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Relaxed vs. Natural Hair vs. Weaves vs. Dreads

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:02:21 -0800

Here are highlights from OnSugar blog Krissy's One Stop Beauty Spot.

Women, especially black women, have the ability to change hairstyles like underwear. I support you ladies no matter what you do - just do it right and take care of your hair. For the most part we all practice the same principles when it comes to proper hair care (co-washing, ACV rinse, trims, deep conditioning, etc.). I'm always willing to help people with hair questions and concerns, or at least point them in the right direction. I know plenty of people in that area.

Where I stand on a lot of hair issues:

I'm anti kiddie perms and kiddie dreadlocks on children if they're at an age where they can't make that choice for themselves (unless, of course, it's part of your religion). It's not about the chemicals, it's about the fact that it's a permanent hairstyle on a child. What if your child decides they want to wear their natural hair? You'll have to either cut their hair to transition them to natural hair. Yes, you can remove dreads but unless someone can find me a "safe" method that doesn't damage the hair, then I won't be changing my mind about this.
I'm pro weaves and braids as long as it's done right and your hair is still being kept healthy. If your hair is being done too tight and coming out, it's time to find a new stylist.
I'm pro curly and natural hairstyles within corporate America. I hear a lot of natural haired beauties bragging about self-acceptance and mainstreaming natural hair, but they still search for corporate hairstyles because of their natural hair. A bun will always be conservative no matter what type of hair you have.
I've always encouraged hair dialogue among women of different nationalities. You'll be surprised by the things we all have in common. If your non-black friend is telling you about a great hair balm that she pays $15 for, take her on a trip to a local beauty supply store and show her where to buy it for $5.

Read the entire post here. Want to see more? Start following OnSugar blog Krissy's One Stop Beauty Spot or start your own OnSugar blog. Maybe your stories will be featured on BellaSugar.

Do You Still Straighten Your Hair?

BellaSugarUK — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

With slightly fluffy, matte hair being on the beauty radar lately, suddenly super-shiny straight hair seems a bit last season. I have to admit that there is something WAG-ish about poker straight locks, especially when they're flat with no volume or bounce.

Having said that, I'm torn. I do love the shine that using straighteners brings to hair and whenever I see girls with glossy, straight hair in the street I'm more than a little jealous.

How about you, do you still straighten your hair?

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A Quick Tip For Choosing a Hair Mask

BellaSugarUK — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

September is the perfect month for treating post-summer hair to a conditioning mask. If your locks are looking more dull and dehydrated as oppose to silky and shiny, then the right moisture-boosting mask can add lustre and restore your hair to it's former glory. However, as with face masks, a one size fits all approach doesn't always work. Instead, follow these top tips for choosing the right deep-conditioning treatment for your hair type.

If you have fine hair then aim to boost volume with a light-weight formula. Look for products with scalp-stimulating peppermint which helps to expand the follicles, giving the illusion of fulller hair.
Maintain the shine of coloured hair with tone-enhancing ingredients. For example, go for camomile for blondes, henna for brunettes and cherry bark for redheads.
Increase the effects of the hair mask by applying it in the bath. The heat and steam from the water will open up the hair cuticles and allow the product to properly penetrate and repair the follicles.
Don't forget that there's only so much product that your hair can absorb. Instead of using too much product, aim to apply a mask twice a week if your hair is extremely parched. Try Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets Indulgent Beauty Moisture Mask, (£4.99).
Read my pick of the best nourishing hair masks for all different hair types.

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A Quick Tip For Mussed Up Hair

BellaSugarUK — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Getting gorgeous low key looking hair that seems effortless to style comes from texturizing. Take inspiration from the fluffy, matte hairstyles on the catwalks such as Guido's amazing birds-nest hair.

Use plenty of volumizing products at the root and lengths of your hair to create a big is beautiful style. However, it's important to know that too much product will give you the fake-hair piece style that some of you hated on Sarah Harding recently.

For easy peasy mussed up waves, just read more.

