Bella Thorne Is Channeling Smurfette With Her New 2017-Ready ‘Do

Bella Thorne just can’t commit — to a hair color, that is! First, she ditched her famous red locks for “brownie” hair we couldn’t resist. From there, she’s been just about every color there is, from red and pink to red and green at the AMAs to, most recently, DIY rainbow.

Now, less than two weeks later, she’s back at it again, and this time? She’s channeling Smurfette.

Taking to Instagram to show off her new look, Bella uploaded several pics of a new, bluer ‘do, and it’s quite a change from her recent transformations.

Not only is there a striking new hue running through her tresses, she appears to have darkened the roots and taken the scissors to her mop as well!

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Chop chop 💙⚡️#newlook #blue #coloredhair

A post shared by BELLA (@bellathorne) on

“Chop chop,” she wrote on the second shot. “#newlook #blue #coloredhair.”

Whoa! Who knew a little hair dye could have such an impact? Girl looks totally different! But that’s kind of the point of a new year, new hair makeover, right? While we admittedly loved the rainbow red, the more we peep this, the more we like it: It gives her new edge (as if she needed it!).

In fact, it might be time for a change ourselves. Between this and these killer hair tutorials, we’re full of big hair ideas for 2017: Bring it on, baby!

Will you be making big hair changes in 2017? Share with us @BritandCo.

(Photo via Sergi Alexander/FilmMagic/Getty)

Drew Barrymore recently chatted up actress (and mom to Kinds of Kindness actress Margaret Qualley) Andie Macdowell on her talk show, and I couldn't help but swoon over her gorgeous gray locks. I spotted my first gray hair at age 25 in a GAP dressing room, and it felt like an attack on my youth at the time. But there's been a growing cultural shift toward accepting and celebrating gray hair. If men can salt-and-pepper it, why can't we? Embracing gray hair can be such a positive and empowering choice. Here are 7 compelling reasons why.

1. You'll Save So Much Time And Money

Alexandra Tran

Coloring your grays can turn into a lifetime commitment of keeping up with the color. You’ll save time and so much money by not going to the salon every other month — and eventually every month — by letting your hair go gray. It’s freeing!

2. You'll Feel More Natural

Natasha Brazil

In an interview, Macdowell said she felt "more real and honest" going gray. Gray hair is just a natural part of aging and can look stunning when cared for with regular cuts and gentle styling, giving you a unique look that actually makes a positive statement.

3. You'll Look More Confident

Alexandra Tran

Embracing your gray hair can boost your confidence, showing the world that you're comfortable in your own skin.

4. You'll Reduce Your Exposure To Chemicals

cottonbro studio

According to the American Cancer Society and a study by Harvard Medical School, there is a possible link between hair dye use and cancer, especially skin and breast cancer. Avoiding hair dyes means less exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, which can be better for your overall health.

5. You'll Enjoy Healthier Hair

Alexandra Tran

Frequent dyeing can cause damage to your hair. Embracing gray hair allows your tresses to stay healthy and strong.

6. You'll Be A Positive Role Model

Shutterstock

By embracing your gray hair, you can be a positive role model for other women and girls, encouraging them to normalize the aging process and be grateful for it.

7. You'll Embrace Change

Khaki Bedford

New chapter in your life? Going gray can signify a new milestone and embracing change. Here's B+C editor Haley Sprankle (right) with her mom, whom she convinced to go fully silver. "She looks so cool with silver hair," says Haley. I couldn't agree more!

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Lead image by Natasha Brazil on Unsplash

"What would you do if your entire family, and your hometown, set you up to find love?" That's the question Ashley Williams poses in the first Small Town Setup trailer, coming to Hallmark+ in 2025. And if anyone has the answer, I have no doubt it's Hallmark — if anyone knows about warm, cozy, and sappy romance it's them! Even if you're not a huge reality dating show fan (or if you couldn't stop watching Reese Witherspoon's Love in Fairhope) this is one January TV show you won't want to miss.

Here's everything we know about Hallmark's dating show Small Town Setup, hosted by Ashley Williams.

'Small Town Setup' puts you right in a Hallmark movie.

