Somewhere between school drop-offs, work deadlines, sports practices, and figuring out what’s for dinner (again), many of us quietly began spending less time on our hair.

Not because we stopped caring. Because life simply got busy.

For many moms, a quick ponytail or messy bun has become the go-to style, and wash day is carefully planned around an already packed schedule. Looking polished can start to feel like it takes more time than we have.

The good news is that healthy, beautiful hair does not have to come with a complicated routine. Sometimes the biggest difference comes from choosing products that do more of the work for you. When your hair is healthier from the start and your styling tools perform efficiently, getting ready becomes faster and far less frustrating.

That is exactly why Ouidad and Bio Ionic make such a great combination. One focuses on creating healthier, more manageable hair, while the other helps you style it quickly and beautifully. Together, they make it easier to enjoy great hair without sacrificing precious time.

Healthy Hair Begins Long Before You Style It

It is easy to think the secret to beautiful hair is found in the perfect blowout or curling technique, but truly healthy hair starts in the shower.

When your hair is properly hydrated, styling becomes easier. Hair tends to be smoother, softer, and more cooperative, which means spending less time fighting frizz and more time enjoying the results.

For more than 40 years, Ouidad has been dedicated to helping people achieve healthier hair through moisture-rich, thoughtfully formulated products. Best known as a pioneer in curl care, the brand has earned a loyal following by focusing on hydration, manageability, and long-term hair health.

One product pairing that immediately stands out is the Moisture Lock Ultra-Nourishing Cleansing Oil Shampoo and Moisture Lock Conditioner. Unlike many traditional shampoos that can leave hair feeling stripped, the nourishing shampoo gently removes buildup while helping restore moisture, while the conditioner locks in hydration to leave hair feeling soft, smooth, and more manageable. Together, they create a healthy foundation that makes styling easier from the very start.

A Routine That Works with Your Schedule

One of the best things about this routine is that it adapts to however you choose to wear your hair that day.

Before reaching for any styling tool, Advanced Climate Control Curl Miracle Treatment helps prepare your hair by providing lightweight heat protection while helping fight humidity and frizz. It is one of those simple products that quietly does a lot of work behind the scenes, helping keep hair looking healthier over time.

If you are embracing your natural curls, Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel helps define curls while maintaining softness and reducing frizz. It offers hold without leaving hair stiff or crunchy, making it an easy choice for everyday styling.On days when you prefer a smooth blowout, Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream creates a polished finish while keeping hair soft and touchable. It helps control frizz without weighing hair down, making it ideal for everything from workdays to weekend outings.Rather than requiring an entirely different routine, these products simply allow you to choose the finish you want while keeping the foundation of your hair care consistent.

The Styling Tools That Help Busy Mornings Run More Smoothly

Even the healthiest hair deserves styling tools that work just as hard.

That is where Bio Ionic comes in.

For years, Bio Ionic has focused on creating professional styling tools that help deliver beautiful results while supporting healthier-looking hair. The brand has earned the trust of both professional stylists and everyday users by designing tools that combine innovation with performance.

The Bio Ionic AeroGravity Dryer is a perfect example. Powered by Bio Ionic’s Signature Ion Mineral Technology, superboosted with Advanced AntiStatic Ion Technology, the AeroGravity conditions hair as it dries for smoother, shinier, healthier-looking results from the very first blow-dry. It is lightweight, comfortable to hold, and designed to help make everyday styling faster and easier.

The dryer also includes a Precision Concentrator for sleek blowouts and a Defining Diffuser for enhancing natural curls, giving you the flexibility to create different styles with one versatile tool.

For moms who love soft curls, the Bio Ionic Long Barrel Styler is another time-saving favorite. Its extended barrel allows you to style larger sections of hair at once, meaning fewer passes and faster styling without sacrificing beautiful, long-lasting curls. When every minute counts, little details like that can make a big difference.

Because Self-Care Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

There is a reason we hear so much about self-care. Life moves quickly, and moms are often the first to put themselves last.

But self-care does not always mean a spa day or an afternoon to yourself.

Sometimes it is replacing products that no longer serve you with ones that make life a little easier.

Sometimes it is spending less time styling because your hair is healthier to begin with.

Sometimes it is simply walking out the door feeling confident.

That is what makes the combination of Ouidad and Bio Ionic such a natural fit. Healthy hair begins with nourishing care, and thoughtful styling tools help bring out the best in it. Together, they create a routine that fits real life, making it possible to enjoy beautiful hair without spending your entire morning in front of the mirror.

Because every mom deserves a routine that feels a little less like another task and a little more like self-care.

