BellaSugar

Bella Brand: Hair Rules

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:00:46 -0700

Longtime readers know that PopSugar has beautiful curly hair - perhaps you remember her advice for curly girlies? So when I found out about Hair Rules, a new collection of hair care, I knew who could help me try the products. What's cool is that the line is divided into styling products for kinky, curly, and wavy hair; it's not a one-curl-fits-all kind of thing. The products are meant to hydrate and protect textured hair without weighing it down or trying to straighten it out.

To find out whether it lives up to its promises, read more.

Pop tried a few products from the line over a three-week period, so she has plenty of things to say. "The smell of the products alone is reason enough for me to buy them," she raves. "The citrus-pineapple-papaya-like smell is so fabulous to wake up with every morning. They use words like shea butter, coconut, jojoba, honey, ginger root, lemon, and gardenia so I'm not sure the best way to describe the scent - I will just call it heaven."

I'll let her take it from here:

Wavy Mousse
"This was my favorite product. I substituted it in my mousse routine and it made my hair smell great, feel softer, and have more-defined curls. It is more watery than a regular mousse. At first try, it felt like I had shampoo in my hair, but once I kept using it and got used to it, I loved it!"

Daily Cleansing Cream Moisture-Rich No-Suds Shampoo
"First I had to get used to a shampoo that doesn’t foam. I know it still works, but it's weird. That said, knowing I need as many moisturizing products as possible this is a great choice. Again, the smell is amazing."

Quench Deep Conditioner
"I might have a new favorite conditioner. Again, the smell is unbelievable and my hair felt really well moisturized after I used it. Some days I skipped the shampoo altogether, but I used the conditioner. It’s a medium thickness but goes on well."

Get Hot (Pink Lips) Like Eva Mendes

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:00:27 -0800

We here at Sugar HQ have decided that Eva Mendes never looks anything but absolutely beautiful. At a recent Calvin Klein event in Milan, Eva proved that the rules are meant to be broken. While her skin and hair coloring are more in the warm-toned family, the actress still managed to pull off a traditionally cooler-toned hot pink lip that had just the slightest glimpse of a coral undertone. Call it a bright poppy shade of sorts. What I like most about this look is that it's decidedly not a just-stepped-out-of-the-mall circa 1984 kind of effect. It's fresh, alluring, and very flirtatious.

To get my tips on pulling off a hot pink lip, just keep reading.

Should Japanese Swimmers Be Allowed to Paint Their Nails?

BellaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:02:33 -0700

If you're in a Tokyo pool, think twice before pulling out your nail polish. From now on, Japanese competitive swimmers could face a lifetime ban from the sport if they dye their hair or have brightly decorated nails. Why? Officials say, "We have had many recent controversies with marijuana in sport and at universities, and this is about swimming taking a stand on its own initiative." The officials also cited similar rules for the US and Australian teams.

In my seventh grade speech and debate class, though, we learned that an appeal to authority isn't the same thing as a good justification, and I'm having a hard time viewing these rules-in any country, the US included-as fair. What do you think? Is this a standard that's necessary to maintain the dignity of the sport, or is it unfairly biased against young women who want to express themselves?

How to Choose Eyeglasses by Your Face Shape

BellaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:59:54 -0700

Have you ever wondered what the "secret formulation" is for picking out eyewear? While there are no exact rules, by looking at your skin tone, eye color, face shape, and hair color, your clues are already there. Over the next few days I'll give you tips so that you're well-prepared for your next visit to Frames R Us. To kick this series off, let's start with face shape. To find out more, just keep reading.

3 Tips on Choosing a Red Lipstick

BellaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:00:36 -0700

Red lips are one of those things that will never go out of style, and they're universally flattering. Problem is, many women don't wear them because they can't find a shade that's flattering or worry that it will be too bright to be pretty. Well, worry no more, fair ladies. Lipstick impresario Poppy King is answering the eternal question: how do you choose a red lipstick? To find out how to get your red right, just keep reading

Now You Can Polish Your Laptop, Too

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:01:08 -0700

You can customize your shampoo and conditioner based on your hair color, and you can customize your makeup palette. Now, as part of Dell's Design Studio program, you can even customize the Dell Mini, Inspiron, and Studio laptop models with color options based on OPI nail polish colors. The collection, which will feature 26 color choices, will kick off with six lacquer shades: Kyoto Pearl, Princesses Rule!, Up Front & Personal, Dear Santa, Holiday Glow, and I’m Not Really a Waitress. According to OPI's Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, the line "recognizes the importance of nail polish and the role it plays in a woman’s life." As for Geek and I, while we think it's a fun concept, and the customization angle is appealing, we wonder: do women really need polish to compute? Tell us what you think in the comments.

