Fierce or Foolish: Ciara's New Haircut

The seasons are changing and so are the looks of many of our favorite girls. Gearing up for the release of her forthcoming album Ciara, we’ve noticed that Ciara has been changing up her crown more frequently than she has in the past, but this look is by far our favorite!

Yesterday the singer debuted a short blended blonde bob at the Tate Americas Foundation Artists Dinner she attended here in New York City. Wearing a nude floor length dress that hugged her to-die-for body in all the right places, this time her hair is what really has us talking. 

Photos via Ciara on Instagram

There’s something really edgy, yet sophisticated about this look and Cici looks simply beautiful!

Thoughts? What do you think of her new cut?

- Kisha Timothy

Source: TheYBF & Instagram

LBS Beauty: Celebrity Stylist Q&A with Oscar James + CLEAR Giveaway

Now that the weather is warmer, it's transition time! Your hair regimen in the winter should be slightly different come spring & summertime. To help us clarify what changes need to be made with the new season, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy™ Celebrity Stylist Oscar James is giving us the 411 on everything from hair regimen to Spring 2013 trends. Oscar has coiffed an impressive roster of celebs from supermodel Tyra Banks to hip-hop Barbie Nicki Minaj and R&B songstress Elle Varner. 

Me & Oscar in LA for Grammy's weekend (via Instagram)

Check out his expert tips & enter below for a chance to win a full set of Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy™Ultra Shea products:

LoveBrownSugar: What are the best products to help with transitioning your hair from winter to spring?
Oscar James: Winter’s cold harsh weather can dry out the hair, scalp and skin. The best way to help transition your hair from winter to spring is by giving your scalp and hair some serious TLC. I recommend using a mask like the Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy™ Ultra Shea Deep Nourishing Treatment Mask, to nourish the scalp deeply, to help quench dryness and lock in moisture to dry hair. With this mask results, will be visible in just three minutes. Women should use it bi-weekly or more often, especially during the winter months. And make sure to comb it through the hair from root to tip so all of your stands are coated with the nourishing ingredients.

What are some spring 2013 hair trends that will be popular this season?
For spring, I am really liking hair with lots of volume and curls or an easy-going fishtail braid. Both styles look chic and easy to wear. However, be careful of over-styling. Many of the trendy styles you see women wearing can damage the scalp and hair leaving it dry and weak. I always say the foundation for great style begins with strong, beautiful hair. Always care for your scalp and hair to make sure it stays in great condition.

 1. Ultra Shea Nourishing Shampoo | 2. Ultra Shea Nourishing Condition | 3. Ultra Shea Deep Nourishing Treatment Mask | 4. Ultra Shea Nourishing Oil | 5. Ultra Shea Balm

Natural girls tend to wear their hair out more and do wash & go's when the weather warms up. Any tips on maintaining healthy hair without breakage with this type of style?

I love the natural hair trend! It can take a little more work to style natural hair but the benefits are beautiful. Get into a routine treating your scalp and hair to ensure that it stays healthy- moisturizing is key! Wash your hair using Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy™ Ultra Shea Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner to lock in moisture. Hair is most fragile when it’s wet, so be especially gentle in the shower. Use the Clear Ultra Shea Balm on the scalp to alleviate any dryness and lock in additional moisture.

What are some tips for combatting humidity when trying to maintain your style in the warmer months?
To combat humidity try and choose styles that play up your natural texture. Or, if your hair is relaxed, stick to textured styles like loose waves, a rod set or curly mane. Be sure to use just a tad more of a nourishing oil, like the Clear Ultra Shea nourishing oil, to coat strands after styling and to make your style more humidity-friendly.

Which one CLEAR hair product in your prep bag can you not live without?
The Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Ultra Shea nourishing oil has found a permanent place in my styling kit. The oil instantly smoothes and nourishes the scalp for quick relief from dryness. The texture is light and non-greasy, making it ideal for taming flyways and adding shine to any style.

Wanna try the products? You're in luck! This week we're giving away 5 sets of product to 5 of you lovelies. 

Rules
1. You must be following LoveBrownSugar on Facebook and/or Twitter to be eligible.
2. You must be a fan of Clear Ultra Shea on Facebook to be eligible.
3. For bonus entry, tweet @LoveBrownSugar @clearhair with a link to this post OR Leave a comment in the section below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LoveBrownSugar Co-Hosts Ojon + Birchbox #WatchandChat

Hey loves! I'm super excited to announce a fun event I'm co-hosting next Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday, February 20th, join me (@LoveBrownSugar), hair brand Ojon (@Ojon) and world-renowned product sampling service Birchbox (@Birchbox) for a Twitter chat all about HAIR!

