Anyone who has hair long enough to pull it into a ponytail, will.  It’s a universal style that’s effortless, convenient and low maintenance.  Top Stylist and Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken, Sam Villa, has pro tips for creating a ponytail that will last longer and look better.

1. Prep: Start with a product like Redken Guts 10 to create volume at the base and then directionally blow dry hair with a round brush.  This will smooth hair and prevent any lumps and bumps when gathering hair into the elastic.

      2. Pocket: Hold thumb and index finger apart and create a pocket to brush hair into where ponytail will be placed. Hold a paddle brush vertically (pins will align straight) to untangle.  Then, turn brush horizontally (pins                   become randomly spaced) to build tension and smooth.  Keep the knuckles holding the hair snug against the head for maximum tension and tilt head back slightly so hair at the nape stays tight.

      3 Secure: Use an elastic (2 if they are small or hair is thick).  Feed hair through, lift up elastic, twist tight at the top and repeat as many times as needed.  Or use an elastic cord – with the pocket hand, hold cord 1.5” down,                 wrap the longer end underneath the tail, up and around to tighten and repeat 4 times.  Use a butchers knot to secure ends – an overhand knot around the standing end and pull tight. Form a loop around fingers, slide the                 loop onto the short end, and pull both ends to tighten, then trim the long end.

PRO TIP: Hide elastics by slipping a hair pin under the elastic, wrapping a section of hair around the elastic to hide it and then taking another hair pin to feed ends through the first pin.

“It’s important to know how to craft a ponytail, then you can embellish it with texture or use as a foundation to build a solid upstyle,” explains Villa who likes to use dry shampoo to create a frothy texture, his Signature Series Textur Professional Texturizing Iron at the base for extra lift and his Pro Results 3-in-1 Blow Dry Hot Brush to smooth and straighten.

Credits: Hair: Sam Villa ArTeam; Photographer: Mitch Meyer; MUA: Keri Hatfield; Wardrobe: Michelle Boucher assisted by Carmen Nydegger

Sam Villa is Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of the Sam Villa Company (Allvus, LLC) and Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken 5^th Avenue, a L’Oreal brand. Villa is the 2020 International Hairdressing Awards ‘International Hair Influencer of the Year,’ the 2017 NAHA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Intercoiffure America/Canada Member, Behind the Chair Stylist Choice Award Winner for Favorite Platform Artist and Educator (2012, 2011 and 2007) and Favorite Overall Educator of the Year (2015). His inspiring education and innovative ergonomic professional tools achieve salon-quality results at home with minimum effort. Facebook: @SamVillaPros; Instagram: @SamVillaHair;  YouTube: @SamVillaHair;

Twitter: @SamVillaPro;; Pinterest: @SamVillaHair.

Jessica Mazzucco of www.thegluterecruit.com

Three Healthy Memorial Day    Recipes

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and you’re likely preparing for your celebration. Looking for a healthy dish for your Memorial Day shindig?  NYC area certified fitness trainer and founder of www.thegluterecruit.com Jessica Mazzucco has created three Memorial Day weekend recipes for your get-together.

Southwestern black bean salad:

INGREDIENTS:

• 9 oz cooked corn, fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)
• 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp fresh minced cilantro, or more to taste
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1 medium hass avocado, diced
• 1 diced jalapeno, optional
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1 1/2 – 2 limes, juice of
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions: Combine corn, beans, tomato, scallion, onion, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in olive oil and squeeze fresh lime juice. Let the ingredients marinate in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes.  Add avocado, and enjoy!

Bean Burger:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon water
• 2 tablespoons oat flour
• seasoning (garlic, chili powder, cumin, etc)
• 1/4 cup frozen corn (optional)

Instructions: Mash beans in a large bowl. Add in seasonings and flour, and make sure to mix well. Stir in corn (optional). Form into patty shapes and place on a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for two-three minutes. Flip sides and cook for another one to two minutes.

Pork Lettuce Wraps:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 8 teaspoons plum sauce (look for gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 16 leaves of butter lettuce or romaine lettuce
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (look for gluten-free)
• 1 lime, sliced into 4 wedges

Instructions: Add pork to a large frying pan over high heat. Drain excess fat, and stir in ginger, green onions, allspice, soy sauce, and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until green onions are tender. Fill lettuce with pork mixture, and top with cilantro and plum sauce.

General Tips For Eating Healthy On Memorial Day:  Jessica Mazzucco of www.thegluterecruit.com

Eat a healthy snack before you go so you won’t arrive at the barbeque starved, which will likely cause you to overeat. 

Eat burgers or hot dogs but skip the bun. Skipping out on the bun cuts back on carbs and calories.

