Congratulations, Dee!

We haven't done much—well, OK, any—blogging about Season 2 of Bravo's Shear Genius, but it was a terrific warm-up for Season 5 of Project Runway, and the stepped-up challenges (Cut hair blindfolded? Uh-huh.) kept us engaged all the way to the end.

And in the end, it was feisty Latina Dee who took home the grand prize: $100,000 in seed money from Nexxus and a chance to style hair for an Allure magazine feature. Kudos to the Miami native for staying true to her aesthetic, showing versatility and good client management ... and for promising to share the grand prize with her mama. (The latter had no bearing on her win, but we thought it was sweet.)

So we extend our congratulations to Dee for showing us her "shear genius" ... and our best wishes for her continued success. Bring on Season 3!

Beauty tip: easy summertime waves

This summer, starlets like Rachel Bilson and Jessica Simpson are steering away from the two extremes of super-straight and super-curly, opting instead for an easy, natural wave.

And thanks to BellaSugar's easy tutorial, you won't need a salon appointment to make this breezy look your own. Just follow her four easy steps and get ready to dazzle:

1. While hair is soaking wet, comb out tangles with a wide-toothed comb. Part hair and apply just a little bit of de-frizzing serum (like Frizz-Ease by John Frieda) to the lengths and ends.
2. Let it air dry a little bit and when it's slightly damp, generously mist it with a sea salt spray (like Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray ... or you can make your own), then scrunch vigorously all over.
3. Gently tease hair at the crown to create more height and volume, otherwise your hair risks looking limp and straggly.
4. Finish off with your favorite shine spray, then ... leave it alone. No brushing, combing, or touching—you'll just be inviting separation and frizz.

Sounds beachy-keen to us!

What's in your poolside beauty bag?

Welcome to Summer 2008! With warm and (hopefully) sunny weather here to stay, it's time to make sure your secret weapons are in place.

Fortunately, there's no need to spend a fortune trying-and-trashing before you find the right sunscreen, lip butter, bronzer, waterproof mascara, and fragrance—our friends over at We Love Beauty have done the legwork for you. Here are this season's must-haves for poolside and beachside:

• Hair: Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair SunShine Shield Spray
• Lips: LAVANILA Pure Vanilla The Healthy Lip Butter
• Bronzer: Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Brush
• Face: Clinique UV-Response Face SPF 50
• Body Oil/Moisturizer: NARS Monoi Body Glow II
• Mascara: Vincent Longo Vibrant Eye Waterproof Mascara
  
• Fragrance: Missoni Acqua Perfume
  

Visit We Love Beauty's post for details on what makes her recommendations the "it" products for Summer 2008.

Bravo breaks through summer slump

It seems like we were just getting used to TV's return after the writers' strike when our fave shows started saying goodbye for the summer. But thanks to our good friends at Bravo, we have not one but two fabulousness-laden reality shows to look forward to.

First, it's another hair-raising (and curling, and fluffing, and hedge-clipping) season of Shear Genius, the network's quest to uncover the next great hair designer. Who will join Season 1 winner Anthony Morrison in the Coif Hall of Fame?

And, of course, this summer brings us not just another season of our favorite sartorial smackdown, Project Runway, but the last to air on Bravo before the show moves to Lifetime. Who will be the next great fashion designer? Who will be this season's surprise celebrity judge (á la last season's Sarah Jessica Parker and Victoria Beckham)? And, more importantly, which designer will give us the next great Tim Gunn impersonation?



Both premieres have yet to be scheduled, so stay tuned to Getting Underneath for details.

Hot site: Cosmetics Cop

Now hear this: Paula Begoun does not want you to go shopping.

Not without her, that is. Or at least her advice.

Long before chat rooms and instant customer recommendations became de rigeur, Ms. Begoun made it her mission to cut through the marketing hype and offer clear, easy-to-understand reviews of the most popular beauty products. Her tome Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me is now on its seventh edition, and its counterpart Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me is on its third go-round.

To keep her readers posted between book-writings, Ms. Begoun also hosts a hot little resource known as the Cosmetics Cop website. There you can find free reviews of hundreds of products in a searchable database; for more in-depth information, special reports, and other goodies, you can subscribe to her companion site, Beautypedia, for just $25 a year.

Who says beauty and brains don't mix?

To (new) 'do or not to (new) 'do?

