BellaSugar

BellaSugar's Top Five Cream Blush Picks

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:00:28 -0700

Ever since I started toying around with cream blush about a year ago, I've been hooked. I'm not really into anything too shimmery - I like to leave that to the more spreadable luminizers - but I've been having a field day with pinky-brown tones like By Terry's Rose de Rose Sheer Liquid Blush in Fresh Rose that I told you about earlier in the week. Each of these items leaves my face looking flushed, hydrated and even a little dewy in a natural way. It's as though I've just drunk a bottle of water and gone for a brisk walk. Here are my other four fave cream blush discoveries; what's your top pick?

Benefit Cream Blush in Hush ($18) is a sheer, thin and easily spreadable cream-to-powder pinky-nude-colored blush that adds a natural-looking warmth to fair skin.
Stila Convertible Color in Peony ($24) is the darkest of the bunch. I reserve this color for moments when I crave a rosy glow. The consistency is slightly waxy at first, so it's best applied with a sponge to facilitate blending.
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in Blushed Rose ($22) is extremely thick and rich in pigment. A little goes a long way and the result is a deep, stain-like finish.
Scott Barnes Cream Color in Sway ($25) is a moist, easily spreadable pinky-beige blusher that can also double as a lip and eye shade. Use a little bit for a natural effect, or layer for a deep, dewy look.

Bellissima! By Terry Rose de Rose Sheer Liquid Blush

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:15:30 -0700

I've got a crush on a new cream blush! Cosmetologist Terry de Gunzburg, creator of the iconic Yves Saint Laurent Touché Éclat and founder of By Terry, brings us a new (and, might I add, sensational) blush that I'd like to categorize as a cream blush. It's called Rose de Rose Sheer Liquid Blush ($52), but it's really a cross between a cream and a gel texture.

The luxe formula is outrageously silky, light and scented with a delightful, barely-there rose essence. It is made with rosaliss (an extract from white-, black-, and pastel-colored roses) and rosamine (a pigment that comes from rose petals). It creates a flush that's lighter than a stain, but deeper than a tint.

It's a relatively new product, yet already the lightest shade is sold out at Barneys. Clearly I'm not the only one infatuated with Rose de Rose. It is available in three shades (Fresh Rose, Coral Rose, or Amber Rose) and I consider it a must-have for attaining stunning, yet understated summertime skin.

Take a Peek Inside the Bag of a Barneys Bigwig

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:00:29 -0700

I love Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barneys New York. He and his husband Jonathan Adler just might be the world's best-dressed, most talented, and cutest couple. You'd think that someone with such style could be snobby, but Simon is the complete opposite. And he's a very funny writer, too!

Recently, he was working on copy for the fall Barneys Beauty Book and became baffled by the number of creams, cosmetics and other girly ephemera. So to gain insight, he rifled through the makeup bag of Bettina O'Neill, the cosmetics queen of Barneys. To see the dream creams and luxe lipsticks in her bag, including this pricey Serge Lutens mascara,read more

If you were expecting a surprise along the lines of Great Lash mascara, guess again. This is Barneys we're talking about, after all! Instead, she uses a $60 wand of Serge Lutens mascara. She's also a fan of Hourglass Oxygen Foundation ($46), which allows skin to breathe, she says. Then there's By Terry Lip Definer. "This lip liner is so good it's like a bloody tattoo," she told Simon. "And it's only $29!"

While I don't think I'll ever refer to a lip liner as being "only" $29, it's still fun to see how the fancypants folks at Barneys live, right?

Sensational Silk Eye Shadows

BellaSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 15:02:11 -0700

I want to introduce you to a new makeup category on the market. So-called silk eye shadows are made from really, really, really finely milled ingredients. These shadows glide on super smooth and absorb oil on your eye lids to prevent crease marks and feathering. I could really use something like that, and I've heard these have a luxurious soft and velvety finish. If you get around to trying them, let me know what you think.

By Terry Silky Eye Shadow ($37) is a very fine and luminous eye shadow. It is formulated as a powder, but it is so light that you can blend it easily just by using your fingertip. The color lasts long and looks great alone or mixed with any of the available 11 colors.

For another sensational silk eye shadow, read more

Sue Devitt Silky Sheen Eyeshadow ($18) is intended to add a veil of light luminescence to your eyes. This delicate eye shadow is a perfect balance between a matte and a sparkly, shimmery shadow and is available in 14 beautiful shades.

Unabashed Blushes: Handle With Care

BellaSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 09:23:51 -0700

I know that a natural flush is the most highly coveted look, especially this Spring, so I'm puzzled by a couple of very brazen blushes I've recently discovered. Seriously, only an expert should be toying with these bright colors. If you dare to apply a smidgen too much of these shades on your cheeks, you are going to wind up channeling Raggedy Ann. There are a lot of looks I can tolerate, but bright 80's streaked cheeks isn't one of them. What are your thoughts on these unabashedly bright blushes? How would you use them?

This Powder Blush by Terry in Rose Faience ($55) is a not only a compact of magenta madness but it's also got some shimmer in it. Do not attempt to apply this at home! It was created to impart a healthy glow to your skin, but I think they are a season too early. It even says on the description: "Used professionally, it allows you to sculpt and enhance the curve of the cheekbones." They're even telling you not to play if you're just a plebe!

