My Hair Is My Best Accessory #HairfinityStyle #ad

I am a Niche Parent Network & Conference Influencer. Thanks to Hairfinity for sponsoring today's post.

I can remember the days of being a little girl and being forced by my mom to get my hair cut in that bowl-shaped bob or those awful home-cut bangs. I hated it! All I dreamed of was having long, flowing hair. I went through so many hairstyles and phases throughout my middle and high school years. I grew up in the late 80s/early 90s so I wore all of the big, poufy hair styles. If you grew up in that time frame, you probably did some dramatic things to your hair whether it was hair color, a permanent wave or overuse of hair products. I was the Princess of hair spray in high school. I wore that signature "fan" on the top of my hair and teased it to make it extra big. I now look back and think; thank goodness the 80s are behind us!

I have always believed that stylish hair is my best accessory. I didn't always have body confidence, so my hair was my main focus. As long as I kept it cut or trimmed and took a few extra minutes each day for "primping," I would look more put together and feel confident. I take great pride in caring for my tresses and have grown to love my hair! I keep it relatively long so that I am able to toss it up into a messy ponytail on those bad hair days.

I have learned some great hair care tips over the years that I incorporate daily. I believe that drinking water is the number one most important thing. On the flip side, over washing is a big no-no. I try to go a day or two between washing to preserve my natural shine and fullness. If I wash it too often, it looks dull and lifeless. Proper diet is also key to fabulous, healthy hair. You must eat a good balance of fruit, vegetables and protein every day. If you can't stick to a healthier way of eating, a vitamin supplement can help. Hairfinity Hair Vitamins help encourage healthy growth from the inside out. Who wouldn't want that?!

The famous reality show sisters, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, have teamed up with Hairfinity Hair Vitamins. They certainly have the hair and style so many of us aspire to have.

Please join in on the #HairfinityStyle Twitter party on 4/26 from 10:00-11:00 PM EST for a recap of the Keeping up with the Kardashians episode and to talk all things hair and fashion.

There will be prizes so make sure you RSVP here and  follow the #HairfinityStyle hashtag. I hope to see you there!

Get Bouncy, Long-Lasting Curls with KISS InstaWave #AsSeenOnTV

Have you ever seen a new product advertised on TV and the infomercial made you want to order it right away? That's how I feel often, but I am also very skeptical. Some things seem a little too good to be true, and I have had my share of "As seen on TV" purchases that sit beneath a pile of unused gadgets and other foolishness. I have had my eye on the KISS Instawave Automatic Curler for some time and my husband would look at me like I was crazy. He knows my dilemma with finding styling tools to curl my hair and he wasn't convinced it would work for me. You see, I have very silky hair. It's so silky that it slides out of curling irons and often times will either not curl, or curls fall out pretty quickly.

I received the KISS Instawave automatic curler to test out for myself **HAPPY DANCE** I finally get to see if this styling tool will actually work on my hair. I tried it on freshly washed/dried hair and it was a bit of a challenge. It was sliding too much and I needed some practice to master how to really use the thing. Honestly, it's super simple to use. I think it comes down to remembering which direction you need your hair curled and also I find that second day-old hair curls much better.

I gave it a whirl (pun intended) and I absolutely loved how gorgeous my curls came out! I had some sections slide a little bit, but it did not really mess the curls up too badly. The kicker for me is that my curls actually last! I do not have to re-curl the next day and I love how shiny my hair looks as well. Also, I do not use any product to curl with. My husband saw me and was very impressed with how beautiful my curls were. The photo just doesn't show enough detail on how nicely defined the curls were.

A quick demo of the @kissproducts #InstaWave in action! #beauty #hair #review #ad #kissinstawave #instabeauty

A video posted by Shelly (@momfiles) on Mar 30, 2015 at 9:15am PDT

Details about the KISS Instawave:

Salon-Quality, Long-Lasting Curls – Fast and Tangle-Free

It’s quick and easy to get salon-quality curls with the revolutionary new Instawave by KISS. Just push the button to style any type of hair effortlessly.

