Just For Moms

2008-05-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

Moms and Affirmative Action

Affirmation…………… ef.fur.ma.shun.: to declare POSITIVELY true, to confirm without a doubt. People use it as a verb “I Affirm” or adjective, Affirmative, Affirmatively.

Perhaps the most often used and well-known affirmation is the word "Amen," which can be translated simply as "so be it" or "and so it is," affirming the truth of whatever was
Written or said immediately prior. While often used to conclude prayer, the word itself is neutral as to its context and exemplifies a logical affirmation more than a spiritual
one.

How do we use affirmations to help our young girls appreciate and love who they are? Of course, self love and appreciation is the first step to realizing the essence of true beauty. We can tell our daughters how beautiful they are, buy them the hottest new clothes, tell them to respect themselves and their bodies, but until they actually believe it themselves it doesn’t matter.

Help your child write her own Affirmation Contract:
(example: “I love the beauty of my face, the curl in my hair, the skin above and within”…” I will not let anyone tell my I can’t, I’m not, I will never”….. add in your own thoughts and words to complete. In our Affirmation, we are saying that without any doubt, I believe that these things are true.
Print it out and let her sign it, like contract. Post it up in her room.

Mom’s we get so busy taking care of our lives that we don’t take always takes time to show ourselves love. The best gift to your family is a happy, self-fulfilled mother.

I hope you had a Happy Mother’s Day.

2008-04-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Mom Formula
Hi Moms!

Toni is a Senior Development Scientist who has developed several Just For Me!™ products. She is also the mother of a beautiful nine-year-old girl. Keep reading to get a snapshot of her life…she's got some great insights!

-Roz

What is your job description? What products have you been integral in developing?
I am a personal care research scientist (chemist). My job is to develop unique personal care items for the specific needs of the ethnic market. I work in a laboratory complete with white coats, ugly safety glasses and yes, pocket protectors. The customer sees the end product after the formulas have been made in manufacturing, the artwork for the packaging has been completed, and the product is ready for use. My job, however, is to bring the product from an idea in someone's head, to a physical formula that has to be tested for stability, micro efficacy, skin sensitivity, fragrance perception, and finally product performance. I am the person no one ever sees but products would not exist without. I have developed at some point in my career every type of hair care product used by the ethnic community, from shampoos and conditioners, to hair color and relaxers. It is exciting and rewarding to see the end product on the shelves…and even more exciting when the products sell well enough that they can’t stay on the shelves!

How has your expertise in hair products helped you when caring for your own daughter’s hair?
Because I am a chemist, and know what raw materials to use to get the right effects from products, I know a little more about what to use and when to use it. That is key to getting your child’s hair to behave the way you want it to.
My biggest tip: You can’t get all the best hair benefits you want from one type of product. You need different types of products for different styles. Some styles require more moisture to get them to look great, some styles need more hold to get the look you want, and some require more oil, or heavy grease even, to help achieve the look you desire. It is important to have several products at your dispense when you are a versatile mom with a whimsical child.

What challenges do you face when caring for your daughter’s hair? What products do you use to help with manageability?
My daughter’s hair is what some would call "spongy". It is the kind of hair that is hard to work with in the presence of any level of humidity. Her hair will look really good for 30 minutes and then look like it hasn’t been combed in a week if I’m not careful!
Some people think coarse, kinky hair is the hardest to work with, but in my experience, it can be some of the silkiest, smoothest and most beautiful hair – once it has been tamed with the right mix of hair care products. The challenge with my daughter’s hair is to keep it soft and supple with high oil and humectant hairdressings while simultaneously protecting it from humidity with firm-hold styling products. This can be very tricky because softness and hold are on opposite sides of the spectrum. The more hold, the harder the hair. The softer the hair, the less the hold. Because of my 20+ years of experience formulating all kinds of products, I achieved the right balance of products rather quickly to make my child's hair feel soft and silky yet hold the style and fight humidity.

How has the grooming ritual helped to build a solid mother-daughter relationship?
One of the things I do for my daughter is constantly look for different hairstyles for her hair. Some she picks, and some I find and try out. But we spend a lot of time together styling and adding little trinkets while watching a movie or going over her homework. It is our "together" time. Maybe that is why she likes getting her hair shampooed so much, or maybe it is the satisfaction of seeing the final hairdo, but my daughter and I have come to really cherish the time we spend together while doing her hair.
As moms, we focus on providing the necessities in life, like paying the mortgage and keeping the lights on. I’ve found, however, that my daughter grows in her self-worth and confidence through the time we spend together and the attention I give her. The simplest act, like doing her hair or sitting down and chatting, shows her that I think she’s special enough to share my limited time with her. I encourage all moms to find something they can do with their children that is unique and special to their relationship.

