Make Friends With Your Hair with Dove® (Review and Giveaway)

We women struggle on a daily basis with our hair. I know that I don't feel totally put together unless my hair looks good. I recently shared mine hair story and now it's my daughter's turn. My youngest daughter Cookie has beautiful yet very unpredictable hair....it truly does have a mind of it's own. It can go from straight and shiny to dry and frizzy in a matter of hours. Every morning I watch her walk to the school bus with a hood on her head to try to prevent the morning humidity from releasing the frizz.

So when I got the opportunity to try the Dove® Nourishing Oil Care™, a collection that transforms your hair from frizzy to fabulous, I knew that Cookie would be a perfect candidate. And she was.

First, she took the hair quiz on the Dove website. After answering 5 easy questions we found out that her hair personality is Jaclyn-Hyde a "two-faced fiend is a fickle friend. She'll keep you guessing to the bitter end. The only way to cure her curse, is to use Dove® Hair before it gets worse." So that's what we did. We used the collection and the results were amazing!! No more expensive salon visits for her because we finally found a hair care collection that has tamed her unpredictable hair. Not only did the Dove® Nourishing Oil Care™ collection help to control her hair's split personality but it makes her hair smells terrific too!

Dove® has teamed up with actress Rashida Jones for the “Make Friends with Your Hair” campaign. Rashida where she filmed a humorous series of videos dramatizing the hair issues many women struggle with on a daily basis. As part of the campaign, Dove® is inviting women everywhere to share their most unpredictable hair stories to help them end their frustration with unmanageable hair that has a mind of its own. Women can enter the campaign by creating a video up to 90 seconds in length sharing how their hair has an alter ego, by telling a story, acting out a humorous scene or even singing an original song. Three finalists will win a VIP trip to New York, a hair transformation from Dove® Celebrity Stylist Mark Townsend, and one winner will star in a Dove® Hair TV ad in December. For full details on the Dove® “Make Friends with Your Hair” contest, you can visit the official site here. Cookie is not 18 yet but if she was she seriously would be entering this contest!

If you also want to make friends with your hair I am giving away the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo and Conditioner to one lucky reader.

Simply just do one of the following!
(1) Follow Loving Me Unconditionally via Google Friends Connect.
(2) "Like" Loving Me, Unconditionally on Facebook and share this giveaway.
(3) Follow Loving Me, Unconditionally on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Make sure to @NikkiLovingMe.

Sorry this contest is limited to U.S. and Canadian participants only.

Disclosure: I received products from the Dove® Nourishing Oil Care™ collection for this review however all opinions expressed here are my own(and Cookie's of course!)

Strirrups, Speculums and Smears....oh my!

It always starts with the same question. When was the date of your last period? Why didn't I remember to write that down, since I know they always ask? As I sit there in my gown, I try to remember when was the last week my life was inconvenienced. Oh yeah, two weeks ago when it came in the middle of teaching social studies and I couldn't find a teacher to watch my class so I could go to the bathroom. Yup, that was it.

Unfortunately, the invasion of privacy does not end there. Method of contraceptives? Number of pregnancies? Vaginal or c-section births? However, I answer all questions asked almost without thinking since I have been doing this routine for many years. Then with a reassuring smile she puts on the gloves, tells me to lay down, place my feet in the stirrups and scooch down to the end of the examination table. And the rest shall we say is her-story!

But hey? How many of us exactly ask our GYN those questions that we know we need to ask. Remember that silence can be deadly. Even the most embarrassing symptoms can lead to a serious health condition. Believe me, your doctor has heard and probably seen it all so write down your questions before your next pap smear and when your gyno is finished questioning then ask some questions of your own.

Here is some advice from Dr. Roshinin Raj, MD author of the book "What the Yuck!? The Freaky and Fabulous Truth about Your Body (Love this book!)

"Ask for the smallest speculum for you body size. A 28-year old who hasn't had a child won't need the same speculum as a 50 year-old with five kids, A right size tool will make your cervical exam much more comfortable." (another useful piece of information I could have used years ago)

"Wondering what your gyno is up to down there? Go ahead and ask. You'll feel less anxious if you understand exactly what your doctor is checking, and talking throughout the exam will prevent you from holding your breath, which helps cuts the pain level of the exam."

"Before you leave your doc's office find out when and how you'll get test results. Each doctor's office has a different policy, so don't assume that no news is good news."

A Hair Story

Once upon a time there was a woman who moved from the big city to a small suburban town. This town had everything she needed good schools, great neighbors and beautiful homes on tree-lined streets. It had everything a girl needed except....a good hairdresser.

