Latest news with #ArianaMadix
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What ‘Love Island USA' Revealed About Culture and Dating Is Straight-Up Sinister
By the time Love Island USA concluded on Sunday, millions of viewers who tuned in this summer felt defeated. Countless posts that flooded everyone's timelines on X were exhausted, delirious, and even angry. Let's state the obvious: the seventh season of the show was an absolute mess. The four remaining couples who competed in the finale perfectly exemplify how incredibly stupid this season was: not a single couple had been exploring their connection before Casa Amor, and two of the pairs had only coupled up in the final week. One of the couples even broke up on their final date, a first in Love Island history. More from Rolling Stone People's Princess Amaya Papaya, Late Breakups, Nicolandria: Fans React to 'Love Island' Finale 'Love Island Games' Sets Return After Two Years With Ariana Madix Taking Over as Host 'Love Island USA' Season 7 Winners Revealed But the mess went beyond the kind of lackluster romance: fans scoured each of the contestants' digital footprints better than the producers had. Two contestants were removed from the show for using racist slurs. Stan wars for other contestants led to the 'exposure' of even more allegedly problematic behavior online, though the flood of screenshots and allegations started to blur between the real and the photoshopped. Love Island has always been a source of extremely parasocial viewer behavior. The show invites it: there are new episodes six days a week in the UK and five days a week for the USA format for nearly two months straight. While the islanders are cut off from the world outside the villa, their family or friends usually take over their social media pages to support and, increasingly, defend them. And while the fate of the islanders is mostly in the hands of their fellow contestants — you must remain in a couple to stay in the villa — there are viewer votes in the app where their popularity matters, especially when it comes to determining a winner. Love Island UK, the first version of this global franchise, has been a case study in the pros and cons of the show's all-consuming success. The contestants, typically ordinary people with normal jobs in the earlier seasons, would leave the villa with massive followings and brand deals, drastically changing their lives. But the reality of the public watching at least six hours of footage of romantic trial and error left many islanders scrambling to re-piece their lives together in the aftermath; two islanders from the UK series committed suicide in 2018 and 2019 following cyberbullying from fans who disagreed with their romantic choices and behavior on the show. But at the bare minimum of each season, there was some real romance, and the most authentic couples who had great stories tended to rightfully take the top prize. Last season of USA saw the American version finally catch on for this very reason. Originally airing on CBS for three seasons before moving to Peacock, the show was always in the shadow of its UK counterpart, which releases episodes on Hulu stateside. After hiring Vanderpump Rules breakout star Ariana Madix to host, the show finally started to gain some traction and tally up the views in the process. Last summer's sixth season was dramatic and beloved: the girls on the show created a powerful sisterhood in the face of the men's rampant and mischievous exploration with new bombshells. But true love stories emerged, with three of the final four couples sticking together to this day. From the beginning of Love Island USA's seventh season, it was clear that the majority of the show's contestants were more hellbent on winning than fostering the types of connections that typically help a couple take the top prize in the end. It seemed like the islanders, most of whom were working influencers and models prior to the series, had never seen an episode of the show in their lives: they would punish each other for leaning into strong connections, eliminating individuals they felt weren't 'exploring' enough and used the ever-trending phrase 'lovebombing' to insult each other, in spite of the show's very real necessity that they work to build intense romantic connections quicker than usual. There were stark divisions and cliques in the villa, but they were nothing in comparison to the type of pop stan-like followings the islanders were gaining outside. Fans of individuals on the show were fighting more ruthlessly than the actual contestants. Any perceived slight would lead to a flood of hateful comments and messages on the contestants' Instagram and TikTok pages, or even mass unfollowings in the wake of feuds or recouplings. Individual popularity has never meant more than on this season of Love Island: even though couple Ace Greene and Chelley Bissainthe had been exploring their connection longer than any couple on the show, they were eliminated via public vote just before the finale. From early on in the