Instawave Features:

• Fully automatic, tangle-free curler
• Innovative design lets you curl from any position using either hand
• Curl Dial makes it simple to switch between left and right curl directions
• Ceramic Ionic Technology protects hair for healthy, shiny results
• Two heat settings with maximum temperature of 420° F
• Auto shutoff after 90 minutes for added safety
• Patent Pending
• SRP: $59.99 

You can purchase the Instawave at KISSInstaWave.com or at retailers including: Target, Ulta.com and Amazon.com. It's a fabulous styling tool and I highly recommend it if you are currently looking for something great to curl your hair. It is now my most favorite beauty must-have! 

I received a complimentary item for review purposes and all opinions are 100% my own as always. 

Beauty and the Bees Real Beer Shampoo & Conditioner Bar Review

I received products samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

For most of my life, my hair has been very healthy and pretty. I have noticed that in the last 2 years or so, something changed. My guess is it has something to do with hormones and getting older. ((SIGH)) I was very curious about the Real Beer shampoo and conditioner bars from Beauty and the Bees. They claim they will give your hair natural gloss and shine. Also, I confess, they had me at beer! I couldn't wait to put it to the test. 

I received some instructions and tips to learn how to properly use these products. Having shampoo and conditioner in a bar form is really different from traditional bottles of the liquid type. One bit of advice that stuck out to me was to be careful not to use too much of the conditioner since it is very concentrated. I wet my hair as usual and applied the shampoo bar evenly. It had a very minimal fragrance and lathered fairly well. It rinsed out really well and I then carefully applied the conditioner. I concentrated more in the ends of my hair since my hair is not overly dry. I was afraid of over-conditioning my roots which would make my hair appear greasy. I could feel how rich the conditioner was and it was a good thing to go easy! After rinsing it out, towel drying, blow drying and curling, my hair was luxuriously soft and shiny. I am so pleased with the results and have used the products three times so far. You should have a better understanding of how much to use by your third use according to the tip sheet. 

About the Beer Shampoo + Conditioner Bars:
Beauty & the Bees handmade, solid beer shampoo and beer conditioner bars are rich in plant and nut oils, hops and beer. Beer has been famed for generations for its ability to leave hair bouncy, shiny and full of body, and these bars are chockablock with it - brewed naturally by small, local breweries in Tasmania. The bars follow an entirely sulfate and chemical-free recipe that has been traditionally handmade for centuries, using the finest natural conditioning plant oils such as castor, olive and coconut.

Where to purchase:
Beauty & the Bees handmade skin and hair care products are as special as the island they come from: Tasmania, Australia. The pioneer of all-natural beauty line from Tasmania has launched its U.S. division now available on Etsy, BeautyandtheBees.net and Amazon.

My overall opinion:
I love that there is nothing to throw away once the bars are used up. No waste and no harm to our earth. My husband keeps commenting on how gorgeous my hair has been looking. I recommend giving these products a try if you are looking for a natural alternative. I am very satisfied! Be sure to connect with Beauty and the Bees on Facebook for product updates and promotions.

Playing with my later-in-life curls with Ouidad

For the first 35 years of my life, I had the most straight hair. It was so straight that I could wash it, let it air-dry and it would come out completely silky-straight. Now that I'm 40, it's safe to say that my hormones have changed and it has affected my hair quite a bit. I now have some loose curls and waves that have to be tamed for my hair to look neat. I received some products from Ouidad for review. 

Pictured are; Ouidad's PlayCurl Volumizing Stying Spray and Ouidad Salon Series Mongongo Mulit-use Oil Treatment. 

I decided to test out the PlayCurl volumizing spray to see what it would do to my hair. I washed and conditioned my hair with some Ouidad products I have from a previous review and sprayed my towel-dried hair with the PlayCurl product. I then very lightly diffused my hair, but left it pretty damp to finish off air drying. This is the result....

I really love how more defined my waves are and my hair had a lot of body and volume. Even my husband noticed my fuller hair! I have also used the spray to blow dry with and it adds a nice boost of volume. I really like it. I do still have some straighter parts, but the extra volume seems to mask it well. 

