The Big Book of Girl Stuff

by Bart King

  It’s also not impossible that two (or more!) girls might start arguing at your party. The nerve! Since you’re the hostess, you need to take them aside and say, “Look, I invited you here to have fun. Right now, you’re ruining the party. Stop it.” That should be enough to wise them up!

  How to Have a Pillow Fight!

  Finally, it’s hard to beat the excitement of a good old-fashioned pillow fight!

  Rules:

  All pillow fighters must have at least one, large, fluffy pillow.

  All pillow fighters must hit their opponents ONLY with their large, fluffy pillow.

  A pillow fighter can use one or both hands to swing the pillow. However, if one opponent is 25 or more pounds heavier than the other, she can only use one hand to swing with. (And she has to put her other hand behind her back.)

  A pillow fighter can try to block her opponent’s pillow, but she can’t grab her opponent’s pillow.

  The pillow fight ends when anyone wants it to end!

  Troublemakers

  For some reason, pranks are extremely fun to play at slumber parties. (See the “Practical Jokes” chapter for fabulous ideas.) Perhaps the all-time classic trick is to wait for someone to fall asleep and then to gently spray whipped cream or shaving cream onto her hand. Then take a feather and tickle her nose. She will still be half asleep, and she’ll reach her hand up to scratch to scratch her nose and get cream all over her face. Ha! (Oh yeah, and don’t forget to throw someone’s bra in the freezer.)

  Sleepover Survival Tip

  Try not to be the first person to fall asleep at the sleepover. This will prevent you from waking up with toothpaste in your hair or a secret message on your face.

  Getting Ready for Bed

  Between finding the right spot to sleep, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, and pillow fights, this getting ready for bed thing could take an hour.

  But when the lights finally do go out, that’s when some of the best conversations happen: Girl Talk! Secrets can come out under the cloak of darkness. By morning, you and your guests will feel as if a special bond has strengthened your friendships. (And if that doesn’t happen, you can always just tell a scary story lying there in the dark.)

  The Morning After

  Whew. Nobody is going to be bright and chipper if they stayed up till 3 a.m. the night before! But there are still fun things left to do the morning after your sleepover. It might be fun to find out what everyone dreamed about. Then try to figure out what the dreams meant! (Go to “The Mind, Emotions, and Dreams” chapter to find out.) Maybe you’ll want to whip up a batch of chocolate-chip pancakes. Be sure to make some for Mom and Dad, too, to thank them for letting you have friends over.

  When your guests get picked up, walk them to the door so that the last thing they see is you waving good-bye!

  Hair

  “Wow, Blossom, it’s amazing how silky your hair is, considering it smells so funky.”

  —The Powerpuff Girls

  There are four parts of your body that are not actually alive. See if you can guess what one of them is! (Are you guessing? This is a pretty hard one!)

  That’s right, your hair is not alive! [9] Your hair is made up of the same stuff that makes fingernails, feathers, and hooves. It’s a protein called keratin. But you sure can do a LOT with it. A little rearranging with a hairclip, or a lot of styling with a haircut and dye can change a girl’s look dramatically. And it’s so easy! All you have to do is shampoo, condition, rinse, dry, pluck, shave, cut, dye, perm, style, bleach, curl or relax, crimp, braid, comb and brush your hair and it’s good to go!

  Hair has long been thought to have special powers. People in many cultures saved and destroyed their hair clippings so that their enemies couldn’t use their hair to cast spells against them. Julius Caesar shaved the heads of his enemies to teach them the power of ancient Rome. And today, some Jews and Muslims feel that for a woman to be properly modest, her hair should be covered when she is out in public.

  *Two thousand years ago, Jewish law allowed a man to divorce his wife by uncovering her hair.

