hairstyles

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Today’s post is dedicated to the ladies out there who have fallen victim to the “mom ponytail.” I’m reaching out to you because I am one of you. For the vast majority of the time since my first child hit the scene nearly 7 years ago, I have been wearing my hair in a ponytail or a truly messy bun (which is totally different from the cute messy bun). For some reason, I bought into the myth that because my time was so limited, having cute hair was completely out of the question.

Sisters, this just isn’t true. And I’m not going to try to convince you to make it a daily practice to create beachy waves while your toddler sits on the floor next to you in the bathroom, digging through the cabinets and making a huge mess. But I do want to teach you something you can do in 3 minutes that will dress up your hair a little bit, give you a little confidence boost and get you to stop believing that the ponytail and messy bun are your only two hairstyle choices.

In addition to teaching you how to rock the headband braid, I also want to show you a simple way to give your hair color a boost without having to take the time (or spend the $$$) visiting a salon. For the past two weeks I’ve been exclusively using John Frieda Brilliant Brunette® Visibly Brighter™ Products on my hair to boost the brightness of my brunette hair as we head into summer. If you want to take a more detailed look at how the line works, take a look at my first post to get the scoop. Here’s a quick look at how my color has subtly changed with a before and after shot. Subtle, but nice, I think!

For me, personally, once I saw a boost in my hair color, I got excited with the change and felt more open to trying out some new easy hairstyles, as well. So if you are in a funk with your ‘do, I suggest starting with the John Frieda products as the foundation, and then to move on to trying a new style. You can find the Brilliant Brunette® line at your nearest Walmart, and note that they have a Visibly Brighter™ line (I used the Brilliant Brunette® Visibly Brighter™ Subtle Lightening Shampoo, Brilliant Brunette® Visibly Brighter™ Subtle Lightening Conditioner and the Brilliant Brunette® Visibly Brighter™ In-Shower Treatment) and a Visibly Deeper™ line, as well. And don’t forget, if you have trouble finding any of these products at Walmart (they are flying off the shelves!) you can always find them at Walmart.com, too.

Alright, so let’s learn how to rock this easy headband braid, shall we?

Step 1:

Part your hair on the side of your choice, and then pull out a section of hair about this size.

Step 2:

Braid the section of hair moving out to the side, and go all the way down, securing with a small rubber band (clear ones are ideal because they don’t add bulk or color).

Step 3:

Take a small section of hair in front of the braid and loop it through the first loop of the braid, going back.

Step 4:

Repeat this step with more loops of your hair until around the end of your eyebrow. If the pieces that you are looping back are getting in your way, you can temporarily secure them with a clip.

john frieda headband braid loop pull through

Step 5:

Now secure the ponytail in a hidden spot, if possible. I simply use a bobby pin and tuck it back in my hair.

Step 6:

Give your hair a quick glance and make sure it’s too your liking, and then get on with your busy day!

If your hair is in a ponytail, take it out right now, and go spend 3 minutes trying out this fun headband braid. Your hair will still be out of your face, but you’ll look and feel more put together! And then put John Frieda Brilliant Brunette® Visibly Brighter™ or Visibly Deeper™ products on your list for your next trip to Walmart!

Let me know what you think of the product line and the hairstyle in the comments below.

Books provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Raise your hand if your daughter has asked you to give her a hairstyle like Elsa’s. And now raise your hand if you have panicked at this request because you had no idea how to do it.

Well, now you can learn exactly how to make an Elsa braid, or an Anna braid, for that matter, or any number of fun hairstyles inspired by Frozen. We are absolutely loving Disney Frozen Hairstyles, which just came out in October (and is currently available for just $9.50!). There are dozens of great looks, ranging from styles the beginner can try all the way to more complicated techniques that will require more practice. The pictures are cute and fun and my daughter really loves flipping through the pages.

Or if your child wants an up-do like Mulan’s one day, and a ponytail like Jasmine’s the next, you might be the right candidate for Disney Princess Hairstyles (currently $10.56 on Amazon). While this book also has some looks that are too complicated for me to attempt without some practice, I really love that all the styles are created on little girls, instead of on adult models. And I think the books do a good job of showing each step.

Here’s a very simple little trick I learned and that I’ve been doing with Darah’s hair for the past few weeks. You simply take a regular braid and hold on to one of the 3 sections of hair while you push the other sections back up. Then you can guide them back down a bit to achieve the look you want. It looks like a more elaborate braid in the end.

I do this on either side of her head and connected the two braids in the back with a ponytail holder. It’s very simple and very cute!

I think either one of these books would be a hit with any princess fan. Having long hair is definitely a plus, as most of these styles are intended for kids with long hair, just FYI.

Break Free From the Mom Ponytail (Headband Braid Tutorial)

Books for the Princess Fan: Disney Frozen Hairstyles and Disney Princess Hairstyles