BellaSugar

Definition: The Afro

BellaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:00:11 -0700

You've probably seen, or maybe even worn, an afro. But do you know about the history of this hairstyle? This natural look became widely popular in the late 1960s to 1970s, during which the Black Power and Black Is Beautiful cultural movements were in play. The style became a personal-is-political statement from African-Americans who wanted the world to see that their natural beauty (both hair texture and skin color) should be considered equally as beautiful as that of Caucasians.

Afros are maintained by using a hair pick, and compared to the stress and pain of relaxing hair, many people find it's easier to go natural. Even though afros are less common today than they once were, curly-haired people continue to wear them proudly - including Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu, who sports a version of the afro in the new Tom Ford ad campaign.

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Bella Donna: Nina Simone

BellaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:39 -0800

Nina Simone's first-remembered act of moral resistance occurred at one of her concerts when she was 12. Her proud parents, who were seated in the front row, were told to move to the back so that white attendees could have their seats. Nina, incensed, refused to continue playing until they were given back their rightful place. From then on, her career was marked by vocal, tenacious challenges to inequality.

Despite harm to her viability as a popular artist, she created some of the most memorable songs of the civil rights era, including "Mississippi Goddamn" and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black." In addition, she took part in the Selma to Montgomery marches. She was also one of the first celebrities to embrace her natural hair texture, wearing everything from an afro to a modified hi-top fade. Although commercial success frequently eluded her, many of her songs are now standards of the jazz and soul canons, and she lived to see a resurgence in her popularity during the 1990's.

Her personal life was as tumultuous as her career, and she lived in Barbados, Liberia, the Netherlands, and Switzerland before settling in France, where she passed away after a protracted battle with breast cancer in 2003. We have Nina to thank not only for her music and her style, but for her unwavering sense of fairness and her compelling calls to action. She's an excellent example of someone who refused to be a bystander to injustice and persecution - something we could use a little more of these days.

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Love It or Hate It? Afro Puff at Petro Zillia

BellaSugar — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 06:00:22 -0700

Designer Petro Zillia paired her fun, flirty, and free-flowing dresses with a variation on the updo at LA Fashion Week. She pulled the model's hair back into a traditional ponytail then added some serious volume in the back with a curly 'fro. The designer counts Paris Hilton as a client, but somehow I can't envision Miss Hilton sporting this style. What do you think of the pulled back afro puff?

Perk Up Unruly Curls With This Easy Fix

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:00:09 -0700

As owner of Urbanbella, an Atlanta apothecary-style salon and store that caters to women with kinky, curly, and wavy hair textures, Keneesha Hudson has mastered the art of the curl. The two major complaints she hears most frequently are the appearance of unwanted frizz and increased dryness, particularly during the cooler months. And while sometimes the bedhead look is hot, other times, that dryness and frizz can get in the way of having an amazing hair day. So I asked Hudson what tips she gives her own clients on getting a quick fix for unruly curls, particularly when rolling right out of bed when the hair tends to be at its most uncooperative. To find out what she had to say, keep reading

Janelle Monáe Talks Music, Style, Books, and Beauty

BellaSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:01:52 -0700

If you haven't heard of Janelle Monáe, you are missing out. Seriously. The Grammy-nominated singer has a smooth but strong voice like felted cashmere, feet like Fred Astaire, and style like nobody else. Fresh off supporting tour dates with Erykah Badu and No Doubt, she's sharing her high-energy show at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on July 4, followed by a performance July 6 at Afro-Punk in Brooklyn. Check out her Many Moons video and you'll see why a live performance is not to be missed.

I spoke to Janelle this week about her music, her inspirations, and - of course - her style. She's as sweet as she is intelligent, so read on for the interview.

A Few Words With Project Runway's Lead Stylist, Jeanie Syfu

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:45:18 -0700

Despite what some people might say, Project Runway isn't just about the clothes. It's about the models, makeup, and hair, too. Jeanie Syfu, lead stylist for the TRÉSemme team, has to whip up runway-ready styles in a tiny sliver of time. In between writing her ProjRun blog and styling models for future episodes, she made time to dish on what it's like at the behind-the-scenes "salon."

How do you work with the contestants to devise the looks for their runway challenges?
They come down with a sketch, a swatch of fabric, or a reference, depending on what the challenge was. Because we only have 30 minutes to get everything done, we try to make the consultation as quick as possible. We just start having a conversation about ideas what we can do with the model’s hair - if the model’s hair would be able to do the style and if the time allows it. It’s really fun.