The post The Busy Mom’s Hair Routine That Feels Like Self-Care appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Lately, the B-word has been bandied about more than any other in the business world. Whether you’re part of a large established corporation or a stay-at-home “mompreneur”, branding is now a part of your daily vocabulary. But what exactly is the distinction between branding and image, and how important is it—as an individual—to maintain your brand?

We all know the importance of making a great first impression and that the way we present ourselves determines whether or not we do this. Personal branding takes this a step further; it is the collection of all the images and impressions that you impart on the world. This creates lasting impressions. It cannot be captured in a logo or picture because it is not a singular thing but rather the continuum of messages that convey who you are and what you stand for. For example if you act like a professional but go to meetings dressed down, your brand will lack consistency. However, if you are well-dressed, punctual, ethical, and friendly day in and day out, you will create a personal brand that reflects that. It becomes much more than your image: what people see. It becomes a perceived part of your identity: who you are.

For some this becomes difficult when “who you are” is, first and foremost, a mother. You must carefully manage the way you are perceived. The trouble is that it can be difficult to step outside yourself and accurately interpret how you are viewed by other people. For most people who take the time to question how they’re viewed, there is a disconnect between how they believe their image is interpreted and the reality. Few people have the self-awareness to separate their own intentions from what the outside world sees. The only effective way around this is to turn to an outside perspective – someone trusted – who can give an honest account of the image you portray. Often we think we’re sending one message but are being interpreted entirely differently.

We all have an image, an identity, and a brand. While most of us know how important these are – be it at home, work, or socially – few people actively manage them. This doesn’t just mean wearing the right clothes. It requires a much greater attention to detail than appropriate attire. Not only should we assess how we represent ourselves on a daily basis, we should analyze exactly what is working and what isn’t. Building a reputation takes decades, and ensuring that you represent yourself authentically is worth a few hours of self-analysis. Most importantly, as a mom, it takes a lot of care and attention to be perceived as a professional at work but as a mother at home.

The post Image + Identity = Brand: It can make or break your career (if you let it) appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

At 28, I feel that I have reached that age where I can hear my biological clock ticking a little more loudly as I keep trying to climb the corporate ladder.

And apparently, I’m not alone. In Midlife Crisis at 30: How the Stakes Have Changed for a New Generation–And What to Do About It, Lia Macko and Kelly Rubin detail the stories of real women of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds who have faced their midlife crises in their 30s.

Why 30 is a Woman’s Mid-life Crisis

Thirty, according to the authors and the women featured in the book, is that age where our desires for our career clash with biology. We rush to compete with men for the best and most rewarding career moves while ignoring our doctors’ advice that our egg production dramatically plummets at 35, so if you want a child, you better start trying now.

As a twenty-something, I feel like I only have a ten-year window to actually accomplish several life milestones, which include getting married, having children, and landing that dream job.

Figuring out how to balance my career with my much-desired growing family is something that I think about way more than I’d like to admit. Just a few months ago, I was choosing between three master’s programs, and one of the most important deciding factors was whether I would be able to complete the program before we started trying for a baby. Do I start having children while I’m in school? Do I wait until I graduate? Will my company be frustrated if I take maternity leave so soon after achieving my master’s degree?

Career vs. Family: Do Men Have It Easier?

With a recent promotion behind me, I am feeling pretty good about my job prospects at this company. I am also thinking long term, hence the master’s degree. However, I worry that my baby-making years will somehow hinder my future promotion prospects. As progressive as I feel my company is, I worry I will be overlooked for future promotions because my company will assume I’ll be too stressed with child-rearing–an inconvenience that won’t be projected onto my male counterparts.

There’s a part of me that thinks it’s incredibly unfair that my husband does not have to have the same kind of worries that I do. He doesn’t fear if his company will retaliate for taking the full parental leave, and his career won’t be as interrupted by long absences, doctor’s appointments, and breast-pumping.

How Women Achieve “Having It All”

Midlife Crisis at 30 doesn’t have a simple response to how I can manage to “have it all,” except to point out that it’s very, very hard and I’ll most likely be exhausted. But it is very much possible. One of the key themes throughout the book was whether women really need to have it all or if it’s okay to just have enough. (Do you really need the white picket fence if your job requires you to travel year-round?)

In the second half of the book, the authors highlighted the New Girls Club–stories of women who had successfully managed to achieve their version of “having it all.” Because having it all means something to everyone. No matter how successful these women were, the trend was apparent–they didn’t achieve this high level of success without at least sacrificing some aspect of their family and home life.

