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Good Idea or Bad Idea: Cutting Your Hair After a Breakup

DearSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

If you've ever gone through a bad breakup, and I'm sure most of you have, then you know change is sometimes the best cure. Since packing your bags and running away from your problems isn't always possible or practical, a quick fix will usually do the trick. And a change that isn't too brash but will make a difference is, of course, getting a haircut! According to Glamour magazine, 31 percent of women polled admitted to chopping their hair after a breakup. While I've definitely had the urge to do so myself, luckily my hairdresser has always talked me down off the ledge. Sure, cutting your hair is a great way to let go of the past, and a great way to feel light and refreshed, but tell me, do you think it's a good idea or a bad idea to make a drastic change to your appearance when you're in such a fragile state?

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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?

Best of Bella

BellaSugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

How to re-create Kristen Stewart's 15 hottest looks.
Can you guess these celebrities' natural hair colors?
20 adorable manicure ideas - holiday nails included.
Seven gorgeous ways to wear classic red lipstick.
Get 15 of Ashley Greene's prettiest red carpet looks.
20 fan-made Twilight beauty items you've got to see to believe.
Get Madonna's classic Material Girl look.
13 ridiculously huge holiday makeup palettes - because you need 85 eye shadows.
Nipple hair is more common than you think.
Bella TV's top five Twilight red carpet moments.

Hump Day: Sex Makes Her Uncomfortable

TresSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:30:23 -0800

Welcome to Hump Day, TrèsSugar's sex advice column. If you have questions about sex, send them to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:
I'm 24 and in my first relationship. I really like the guy, we've been going out for six months, but I get nervous whenever he slips his hand under my underwear. He gets the hint and stops. I don't mind him doing other things (we haven't slept together yet), but I wish I wasn't such a prude. I don't know what he expects and I worry that he will be grossed out, as I only shave/wax the bikini line but not the whole thing. What if he thinks it is ugly? I also don't know what I should expect; he knows I'm a virgin, but I don't know how to speak to him about why I get uncomfortable, and I don't know how to overcome it! I also have a few stretch marks and worry that he will be grossed out by them. Please help?

To read Dr. Glickman's response, read more.

Thank you for sharing this challenging situation. I know that it can be scary to talk about things like this, but these are all really common thoughts.

One of the things that can help when you’re on the edge of your comfort zone is to take it very slowly. It’ll probably help to tell your guy about your discomfort, even if you can’t tell him why it’s there. You could simply say "I have a lot of discomfort around sex." You also might want to do a little solo exploration. It takes the pressure off because there aren’t any partner expectations. Check out the wonderful book Becoming Orgasmic. If you’re looking for tips or ideas for techniques, Tickle Your Fancy is full of suggestions. Once you know a bit more about what you like or dislike, you and your boyfriend might be able to find something that you both like to do.

It’s worth mentioning that vulvas come in all different shapes. (The vulva is the external female anatomy. The vagina is the inside part.) There’s a long history of negative attitudes towards the vulva, but each one is unique and beautiful in its own way. A lot of women have the idea that there’s something wrong with their vulvas because they don’t look like what we see in porn or because they have hair, and I think that’s unfortunate. I strongly recommend getting to know your parts and Scarleteen has a great site about that. It’s geared towards teens, but there's lots of amazing info about sex, bodies, and pleasure.

Another option would be to explore some of these concerns with a therapist. When you have an itch on your back, you need someone else to scratch it. Therapists help us by reaching the spots we can’t reach on our own. Lastly, depending on where you are, you could join a body-image support group. While they tend not to focus on sexuality, they can be an incredibly helpful way to work through our concerns about our bodies and how we (or other people) feel about them.

Working through these challenges isn’t always easy, but it can be very rewarding. Whatever route you choose, I hope you find the pleasure and joy that you deserve.

I Smell Dead People

BellaSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:41 -0800

If you want to smell like Marilyn Monroe, it's well-known that she was a Chanel No. 5 devotee. But what if you just want to smell like her genetic code? Well, now there's a fragrance out there to help you do it. A company in LA has come out with a line of perfumes called Antiquity that it says are supposed to smell like various deceased stars' DNA.