For burgers or hot dogs, skip the ketchup, it has 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Instead, use mustard, as this condiment has no sugar.

Look for items that are grilled not fried, as fried foods are more caloric.

Rethink that drink: Avoid Coladas and other caloric cocktails. Instead, if you want to have alcohol, opt for a wine spritzer made with sparkling water.

Instead of corn or potato salad, which are carb-heavy, bulk up on raw or cooked vegetables.

The best way to kick off summer is to host a Memorial Day bbq with your family and friends. Looking for where to start to make it perfect?

TheSoul Publishing’s popular 5 Minute Crafts YouTube channel shares a video of creative ways to master the grill for the long weekend. Would you be interested in sharing? Here are a few of the tips:

• Rosemary Kebabs can simply be made by using a rosemary branch and sliding your choice of veggies and protein. Not only are you reducing waste, but the rosemary aroma will definitely uplift the flavor of anything your put on your kebab!
• Grab your cupcake tray from the pantry and bring it outside to create a condiments bar! Add the variety of condiments in each section to refrain mess, and easy access for your guests.
• Planning on adding to fish to the grill? Adding lemon slices will not only infuse the flavor, but it’ll also save your fish from sticking to the grill and ending up in shreds!

July 29^th is National Lipstick Day and your July issue is the perfect time to spotlight Find Your Fabulosity, a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by Sheryl Kurland (below, right), that donates lipstick to victims of domestic violence as a means of lifting their spirits and bringing them back into their feminine power.

To date, Sheryl and FYF have donated 70,000 lipsticks to women’s shelters across all fifty states. She hopes to reach 100,000 donated lipsticks by the end of 2021!

When Sheryl Kurland began traveling around the country doing interactive speaking engagements for college women on the topics of healthy relationships and sexuality she was stunned at the amount of sexual assault these young women confessed to and needed to learn more about this subject.

In summer 2015, while completing a course on domestic violence given through the local police department in her central Florida community, Sheryl connected some important dots. “I had, perhaps, the biggest a-ha moment of my life,” she says. “I thought, ‘I wonder if I could take the on-campus programs I did for college women and change it to relate to women experiencing domestic violence and abuse.’”

After connecting with local battered women’s shelter, Safe House, being shown graphic pictures of abuse and listening to heartbreaking 911 calls, Kurland was moved to action. “It was gory and terrifying, and it was going on right in my own backyard.” Sheryl immediately inquired about setting up an interactive workshop program for the women residing at Safe House. After getting her certification through the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Sheryl immediately started hosting workshops through Safe House at secluded, confidential locations where the women would feel safe.

According to Sheryl, “For these women who have escaped the most unfathomable abuse you can ever imagine, I wanted to be sure they were not having to rehash the hell they’d been through. I wanted to play a role in helping them re-build their self-esteem and learn how to build healthy relationships going forward.”

She saw these beautiful women sitting at her workshops who had no idea who they really were anymore; their self-esteem in tatters. As Sheryl explains it, “Growing up my mother always said, ‘Sheryl, if you want to feel better, just put on a little lipstick.’ I went to the local pharmacy and picked up a pile of lipsticks in many different textures and colors, and I started giving them out at my workshops.”

Sheryl found that these lipsticks transformed the energy of the women in the room. “I witnessed their pain momentarily dissolve as they helped each other pick out the right shade, chitchatted and bonded over the application of the lipsticks, and they became women again.” Kurland says the transformation from something so simple was astonishing, and she wasted no time forming the 501c3 non-profit foundation, Find Your Fabulosity, which, to date, has donated 70,000 lipsticks to women residing in 200 shelters across all 50 states.

For lipstick donations, “We began by asking large companies like Target and CVS to donate lipsticks to our cause. Then word spread and various women’s groups, book clubs, businesses and church groups started holding lipstick drives for us,” she says.

Lipstick donations began pouring in by the boxloads, including donations from cosmetic companies including Thrive Causemetics, Kari Gran Cosmetics, The Beauty Crop, Nu Evolution, City Color Cosmetics, Tarte Cosmetics and others.

“Lipstick means so much to the average woman,” says Sheryl, “You can only imagine how much it means to women who have been victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse. It means the world to them, and you can see the spark re-enter their eyes.”

To reach women still living through domestic abuse who have not yet sought help, Find Your Fabulosity created their Get Help Giftbags which include a lipstick, lip gloss, mirror compact, and two cards that read “You Are Fabulous,” with the national domestic violence hotline number on the back, and “You Are Not Alone/You Did Not Cause This/You Can Be Free From Abuse.” All items are placed in a pink organza bag. “If you personally know someone who is a victim of domestic abuse and you want to help her, you can arrange for Find Your Fabulosity to send her a Get Help Giftbag, which we ship in a discreet unmarked white package and send anonymously,” explains Kurland.

