BellaSugar

What We're Sweet On: Clever Dry Shampoo

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:05:00 PDT

Dry shampoo is such a useful little item, but the very nature of the stuff presents a problem. It's like shampoo, but it's not, and most of the time it's perfumed to smell like something else, whether the scent is lemon meringue or night-blooming jasmine. Which is all well and good, except for one thing: it doesn't actually smell like shampoo.

Enter Clean Dry Shampoo ($18), which is a nice powder-based formula that actually smells fresh and soapy. It's also great for volumizing fine hair and covering up roots if you've been hitting the bleach bottle a little too hard.

Gym Bag Essential: Skinnyskinny Dry Shampoo

Heather Dale — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:24:32 PDT

I've got wavy, long, and thick wild tresses, which, needless to say, isn't the easiest to manage post-workout. I try my best to skip washing my hair every day to prevent damage, but I love the feeling of squeaky clean hair. Even when I attempt to just rinse my hair with water, I may throw in a bit of conditioner to make my hair smell like a bouquet of fresh flowers.

For those of you like me who want that clean fresh feeling (minus any oil) and hair that smells so good you want to eat it, I turn your attention to dry shampoo. We've already talked about Oscar Blandi's Dry Shampoo and now I'd like to introduce you to my latest pick - skinnyskinny's Organic Rose and Black Pepper Dry Shampoo ($32). What I love about this dry shampoo is the fact that it goes with all hair colors - brown, black, blond, you name it. Unlike other dry shampoos that don't blend very well into your hair, with skinnyskinny's version, a little on the scalp goes a long way. Although the color is white, all you have to do is run your fingers through your hair a few times and it will easily blend in. Other pros include its spicy/floral scent and the fact that it actually adds texture and volume to your hair. I kid you not, my hair sometimes looks better after using this product than if I were to wash and blow-dry it - go figure!

Use Dry Shampoo to Make Your Blowout Last For Days

BellaTV — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:14:00 PDT

Not only does dry shampoo help absorb oil on your scalp, but it also keeps hair smelling clean with just a few spritzes. It's also perfect for making your blowout last for days. Check out the video now to see just how easy it is to use.

Get Natasha Bedingfield's Sweetly Shaggy Hairstyle

BellaSugar — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:00:00 PST

Natasha Bedingfield always looks casually graceful, and at the AMAs last night, her soft, textured hairstyle was pretty without looking too formal or overdone. The stylist who created her look, Caile Noble of the Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in LA, gave us a step-by-step breakdown on getting this look right. So to find out how to re-create Natasha's subtly tousled shag on your own, just keep reading.

An Easy Way to Degreasify Your Bangs

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:00:39 PDT

Here's a post from OnSugar blog, Addicted to All Things Pretty:

Greasy bangs are the worst! We’ve all been there before - have a great hairstyle, bangs are cut just right, and two or three days later your hair still looks great but your bangs are a hot mess. They’re sticking to your forehead like glue and the oil is making the hair stick together in huge chunks. They're lacking movement and bounce, and they just sit there. I hate when this happens. If my hair wasn’t due for a wash, I would pin it all back and wash only my bangs and restyle them. This task does not fit my lifestyle whatsoever. Who has time to always wash their bangs every couple days? I knew I had to get over my fear of dry shampoo. I use to view dry shampoo as something "dirty." Please, dry shampoo isn’t dirty at all; it’s quite the must-have hair product for the quintessential girl on the go.

See more of what Krissy has to say about dealing with greasy bangs, along with a review of a great $5 dry shampoo. And when you're through, why not start an OnSugar blog of your own? You might be featured right here on Bella, too.

Products That Help Make the Locker Room a Quick Pit Stop

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:50:46 PDT

I tend to make it to the gym pretty late at night, which means I'm not trying to waste time. And the locker room - IMHO - can be a major time suck. Over the years, I've found ways to speed up the process so I spend less time fussing in the locker room, and more time on the exercising. Need a little help in the time-saving department? Here are a few products that ensure the locker room isn't a black hole for your fitness fun.

The proper lock. Since I'm big on misplacing keys, being responsible for a padlock key isn't the smartest choice. But combination locks are sensitive and can be a big waste of time - especially since the sequence of numbers is often confusing. The solution? A Wordlock. Instead of messing with numbers that need turning to the left or the right, all you have to do is spell out a word of your choice.
Get organized. The women at my gym who take the longest in the locker room are the ones who throw their lives into their bags - and then onto the locker room benches! Instead of having to dig through your bag for your essentials, find a bag that has lots of compartments so you can organize, organize, organize! I also keep my toiletries in a separate bag so when it comes time to shower or freshen up, I can just grab it and go.
A streamlined beauty routine. When you leave the gym as late as I do, showering isn't always an option. To keep my hair from getting gross, I pull it back in a ponytail and also wear a sweat-absorbing headband. If I need to freshen up on my way out, dry shampoo and body wipes can save me a good 20 minutes compared to a shower.

What products help you get in and out of the gym quickly?

Bella's September Must Haves

BellaSugar — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:00:01 PDT

Welcome to September, one of the most exciting months of the year for beauty and fashion. It's a time of new palettes, new products, and new trends that are sure to delight and get you in the mood for the cool weather to come. So what should you be looking out for this month? We've gathered 10 of our favorite ways to launch yourself into the new season stylishly.

The Sneaky Gal's Walk of Shame Preparedness Kit

dannysf — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:00:00 PDT

A wise man once told me that he didn't believe in the walk of shame, because there's nothing for which to be ashamed. And while I agree with his sentiments, sometimes there's no avoiding feeling a little less than put-together after a fun night out. Since "unshowered and stale" isn't the kind of Facebook status update you probably want to have, I've put together a clever kit of products, all in sizes small enough to stay inconspicuous without cluttering up your purse. To find out more about these goods, just wave your cursor over each one.

Bella's Top 5 Deserted Island Beauty Essentials

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Besides "What's your favorite color?" or "What type of food do you like?" perhaps one of the most-asked celebrity questions, particularly of the Tiger Beat persuasion, is, "What items would you bring to a deserted island?" In honor of Lost's final show on Sunday, as well as to pay tribute to the aforementioned age-old question, I've gathered together my top five favorite desert island beauty essentials. Check out the list now, and be sure to tell us yours at the end, too. (And no, it doesn't include a box of Dharma red wine, but perhaps it should, particularly for the antioxidant benefits, no?)

BellaTV: Dry Shampoo Refreshes Greasy Hair in a Flash

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:31:20 PDT

When you don’t have time to fully shampoo your hair, you could use baby powder, but that can leave an unsightly white residue behind. Here, two Sugar editors have some fun showing you how to keep your hair smelling fresh and looking clean in just seconds.