  We humans have the longest hair of all the animals. Without haircuts, the hairs on your head could get up to four feet long or more. A man named Tray Van Hay has the longest hair in the world. He has not had a haircut in over 30 years, and he’s grown his hair over 20 feet long. The good news is that if there was a fire on the second floor of a building, you could use his hair as a way of escape. The bad news? Tray Van Hay hasn’t washed his hair in six years! Talk about oily . . .

  *If you added up the hair growth of ALL of your hair over your lifetime, it comes to about 590 miles.

  If you’ve ever had a haircut and then noticed that your hair took forever to grow out, it was probably taking a growing break. Hair grows in a cycle of anywhere between 2 to 7 years, and then it takes it easy for a few months before kicking in again with more growth. And the average human hair lives between 6 to 10 years, and then it goes dormant and falls out. You lose 50 to 100 hairs a day because of this, but new hairs grow in their place.

  *If your dad doesn’t have any hair, tell him he’s not bald, he’s glabrous. That should make him feel better!

  The Ups and Downs of Having . . .

  Red Hair: Because only 2 percent of people in the United States have naturally red hair, redheads probably get more attention. That’s nice if you like attention, and redheads have been getting more than their fair share for a long time. Many ancient Romans thought that red hair on a woman was the most attractive color there was. It’s so special, fairies and pixies in stories and art are usually depicted with red hair.

  *In the United Kingdom (where 10 percent of people have red hair), redheads are called “coppertops” and red hair is often called “ginger hair.”

  The downside of being a redhead is that red is a symbol of fire, blood, passion, and anger. This has created a stereotype that redheads are hot-tempered and out-of-control. Ancient Egyptians considered redheads to be so “special” they were treated as foreigners. Modern people will ask redheads if their hair color is real and kids may call them “carrot top.” (And don’t forget the annoying boy who whispers, “I see RED people!”)

  Interesting Fact! Studies show that redheads, especially women, may not be as sensitive to pain as other people.

  Really Curly Hair: Really curly hair can be any color, but it is often black. Girls with really curly hair can wear it in an afro, a semi-fro (almost an afro) or a low-fro (a really short afro). Interestingly, girls with straight hair often want curly hair, while girls with curly hair sometimes wish their hair were straight. So if a curly-haired girl gets a “permanent,” she has her hair “relaxed” or “conked” (straightened), and if a girl with straight hair gets a “permanent,” she get her hair all curly. Funny, huh?

  Really curly hair has unique style possibilities. For instance, it is perfect to braid with. Curly hair can be turned into a tight cornrow (braided close to the scalp.) In Nigeria, members of the Igbo tribe braid their hair tight to the head and end up with geometric patterns laid out on their heads. Curly hair can also be grown into dreadlocks more easily than any other hair type. Dreadlocks are what happen when you don’t comb long curly hair; it can then be easily twisted into “natural” looking braids.

  *Many African American women (and men) grew their afros out in the 1960s to show their African roots. Today, it is estimated that about 70 percent of black women have their hair straightened or “conked.”

  Blonde Hair: There are more clichés about girls with blonde hair than any other hair color. Because many babies are born blonde (and then their hair darkens as they get older), blonde hair is associated with innocence, but not intelligence. Our culture says that Blondes have more fun, but women with this hair color are also sometimes referred to as dumb blondes. (Just so you know, scientists agree that hair color has nothing to do with intelligence!)

  *Marilyn Monroe was an actress from the twentieth century. She was famous for being the source of t
he stereotype of the dumb blonde. Guess what? She was a brunette!

  Blonde hair was thought of as “good” in places like Greece and Italy. After all, Aphrodite (a.k.a. Venus), the goddess of love, was a blonde. Also, because most Greek and Italian women have dark hair, blondes were rare and considered special. Black haired women sometimes rubbed yellow mud and saffron (an orange-yellow dye) into their scalps to look blonde. (If you’ve ever wondered how many women in the United States are natural blondes, the answer is only about 5 to 15 percent of them.)

  *Blondes sometimes get a rare condition called loose anagen syndrome. This means they have hair that can be pulled out very easily; just combing it is enough to pull the hair out. Luckily, the hairs usually toughen up as the girl gets older.

