PopSugar

The 411 on Thinning Hair

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:59:21 -0700

Ever get completely freaked out by all of the hair in your drain at the end of a shower? Or how about the excessive amount of strands that are left in your brush each day? Here's the scoop on that will hopefully shed some light onto the subject of thinning hair.

Glamour magazine reports that about 43 million American women in their 20s and 30s suffer from substantial hair loss. Due to all of the over-processing, (i.e., coloring, ironing, straightening, blow drying), people are putting way too much stress on their strands.

Oh and extensions? Fuggetaboutit-those are the enemy if your hair is thinning. They can cause serious breakage at the roots where regrowth occurs.

The average person should lose about 100 strands of hair per day. Stress, going off of birth control, wearing tight ponytails and having a baby can all cause hair loss, as can poor nutrition. Since there is such a strong desire to be thin, many young women aren't eating a well-balanced diet. But don't panic. Here's what to do.

Remember that hair is fragile, so if you can, skip using hot tools. Only when necessary, dry hair on a warm setting and don't tug on your hair with a harsh brush. Eat more foods that contain iron, protein, zinc and biotin, and take the necessary measures to reduce your stress level.

If these tactics aren't helping, I suggest consulting a dermatologist. Ask for a hair and scalp analysis when you make your appointment. Also, please keep in mind that while thinning hair is not the end of the world, it could be a symptom of a more serious health condition. Please listen to your body and take care of your hair.

Source

Is the Blake the New Rachel?

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:00:17 -0800

In the '90s, one hairstyle reigned supreme: the Rachel. When Jennifer Aniston debuted this layered bob for Friends, it seemed like half the women in America followed suit. It truly is the era's iconic haircut. Now, The New York Times makes the case for Blake Lively's hair being the It style for this decade. "Her hair right now is a big trend," said New York stylist Nuri Yurt, adding that it works only for tall, thin women.

Blake Lively does have beautiful hair, but is it groundbreaking and iconic the way the Rachel was? I'm not convinced. What about you - do you think this is the new iconic cut, or is it just a bunch of buzz?

What's Your Biggest Concern About Your Hair?

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

About a year ago, I noticed larger than normal amounts of hair in my shower drain, so I decided to make an appointment at the Phillip Kingsley Clinic for a hair and scalp analysis. After taking a blood test and meeting with a consultant, it turns out that an iron deficiency was the cause of my hair loss. Seven months, many vitamins and a few treatments and products later, my hair is finally growing back.

In the midst of my research, I hadn't realised the large concern that twenty to thirty something women had about thinning hair (which by the way is treatable and very different than balding). So vote below and leave a comment sharing with me and the rest of the BellaSugar community the biggest concerns that you have about your hair.

Product Review: Nioxin Shampoo and Conditioner

BellaSugarUK — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0800

For the last six months or so I’ve been in denial about my limp, lackluster and worst of all thinning hair. I’m not sure why I feels so taboo to discuss, (I’m guessing it’s because we always think of men losing their hair and not women) but lately, more than I care to admit, my hair has been falling out in the shower and whenever I brush it which has me feeling both embarrassed and worried.

So when I went in for a cut and colour a few weeks ago, I was ecstatic to learn about Nioxin System Three Cleanser and Scalp Therapy (on sale for £25). This duo is designed to exfoliate the scalp and clean away dead skin and clogged hair follicles to make room for healthy hair to grow freely.

A walnut-sized amount of shampoo is enough to create a rich, foamy lather. It tingles upon contact and leaves your head feeling minty, cool and clean. The scalp treatment is creamy and intense and should be applied from roots to ends. It helps add body to the hair and keep the scalp moisturized and soothed. I have medium length hair and a pence-sized amount was enough to create a silky result.

To find out if it really works and to see close-ups of the products, read more.

I’ve been using it for two weeks and I can already feel a difference. My hair isn’t of course instantly thicker, but if feels smoother, lighter (I think because all of the trapped sebum and dead skin have been removed) and shinier. Also, it's helped to safeguard my newly-enhanced colour from the damaging scale in our water. I only hope that in the coming weeks that my hair will regain some more of it's old volume.

The only drawback is the scent. I’m used to shower products being aromatic, flowery or sugary, certainly not medicinal. The good news is that you don’t have to use it everytime you shower. Just two to three washings a week should suffice and in between you can use whatever you fancy.

Nioxin has an extensive product list for all kinds of hair types. I like that it's not outrageously expensive, yet it produces a salon quality result. What's your biggest hair care concern?