The official beginning of spring is mere days away, and chances are you've already thought about updating your wardrobe, your makeup, your shoes, your accessories ... but have you thought about your crowning glory? If you can't decide whether your 'do has become a don't, Marie Claire is here to tip you off to the signs that it's time for a change. Get thee straight to a salon if:

1. Your hair has no volume.
2. High school friends assure you that "you haven't changed a bit!"
3. Your highlights have overpowered your base color.
4. You don't receive compliments on your hair anymore.
5. Your hair color and skin tone match.
6. Your hair hasn't kept pace with your evolving fashion sense.
7. It's so dry, it actually looks flammable.
8. You wear a ponytail. All. The. Time.
9. It takes more than 20 minutes to make your tresses look presentable.
10. Your stylist could cut it with her eyes closed.

Click over to the article for more details, and get to work on that happenin' spring hairstyle!

Spring trend alert: return of the bob

Katie Holmes, has it. So does Rihanna. America's Next Top Model competitor Saleisha rocked it all the way to victory.

It's the bob, and if you thought it was hot in '07, you ain't seen nothing yet. Fashionistas from New York to L.A. are lining up at salons to trade in their voluminous tresses for this classic yet oh-so-modern 'do.

Timeless in its simplicity and sophistication, the bob is the blood-type-O of the hair works, going as well with light, flirty sundresses as with buttoned-down menswear-inspired styles whose popularity is continuing for Spring 2008.

Ready for a change this spring? Set up a consultation with your stylist to determine which variation suits the shape of your face ... then have her get snipping!

(Hat tip: BellaSugar)

Sally Hershberger's going public

She's a world-famous hairdresser to the stars, architect of Meg Ryan's famous shag, and celebrity judge from Bravo's Shear Genius ... and she's coming to a Walgreens near you.

She's Sally Hershberger, and in January 2008 she'll be jumping on the designer haircare bandwagon when she launches Supreme Head (now that's a logo we can't wait to see), a line of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products available exclusively at Walgreens. Prices will range from $9 to $13, plus you'll be able to log on to Sally's website to get step-by-step instructions for creating your own look.

Quite a bargain, considering La Hershberger's services start at around $800 per clip.

(Hat tip: All About the Pretty)
(Photo: Women's Wear Daily)

Beauty tip: office-to-evening hair

The holiday season brings party after party after party, and not just on the weekends. If you're off to an after-work soirée and don't have time to dash home for a style re-do, Julyne Derrick of about.com: Beauty has some handy hair tips to take your look from office to evening:

• Toss your flatiron in your purse in the morning, then sleek down your tresses after work for a sassy yet sophisticated look.


• Re-create Uma's trendy half-up/half-down style: Wear hair down during the day, then pin up and under when you're ready to party. Take along a curling iron to create some random, whimsical curls. (You might want to practice this one at home first.)


• Messy buns are totally hot this season. Again, wear the hair down for work, then spritz with a styling spray and wrap loosely into a bun low on the nape of the neck. Tame any stray strands with decorative pins.

Voilà! You're ready to dance, dazzle, and party the night away—who cares if it's a weeknight?

(Photo: ETonline)

Clips for a cause

Two-time-Oscar-winner Hilary Swank's sassy new bob is much more than a style choice—it represents her dedication to Beautiful Lengths, Pantene's campaign encouraging women to donate their hair to those who have lost theirs to cancer.

You can join Hilary in supporting Pantene's effort to create the Million-Inch Chain: one million inches of hair, which can create over 20,000 wigs for cancer patients who have lost their locks to chemotherapy or radiation.

"I was a little nervous," said the actress about cutting off her 8-inch ponytail, "but then, when I thought about why I was donating and how my own hair was going to make a difference in another woman's life, it was a wonderful feeling. Besides, now I have cute new hair style!"

So if you've been thinking about joining Hollywood's hottest celebs in trading your long locks for a short, chic bob, there's never been a better time.

What's your best bang?

Bangs continue to be hot this season, and if you've ever thought you "just can't wear them," maybe you just haven't found the right style for your face shape.

Check out BellaSugar's week-long series about face shapes and the most—and least—flattering bang styles for each. For example, heart-shaped faces like Reese Witherspoon's are best suited for long and sideswept or short and wispy bangs, and should steer clear of blunt styles.

Click on over and find out which bang is right for you.