  Brown Hair: Brunettes Are Number One! Brown is the most common hair color for humans. And there are probably more variations of brown hair than any other color. For example, girls can have brown hair that is so dark it looks black. Or a brunette can have auburn or mahogany hair, which is brown hair with red highlights.

  Brown hair is thought of as being natural and earthy, and it looks great in the sunlight. Brunettes may also be taken more seriously by other people. If a brunette has light brown hair that is almost blonde in color, some people call this “dishwater blonde,” “dirty blonde,” or “swamp-water blonde.” (Some people are apparently messed up!)

  Bad Hair Joke Alert:

  Q. What do you call a brunette in a roomful of blondes?

  A. Invisible.

  Black Hair: Dark hair is beautiful; it has a mystery and magic all its own. It can be anything from a very dark brown to jet-black, like many Asian, Latin, and black women have. Cleopatra, one of the world’s most famous enchantresses, almost certainly had black hair. In Mexico, the women of the Tzotzil people pull black hair from their combs and save it. They believe that after death they can climb to paradise on a rope of their own hair. And Chicanas in the Mexican-American community have a hair fashion that involves really long hair with lots of body, curls, and flips.

  Bonus! Black hair has the best words to describe it. For example: ebony, inky, glossy, sable, lustrous, jet, or blue-black.

  Long Hair: Long hair looks cool, and it’s good for getting attention. When a long-haired girl swings her mane around or runs her hands through her hair, people can’t help but notice. (And from Samson to the kings of France, men have thought that long hair gave them strength.) Although it’s a lot of work to take care of, long hair can also symbolize freedom. In many traditional societies, a girl would wear her hair in a long braid. Once she was married, she would wind the braid into a bun at the back of her neck.

  Short Hair: We’ll keep this short. There are three important things to say about short hair:

  It’s usually easier to take care of than long hair.

  People tend to take women with short hair more seriously.

  It’s still feminine!

  Hair Weaves: Braiding, extending, or weaving with colored silk, thread, or another person’s hairs can really change a girl’s look. The women of the Hmong tribe of Southeast Asia may take the prize for most variety with their hair extensions. They use cotton, hemp, and black wool and weave it into huge combs stuck into their hair.

  *About one-quarter of black women use weaves, extensions, or “additions.”

  Bleached Hair: Oh no! You were the victim of a horrible laundry accident.

  Uncomb-able Hair: Uncomb-able hair syndrome is a medical condition where a girl (or boy) has hair that literally CANNOT BE COMBED! (Don’t worry, if you don’t have this condition by now, you never will.) People with this condition (also called cheveux incoiffables) have hair that stands straight up. You can gel it all you want, and it won’t matter. This hair is literally impossible to work with.

  Bad Hair: If you suffer from “bad hair,” or even just a “bad hair day,” we can suggest a discipline program for it that might work. The key is to be tough, but fair to the hair. (That rhymes!) One way to solve the “bad hair” problem is just to stuff it all in a headband or hat. Another solution for bad hair is to put your hair up in a loose or “messy” bun with a hair band. But don’t be tempted to cut it all off . . . you may regret that decision later!

  Mythical Bad Hair: Medusa (the character from Greek mythology) had snakes for hair, so imagine what her hair looked like when they were digesting mice! And when it came time for the snakes to shed their skin, well . . . that was “hat day.”

  Hair Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s)

  Why are some hairs straight, while others are curly?

  A hair grows out of a root in your skin called a follicle. If the shape of the hair shaft at its root is round, the hair is straight. If the shaft is flattened, the hair will be curly. And if the shaft is oval, the hair will be wavy.

  What decides the color of my hair?

  You have a color or “pigment” in your body called melanin. This coloring is in your eyes, your skin, and in your hair follicles. Whatever color melanin you inherited from your parents is what you get for your hair color. (Unless you use dye!)