2008-03-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Magical Mirror Moments:
The Importance of Role Model Moms

When you look in the mirror, who do you see looking back at you? Is the person you see a reflection of who you are and how you feel?

Once upon a time, you were a young girl, with dreams and fantasies. Perhaps you fantasized about the woman you would one day become. Is the woman you see in the mirror, the same woman you aspired to be when you were a little girl? In all fairness, that is too difficult a question to answer simplistically.

Yet, when our daughters look at us, whom do they see? Do they see us- their mothers - as we desire to be seen? What images and behaviors do we reflect to our daughters?

I believe one of the best mirrors is the reflection of one’s image through the eyes of another person – especially a loved one, such as a daughter. One day, that little girl will grow up and she too will look in the mirror seeing a woman’s image reflecting back to her. Who will she see staring back at her?

Whether you realize it or not, you are teaching your daughter how to feel about herself through the behaviors that you model. If you feel good about yourself, she will see that in you and learn ways to feel good about herself based on what she sees you do. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Trust that she will imitate you in numerous ways as she learns from you and her environment.

The behaviors you model influence your daughter’s perceptions of image consciousness and her ensuing behaviors. Regardless of what she sees when she looks in the mirror, how she feels about what she sees will be an important determinant in her acceptance of her self-image regardless of how others may see her. Her inner strength will be fortified by your ability to demonstrate unconditional positive regard of yourself and of her. We might convince ourselves as mothers to sacrifice ourselves for the benefit of our children, but we should know better by now. That does not work – never did and never will. The only thing that truly works is when we model what it should be – when we learn to take care of ourselves, seek our inner peace and happiness and learn ways to capitalize on our assets and avoid self-destructing.

Conversation Starter: The next time you look in the mirror, invite your daughter to join you. Share what you see – of yourselves and each other. If you allow yourselves enough time to play in the mirror, you will begin to see things reflected back to you that you may not have seen before, or haven’t for a long time. It could be a smile, a new hairstyle or the resemblance your daughter has to you or another family member. You may be reminded of a special moment you shared with your mother or sibling as you primped and posed in front of the mirror. These special times will soon become special memories reflecting whatever it was that the two of you saw and shared in those magical mirror moments.

Dr. Brooks

2008-02-19T14:42:00.000-08:00

ABC's Of Healthy Hair

Hello again, fellow Moms!

I created what I call the ABC's of Healthy Hair and thought I would share it with you. I recommend that you go through these with your daughter, so she can have a better understanding of hair care. Learning at an early age the skills that will ensure life-long self appreciation will guarantee proper care for years of beautiful, healthy hair.

Appreciate your hair, whatever its natural texture, length or color. It is beautiful and so are you! There is no such thing as good or bad hair, so love your hair in its natural state and feel good about using products to make it more manageable.

Brushes vary in style and bristles. Use a plastic, wide-bristled brush to detangle and give hair volume. Use a fine-bristled brush for smoothing hair into ponytail or smoothing edges with Just For Me!™ Styling Crème.

Condition your hair on a regular basis. The HMC Conditioner in your Just For Me!™ system is a rinse-out conditioner that adds moisture as it conditions.

Diet is one of the most important factors in determining the health of your hair. Food rich in vitamins, fruits and vegetables all contribute to healthy hair and skin.

Environmental elements like sun and extreme cold can cause your hair to dry out or even change color. You should always protect your hair in extreme conditions; try applying a thin layer of Just For Me!™ Cream Conditioner to help block the harmful rays and piercing cold effects on the hair.

Follicles are like a packet that contains all of the hair structure. It is located beneath the skin inside the papilla and determines how the hair takes its shape. As long as the hair follicles are in good condition, the hair will continue to grow.

Good grooming means to take care of hair, skin and body to ensure a life-long experience of healthy living.

Heredity involves characteristics that you inherit from your mom, dad or family – like brown eyes or curly hair. Your hair’s length, texture and color are all a combination of your family. If your mom has straight blonde hair, and dad has curly black hair then your hair may be wavy and brown!

Ingrown, or impacted, hair occurs when the hair follicles are damaged by shaving, waxing or hair plucking, or by friction from clothing. Dry, dead skin build-up can hinder the outward growth of the hair. Exfoliating body washes are great for preventing ingrown hairs.

Just For Me! is trusted by moms all over the world. No matter what your style is – natural, curly or straight – there’s a Just For Me! product just for you!

Keratin is the basic matter that hair and nails are comprised of. It is a protein that makes the hair strong.

Leave-in conditioners are typically a liquid product that you pour or spray on damp hair. They should be used every time you shampoo your hair to detangle, make it easier to comb and protect it. Try Just For Me!™ Leave In Conditioner.

