Hair And Fashion: May 2008

I recently went through my comments and realized there are quite a few ?'s that I haven't answered. I will answer what I do...and I hope that cosmetologists all over the world don't throw tomatoes at me.

Ready, Set, GO!

***I have a question -- where do you get your flowers and how do you attach them? (OK, technically 2 questions...sorry). The flowers are so cute!

***I want to know where you got the flowers too. I looked for some at Michael's and Joann's and didn't find anything.

I buy most of my flowers at Robert's. They go 40% off quite often. I also find a bunch at dollar stores. Go figure.

Remove the underside of the flower

Trim the stem leaving enough so that the petals still stay on.

Like so

Open your alligator clip up (a box of 100 at Sally's Beauty Supply goes for $4.99 in my neck of the woods) and I use a pencil eraser to hold it open. It doesn't slip that way and you don't have your glue hitting the other side of the clip.

Put a decent amount of hot glue on the stem and the petals. I use a high temp glue gun. The low temp seems to fall off for me.

Press the prong onto the hot glue right above the stem. The pencil is great as well because you don't burn your fingers...I learned THAT from experience. TRUST ME.

***I was wondering what kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use or use for the kids?

My kids, like any other child the world over, hate getting their hair washed. I LOVE the feel of conditioned hair and I refuse to go without it. Right now I am currently in love with Aussie's Moist 2 in 1 shampoo. It makes my girls hair so silky and soft and CLEAN...which is SUPER important with as much product as I use in their hair. And I only have to rinse once.

For me I use their Cleanse and Mend line. This month anyways.

***Unfortunately my little 3 year old HATES her hair being combed or done. I seriously came within seconds of buzzing off all of her hair!!! If you have any ideas to help me I would greatly appreciate it. We use a good conditioner and detangling spray in her hair, but she doesn't care...I need some help before CPS gets called on me because my daughter is screaming crazy at 8 every morning!!! HELP!!!

I have been doing my kids hair since they were born. I honestly think that is the best tip. Then they just don't know any different. I know that when I have my nieces over and I do their hair, their routines are different than mine, so I load up the bathroom with books and if all else fails, I turn on ELMO while I am doing their hair. Distraction is the best remedy. I think it also helps if you let them have a comb and help you. What little girl doesn't love to look in the mirror?

***My problem is that I have a 2 year old daughter with really fine, straight hair. The back is long but the top is not as long. I can get it into pigtails but always have to use a clip on the side to keep the shorter hair out of her face. Do you have any recommendations for cute hair styles?

I don't know if moms who are patiently waiting for their daughters hair to grow are going to like my answer. Cut it. I keep my daughters hair trimmed in little bobs until it is all one length and it can grow out pretty and even. Even my baby has short hair in the back that keeps getting trimmed. You can do a lot with a bob on the top. If you do want to keep it long, you will have to keep using that clip or you can do a lot of puffy-type braids. Part it down the middle and do a row on each side. Find a good stylist that specializes in kids haircuts and is FAST and I would cut it into a cute bob.

***What would you recommend if I am looking to buy a flat iron especially for curling with? I know you use a flat iron most of the time to curl the girls' hair. I want to buy one but don't know what kind works best for this purpose.

This is the one I use. $16 at Wal-Mart. It is the brand Andis. I know lots of women love their Chi. But I am not about to spend that kind of money. It is strictly a personal preference. My sister has a Chi and it doesn't curl nearly as well as this one does. For straightening, I LOVED it, but I rarely straighten my daughters hair.

My requirements for a flat-iron is that it has to be weighted and have ceramic plates and a heat control and it has to have a beveled edge so that I can make those cute curls. And it has to be inexpensive. I have had this one for 3 years now and it is still going strong. My younger daughter has more delicate hair and I turn the heat down to a 10 to curl her hair. My oldest has tough hair and needs hers on a 15. I am getting my old lady mom hair and I go up to a 20 for myself.

***But I must get some cute hair bows, please tell me you will be selling them or doing more giveaways.

I am absolutely doing more giveaways. Probably every other month. Watch for my 4th of July giveaway. I may start selling them, but when I start doing things for profit, they stop becoming fun for me. I know of several ladies that do sell them and I will start to post links on my blog.

***Do you have a tutorial or tips on French braiding?

I have one in the works.

***How old is your daughter? My little one is 2 and I am so nervous to use a straightener or curling iron on her hair for fear that it will fry it. When did you first start?

My baby is 6 months, but that isn't the one you are asking about. My oldest is almost 8 and my blond just turned 4. I started curling their hair as soon as they had enough that could be clamped down into a curling iron or flat iron. The oldest hair took it's time coming in and I started curling hers around 15 months. Before I curled it I used an ity bitty round curling brush and blew it into curls. My middle daughter had way more hair and I curled her hair before her 1st birthday.

***Can you teach me how to make those adorable bows!?!?

Unless you want to come to my house, I can't right now. I plan on doing a tutorial about how I make them, but with raising kids and all, I haven't had the time quite yet. This website has some excellent tutorials on how to make the bows. I mostly use the pinwheel bow because I can just wrap the center with thread and I am too lazy to pull out the needles and sew. I am going to have some bow making parties at my home but unless you live close, it would be hard.

***My daughter just turned 3 and has more hair than I know what to do with. It is beautiful and long - but she doesn't like having her hair done - and when I do it - it only looks nice for about 5 minutes (a little tom-boy trying to keep up with big brother). So, my questions are... are there styles that are better for rough and tumble kids? AND are there any products that are better for them? Any suggestions?

My biggest suggestion that I would do a lot of ponytails, Indian braids or French braids. I am going to be showing a bunch of basics next week and I should have those all included. Smocking is a fantastic way to keep those wisp's out of her face as well...and they don't fall out as easily as ponytails. When you do her hair, make sure you wet it thoroughly before you pull it back and use a wax or a putty or a max hold hair gel to tame those fly aways. Also, after you wash it, put some Infusium 23...anti-frizz in her hair. It makes it soft and sleek.

***Would you be willing to show a Morning picture and an After-school picture?

Sure. I can tell you that after they are done playing, there are definitely fly aways. It has gotten much better since I have started using Infusium 23 leave-in-treatment. It is a must have at our house now. Would you judge me if I told you that I am mostly concerned that they go to school looking nice so their teachers know that I make an effort. They always come home with SOMETHING on their shirts no matter how hard I try.

***Scarlet has more hair right on top of her head than one may think or notice. When I was a baby I had hair just like her. I remember seeing picture of me with a curl on the top of my head going from front to back... I think it looks cute...Is that still cute to do? and if so, how would I curl such fine, baby soft hair?

I did that all of the time on my babies heads. I think it is darling and absolutely still in.

When I do it, I wet my daughters hair and put in some heavy hold hair gel. I take my comb and part it and comb the hair up to the center...like a faux hawk. Then I just curl the hair around my finger or the comb. The comb has always worked the best for me. Comb the side you want to be the underside of the curl and swoop it up and towards yourself.

Any other questions for me? I am in a chatty mood today.

Smocking is one of those things that can vary from day-to-day and person-to-person.

This was a fun one. I had originally started out with a triangle in the front of her head. It was a one-ponytail kind of day. She said I wasn't done, so I went to town.

I parted straight over from the back of the triangle on either side and pulled them into elastics.

Then I separated each of the three ponytails in half.

I pulled the inside part of the left ponytail to the left side of the center ponytail.

Then I did the same to the right side.

I left the outmost halves of the ponytails out and curled them slightly at the ends.

I curled the other two ponytails.

And then curled the ends of the hair under.