season, the pair were plagued with accusations of being in a relationship prior to filming, and Ace's public image barely recovered from the perception of him playing the game too competitively after pushing for the elimination of Jeremiah Brown as Jeremiah was building a new and potentially strong connection with bombshell Andreina Santos-Marte. Even Chelley, one of the girls to quickly rack up followers while on the show, couldn't quite overcome the even more passionate following for her villa frenemy Huda Mustafa, especially after Huda coupled up with Chelley's Casa Amor connection Chris Seeley. Not making matters any better was production itself. This season was full of twists that made the show nearly unwatchable. Many of the eliminations were vote-based instead of through internal re-couplings that leave islanders single and therefore eliminated. The choice to do viewer and islander votes made the show feel too produced, keeping people on for longer than they probably needed to actually be there. Even the choice to make islanders couple up with bombshells in Casa Amor felt demented. When fan favorites Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe were left 'single' in Casa, they were paired up and briefly explored a connection that viewers had been hoping they would since the first day. But the whole schtick felt more like fan service than an authentic realization; they were placed back in the villa, then immediately friend-zoned each other in order to fight for their original partners. They would only pair up again in the final week after Nic's partner, Cierra Ortega, was removed on Day 26 for using anti-Asian slurs in past Instagram posts. What Love Island revealed this summer about culture at this moment feels sinister. The outcome of the discourses and behavior both in the villa and online reveals how nasty and toxic fan culture has become. Increasingly so, production for reality series that are this popular will have to navigate casting a generation of people whose whole lives are one big digital footprint, one that will have captured the whole gamut of their growth as an individual. And as viewers lean into the popularity contest of it all, they will take advantage of that access, for better or worse. While holding Cierra accountable for her using derogatory language is important, there should be no room for death threats towards her or calling ICE on her family, who are of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent. The most telling reflection of all is how modern dating has evolved. The dynamics in the villa were gross and cruel from the jump, with the men seeming to often punish the women who would begin to show affection towards them, while the women grew territorial over their connections, even before knowing if they wanted to commit to them. Early in the season, Ace chastised eventual winner Amaya Espinal for calling him 'babe' while Taylor Williams was incapable of telling Olandria that he was just not that into her, even though she was clearly very into him. Third place couple Huda and Chris' final few days in the villa were hard to watch; in moments of conflict, both would talk over each other until Chris would shut down and Huda would walk away. In the final episode, she threatened a fight after he chose to sleep over cuddling with her in bed. When they spoke about it during their final date, Chris egged her on to end their romantic connection instead of being upfront and doing it himself. They left angry and even crying in Huda's case, just 24 hours before the winner of the entire show was revealed. This was Love Island USA flying directly into the sun. There's a real reckoning to be made about the casting process and how to move forward, especially given the type of influence and clout the show can create for its contestants. The show also needs to reexamine how it can even be structured when the fans are this emotionally involved. There's a reason that over the years, the show has started to prioritize casting people who have online followings to begin with. They already have a taste for the type of scrutiny and influence that comes with starring on the show, albeit on a much smaller scale. But given just how toxic the online scrutiny became this summer, it feels reasonable that less and less prospective contestants will want their lives viewed under that type of microscope. Only time will tell how this season's contestants fare in the real world once the dust settles. Most of Season Six has been able to largely move on and profit from the experience and their followings, starring in the Peacock spin-off Beyond the Villa. They left most of their feuds back on the island and focused on their real connections and very real emerging careers. Let's hope the season seven cast will be able to do the same. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century Solve the daily Crossword
Los Angeles Times
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty' and ‘Love Island' won't stand for cyberbullies. Why is social media so toxic?
