BellaSugar

DIY: A Sweet and Spicy Lip Scrub For Valentine's Day

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 11:00:58 -0800

I love cinnamon-sugar toast and I love smooth lips. And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, I'm taking a little inspiration from one of my favorite breakfast treats and turning it into a sweet and spicy lip scrub - minus the crispy bread, of course. Bonus? It tastes great and the invigorating properties of cinnamon gets the blood a-flowing, too. To get kissable lips, check out my recipe below:

Start with a base. I like something waxy, such as good old ChapStick ($1.89).
Scrape off a little ChapStick with a knife or small spatula and make a paste-like consistency by adding sugar.
Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, apply, and get smooching.

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DIY: A Brown Sugar Body Scrub Inspired by a Winter Cocktail

BellaSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:01:47 -0800

A few weeks ago my friend decided to make hot buttered rum on a whim. None of us had ever had it, and it sounded kind of gross... yet somehow appealing. (YumSugar has a recipe.) Is it good? It was a mixed bag on that one, but the batter itself served as my inspiration for this brown sugar scrub. Oh, and I just found out that National Hot Buttered Rum Day is this Saturday. Who knew? Yum even has a fun quiz all about this old school drink. Check out some pics below, along with my recipe, too.

Bella's Booze-Free Hot Buttered Rum Brown Sugar Body Scrub:

Mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup almond oil (olive oil would work, too); a dash of ground cinnamon or cinnamon essential oil; and a dash of ground nutmeg or nutmeg essential oil. Apply. Optional: Add a dash of rum extract - Oh, I suppose you could get the real stuff out and mix up a little rum cocktail for yourself, too. Whee!

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Bring Out Your Spicy Side With Cinnamon-Inspired Ingredients

BellaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:00:05 -0700

I love these Autumn-inspired ingredients that will have you feeling all toasty inside. I've already got you covered on apple, cranberry, and pumpkin, so let's move on to a crowd favorite, cinnamon.

This spicy ingredient, obtained from the bark of certain evergreen trees, helps reduce oil production in skin, and both warms and invigorates. It's also commonly found in lip plumpers as a natural way to boost the volume of your smoochers. To see some cinnamon-flavored products and colors, check out my widget below for some hot ideas:

Valentine's Day Beauty, Part III: Alluring Fragrances

BellaSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:00:22 -0800

Welcome to my third installation of Valentine's Day beauty products. Not only is it important to have the perfect pout and sultry bedroom eyes on February 14th, but it's also important to smell good. According to research, men associate the smell of vanilla and cinnamon with love. These scents actually rev up his pheromones, which increases his level of attraction to you. So, if you're looking to pull out all the stops to get your guy, here are three romantic fragrances to help do the trick.

L de Lolita Lempicka ($65) is the second fragrance from the designer. I've smelled a sample of this and it's got a musky, foody sensation that I find quite warm and inviting. Plus, the bottle is a stunning deep sea green adorned with a gold net. The fragrance is made from a blend of orange, cinnamon, vanilla, woods, musk and everlasting flower. Sounds like this is a home run scent for Valentine's Day!

For two Valentine's Day fragrances, read more.

June Jacobs Better Love ($90) is a brand new scent made from cinnamon, bergamot, cedar, incense, jasmine petals, vetiver, clove, sandalwood, benzoin and tonka bean. Although I haven't tried it, a friend of mine has and highly recommends it. She describes it as romantic, memorable and smooth. With its combination of woods, florals and spices, this is something I definitely don't want to miss out on.

Korres Vanilla Cinnamon Body Water ($18) is a stimulating sensory experience. Made of perfume and toners this is a body mist that smells great and also moisturizes the skin. It also contains a touch of woods to balance out the sweetness with a little bit of earth. I like that it's not overly expensive and that your skin is left feeling really smooth. This is a great product if you want a fragrance and moisturizer all in one.

Bellissima! Joey New York Specialty Curb the Urges Lip Collection

BellaSugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:52:28 -0700

The new Curb the Urges lip collection from Joey New York Speciality has me completely floored. Kinda like the nutritious lip glosses I told you about last week - except cooler - this line of lippies is designed to help you kiss your bad habits goodbye.

Using aromachology, which involves the effect of fragrances on the mind, each of the three lines are designed to battle a different bad habit:

LipNIX claims to help you quit smoking.
LipFIT is designed to curb your appetite.
CinnaMEN is supposed to help you attract the opposite sex.

All three collections include lip gloss ($15), lipstick ($18), a lip palette ($25), and a colorless lip balm ($12). For the details on each of the lines, read more

LipNIX is made from a blend of lemon, geranium, and helichrysum, which together stimulate the brain to fight your urge to smoke and satisfy your nicotine craving. They also help plump the lips and firm the area around the mouth that becomes wrinkled from smoking. They have cute names, too: My favorites are "I Quit" and "Kick It!"

LipFIT is infused with spearmint, peppermint, and grapefruit to help inhibit your urge to snack. My favorite names in this line are "Skinny Dip" and "Lighten Up."

The CinnaMEN line is made with cinnamon and vanilla scents, two fragrances that men are supposedly attracted to and which increase the presence of pheromones. This line also includes lip gloss duos - for double his pleasure?

For some reason, I'm more inclined to believe that LipFIT would work, but CinnaMEN just sounds silly. What do you guys think?