Although she loved her new suburban life the one thing she missed was her hairdresser because she had really known how to take care of her hair. She knew her style and didn't need have to give her too many directions; and the woman was satisfied every time she left the shop. The woman loved the hairdresser so much that for a year after moving she still traveled to the city to get her hair done. But with gas prices the way they are it got to be too much so then she began the hunt to find the perfect local hairdresser.

First, her neighbor recommended a hairdresser in town; she was an older lady who seemed to be very knowledgeable about hair. The woman gave the hairdresser specific instructions on how she liked to wear her hair and the hairdresser seemed to really understand. When she was done, the woman's hair looked good......for someone 25 years older than her. So she put on a hat and went home.

Then, she heard of another hairdresser a few towns over so she decided to give her a try. She did a good job taking care of her hair and was a wizard with a highlights! She understood the woman's style and so she thought this was it...she had finally found her! Until the woman decided to cut her hair short and found out that her new hairdresser doesn't cut short hair very well.

Next, a friend told her about a hairdresser a little further anyway who was great at cutting short hair so she decided it was worth the trip! Although she was very pleased with her new short and chic look, the hair dresser's chair-side manner left a lot to be desired; she was not very friendly and she pushed and pulled the woman's head in all directions and even accused her of not knowing how to keep her head still while getting her hair cut. (THE NERVE) She left there four and a half hours later (yes, you read right 4 1/2 hours) with a fab haircut but instead of having that pampered feeling she felt slightly abused. But she loved her cut so much she did give her one more try a few months later with the hopes that she might have just been having a bad day...but there was no change. So the woman decided that even though she loved her hair she wasn't driving all that way to be ill-treated.

Finally, one day as she was passing by a hair salon less than 5 minutes away from her house she saw a young woman doing hair and decided to go talk to her....what the heck it was worth a shot! They chatted for a while about hair experiences and personal style and then made an appointment. She seemed very knowledgeable about hair, said she was able to do a variety of styles and hair types and very friendly! From the minute the woman sat in her chair she felt like she had known her for years. As they chatted and laughed the woman thought to herself this may just be the beginning of a long hair/client relationship! When she was done and she spun her chair for the woman to look in the mirror she knew that my her search was over.

Moral of this story....Never give up your search for the perfect hairdresser. I mean a girl's hair has to look good, right?

The End!!

I Had the Time of My Life!

So today is the first day of fall and if I had to choose one word to describe Summer 2011 it would be..... AMAZING! Let's see where should I begin?

Well, I planted my very first flower garden. It was suppose to be a vegetable garden but it didn't quite work out that way. I enjoyed taking care of it though.

I hosted my first GDO( Girl's Day Out). My bff and I invited few phenomenal women to have a day out with the kids or men. As we talked, laughed, ate and drank I couldn't help but think about how diverse the every day lives of these women were. Married, divorced, single, separated and dating. The ages ranged from 20 something to almost 60 and each one of us had something in common. The conversations were fun, candid and enlightening. We are already planning our next Girl's get-together! Stay tuned!

Then it was the debut of my week girls summer camp! I Love Me! Summer Workshop for girls. It was an amazing week! Not only did the girls learn how to trust and believe in their dreams this week.... so did I! By the end of the week the girls had shared their feelings, recognized their strengths and weaknesses and learned that the way they feel about themselves is more important than how others feel about them. They bonded with each other in ways I couldn't even imagine and they made life-long friends.

Since it was the Summer of Us...meaning us girls of course! I wanted to also make sure that I made plans with women that I don't usually spend time with. You know when you say "we really have to get together" or "let's meet for lunch sometime". Well, I actually took them up on their offer and made it happen. So through coffee dates, lunch dates and plain ole hangout on the patio with margaritas dates I got to know some fabulous women even better!

Then it was the cruise. WOW! If you have never been on a cruise let me tell you it was the best experience. My family and I went on a 7 day cruise to the southern Caribbean. Our vacation started with flying to Puerto Rico where we spent one night.

The next morning we headed to the port to board the Carnival Victory and with the threat of hurricane Irene coming to PR our boat left early leaving close to 300 people. But it was all good because Carnival flew them all to Barbados, our first stop, to meet us there.

Here is a picture walk through our unforgettable vacation!

Beautiful Barbados! I am a little bias since this is where my family is from and I got to spend the day visiting them!

St. Kitts

St. Thomas

St. Lucia

Back to Puerto Rico for 3 more days of paradise!

So all and all Summer 2011 was extraordinary!!! Now it's back to reality. Work. Lesson plans. PTA meetings. *sigh* Well, at least we have the holidays to look forward to and then in 9 short months we will be saying hello to Summer 2012. So thanks for the memories Summer 2011. I had the time of my life!