Keep waves loose and brush out curls for a slightly frizzy effect. Don't worry about shine, this is supposed to have that just-got-out-of-bed feel.
The easiest way to nail this look is by applying two egg-sized balls of mousse to wet hair before blow-drying. This will give the hair texture and thickness.
Rough blow dry using your fingers to style instead of a brush. If your locks have a tendency to go flat on the top then blow dry upside down for at least the first few minutes to ensure height.
Keep tipping your head upside down through out the day (do this in private if you don't want to like like you're starring in a shampoo advert!) to keep the style looking suitably rock chick.

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Beauty Byte: UK Bars Offering Bathroom Hair Straighteners

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 May 2007 09:00:55 -0700

First came condom machines, tampon dispensers, and even perfume spritzers. But the latest bathroom vending trend is just plain weird: coin-operated hair straighteners and curling irons. (Thanks to Beauty and the Blog for the tip.) Strange, but true: A British company called Beautiful Vending has created a hair-straightening vending machine called Straight Up.

Found in nightclubs, bars, malls, and gyms, these wall-mounted machines offer GHD flat irons for customers who need a quick fix for misbehaving hair. According to the Beautiful Vending web site: "Your customer’s bad hair days are now a thing of the past, and they will thank you once our Beautiful Vending machine is installed."

Now, I can see how this might be a nice feature in a locker room or hotel - much like the ubiquitous hair dryers - but nightclubs? It's hard to imagine women taking dancing breaks to line up and straighten their hair. So please, tell me: Would you use a straightening iron during a night out?

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Hair How To: Charlize Theron's Angelic Waves

BellaSugarUK — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Charlize Theron never fails to wow me with her beauty – I get the impression that she must be truly breathtaking in person.

At the premiere of Hancock, with Will Smith, in Tokyo, yesterday, she was certainly working the trends.

Lace dress? Tick. Smoky, soft goth eyes? Tick. Super natural, glowing skin? Tick. But it was her hair that I was most impressed by.

Charlize is one of the few red carpet actresses who manage to work hair trends and not look like they've tried too hard. Polished yes, but never over-preened or fussy.

Here's some tricks for getting her look at home. Just read more

When your hair is wet, create a deep side parting, letting it fall over one eye. Pin the front section aside and rough blow dry the rest of your hair. Secure it at the back in a messy twist, with pins.
Next, unpin the front section and blow dry straight, over one eye. To add extra shine, like Charlize, try a glossing product such as Shu Uemura Art of Hair Silk Oil Camellia Smoothing Fluid.
Use a large, round bristle brush to create extra sleekness, while maintaining volume.
Now, spritz with a heat protecting spray, such as Andrew Collinge Heat Defence Spray, (£3.99).
Then divide this front section into three to five smaller sections. Lightly tong each section, starting below your brow line, with curling tongs.
Be careful not to tong for too long. 30 seconds for each section should be enough, as you're aiming for waves not curls.
If you're having trouble creating the face-framing wave just at eye level, simply pin the whole section to the side of your head, in line with your brows, using hair grips. Leave it like this while you do your makeup. When you take the grips out you'll have created an artful kink and that seductive, hair-over-the-eye effect.

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Will You Be Wearing Your Hair Slicked Back?

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

If the catwalks are anything to go by then the 20's slicked back hair style is the big beauty trend for next Spring. This classically masculine hair was seen at the Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton and Karl Lagerfeld shows at Paris Fashion Week, teamed with bold makeup. Meanwhile at London Fashion Week hair had a deep side parting and looked almost greasy to the touch at Temperley.

The do certainly stood out on the catwalks, where it provided a contrast to the more feminine pieces. I like the idea of wearing it with dark, smoky eyes although I'm a little scared that my hair would just look unwashed. Will you be following this trend?

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Beauty Byte: Kate Moss Co-Creates Hair Care Line

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:59:01 -0700

WWD reports that Kate Moss is planning to launch a line of hair care products with her long-time childhood friend and famous coiffeur-but not the late, great godfather of soul-James Brown. Brown's client list is almost as impressive as Kate's resume. He's worked on the heads of top celebs such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gisele Bundchen and both Beckhams.

