Secret Extensions by Daisy Fuentes

My hair has been woefully thin and scraggly since having kids. Not that I blame my children, who incidentally have lovely, thick heads of soft and shiny hair, but I miss having some volume up there. I don't need '80s big hair but a little extra oomph would be nice every now and then. 

That being said, I am a lazy hairstylist. I might blow dry or flatiron my hair once in a while but for the most part, I'm a wash and go kind of girl. What hope could I have of lush, supermodel-esque locks? Well, apparently a lot. A friend hooked me up with a new product, Secret Extensions, which are endorsed by Daisy Fuentes, who always has a covetably glorious mane of hair.

Secret Extensions are basically microfiber hair extensions attached to a thin, invisible hairband. I was skeptical but I figured I'd give them a try. I received two Secret Extensions, one in black and one in dark brown. They can be worn separately or together for a super full look. I was impressed with how soft they are, very much like human hair. You brush and style them as you would your own hair and they go on as easily as a sweatband does. You simply fluff your own hair up over the band– no backcombing or teasing needed.

The colors blended well with my hair- the black is probably better for winter and the dark brown is a better summer shade for me. Secret Extensions make me feel like a mermaid with cascading waves. And roots that need to be touched up. Ahem.

While I was testing them out, the kids came upstairs and demanded to try them on. Jasper wouldn't let me photograph his heavy metal persona but Roo was pretty into her redneck beard. I like how the curl matches her own wavy hair.

Just for kicks, I thought I'd see how my Secret Extensions looked when paired with my clip-in bangs.

I thought it was a pretty great look but my husband asked why you wouldn't just wear a wig. This proves two things: 1) he has never worn a wig and 2) boys are dumb. Secret Extensions and faux bangs are MUCH more comfortable and controllable than any wig I've tried on. Not itchy and no slipping around.

Secret Extensions won't break the bank at $39.99. Plus you can get free shipping if you shop via this link and use the code "daisy" at checkout.

For more information:
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In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a sample to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Live a Little - Bang a Gong

This is easily the most insipid Live a Little post I've written but, hey, it's summertime and I'm feeling pretty laid back. Let me write about hairstyles. Back to soul-searching next week! 

I've been experimenting with my hair since junior high. It's been every color from inky blue to hot pink to a woeful #2 pencil yellow. It's been streaked and variegated, most notably when a bleach error left it several different hues like a the starburst colorway on a Fender guitar. I think they're calling it "ombre" this summer, so obviously I was well ahead of my time. Ahem.

I just recently dyed my hair close to its natural dark brown, almost black and I'm pretty into it for the moment. See, the thing is, I get bored easily. And also I have an insatiable urge to lop off bangs every couple of months, which sets a regrowth cycle into constant motion. I remember finding a photo of my best girlfriends in Seattle and realizing that all of us had variations on the same blunt-banged Bettie Page hairdo. I love it but it's also such a total cliche at this point. Not to mention the fact that my hair has gotten noticeably thinner since I've had kids, so my bangs aren't as enviously thick and severe as I'd like. I'm not blaming my progeny but both of them seem to have gorgeous, thick heads of hair while mine is just kinda there these days… What to do?

I found a simple, reasonably-priced option last week while browsing at Ulta: clip-in bangs from hairdo, the hair extension line from Ken Paves and Jessica Simpson. It is super easy to put on, with three small sewn-in clips and it stays put, even with significant tugging.

Okay, fine, it's a bang toupee. But I love it. The Midnight Brown is a pretty decent match to my natural color and it might even curb my desire to shear off my own poor locks for a while. I'm even contemplating getting a couple of the brightly colored clip-in side bangs to stave off the urge to dye. I'm getting so lazy in my old age…

Roo tried on my bangs, too, even though they're a bit dark for her. I think they're adorable:

Bob tried them on, too, but threated bodily harm if I tried to take a picture. Let's just say Prince Valiant is not his best look. Heh.

The moral of this story: don't be afraid of doing something silly to get what you want. It's only your hair, it'll grow back, right? Whatever, take the shortcut and Live a Little right away!

Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.