My older daughter tried out the Mongongo Oil Treatment in her hair. She has been trying to maintain her natural curls and has had the hardest time finding a good moisturizer. She applied the treatment into towel-dried hair and lightly diffused. Here is the end result. Gorgeous, huh? After using the product for 2 weeks, she is still happy with it and says it really works. 

You can find these Ouidad products on the Oiudad website and at ULTA stores. The PlayCurl Volumizing Styling Spray comes in a 8.5 ounce bottle and retails for $22. The Mongongo Oil treatment comes in 2 ounces for $36 and 4 ounces for $58. 

You can also find Ouidad on Facebook and Twitter. There are some great tutorials for curls of all kinds on their website and Youtube channel. 

I received complimentary products samples in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Ouidad 2013 Holiday Kits- Eat, Drink & Be Curly!

Winter weather has already hit many cities all over the country. Colder temperatures can affect your hair, especially curls. My older daughter has been wearing her hair natural curls for about 6 months now. She was flat ironing for years and finally decided to try wearing it in its natural state. The upside to that decision is that it is so much easier than using the flat iron. The downside is that you have to use the right products to keep your curls looking soft and shiny or else you end up with a big frizz ball. She went through that awkward transition of having the outer layers look stringy since they were straight from flat iron abuse and the underneath layers had a lot more springy curls. It took about 3-4 months and her hair has almost returned to its natural curly state.

She was very excited to try out some products from the Ouidad Holiday 2013 collection called "Eat, Drink & Be Curly".  This set contains 8.5 oz sizes of Curl Quencher Shampoo, Conditioner and Gel. The retail value of these products are $54 but can be purchased in this gift set for only $40.

She posted this photo on Instagram and said, "Ouidad products are the best thing I have ever used for my curls".

I am so glad she found something that makes her hair feel soft and shiny. I highly recommend these products for anyone who needs some curl control. A little goes a long way, so I feel like that offsets the cost. Believe me, my daughter has tried everything and this is the first time she has actually been happy with the results. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Beginning Wednesday, November 27th though Tuesday, December 3rd, head to Ouidad.com to receive 20% off all orders during check out. 25% is also available for orders over $60! There are several Holiday Kits to choose from and they are perfect for winter upkeep.

I received products from Ouidad for review purposes. All opinions are 100% mine as always. 

I swore I would never do it. I lied...

I have often talked about embracing my gray hair. I said I would never consider coloring my hair. I said I would let nature do what it wanted to. I lied. I am starting to freak out over all the gray hair popping up all through my jet black locks. Most people think I am crazy and don't notice my grays. I notice them. It looks like a silver fountain cascading at the top of my head. I don't like it. I just happened to qualify for a Klout Perk a couple weeks ago and it was for hair color by Revlon. I even got to choose the color. I am way too chicken to change the actual color of my hair so I chose black. I plan to cover my gray when I can get up the nerve to go through with it. I better check the expiration date on the package.

I think the whole turning 40 this year is freaking me out just a little bit.

Dark and Lovely Beautiful Beginnings product line for girls (Giveaway) 4 Winners

Does your daughter have hard to manage hair? I know when my daughters were younger, it was a big struggle getting a comb through their super thick, curly hair. They would get so aggravated every time we had to wash/condition it and I can remember the countless tears! A great option for little girls with hard to manage curls is the Beautiful Beginnings line of hair-care products from Dark and Lovely. The relaxer kits come in two formulas: No-Mistake® Smooth Relaxer
No Mistake® Nourishing No-Lye Crème Relaxer and the No-Mistake® Curl Softener. Whether you want to straighten your daughter's hair or just loosen the curls a bit, Beautiful Beginnings might be just what you need! The full line of maintenance products include: shampoo, deep conditioner, detangler, conditioning oil moisturizer and curl cream. The whole product line is infused with coconut oil and Shea butter to help moisturize and protect your daughter's delicate hair.

I am so pleased that the folks from Dark and Lovely are offering up 4 complete sets of products including the relaxer kit and all maintenance products for 4 lucky Momfiles readers to win! Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on November 29, 2012. Four winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Be sure to follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter. Good luck!

Dark and Lovely provided me with a FREE products to review and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Pert Plus & Infusium 23 for back-to-school {Giveaway}

Closed- Winner is Heather! Congratulations!