The collection will be called James Brown London, and it will comprise sixteen different products ranging from shampoos to conditioners to serums. All products are priced at £5.99 ($12.16 at the current exchange rate), except for the Intensive Mask tubes which will cost £7.99 ($16.22). The line is expected in UK stores next month.

Kate Moss directed and posed in the black-and-white ads for the line. The idea was to have simple pictures because the philosophy for the brand is simple. The prices aren't insane, the packaging is very plain and concept is really user-friendly. For example, the products are numbered according to hair type so that users will know what goes with what.

I really it like when models and celebs launch beauty products. After all, they are the ones who suffer the strains from over-processing and over-styling, so why not try something that they feel really helps them?

Does it seem naive to assume that celebrities actually use something they endorse? I don't know, but I just have a good feeling about this-maybe it's because Kate herself has financial stake in the company. Combined with her new fragrance launch, it looks like Kate the Great is becoming a real beauty queen.

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A Quick Tip To Banish Frizz

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:00:00 -0800

Dry, damaged and downright frizzy hair is one of the perils of all the rain and moisture in the air this winter. Plus over styling and blow drying can also lead to your style looking fluffier than usual. As I have naturally wavy hair, I'm very prone to frizz so have been seeking out some insider tricks for gorgeously glossy locks.

Frizzy hair not only looks unhealthy, it can make you look older too. As well as having regular trims, using a good conditioner and avoiding too much heat styling, there are a few beauty editor secrets for keeping your barnet looking shampoo-ad shiny. For some easy tips to try at home, just read more.

It sounds too simple to be true, but water temperature can help dry hair look healthier. When washing your hair have the water on a warm to hot level to help the shampoo and conditioner be absorbed into the hair and scalp. Then blast hair with ice cold water for the final rinse to close the cuticles and make it look shinier.
Use a deep conditioning hair mask, such as Umberto Giannini Indulgent Beauty Moisture Mask (£4.99). With the mask on your hair pile it on top of your head and wrap the whole thing in cling film, before covering with a hot towel. This helps the treatment to penetrate deeper into the hair. Leave on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing.
If you have dark hair or medium coloured hair that's not been coloured, use olive oil as a super moisturising hair mask. Apply after shampooing to the mid lengths and ends of the hair and leave on for a few minutes. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and avoid completely if you have pale or coloured hair, as it may stain your locks.
Use a finishing cream to smooth down the hair after styling. This won't repair your hair but it will give the appearance of a silkier do. Try John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Agent (£4.47).

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Channel Your Inner Stylist With the Bring It Home Beauty DVD

BellaSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:00:34 -0800

Watching your beauty budget due to the rough economy? Didn't have time for that root touch-up appointment? Or maybe you've been thinking about becoming a licensed cosmetologist, and you want to get in a little practice first.

Whatever the case, the licensed professionals over at Bring It Home Beauty have put together a step-by-step instruction video that's easy to follow, with parts filmed in slow motion, so that you can better follow along to recreate salon looks at home. Their Hair Edition Volume 1 ($24.95) is like a crash course in cosmetology, without the weekly blue-hairs or state board tests, of course. To see what I thought of the DVD, read more.

Created by a mother and daughter duo, Angela and Becky Harris, the DVD includes comprehensive chapters on sanitation/safety; styles (French braid, casual/formal updos, blow-drying, and curling); suts (how-to use clippers and shears to cut hair); and color (highlighting and root touch-up). "We believe every woman can look chic for less," they say.

While some techniques are easy to do on yourself (French braid, bang trims), others (like highlighting) are best performed on your guinea pigs. . . er, at-home clients. Although the video itself doesn't have quite a polished feel, with its dated graphics, elevator-style music, and prom-style updos - that's all easy to look past. The ladies dispense great advice on how to DIY at home, particularly when it comes to cutting hair. And for just under $25, you'll get many uses out of their product. And these days, can one even get a decent haircut around that price range?