All six episodes of Small Town Setup premieres on Hallmark+ on Thursday, January 2, 2025, and is hosted by Ashley Williams, who you'll recognize from movies like Falling Together and Two Tickets to Paradise as well as How I Met Your Mother.

Just like your favorite Hallmark movies are all about finding love, Small Town Setup focuses on singles coupling up. The show will follow a single who "has made it in the big city, but has yet to find love." And their concerned parents (definitely a Hallmark trope and an IRL trope...) get the whole neighborhood involved in finding three potential matches.

"When the singleton arrives home for a visit, they are presented with dating options curated by their hometown. After three dates, will they find love in their hometown? Or head back to the big city? All is revealed at a big town hall event, full of heart, warmth, and a few laughs along the way."

Okay, getting the entire town involved in my love life sounds crazy, but the whole community coming together for a town hall event sounds exactly like the kind of sweet and sappy event my life needs. (Listen!! Dating as a 20-something in the city is harder than I expected...)

Throughout the trailer we see our singles looking for love around their hometown, going on small town dates, and finding connection in the most unexpected places. Yeah...I'll be tuning in — especially since Small Town Setup is totally giving Gilmore Girls.

Check out the 11 New January 2025 Movies Viewers Will Adore — and you'll want to add to your calendar ASAP!

Keeping up with your hair color or concealing grays can get expensive at the salon, and who really has the time to book a salon visit every 4-6-8 weeks anyway? Thankfully, there are at-home root touch-up products that can save you time and money while still giving you a salon-like look. From root dye kits to concealers, here are the best products to freshen up your roots right at home.

Root Dye Kits

Photo via Shutterstock

Want to skip the salon for up to three weeks? Try these root touch-up kits for a hair refresh.

dP hue Root Touch-Up Kit

To permanently cover grays, this Leaping Bunny-certified at-home root touch-up kit will cover up to 1 inch of root growth and comes in six shades. It's paraben- and sulfate-free too. Get two-applications in one box for those in-between times.

Madison Reed Root Perfection Permanent Root Touch Up

Another Leaping Bunny-certified dye kit that gets results is Madison Reed's ammonia-free permanent root touch up. It takes just 10 minutes to cover gray with no harsh ingredients like pthalates or parabens, and should hold for three weeks until your next appt.

Clairol Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts Permanent Hair Dye

This drugstore option is affordable and ammonia-free, with a large palette of hair colors. Permanently cover grey roots in just 20 minutes!

Root Concealers

Photo by Element5 Digital

For when you have a salon visit coming up, these one-day concealers are perfect for a quick touch-up.

Color Wow Root Cover Up

This root cover up works great at covering grey and dark roots, adding highlights in between salon visits, and filling in thinning hairlines. Perfect for those last-minute touch ups, Color Wow is water-resistant and sweat-resistant and will last until your next wash.

Tarte Big Ego Dab & Go Hair Concealer

Look totally natural with this waterproof cream-to-powder hair concealer in a mess-free container. This vegan product is perfect for touching up roots and filling in thin spots on the go. Just toss in your bag!

Bumble & Bumble Color Stick Root Coverup

Refresh your roots with these hair color sticks from a cruelty-free brand. Apply like lipstick, and blend! It will wash out with your next shampoo.

R+Co BRIGHT SHADOWS Root Touch-Up Spray

This touch-up spray covers your roots until your next shampoo sesh and between salon visits. Paraben, sulfate-free, and vegan, the product also moisturizes and helps thicken hair with pearl extract and biotin.

Rita Hazan Root Concealer Spray

This award-winning concealer spray is water-proof, ammonia-free, and covers grays exactly where you need it.

Clairol Root Touch-Up Temporary Concealing Powder

Great for touching up roots and brows, this affordable concealer powder is perfect for keeping in your tote or car.

L'Oreal Paris Magic Root Hair Color Concealer Brush

Twist and brush on your root color with this brush applicator that dries quickly. It's great for hair that is less than 25 percent gray, and it's also ammonia-free, peroxide free with no harsh or synthetic dyes.

Preventive Serums

Photo via Shutterstock

Want to prevent more gray hair growth? Try these daily serums.