“Being a good wife or mother does not mean you have to cook every meal, wash every bit of laundry, do all the grocery shopping, or, for that matter, suffer guilt trips for all that you are not able to do. You have to plan ahead and do your best, but no one really does it all. It’s not realistic. The details you have to figure out for yourself, but getting help is crucial. There is no Superwoman.” *Dr. Bernadine Healy, Senior Writer, Us News and World Report

Perhaps that’s the best lesson we can hope to comprehend. That we stop comparing ourselves to each other, that we respect each others’ decisions when it comes to family and career, and that–most importantly–we reach comfort and acceptance with our own decisions on how we choose to balance career and family.

After freelancing for GoGirl for six months writing about marriage and money, Erika joined the GoGirl team as the Content Manager in 2012. Erika received her B.A. in English and Italian Studies from Wellesley College and is currently working in public relations and going to graduate school full-time for her M.P.A. She blogs at Newlyweds on a Budget, covering everything on marriage and finances. Her top favorite GoGirl posts are How We Paid Off $45,000 in Debt in 45 Months and Marriage and Money: I make more money than my husband. 

The post Midlife Crisis at 30: How do you balance career and family? appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Attempting to manage a family, kids and a job while maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be quite overwhelming. The simple days of running to the gym or going on a last minute run have been replaced by school lunches, homework, business deadlines and fostering meaningful relationships. Adding a weekly workout schedule to the list can sometimes seem too much and is usually the first item to be unfulfilled from your daily task list.  But, it can absolutely be done and you will look and feel amazing. 

I am a working mother of four children and after looking in the mirror one day several years ago, I realized that I hadn’t put any effort into living a healthy lifestyle since I became a mother. I was completely focused on my family and my business, but I wasn’t making time for myself.  I made a decision six years ago to get healthy, workout and live a positive life.  It wasn’t easy.  I gave up a few times after just a few months.  But, I started over more than once and eventually it stuck.  I’ve had a consistent workout schedule for nearly five years now and I’ve never felt or looked healthier. I have reached and exceeded my goals year after year.  Now, I continuously look forward to what the next challenge will be.

It really doesn’t take much to get back on track.  You just have to take the first step which is definitely the hardest. In fact, once you get into the swing of a consistent workout schedule and start seeing actual results, you will be even more motivated and find yourself going beyond your expectations. Taking time for yourself each day will positively impact all areas of your life and you will be a better mother, wife and business woman.  When you feel good about yourself, you are more positive and will be open to amazing opportunities.

1. SET GOALS:  Set weekly goals to workout.  3-4 times per week is best, but even if you can only work out 1-2 times, that’s a great start.  Include some form of cardio and strength training as a part of your workout.  Even if you only have 30 minutes each day-that’s great.
   
2. FIND A FRIEND:  It makes it more difficult to find an excuse to not go to the gym, walk or run when you have a friend counting on you standing in your office ready to go. If you can afford a personal trainer, try this option one time per week-just another friend waiting for you at the gym to help you be accountable and provide new workout ideas.
   
3. CHALLENGE YOURSELF: As you go week to week and fulfill your goals, challenge yourself the next month to increase the number of workouts each week or the time you workout each day.
   
4. TIME: Try using part of your lunch hour to workout.  If you are eating healthy snacks throughout the day, you can take the beginning of your lunch hour to workout and the last 20 minutes or so to eat a healthy lunch. This is what I do nearly every day. It has been the key for me being able to maintain a consistent workout schedule.
   
5. EAT HEALTHY:  No matter what your workout schedule, if you don’t eat a healthy diet, you won’t make much if any progress on getting fit. Just being aware of what you are putting in your body and really thinking about it first can really cut down on the calories. This has been another key for me – meal proportions.
   
6. DRESS UP: This may sound silly…don’t dress too frumpy when you workout.  As you increase your workout schedule, seeing the results and you looking fabulous while doing it is actually very motivating.
   
7. DON’T GIVE UP: Even if you skip a week or a month, set a new goal and start over until it sticks! YOU CAN DO IT!!

The post WORKING MOMS – WORK IT OUT!!! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Finding work at home jobs can seem overwhelming and confusing. The first and most important step to getting started is to assess your skills, finances and family dynamics. Then figure what’s best for you. Whether you want to be a telecommuter or independent contractor, these work at home jobs lend themselves well to a home office environment.  These mom bloggers answer the following questions:

1. What would you say are the pros and cons of being a work at home mom?

2. How did you get started working from home? In this type of job?

3. Do you have any advice or resources you can offer our readers?

TRAVEL BLOGGER – Debbie Dubrow, Seattle, WA www.deliciousbaby.com

1. I love the flexibility of being able to move my schedule around easily. I get to volunteer at the kids’school, hang out with them when they have a day off and pick them up from school every day. There’s nothing I would trade for that. That flexibility can be tricky too. With three kids and my work, there’s a lot to keep track of, and my schedule ends up being different every week. It can be tough to get into a productive work routine and stick with it. It’s also hard to leave work behind. I feel like I can squeeze in another piece of email when I’m hanging out with the kids, and that takes away from the quality of the time I spend with them. And of course when someone gets sick or something comes up, I’m the person who deals with it, so that takes away from my work time.