'The Summer I Turned Pretty' is the second series in as many months to directly warn its audience about cyberbullying. Posting on its official social media accounts, the Prime Video series issued a 'PSA for the Summer community': 'We have a ZERO tolerance policy for bullying and hate speech. If you engage in any of the following you will be banned.' Fans were cautioned against 'hate speech or bullying,' 'targeting our cast or crew' and 'harassing or doxxing members of the community.' This comes on the heels of 'Love Island USA' releasing similar warnings. Last month, host Ariana Madix called out 'fan' behavior on the series' recap show, 'Aftersun.' 'Don't be contacting people's families. Don't be doxxing people. Don't be going on Islanders' pages and saying rude things,' she said. The show's social accounts subsequently followed up with the message: 'Please just remember they're real people — so let's be kind and spread the love!' So this is where we are. Online discourse has become so toxic that television series are forced to address it in their publicity campaigns. It's difficult to know whether to applaud or weep. Maybe both. Certainly having television creators, and their social media teams, address a decades-long problem directly and proactively is far preferable to the more traditional entertainment industry approach. You know, waiting until some unfortunate actor or contestant is buried under an avalanche of hate speech before appearing shocked and horrified that such a thing could happen among (fill in the blank) fan base. (We will never forget, Kelly Marie Tran!) Whether these warnings will be duplicated or prove effective remains to be seen. Studies suggest that cyberbullies who have their posts removed are less likely to repost and perhaps being called out by shows they watch will give some 'fans' pause before they vent their spleen online. It is still maddening that after years of research on the prevalence and dangers of cyberbullying, we are apparently relying on 'Love Island' and 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' as a first line of defense against behavior that has been proved to cause suicide, self-harm and a host of mental illnesses. Obviously, something is very wrong. With the medium and its message. When the internet became widely available, it promised to be an endless library of art and information. Instead, its most popular feature was easy (and often quite unintentional) access to porn. So should we have been surprised when fan sites and social media platforms, built to allow free, unfettered and quite often anonymous discourse, became equally at risk for humanity's less sterling qualities? Should it have been a revelation that certain film and television fans would behave badly when something occurred in their beloved universe that they did not like? Have you ever been to Dodger Stadium? Nothing about the impulses or language of cyberbullying is new. Hate mail has existed since writing was invented —poison pen letters caused a criminal crisis in the early 20th century — and celebrities have always been in danger of the 'build 'em up and tear 'em down' fan flex. What's new (or new-ish) are the platforms that encourage such things. Poison pen letters are illegal. Poisonous posts are part of the social media business plan. Yes, those who hate-post should take personal responsibility and our culture, like our politics, has grown more divisive and, frankly, mean. Social media at best allows and at worst encourages us to post things we might never say to a person standing in front of us. Commentary as blood sport. Looking back, there was such heartbreaking optimism about the role social media would play in art, particularly television. Creators could actively engage with fans in real time and deepen audience commitment. A viral video or a clever Twitter campaign could save marketing departments millions. And celebrities could post their own 'in real life' pictures, potentially thwarting the paparazzi, as well as stories, statements and confessionals, thereby avoiding the need for interviews over which they had far less control. DIY publicity and deeply personal fan engagement — what could go wrong? DIY publicity and deeply personal fan engagement, that's what. Say what you will about the old days when artists had to rely on legacy media for publicity — if readers had something bad to say, they shared it with the publication, which had standards about what letters would be made public. Direct contact with public figures was quite difficult — even fan mail was read and sorted by publicity departments and secretaries. Now most everyone is accessible on one platform or another and there are very few standards. Having leveraged the unpaid labor of millions to create profitable platforms, social media owners are not interested in providing basic consumer protection. Using the most facile definition of free speech — which is the right to voice opinions without government interference or punishment, not the right to post any hateful or incendiary thought you have — Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and other platform owners have consistently refused or pushed back against