Erika Katz

On Friday night, my phone rang at 11:30 p.m. It was a Florida phone number I did not recognize. When I answered the phone a woman said, "Is this Erika?"
"Yes," I said.
"Hi, this is Hannah's mom. Hannah is the 16-year-old girl who babysat for...

Pinkstinks is an organization of women taking a stand against makeup marketed to kids. They want parents to boycott all those cute play makeup kits we buy for our daughters when they are little because the founders of the organization believe these products are contributing to the poor self-esteem of...

Prom night is the most anticipated night of the year for many high school seniors, and often the most dreaded by parents. It's a high-pressure night full of angst over the dress, hair, makeup, and of course the guy. So, while we can all talk about great hair and makeup...

It's prom season and every girl wants to look red-carpet fabulous. But, sometimes the best laid plans just do not work out. Here are ways to avoid looking like a hot mess on prom night.

1. Do not make an appointment with a hairdresser you do not...

Last week, my nine-year-old daughter begged me to take her to see One Direction and Big Time Rush, two boy bands popular with the Nickelodeon set. The girls know every word of every song and melt at the sight of their their boyish good looks. But...

Spring is around the corner and so is wedding season. Every bride wants to look her best on the big day. But sometimes a streaky, orange spray tan, runny mascara and a bad hair day can make for a hot mess. Here are some easy tips to avoid the most...

I remember when I was 11 years old, the boys were constantly lifting our uniform skirts to see our underwear. The boys were rarely punished and the girls took action by wearing their gym shorts under their skirts. It was a part of school life and no one really paid...

An alarming new trend among teens and tweens are a slew of YouTube videos they are posting of themselves titled "Am I Ugly?" This video got over 3 million hits. Notice the bevy of comments ranging from insults from kids to come-ons from pedophiles.

These children's naivete and...

As women, beauty dilemmas plague us on a daily basis. Between antiperspirant staining the dress we just put on, the blemish appearing right before a big night out, and the bangs growing out like a sheep dog, sometimes it feels like a war zone. So I have some great beauty...

When my son was in second grade, I bought him a cell phone because he was taking the school bus to school and I wanted to know he had gotten to his classroom safely. It was not a smartphone, just a regular phone. But, like most phones, it had a...

Have you ever talked to someone who turned you on with just their smell? The smell of their sweet cologne or perfume mixed in with their natural aroma makes you want to inhale everything about them...

Now think of that same beautiful person with bad breath and body odour, drenched...

As my daughter's teacher, Dale, asked me what she could do to give her hair a little more vavoom, I happened to catch a glimpse of a picture of Emma Stone at the Golden Globes. With Valentine's Day around the corner, I was immediately inspired. How about becoming a vibrant...

I bet you didn't know that many simple household products are actually all you need for your beauty routine. While I love expensive luxury creams as much as any beauty junkie, the truth is you don't have to spend a lot to look great. So, here are the hidden treasures...

Don't you love the drama of the tween years? Though you may be tempted to throw your hands in the air and give up on your tween daughter, you really do have the ability to bond with her and help her grow up into a physically and emotionally healthy young...

Jan. 1 has come and gone. The membership to that expensive gym has never been used because you had the flu, the no-carbs diet was impossible and your kids are still eating in front of the TV even though you promised yourself that would stop. How can you really make...

The cold weather is upon us and everyone is asking me about spray tanning. Do I spray tan? How does it look? What do I think, can it be done at home and is it harmful? While there are pros and cons to spray tanning, it can be great before...