View 3 Photos ›

Motherhood: A Harried-Mom Tale That Often Feels Tired

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:30:20 -0700

When you have a parenting movie set in New York, you should know better than to expect a warm-'n'-fuzzy story about the joys of having kids. In fact, Motherhood is out to prove that mothers have it rough.

The film follows Eliza Welsh (Uma Thurman), a Manhattan writer dealing with a cramped apartment, busy husband, and side-street parking while raising her two kids. A day in her life feels like a really, really long 24 hours. Eliza runs around frantically trying to prepare for her 6-year-old's birthday while composing an essay for a parenting magazine contest and squeezing in a sample sale with her mommy friend Sheila (Minnie Driver). We know that Eliza was once a great writer, but when she had kids, she decided to give up her job to raise her family. Now, she's a shell of her former self in frumpy clothes and messy hair. Simply put, Eliza is dealing with the classic parent conundrum: how do you care for your kids and still retain something for yourself? The answer? It ain't easy.

For more about what I mean, read more.

Eliza doesn't try to feign martyrdom. In fact, she often whines about her plight in a way that screams, "I'm angry, dammit!" And at first, you're angry for her too. (No woman deserves to put up with all that she does.) But as the film goes on, Eliza's bitterness knocks you over the head, and you have to you wonder - is she like this every day? Yeesh.

Luckily we have Eliza's friend Sheila for some needed comic relief. Sheila is the cool single mom to the more neurotic Eliza - she mouths off cheeky one-liners and uses her son's motorized bath toy for her "alone time." Jodie Foster also delivers a hilarious cameo as a celebrity mom swearing at the paparazzi on the playground - aka, herself. Both women keep Eliza's "what-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong" storyline from wearing too thin.

Mothers will probably identify with either Eliza or Sheila but what about the rest of us? While the actors perform well and the movie provides laughs for those who can relate (read: parents), most of the jokes don't feel fresh, and you've probably seen similar setups on shows like The Middle or In the Motherhood or any of the other dozens of family comedies in recent years. Props to the filmmakers for giving mothers their due, but if you're not one yourself, an hour and a half with Eliza may be enough to make you rush out of the theater and buy birth control.

5 Ways to Get Chip-Resistant Matte Nails

BellaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:29 -0700

There's no denying that matte nail polish is the "it" polish finish right now. In fact, there's no denying that nail polish in general is having one hot moment - particularly in the drugstore category. While matte has a very fashion-forward appearance, the problem is that it just doesn't wear as long as regular polish.

While chips can sometimes lend to the cool factor, they're typically unwanted. Besides, the only "Chip" I ever really liked was this blond-haired, dark-eyebrowed cutie from the high school years. At any rate, to find out some of my tips for getting the most out of your matte finish, read more.

How to Choose Eyeglasses by Your Face Shape

BellaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:59:54 -0700

Have you ever wondered what the "secret formulation" is for picking out eyewear? While there are no exact rules, by looking at your skin tone, eye color, face shape, and hair color, your clues are already there. Over the next few days I'll give you tips so that you're well-prepared for your next visit to Frames R Us. To kick this series off, let's start with face shape. To find out more, just keep reading.

How-To: Blake Lively's Oh-So-Pretty Curls

BellaSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:52 -0700

Blake Lively always looks so pretty and friendly on the red carpet, and last night at the Where the Wild Things Are premiere, her look deserved a gold star. The makeup was pretty simple (pink champagne sparkle eyeshadow, glossy bubblegum pink lip), but her hair, in those perfect starlet curls, was the real standout for me. To find out how to get this glam look, which I'm thinking will be perfect for romantic dinner or some swanky night out in the near future, just keep reading

Prevent Mascara From Smudging With These Easy Tips

BellaSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:00:39 -0700

We've all had times when we've woken up after a particularly fun night, when the raccoon look is in full effect. Smudgy mascara happens, and unless you're intentionally applying face paint under your eyes to shield out the sun during your Saturday morning flag football games, I don't know many people who appreciate mascara gone south. But with a few simple tips, you can keep those product slips at bay. Besides the obvious - waterproof mascara - here are some other ways to keep your mascara on the lashes, not on your skin. Check out some suggestions for staying in the clear when you read more.

Trend Alert: New Plait Styles For Spring

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:30:00 -0700

Today's Spring New York Fashion Week beauty trend is all about hair. Plaits have always been in style taking the form of milkmaid plaits, thin plaits around the crown of the head, french plaits and so on, but these new styles get even more creative. Take a look at the runways of Alexander Wang, Gerlan Jeans, Leifsdottir, Diego Binetti and Oscar De La Renta from earlier this week and let me know which hairstyle you like best.

View Slideshow ›