You guys know I'm obsessed with hair so I'm beyond honored to co-host this chat and get your pressing hair questions answered. Yesterday, in between my NYFW hustling, I stopped by the Ojon Treatment Triage salon at Milk Studios in NYC. I got my hair styled by Ojon celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez, who styles the manes of celebs like Keke Palmer and Rita Ora. She did an amazing job on my hair and I'm officially hooked on this product line:

Cynthia Alvarez and I, after my styling session

BONUS: I'm giving away 15 Ojon beauty products during the Twitter chat!

If you guys haven't tried Ojon hair products, I highly recommend them. I blogged last year about the Melanie Fiona & Ojon Beauty event that I attended. That night I went home with a bottle of their Rare Blend Oil and my hair has been thanking me ever since! 5 of you beauties who tune into the #OjonWatchandChat will get your very own bottle of Rare Blend Oil ($35). 10 more of you will win the Restorative Hair Serum ($40).

To be eligible to win, you must tweet a hair question @LoveBrownSugar using the #OjonWatchandChat hashtag on Wednesday February 20th, between the hours of 12:30 and 1:30PM EST.

Comment below with your Twitter name if you plan on joining the party, so I can look out for you! 

Fierce or Foolish: Christina Milian Box Braids

Ok folks, so we've discussed box braids here on LoveBrownSugar quite a few times before. Ever since Poetic Justice-style individuals came back with a vengeance over a year ago (in the mainstream at least), they've been all the rage. Spotted on fashion-forward celebs like Solange and even older sister Queen Bey, they've officially been given the mainstream stamp of approval. I recall asking you guys in my Beauty & The Box Braids post to weigh in on whether or not I should get a set. To date. I haven't but I'm sure it will happen this summer.

Anyway, the latest celeb to jump on the box braid bandwagon is songstress and The Voice correspondent Christina Milian. She tweeted yesterday about her new 'do and that she's been wanting to try them out since she was 12! 

Thoughts on Christina Milian's new look? Fierce or Foolish?

Source: TheYBF

Fierce or Foolish: Rihanna Long Hair

Everyone's favorite Bajan pop princess Rihanna stepped out this weekend rocking a brand new hair look. She partied at a Hollywood nightclub with a luscious head of dip-dyed extensions and a siren red lip to boot.

She still has the sides shaved short. She's giving me Cassie vibes with this new hair. And I absolutely love the color. It's a nice subtle honey/caramel. I love Rihanna's edge but I think she looks so sweet with long hair!

Sidebar: Can we talk about how I need this patterned drop-waist dress in my life? So cute! Gonna have to do a Steal Her Chic for this look. 

Thoughts on Rihanna's new hair? Fierce or Foolish?

Source: The Sun

Kickin' It: Keith Campbell Book Launch With Melanie Fiona, Chrisette Michelle, Bridget Kelly

Last night at the Limelight Shops in Chelsea, celebrity hairstylist Keith Campbell hosted a launch party for his newest book "DECIDE to be BEAUTIFUL". Co-hosted by his celebrity clientele Melanie Fiona, Chrisette Michelle and Bridget Kelly, the event was a star-studded kickoff to Keith's newest work.

Check out what we got into last night:

A few weeks ago we debuted Melanie Fiona's new hair cut and color (courtesy Keith Campbell) and you guys weighed in on her new look. Last night, the songstress showed up to support her dear friend and stylist sporting her goldie locks in romantic waves.

Melanie Fiona opted for a graphic tee, a bold printed skirt and layered jewelry for boho chic look.

Chrisette Michele rocked the red carpet in a casual glam 'fit - a brown leather jacket, denim oxford, oxblood jeans and sky high Giuseppe Zanotti stilettos. Love!

I'm absolutely obsessed with her new natural hair 'do! It's a fly faux hawk with highlights, cut and colored by Keith Campbell.

Fierce!

They were joined by songstress Bridget Kelley whose face actually appears on the cover of his book "Cuts For Our Infirmities".

At the launch event, Keith dazzled the audience by putting on a spectacular hair show. With hip-hop and live violin music in the background, Keith Campbell expertly cut and layered two heads of hair. All on beat, no doubt.

It was truly a sight to see! It was like the Bronner Brothers hair show but a more swagged-out NYC version of it. Amazing!

Overall we had a blast at the event. You guys can order a copy of Keith Campbell's "DECIDE to be BEAUTIFUL" on his website HERE starting November 1st. 

Fierce or Foolish: Melanie Fiona's New Hair

It seems as though every time Melanie Fiona graces the carpet, there is something different about her. This week the Guyanese beauty shared a new hair cut (via Instagram) that was sculped by her hair stylist Keith Campbell. 

Photo Credit: Kirill Bichutsky

We were even able to get a better look as she was spotted at the Paper Magazine Nightlife Awards Presented by Hennesy V.S. rocking the new look. The cut isn't  a super drastic change, but we can see she's now rocking a bob cut with her blonde hair and her long black locks are layered beneath. We really want to stay away from calling it a mullet, but perhaps a "modern mullet" sounds better?  

Fierce or Foolish?