Back-to-school is in full swing and we are super busy around here! Both girls have their regular school schedules, volleyball and their extra curricular activities. Thinking about their hair seems to be an added stress these days. It is essential that they girls have the right products to keep them looking their best. Infusium 23’s Repair & Renew collection offers just a little more luxury to their usual haircare routine. This three-step system provides protection from daily elements and styling, leaving hair healthy, shiny and damage-free all year long. Repair & Renew Shampoo thoroughly cleanses to remove residue and buildup while nourishing from root to tip. Repair & Renew Conditioner seriously hydrates stressed locks, providing softness, manageability and shine. Repair & Renew Leave-In Treatment restores healthy texture and strengthens hair against future damage.These products work so well on both of my daughters' biracial hair. They have both been happy with how soft their hair has been since using the 3-step collection. I even tried a little of the leave-in treatment my 4 year old son's hair and it made a huge difference. His hair is less poofy and looks a lot smoother.

Now back-to-school is not only for the kids, but parents too! I am always ripping and running all over the place and have to do my best to manage my time. This is why I love Pert Plus 2-in-1. I am a wash-n-go kind of lady so this 2-in-1 works well for me. It gives me just the right amount of moisture and does not leave any residue. It's great for daily use and is safe for color-treated hair. I love the way it leaves my hair smelling. Pert Plus comes in 5 varieties so you can find one to suit your hair care needs. You just can't beat getting the job done in one easy step! 

How would you like to win some of the products featured here? One lucky Momfiles will win a Pert Plus and Infusium 23 gift pack. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 20, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received product samples for review and all thoughts/opinions are completely my own.

JĀSÖN® Pure Natural Shampoo Review

I recently received a Klout Perk from the JĀSÖN® Naturals. If you are not signed up for Klout, I suggest you check it out. I have received many great 'perks' from them. I have used a couple products by this brand in the past and was very pleased. This time around I tried out the Restorative Biotin Shampoo. It is supposed to strengthen and repair damaged hair. I have been going through a phase of bad hair days since the weather warmed up. I really want to grow my hair out a bit for the Summer but it has been looking so rough.

I figured I have nothing to lose so let's see what happens after using this shampoo. First off, I am glad I opted not to use a conditioner. I found that the shampoo gave me all the moisture my hair needed. I did blow dry and was so pleased with how luxurious my hair felt. For some reason it felt fuller than normal. My hair was so shiny and smooth. I am so happy with the results. I think I will look into getting the matching conditioner so my daughters can try it on their biracial locks. I have found that using natural shampoo and conditioner products makes a big difference in how my hair comes out. I highly recommend this product!

Oooh Goody!!!

I was so very excited when I was offered the opportunity to review some of the new items from Goody. I believe you can't ever have too many hair accessories when you have girls in the house. My daughters love playing around with different hairstyles and they are lifetime users of Goody products. We have tried the off-brand in the past and always regretted it. Goody is the only brand that has been able to hold up well to the girls' thick, biracial locks. It's also the only brand of elastics that will hold my long, heavy hair. Goody has a new Spring Collection called Modern Organica and it is available exclusively at Target. This collection offers all things glamorous, girlie and earthy at the same time. They have your everyday elastics, barrettes, headwraps, headbands, bobby slides and more. We received the following items from the Modern Organica collection as well as a headband that did not make it in the photo but instead on a 14 year old girl's head! I personally loved the "Freshly Picked" bobby slide (pink flower). I have plans to wear it with a sweet little black dress I bought last month for my next date night.

I am loving the Ouchless cushion brush and Detangling comb. The brush has a unique comfort gel grip handle to make brushing more comfortable. I love the retractable cushion pad that makes for an "ouchless" hair brushing experience. The comb will be living in my shower caddy. I love that the teeth are slightly flexible to be more gentle on your hair. I also love me some ponytail holders without the metal. Our hair will break those types on the first wearing!

Lastly, the girls were going nuts for the reversible headbands and the double sided snap clips. I did not even know anyone made reversible clips! These are going to be perfect for the girls during volleyball season to help hold all the stray bits of hair and look cute at the same time :)

I know that Goody hair accessories have been a must-have for me since I was a little girl. I have passed that on to my own girls. I always feel like I get my money's worth when I purchase the Goody brand. Be sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Question: Are you a Goody girl too?