I, personally, was unaware that my DNA smelled any way. But the company says that it's got a "secret process" using hair strands collected from people like Marilyn, Einstein, Elvis, and a ton of others that it uses to make these scents. Which still doesn't at all explain how you could make a fragrance based on genes. What do you think about this? Does the vagueness, secrecy, and appeal to "science" make it sound like a crock, or do you think there's something to this idea?

Best of Bella

BellaSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:03:34 -0800

The 15 greatest America's Next Top Model photo shoots.
Going gamine: 28 famous looks to inspire you.
Five tips to get Kristen Stewart's New Moon shine.
Nine bobby pins that won't bore you.
Seven ways to mend a broken heart . . . with beauty.
Is the Blake the new Rachel?
Stylist James Corbett gives us all the new hair color trends.
Genki desu ka? It's more Guess the Japanese Beauty Invention!
15 unusual and fun manicure ideas.
Check out these beauty bargains!

Photo courtesy of The CW

James Corbett Talks Hair Color Trends For a Fab Fall

BellaSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:02:40 -0800

Over the past 15 years, stylist James Corbett has not only amassed an impressive list of celebrity clients, but he's also trained with the best in the industry, including Beth Minardi, Warren Tricomi, and José Eber. Two years ago, he opened his own shop, the James Corbett Studio in New York, and now, he has some great ideas for fabulous hair color this season. You've already seen a few haircut trends for Fall, and now, it's all about perking your locks up with the right hues.
Source and Source

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Do You Pay Attention to Micro-Trends?

BellaSugar — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:00:37 -0700

Trendlets cause constant commotion in the beauty realm - one week, five celebs wear the same coral lips, the next, everybody's got their hair in a chunky braid. I love them because they give me little style ideas and I don't feel forced into them, but do you? Are you oblivious to the whims of fickle fashion, or do you love that it's always changing?

Source: Flickr User ticklemepink

15 Cute Ultra-Last-Minute Halloween Makeup Ideas

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:15 -0700

OK, so there's no time left to shop for a costume, and you're panicking because you still can't decide what you should be. Calm down, because I have 15 cute, easy makeup ideas that'll make you the life of the party no matter how dressed up everyone else is. And don't worry - for many of these looks, all you need is a black eyeliner pencil and a little attitude. Click through to see the most fun you can have with Halloween in five minutes or less. And if you still don't see anything you like, grab a look from our 32 hauntingly fun Halloween hair and makeup ideas.

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Halloween How-To: Do Dramatic Goth Like Beth Ditto

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Leave it to Beth Ditto to make massive amounts of creamy metallic purple eye shadow look acceptable. Her pale skin is contrasted by dark lipstick, on-trend eyes and ahh yes, that fiery orange-red hair!

Talk about someone who's not afraid of a little colour. Beth really knows how to rock out with different looks, and this particular style is a bit more goth than glam. Why not dress up as Beth or any of these other fab pop stars this Halloween?

Shop Beth's beauty look for hair and makeup ideas below!

Avon Ideal Shade Mousse Foundation Stick - £10.00	Urban Decay Icon lipstick - £12.00
Eylure Tokyo False Lashes - Toshiko - £6.50	Transparent Finish by Alison Raffaele - £21.00
BaByliss 2088CU Pro 230 Elegance Hair Straightener - £78.29	Urban Decay Sky Scraper Mascara - £13.70
Brunette Brow Bound Eyebrow Pencil, Le Métier de Beauté - £25.00	Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner Black - £4.99
Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad - £22.00	Mister Mascara slant tweezer and mini - £7.55
John Frieda Radiant Red Colour Magnifying Original Shampoo - £4.79	Ruby & Millie Lip Colour - £2.48
Givenchy 1.1g Magic kohl eyeliner pencil - £12.23	Gosh Powder Effect Butterfly Eyeshadow - £4.79
Live Colour Xxl Red Passion R43 - £4.68	Gosh Velvet Touch Foundation Primer - £13.00