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2009 Primetime Emmy Awards: Sandra Oh

BellaSugar — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:11:56 -0700

Sandra obviously doesn't need to get very done up to look gorgeous, and tonight she followed her usual red carpet rules: pretty, softly waved hair, a neutral pink lip, and eyeliner that follows her lid precisely to emphasize her eyes instead of overpowering them. It's a winning combination, and she always looks great as far as I'm concerned, but what's your feeling about it? Do you like her signature look, or do you wish she'd try hair and makeup as daring as the roles she takes?

Vote on all of my Primetime Emmy Awards polls here!

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Extensions: Part 2

BellaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:02:31 -0700

Welcome to the second part of my interview with awesome celebrity and fashion stylist Kristin Ess from LA's Warren-Tricomi salon. Last time we talked about getting the right extensions for your hair color and texture, and today we're tackling some important rules for styling, maintaining, and using extensions that are good to know even if you're not in the market for extra hair. So just keep reading.

How do you care for extensions as far as brushing and styling?

Please brush your hair twice a day: Brush it in the morning, and brush it at night. I don’t care what you do, but you have to brush it. I also always encourage everyone to put their hair in a loose braid before bed, because the less it gets tossed around while you’re sleeping, the better. When you’re brushing, you should be using a natural boar’s hair. It’s just softer on hair.

With extensions, can you use them to add volume on top, or are they just for length?

It’s a very common misconception that you get crazy volume at the top of your hair. Extensions are heavier than your hair, so actually, you’re going to be flattening the hair on top if you put them there. Now, what you can do in order to gain a little volume is put some in toward the front on the side.

People often confuse their terms, too. They don’t mean volume, they mean density or thickness. You can totally use extensions for thickness. But your thickness is gonna be more on the sides and on the bottom than on the top. It’s up to you to do the top of your own hair.

For more of the interview, keep reading.

Win Imju Mascaras For You and Six Friends From Sephora!

BellaSugar — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:30:00 -0700

Do you love the look of long, curled lashes, but your mascara just isn't giving you the results you desire? Or, perhaps it's merely that you don't have time or the patience to apply false lashes to create the flattering effect. Whatever the case, for this week's giveaway, our pals at Sephora are giving you the opportunity to try seven sets of innovative lash-enhancing products from Imju. That's 14 products in total! Keep all for yourself, and/or share with friends.

In Japan, the Imju brand is one of the top beauty companies in the country. In fact, its much talked-about Fiberwig Mascara, which uses a special microfine fiber to coat the lashes, is renowned for giving the illusion of lashes so long, it's like you're actually wearing falsies. Not only will the lucky winner receive seven of these mascaras, but they'll also receive seven Tiny Sniper Mascaras, with brushes that are small and angled to coat those hard-to-reach hairs. We've got your lashes completely covered.

To enter, just take the quiz by 5 p.m. PDT Sunday, and one winner will be selected at random. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just on taking the quiz after you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a PopSugar Community member to enter. So if you're not already one, register now. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Prizes can be shipped to US destinations only. Remember: You must be logged in to the PopSugar Community for your entry to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

Take the quiz

The Big Tria Update: All of the Pros and Cons

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:00:18 -0700

A few things have happened since Tria, the at-home laser hair-removal gadget, came on the market. First, the economy tanked, which may explain why Tria's price went from $995 to $795. Second, I've had almost a year to give it a whirl (full disclosure: Tria's PR team sent a trial unit for me to use). Third, my opinion has shifted over the last few months. Is Tria worth the hefty price tag? Does it remove hair permanently? Would I recommend it? Find out the answers to these questions when you read more.