For one more unabashed blush, read more

Usually, NARS can do no wrong, but this Creme Blush in Turkish Red proves that there is an exception to every rule! This color is just too over-the-top for my liking. They claim that it's sheer and fool-proof, but is anyone out there willing to spend $23 to test that theory?

Beth Terry for Creative Universe: Element of Desire

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:00:28 -0800

After stints at Comme de Garcons and Chrome Hearts, in 1995 Beth Terry launched her own fragrance company called Creative Universe. Committed to creating special scents inspired by childhood memories, Beth has concocted only five fragrances for the public; Te, Mare, Vita, Element of Surprise, and Element of Desire ($72).

I've chosen to feature Element of Desire because I've grown to adore the sweet and fresh, fruity-floral fragrance. Launched in 2006, it has a really unique carefree aura about it. I think it's suitable as an everyday scent for women of all ages.

Element of Desire is made from apricot, peony, pink muguet, jasmine, honey infused amber, dimbula tea, rainy greens and sandalwood. Doesn't that sound divine?

Now that you know more about Creative Universe, do you think you'd be interested in checking out the perfumes? If so, you can try a sample for $3-a small price to pay for smelling something so special.

Do You Ever Dry Your Hair With Paper Towels?

BellaSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:00:28 -0800

Recently, while perusing the Tabatha's Salon Takeover website (have you joined my We Love Tabatha group, by the way?), I came across a tip that I really hadn't heard before, although it seems to be reserved for the more frizz-prone or curly-haired set. Instead of rubbing water out with a towel, simply squeeze the moisture out with paper towels. The theory is that the softer texture of paper towels is less aggressive than than rougher-textured terry cloth towels.

It goes beyond paper towels, too. Often those with curly locks will opt for squeezing out the excess moisture with old cotton t-shirts or microfiber towels - a more environmental option, if you ask me. Sorry, Brawny Man. What about you? If you've got curly or particularly frizzy locks, do you go the nontraditional anti-terry-cloth route? If so, how's it working out for you?

Source: Flickr User edkohler

Rose Lip Balms Rule!

BellaSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 09:42:33 -0800

Our lips have some of the thinnest cover on our entire body. They are super sensitive to the environment since they don't produce any moisture on their own. Therefore, as soon as we feel a crack, or a patch of dryness, our lips become extra sensitive.

Not only does rose smell feminine, sweet and light, but it contains essential oils necessary in healing dry, chapped and cracked lips. Here are three of my favorite rose lip balms to help heal your special smackers.

by Terry Rose Balm Gloss, $50, has just created a new crystal case for their best selling rose lip balm! This lip balm contains a high concentration of lipid (fat) building rose wax which hydrates and nourishes the lips. It helps to repair, rejuvenate, strengthen, and fight early signs of aging in your lips. Plus, it smells great too. This gloss/balm plumps up your puckers ever so slightly and leaves them glowing and kissable.

For two more classic Rose lip balms, read more

This uber yummy smelling and adorably pink packaged Propoline Lip Aid With Rose & Olive Oil by Apivita is a sheer and very light rose colored lip balm that helps to combat dry, cracked lips.

It is super moisturizing, nourishing and softening and contains natural ingredients such as: rose, olive oil and Vitamin E. You can buy one for $7 or this package of three lip balms for $13.50.

Smith's Rosebud Salve, $6, is a cult-favorite among women of all shapes, sizes and creeds. It is a multi-purpose lip balm that soothes dry lips, calms and heals irritation, and helps take out the sting of a minor burn.

It also conditions dry cuticles, elbows, knees, diaper rash and my personal favorite: crow's feet. I know, it seems like a salve would be too heavy, but it's not. It absorbs overnight and I swear it helps fight lines and wrinkles. It now also comes in a new cool minted rose flavor too!

Bella Donna: Rita Moreno

BellaSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:03:10 -0700

Winning one award is an accomplishment in itself, but only 10 people have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony - and one of them is Rita Moreno. Best known for her turns in West Side Story and The Electric Company, the triple threat is a legend in film, on stage, and on the small screen.

Like many other Latinas in Hollywood, Moreno initially struggled to find roles that didn't fall into "exotic" cliches and sexpot stereotypes. Even in West Side Story, she was frustrated, as she told NPR's Terry Gross:

"They made me use an accent, which I wasn't thrilled about because a lot of us, obviously, don't have them. The thing that really bothered me the most is that they put the same very muddy, dark-colored makeup on every Shark girl and boy, and that really made me very upset. I tried to get that changed, and I said, 'Look at us. We're all many, many different colors. Some of us are very white, some of us are olive-skinned, some of us actually have black blood, some of us are Taino Indian,' which is the original Puerto Rican. And nobody paid attention, and that was that. I had no choice in the matter, but I was not happy."

As opinionated as she is attractive, Moreno continues to act, appearing on shows such as Oz and Law & Order. We love her for her talent, and for proving that aging gracefully is a beautiful thing.

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How-To: Get Hairspray Off Your Walls

BellaSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:00:22 -0700

Do you have patches of sticky layers on your bedroom floor or splotches on your bathroom wall, both of which can be directly attributed to the mist of your preferred hairspray? Does a coating of the sticky liquid line the headrest in your car? (Who, me?) In case you've got some hairspray buildup, I've done some research to find ways to safely remove these tacky spots. To find out what they are keep reading.