BellaSugar

Bella's BFF on Brazilian Hair Straightening

BellaSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:00:16 -0700

Longtime readers will remember a post about Brazilian hair straightening. The technique relaxes hair by using a protein-filled solution on hair, then applying a hot iron to it. It's a little controversial, though, because the solution includes formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Since I'm a hypochondriac, I run when I see the word "carcinogen," but that hasn't stopped the procedure from becoming popular.

As it turns out, my BFF Jen went in for Brazilian straightening this weekend. Naturally, I bombarded her with questions over instant messaging to get the scoop. Overall, she's still deciding whether it was a success. If you're thinking of having this treatment and want to get some unbiased opinions from someone who's just had it done, read more.

Rather than bore you with the details of our IM conversation, I've created a guide that I like to call Jen and the Art of Brazilian Hair Straightening Maintenance. Here are her thoughts.

On the smell:
I stink.

On the scariest part of the procedure:
The "baking into my hair" part where there was actually poofs of smoke coming from the straightening iron she used? uhhhhh. . . I was freaked.

On her hair now:
My hair is in very good condition . . . odd. It's more shiny than before I had it done, which is kind of blowing my mind considering that my head was *smoking*. And my hair is about 2 inches longer. Genius.

On maintenance:
You can't wash your hair for four days, and you have to use a shampoo without sodium chloride. The stylist gave me samples for some shampoo called Aqualage, I believe. I doesn't contain the sodium chloride. Also, no ponytails, barrettes, anything for four days; that will cause a wave.

Would Jen recommend it?
I think it's a good alternative to the thermal, price-wise. [Jen paid $200.] Do I prefer it over Japanese straightening? We'll see once I'm able to wash it. It's not as fried, which is good.

It's Japan vs. Brazil in the Hair-Straightening Wars

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:03:16 -0700

My best friend has thick, very wavy hair, but you'd never guess it from looking at her. That's because she goes in for Japanese thermal conditioning, a treatment that leaves hair straight for months. Now I have to tell her about a newer process from Brazil called escova progressiva. According to the New York Times, it can be used on most hair types, even color-treated hair. And now it has migrated from South America to the States.

"Right now, it’s blowing everything away," said Meryle Nemeth, the nuBest stylist who administered Ms. Epstein’s treatment, one of about 500 she’s done since February, when it became available at the salon [in Manhasset, NY]. "I've never seen anything take off like this as far as relaxing hair."

For details on this treatment, read more

Brazilian hair straightening takes up to four hours and costs between $150 and $600. The Times explains the process, which truthfully sounds a little... un-fun:

A stylist applies a solution made with active keratin, a protein akin to a component of human hair. Using a 450-degree iron, the hairdresser seals the formula onto the outer layer of the cuticle. The formula adheres to the cuticle’s inherently rough edges. Thus, it is said, it traps moisture, hydrating the hair, and adds a glossy veneer.

Buried deep in the article is this little nugget: "The formula often contains formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that can irritate the eyes and lungs if the fumes are inhaled." Yikes.

Are you interested in getting this treatment done, or are you happy with your curls and waves?

Source

Beauty Byte: UK Bars Offering Bathroom Hair Straighteners

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 May 2007 09:00:55 -0700

First came condom machines, tampon dispensers, and even perfume spritzers. But the latest bathroom vending trend is just plain weird: coin-operated hair straighteners and curling irons. (Thanks to Beauty and the Blog for the tip.) Strange, but true: A British company called Beautiful Vending has created a hair-straightening vending machine called Straight Up.

Found in nightclubs, bars, malls, and gyms, these wall-mounted machines offer GHD flat irons for customers who need a quick fix for misbehaving hair. According to the Beautiful Vending web site: "Your customer’s bad hair days are now a thing of the past, and they will thank you once our Beautiful Vending machine is installed."

Now, I can see how this might be a nice feature in a locker room or hotel - much like the ubiquitous hair dryers - but nightclubs? It's hard to imagine women taking dancing breaks to line up and straighten their hair. So please, tell me: Would you use a straightening iron during a night out?

Source

New Product Alert: Sephora Professional Cordless Straightener

BellaSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:35:18 -0700

Well, we may not have flat irons in public bathrooms like they do the UK, but now, you can straighten your hair just about anywhere else with this awesome purse-sized Sephora Professional Cordless Straightener ($225). This 7-ounce flat iron is great for travel or a long night out, but just because it's small doesn't mean it can't pack a punch.

The high-end tool is made from ceramic, which is much better at smoothing cuticle than metal, and it warms up in under a minute with three different heat settings. It takes about three hours to fully charge and even comes with a car adapter, so you can recharge the battery in your car. Better yet, all this on-the-go straightening is safe: The Professional Cordless Straightener has a sensor to prevent overheating and an automatic shutoff after 30 minutes.