Vegamour Gro Ageless Anti-Grey Hair Serum

For those with 30 percent or fewer grays, this serum helps reduce the appearance of grays on new hair growth. Made with clean, vegan ingredients, Vegamour Gro was a 2023 NewBeauty Award Winner.

Arey To The Root Serum

Made with clean ingredients and cruelty-free, To The Root also helps slow and re-pigment grey hair while making your hair look thicker and more voluminous.

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Main Photo by Thaís Sarmento

Tourism can be a blessing for the economy of many cities around the world, but it often comes at a price. Destinations like Venice and Bali are iconic for a reason — they’re unique, breathtaking places that lure travelers from around the globe. But when a travel destination becomes too popular, it risks losing its charm and overcrowding can strain infrastructure, inflate costs for locals, and disrupt the peace and quiet of small, serene towns.

Here are 12 destinations that have struggled with overtourism. The good news? Many are implementing smart strategies to balance tourism with sustainability. Planning to visit? Consider booking during the off-season for a more authentic and enjoyable experience or try these hidden gems.

Pixabay

Venice, Italy

Cruise ships and swarms of tourists have overwhelmed this picturesque city, leading to overcrowded canals, damaged infrastructure, and skyrocketing prices. The local population is dwindling as Venetians leave due to the city’s unsustainable tourism boom. Last spring, in an effort to manage the influx, the city put into effect an entry fee for day-trippers and has limited cruise ships docking its shores.

Oleksandr P

Bali, Indonesia

Once an idyllic paradise, Bali now suffers from traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and overcrowded beaches. The island’s resources are strained under the weight of mass tourism, but there are efforts underway to promote sustainability like putting a moratorium on new hotels.

Willian Justen de Vasconcellos

Machu Picchu, Peru

Overtourism has led to erosion and damage to this ancient Incan citadel. A quota system and mandatory guides are helping preserve this popular South American destination.

Darren Lawrence

Tulum, Mexico

Once a tranquil paradise known for its pristine beaches, ancient Mayan ruins, and eco-chic vibe, Tulum has become a cautionary tale of overtourism. The surge in popularity, fueled by Instagram-worthy scenery, has brought overcrowding, environmental strain, and rising costs. The Guardianreported that locals are being pushed out by developers and despite the thinking that tourism helps local communities, poverty nearly doubled between 2015 and 2020. Local ecosystems, including fragile mangroves and coral reefs, are threatened by unchecked construction and pollution too. The local ruins have implemented stricter rules like no food or drink to limit trash and environmental impact from tourists.

Jimmy Teoh

Santorini, Greece

Instagram fame has turned this once-serene island into a tourist hotspot. Narrow streets are perpetually clogged, and locals are struggling with soaring costs of living due to tourism demand. The government has since capped the number of daily cruise ship visitors to keep overtourism at bay.

Chait Goli

Cinque Terre, Italy

Known for its colorful cliffside villages and breathtaking coastal views, these once-quiet fishing towns now see millions of visitors annually, way more than they can handle. To combat issues like congestion and cruise ships, local authorities have introduced visitor caps and encourage sustainable travel to protect Cinque Terre’s charm.

Rudy Kirchner

Reykjavík, Iceland

Is there anyone not going to Iceland these days? A small country with breathtaking landscapes, Iceland has been overwhelmed by tourists flocking to Instagram-famous sites like the Blue Lagoon and Diamond Beach. It's best to travel during the off season (November to April) and travel to lesser known spots like the Sturlungalaug hot spring.

youseflns

Maya Bay, Thailand (Phi Phi Islands)

This iconic beach, popularized by the DiCaprio film The Beach, suffered ecological devastation from hordes of visitors and anchored boats. Coral reefs were destroyed, and the beach was closed for years to allow recovery. It has since reopened after a huge revitalization project, but they have introduced visitor caps.

Pixabay

Kyoto, Japan

Traditionally quiet streets of this ancient capital city now teem with tourists during peak season. An increase in litter from tourists has required the city to install more trash bins to handle the crowds, and peaceful geishas are often chased down for photos. To mitigate the problem, Kyoto is considering running special buses to popular sites to reduce overcrowding, and temples and shrines are encouraging visitors to come early in the morning.

