Quick and Easy Tips for Being a Stylish New Mom

Having a newborn at home can be one of the most stressful times in your life. You are dealing with this new little human you are responsible of taking care of as well as suffering from lack of sleep.

Being stylish and fashionable is probably the last thing on your mind until the day you have to go to some special event or make your first real outing and realize  that just since you have a new baby you can still take care of yourself and like what you see.

Here are some quick and easy fashion tips for being a stylish new mom that won't take a lot of extra effort but can definitely help you feel a little more put together and stylish.

Wear What Fits Your Body the Way It Looks Now

It can be tempting to want to squeeze into your pre-pregnancy clothes right away, but truthfully you will feel a lot more comfortable as well as be able to flatter your body better if you wear the clothing that fits your body no matter what size it may say.

Wearing too small of clothing can actually make you look heavier than you are. When you invest in a few staple pieces to get you through until you are down to pre-pregnancy size you can actually flatter your body and make yourself look slimmer even if you are carrying a few extra pounds.

Don't invest a huge amount of money into new clothing, but check out some of your transition pieces from your first trimester as well as maybe a new pair of jeans that can get you through the first months until you comfortably fit back into your regular clothing.

Buy Stylish Baby Gear

Nowadays there are so many stylish diaper bags and other baby gear that you can choose from that you shouldn't be lugging around a bag that features Winnie the Pooh or some other awful pink color that says "Baby" on it.

Instead opt for a stylish diaper bag that looks like a purse instead. These bags can be great for adding some style to your outfit and best of all they carry all your baby gear as well as your gear that you may need for outings with your new baby.

There are also some stylish baby wraps and carriers that you can choose from that can actually add to your outfit and they are functional as well. If you are choosing any type of baby gear that you may be wearing or carrying with you, opt for a stylish, grown-up feel instead of something that speaks from the 90's.

Opt for a Quick Makeup Routine

You probably won't have as much time as you used to have when it comes to putting on makeup so you will want to abbreviate your makeup routine and go for a quick and easy face that also makes you look fresh.

Go for a tinted moisturizer that also has SPF to cut back on how many layers you may have to apply. This will help to give your face a fresh glow but won't look too heavy and won't take you having to apply sunscreen, foundation and powder.

If you want to hide those dark circles under your eyes, you can take a good quality concealer and simply just apply it under your eyes after you apply your tinted moisturizer.

A quick application of mascara as well as some lip gloss and you can be ready to walk out the door in about 5 minutes. If you do have some extra time, take a few minutes to apply a natural toned blush for some color on your face.

Use Accessories for a Quick Hairstyle

You may not have the time every morning to straighten or curl your hair so you will have to work with what you got. This means accessories like clips, headbands, and even ponytails can become your best friend for a quick but fashionable hairstyle.

A low ponytail with a side part may be a quick way to pull your hair back and get in under control and it looks cute as well. Or a cute little headband for those says your hair may not be lying the way you want it to. There are plenty of quick hairstyles that you can do in only a few minutes.

One thing you should do before baby comes is to get a fresh haircut that is easy and quick to style. Now is not the time to get a complicated cut that takes forever to style.

Hair Care Tips for Beating the Frizz on Humid and Rainy Days

I naturally have frizzy hair, so when it comes to rainy days you an just imagine the problems I have.

Normally, running a hair straightener through my strands as well as maybe some styling spray you wouldn't even notice that the frizz at all.

But, on those humid or rainy days, it takes a bit more to tame my hair.

Here are some tips that I recommend when it comes to taming the frizz on humid or rainy days.

Use an Anti-Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

I actually use an anti-frizz shampoo and conditioner on a regular basis and can really notice the difference between this shampoo and using a regular shampoo. There are several different brands that offer this type of shampoo but I would recommend that you go with a higher quality brand that will actually work rather than waste your money on a drugstore brand that you probably won't notice a difference with.

One brand that I would recommend is Brazilian Blowout Acai Anti-Frizz Shampoo. Although your hair won't look as smooth as if you got a real Brazilian Blowout at the salon, it will definitely help to tame the frizzies.

Use a Weather Proof Spray After Styling Your Hair

There are holding sprays as well as hairsprays that are designed to be weather proof and actually will help repel any humidity or moisture away from your strands. If you are looking for a holding spray to help hold your style in place, then you will want to find a weather proof spray that also has holding power. On the other hand, if you want your hair to simply be soft and not worry about holding your style as much, look for a spray that simply is weather proof but not a holding product.

I recommend Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof Spray for anyone simply looking for a good finishing spray to repel the humidity.

Avoid Brushing Your Hair Once It Is Dry

Brushing your hair when it is dry can actually make your hair even frizzier. Brushing can damage your hair's cuticle, which is the part of the strand that makes it look frizzy. If you have frizzy hair, you will want to simply stick with combing/brushing when it is wet and then simply letting it be once you have it styled and dry.

I know that I notice if I brush my hair when it is dry it may not look as frizzy as first, but then about 5 or so minutes later it looks even frizzier.

Use a Frizz Ease Serum for a Quick Fix

If you find that your normal routine is not cutting down the frizz on a really humid day, then you may want to keep a good frizz ease serum on hand for a quick fix. These serums or lotions help to add some oil into the hair to help tame your tresses, but you do need to be careful to not add too much as it can also make hair look greasy.