StyleUnited: New View, New You

StyleUnited is an online style destination from P&G, brought to you from their fashion and beauty brands including DDF Skincare, Olay, CoverGirl and Frederic Fekkai. When you sign up for StyleUnited, you build your individual Style360 profile by taking fun quizzes. This gives you insider access to personalized style recommendations for everything from skincare and cosmetics to haircare and fashion. My fashion style is edgy/bold and my makeup style is bold, my skin is combination and my hair is wavy. I appreciate how the recommendations span price ranges and offer suggestions for products I already love as well as things I have yet to try. Let me know what your style is in the comments below! The StyleUnited: New View, New You Giveaway ends June 8th so be sure to join to become eligible and enter today! You could win a $500 gift card to showcase your new, improved style! In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I was introduced to StyleUnited via SheSpeaks, a woman-powered community of brand influencers. I will receive complimentary samples of products in exchange for writing about this site. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Winter Necessity: Dry Hair

I attended the Getting Gorgeous party at BlogHer last summer and received, among many swoon-worthy items, a Remington Wet 2 Straight flatiron. I thought it was novel upon my return home but didn't think too much about it. When the weather is balmy, or outright hot like summers in Kansas typically are, I'm a wash-and-go kind of girl. I rarely think about blowdrying or straightening my hair unless there's a specific event I'm expected to look pretty at. Sad but true.

Anyway, now that the weather has stayed below freezing for a while, I find myself requiring dry hair. Since I'm one of those folks who must shampoo daily (yes, I know it's bad for the color and texture, blah blah blah) as well as being habitually late, anything that speeds up my routine is a bonus. I am officially in love with the Remington Wet 2 Straight. It steams the moisture out of your hair while imparting it with a smooth, glossy shine. Total genius. I highly recommend it for any lazy fashionista on your gift list.

Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received the Science on a Tracking Expedition kit in order to write a balanced review.

The Mean Reds

I've been wanting to do this again for a while but I've had horrific dye allergies since Roo was born, which has made me kind of reticent to do much with my hair. This is, of course, a tragedy. Those of you who know me in real life know that I've been doing all manner of crazy things to my hair since 8th grade or so. I miss it. Thankfully, my friend Erica is doing hair again and has had the exact same experience, so she is sensitive to my needs. You know, for a non-blistery scalp as well as a bit of funky.




If you are in the Wichita area and would like to know more about Erica's styling services (she does nails and waxing, too! she'll even make house calls!), drop me a line. I haven't taken a picture of the adorable fauxhawk she's given Bob but trust me, it's full of cuteness.

Just Say WEN

My hair has been a total nightmare since my kids were born. I swear I have less hair than I used to before I was a mom and what I do have left is limp, lifeless and thin. To make matters worse, I am obsessive about washing it every day, which only adds to its dry, flyaway charm. Not to mention the dry, windy climate in Kansas isn't particularly easy on the old follicles. I am always on the lookout for new haircare products as potential miracle workers, so I was excited when I was asked to review samples of WEN by Chaz Dean.



WEN takes a drastically different approach to haircare by eliminating shampoo. No, you don't leave your hair dirty, but instead of stripping your delicate hair follicles with harsh lathering detergents and chemicals, it introduces a single product: WEN Cleansing Conditioner. I was skeptical and I have to admit that I initially missed the sudsing action but once I relaxed and let the gorgeous sweet almond mint scent wash over me, it felt good. And it did make my hair feel softer and fuller, especially after using it for about a week.



I also loved the additional products included with home delivery of the WEN by Chaz Dean system. The wide tooth shower comb really works well to distribute the WEN Cleansing Conditioner and Re Moist Intensive Hair Repair Mask, which can be used in tandem. WEN Styling Creme is a non-sticky gel/lotion that can be used to hold styles and also to add polish after styling. The only item that wasn't such a great fit for me was the WEN Texture Balm, which is sort of a waxy pomade in stick form. I think would work better for people with shorter hair, especially men, or for more layered, piecey long hair styles. After a couple of weeks using WEN by Chaz Dean, my hair does indeed feel and look healthier.