Find Your Fabulosity works with thousands of volunteers, packing and shipping lipsticks to send to shelters, and packing up and shipping Get Help Giftbags to ship to women in need of help throughout the U.S. In between, they read the touching letters that flood in. “We receive letters from women all over the U.S., along with their (brand new/never used) lipstick donations, telling us their own domestic abuse survival stories,” says Sheryl. “Lipstick can’t fix the problem, but it can make these women feel more whole.”

Jada Jenkins, Sam Villa Ambassador, Mizani Artist and L’amour de Rose Salon Owner @jadajenkinsco, is all about the perfect glam ponytail right now and says that understanding these concepts will help create the perfect glam look for any occasion.  See Jenkins in action: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNsR-XKnzJ5/.

1. Face Shape: Understanding face shape is crucial.  Sleek looks can slim a round face, a side swoop or fringe can help draw attention away from a larger forehead. And avoiding weight on an oblong face shape will help to balance features.

1. Define the Design: Always apply Mizani Heat Screen Hair Protectant Spray to prep and protect hair from heat.  For a sleek surface, use a Sam Villa Signature Series Sleekr Professional Straightening Iron to smooth hair; when added texture and mass is needed, use a Sam Villa Signature Series Textur Professional Texturizing Iron to build volume.

1. Position: Break down ponytail into sections (2-3). If there is part (middle or side) divide hair into 3 sections. Establish the position of the ponytail, gather hair and use a bungee cord to secure.

1. Length: Extensions are always an option for longer styles, choose those that match original hair texture and desired length and attach with the following steps:

1. • Weft extension around elastic bands.
   • Use hairpins to secure extensions at the top and bottom of the ponytail.

1. Secure: Crafting the tail properly will ensure it stays in place.  Start by applying Mizani Lived-In Sculpting Paste and HRM Humidity Resistance Mist to hold hair in place.  Use a Sam Villa Signature Series Tail Comb to form neat clean sections.  When using hairpins, attach a braid to the scalp to provide an anchor for pins to limit scalp irritation.  Connect each section with elastic bands and then wrap a small piece of hair around the elastic to cover it.

1. Enhancements:  Once the ponytail is in place, take creative liberty to embellish with accessories, braids, curls, waves or super sleek smoothness.

“When fashioning ponytails, always be mindful of tension… gather hair just tight enough to secure, too much unnecessary pulling can damage hair follicles,” explains Jenkins.

Credits

Image 1 (above): Hair/Jada Jenkins; Photographer/Thomas Kirk; Makeup/Makki

Images 2, 3 and 5: Hair/Jada Jenkins; Photography/Roy Cox; Makeup/Lola Oklawon

Image 4: Hair/Jada Jenkins; Photography/Thomas Kirk; Makeup/Akura Robinson

Sam Villa is Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of the Sam Villa Company (Allvus, LLC), a leading education and styling tool company for the professional hair industry. He is also Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken 5^th Avenue, a L’Oreal brand. Villa is the 2020 International Hairdressing Awards ‘International Hair Influencer of the Year,’ the 2017 NAHA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Intercoiffure America/Canada Member, Behind the Chair Stylist Choice Award Winner for Favorite Platform Artist and Educator (2012, 2011 and 2007) and Favorite Overall Educator of the Year (2015). His inspiring education and innovative ergonomic styling tools can be experienced on samvilla.com. The Sam Villa brand brings free digital education to everyone including hot tips and techniques, as well as access to livestreamed educational events. Facebook: @SamVillaPros; Instagram: @SamVillaHair;  YouTube: @SamVillaHair; Twitter: @SamVillaPro;; Pinterest: @SamVillaHair.

May is National Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Awareness Month. More than 30,000 adults and kids in the United States have CF. In West Virginia, a CF survivor is currently winning her 37-year battle with the disease — thanks to her life-saving double lung transplant. Her transplant is not only allowing her to breathe easier; it is also the reason she will be celebrating a very special Mother’s Day this year with her daughter.

More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of CF, and 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. CF causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs, which over time leads to sinus issues, difficult food digestion and permanent lung damage due to constant infections. CF is a genetic disorder that primarily affects the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys and intestines.

For Kristen Jagodowski of Falling Waters, West Virginia, these statistics and challenges have been her reality since was diagnosed the day she was born in May 1984. Kristen always knew that one day her CF would progress to a level that would require her to undergo a life-saving double lung transplant, but she never let that knowledge stop her from living life to the fullest and pursuing her dreams. Now post transplant and enjoying every second with her greatest gift, her daughter, Kristen recently reflected on her transplant journey to date and her beloved role as ‘Mother to Taylor.’