Wordless Wednesday - Remembering Summer 2011

I am no Claire Huxtable!

I love the character Claire Huxtable on the Cosby Show. She seemed to have it all together. She always looked beautiful, had a successful career, house always looked perfect, and all she had to do was give her kids a look and they knew she meant business. She just made it all seem so effortless and most of all she hardly ever complained. Ah...the life of a television mom!

Everyone who knows me knows that I put my all into everything I do. I am not perfect and I make many mistakes however, it isn't because I haven't tried my best to do whatever it is efficiently. I typically don't complain. I know what my responsibilities are as a wife, mother and educator and just like many of you I try with all my might to be the best woman I can be. Period. But that can be exhausting.

When the ability to do your best without complaining or without much help at all becomes a burden, this is what I call the Curse of the Efficient. Now being efficient can be both a blessing and a curse. When people know that they can count on you it makes you feel great to know that you are considered a competent person. You can feel a sense of pride to know that you are thought of so highly. For example, let's say you are that go-to person at work who your boss depends on because they know that 1. you will do a great job. 2. you do it without complaining. At first that can make you feel like a valuable asset in your company. However, after a while this can also become a burden especially when you are constantly being relied on. This can lead to extreme BURN OUT.

The curse of the efficient can make you just want to start screwing everything up on purpose. Maybe I "forget" to do the laundry, cook and clean for a few weeks. Maybe I "forget" to buy the gift for the birthday party you have to go to in an hour. Maybe I "forget" to make my lessons fun and engaging this week. Maybe I don't always say "yeah, no problem" when asked to do one more thing on my already demanding list of things to do! How about that?

The truth is that I am no Claire Huxtable but I am also no screw up. Sometimes we have so many people depending on us that we don't think we have time to slow down. It's all about finding that balance. Maybe I don't join one more committee at work. Maybe I delegate more responsibilities at home to my very capable teenage daughter. Maybe I continue doing everything to the best of my ability and stop being so hard on myself when I can't meet everyone's expectations. Yeah, I am going to give this a try. I'll let you know how it goes!

Celebrating 42 All Weekend Long!

As exciting as starting a new school can be it also comes with a great level of stress and anxiety! But there was light at the end of the tunnel. Thursday was my birthday and I had plans to celebrate all weekend and I mean ALL weekend!

The celebration began on Thursday when my bff and her family came over and surprised me with a bouquet of flowers, a delicious home-made dinner and a strawberry shortcake....my favorite!

As I sat at the table and saw all she had done I couldn't help but think about how blessed I am to have such an amazing friend. As busy as her life is especially on a school night she found the time to make sure my night was extra special! It was the perfect way to celebrate after a long and stressful day at work!

The celebration continued on Friday night when friends invited us over for dinner and drinks. We love hanging out with this fun couple! Drinks, good food and great conversation. What else can you ask for? You know when you are in good company when you don't even realize how late it is. We left their house at 3 in the morning and I can honestly say a good time was had by all.

Saturday was the day I was waiting for all week.....MY SPA DAY! Massage and facial was just what this 42 year old girl needed!

When I got to the Spa at Forrestal I could almost feel the stress starting to leave my body. I don't know if it was the relaxing music, the aromatherapy candles or the way everyone speaks to you in a soft whisper-like voice. When I first met Ken, my masseuse I was hoping he wasn't afraid to give a real deep tissue massage because when it comes to my massages... I'm no wimp! I was not disappointed! When he was finished I felt like a new woman. All of the tension in my shoulders (or speed bumps as he called them) were gone. It was the best massage I have every had and I have had many. To quote Ken "A bad massage is worst than bad sex!" I agree since I have to pay for massages!

Next up was the facial and I got some good news....I do not have the skin of a 42 year old! Apparently, I have amazingly healthy skin that shows no signs of aging. Wow, I didn't think that I was supposed to be ready for a face lift.

Saturday night ended with a romantic night on the town with my handsome hubby. He took me to a restaurant called The Frog and the Peach. I meant to take a picture of the restaurant and my meal but I was so wrapped up in the moment of spending time with the man that I love that I forgot.

The weekend festivities ended with Sunday brunch with the family at City Streets Cafe. It was a wonderful way to end my birthday weekend!

Sometimes it's good to just take a break from the everyday stresses of life and enjoy all that is fabulous about being alive! It really makes you appreciate life and all it has to offer. So here's to you year 42, I am ready to embrace you and all the fabulous things you have in store for me! Let's start making some memories!