Warm Up With These Comfy Cold-Weather Scents

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:37 -0800

When the air starts to get a little nippy and my sweaters come out of the closet, I start daydreaming about cold weather perfumes. I put away my beachy scents and find creamy, spicy, deep fragrances with the rich, comforting notes of cinnamon, cardamom, labdanum, almond, Tahitian vanilla, bergamot tea, and warm woods. I'm still on my way to finding the perfect sweater scent, but I thought I'd put together a few that might be a good bet for you. From heavy-hitting classics like Penhaligon's Bluebell (woody, earthy and soft, with a few sweet florals) to inexpensive but delicious scents like Carol's Daughter Almond Cookie (just plain yummy), there are fragrances here for every taste and budget, but all of the entries promise to make you feel like you're curled up under a comfy throw with something warm to sip on. Click through to get a little scentspiration.

How to Find the Great Pumpkin

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:19 -0700

If October were a color, it would have to be the rich, buttery orange of a pumpkin, and if it were scent, you know it would be a cool breeze wafting the aroma of pumpkin pie redolent with cinnamon and nutmeg (with whipped cream on top and a mug of caramel apple cider to drink, of course). So, for my nose (and my stomach), it's a very good thing that this month, all the swoon-worthy pumpkin beauty products roll out. I looked around the Internet for all that was cute and delicious, and I came back with a whole patch full of goodies. This year, there's everything from adorable Lush the Great Pumpkin soap to pumpkin-pudding toothpaste and pumpkin spice lip gloss. Click through and slake your craving for delicious gourdy goodness.

Which Scent of Candle Do You Prefer?

Sponsor — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:01 -0700

Get the Febreze freshness you love in an odor-eliminating candle! Showcased in glass jars, these fragrant candles contain a special Febreze Core that neutralizes odors while it burns. They're perfect in the kitchen to counteract cooking smells or anywhere you'd like to freshen the air with the scent of fresh fruit, rich vanilla dusted with cinnamon, a meadow doused in morning dew . . . try a Febreze candle at home today!

Switch Up Your Color: Look Fabulous With a Radiant New Shade

Sponsor — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:01 -0700

Stuck in a hair-color rut? Thinking of trying a fresh shade on for size? Here are some great reasons to treat your locks to an exciting new hue.

Transform your image. New hair color lets you explore an alter ego, whether you’re looking for a dramatic change or just want to rev up your current hue. Always wanted to go platinum blond? Longing for fiery auburn locks? Think you should have been born a brunette? Now’s the time to try your dream shade.

Look 10 years younger. A hot new hair color can banish gray and take years off your looks. Make sure to pick a product that’s specifically formulated to cover gray. Superior Preference® offers fade-defying color that covers gray beautifully.

Update your style. You may keep an eye out for the latest fashion trends, but no stylish wardrobe is complete without the ultimate accessory - gorgeous hair color that flatters your looks and expresses your personality.

Go for the gloss. Nothing restores shine to lackluster locks like fresh hair color. Regularly coloring smooths hair’s surface, keeping it glossy, healthy looking, and vibrant.

Unleash your inner diva. Why settle for mousy, plain, or understated when you can be bold, vibrant, and outrageously stunning? Express your spotlight-stealing side with shades like luminous blond, rich brunette, radiant red, or warm cinnamon.

Estée Lauder Goes For the Gold This Fall

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:00:47 -0700

When it comes to makeup, I love gold, much like Austin Powers's nemesis, Goldmember. Not only does this shimmery color blend nicely with all skin tones, it helps bring a brightness to the complexion like none other. Estée Lauder's limited-edition Sensuous Gold collection features this gilded shade, accompanied by warm nudes and rose accents.

The highlights of the collection, which undoubtedly played a part in a "your makeup looks great" compliment I received this morning, include the Signature Eyeshadow Quad with Hammered Gold Design ($35), featuring four flattering colors that run the gamut from matte to shimmery finishes, and the Gilded Rose Marbleized Shimmer Powder ($36), a multitoned, brightening sheer coverage bronzer. The Rose Gold shades of Pure Color Multi-Shimmer Gloss ($18) and Pure Color Nail Lacquer ($18), along with the gold-shimmered Terracotta and Cinnamon shades of Hydra Lustre Lipstick ($19.50), complete the collection. Will you go for the gold?

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Fresh Redcurrant Basil Eau de Parfum - $75.00	Carol's daughter almond cookie eau de toilette spray - $27.00
The Comforter Solid Perfume - $7.95	Parfums Intimes Cashmere Vanilla Jasmine Eau de Parfum - $45.00
Burberry Brit Perfume Collection - $46.00	Vanillary Fragrance - $41.95
Bergamot Tea Eau De Toilette - $46.00	Red Flower Hammam - Cardamom Amber Oil - 2.4 Oz. - $44.00
Dolce And Gabbana No. 6 L'amoureux - $65.00	Agraria Bitter Orange - $40.00
Demeter Sugar & Spice Cologne Spray - $20.00	Le Labo Labdanum 18 100ml - $200.00
Montale Amandes Orientales - $135.00	Penhaligon's Bluebell - $80.00
Fresh Cannabis Rose - $75.00	Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Luxe Edition - $70.00

(The Great) Pumpkin Soap - $5.95	Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel - $44.00
Pumpkin Soap by Nesti Dante - $9.95	Desert Essence Hand Repair Cream - $8.99
on10 Disney Pumpkin Spice Lip Balm SPF 15 - $3.50	Philosophy Lip Shine, Spicy Pumpkin - $12.00
Ulta Body Lotion - $9.00	Pumpkin Pudding #30 Toothpaste by Breath Palette - $4.95
ARCONA Pumpkin Lotion 10%, Regenerate - $35.00	June Jacobs Spa Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque - $78.00
Miracle Salve by Burt's Bees - $7.00	Fusion Beauty PureFusion Energy Surge Revitalizing Foaming Cleanse - $35.00
Intelligent Nutrients Lip Delivery Nutrition - $12.00