Mine! Always remember your combs and brushes are yours only, and are not to be shared with anyone else. It’s normally good to share, but germs can be spread by sharing your combs and brushes.

Natural hair is hair without any chemical on it. Natural hair that’s coarse and kinky easily breaks. Try Just For Me!™ Texture Softener™ for a simple solution for manageable hair.

Oily skin is caused by sebaceous glands that produce too much oil. Oil glands are attached to each hair follicle all over the skin. Some of them are overactive. If your hair and face gets very oily, you must clean it more often. Use a mild astringent on the skin to prevent breakouts.

Pedicure is the name of a service regarding foot care. You can give yourself a pedicure by keeping your toenails trimmed, soaking your feet in Soft & Beautiful® Botanical Oil and pushing your cuticles back. Or how about giving one to your mom!

Quit sleeping in tight rubber bands. Take your rubber bands out at night to relieve the tension from your hair.

Rest! Always get enough sleep so that you will be refreshed.

Shampoo hair about once a week, or more often if you are active outdoors. Detangle hair thoroughly before shampooing. Use the Just For Me!™ 2-in-1 Detangling Shampoo to gently cleanse the hair. Always shampoo your hair twice and rinse with warm water.

Trim your ends. Have your mom or a professional stylist do this on a regular basis. Trimming the ends makes the hair look healthy and appear to grow faster.

Use your hands to massage your scalp. The blood flow to the scalp is essential in healthy hair appearance and hair growth. You can even do this while watching TV. For dry scalp, apply the Just For Me!™ Scalp Conditioner and Hairdress during your massage.

Vellus is the technical term for “baby hair”. It actually grows all over the body in females, but because it is fine and colorless, it often goes unnoticed.

Wash your brushes and combs regularly. Keep them clean and free of hair and debris.

X- cercise! Get moving to keep fit and healthy. Regular exercise increases the blood flow to the scalp to ensure that the hair follicles receive the nourishment they need to grow long, healthy and strong.

Youthful skin is a treasure. Cleanse and moisturize your skin daily.

Zits, or acne, typically begin to appear around age 12. It is brought on by puberty, heredity, diet, or other causes. You can guard against zits by drinking plenty of water, reducing fried foods, chips, and sodas and by keeping your face cleansed.

Hope this helps!!

Until next time...

Roz

2008-01-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

Taking the Madness out of the Morning Rush

Dear Fellow Moms:

One thing that seems to be a major struggle for me on a daily basis is being able to maintain a demanding schedule while still being an attentive mother, wife and professional.

Here's how my morning typically begins. . .

I get Caleb's breakfast going, wake him to get dressed (usually takes 2-3 attempts). I make sure everything is in the backpack: homework, library books, etc. After breakfast, I double check his clothes, brush his hair, put on lip balm (never know if he's got to give a little kiss to the teacher!), then check the weather to determine if we can walk to school or if I will drive.

If we walk, I stop by the neighbor's to rally their kids and we head off. I hold Sophie's hand while Caleb and Zach argue about who is going to walk in front. If I'm lucky, Caleb will give me a high five - I sneak a kiss if possible - but more times than not, he runs into the school after his buddies.

After I get back home, I check my e-mail and calendar before heading to the gym. I'm already exhausted, and I have a full day ahead of me!

So, moms, have you ever felt like the last thing you want to worry about in the morning is making your daughter's hair look picture perfect? Although I don't have a little girl's hair to do, I do know from experience what it's like. Growing up, I had to take care of my sister's hair. She had MEGA hair down to her waist, a tender scalp and HATED to get it combed.

Try some of these tips. . .

TIP: Do all preliminary work at night:

1. Lay out all hair accessories for the next morning (bows, ribbons, etc.)

2. Apply moisturizers around edges and throughout the hair. Use a little bit more than you would during the day, to combat absorption.

3. Place in pony tails, but don't use tight rubber bands. Twist, braid or roll hanging hair to avoid tangling during sleep.

4. Cover with a satin scarf or night cap to prevent drying out.

TIP: In the morning, have your daughter remove the scarf and twists, braids or rollers to save you time and to give her some responsibility. Try to have her wear the same style for a few days. Create a new one when you have time.

TIP: Shampoo her hair once a week, not every day, unless she's swimming.

TIP: Weekly planning is the key. I found a cute little hanging container that is labeled Monday-Friday. The cubby holes are just right for holding clothes, shoes and hair accessories. Let your little diva help pick out everything; be sure to iron over the weekend.

TIP: If your little girl is a fashionista already, and is picky about how she wears her hair, don't try to go against what she likes. Instead, go to the store and pick out a couple of magazines. Go through them together and select styles you BOTH like.

Until next time. . .

Roz