2 . I left my job at a software company back in 2003 because I wasn’t enjoying it anymore and was having some health problems. I then started working on my own because I realized pretty quickly that I needed some sort of work in order to feel balanced and happy. My son was born in 2005, and my daughter was born just 18 months later. I started my blog, DeliciousBaby.com in 2007 as a way to share our travel stories and help inspire parents to travel with their young kids, and to give them resources that would help them plan their trips. My husband is a freelance software developer, and working together we just launched a travel app (available on the iPhone and windows phone) called TripDoc (http://www.tripdoc.com). You give TripDoc the names of all the places you’d like to visit on a trip, and it plots them all on a map for you so that you can find your way around.

3. There are tons of resources out there for getting started as a blogger. I particularly like the advice on ProBlogger (http://www.problogger.net/). I’ve learned a ton by meeting up with people in person too, but you don’t need to go to expensive conferences. Ask around and find out who is blogging in your area. If there aren’t any meetups happening already, you can start them yourself. It’s important to be aware that while blogging can be very personally rewarding, very few people make a full time living from blogging. I make a few thousand dollars a month, and that is very helpful to my family, but wouldn’t replace a full time income.

FREELANCE WRITER/BLOGGER Traci Suppa www.WordScapesny.com and www.GoBIGorGo-HomeBlog.com

1 .Pros: For me, the pros outweigh the cons. Having flexibility in my schedule is key. I love being able to volunteer for PTA projects, and not having to stress about taking time off from work if one of my kids is sick. Of course, the work is still there, and I’ve spent many a night burning the midnight oil to make sure it gets done. Cons: The major disadvantage is that my income reflects a part-time workload. In the future, when both my kids are in school full time, I hope to make up the difference! Working from home can also be solitary, so you have to make the effort to network through professional groups, both online and in person.

2 .I accepted my first paid writing assignments while I was still employed full-time. A former employer needed a freelancer to write press releases, which I could do in my spare time. I also wrote several unpaid travel articles for websites in order to build up a portfolio of published work.

3. My advice to anyone considering freelance writing, especially if they are currently working for someone else, would be to start it as a side business and develop relationships with editors and corporate clients. Also consider how you will get health insurance if you don’t have a spouse with job benefits; you may be able to obtain it through a professional organization. Freelance writing requires little overhead; mainly a computer and email account! There are many different types of writing from which you can earn money. The majority of my work is for corporate clients, writing press releases,
newsletters, ad copy, and website copy. I started a family travel blog, “Go BIG or Go Home,” both for fun, and as a platform to “show off” my writing skills. Blogs can be used to earn revenue, as well, but you need to build a lot of traffic before you can sell ad space on your blog. There are many websites listing writing jobs. You really have to search to find work, which is fairly compensated, though. I joined Freelance Success early on, and have found it to be not only a good source of leads, but also a source of camaraderie, advice, and support.

ONLINE COUNSELOR/BLOGGER – Crystal H. www.counselormom.com

1 .The cons to working at home are that you don’t get adult interaction in the same way you would if you were to work outside the house. Working at home doesn’t give you the same concentration level because you are the one taking care of the needs of your children. The pros to working at home are that you are the one taking care of your kids and you don’t have to pay for the cost of childcare. You also get to enjoy the other things stay at home moms do. I love staying and working at home, although it can be stressful because I need “me time” still.
2 .I graduated with a master’s degree in school counseling in 2009 and am a licensed school counselor. I have been unable to find a job in school counseling since or any other counseling position for that matter. Because I have a passion for counseling and education, I started my website called CounselorMom. I started making a little bit of money from affiliates and advertising, so I started a company called CounselorMom, LLC. CounselorMom is a website catered to stay at home moms that offers coupons, household organization, and parenting advice; however, it is different from other mom blogs since I offer knowledge from a school counselor standpoint. I think I’m one of the only school counselor mom bloggers that I can find.
3. Starting a business from home is like any other job. It is hard work. It is not easy to make money quickly and a lot of work goes into it. I am still trying to make money and am nowhere near my goal, but I’m working on it. It is also wise to be careful when starting any business from home because there are a lot of scams out there…a lot trying to grab stay at home moms attention. It is also wise to be careful when starting any business from home because there are a lot of scams out there… a lot trying to grab stay at home moms attention like the old saying “If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is”. Also, it’s best to find a mentor who can give you advice if you want to work from home.

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