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Hair How-To: Geri Halliwell's Twist

BellaSugarUK — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I was always one of the wear-long-hair-down brigade, and hated seeing girls with scrappy ponytails or messy buns. What was the point of having long hair, I reasoned, if you were always going to wear it up?

Well, that is a classic case of hair today, gone tomorrow.

This season, I'm really liking the bevy of celebrity beauties who've been sporting pretty and quirky up dos. Geri Halliwell is one of them, I love her retro, slightly kooky, 60s 'do.

Here's an easy how to:

Scrape hair back into a high ponytail, using a wide-tooth comb. Fasten with a bobble that's the same shade as your hair.
Next, twist hair around in a loose bun. Use the right index finger to act as the 'pivot', so hold the bobble and twist the hair around that finger, using your left hand. Pretend you're winding wool around a spindle!
Tuck the very ends under the twist, and pin using hair grips.
If you have very long or thick hair, add more hair grips to secure the 'do. Then spritz with a firm hold hairspray, such as Andrew Collinge Long Lasting Hairspray, (£3.99).
This style looks chic with a Grecian-inspired dress or bold gold jewellery. Its also great for adding height if you're petite.

Source

Doing Drugstore: Curly Sexy Hair Curl Power

BellaSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:00:11 -0700

When I can't get a grasp on my mane of curls, I feel like I need a superhero's abilities to help out. Turns out Ghostbusters were busy when I called, so now I'm shouting out for Curl Power ($14)!

I recently tested items from the Curly Sexy Hair line and this was my clear-cut favorite. So many sprays offer an accompanying unwanted crunch, but since this spray foam is applied straight from your hands, it helps you stick to the proper proportions and spread it evenly, too. One complaint: While it didn't weigh me down, my fairly thick tresses needed additional products to hold steady. Turns out, I missed the fine print (for fine-to-medium hair), so I'm betting it'd work even better on those curly girl wranglers battling against less tangles and volume than me.

Do You Ever Dry Your Hair With Paper Towels?

BellaSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:00:28 -0800

Recently, while perusing the Tabatha's Salon Takeover website (have you joined my We Love Tabatha group, by the way?), I came across a tip that I really hadn't heard before, although it seems to be reserved for the more frizz-prone or curly-haired set. Instead of rubbing water out with a towel, simply squeeze the moisture out with paper towels. The theory is that the softer texture of paper towels is less aggressive than than rougher-textured terry cloth towels.

It goes beyond paper towels, too. Often those with curly locks will opt for squeezing out the excess moisture with old cotton t-shirts or microfiber towels - a more environmental option, if you ask me. Sorry, Brawny Man. What about you? If you've got curly or particularly frizzy locks, do you go the nontraditional anti-terry-cloth route? If so, how's it working out for you?

Source: Flickr User edkohler

A Tax on Cosmetic Surgery - Love It or Leave It?

TresSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:07 -0800

The Senate's proposed healthcare bill includes a novel approach to enhancing funding for reform: a five percent tax increase on cosmetic surgery. Procedures like tummy tucks, face lifts, hair plugs, collagen injections, Botox, or any other non-required procedure would get hit with the increase. The tax could raise as much as $6 billion.

If you think taxing superficial wealthy people to pay for the necessary health care of the poor sounds like a perfect idea, some people, namely cosmetic surgeons, say you got it all wrong. Statistics show that one-third of people who get plastic surgery make under $30,000 and 86 percent make less than $90,000. In addition, 85 percent of procedures are paid for by credit. So the tax would hit lower income people the hardest. Then again, maybe it makes sense to make cosmetic surgery even more out of reach in order to help fund basic healthcare needs. Still, more damaging to the cosmetic tax plan is the fact that a similar tax has so far failed in New Jersey, where it costs $3 trying to figure out what counts as "cosmetic" for every dollar raised from the tax.

Do you think the "botax" is worth a try?

Love It or Hate It? Topshop's Sequined Top Hat Clip

BellaSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:12 -0800

The holidays are all about amping it up, trying looks that aren't part of your everyday routine, and sequins, of course. Recently, while perusing holiday hair accessories, I came across this Sequin Top Hat Clip ($18) from Topshop. It has pearls. It has glitz. It's definitely got a whole lot of kitsch, and I could totally envision it being an appropriate New Year's Eve accessory. What do you think? Does this sparkly top hat have just the right amount of quirkiness, or is it simply too over the top?

Is "Ginger-ism" Growing in the United States?

BellaSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:00:08 -0800

If you've seen the South Park episode "Gingervitis," you know how Cartman feels about gingers, or fair-skinned, freckled redheads: they're less than human. While most people viewing the episode probably took it as, at best, a morality lesson about arbitrarily discriminating against others, and at worst a joke in poor taste (maybe both), it isn't so funny in real life.

A group of students in Calabasas, CA, instead decided to institute "Kick a Ginger Day" at their middle school, and proceeded to beat up some of their classmates. While this is an example of the worst sort of juvenile stupidity, it does point out the underlying prejudices redheads have to deal with, whether it's jokes about their "fiery tempers" or sexual harassment. Even Christina Hendricks's character Joan on Mad Men continuously gets called "Red" and has comments made about her. And in the UK, ginger discrimination is wel -known - to the point where redheads have been awarded settlements after workplace harassment tied to their hair color. What do you think about all this? Are there more pejorative connotations connected to having red hair these days, or are people just now paying more attention to a long-extant problem?

Doing Drugstore: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask

BellaSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

After reading all of the good things the Beauty Product Junkies had to say about this deep conditioner, I decided to pick up my own jar of Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask ($6.99). I've been using this therapeutic tress treatment once a week for a few weeks now, and so far, I've been really impressed.

I'm new to deep conditioners, so I figured I'd start with Neutrogena's version, mainly because it's a major bargain compared to some of the other products out there. Though I don't really have "extra dry or over-processed hair," which is what the conditioner is designed to tackle, it does tend to look ratty between haircuts, and this conditioner really made a difference, so read more

Made with olive, meadowfoam seed, and almond extract, this sweet-smelling cream conditioner definitely made my hair look shinier and healthier after just one use. It smoothed my frizzies and split ends and got rid of that dull appearance that hair gets over time.

Better yet, a little really goes a long way, so you only need a small finger-full to coat all of your strands. I also love that it doesn't add any time to my beauty routine: You just leave it on for just a few minutes while you're in the shower.

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.

3 Tips on Battling Wintertime Frizz in a Flash

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:48 -0800

Do you have flyaways galore? No doubt frizziness is a year-round issue. But now that the warmer-weathered humidity-induced frizz is pretty much no longer the cause of extreme pouffiness, lots of us get the frizzies from merely wearing scarves, hats, and gloves - not to mention the low moisture levels in the air.

Recently, famed stylist John Frieda, along with Harry Josh, gave us tips on eliminating frizz on wet locks. However, let's say you just don't have time to go through the whole blow-drying process, or your already-styled hair is showing signs of frizz galore. Here are three simple tips from the stylists on battling frizz in a flash, all on dry (as in not wet) locks. To get their expert advice, just keep reading.

This Guy Really, Really Hates Body Hair

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:00:02 -0800

According to (inaccurate, unfair) stereotypes, the French just love hairy legs. Not so, says prankster Rémi Gaillard, who holds such a serious grudge against fuzz that he heads to the tiny town of Poil - that's French for "body hair" - in an attempt to eradicate it. How do you say "hijinks ensue" en français?