Rachel Grumman Bender

Award-winning health, beauty, and parenting writer and editor.

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Heidi Klum Shares Photo of Her First Grey Hair

The model and mother of four shared on Instagram that she’d spotted her first grey strand. (Photo: Getty Images)

Heidi Klum posted a candid photo on Instagram on Saturday, sharing with her 3.1 million followers that she’d spotted her first grey hair.

The 43-year-old entrepreneur, model, and mother of four couldn’t hide her shock — something many of us can relate to — captioning it: “OMG …..just found my first grey,” along with an embarrassed face emoji.

Several people commented on Klum’s Instagram that they found their first grey hair much younger — in their early 20s — with some even saying they spotted their first pigment-free strand in their late teens. Although early 20s seems young for going grey, dermatologists say that’s not uncommon. “Most people notice at least a few grey hairs in their early 30s — with some identifying single grey hairs as early as their mid-twenties,” Rachel Nazarian, a dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology Group, tells Yahoo Beauty. “If Heidi Klum didn’t notice her first grey hair until her 40s, it’s more proof of her being genetically blessed. But we already knew that.”

OMG …..just found my first grey ????

A photo posted by Heidi Klum (@heidiklum) on Oct 8, 2016 at 1:46pm PDT

Even though nearly everyone turns grey eventually, scientists only recently discovered what causes grey hair. A 2005 study found that the number of melanocyte stem cells, which are responsible for hair color, decreases as we age, leading to grey hair. But when exactly that kicks in depends on your genes, as well as lifestyle factors. “We now know there is a genetic link that predetermines when you will start going grey,” explains Nazarian. “There’s also evidence that shows environmental factors such as vitamin deficiencies, stress, smoking, and sunlight may cause early greying of hair. So you can only partly blame your parents.”

If you spot some silver strands, don’t panic thinking you’ll turn grey overnight. You’ve got more time than you think. “It typically takes over a decade to go completely grey,” notes Nazarian. “Most people will notice a gradual shift in the ratio of grey hairs to colored hairs over the span of 10 to 30 years.”

While it may seem as though grey hair has a faster growth cycle than colored hair, with one popping up right after another, Nazarian says that’s a myth. “Grey hair grows no slower or faster than colored hair, but the general growth phase of the hair cycle starts to shorten as we age,” she explains. “So you may notice your hair is unable to grow to the same length it used to as you get older, which is when we tend to accumulate more grey hairs anyway. So it’s usually shorter and grayer the older we get.”

If you struggle with embracing your grey locks — even though dyeing hair grey has been a popular trend with celebrities, from Rihanna to Kylie Jenner — the good news is that science may one day find a “cure” for it. Scientists recently found the gene (IRF4) that’s responsible for hair losing its pigment, according to a 2016 study in the journal Nature Communications, which could one day lead to a treatment that prevents grey hair from ever cropping up.

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Sarah Palin Points Out She Had to Do Her VP Debate Standing in High Heels

Sarah Palin at her VP debate against Joe Biden in 2008. (Photo: Getty Images) 

While people tuned into Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate between Sen. Tim Kaine and Gov. Mike Pence to learn more about each candidate’s policies and temperament, some were paying particularly close attention to their appearance, including focusing on the candidates’ eyebrows — or in Pence’s case, the lack thereof.

But Gov. Sarah Palin pointed out a detail from the debate that many likely missed: The former vice presidential candidate noted that she stood in high heels for her 90-minute debate against Joe Biden back in 2008, while in other VP debates the male candidates got to sit comfortably around a table. On her Facebook page, Palin posted a photo of herself wearing her Dorothy-like red heels at the podium in 2008, along with images from the vice presidential debates in 2000, 2004, 2012, and 2016.

She captioned the photos: “How is it that the dudes lucked out and got chairs over the last 20 years of VP debates minus one? Want a real test — try standing in [emojis for high heels] for 90 mins #heelsonglovesoff.”

The post, which has well over 1,100 comments, clearly struck a chord. Many people commented that Palin’s post is an example that women are made of tougher stuff than men.

Commenter Denise Field seconded Palin’s sentiment:

And Stacie Bratcher brought up a popular quote to drive the point home:

Several commenters, like Morgan Schwenn, who aren’t even fans of Palin found themselves agreeing with her:

Of course, not everyone is up for five minutes, let alone 90, in sky-high heels — which may explain why, at least in the U.K., sneaker sales have surpassed those of high heels in the last year.

And, in fact, many commenters suggested that Palin could have worn comfortable flats instead. As Carmen Sbordone simply put it:

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Even 7-Year-Old Girls Realize Women Are Judged on Appearance More Than Ability

Girls as young as 7 already know that women are often valued for how they look over their abilities. (Photo: Gallery Stock)

A new survey published Tuesday reveals that girls as young as 7 are getting the message that their value lies in how they look rather than any other positive attributes they may have. Not surprisingly, as a result, their self-esteem and body confidence are plummeting.

According to Girlguiding’s 2016 Girls’ Attitudes survey of more than 1,600 girls and young women ages 7 to 21 in the U.K., more than one third (35 percent) of 7- to 10-year-old girls felt that women are judged more on their appearance than on their abilities. That figure climbed to a whopping 71 percent when young girls ages 11 to 21 were asked whether beauty was more important than brains.

What’s more, 36 percent of 7- to 10-year-old girls reported that society makes them believe that how they look is “the most important” thing about them. More than 50 percent of those ages 11 to 21 felt the same way. Nearly 40 percent of 7- to 10-year-old girls said they didn’t feel like they were pretty enough, while 23 percent reported they felt a need to be “perfect.”