Prabin Sunar

Mount Everest, Nepal

The ultimate challenge for adventurers, Mount Everest has experienced overcrowding on the slopes and at base camps, leading to dangerous conditions, with litter and human waste piling up on the mountain. Permits are now harder to get, and stricter regulations for climbers are being enforced.

Mateusz Popek

Dubrovnik, Croatia

The Game of Thrones effect brought an influx of fans to this medieval city. Overcrowded streets and cruise ship arrivals have made it difficult to appreciate its beauty. The local government is taking steps to limit daily visitors and impose stricter cruise ship regulations.

Helena I

Lisbon, Portugal

Short-term rentals dominate the housing market now, thanks to affordable flights and the digital nomad craze. This has led to skyrocketing rents and displaced locals. Historic neighborhoods are inundated with tourists, making them less charming too. Everything from public transport to waste management struggles to keep pace with the influx. I went in December and it still felt a bit like Disneyland. Douro Valley and Madeira might be more favorable destinations any time of year.

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Heaping plates of Christmas cookies are synonymous with the holidays. It seems that nearly every country around the globe has their own variation on the holiday classic. In fact, some of these regions have been making their version of Christmas cookies for literal hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your heritage, or maybe just want a little baking inspiration, check out our picks for the yummiest Christmas cookies from around the world.

The Noshery

Mantecaditos con Guayaba

These may look like ordinary thumbprint cookies, but these almond shortbreads from Puerto Rico are filled with a special guava marmalade. (via The Noshery)

Broma Bakery

Meringues

French meringues are a classic crumbly egg white cookie with a chewy interior. These get an extra European twist with the addition of Nutella. (via Broma Bakery)

Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

Alfajores

Deeply flavored dulce de leche, a caramel made from whole milk commonly found in Spain and many Latin American countries, is the key ingredient in these super pretty sandwiched Christmas cookies. (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)

Fancy Peasant

Melomakarona

These Christmas cookies that hail from Greece get their sweetness from a generous soaking of fresh honey! (via Fancy Peasant)

Very Eatalian

Baci di Dama

The name of this Italian treat translates to “lady’s kisses” — how adorable is that? These bite-sized cuties are made with ground hazelnuts and filled with a dollop of dark chocolate. (via Very Eatalian)

Cooking Classy

Linzer Cookies

These Austrian Christmas cookies are typically made with raspberry jam, but feel free to get crazy with a filling of your choice. Plus, the gorgeous windowpane look will make them a prize takeaway at your next cookie exchange. (via Cooking Classy)

Olivia’s Cuisine

Basler Brunsli

If you’re hanging out in Switzerland around Christmas time, you’ll definitely see these chocolate treats around. They’re often described as Swiss brownies due to their deliciously chewy texture. Perfect with a cup of eggnog or coffee! (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Cilantro Parsley

Buñuelos

These tender miniature fritters from Mexico are a mix between a donut and cookie. Whatever you want to call them, they’re delicious. (via Cilantro Parsley)

Chef Lindsey Farr

Apricot Kolachys

The Hungarians definitely know what’s up when tart apricot jam gets wrapped in a blanket of flaky pastry. They’re a bright spot on a cold Christmas day. (via Chef Lindsey Farr)

Life, Love and Sugar

Cutout Sugar Cookies

In the United States, a plate of these festively decorated sugar cookies is just what Santa ordered. (via Life, Love and Sugar)

Saveur

Polvorones

You’ll find these simple pecan shortbread cookies all over Mexico around this time of year. The coating of powdered sugar and canela, a type of Mexican cinnamon, really bring the flavor to the next level. (via Saveur)

A Healthy Life for Me

Pignoli

These Italian Christmas cookies are made of a chewy almond base and topped with pine nuts. (via A Healthy Life for Me)

Fancy Peasant

Kourabiedes

These Greek Christmas cookies feature a buttery biscuit topped with mass amounts of powdered sugar. (via Fancy Peasant)

Does your family have a traditional cookie recipe for the holidays? Tag us @BritandBo in your Instagram photos and let us know!

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Lead image via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.