COTA Patient Kristen Jagodowski, Lung Transplant Recipient, and Her Daughter

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” There is not a quote that better explains my transplant journey. The beginning is clear … the road is long … but the end always remains unknown.

I was born with a genetic disease called Cystic Fibrosis. My parents never knew anyone with CF so it came as quite a surprise. I had a healthy older brother. When I was rushed to a different hospital after birth, my family was shocked and fearful of what the future held. Fast forward to today. I will soon be celebrating my 37^th birthday. At the time of my diagnosis as an infant, the doctors told my parents not to expect me to live past high school. I can proudly say I proved them wrong, and I now know my journey started then and there.

Growing up I was relatively healthy. I took medicine daily, but never experienced any serious illness. I visited a special clinic annually. I was a normal kid. I enjoyed sports, which likely attributed to my good health. I had a great upbringing.

During my freshman year of college I experienced my first ‘CF exacerbation.’ At the time, I did not really know that was the case. I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Years later I started to see a slight decline in my health. In February 2008, I married my best friend and we went on our honeymoon. On the way home I got very sick. We returned home and my condition gradually worsened. I finally scheduled a doctor’s appointment at the University of Virginia, and I was immediately admitted to the hospital. I was devastated. Although I always knew my health could deteriorate, for some reason at age 23 you feel invincible. I was newly married and starting a new life. Hospitalizations were simply not part of that picture.

Sadly, my health never returned to what it was before. The next several years were non-stop hospitalizations, IV therapies, doctors’ appointments, procedures, labs and tests. Although I remained upbeat and tried to live a ‘normal’ life, I could feel things slipping away. When it came to starting a family, the road was difficult. We tried naturally for one year and finally decided to see a specialist who told us it was not possible for me to have a healthy pregnancy. My world came crashing down. My health was worsening and my dream of becoming a mother was shattered. My dreams were being taken away.

God has always put amazing people in my life. One of those is my childhood best friend, Jennifer. We were both seven years old when her family moved in down the street from us. I had no idea then just how dear of a friend she would be. Fast forward to December 2009 after receiving the devastating news about not being able to have children. I was on the phone with Jennifer updating her about our progress with adoption. Jennifer asked me if she could be our gestational carrier. Wow. In May 2010 we implanted our embryo and Jennifer was pregnant with our miracle baby.

February 2011, on our third wedding anniversary, Taylor Mae was born. My dream came! I was finally a mother. As many mothers know, pregnancy takes a toll on your body, which I did not experience. But motherhood also takes a toll. In 2012, I began the preliminary tests for my first transplant evaluation. It was concluded I was too healthy to be listed for new lungs, but it was something we should start thinking about. In 2013, we decided to move my care to the Johns Hopkins Adult CF Clinic. I was followed carefully there; the reality of transplant started to take hold.

My health continued to decline. I soaked up every moment I had at home with my beautiful baby girl. After a very rough year in 2015, my medical team decided it was time to begin serious discussions about transplant. I was in and out of the hospital, spending months on IVs, and my lung function was down in the 20s. In 2016, I started pulmonary rehabilitation to get myself in the best shape I could, and in July I was officially listed for a bi-lateral lung transplant. There is immense anxiety and fear that comes with being listed for a transplant. There was so much I wanted to do first. The week before being listed we moved into a new home. And just three weeks later, Taylor would be starting kindergarten. There was simply so much to do.

Yet again, life was out of my control. Three weeks after being listed I was called for a new set of lungs. It was the night before Taylor’s first day of kindergarten. I had just put her to bed. After a missed call and a text, we threw together what we could and headed to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. That night I received a beautiful set of healthy lungs. My seven-hour surgery was a success. My medical team was amazing. They were able to send me home just eight days after my life-saving transplant, and for the first time in my life … I took long, deep breaths. Never had I known my normal was not normal.

I wish I could say everything from then on was easy. I traded one health issue for another. I continue to be on a lot of medications, endure lots of tests and lab work. Doctors’ appointments continued and even some hospitalizations. Sadly my marriage ended and life was not as perfect as I thought it would be post transplant. But I am alive. I am breathing and loving every minute. I am able to work and provide a good life for my daughter. I am able to enjoy sunny rays on a summer day and relish the taste of a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. My life and transplant journey are intertwined and I cannot wait to see what comes next on this journey. 