any demands of meaningful regulation. Instead they rely on other users. The self-policing of social media is real and often effective, but it is far too arbitrary to act as a substitute for media regulation and mob rule is not something we should embrace. The simple answer is 'don't look' — avoid the comments section or get off social media altogether. Which would be great advice if it were not so patently ridiculous. Intentionally or not, we have made social media a powerful force in this country. Particularly in the entertainment industry, where careers are made on YouTube, TikTok influencers are cultural arbiters and the number of one's Instagram followers can determine whether they get the job or not. It's easy to say 'ignore the haters' and virtually impossible for most of us to do. More importantly, it puts the responsibility on the wrong people, like telling a woman to just ignore a boss or colleague who makes crude comments about her appearance. It's been decades since Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and all the other platforms could be viewed as simply fun forums on which to share vacation snaps. They deliver the news, shape our politics, market our businesses and create our culture. They are not public spaces; they belong to media companies that are owned and controlled by individuals just like any other media company. So yeah, it's great that 'Love Island' and 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' have taken steps to try to prevent online hate. But their warnings only illuminate the elephant in the room. A billion-dollar industry is failing to protect the very people who built it in the first place.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
30 pics of 'Love Island USA' host Ariana Madix serving bicon bombshell
- YouTube Since making her reality TV debut on Bravo's Vanderpump Rules and becoming a Dancing With the Stars finalist in season 32, Ariana Madix started making cameos in the fifth season of Love Island USA and was ultimately chosen as the show's official new host starting with season 6. The American version of the dating show — originally from the U.K. — became an even bigger success since Madix joined as host. Ratings kept rising to new heights over the course of Love Island USA season 7, with new all-time records being broken for the series. Will there ever be a queer 'Love Island?' Ariana Madix weighs in In case you didn't know, Madix is a bisexual woman who has spoken up about the importance of more queer-inclusive dating shows. "I think there needs to be way more," she told Out during a red carpet interview. "And by more, I mean two, or three, or four, or five, or 10 queer dating shows." Fingers crossed — we will be watching! Following the huge success of Love Island USA season 7, the premiere of Love Island: Beyond the Villa, and the upcoming second season of Love Island Games on Peacock, let's look back at some of Ariana Madix's most iconic looks and moments over the course of another unforgettable season of the U.S. series. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix and Megan Thee Stallion on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Kim Nunneley/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Kim Nunneley/Peacock Ariana Madix and Maura Higgins on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Kim Nunneley/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Kim Nunneley/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Kim Nunneley/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Kim Nunneley/Peacock Ariana Madix on Love Island USA season 7. Ben Symons/Peacock Amaya Espinal, Ariana Madix, and Bryan Arenales on Love Island USA season 7. This article originally appeared on Out: 30 pics of 'Love Island USA' host Ariana Madix serving bicon bombshell
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Who won Love Island USA Season 7? Fans are overjoyed after learning who won $100K prize... and who came up empty
Season 7 of Love Island USA came to a close with Sunday night's epic two-hour finale on Peacock, where fans learned which couple walked away as winners. There were just four couples left - Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen, Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales, Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez and Huda Mustafa and Chris Seeley - heading into Sunday's finale. Each of the four couples went on one last epic date, before the winner was declared by host Ariana Madix. However, only one member of the winning couple was actually awarded the $100K prize, and they must decide whether or not to split it with their partner. It was also revealed that there will be a Season 7 reunion special co-hosted by Madix and Andy Cohen, airing Monday, August 25 at 9 PM ET on Peacock. So who won this tumultuous season of Love Island USA? It was in fact Amaya and Bryan who emerged victorious! Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez finished in fourth place and Huda Mustafa and Chris Seele were in third, which shocked Huda since they revealed earlier in the finale that they were going to be 'just friends.' 