Disclosure: I received items for review and all opinions are 100% mine as always.

Women- Can't we just be happy with what we have?

I love my kids' beautiful bi-racial hair. Their curls are so fun and versatile. They can do so much with their hair unlike mine. If I try to make it do anything it ends up sliding out of the style. Chardie is the typical 16 year old girl obsessed with her hair and looking in every mirror she walks by. She does not care for her natural curls. She opts to straighten it with the CHI flat iron.

Look at how much hair this girl has!! Now this photo is of her brushed out hair so it's not normally poofy like that. When she puts more moisturizer in it her curls are amazing.

Here's what it looks like with the first few bottom layers straightened.

Here's the finished product.

I always tell my girls how lucky they are that they can go straight or curly and always look pretty. They both feel that straight hair is better. Geez, what I wouldn't give for some curls! I guess no matter what your age is, most women always want the opposite of what they have when it comes to hair.

OMG {Oh My Gray!}

I was in the bathroom washing my face with my hair pulled back in a ponytail. After I dried my face off I looked in the mirror and shrieked! I could not believe how much silver I was seeing. I normally have like 8-10, but this many?! So many people tell me I don't look old enough to have teenagers but they might change their mind if they see this! I guess I better get used to it since I have vowed never to color my hair. Yep, I'll be silver and sexy or as my hubby says I will look like one of those hot older chicks ;-)

Cowlicks

I just can't seem to get any really good photos of William these days. He is more interested in looking at the pictures on the camera more than getting his actual photo taken. Look at the funky wave in the front of his head. It does not matter how much you brush it, it always goes in whatever direction it wants. I think I am going to let his curls grow in just a little bit and see what it looks like. If he looks too girly then we will have Dwayne shave it off. I tell you what though, having a boy is a dream. I went through way too much doing hair for so many years with the girls. I am so glad that they finally pretty much have a handle on it although they still ask me to help them sometimes.

Does this happen to you?

You know how it is said that the average person loses over 100 strands of hair each day? Well I think it is true in my case. How in the world do I shed like I do yet still have a full head of thick, healthy hair? I don't get it. Also is it just me or do you get all sneezy and sick feeling when you are in a room of sick people? Do you take on symptoms even if you are not really sick? I must be paranoid or something! I was in the same space as someone who was coughing and I really felt a cough coming on. Now today of course I am perfectly fine :) Crazy me....

The dinosaur lives!

Pictured here is my dinosaur of a curling iron. Would you believe that I have had this thing for 18 years? I remember paying about $35 for it and that was steep back in that time. It was called a Gold 'n Hot curling iron and it packs some serious heat! It has a dial attached that goes from 1-10 and once it gets to about 8 or 9 it smokes. It is the only curling iron that has ever truly curled my silky, straight hair and would hold the curls all day long (even into the next day). It is also the most dangerous heat tool since there is no safety tip on the end. It looks really icky after all these years but come on, it's 18 years old! I don't think I will ever find one as well made as this one anywhere. I forgot to mention how heavy it is.

Do you have any special gadget that you have had forever and would hate for it to finally give out?

This has never happened before

The strangest thing happened this morning. Brie was coming up the stairs and she has just gotten out of the shower so her wet hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was coming to have me blow dry her hair and straighten it with the flat iron. Now Brie is William's absolute most favorite person that walks the earth. When he saw her he hid behind me in fear. He saw her and he started crying as if she was a stranger invading his home. I only see him react this way in front of people he does not know. How could this be?? For about 20 minutes he would not go near her and showed fear towards her. Brie sat in a chair in front of me so I could get started in blow drying her hair and half way through he recognized his sister again. He went on to being his usual rambunctious self and was handing over books for Brie to read to him. Once her hair was completely done he was laying all over her and climbing on her like normal. This was some very unusual behavior and we are thinking it might be because for the last week the girls have had friends over each day. There was a new person to meet daily. Perhaps he thought Brie was a new person! Have you ever encountered anything like this with your child??