All Around Wide Pre-Tied Headband

I have very thick hair. I don't bother with most barrettes or clasps; they just don't stay in. When I began ballet classes in elementary school, we had to factor in the time it took to wind my hair in a bun, which was covered by a knitted net. It took at least ten pins to hold it in place, often more. Naturally, I'm wary about what I spend my money on when it comes to my hair.

Hard headbands give me headaches. Recently I've taken to soft headbands with rubber surfaces; the rubber helps keep them in place. But, these don't do much to cover up my laziness. The feathered layers around my face will stick out at odd angles, and these thin bands can't hide when I've gone a day too long without washing my hair.

That's where bandannas and handkerchiefs come in. Fold in a triangle, tie around your head, and you're good to go. Unless you're me. Then you'd better remember the bobby pins, or they'll slip and slide, and have to be rearranged (which always requires taking them off completely, and often a good brushing).

The All Around Wide Pre-Tied Headband from CoverYourHair.com is a cross between a bandanna and a soft headband. The bottom half is rouched like a scrunchie, with generous elastic and extra fabric. The top half is a wide piece of fabric that is gathered at either end. You can spread this flat, like a bandanna, or bring it together into a thinner, ruffled band.

The headband's first test was grocery shopping on a rainy day. Last minute errands, I hadn't expected to go out that day, so my hair wasn't super-clean. The band stayed in place through the whole outing, and kept my hair dry through the quick runs in the light rain. Point!

Its next outing was on a clean hair day, so my hair was more slippery than usual. The band largely stayed in place, but I felt the need to keep checking it. On the upside, resetting the headband is easy. It pops on and off, and covers any wild stray hairs that might feel the need to make a break for it.

On the whole, the All Around Wide Pre-Tied Headband is a good product that does its job well. The fabric is silky, but holds hair in place, and the manufacturing seems durable, creating a simple solution to some very aggravating problems.

Review by Richenda Gould

Pink Everyday Wool Beret

I’ve never been a hat person, but I’ve always admired those individuals who know how to accessorize their look to create a unique fashion statement. Whether through the expert use of scarves, hats, or jewelry, these people seem to have arrived on the planet with the fashionista gene. Maybe that’s why the pink wool beret caught my eye on the list of items for review. At the time I requested the beret to review, we were still in the midst of winter in the Midwest, and the beret looked both practical and inspired all at the same time.

When my beret arrived in the mail, it was packaged in plastic, and the pink color combined with the jaunty beret style seemed to signify that spring couldn’t be far off. I felt a burst of artistic joie de vivre when I tried the hat on since berets have long been associated with artists and artistic endeavors. I was somewhat disappointed to discover that I am still not a hat person (at least when it comes to berets)—the style just didn’t suit my face—but I did check out the website for Cover Your Hair and discovered that they sell a whole range of items ranging from hats to headbands, bandannas to scarves, snoods to turbans, and hair accessories.

This is one of those online shopping sites that are just fun to browse, and if you’re watching your pennies, none of these items will make a big dent in your wallet. Cover Your Hair is also a site to bookmark if you know someone who has experienced hair loss from chemotherapy or other cancer treatments. I remember helping my mom pick out a wig after she lost her hair due to chemo (thankfully it all grew back and thicker than before), but a site like this offers alternative options for dealing with short-term or permanent hair loss.

Review by Gita Tewari

Studded Stone Pony Holder

One morning, I was getting ready for school. The top of my dresser was cluttered with various hair products: hair ties, rubber bands, barrettes, and one large "jaw" clip. I was attempting to put my thick, naturally curly hair into a pony tail. First, I tried a rubber band. It was only big enough to wrap around my hair once. The hair tie wrapped twice, but it wouldn't be secure enough to hold through the school day. The barrettes couldn't close; they would only shut over a few strands, barely holding anything back. My last resort was the enormous "jaw" clip that looked like a big shark's mouth.

With some struggle, I was able to get my hair into the clip. Suddenly, I felt a looseness on the back of my head. I heard a small cracking noise against the wall behind me. When I felt my head, pieces of the big jaw clip crumbled into my hand. My enormous hair had not only broken the clip, but literally exploded it, throwing a piece against the wall. I'm only telling this story to illustrate the fact that I have very little esteem in hair products. For other people's hair, I'm sure they work just fine. However, I've basically given up.

And so, I was pleasantly surprised by the Studded Stone Pony Holder from Cover Your Hair. The first thing to catch my eye was the big silver star with multicolored jewels embedded in it. It's big, but thin and light, not heavy like I imagined it would be. I can barely feel it on my head. My favorite thing about this pony holder is that there are two bands on it instead of one. This helps keep my hair back and secure. Also, the bands are big, stretchy, and covered in a fabric material that won't snag your hair. I was relieved that the pony holder stretched wide enough to hold my hair. It's not too loose, nor too tight, but most importantly, it feels secure enough to get through my nine-hour work day.

Once properly fastened, the Studded Stone Pony Holder created a very cute, curved ponytail with a gorgeous star on top. This product is great for creating a last-minute, glamorous ponytail, or very pretty in a more time-consuming, up-do hairstyle.

Review by Jacquie Piasta