The frightening findings also showed a significant drop in body confidence. According to the Irish Examiner, the study reported in 2011 that 73 percent of girls were happy with their appearance, but that number fell to 61 percent just five years later.

The concern over of being body shamed has a powerful ripple effect on girls and young women, according to the survey, making them afraid to wear certain clothes, play sports, speak up in class, and have their picture taken.

When the girls and young women in the survey were asked for their ideas on how to combat the body shame, more than half of 7- to 10-year-old girls said we need to stop judging girls and young women on what they look like.

“This year’s girls’ attitudes survey demonstrates the shocking impact that focusing on girls’ appearance is having on the youngest girls in society,” Girlguiding director Becky Hewitt told the Guardian.

She added: “Girls have told us to stop judging them on how they look. Every day in guiding, girls inspire us with their bravery, sense of adventure, and their kindness. We are calling on everyone to show girls that they are valued for who they are — not what they look like.”

Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for England, which focuses on protecting the rights of children, agrees. “Girls, and increasingly boys, are bombarded with images in the media and the 24/7 availability of social media can put additional pressure on children,” she tells the Guardian. “It can be really helpful if parents are able to discuss and challenge unhealthy attitudes children may have and don’t ignore warning signs.”

Longfield added: “Schools also have a huge role to play in building resilience to the negative pressures and attitudes girls may face, and lessons that do this need to be a priority in all school timetables.”

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Amy Schumer and Blake Lively Don’t Approve of This Sexist Magazine Cover

One mom, along with Amy Schumer and Blake Lively, has called out Girls’ Life magazine for posting about makeup, boyfriends, and kissing, while Boys’ Life magazine focuses on finding your dream career. (Photo: Getty Images)

A few weeks ago, mother of five Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll took to Facebook to point out an alarming difference between the covers of Girls’ Life and Boys’ Life magazines. “Your cover has a lovely young lady with a full face of makeup and you invite your readers to ‘steal her secrets,’” she wrote, referring to Girls’ Life. “The Boys’ Life cover has in bold letters: Explore Your Future surrounded by all kinds of awesome gear for different professions — doctor, explorer, pilot, chemist, engineer, etc., subheading — Here’s How to Be What You Want to Be.” Keats-Jaskoll then asks, “Could there possibly be two more divergent messages?”

Her post went viral, even inspiring graphic artist Katherine Young to redo the cover of Girls’ Life with more empowering headlines such as “Your Dream Career” instead of “Your Dream Hair” and “Quiz! Are you ready for AP class?” instead of “Quiz! Are you ready for a BF?” As Young wrote on her site: “We need to do better.”

Now, Amy Schumer is adding her two cents. Yesterday on Instagram, Schumer shared a photo of the two magazines side by side with the simple caption that says it all: “No.”

No

A photo posted by @amyschumer on Sep 20, 2016 at 4:49pm PDT

Then, Blake Lively regrammed Schumer’s post, adding, “Wow. @amyschumer I second that emotion. Ladies, let’s not let this happen anymore…”

The attention that Keats-Jaskoll’s post received also prompted a response from the magazine. Karen Bokram, publisher and founding editor of Girls’ Life, said: “It’s okay to like lip gloss or be interested in fashion… I don’t know how [the problem] became ‘either you like lip gloss and clothes or you like being an astronaut.'”

But some experts say that covers like these help perpetuate the notion that a girl’s value lies in her looks. “Our society places vastly different gender expectations upon kids,” Kristin Carothers, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York City, tells Yahoo Style. “Girls often receive messages encouraging them to focus on their physical appearance or attributes in order to gain success, while boys receive messages espousing achievement because, from a historical perspective in Western culture, the male gender role was to earn income and hold leadership roles. This vast discrepancy in messaging is stereotypical and has negative effects on boys and girls.”

Carothers adds: “Girls should be encouraged to prepare for their futures and achieve in the same ways as boys. While it is important to maintain your physical appearance, it is also important to focus on other aspects of your life that will enable you to live a full and happy life. Additionally, marketing beauty products is a huge industry, and placing a focus on external beauty for girls allows that market to thrive at the expense of girls’ self-esteem and well being.”

“Girls may feel pressure to achieve a standard of beauty that is unrealistic,” she continues, “and negate other areas of their lives which are equally if not more important. It is time that as a society, we encourage boys and girls both to achieve and place less emphasis on physical attributes.”

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Is ‘How Do You Balance It All?’ the New ‘What Are You Wearing?’

Giuliana Rancic asked more interesting questions at the Emmys , but she fell flat when it came to stars who are also moms. (Photo: AP Images)

On the Emmys red carpet last night, E! host Giuliana Rancic made a much-welcomed effort to ask celebrities, especially the female ones, more in-depth questions, rather than the standard “What are you wearing?” But she also took a step backward when it came to interviewing stars who are moms.

Rancic started off strong when she spoke with actress America Ferrara about running a triathlon for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training to raise money for blood cancer research and treatments (Ferrara raised more than $22,000) — a tough race the actress completed on the same day as a pre-Emmys party on September 17. Rancic also chatted with actress and LGBTQ advocate Laverne Cox about how important it is for everyone to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election.

It was refreshing to see the red carpet interviews going a bit deeper rather than remaining at the shallow end of the pool, but then Rancic took a disappointing turn by asking several of the celebrity moms the gender-loaded question: “How do you balance it all?”