Reader Review of the Day: Living Proof Straight Making No Frizz Styling Treatment

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Living Proof's Straight Making No Frizz Styling Treatment for Thick to Coarse Hair ($24) is one of the newest frizz-fighters on the market, and it promises everything from a humidity barrier to the ability to repel dirt and oil so that you can go longer between shampoos. Reader sabriel2 finds that it does deliver in some areas, but still gives it mixed reviews. She says:

I have long, thick, dry hair, so I was pleased with the amount of straightening and control I got when I heat-styled after using this. The only thing is that it left my hair feeling lackluster, kind of "gummy" to the touch, and hard to style - and I hadn't even used that much. The next day, the product buildup was even more nasty. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who doesn't wash their hair every day, but it does straighten fairly well.

Had a product experience that you want to tell everyone about? Want to know if the beauty buy you've been coveting is right for you? Just head over to our Product Reviews section to write a review of your own or read about other peoples' experiences with more than 50,000 products.

Oh, Stormy: 5 Ways to Weather-Proof That Hair

BellaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:38 -0700

Ugh. The weather over the last week has been crappy, and my hair has totally rolled over into submission. Welcome to the grossest season, I guess. There are so many great things about this time of year, but the inclement transitional weather isn't one of them. To keep myself from giving up hope, I've decided to rally and find some ways to keep my hair looking good in spite of the gray mess outside. I've put together five solid ideas for keeping things smooth and pretty, whether the humidity's giving you crazy curls or sad, lank locks. To storm-proof your crowning glory, just keep reading

Good Hair Has a Greater Point

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:22 -0700

If you've ever felt as though you'll look bad unless you straighten your hair, get highlights, go blonde, get a perm, or cover your grays, you should see Good Hair. If you care about the effects narrow normative beauty ideals have on the people around you and the larger world, you should see it. Heck, if you've ever felt like you "needed" to do anything to be attractive or accepted, you should see it.

This movie's great triumph - and great tragedy - is that it deftly picks apart our social constructions of beauty and shows us just what they look like underneath. And believe me, though it's sometimes funny, it's certainly not pretty. Chris Rock has, disarmingly, disturbingly, hilariously, and sometimes very poignantly explored the minefield of hair products and social signals that African-American women are forced to navigate. The result is a film that's brimming with life as well as contradictions. See this film, and you'll never look at a hair process (or extensions, for that matter) the same way again.

Product Review: Sedu Pro Shortie Mini-Styler Iron

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:01:55 -0700

I have two new best friends. Their names are PetSugar and Sedu. You see, Pet recently introduced me to Sedu's Pro Shortie Mini Styler Iron ($50), an amazing little flat iron that was free with a $100 purchase she had made on Folica. After borrowing the lilliputian-sized straightener for a few weeks to test out on my fine, wavy locks, I was so impressed that I'm about to order one for myself. What's so great about this heating tool is that it gets into the teeniest tiniest of areas, particularly around the hairline and sides, all because it's so easy to maneuver.

Of course, you still have to be careful as to not scald yourself while trying to straighten these downy hairs, and that's why a silver, heat-resistant glove is included. (Impersonating MJ while singing into my Sedu "microphone"? Who, me?) One quick swipe over small, yet manageable-sized sections, does the trick, making for an extremely fast straightening process all over the head. Plus, because it straightens so smoothly and quickly, the hair-damaging act of going over an unruly spot over and over is avoided altogether. Thanks to the minisize, it's got a mini-price-tag. Other larger Sedues go for upward of $140, making this one a real bargain. If you have extremely thick hair or super-curly locks, this straightener might not have quite what you need to achieve a straight finish, but for those with short styles and/or wavy textures, the Mini-Styler is worth a shot.

Get the Perfect Loose Curl With These Easy Tips

BellaSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:00:13 -0700

For those of us with seriously straight hair, trying to get loose, soft curls like the ones Kat Dennings had on the red carpet for the movie Shorts can be maddening - your hair is too curly right out of the curling iron, so then you have to brush it out a little or put in some hair creme, then your curls won't stay in without a ton of hairspray, but that just makes them crunchy and heavy, so after a couple of hours they fall out anyway. It's a sad situation, but one that can be remedied. To get you curled up with the best of them, I've put together four easy tricks for getting the most out of your curl. Just read more.

Tyra Banks Is Going to Lose Her Weave

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:01:21 -0700

Could natural Black hair finally be getting more love in the media? It looks that way. Hot on the heels of Chris Rock's excellent-looking documentary, Good Hair, comes an announcement from Tyra Banks's Twitter feed:

Guess What! I'm rockin' my REAL hair on my talk show September 8th. No fake hair at all! Will be the hair coming out of my scalp! 4 all 2 C!

4 all 2 C, you guys! OK, as much as I enjoy ribbing Tyra from time to time, she's winning me over with this idea. This isn't the first time Ty-ty has shown herself naturally (check out the makeup-free photos in her 1998 book), and it's great to see this down-to-earth side of her. In declaring Sept. 8 National Real Hair Day, Tyra is inviting her audience - both in the studio and at home - to wear their hair naturally. This could be a great thing for the millions of women and girls who are told, either directly or indirectly, that they need to relax, straighten, or add extensions to their natural hair. Nothing wrong with weaves, of course, but natural hair gets so little media love that this development has me stoked. Consider my TiVo programmed. Will you be watching, too?