grain crackers, and pretzels keep kids busy munching instead of fighting or whining. Throw in a few forbidden treats as a reward for good behavior too!

7. Be a hypochondriac.
I keep a zipper-lock bag of every sort of medicine and ointment our family just might need while away from home. This is especially handy when traveling to a foreign country or when embarking on a cruise, where getting familiar medications might be difficult. Even when traveling somewhere close-by where you could easily purchase some teething tablets or cough syrup, do you WANT to run out in the middle of the night in a strange town chasing down something you could have easily packed?

6. Hitting the road? Don’t forget the bucket!
You never know when car sickness will strike and if it does, you need to be prepared. Bring along a bucket (a sand pail will do) or snag an air sickness bag to stow in your car. I learned this one the hard way, people.

Read on about the top 5 tips on Breezy Mama here! Have a (hopefully) sunny adventure!

Image from babble.com.

Summer Hair Care

Summer is obviously never complete without enjoying some sun time. But we all know that the sun can be quite harsh on our skin, and even on our hair! Exposure to the sun can damage your hair's cuticle, making your hair dry, drab and brittle.

While protecting your skin is as easy as slathering on some sunblock, what do you do to protect your hair? Here are some tips that have been very helpful to me:

* Cover up! The easiest, quickest way to protect those tresses from the sun's rays. Wear a summer hat or stylish scarves to cover your hair. But remember to choose ones that still allow proper air circulation. Otherwise, you'll end up getting too hot to keep the hat or the scarf on.

* Leave on! Use leave-on hair products that have SPF protection. However, you can also put regular sunscreen on your hair, BUT make sure to concentrate on your scalp as well and not just the strands. It's quite a desperate solution, but when in dire need, improvise. It does save your hair from sun damage.

* All natural! Summer will leave your hair moisture-deprived. So limit your use of certain hair products that may contain ingredients which have been known to dry hair. Choose brands that are as natural as possible.

* No heat! I can assure you, the sun will pretty much do a better job at heating things up so you won't need anymore heat on your hair. Give your hair a break from heat-styling (blow dryers, iron curlers, etc.). If you MUST have waves, try braiding damp hair and let air-dry. Let loose and you've got very natural and playful curls. If you MUST blow-dry, at least apply some leave-on hair conditioner to protect your hair from the heat.

* Deep conditioning! Regular deep conditioning treatments will help in replenishing moisture in your hair. Apply your deep conditioner of choice to your hair (whether damp or dry) and then wrap up in a shower cap. Leave it on for some time or even overnight so your hair absorbs all the re-moisturizing benefits then rinse off.

So go ahead ad enjoy sunnier days ahead, but don't forget to take care of your tresses. Happy summer, everyone!

Image from sxc.hu.