You should see how quickly they’re able to make these garments, because so much drama goes on upstairs that we have no idea what’s going on. So, sometimes [the designers] come down, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes we just try to do the guessing game and figure out what it’s actually going to look like. We just do what we can in the time that we have.

To find out which hairstyles are the go-to choices when time's running out, read more.

So there are some contestants who just go up into the last minute and don’t have the model’s hair done at all?
We’ve come very close to that. It is so crazy back there - sometimes they are counting the seconds getting the last zipper done, or something comes apart and they need that extra 10 minutes to finish. Sometimes they never make it down and the models just put it in a ponytail or a bun. It always seems to work out in the end.

What is it like for you and your team to create those hairstyles so quickly, knowing that they’re going to be seen by millions of people?
It’s always fun. I have such a great team! We’ve all done plenty of shows during Fashion Week, and we’re all very familiar with how things run back there and how quick you have to be. On a normal day at a photo shoot, we would have plenty of time to prepare. Given that we only have 30 minutes - sometimes less -to get something done, it’s a challenge even for us to get the hair looking perfect in the short amount of time that we have. So, it’s really hard but we always end up making it beautiful. I love it. It’s exciting.

The designer and the model often come in with their own ideas. Do you ever have to say, “That sounds great, but in a half hour there’s no way it’s going to happen”?
Yes, it’s happened to me many times. Many times. We have a lot of ethnic models this season, so we had one girl with this huge afro. Sometimes [the designers] would want a straight blow-out, and we would just be like, “That is so impossible.”

Yeah, and I think that afros are so beautiful anyway.
Totally! I’m all about like making the afro bigger, but sometimes the design didn’t really call for that.

For more Project Runway talk with Jeanie, come back tomorrow!

Reader Review of the Day: L'Oreal Telescope Mascara

BellaSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:00:41 -0800

Sometimes it takes a while to find that perfect mascara. Some of us need lengthening, some need thickening, and some need both. Reader AfroChicxxx has found her match in
L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black ($8.79). Here's what she had to say about this intensely pigmented product:

I simply adore this mascara. It separates, defines, and lengthens. I won't say I have tried every mascara, but I have tried a fair few - high- and low-end - and I always come back to L'Oreal Telescopic. This is without a doubt one of my favorites. This mascara gives a polished wide-eyed look. You won't be disappointed. Take it from someone with sparse tiny lashes.

Want to add your own two cents? Check out our product reviews section to share your thoughts.

Lovely Links

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:03:11 -0800

Elle gives the Afro a little love - Afrobella
Is Crisco better than Creme de la Mer? - Babyassface
Mariah Carey's portrait, made with makeup - Jezebel
Lip balm in a ball - I Heart Daily
Hair makeovers with Ted Gibson - Stylelist
Skin care on the cheap - Makeup and Beauty Blog
Use vinegar on curly hair - Naturally Curly

Bella Donna: Diana Ross

BellaSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:00:52 -0700

This week's Bella Donna is another singer (like last week's pick, Deborah Harry). The fabulous and dramatic Diana Ross is one of the most successful musical artists of all time, so it's no surprise that her unique look influenced legions of young women in the '60s and beyond.

The Detroit-born Ross leapt to fame as the lead singer of Motown supergroup The Supremes. Their hits, including "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On," brought incredible success to the quartet, and in 1968 Ross embarked on a solo career that lasted for decades. In more recent years, she's been in the news for her unusual behavior (remember when she grabbed Lil' Kim at the MTV Video Music Awards?), but there's no denying the influence she's had throughout the years.

Before Diana Ross, black women had relatively few pop culture icons. But when the Supremes hit the scene, everything changed (Even Oprah has said that Ross was her icon as a young girl). Ross' dramatic eyes relied on heavy eyeliner and false lashes-two huge trends in the '60s. As time went on, her hair evolved with the trends: From the flippy bob of her Supremes days, she went on to wear an afro before ultimately settling with the natural-looking curls she sports today.

To view a gallery of Diana Ross throughout the years, and to read her quotes on beauty, read more

On plastic surgery: "My kids would be really upset if I did anything like that, and I've seen so many pretty girls mess themselves up, and you can't turn things around."
"By the time I was 16, I was going to beauty school on weekends. I learned a lot about hairstyling, manicures and pedicures. When The Supremes went on the road, I did everyone's hair-you know, the hot iron and rollers. I wanted to learn everything about beauty to make people more attractive."
"I never like to think of myself as beautiful. I like to think of myself as healthy; beauty comes from being healthy."
"[Beauty] means being a good person, having integrity and loyalty and being true to your work. There's power in that! Walking around being self-indulgent about prettiness-that's not important."

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