BellaSugar

More Tips For Making Curly Hair Gorgeous

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:00:19 -0700

Years ago, when hair expert Keneesha Hudson allowed her curly locks to go natural, it proved to be a positive experience. "I feel a great sense of freedom wearing my own hair," she told me. "It definitely has a much more organic feel to it. It doesn't hold me back from any activity - from anything," she added. As owner of Urbanbella salon in Atlanta, Keneesha educates women about embracing their own curl. She's already offered us tips on taking care of curly locks, as well as taming unruly strands, and now it's time for tips on cuts and styling. To find out her sage advice, just read more.

Got Kinky, Curly, or Wavy Hair? Read This.

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:00:16 -0700

As owner of Atlanta's Urbanbella salon and apothecary-style store, Keneesha Hudson has learned a thing or two about hair - particularly when it comes to kinky, curly, and wavy textures. That's why I consulted with the leading expert in the category on how to tame those unruly curls; and now, I have more of her helpful tips. No matter what kind of curl texture you've got, if your hair has some type of wave to it, this post is for you. Just read more.

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

Can't Do Bedhead? Try These Five-Minute Curls Instead

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:00:31 -0700

For times when the sultry bedhead hairstyle or tousled beach waves aren't what you're going after, why not play up the sexy side of curls with something a bit more mellow? You can still rock a come-hither look, without going the route of the old-timey roller set-style, either. At Milan Fashion Week, Hilary Swank looked stunning with waved hair that avoided being too prim and proper. What I like most about her loose, softly rolled curls is that they're not perfectly pouffed, but they still have that sensuous factor without being too in-your-face sexpot. This is a look I do about once or twice a week when I've got about five extra minutes in the morning, and by nighttime, it's perfectly tousled for cocktail hour. To find out some tips on how I do it, just keep reading.

Do You Use Hot Rollers?

BellaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0700

The other day, while finally cleaning out my closet, I discovered many things about my style over the past few years. Some of them questionable - is pleather ever really a good idea? - and one of them being that my barely used, decade-old set of hot rollers could use a little love. I'm not sure why it's been so long since I've busted out this reliable old-school styling tool, but maybe I should. They are, after all, amazing for creating lots of volume and twisted textures, and you can't beat flattering curls with minimal effort. Tell us: Do you use hot rollers, and if so, what are some of your favorite techniques?

Day-to-Night Hairstyle in a Flash

BellaSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:00:11 -0700

Celebrity stylist Charles Baker Strahan has been sharing his tips for making our hair look its best during warmer-weather months, from avoiding naughty locks to his suggestion for a fresh Spring haircut to making your ponytail less boring. Now he's offering up his tips on creating a simple office-to-party hairstyle in a flash. He said:

One style that I think is very versatile is loose, tousled waves. You can start with your hair down, and the soft tousles can be pulled up into a messy bun with braided moments throughout to add a different texture. Because the waves are already there, it will look more dressed up than just an average bun.

Once you've got your tousled style all set, check out tips from Napoleon Perdis on how to go from day to night with your makeup for a more dramatic look, reminiscent of Jessica Alba's soft, tossed-back waves. Be prepared to watch heads turn.

Source

Seven Ways to Wear a Wavy Pixie Cut

BellaSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:00:50 -0700

I can't get enough of Audrey Tautou's wavy pixie. It has the perfect vintage vibe with a fresh, modern appeal. To duplicate this forever-in-style look, apply a texturizing gel or a curl activating spray to damp hair and let air dry. If your hair is short, touch up pieces with a curling iron for a polished yet effortlessly tousled look. If your hair is longer, create a "fake-out" style by pulling your hair back into a tucked-under ponytail, then curl face-framing sections to shorten. Check out my slideshow for some inspiration on re-creating this gamine style for different hair types. Source

View Slideshow ›

What Makes Curly Hair Curly and Straight Hair Straight?

