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India Arie Is Not Her Hair

bellasugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:00:20 -0800

Back in 2001, I picked up Acoustic Soul by India Arie and liked it a lot. Unfortunately, I lost track of her until this week, when I ran across a video for "I Am Not My Hair." The song came out in 2006, but its message of self-acceptance and confidence is timeless. India sings about her experiences with "good" and "bad" hair, running through a long list of hairstyles she's worn throughout her life. It's a smart examination of the personal politics of black hair, and a pretty catchy tune, too. And as much as I think the word "empowering" is overused and misused, it fits this song perfectly.

Love It or Hate It? Katy Perry Gets A Chop

BellaSugarUK — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:30:00 -0800

Music's latest It girl has taken to the scissors and chopped off her lush black hair. Katy's long and blunt Louise Brooks style bob looks sleek and much more sophisticated than her typical long waves. Perhaps it's her sudden breakup that preempted the change, or, it could be a desire for a new image in the new year. Either way, it's certainly caught my attention. How do you feel about Katy's cut?Source

Love It or Hate It? Katy Perry Gets A Chop

Love It

Hate It

How-To: Create a Looped Ponytail in Two Minutes

bellasugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:50 -0800

My sister has a full-time job, twin boys, and not a whole lot of time to spend on her hair. So, she asked me to help her create a look that was fun, easy, and — most importantly — fast.

Since braids and twists are trendy and flattering on just about everyone, I used that concept as my inspiration. And as she worked from home over the holidays, I got out the basics: a brush, some hairspray, and a ponytail holder. Here's what we did:

Spray hair with hairspray to create a smooth surface. Next, pull hair back into a low ponytail.
Using your fingers to separate hair above ponytail holder, create a hole.
Lift ponytail up and over ponytail holder, right into the hole you created. Push hair all the way through.
Pull ponytail outwards to tighten, and you're finished.
Optional: Loosen twist by lightly separating with fingers for a softer effect. Add a barrette à la Nicole Kidman for a fancy finish.

Love It or Hate It? Anne Hathaway's Fall

BellaSugarUK — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:32:00 -0800

Hair extensions can either be clipped in, bonded, braided, sewn or weaved into your hair. Fake ponytails are typically attached by a giant claw, but falls are solid hair pieces that get attached just under the crown of your head to add length, thickness and volume. Last night at the Bride Wars premiere in New York, actress Anne Hathaway arrived with a rich brown fall that added a certain 1960's polished mod-style glamour to the red carpet. How do you feel about Anne's flipped fall?Source

Love It or Hate It? Anne Hathaway's Fall

Love It

Hate It

Love It or Hate It? Ashlee Simpson is Back to Blonde

BellaSugarUK — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:30:00 -0800

With all of the hoopla surrounding Christmas and New Year's, I completely forgot to ask you what you think of Ashlee Simpson's new, old hair colour. I remember Ash as a blonde from her 7th Heaven days, but since then she's gone from black to brown to deep red. I absolutely love the colour, the length and the loose, relaxed waves that frame her beaming smile. What are your feeling about this fair hair on Mrs. Wentz?Source

Love It or Hate It? Ashlee Simpson is Back to Blonde

Love It

Hate It

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,

Do You Use Colour Enhanced Hair Products?

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0800

I'm not the biggest fan of coloured dry shampoos or even coloured mascara for that matter, but when it comes to shampoo and conditioner, I've found that choosing a product that has colour enhancing capabilities is quite helpful. They help keep my freshly dyed hair from fading and looking dull within a few short weeks, and I like how the pigment adds a touch of thickness, moisture and a ton of shine. Lastly, and best of all, because of all of the scale in our water, a colour enhanced shampoo and/or conditioner also helps to counteract brassiness in blondes, red tones in brunettes and rusty effects in redheads.The only drawback is that you typically have to let it sit anywhere from five to ten minutes, so I tend to alternate with a regular shampoo if I'm in a hurry. Are you a fan of colour enhancing hair products?

Do You Use Colour Enhanced Hair Products?

All the time

There are certain products I use

I never do, what if it accidentally dyes my pillowcase!

How-To: Learn a Four-Strand Braid

bellasugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:00:55 -0800

It can be tricky to visualize how to do a hairstyle without actually seeing each step in action — just imagine trying to explain braiding to a pal over the phone! One of my favorite ways to switch up a traditional braid, which uses three strands of hair, is to use a woven, four-strand version. Trust me, it's not as hard as you may think. To help you get started, I created a slideshow and numbered each of the four sections so you could follow along from pictures and numbers. Stepping in as my latest hair model was a Sugar staffer with the longest locks of them all, geeksugar. Grab a pal of your own and get to braidin'.

Do You Prefer Malin Akerman as a Brunette or a Blonde?

BellaSugarUK — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Earlier this month Scarlett Johansson decided to darken up her hairdo, and now check out Swedish actress Malin Akerman. This typical funny blonde who's appeared in Entourage, The Heartbreak Kid and is most well known for her dastard and non-sisterly behaviour in 27 Dresses debuted a brand-new, bronze-copper hair colour at the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival over the weekend.I think the shade gives her warm personality even more of an approachable feel and I especially like how she's decided to go for something new when we least expect it. Which hair colour do you think is the most flattering on Malin?Source

Do You Prefer Malin Akerman as a Brunette or a Blonde?

Brunette

Blonde

Biggest Headlines of 2008: Fringe

BellaSugarUK — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:00:00 -0800

If ever there was a year when fringe came back in style with a vengeance, it's 2008. Celebrities ranging from Paris Hilton to Elle Macpherson have been cutting face-framing fringe to modify their typical layers. Fringe is versatile since it can be worn blunt, side-swept or curled under. It's a great way to modernize your hair without the risk of chopping it off (fringe grows out within a few months) and then hating it.

I love fringe so much, that I've snipped a pair of banging bangs myself. They're fun, but I'd be lying if I didn't divulge that bobby pins are my new best friend (blogging and hair in the eyes, doesn't mix well). How do you feel about this years influx of fringe?

Source, Source and Source