I have used John Frieda Frizz Ease Sheer Solution as well as Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum and both have been okay products although I currently am using the Paul Mitchell serum now.

Cute Ponytails and Buns Make Great Hairstyles

Sometimes I simply let nature win and gather my hair back into a cute ponytail or a bun. This works well for those hot and humid summer days when you don't want your hair down on you neck anyways. You can definitely find some cute styles that are professional and mature and won't make you look like a 12 year old girl going to cheerleading camp.

What are your hair care secrets to taming the frizz on those rainy or super humid days?

How Much Do You Tip a Hair Stylist?

For some reason, I get asked this a lot as well as "Why do you have to tip a hairdresser?"

So, I thought I would take some time and answer both of these questions here on my blog to let others know what my opinion is.

Now, right up front, I will tell you, that I am not, nor ever was a hair stylist, hairdresser or ever worked in a hair salon, so my opinion may differ from someone who has worked in this profession.

Why Do You Have To Tip a Hairdresser?

My simple answer, "You don't!"

When it comes down to it, you aren't forced to tip any hair stylist anything. There is no rule that says you must leave a tip.

That being said, the reason why tipping in a hair salon is so popular is because hair stylists are performing a service for a customer. If you like the service that you received, it is a good idea to tip that person to recognize the good job that they did.

Lately, it has become traditional to automatically tip your hair stylists no matter what kind of service you receive. In fact, some hairdressers will flat out refuse to work on a customer who has not tipped or tipped well in the past. Even some salon owners may not be able to get you in for an appointment if you are known as a customer who doesn't tip. This is just the way it has become.

But, I don't believe in tipping well when it comes to a botched hair job or when a hair stylists doesn't listen to a word you say or doesn't want to put in the extra effort to make your hair look right. In that case, I say don't leave a tip or a very small one and just never go back.

How Much Do You Tip a Hair Stylist?

When it comes to actually tipping amounts it is going to range dramatically depending on what type of salon you go to as well as what type of services you have done.

My normal hair cut that I get every 3 months cost approximately $50 for the stylist that I normally go to. My normal tipping amount is $10, which works out to 20%.  I tip this much because I really like my stylists and it took me a while to find one that has never disappointed and that I really enjoy going to.

That being said, if you are satisfied with your service from your hair dresser a tip in the amount of 10% - 20% would suffice. I do believe that if you are going to a cheaper salon that doesn't wash/blow-dry your hair, then you can even go lower than the 10% and maybe just make it an even $3 or $5.

Again, this is all up to. You should never feel obligated or pressured to have to tip 15% or 20%. Tip what you want and if the hair dresser doesn't like it, then find a new one that deserves a bigger tip.

Check out more opinions on tipping a hair stylists here.

How Much Do Hairdressers Make?

There are usually two types of hair stylists. The first is one that is an actual employee of the salon and receives a commission based on the price of the service performed. For example, if you get a $45 hair cut, the hair stylist will receive anywhere from 30% - 50% of the $45 and then be taxed on top of that.

The other type of hair stylist is an independent contractor who rents out a booth at the salon. They pay to have a chair there along with paying for their own hair color, supplies, shampoos, and other products. But, they get to keep all of the money they charge for the service. So, in this example, your stylists may charge $45 for a hair cut and gets to keep all of that  money but then pays taxes on it as an independent contractor as well as pays a monthly fee to the salon to rent the chair.

If you are curious which one your hair dresser is, a company will usually tell you if the person is an actual employee or if they rent the space. This may sway your tipping amount as well.

Some people may disagree with me, but I do think that we have become "tip hungry." I completely understand tipping waitresses and waiters as they only make around $2.10 an hour. They need those tips to live.

But I am seeing tip jars all over the place from Dunkin Donuts to my local dry cleaners. I know that when my sister recently moved, the moving guys she hired expected a tip as well. Um, isn't that why you get paid from your company? Total tangent, but there are definitely some situations that I don't believe necessitate a tip, so keep that in mind when taking my word about tipping!

How to Do a Low Messy Bun Hairstyle

We all have our days were we just want to pull our hair back and get it out of the way.

A low messy bun can be a stylish and practical way to pull your hair back if you just don't have to time to style it properly or you just want something a little different.

I like to do a messy bun or low ponytail when it's hot and I don't want my hair in my face and on my neck but I still want to look stylish and cute.

How to Do a Low Messy Bun

It's not difficult at all to do this hairstyle probably because it is meant to look a little messy and not perfect like a chignon. You will find that the more you practice doing it the easier it will become because you will learn the way your hair looks best in this style.

I like to part my hair on the one side for this hairstyle or you can simply pull it straight back as it all depends on your face shape as well as what you prefer for your hair.

This works great on both curly hair as well as wavy hair. If you have pin straight hair it may be a better option for you to do just a low ponytail instead of a bun.

You can do a low bun like this if you have shorter hair or if you have longer hair. You may just need more bobby pins if you have shorter hair to pin back some of the strays that don't fit. Your hair should be at least around shoulder length and be able to be pulled back into a low ponytail to get this style.

Check out the step by step tutorial below so that you can get achieve this cute and functional hairstyle.



A tip for getting this style to look right is that hair works better when it is actually somewhat dirty instead of freshly washed. If have just washed your hair and want to accomplish this hairstyle I recommend you use a dry shampoo or some styling spray to get your hair to work better.