Kristen attributes a big part of her successful transplant journey to date to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA). “COTA completely understands that a transplant, of any kind, is a journey,” Kristen said. “Many people understand the difficulties associated with getting a transplant and the long road to recovery, but very few understand it does not end there. COTA is with a transplant family every step along the way … it is what makes this amazing organization so vital to anyone on a transplant journey.”

Kristen learned about COTA when she had her official transplant evaluation at Johns Hopkins. A transplant social worker talked to her about the myriad of transplant-related expenses associated with a double lung transplant and suggested Kristen reach out to COTA to see how they might be able to help. Kristen remembers the social worker telling her a transplant carries with it an emotional, physical and monetary burden; therefore, she was eager to learn more about COTA. Kristen had an uplifting and hope-filled call with a COTA staff member. She completed and submitted the necessary paperwork and in late May 2016 the Jagodowski family officially became part of the COTA Family.

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) uniquely understands that parents who care for a child or young adult before, during and after a life-saving transplant have enough to deal with, so COTA’s model shifts the responsibility for fundraising to a team of trained volunteers. COTA is a 501(c)3 charity so all contributions to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, and COTA funds are available for a lifetime of transplant-related expenses.On July 26, 2016, a COTA fundraising specialist trained the family’s large group of volunteers at the family’s beloved home church. The COTA staff member talked to the team of volunteers about COTA’s fundraising process and shared information about fundraising templates, fundraising guidance and the no-cost website they would be given for fundraising and promoting the family’s story. This group of family and friends quickly got to work organizing fundraisers for COTA in honor of Kristen J to help with mounting transplant-related expenses. Working nonstop they planned and implemented creative COTA fundraisers that generated more than $40,000 for transplant-related expenses.

“Once we met with COTA a huge weight was lifted,” Kristen said. “COTA provided great advice on how to raise money, continually tracked the team’s progress and offered ongoing encouragement, shared helpful campaign materials and tech support … all of the things that were necessary for the volunteers to gain the support and confidence of our community. COTA was simply amazing in helping the volunteers know exactly what to do and to get going raising funds for transplant-related expenses.”

Every day Kristen is excited to wake up and see what blessings the day will bring. She loves life and is living it to its fullest each and every day. When she thinks about her favorite things, the top of her list is her daughter, Taylor. She also loves spending time with her friends and family, watching the television show, “Friends” and drinking Mountain Dew and coffee.

“My hope for the future is to live a long and healthy life with my daughter at my side enjoying all of my favorite things. I am now almost five years post transplant and COTA is still on this journey with me. Doctors’ appointments, medications, procedures, travel expenses are all part of my life and all of those come with a cost. The transplant-related bills do not stop. I am so thankful COTA’s support and guidance continues to be a vital part of my journey, relieving the financial stress still today. What a blessing it is to know COTA will continue to help me breathe easier and give me HOPE … for a lifetime.”

She continued, “COTA has been such a blessing for me in many ways and I am so very thankful for all they do. Even with the uncertainty in our world, it is good to know our family can count on COTA through it all.”

I recently had the opportunity to sample a few My Mommy Wisdom Bath Bombs.  I could smell the incredible scent before I even opened the package.  I loved the fact that My Mommy Wisdom products are safe for everyone especially pregnant women and infants.  The Congestion Bombs were amazing. It took  one  bath bomb to create an incredible aroma as the tub is filled  up with water.

I use bath bombs often and most of the time the bath bombs make the water feel softer or a bit bubblier but I never experienced a relaxing aromatic bath as I did with My Mommy Wisdom Congestion Bombs.  I was so impressed,  I sent a few to my niece who has a three year old and she loved them. Her son wasn’t even congested but when she used the bath bombs, the scents were so  aromatic she said it made her sons bathtime extra special.  Try one at the end of a long day and you will feel the difference.  The Congestion Bombs are not only for fun but help with your little one’s stuffy nose, congestion  and sore muscles as well as mommys.

The ingredients are simple,  Baking Soda, Citric Acid, Water and Almond Oil.

My Mommy Wisdom  offers a unique array of skincare, bath and health and beauty products designed for mommies and babies.

Ladies as well as mommies should try some of the self care products My Mommy Wisdom carries.  How I wish I had the chance to add some of these products to my routine years ago when my children were small.  The Self Care Set is something I would have loved.

Included in the set is a Sitz Steam Kit (includes womb steam and portable seat insert), reducing  menstrual symptoms, such as bloating, cramps, exhaustion, and hemorrhaging. a pH Balancer which is formulated  to eliminate bacteria, yeast infection, BV, and unwanted odor  and the Flourish Feminine Wash which will keeps you feeling refreshed and minimizes odor causing bacteria.

At My Mommy Wisdom, you will find the perfect product just for you and your baby.