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:00:39 -0700

And wavy hair wavy? Well, as you may have suspected, it does have to do with genetics, but other factors influence hair growth as well. According to Proctor and Gamble, researchers do not completely understand why some hair twists and turns and some lays flat, but here are the most commonly accepted theories. Some are a little more scientific and others more commonsense.
Check them out when you read more.

Shape and opening of the follicle: If you have curly hair, your follicle is probably very flat in diameter. Straight-haired people have circular follicles. As for the wavy bunch? They have oval-shaped follicles.
The number of twists per unit length: Even the straightest of hair twists as it grows. The more twists, the more curl.
Humidity in the air: Hair, which is porous by nature, easily absorbs moisture molecules in the air, making the hair curl or frizz. Enough said.
Hormones and medication: Changes to the shape of the follicle caused by hormones and medication can alter the texture of your hair and the way it grows.
The position of the hair bulb in the follicle: The bulb is located at the bottom of the hair shaft. People with really curly hair may have a hooked end towards the bottom of the shaft, meaning their hair grows at more of an angle. Straight hair means little to no hook.
The number of disulfide bonds in the hair: Simply put, the way protein structures are arranged in each hair shaft effect how hair behaves. The more disulfide bonds that occur between hair proteins, the curlier the hair and vice versa. This explains why you can temporarily alter the texture of your hair with heat and/or water - just by breaking bonds.

Source

TeamSugar Creates Bedroom Hair With the Remington Airwave Dryer

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:00:35 -0800

You might remember that our very own TeamSugar, who's become our unofficial Bella hair model, recently tried out Remington's Emi Airwave Anti-Static Style System ($25), an ionic blow dryer that comes with a special wave/curl inducing attachment. Previously, she created some structured beachy waves on her naturally curly hair. This time, she wanted a more sexy look, and opted for a looser wave. You know, what you might call "bedroom hair."

Team said she was most impressed with the dryer for its ability to lock in moisture, its lightweight feel, and fast-working drying time. She even prefers the way it handles her curly locks over a regular diffuser. See how Team created this style when you read more.

After towel drying her hair, she sprayed Bumble and Bumble Tonic Lotion ($18) to help condition and defrizz.
Next, she used the Remington Airwave without the attachment to blow-dry her hair straight, leaving it slightly damp.
Then, working with small twisted sections, she blow-dried her hair with the attachment, working from top to bottom.
To finish off the style, she used some hair spray and tousled it with her fingers. "The final look was bedroom hair with a whole lot of body and more waves then curls," she said. Sex-ay.

Remington's Airwave Dryer Creates Beachy Waves

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:01:02 -0800

Whenever I think long hairstyles, TeamSugar is one of my favorite go-to gals. Remember her Angelina Jolie-esque bun? This time, TeamSugar volunteered to try out the Remington Emi Airwave Anti-Static Style System ($25), an ionic blow dryer that uses a nifty little attachment to create beachy waves. It sort of reminds me of the twirling action of a vacuum cleaner, without the scary factor.

After giving the Airwave a whirl, our lovely model was pleased with the results. The attachment helped her to create non-pouffy ringlets on her naturally curly locks; She even preferred the contraption over a diffuser. Since this dryer was easy to use, didn't take long to dry her long hair, and reduced static overall, it gets her seal of approval. Check out the gallery below for more pics, and learn how to create TeamSugar's sexy style after the jump.

View 5 Photos ›

For TeamSugar's how-to, read more.

Step 1: Comb Jonathan Product Condition Leave-in Gloss Creme ($22) through the hair. Using fingers, spread evenly.
Step 2: Twist a section of your hair and place in the blow dryer attachment. Blow-dry until semi-dry (dries better when partially damp to avoid the frizzy look). Continue to twist and dry until you’ve done your entire head of hair, leaving the crown to dry naturally.
Step 3: Spray Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Wave Creating Spray ($20) lightly over entire hair. Separate the curls/waves with your fingers to break up the style.
Step 4: Go over any areas that need more waves. "Your hair will fall nicely with a 'just got off the beach and looking glamorous' look the entire day," she said. Woot woo! (That's my attempt at a whistle.)