'How the f**k did we get third? We're not even together-together,' Huda said with a laugh after leaning of her third-place finish. Amaya and Bryan beat out runners-up Nic and Olandria for the prize, with each of them given cards - one of which had $0 and the other with $100,000. 'I feel so seen and validated for people to see how strong our connection is,' Amaya said after winning. 'Meeting Amaya here, turned my experience around ridiculously. It feels surreal,' Bryan said. Amaya's card was $0 with Bryan winning $100,000, who was then faced with the choice to split the cash with Amaya or take it all. 'Honestly, this isn't even really a question for me. Me and Amaya talk about our upbringings a lot. All I keep thinking about is my dad saying, "Money is important but it isn't everything." Of course I'm splitting this money with Amaya,' Bryan said. Many fans quickly took to social media to praise the winners, such as Ang (@scorpiogrooves), who said, 'AMAYA OUR S7 WINNER! CERTIFIED PEOPLE'S PRINCESS! MWUAHHH.' Amaya and Bryan beat out runners-up Nic and Olandria for the prize, with each of them given cards - one of which had $0 and the other with $100,000. Amaya's card was $0 with Bryan winning $100,000, who was then faced with the choice to split the cash or take it all. Others were seemingly thrilled that Huda didn't win, such as @Purple_Porcupin, who said, 'Huda didn't touch the 100k #LoveIslandUSA.' Another fan dubbed @outrofinesse said, 'Still can't believe Huda and Chris made the final four...' Another fan - @kkaemdongie - thought, 'Bryan and Amaya match so well the advice they give out is basically the same thing #loveislandusa.' One fan - @joyy280 - spoke directly to Huda, stating, 'I'm sorry u had to go through that embarrassing moment, but sista we tried to tell your fans he wasn't into u but they kept voting to keep you guys… we want to save u the embarrassment.' Kami (@iheartk4mi) added, 'my amaya papaya the win was so deserved #LoveIslandUSA.' Jay (@shootaforsana) quote-retweeted her own tweet from late June, where she said, 'and just like that, amaya papaya will be winning love island usa 2025. we will be making sure of it !!' adding in her new tweet, 'THERE IS POWERRRRR IN THE NAME OF JESUS #LoveIslandUSA.' Big John (@johnny9170) added, 'I'm glad Amaya and Bryan won tbh. In my opinion it was the only choice #LoveIslandUSA.' Many expressed their anger at Huda and Chris landing in the finale - only to break up - since they seemingly 'stole' a spot from fan favorites Ace and Chelly, who were eliminated just before the finale in fifth place. X user @Gamecock_Alum11 said, 'Huda and Chris was a waste of space! Yall really voted for them over Ace and Chelly for this bulls**t! I am PISSED! #LoveIslandUSA.' Another fan dubbed @outrofinesse said, 'Still can't believe Huda and Chris made the final four...' Another fan - @kkaemdongie - thought, 'Bryan and Amaya match so well the advice they give out is basically the same thing #loveislandusa.' One fan - @joyy280 - spoke directly to Huda, stating, 'I'm sorry u had to go through that embarrassing moment, but sista we tried to tell your fans he wasn't into u but they kept voting to keep you guys… we want to save u the embarrassment.' Kiara Caitlin (@KiaraCaitlin_) tweeted, 'This just shows why Huda & Chris shouldn't have made it to the final 4 and it should've been Ace & Chelly #LoveIslandUSA.' Primadonna Fairy (@primadonnafairy) admitted, 'I don't even like Chelly and ace but I'm honest enough to admit that Chris and Huda were a waste of the final 4 and they deserved it more.. huda in general like wow just a waste of experience and ruining the other islanders experiences too.' Others like Katie Scott (@KatieScottNews) called Season 7 the, 'Worst season ever but at least Amaya Papaya won.' Cognac Queen (@CognacQueenLady) even admitted, 'Am I the only one that didn't finish #LoveIslandUSA season 7? I haven't watched in a couple of weeks. This was the WORST season. I doubt I'm gonna move forward with this show.' One of this season's most controversial contestants was Cierra Ortega, a 25-year-old content creator from Phoenix, who was promptly removed from the show after multiple posts surfaced of her using a racial slur. Just hours before the finale aired on Peacock, Ortega took to her Instagram story to share some of the threats she received online. 'Hey so is this still about accountability or...' Ortega captioned the post, which featured screengrabs of several online threats she has received. 'FK w***e I hope you get raped and abused I will ask God about this every day and pray you experience it,' wrote one user. Primadonna Fairy (@primadonnafairy) admitted, 'I don't even like Chelly and ace but I'm honest enough to admit that Chris and Huda were a waste of the final 4 and they deserved it more.. huda in general like wow just a waste of experience and ruining the other islanders experiences too.' Cognac Queen (@CognacQueenLady) even admitted, 'Am I the only one that didn't finish #LoveIslandUSA season 7? I haven't watched in a couple of weeks. This was the WORST season. I doubt I'm gonna move forward with this show.' Kiara Caitlin (@KiaraCaitlin_) tweeted, 'This just shows why Huda & Chris shouldn't have made it to the final 4 and it should've been Ace & Chelly #LoveIslandUSA.' 