- Makisha Timothy

Fierce or Foolish: Tia Mowry's New Cut

The crown on a woman's head is her pride and joy. We do everything in our power to make sure that our hair always looks as if we just walked out the salon. For many of us, hair length can sometimes be an emotional shield for us. Ever see a lady in the chair at a salon start crying once she sees her hair dropping to the floor? It all ties back to to our hair being a security blanket. So when women are bold enough to do the 'big chop', it's a demonstration of fearlessness and an embracing of change. Well look who just took a walk on the wild side:

Ladies and gents, if you ever had problems distinguishing actress and mother Tia Mowry from her twin sister Tamera, not anymore. She is now the twin with the fierce short cut! Tia Mowry's once long, curly, and thick hair has been transformed into a face-framing pixie. Yesterday the actress tweeted a simple, "loving my new cut," and since it's officially the Fall season, anyone would have guessed that perhaps she colored her hair and snipped a few inches off. Just a few. 

Tia was pretty bold in sharing her new look on twitter, but in a follow up tweet, it seems as though she's getting a lot of love for this shocking move.

Thoughts? Fierce or Foolish? Would you ever chop it all off?

Lil' Mama Talks Natural Hair, Haters & More

This past weekend, LoveBrownSugar.com contributor Kisha caught up with female rapper & America's Best Dance Crew judge Lil' Mama backstage at the Global Fusion Festival in Philadelphia.

She was rocking a brand new fro-hawk 'do (which was quite cute) and we got into asking her about her new style. You may recall that Lil' Mama recently posted a Twitpic of herself rocking out with a natural 'fro (see below), which garnered tons of attention when she put it up in May.

She chatted with us about the commentary she received after boldly posting the photo and she had quite alot to say about it.

"I posted the picture of my hair and people were like ‘Omg you look like a shocked slave!' I didn’t get one comment from a white person about my hair. All of them came from the sisters that had these bullsh** helmut weaves looking like a fake a** Nicki Minaj. They don’t know who they are. And the people they’re looking to for guidance don’t know who they are either, which sucks."

Aside from going all-natural with her hair, she's also decided recently to spring for natural nails. She no longer uses acrylic nails. A recent mishap actually led to an allergic reaction and what Lil' Mama believes was a message from God about being natural, in the form of a blister shaped like Africa. See pic below:

Watch our exclusive video where she discusses it all:

Thoughts on Lil' Mama's new do? Or her stance on being natural? Soundoff below!

Fierce or Foolish: Alicia Keys Cuts Her Hair

Singer/songwriter Alicia Keys recently took to her Instagram account flaunting a brand new haircut. She's now sporting the short & sassy look. And it seems she's already had time to style it curly and straight. Love it! Summer is the perfect time for experimentation.

Do you love? Fierce or Foolish?

Fierce or Foolish: Solange at Cecconi's Restaurant in L.A

 So you may have noticed I have an undeniable obsession with Solange lately. My last Fierce or Foolish highlighted the songstress rocking a leopard & leather look. Well, there's a reason for the obsession. We're hair twins! I announced on Twitter a few days ago that I've officially chopped off my long locks and I'm now rocking a short curly head of hair a la Solange. No worries, pics coming soon!

In the meantime, can I say how much I adore this mustard silk dress and her perfectly contrasted accessories?? Loving the velvet shoes and her statement necklace. And the fuchsia lip is perfect! What do you guys think of the look? Fierce or Foolish?

Image Source

Fierce or Foolish: Rihanna's Longer Locks

 Rihanna was spotted out heading to dinner with her family in a nude textured dress and sporting a longer, cropped ruby red bob. What do you guys think of her look?

 I personally think the dress is a little shapeless and the hair isn't my favorite either. I can't be the only one who dislikes this bright red hair on her. What happened to dear Rih-Rih?

Image Source

"Shear" Fever: Where did all the hair go??

What is it about 2009 that is making everybody cut off all their hair? I've had 2 great friends cut their hair within the past 6 months and countless celebrities have caught the fever as well. Many attribute the shift in trends to pioneers like Halle circa the early 90's. But did the dearly beloved Rihanna re-invent the craze that seems to be amplifying as the year 2009 goes on?? I mean, I feel like I should jump on boat and chop it off too...only I think I'd probably cry.

Anyway, here are some recent celebrity chops:

That's right, our favorite first lady Ms. Michelle Obama got herself a short trim...

Chrisette Michelle, R&B soulstress sportin a short cut...

Tell a friend! Ms. Ciara, the queen of long, bone-straight hair...has a SHORT cut


I really couldn't believe this one...I don't like it! I feel like long, flowy fits her face better. Is it just me?

Former Destiny's Child Member Michelle Williams and her new cut...

Love her! Ms. Toccara Jones, former ANTM contestant, now BET correspondent.

So many cuts...so little time. I might have to ponder my decision to chop my own hair off a little further...more details to come!