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John Frieda's Quick Tip on Creating Instant Volume

BellaSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:00:31 -0800

Famous hairstylist John Frieda says that most people fall into one of two groups: those who are lacking volume and those who are looking to tame their frizz. I've got you covered on the latter, and as for the former, here's a quick tip from the legendary stylist on reviving limp locks.

If you have no time to wash and style your hair, you can pump up the look with three basic ingredients: a round brush, a blow dryer, and a volumizing product, like Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster ($6) or Oscar Blandi Volumizing Spray ($18). First, hold the hair straight up on dry hair and spray the roots. Next, take a small section from right behind the fringe, wrap it around the round brush, and blow-dry, concentrating on lifting the roots for volume. Finish off by grabbing subsequent sections of hair back toward the crown, and there you go. It's instant volume without too much effort.

Diddy's Tips For Hosting the Ultimate Party

partysugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:00:25 -0800

From his annual white party to his recent 40th birthday bash, Diddy is a celebrity who's known for his extravagant entertaining. Even Martha Stewart is excited to receive a coveted invitation to one of his events.

While ordinary people like you and me can only dream of attending a blowout bash hosted by Diddy, when I spoke with him last week he shared his tips for hosting a Diddy-style soiree. Find out what they are after the break.

Melissa d'Arabian's Helpful Hints For Feasting on a Budget

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:00:31 -0800

Of all the year's celebrations, Thanksgiving often is the most expensive. In 2008, roughly a quarter of you said you were spending $150 or more. This year, to help you stay well within your budget, we've enlisted the help of Melissa d'Arabian, winner of the Next Food Network Star and host of Ten Dollar Dinners With Melissa d'Arabian.

On her Food Network show, Melissa makes dinner for four for under $10 - and her Thanksgiving is no different. She's partnered with Walmart to come up with a turkey day feast that's only $20, and plans to serve it to her own family this holiday. "My family is really getting the $20 thanksgiving!" she says. Regardless of how much you've got in your wallet, she has some pointers to help you stay under budget. See them when you read more.

How-To: 14 Tips For Being a Gracious Guest

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:00:11 -0800

Thanksgiving is all about family, food, and remembering our blessings. Yesterday, I gave you tips on how to keep your cool if you're hosting Thanksgiving. But if you're spending Thanksgiving dinner as a guest, you have responsibilities as well! Perhaps the best way to thank your host family for their hard work is by acting like a gracious guest. Check out my 14 tips for being a guest they'll remember (in a good way) for years to come.

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How to Set a Formal Place Setting

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:36:36 -0800

Since so much thought, time, and preparation goes into making the Thanksgiving meal I think it's important to properly set the table. Thanksgiving is only three short days away, so why not do the place settings tonight? From the utensils to the water glass, it can be hard to remember where everything goes. That's why I've put together this helpful slideshow - learn how to create an elegant place setting now.

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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.

Thanksgiving Tip: Freeze the Butter Before Making Pie

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:32 -0800

When making pie dough, it's very important to use really cold butter. This will ensure that the crust is rich, flaky, and buttery. Most recipes remind you that the butter should be cold, but whenever I'm baking a pie, the first thing I do, before measuring anything, is cut the butter into 1/4-inch cubes. I put the cubes in a small dish and place it in the freezer. Then, I start making the dough. The butter is in the freezer for only a few minutes and doesn't really freeze; instead it gets really cold. Do you have a tip for great Thanksgiving pie?

Tame Your Frizz With Tips From John Frieda

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:30 -0800

Lack of body or too much frizz: "Most people fall into one [category] or the other," explains hair guru John Frieda. The solution? "A product and a technique," he says. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Frieda first started out, the majority of the products available were just for body and volume. If you had any issues with frizziness, as 60 percent of women do, you couldn't turn to your favorite anti-frizz serum or cream to quell the problem, as those types of products just didn't exist quite the way they do today. At least there was disco, right? Frieda, along with stylist Harry Josh, recently spoke on the stubborn issue of frizz. To find out how to prevent your hair from looking as if it's been hit by a Van de Graaff generator, keep reading.

Meet Our New Food and Entertaining Video Channel, YumTV!

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:43:19 -0800

I'm a huge fan of PopSugar Rush and BellaTV - that's why it brings me great honor to introduce our new food-related video channel, YumTV! We're creating an exciting lineup of original shows that will debut every week. YumTV is your ultimate guide to all things food, drink, and entertaining. We'll show you how to throw the perfect party, cook killer apps, browse the farmers markets, shake up creative cocktails, and much more!

In today's first episode, we talk about one of the most important side dishes of the Thanksgiving meal, mashed potatoes. To learn how to add a punch of color to our basic mashed potatoes recipe, watch YumTV now!

Thanksgiving Tip: Refill Your Ice Trays

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:50:35 -0800

Before a party or a big feast like Thanksgiving, there are a couple of minor - yet impactful - things I always make sure to do. One is to empty the dishwasher; another is to refill my ice trays completely with fresh water. There's nothing more annoying than reaching for ice to go with water, punch, or cocktails, only to find that there's one cube left.

Add a note to your Thanksgiving planner: The morning of the big dinner, fill your trays with distilled water, which will prevent ice from appearing cloudy in the center. When guests arrive, you'll be able to serve them drinks with a just-made batch of ice. What little tasks help you stay on top of all the Thanksgiving mania?