'Hey so is this still about accountability or...' Ortega captioned the post, which featured screengrabs of several online threats she has received. Another said that they would 'call ICE on ur family again,' while another said, 'Going on Love Island was the biggest mistake of your life. You're such a flop and I hope you die. Another online user said, 'Next time I see you in LA,' with four green gun emojis, while another said, 'I'm gonna kill you and your family you stupid b***h!' 'I hope you kick the bucket you racist duck lips,' said another fan while the final message was, 'H@ng urself u ignorant racist b***h.' Ortega also shared a snap of her with her back to the camera with both arms raised along with a message to her fans and haters alike. 'Unfortunately for those who wish to harm me, I carry nothing but love in my heart. For my life, the people in it, and every waking moment I get to spend on this Earth,' Ortega began. 'What should be a collective opportunity to address derogatory language and the harm they carry, has instead snowballed into an excuse for cruelty,' she added. 'Still, I refuse to let misery find company here. I'll keep living with love, presence, and gratitude. Especially in the painful moments, because they, too, shape who we are,' she said. 'I have every belief that all this energy can be alchemized into something with real impact,' she added. 'If even a fraction of it was used to uplift the community directly impacted - to continue amplifying Asian voices & their healing - imagine how much further we could be as a collective,' she added. Ortega concluded, 'Be kind to someone today. And tomorrow. And every day after that. Love will always go further.' The islanders from Love Island Season 7 will return on the reunion special airing Monday, August 25 at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on Peacock. It's unclear at the moment if Ortega will be one of the returning islanders featured on the reunion or not.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ariana Madix's Ocean-inspired Hair Makes Waves on ‘Love Island USA' Season Seven Finale
'Love Island USA' host Ariana Madix bid the seventh season of the reality dating show adieu with a hairstyle inspired by the Fijian ocean. Styled by hair architect Carl Bembridge, Madix's long, dirty blond tresses mimicked the delicate, ethereal movement of the water with drawn-out mermaid waves and a fishtail crown. The fishtail embellishment crept around the top of her head and behind her ears like a headband; the ends were pinned under the body of her hair. Her extensions brushed her torso, falling just above her belly button. The elongated look was a far cry from the short, straightened style — also designed by Bembridge — that she sported the last time she entered the villa on July 7, as well as her half up, half down, slicked-back bob she wore during episode 27 on July 2. Last year's finale, however, saw Madix don a similar hairstyle, comprised of three braided buns woven together on the top of her head with flat-ironed extensions protruding out. More from WWD EXCLUSIVE: Brad Pitt's Skin Care Brand Beau Domaine Introduces New Planet-friendly Packaging Celebrity Colorist Kadi Lee Shares Tips to Protect Hair From Summer's Triple Threats: Sun, Saltwater and Chlorine Rihanna Makes 'Smurfs' Premiere a Fashionable Family Affair in Saint Laurent, With Sons RZA and Riot in Dior Madix first tapped Bembridge to be her hair designer at the start of 'Love Island USA' season six last summer — her first season hosting the reality dating series. Since then, the two have collaborated to create a variety of trendy and timeless hairdos with enough female prowess to shock the islanders every time she stepped foot inside their sumptuous living quarters. Earlier in the season, Bembridge teased his plans for Madix's final look. He told WWD: 'Me being me, I'm naturally building up to a wow finale. I've got two amazing ideas for that, and I can't decide between them. I honestly wish I could do both in one night. If I had my way, I would.' Bembridge also noted that he and Madix weren't as timid this year compared to last season. 'The difference this year is that I now know there are no limits and what I love most is creating a wow factor,' Bhe said. 'I'm always thinking, 'What can I do next now that that's ticked off the list?'' Sunday night's finale saw fan-favorite Amaya Espinal and her partner, Bryan Arenales, win the first place prize of $100,000. For the big reveal, Espinal opted for spider leg lash clusters and a slicked-back, side-parted bun. Other islanders in the final four couples included runners-up Olandria Carthen and Nicolas Vansteenberghe, Huda Mustafa and Chris Seeley and Iris Kendall and Jose Garcia-Gonzalez, nicknamed 'Pepe.' Espinal and Arenales follow season six winners Serena Page and Kordell Beckham. Best of WWD Amanda Anisimova's On-court Tennis Style Through the Years: From Teen Phenom to Wimbledon Finalist A Look Back at Fourth of July Celebrations at the White House Princess Diana's Birthday Looks Through the Years: Her Sleek Black Jacques Azagury Dress, Vibrant Colors and More