Order the WEN® Healthy Hair Care System 30-day supply in Sweet Almond Mint for only $29.95 plus $5.95 s&h. You'll receive your first 30-day supply with free bonuses, and you’ll automatically receive a new 90-day supply delivered to your home every three months, locked in at the discount price of just $29.95 a month plus $7.95 s&h per shipment.

I did some online searching and it looks like there are other Wen by Chaz Dean Haircare fragrances available, too: Cucumber Aloe, Tea Tree, Lavender, and the one I'd like to try next, Fig!

The Name Is Product

Roo has very thick, luscious curls. Jasper has a flyaway ersatz baby mullet. I've finally found a product that works equally well on both of them and it's called… Product. Well, actually, it's Lil Product which is the progeny of Product, a hair styling aid made entirely from organic & plant-derived components.




Product and Lil Product are 100% natural, making them safer for you and our environment. Product contains just five ingredients (organic shea butter moisturizes as it offers natural UV protection, organic aloe vera tames and soothes, natural source Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights free radicals to support hair health, organic white beeswax forms a natural barrier to seal in hydration, and tangerine essential oil provides a subtly energizing, gender-neutral fragrance) and Lil Product contains only six ingredients (organic chamomile brings out brilliant natural highlights, and a hint of organic cinnamon leaf oil adds a yummy spicy scent). Just a teeny dab adds shine, defines curls, adds texture and tames flyaways. If only it could keep barrettes in Roo's hair, it would be truly miraculous.



Lil Product takes Jasper from mullet to fauxhawk in seconds! Plus its spicy scent reminds me of the clove cigarettes we used to smoke in high school, so you could say it literally reeks of rebellion…



My own hair is so lackluster these days that I didn't think much could make a difference. But Product adds some oomph without weighing my hair down like many synthetically-derived pomades do. I appreciate Product's commitment to making "style you can trust" by keeping their products completely free of synthetic ingredients, chemicals and parabens.

Ancient Tribal Secrets

I like trying out new and different things but in this sucky economy, I'm a little more stingy about doling out cash for untested beauty products, no matter how thrilling their claims of new technological advances or super organic holistic awesomeness might be. So I was totally thrilled to win Ojon's Tawaka Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cleanser and Conditioner in a giveaway at Spoiled Pretty. I'd read about Ojon in various magazines but I wasn't about to shell out $60+ on some shampoo that might or might not make me gorgeous…



So let's cut straight to the point: Ojon's Tawaka Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cleanser and Conditioner is absolutely brilliant and probably worth its admittedly hefty price. Why, you ask? Well, it hasn't made me suddenly supermodel-esque but it definitely makes my limp, fine hair seem thicker and healthier. Glossier. And what's even better is that it can also be used as a facial and body cleanser and moisturizer. I am a big fan of all-in-one bath products for my kids, but haven't used one for adults that actually leaves both your skin and your hair feeling and looking amazing. This one does and it also smells divine. Kind of like dark chocolate and blueberries, which is not surprising when you read the ingredient list and see that the Tawaka™ cacao blend packs a serious antioxidant punch– as much as hundreds of pounds of blueberries! Bob used it without my prompting and was raving about how it made his hair and skin feel… high praise, indeed, since my husband generally doesn't think of shampoo as more than a necessary evil.

If the rest of the Ojon collection is as amazing as the Tawaka Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cleanser and Conditioner, I might have to save up for the whole shebang! Thanks so much to Spoiled Pretty for introducing me to a product line that I suspect I will explore further soon.

Sparklehearts Giveaway

***WINNER PICKED 5/12 WITH RANDOM.ORG***

***CONGRATULATIONS, #1 (when does that ever happen?!) Donna!!!***

her comment...
This sounds wonderful and pretty!

When Roo has a new stuffed animal or doll, inevitably it is christened with some sort of combination of the words sparkle, heart, flower, or clementine. I am not sure how these monikers were burned into her psyche, but every single new addition to our household is named SparkleFlower or HeartSparkle or ClementineSparkleHeart. So when I was asked to review a new line of all-natural beauty products for girls called Sparklehearts, it seemed like destiny.