  Why does hair turn gray or white as a person get older?

  Your body makes less melanin as you get older. So where there used to be a color in the hair, an older hair has air bubbles instead. Strange, huh? Air bubbles in the hair. These air bubbles are what make an older person’s hair look gray and white!

  Is it bad for my hair if I pull on it?

  Yes. This nervous habit can damage your hair roots, and lead to hair loss. The compulsion to pull on hair is called trichotillomania, and nine times as many women as men have it.

  Why don’t girls get beards?

  Because that would look bad.

  Washing Your Hair

  Hair experts agree that you don’t need to automatically shampoo your hair every day! It sounds weird, but your hair looks healthier if there’s a little natural oil in it, so why waste all that water?

  *The strangest shampoo we’ve heard of is Grenade Shampoo. This was a hair care product that came in a grenade-shaped bottle. To get the shampoo to come out, you had to pull a pin!

  If you want your hair shiny and aromatic, eucalyptus trees make an oil that can give your scalp a nice tingle and a fresh forest smell. After washing your hair, get some eucalyptus oil and rub it into your hair to see if you like it.

  *A salon in England started using “caviar conditioner” in 2005. (Caviar is a food made from fish eggs.) For about $350, a person gets to have fish eggs stuck in their hair. The fish oil is supposed to be good for it.

  Speaking of organic hair treatments, here are two that you may want to try.

  Go Heavy on the Mayo!

  Your own all-natural conditioner!

  You Will Need: Mayonnaise, a plastic bag or towel

  If you’re trying to give your hair some life, there are girls who swear by their mayonnaise bottles. Just go ahead and shampoo your hair like normal, then fill your palms with globs of mayonnaise and work it into your hair!

  Once you have it pretty well mayo’ed, cover your hair with a plastic bag or towel for about 15 minutes. Then wash it out. We can almost guarantee that your hair won’t be dull after doing this.

  Note: Mustard doesn’t work as a conditioner. (You’ll end up smelling like Grey Poupon.)

  Split End Serum

  If your hair’s too dry, olives are the answer!

  You Will Need: Olive oil, a damp towel or shower cap

  Warm up 1/4 cup of olive oil a little bit in the microwave and then work it into your hair. Once it’s been massaged in, wrap a warm, damp towel around your head (or use a shower cap) and leave it on for 15 minutes or so. Then take off the towel or cap and shampoo.

  Then shampoo again! If your hair doesn’t come out moisturized and luxuriant, you can have your money back. If you do this once a week, it will really start to show.

  Drying Your Hair

  Ready to dry your hair? Use a towel! Either that or set your blow-dryer to a low setting. Th
at’s because Dr. Janet Roberts (professor of dermatology and hair loss expert) says: “Blow-drying with a hot hair dryer is the most damaging thing that women do on a daily basis [to their hair].”

  A Little Syrup on the Side

  A sweet shampoo prank for a loved one near you!

  You Will Need: Pancake syrup

  What with all the organic shampoos available, why not treat a family member to a shampoo of your own invention? Once a shampoo bottle has been finished, snag it from the recycling and fill it up partway with pancake syrup. If you think your potential victim will be fairly clueless, put the old bottle (with the syrup) back in the shower and remove the new bottle. If your victim is more observant, wait until their “real” shampoo bottle reaches the level of your syrup bottle . . . then switch them.

  We’re not waffling when we say that there will be loads of laughs from this one! (And don’t worry, the pancake syrup washes right out.)

  Hair Styling

  Like we said, your hair goes up and stays in place better if it isn’t perfectly clean. Your hair’s natural oils are sort of your own styling gel. You’ve seen women (and men) with hair that is “grungy” or messed-up on purpose. How stylish! The thing is, you just know that these people didn’t actually stop washing their hair. Maybe they use a product like “Rusk.” Rusk was a hair styling product that gave clean hair “the look and feel of hair that hadn’t been washed for days.” Really!