Stars including new mom and actress Ellie Kemper, as well as model and mom of four Heidi Klum handled it well, with Kemper sharing an honest comment that most new parents can relate to: “My baby is still quite young, so I haven’t figured any of it out yet.” But it was glaringly obvious that Rancic didn’t ask any celebrity dads on the red carpet how they managed to juggle kids and a demanding career.

And social media wasn’t having it:

First woman asked how she balances motherhood and work less than 15 minutes into 2 hours of red-carpet inanity, great work everybody

— Matthew Schneier (@MatthewSchneier) September 18, 2016

“How do you balance it all?” is the new “Who are you wearing?” And it’s even more obnoxious. #Emmys

— Anne Hogan (@Anne_Hogan) September 18, 2016

“How do you balance it all?” is a question Giuliana has asked at least 3 women and 0 men. #Emmys

— Jenna Gold (@GoldJenna) September 18, 2016

Is Giuliana Rancic going to ask any men on the red carpet how they “balance it all?” #Emmys #ERedCarpet

— Bobbie Jo Linderman (@bobbiejo123) September 18, 2016

As Bustle writer Leah Thomas pointed out: “It sucks that this question has to be so gendered, posed only to women. Is nobody interested in how men balance their careers with fatherhood? The expectation just isn’t there, and that sucks for the many women, famous or not, who are constantly asked this question.”

Until dads — whether or not they’re a celebrity — are asked the same thing, maybe it’s best to retire that question.

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San Antonio Named the No.1 “Cougar Town” in the U.S. — but Is That Sexist?

Is calling women who date younger men “cougars” sexist? Some say it is. (Photo: Getty Images)

Women dating younger men certainly isn’t anything new, but it’s more common than you might think. The online dating site PlentyOfFish surveyed 500 female members across the country, asking about their dating habits and the ages of the guys they have corresponded with. According to MySanAntonio.com, the survey found that 65 percent of women between the ages of 40 and 60 said they’ve dated a man at least seven years younger.

Based on the survey results, the site evaluated the top 10 “Cougar Towns” in the United States, with San Antonio ranking the highest.

But is calling someone a “cougar” at best outdated — and at worst sexist? In 2015 on “Ellen,” Jennifer Lopez, who has dated younger men, including her backup dancer Casper Smart, said it was. “I hate that they have a label for a woman who would date a younger guy,” said Lopez, according to ET Online. “If a younger guy is interested in you, what’s the big deal? What’s the word for the man who’s after younger girls? I’m not after younger guys. If younger guys like me, then that’s one thing. … They have no name. No label. There’s a little bit of an imbalance there. Not fair.”

Katie Couric shares Lopez’s disdain for the label. “It’s silly and sexist,” Couric told Parade back in 2012. “You don’t hear men who date women 30 years younger being called cougars. What is the equivalent word? There is no equivalent.”

Yashar Ali, a writer for the Good Men Project, noted that while there are some women who don’t object to the label, in general the term is “misogynistic” and “offensive.” “‘Cougar’ carries a connotation of predatory behavior,” he wrote. “As if, a) the woman could only get the younger man by chasing after him like a rabid animal, and b) the woman’s personality has no part in the relationship, that the guy she’s dating must only be with her so he can have wild, crazy sex, or because she’s rich.”

Ali added: “There is no male equivalent. We don’t commonly refer to a man over 40 who sleeps with younger women as a ‘tiger,’ ‘lion,’ or any equivalent animal reference. So, we have an imbalance. When an unnecessary disparity exists in language that’s sexist, that’s when misogyny creeps in and spreads like a virus, compounding the damage already done.”

Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and author of Better Than Perfect: 7 Steps to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love, agrees there’s a disparity. “There are certainly double standards for men and women,” she tells Yahoo Style. “Men who date younger women are… men. Women who date younger men are a type of mountain lion.”

Lombardo adds: “There is nothing wrong with dating someone who is younger than you, as long as they are psychologically of the same maturity as you — and over 18. Some feel a need to label them cougars because this type of relationship has been less publicized than for men, for whom it is almost commonplace.”

But rather than invent an equivalent term for men who date younger women in the interest of fairness, why not do away with these stereotypes entirely? And — in the case of two consenting, mature adults — just call it what it is: dating.

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Donald Trump's Birth Control Plan Is a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing for Women's Health, Experts Say

Donald Trump said birth control should be available over-the-counter, but some experts point out that could make it more expensive for women if it means birth control is no longer covered by insurance. (Photo: Getty Images)

Today Republican presidential nominee and former reality television personality Donald Trump told Mehmet Oz, M.D., on his eponymous talk show that he believes that birth control “should not be prescription” and that it should be available over the counter.

At first glance, this might make you want to jump up and do a happy dance — after all, it would seem that making birth control over the counter, and prescription-less, would make it all the more easily accessible to even more women.

But women’s healthcare experts say a proposal such as Trump’s would actually do anything but.

The catch? Women would be responsible for the cost of their birth control fully out of pocket, not only eliminating the current $0 co-pay for contraception under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, known colloquially as Obamacare), but also crushing the possibility of birth control even being able to be covered by insurance. In other words, instead of paying $0 per year for contraception, women now could be looking at bills upward of $600 annually — no small cost for low-income women especially.

Furthermore, such a plan also ignores the fact that many forms of contraception — and, indeed, the most effective forms of contraception — cannot be made available for purchase on a drugstore shelf: So goodbye long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), aka intrauterine devices (IUDs) and birth control implants, which are more than 20 times as effective than hormonal birth control pills, the patch, or vaginal rings with an efficacy rate of 99.9 percent.

Since the introduction of the birth control coverage benefits in the Affordable Care Act, 55 million American women are now eligible for prescription birth control without any co-pays, resulting in a savings of $1.4 billion to birth control users since the ACA’s implementation in August 2012, according to The Huffington Post. According to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, more than one in three women has struggled to afford birth control at some point in their lives, including 55 percent of women ages 18 to 34.

And contraception access and affordability plays a major role in preventing unintended pregnancy, which already accounts for about half of all pregnancies in the U.S. and costs American taxpayers $21 billion a year, according to The Washington Post. That’s why it’s not a bad idea for birth control pills to be made over-the-counter, and thus more easily available to the women who need them, but it can’t be done blindly.

“We want the FDA to approve a birth-control pill for over-the-counter sale — but that step alone will not help women unless elected officials make sure that insurance covers it,” a NARAL Pro-Choice America spokesperson explains to Yahoo Beauty. “Women are already paying for contraception in their health plans, and without insurance, it costs hundreds of dollars.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reaffirmed their opinion earlier this year, recommending that oral contraception be made over the counter with self-screening tools made available for women to check for potential contraindications. Although, as an ACOG spokesperson tells Yahoo Beauty, “ACOG supports over the counter access, but it’s more complicated than just that. Cost is a major factor.”

As the ACOG committee opinion states, it’s highly likely that “some women might be adversely affected by changing to over-the-counter [oral contraceptives] if they lose insurance coverage for their preferred contraceptive method” and that “any plan to improve access to [oral contraceptives] by moving toward behind-the-counter or over-the-counter access should address issues of cost.”

In a statement, Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said today, “Donald Trump’s birth control plan is simply unacceptable. Days after releasing a maternity leave “plan” for married women only, Trump wants to put access to birth control out of reach for millions of women by making it more expensive. Women shouldn’t have to choose between paying for birth control or buying groceries for the month.”

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Fan Criticizes Kim Kardashian West for Letting North West Design Her Own Clothes

Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West’s daughter, North, takes after her fashion-focused parents by designing her own clothing. (Photo: Getty Images)

It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows a thing about Kim Kardashian West that her 3-year-old daughter North is a little fashionista. The trendy tot has been spotted in everything from adorable tutus to biker jackets. When one follower asked Kardashian West on Twitter, “Does North pick her own looks or have favorite outfits to pick from?” the reality star, entrepreneur, and mom of two responded:

We make all of her clothes so she picks the fabrics at fabric stores! https://t.co/aruJPtGczA

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 10, 2016

But not everyone was happy with that answer. Twitter user @emseffect tweeted:

These are the kind of things why people hate you @KimKardashian pic.twitter.com/uoJ0IhjA2W

— EMILIA K (@emseffect) September 11, 2016

To that, Kardashian West responded, taking the high road:

Bc she has a passion 4 fashion &we’ve given her the tools 2 explore that? Spending time w dad @work isn’t bad either https://t.co/qZ3iSTMQbp

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 11, 2016

Of course, most people can’t relate to a child being able to design her own bespoke clothing, but anyone with a toddler knows they certainly have opinions about what they wear. In North’s case, she happens to have a creative outlet for it. It’s also common for toddlers to become passionate about something, whether that’s dress-up, playing with trains, or painting. In North’s case, it’s fashion, and based on the fact that both her mom and her dad Kanye West are passionate about it as well, it’s understandable that their daughter would be into it.

Kim Kardashian West and her daughter, North, twinning in silver gowns. (Photo: Getty Images)

“There is nothing wrong with a child being creative,” Elizabeth Lombardo, clinical psychologist and author of Better Than Perfect: 7 Steps to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love, tells Yahoo Style. “In fact, it’s a great quality to cultivate in our children. Some children may choose their own crayons or markers that they use to make a painting. In this case, Kim can afford to have North choose her fabric that she then can help create into clothing. While it is not something that most people could afford to do, it certainly doesn’t make it wrong.”

She adds: “As parents, we want to cultivate qualities and interests that our children already have in a way that could be useful to them in terms of learning and in terms of fulfillment.”

Lombardo also notes that allowing North to design to her own clothing is better than simply buying her expensive outfits. “Giving her the opportunity to be part of her clothing gives her a sense of purpose and contribution,” she says, “two important characteristics in preventing entitlement and fostering true happiness.”

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The Hidden Danger of Those Creative (and Competitive) First Day of School Chalkboard Signs Flooding Your Facebook Feed Right Now

Don’t beat yourself up if your first day of school chalkboard sign isn’t Pinterest-worthy perfect. (Photo: Stocksy)

Chances are your Facebook and Instagram feeds are currently flooded with back-to-school photos. In the past, proud parents plopped a basic homemade sign (Think: printer paper, Sharpie, and “Second Grade!” ) — in their kids’ hands. But this year, the stakes have risen: Some parents are elevating these signs to a work of art — featuring elaborate chalkboards with fancy fonts and personal details, from their kid’s school name and grade level, to their favorite activities, to what they want to be when they grow up.

These gorgeous signs are homemade, ordered from Etsy or downloaded online (Pinterest has thousands of them). But because we live in a social media age, where it’s easier than ever to compare yourself to moms and dads who post these perfect photos, it can leave some parents feeling, well, a little bad. 

And, more importantly, these signs may also put your kids at risk.

    Chances are, flawless back-to-school chalkboard signs like these are flooding your social media streams. (Photo: Etsy/Kids Party Printables)

    “I kind of can’t stand it,” mom of three Jennifer Bickerton tells Yahoo Beauty. “I think it makes those not doing it feel like underachievers. I work a lot of hours in a week and don’t have time to perfect the ‘first-day, up-and-at-’em’ photo … and then edit it with filters. I am happy if my kids have matching socks and brushed hair for the first day!”

Mom of two Rachel Sterling agrees. “This year, my Facebook feed has been over-the-top with first-day-of-school pics,” she tells Yahoo Beauty. “I think the first-day-of-school pic should capture the experience for the child, not the parent’s desire for an Insta-worthy moment.”

And example of the ready-made first day of shool chalkboard templates avaiable on Pinterest.

  Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and author of Better than Perfect: 7 Strategies to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love, notes that how things look on social media is a big influence on why some parents create these signs in the first place. “Perfectionism could certainly be playing a role here when it comes to posting the chalkboard signs,” she tells Yahoo Beauty. “Rather than just using them to document in a picture as a reminder for years to come, parents may be very conscious of how the sign looks to others.”

But if it makes you happy, is there anything really wrong with it? No, says Lombardo. “There is no harm, per se, with having a pretty chalkboard,” she notes. “The harm comes when there is stress or judgment towards yourself or others regarding the look of the chalk sign. As a society, we have become so perfectionistic — all or nothing, perfect or failure — that it can take away from the moment, which is to appreciate that your child is entering a new grade.”

That said, Sterling brings up an important point about why you may want to rethink including every little detail, such as your child’s school, on that back-to-school sign when it’s posted online. “I’m also concerned parents are posting too much information on public channels, which could expose their children to risk.” Parenting recommends keeping some important details offline: “Keep children safe by never sharing their full names, addresses, where they go to school, if they are babysitting alone somewhere, etc., online. You don’t know who might use this information for purposes other than what was intended.”

What’s more, some older kids may not necessarily want you to post that back-to-school photo. When researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Michigan surveyed 249 parent-child pairs, they asked kids how they felt about their parents’ use of technology. According to the New York Times, the 2016 study found that some kids didn’t want their moms and dads to post anything about them online without asking them first.

Even those who leave out revealing details and get the green light from their older kids may still feel a twinge of envy while scrolling through Facebook and seeing those impeccable chalkboard signs. But don’t beat yourself up. “The take-home message is to focus on what’s important instead of trying to be perfect,” points out Lombardo.

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Couple Invents Device That Prevents Hair From Clogging Drains

No more clogged drains. A couple has invented a device that stops hair from clogging tub and shower drains. (Photo: Getty Images)

Anyone with medium-length to long locks knows that it’s just a matter of time before your hair builds up in your tub or shower drain, leading to a nasty clog that looks like something out of “The Ring.”

After experiencing the same drain-clogging woes, Serge and Elena Karnegie came up with a solution called the TubShroom, which catches hair before it can block up your pipes. As strands go down the drain, they automatically wrap around the cylindrical device — something hair sometimes does with the sink’s stopper. Except since the TubShroom is wider and made of soft silicone, the hair slides off easily with a single wipe rather than creating an impossible-to-unravel tangle around the stopper or a clog that requires harsh chemicals to break it up.

Their original Kickstarter and IndieGogo campaigns raised nearly $200,000 last year, according to Core77. The couple has now created a smaller version for bathroom sinks called the SinkShroom and launched a Kickstarter campaign in July, which is fully funded many times over. The device, which costs the same as a couple of bottles of Liquid-Plumr, comes in several colors, including white, grey, and blue.

The SinkShroom (Photo courtesy of Serge and Elena Karnegie)

While the invention helps save time and money for many people, the Karnegies confess to Yahoo Beauty that the device also rescued their relationship. “To be honest, our invention pretty much saved our marriage,” jokes Serge. “We were constantly arguing who’s going to clean the drain, for we both have long hair. The TubShroom was invented about three years ago and we’ve used it since. We decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign, which turned out to be a huge success. We then came out with a SinkShroom, as many of our TubShroom customers asked for it.”

The Karnegies are already working on their next product: the ShowerShroom, which is larger in diameter and designed to accommodate those walk-in shower drains, since hair clogging doesn’t discriminate. Clearly, their invention has resonated with others. “We’re now a No. 1 bestseller in the category on Amazon,” says Serge.

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This Pilot Is Posting Selfies to Inspire and Empower Other Women

One woman made her dream of becoming a pilot come true and now hopes to inspire other women to pursue their goals. (Photo: Stocksy)

Maria Pettersson, a 32-year-old pilot for Ryanair, has become an Instagram sensation with nearly 300,000 followers by posting cheery selfies of herself on a plane, doing yoga, swimming, and basically living a happy, healthy life. Pettersson, who worked hard to achieve her dream of becoming a pilot, hopes to use her platform to inspire other women to pursue their goals.

Selfie with my metal bird. Wish you all a great start of the week ☀

A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on Feb 22, 2016 at 5:29am PST

Pettersson, who is originally from Sweden and now lives in Sicily, became a pilot at just 25 years old. She started posting selfies for friends and family to document her life as a pilot, and things grew from there. “I loved the positive feedback I was getting and all the curious questions from young aviators asking about how to become a pilot or flight simulator pilots asking about a specific procedure,” she told the Daily Mail.

Life is like a mirror,  it will smile at you if you smile at it ????????????????

A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on May 30, 2016 at 2:11pm PDT

Since becoming a pilot is expensive, Pettersson thought her dream was out of reach at first. “I never thought becoming a pilot was an option for me due to the high costs and the fact that most pilots were men,” she said. “The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it, and I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I was 24 at the time. I worked hard to save for the costs of flight training and studied even harder. Hard work pays off and my dream became reality.”

Braids for messy hair days ???????? Note the registration FOY one of our brand new aircrafts,  so clean and fancy to fly ????????

A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on Jun 10, 2016 at 11:07am PDT

She added: “For me so far the toughest challenge has been to get that first flying job. Competition was tough and many unemployed pilots fighting for the same job. It took me years. I’m very lucky to be where I am today flying a young fleet of Boeing 737 around Europe.”

These kind of days at work when you go home with  pain in the stomach after all laughter.  Happy crew,  happy flight ❤️

A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on May 7, 2016 at 10:35am PDT

Pettersson hopes to encourage other women to go for their goals — and to realize that the sky’s the limit. “My story is about strong females in a male dominated environment,” she said. “Proving that we are just as good as them. Believing in ourselves and keeping a positive attitude towards life.”

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Mother Fights Back After Her Son Is Shamed for Wearing a Tutu

One mom shared a heartfelt post on Facebook supporting her 3-year-old son, who loves to wear a tutu, after being accosted by a stranger. (Photo: Getty Images)

Jen Anderson Shattuck’s three-and-a-half-year-old son loves puzzles, trucks, and tutus. But not everyone is OK with the tutus.

In a heartfelt post on Facebook, which has been shared more than 46,000 times, Shattuck wrote that she and her little boy were walking to the park on Aug. 23, when they were approached by a stranger who aggressively asked to know why her son was wearing a tutu.

“If asked, [my son] will say the tutus make him feel beautiful and brave,” Shattuck wrote. “If asked, he will say there are no rules about what boys can wear or what girls can wear.” But instead, the stranger turned to her and said, “Why do you keep doing this to your son?”

“He wasn’t curious,” wrote the mom. “He didn’t want answers. He wanted to make sure we both knew that what my son was doing — what I was allowing him to do — was wrong.”

According to Shattuck, the stranger then turned directly to the boy and said, “She shouldn’t keep doing this to you. You’re a boy. She’s a bad mommy. It’s child abuse.” The man also took photos of the mom and son, even though Shattuck asked him not to.

She called the police, who came to take a report and complimented her little boy on his tutu. Shattuck says her son doesn’t feel safe from “the bad man” they encountered and has asked if he’s going to come back. “I can’t say for sure,” she wrote. “But I can say this: I will not be intimidated. I will not be made to feel vulnerable or afraid. I will not let angry strangers tell my son what he can or cannot wear. The world may not love my son for who he is, but I do. I was put on this earth to make sure he knows it.”

Shattuck tells Yahoo Beauty that she didn’t get her son a tutu until he specifically asked for one, but “we do believe that the gendering of children’s toys and clothes is at best silly and at worst downright harmful.” Several clothing makers who have launched gender-neutral lines — including Jessy & Jack, Handsome in Pink, and Quirkie Kids — clearly agree, as does Target, which has eliminated boys’ and girls’ toys and bedding sections and offers gender-neutral options.

Experts also stress that it’s common and perfectly normal for little boys under the age of 5 to play dress-up in what are typically considered “girls’ clothes” — and that it’s important for parents to be supportive. “Playing dress-up — whether he wants to look like Daddy, Mommy, a football player, or a fairy princess — is common and entirely normal at this age, and isn’t limited to roles embodied by members of a child’s own sex,” developmental psychologist Roni Cohen Leiderman told BabyCenter.

As Leiderman pointed out, even though parents like Shattuck are open-minded about little boys rocking tutus, some family members or even strangers may not be comfortable with it. “Respectfully acknowledge their comments (or defuse them with humor), but also remind yourself to trust and value your own judgment,” Leiderman said. “After all, if your child is happy and playful — even if he’s trying Mom’s high heels on for size — then you’re doing a good job.”

After the ordeal, Shattuck chose to share her story to show her love of and support for her son. “I hope people are inspired to love their children fiercely and unconditionally and to live their values, whatever they may be, without fear,” Shattuck tells Yahoo Beauty.

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Hundreds of Gingers Celebrate the 7th Annual Redhead Convention

  Hundreds of redheads gathered at the seventh annual Irish Redhead Convention to celebrate their rare hair color with a series of fun events. (Photo: Stocksy)

More than 1,000 proud redheads descended on the village of Crosshaven in County Cork, Ireland, last weekend to celebrate their vibrant coloring at the seventh annual Irish Redhead Convention.

Described as a “festival of ginger-loving madness” and “a fun-filled weekend of freckles and frolics,” the convention consisted of a jam-packed three days dedicated to celebrating flame-colored hair. The events included several competitions — from the most freckles per square inch to the reddest beard and eyebrows — as well as a carrot-tossing competition, and even ginger speed-dating for redheads and people who love them. There were also Irish redhead seminars, music by ginger band members, and art exhibits featuring portraits of — you guessed it — redheads.

Two freckle-faced redheads having a good time at the Irish Redhead Convention. (Photo courtesy of the Irish Redhead Convention)

The grand finale to the weekend was a parade for everyone, which included a chosen redheaded “king” and “queen” donning crowns and capes.