Sparklehearts is committed to providing the glamor and glitz girls want in hair and body care while maintaining a healthy environment. Their products are 99.6% natural, featuring ingredients like essential oils, violet extract, coconut, shea butter, and green tea extract, and feature a signature fragrance reminiscent of sweet treats. Unlike most products marketed toward young girls, Sparklehearts contain no artificial fragrances or colors, parabens, phthalates or sulfates. They are never tested on animals and their packaging is made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials. There are currently five products in the Sparklehearts collection: Shine Shampoo, Rainbow Soft Conditioner, Peace Out No Knots Hair Detangler, Bubbling Blooms Body Wash and Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion.



We tried the Shine Shampoo and Rainbow Soft Conditioner. Roo loved the cool graphics and pink pumps on the bottles. As soon as she saw them, she knew they were for her. And once she smelled them, she was totally sold! I'm a little bit harder to convince, since I am the one who has to deal with her sensitive skin. I wanted to make sure that Sparklehearts was as natural and gentle as they say, while also cleaning her playground grime-encrusted hair effectively. It passed with flying colors on both, and Roo loves having hair products that are for her own personal use. We combed her hair and let it air dry with no additional styling products. Check out the shine on that moptop!



Get 20% off any purchase at Sparklehearts by entering code BLOG20 at checkout. You can also join Sparklehearts on Facebook!

To enter and win one Sparklehearts product of your choice (we're dying to try the Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion because it features natural mica for extra sparkliness!), please comment on this post and let me know what "skinemies" are. Check out the "About Us" page at Sparklehearts to find out.



Entries will be accepted through May 10th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.


For an additional entry, post my button on your blog (see code on sidebar), follow my blog, fave me on Technorati or subscribe via email or subscribe via reader. Leave an extra comment letting me know what you did for each additional entry.


Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win!


***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***


And don't forget this week is the big Give It Away Now Blog Carnival, too:




You have to be in it to win it, as they say...

Roo's New Do

Roo got her first real haircut today. She's had it trimmed a couple of times but this is the first drastic change. I think she looks very grown up! Aside from the dum-dum in her mouth.




We had a good five or six inches lopped off. It's especially obvious from behind:



I had a sick desire to sweep up the hair and make a little toupee for Jasper… but I let it pass.



And this is a gratuitous shot of Roo modeling my new mary jane booties from Ebay. You like?

Little Piddles are in Bloom!

***WINNERS PICKED 8/14 WITH RANDOM.ORG***


***CONGRATULATIONS, Alyce!!!***


her comment... I like the cream flower the best, although I think my neices would love the colorful daisies!

AND

***CONGRATULATIONS, rbauske (non-blogger)!!!***


her comment... I like the pink headband


Little Piddles is a mom-owned online boutique that stocks an incredible array of baby and kid-related goodies. From furniture to frills, they probably have what you're looking for– even if you didn't think you needed it!




Little Piddles owner Jennifer also makes boutique hair clips and was generous enough to send us a few of her newest creations, gorgeous hair clips with big blossoms! They are super fancy, attached to a sturdy alligator clip that I think could also be attached to headbands, through a buttonhole, even on shoes or handbags if you are so inclined… Roo's favorite is the purple flower, which I think gives her sort of a melancholy Billie Holiday mystique:



If you've ever looked at boutique hair accessories before, you know how pricey they can be. Jennifer's designs for Little Piddles are handmade and incredibly reasonable, retailing for between $3-$6 per clip. I am partial to the flowers, mainly because gerbera daisies are my favorite flowers. I intend to steal them when Roo's not paying attention! If you have a daintier child, or one whose hair doesn't overwhelm everything in its radius, the little felt butterflies with rhinestones would be so sweet.



***Superdumb Supervillain Bonus!***

Use code SUPERDUMB for 15% off your online purchase. Expires 8/31/08





To enter and win FOUR Little Piddles Hair Accessories of your choice (choose any of the first 13 items on this page), please comment on this post with your favorite item from Little Piddles. Two winners will be selected!


Entries will be accepted through August 13th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.


Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

***WINNER PICKED 8/7 WITH RANDOM.ORG***


***CONGRATULATIONS, Marci!!!***


her comment...
I love the all the different pictures of the kids on the bottles - so cute! I think my girls would love the banana scent of Lala's Leaping Lemur Banana Lotion!




Circle of Friends is a line of bath goods that offers salon quality products for kids. Instead of dumbing down their line to cater to little ones, Circle of Friends uses quality ingredients and fun fragrances packaged with stories about children from across the globe. Kids can even play interactive games and learn more about the characters on the Circle of Friends website.

We got to try a whole range of Circle of Friends products and loved them. I was especially thrilled with how nice the hair products were, since Roo has such a crazy mane of curls. They dried smooth and ringlet-y, with just a simple combing and air dry:



She feels pretty, oh so pretty.



These are results garnered from Natasha's No Tearski Shampoo, which smells like ripe raspberries, and Abebi's Safari Detangler which has a pineapple scent. The pump dispensers are so easy to use and the detangler can be used on its own. I think next time I might try one of the conditioning shampoos (the character on the Ana Banana sort of looks like Roo!) and a heavier leave-in conditioner like Maya Papaya.



Roo also went nuts for Heidi & Niklas' Yodel-Ay-He Lotion because it smells like C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E, her favorite thing in the whole wide world. This might have been why she and her friend managed to use half of the bottle while I wasn't paying attention. Oh, well, at least their skin was soft and they smelled divine…



The product I loved the most was Emma's Pre-Swim Conditioner. It has a coconut fragrance that is perfect for summertime and it is absolutely essential for pool use. We've been swimming so much that our hair has gotten dry and this definitely helps to alleviate that. I say "we" because it's a great product for the whole family and I've been using it as much as Roo! It uses an exclusive blend of polymers, emollients and Vitamin B5 to protect the hair. My kids aren't blonde and don't get the greenish cast that I've heard tell of but apparently Emma's Pre-Swim Conditioner will take care of that, too. And it has such a great, beachy scent that I am almost tempted to spray it on everything in sight.



There are plenty of other items I am looking forward to trying from Circle of Friends, too. I am absolutely dying to try their Hair Paint now that Jasper has enough hair to make a little faux-hawk. And there are six different varieties of Bubble Bath, all of which I am sure smell better than the fake-fruity grocery store brands that make Roo's skin itch. Their gift sets range from $6-$30 and are an outstanding value. My favorite is the All-Star Collection Lunch Bag, which features a starry-patterned lunch bag filled with Leilani's Halakahiki Lotion (tropical fruit), Chehn's Mandarin Orange Sudsy Sponge, and Niklas' Mint Chocolate Buddy Bar Soap. This is over $20 in products, plus you get a free lunchbag! And it's super cute! (I think getting Roo's enrollment forms for full-day preschool has made me covet lunchboxes.)



***Superdumb Supervillain Bonus!***

Use code SDSV20 for 20% off your Circle of Friends online purchase!

To enter and win an All-Star Collection Lunch Bag gift set, please comment on this post with your favorite items from the Circle of Friends collection. Also, what items or scents would you like to see added to their line?


Entries will be accepted through August 6th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. Continental US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.

Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a new site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

The Glamorous Life

***WINNER PICKED 6/5 WITH RANDOM.ORG***

***CONGRATULATIONS, MOLLY C.!!!***
her comment: The Blooming Flowers, set of two hair pins is adorable!




Not surprisingly, Glamorous Girl Accessories makes all sorts of fun baubles for little girls and grown-up girls, too! Hair accessories are their specialty but they also offer cute aprons, handbags (none in stock right now) and pajama pants (via their other Etsy storefront). The designs are adorable and their prices are hard to beat, starting at $1.50 and capping out at $15. Most items fall into the $4-$5 range.




We received a set of Glamorous Girl pink felt flower clips to try out and they stood up to the test that is Roo's crazy hair. Perhaps even more impressively, she kept them in all day at school.




To enter and win your favorite item from Glamorous Girl Accessories (any in-stock item priced at $5 or less), please comment on this post and let me know which one you would choose.

Entries will be accepted through June 4th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US/Canada readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.

Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a new site that compiles winners in one convenient place: