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Hair Color How-Tos: Brighter Blondes

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:00:20 -0700

For the past week, I've been providing tips on how to keep your hair color looking fresh and fade resistant. I've covered redheads, brunettes, and raven-haired beauties.

And now, let's finish this series off by featuring tips for blondes. It's debatable whether or not blondes have more fun. Whatever the case may be, hair that's highlighted, lightened all over, or completely natural, has special needs of its own. Check out my advice when you read more

Go blue: This tip works for both natural and "bottle blondes." A blue- or violet-hued shampoo will help counteract unwanted brassiness and brighten light tones. Try Lush Daddyo Shampoo ($9 to $27).
You're golden: Or, perhaps you want to brighten the warmer, golden tones in your hair - Quantum Glistening Golds Shampoo ($4) should do the trick.
Be a softie: Since blond hair is so light, chemicals from water and product buildup can cause hair to dull and yellow more noticeably. A water softener can help take away the blah. Try Jonathan Beauty Water Shower Purification System ($95) to perk up hair.
Herb rinse: For a natural approach, use chamomile to refresh your blond tones. In a non-metal saucepan, add several chamomile tea bags to about two cups of water and boil for about a half hour. Let cool. After washing your hair, rinse the chamomile through your hair several times. You can do this by dunking your hair into a sink filled with the liquid.
Fast fix: If your roots are starting to show or you are in-between colorings, fix that problem fast with a mascara-like highlighting pen, like Claudia Stevens Hair Highlighter in Gold ($4) or Claudia Stevens Hair Highlighter in Beige/Light Blonde ($4).
Deep condition: If you're lightening your hair, it's probably in need of a weekly deep conditioner. I like Aveda Color Conserve Strengthening Treatment ($26 to $68). For a more budget-friendly option, try Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner ($7).
Shine, shine: Blond hair often lacks shine. Bring back the healthy glow with a shine and color enhancing product such as Ken Paves Health Boost Up Color Drops in Honey ($40) or Ken Paves Boost Up Color Drops in Platinum ($40).

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How Do You Prefer Jessica's Hair Color?

BellaSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:12:33 -0800

Jessica Simpson has been experimenting with her hair color lately. She went from bombshell blonde to a more serious brunette. Somewhere in between she and her famous hairstylist buddy, Ken Paves, played with low lights to add depth and pale highlights just around her face for a sexy and soft effect. So tell me, which hair color do you prefer on her?

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Which Hair Color Do You Prefer on Robin Wright Penn?

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:02:37 -0800

Ever since she was Princess Buttercup, Robin Wright Penn has been known for her enviable caramel blond hair. Yesterday, though, she arrived at a screening of The Private Lives of Pippa Lee with dramatic espresso hair and a much sexier look (she's also aging fantastically, don't you think?). I love both shades and I admire her willingness to go for a big change, but which color do you think suits the Princess Bride better?

Does Dyeing Your Hair Blond Really Make You Look Younger?

BellaSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:00:37 -0700

This is one of those things I always hear, and a lot of women, like Anna Wintour here, do seem to opt for blond as they get older. I always assumed women go blond in their 40s and 50s because it's the easiest way to cover gray, but I've heard some vague evolutionary biology stuff thrown around, too, where people say that blond = youth. Because babies have lighter hair than adults, generally, blondes read as more fertile and youthful. But I just don't see it. It seems to me that a flattering shade is a lot more effective than just going lighter, and tons of babies are born with beautiful black hair. What do you think? Is there some truth to this, or is it all pseudo-science and no substance?

Blonde Ambition: The Secret Behind This Hair Color

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:00:54 -0800

My friend here - we'll call her Debbie Harry for fun - has the kind of long, beautiful, blond hair that I daydream about having. It's soft, golden, kinda Shiloh Jolie-Pittesque, and it complements her porcelain skin so well. We went out the other night, and I offhandedly mentioned how I've been thinking of dyeing my hair blond. "I just don't want to spend a fortune at the salon," I said. "You're lucky to have naturally blond hair."

So then Debbie starts laughing, har har. As it turns out, she's not a natural blonde. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Then I had to get the name of her colorist. And then she blew my mind: She colors her hair at home with L'Oreal Excellence in 10 Lightest Ultra Blonde. (To create different tones, she's used levels 9 and 9½.) Her secret to keeping her hair soft and brass-free? She touches up only her roots each month, and she uses the deep conditioner that comes with Excellence all month long. Now that I know her secrets, it's only a matter of time before I join her in the secret society of bottle blondes.

Do You Like Cyndi Lauper's Hair All Blond or Multi-Colored?

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:10:39 -0800

It sure has been a long time since we've seen Cyndi Lauper on the scene, but the other night she arrived at the Emery Awards with bleached blond hair. Her complexion looks amazing, but I'm also a wee bit disappointed that she's grown out of her wild, multi-colored hair from her halcyon years. Which hair color(s) do you like best on Cyndi Lauper?

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9 Bobby Pins That Won't Bore You

BellaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Remember the days when bobby pins were just bobby pins, and all you got from the color selection were just a few measly shades for blondes, redheads, brunettes, or black-haired beauties? Not anymore. These days, there's just about every size, shape, and color imaginable. So long, snoozy varieties. Here are a few bobby pins with a touch more personality.

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Is Sun-In Back?

BellaSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:41 -0700

Raise your hand if you've tried Sun-In. My hand is raised - and so were my mother's eyebrows when I tried several squirts of the hair lightener back in junior high. My locks transformed into a rusty orange tone, and it wasn't pretty.

It always seems that everything old is new again. Remember how crimped hair was so well-represented at 2009 Spring Fashion Week? Well, if that wasn't old-school enough for you, word is that everyone's favorite low-cost beach spray, Sun-In ($5), is making a comeback. My advice - unless your hair is already blond or lighter brown, head to the salon for any and all attempts at lightening your hair. You know, unless you totally dig a carrot top.

How to Choose Eyeglasses by Your Hair Color

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:44 -0700

Recently, I made my yearly - OK, it's been more than a year - trip to the eye doctor. I've worn glasses for about 14 years now, and from one "trendy" frame to another, I've had lots of different looks. Since some were good, and others I'd prefer to forget, that was the inspiration behind this series of posts on choosing eyeglass frames. Since we've already looked at face shape, eye color, and skin tone, for the final installment of this series, let's look at how your hair color can help guide you when making a choice between those funky green shades or whimsical yellow specs. To check out some tips, just keep reading.

What Do You Know About Redheads?

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:02 -0700

As Lucy could tell you, red is the rarest, and perhaps most coveted, hair color (so much so that Ms. Ball dyed her naturally blond hair her now iconic shade of carrot). And for thousands of years, people have been coming up with stories about it. In the Middle Ages, for example, people with a certain shade of red hair were considered unmistakably vampires or werewolves, and early Renaissance alchemists believed the blood of a red-haired man was necessary to turn copper into gold (aren't we sorta glad we live in a post-alchemy world?). For every crazy superstition, ginger stereotype, or story about a fiery temper, though, there's an actual, interesting fact about red hair. Take my quiz and find out just how much you actually know about our flame-haired brethren.
Photo courtesy of The USPS

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