The Irish Redhead Convention was started by a redheaded brother and sister, Joleen and Denis Cronin. According to the convention website: “It started as a joke in the siblings’ family pub” and it went on to become “a gathering of extraordinary uniqueness, attracting hundreds of redheads from all over Ireland and the world.”

Gingers unite! (Photo courtesy of the Irish Redhead Convention)

Red hair is the rarest shade in the world, accounting for only 0.6 percent of the global population, according to the convention’s website. The highest percentage of natural redheads is found in Scotland (13 percent of the population), closely followed by Ireland (10 percent of the population).

Since it’s well-known that redheads have a much higher risk of skin cancer — in particular, melanoma — the convention also focuses on raising awareness about sun safety and fundraising for the Irish Cancer Society, which provides cancer care and support throughout the country. Twenty percent of ticket sales were donated to the Irish Cancer Society, showing that redheads not only have beautiful hair, but also big hearts.

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Farrah Abraham Under Fire Yet Again for ‘Exploiting’ Young Daughter

Teen Mom OG star Farrah Abraham is in hot water once again for posting a photo of her 7-year-old daughter, Sophia, in a bikini. (Photo: Getty Images)

Just two months after Abraham was criticized for having her 7-year-old daughter Sophia pose in bikinis for a photo shoot, with some saying Abraham is “sexualizing” her daughter, the Teen Mom OG star is causing controversy yet again. Ahead of the MTV show’s premiere on Aug. 2, Abraham posted a photo on Instagram of her little girl posing in a bikini.

Several Instagram users left negative comments, saying that Abraham is “exploiting” her daughter and some going as far as saying that the photo is an invitation for pedophiles. One questioned why Sophia is posing in such a mature way and in a bikini. “I know she’s a kid and doesn’t know any better, but I’m sorry I’d never allow my child to pose like this or dress the way Farrah dresses this poor kid,” chimed in Instagram user gamer_1989. “Especially with the sickos on the Internet now.” User ka_kootz wrote: “Stop posting these pics. Just let her try and be normal. Please. Do your thing, but let her be a kid.”

#TeenMomOG #MTV Tomorrow Night #Monday Season Preimere???????????????? #backtoschool

A photo posted by Farrah Abraham (@farrah__abraham) on Aug 21, 2016 at 11:23am PDT

However, many defended Abraham, saying this was just a normal photo of a “sassy” 7-year-old in a bathing suit. Instagram user honeybee1875 wrote: “In all the picture[s] I have seen her daughter in they are no different than any other person’s pictures of their kids. I think Farrah gets criticized more is because she is not liked by most people.” User xobreezy420 agreed: “The only person wrong here is anybody who sees this in a sexual manner. Girls wear bikinis. Girls do model poses. My niece is just like this and my sister is a great mother. Y’all bent because you don’t like Farrah (me either) and don’t want to believe she is anything but a sh**y mother. You guys are sad. I think Sophia looks adorable and y’all are bugging.”

But are bikinis appropriate for little kids?

The question was posed to parents on WhatToExpect.com, with many moms responding that “any age is fine” when it comes to wearing a bikini. Other moms said they don’t mind bikinis on kids per se, but that one-pieces are more functional or that they prefer their daughters wear rash guards, since they offer much more sun protection than a bikini — something their daughters will likely thank them for later on.

Body image expert Robyn Silverman told Today that bikinis can affect a girl’s body image. “It may be no big deal when a child is 1 year old and looks as cute as can be in a baby bikini,” she said. “But as girls grow up, even at ages 3 and 4 and 5, they are getting the ‘Fat is bad,’ ‘Thin is good’ message. Those types of comments can be detrimental. And when you put a girl in a bathing suit that’s more revealing, it tends to invite more comments.”

That said, Silverman says that bikinis can be age-appropriate and that if a parent is fine with the idea, she recommends finding one that the child feels comfortable wearing.

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Twins Given a Warning at School Because Their Outfits Caused ‘Concern’

Twins from Oklahoma are the latest adolescent girls to be “dress coded” at high school for wearing what looks like a perfectly appropriate outfit. (Photo: Getty Images)

It seems that nearly every week there’s at least one story about an adolescent girl who is either warned or pulled out of class entirely because officials felt her outfit didn’t meet the school’s dress code. This time it was a pair of twins, Avery and Alex Curtis, who were stopped in the hallway of Guymon High School in Guymon, Okla., on Aug. 17 — the first day of their junior year.

The twins were told their outfits — simple short-sleeved dresses that appear to hit at mid-thigh — were causing “concern,” reports the Guymon Daily Herald.

According to the online 2016-2016 parent-student high school handbook, the dress code states: “Skirts, dresses, shorts, and culottes are to be mid-thigh or below. Blue jeans are acceptable without holes or tears. Biker shorts, tights, and leggings may be work if outside garment meets dress code policy.”

Avery and Alex’s dresses don’t appear to violate that dress code, but according to the Guymon Daily Herald, the sisters were told that “the length in the back could be affected by their school bags,” meaning that their bags might cause their dresses to ride up higher than mid-thigh.

Their mom, Kara Curtis, found out about the warning and wasn’t happy about it. “It is my understanding that the outfits Alex and Avery wore to their first day of junior year were of ‘concern’ to several faculty and staff members at Guymon High School,” the mom said. “They were dress coded and told their clothing was inappropriate.”

Several people weighed in both for and against the twins’ outfits. “I am a teacher at Guymon High School, though I didn’t see the students in question, I did hear MY students discussing the situation,” commented Travis Hathcote. “They all agreed the dresses were too short and tight for school. I’m just saying, if other STUDENTS are saying that…”

But mom and teacher Kathryn Combs points out that too often girls are being singled out for no good reason. “I think that the dress code in most schools seems to stress rules applied to girls more than their male class mates,” she wrote. “We are telling these girls that they are at fault when others are distracted, not that their classmates should learn how to focus and that they are in control of their reaction. It probably was more distracting bringing it to everyone’s attention and disciplining the girls.”

Mom of four Jennifer Clinesmith King agrees. “I think that it isn’t that the dresses are too short or too tight,” she says. “I think what needs to be done is instead of the faculty being concerned about these two very beautiful girls, [they] need to stop looking at them in that way and start teaching them [in] their classes. In other words, what I’m saying is get your minds off of perverted thoughts and start teaching them, that is what you’re there for, to teach them to become better people and teach them to strive for their dreams and goals in life, not criticizing them.”

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6-Year-Old Told to Cover Up at the Pool

Should little girls be required to cover up when they’re at the pool? (Photo: Getty Images)

As many parents do on a hot summer day, Stephanie Felkai took her two young daughters to their local public pool in Montreal. Felkai’s 6-year-old daughter wore her favorite swimsuit shorts without a top. A lifeguard approached Felkai and said that her daughter needed to cover up with a bathing suit top.

Felkai felt this was unfair since the upper body of a 6-year-old — whether it’s a boy or a girl — looks basically the same, and she argued that if young boys don’t have to cover up on top, why should young girls who haven’t developed yet?

“At her age, she’s indistinguishable from a boy,” Felkai told CBC. “Her physique is exactly the same as a boy’s. So how does anyone even know to approach her to tell her she’s not wearing an appropriate bathing suit?”

According to Felkai, the lifeguard responded that women are asked to cover their breasts and genitals, while men must cover their genitals. “I said, ‘Yes, that’s for a woman and a man, but this is a girl,'” Felkai said.

She added: “There’s no gender or age related to this rule. It said that people need to not be nude or partially nude. My interpretation is that my daughter is partially covered because her genitals are covered.”

The mom filed a complaint with the borough, explaining that she would like the rules amended for young children. “My concern for my daughter in my situation is, I don’t want her to be forced to identify as girly too early,” she said. “We don’t need that. Just let them be.”

Borough spokesman Daniel Bussières to CBC that bathing suits are required for anyone going to the pool and that includes tops for women. However, Bussières added that the lifeguard who approached Felkai about her little girl may have been “overzealous” in following the rules.

Kristin J. Carothers, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York City, notes that this is a tricky situation. “The issue that arises with this scenario is whether or not guidelines for bathing suits at public pools should apply to young children,” she tells Yahoo Style. “One could argue that the guidelines for wearing bathing suits at public pools are in place to ensure that genitalia are covered for health and safety reasons.”

She adds that it can also lead to some confusion: “When we think of teaching children about ‘good touches’ and ‘bad touches’ to protect them from predators, we usually send the message that any area that could be covered with a bathing suit should not be touched by anyone, and that a child should immediately report inappropriate touching to an adult. [However,] at 6 years of age, boys’ and girls’ chests are similar. Usually, boys are not expected to wear tops, while girls are, because they will eventually develop breasts. In this particular case, it seems that the mother does not believe allowing her 6-year-old daughter to swim without a bathing suit top would put her at risk for harm.”

Carothers notes that if Felkai wants her young daughter to be able to swim without a top, she may need to find other outlets for now. “This mom might have to comply with the rules at the public pool; however, she also has the right to decide if her daughter should swim with a top in places where there isn’t the rule, like private pools,” she says, “or she can decide not to take her daughter to pools that have those rules.”

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Student Petition Says School Dress Code Endangers Health

One high school student launched a petition against what she calls the school’s “irrationally strict” dress code, which bans shorts that don’t reach your fingertips. (Photo: Stocksy)

Hollie Sikes, a student at Farragut High School in Knoxville, Tenn., started a petition on Change.org protesting her school’s “irrationally strict” dress code, saying it’s not only sexist but also puts students’ health at risk.

In the petition, which currently has more than 2,700 supporters, Sikes argues against the school’s dress code, which prohibits shorts that don’t pass the fingertip-length test — meaning shorts that are not long enough to reach the fingertips when your arms are at your side.

“We cannot ignore the simple truth that clothing stores do not sell a wide variety of shorts for girls that are below fingertip length, if any, so young women are forced to wear long pants and jeans in 90-100 degree weather simply to avoid suspension,” wrote Sikes in the petition. “Not only does this present health risks, such as nausea, overheating and even fainting, but it promotes victim blaming in the (unfortunately, extremely prevalent) case of sexual harassment among students.”

Sikes, echoing the frustration of many female students (and their parents) who have been penalized for outfits deemed too distracting for male students and teachers, added: “Are we as a county seriously willing to send a girl home and deprive her of her education simply because her shorts are ‘too short’? Due to the aforementioned reasoning, you are prioritizing the sexualization of a woman’s body over her right to learn and grow as a human being.”

Knox County Schools spokesperson Abbey Harris told WATE.com that the board of education reviewed and revised the dress code policy, which was originally implemented in 2009, at several public board meetings and said no students or parents objected to it.

“However, we do certainly appreciate and value the opinions of our students and invite them to share any issues or concerns they may have with the dress code as it stands today with their school administrators and/or board representative,” Harris told WATE.com.

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