BellaSugar

Bellissima! Clarins HydraQuench Cooling Cream-Gel

BellaSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:00:09 -0700

Clarins HydraQuench Cooling Cream-Gel ($48) is on my list for gym essentials. I like it because it's a great way to prepare your skin for post-workout beauty. You know how after you've just exercised your face is flushed, sweaty and tends to stay that way for a while even after you've showered? This product helps to cool your skin and tighten up your dilated pores. This controls shine and allows you to apply your makeup without feeling wet and messy.

Aside from cooling and drying your face, it's also good for your skin. It contains hyaluronic acid (for suppleness), katafray extract (prevents moisture loss) and inca peanut oil (firms and minimizes wrinkles).

It is recommended for those with normal and combination skin, and makes for a terrific tropical vacation moisturizer. Also, it has an interesting cool gel-like texture, but it looks like a cream. Apply a small amount to the center of your face and work your way outwards (in small circles). If anyone else has tried this, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Fantastic Firming Creams, Part II: Face

BellaSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:00:52 -0800

Yesterday I told you a little bit about some firming bust creams, and today we're moving up on the body by focusing on creams to firm your face. Firming facial creams can help to minimize the appearance of your pores, and some can topically and temporarily suspend muscle contractions in your face - similar to what Botox does, but without the side effects.

Tracie Martyn Firming Serum ($185) is a favorite among celebrities, so I was really excited when I received a sample to test. I used it only a few times, but I found it to be calming, moisturizing, and brightening.

Clarins Extra Firming Day Cream ($77) is more for women in their 40s and up. The medium-weight cream has a very clean smell, and it claims to firm, tone and reduce those stubborn fine lines on your face. I found it to be soothing and it left my skin looking plump and smooth, but I didn't feel any particular sensation when I applied it, so it's hard for me to judge if it really worked.

For one more drugstore brand, read more.

I have yet to try this Neutrogena Visibly Firm Face Lotion ($18), but I've read a lot of positive reviews on it and plan to check it out. It is a fragrance-free, non-comedogenic face cream that contains SPF 20 and active copper to restore firmness and elasticity to the skin. Supposedly you will see the firming results after just one week of use.

I Heart Clarins' Eau Dynamisante

BellaSugar — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 06:00:22 -0800

A few months ago Clarins came out with a limited-edition version bottle of its Eau Dynamisante fragrance. I haven't smelled this particular fragrance before, but considering the limited edition bottle is bright red with a giant white heart in the center (made from children holding hands), it was too hard to resist this close to Valentine's Day.

The bottle was designed by artist Lorenz Baumer in honor of the Most Dynamic Woman Award and symbolizes sharing and generosity. Funny enough, I'd describe the scent as classic, invigorating and dynamic too. It's made from plant extracts, patchouli, ginseng, honey, rosemary, thyme and citrus notes. In addition, the plant extracts are supposedly moisturizing and toning for your skin - pretty cool, eh?

But I think the best part of all is that 100% of the profits go to the Andrea Jaeger's Little Star Foundation which helps children in need. The Clarins Eau Dynamisante fragrance range includes a 3.4 oz eau de toilette ($45-$60 depending on the bottle), a deodorant ($21), and a body lotion ($38).

Re-Balancing and Rejuvenating Facial Oils, Part II

BellaSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:00:58 -0800

Yesterday I brought you the first installment of my series on face oils. These gentle and fast-absorbing products are a relatively new way to increase hydration as well as re-balance and rejuvenate dry winter skin. Here are three more products to check out.

Neal's Yard Organic Orange Flower Facial Oil ($60) helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, eliminate toxins as well as balance the moisture levels in the skin. It is made from mandarin, pomegranate, primrose, ylang ylang, neroli and macadamia seed oil. After continued use, the result is soft, supple and balanced skin. Use morning and/or evening and massage into the face and neck.

For two more re-balancing and rejuvenating facial oils, read more

Clarins Santal Fave Treatment Oil ($45) is nourishing oil that helps calm redness and promotes radiance. Apply in the evening followed by a moisturizer.

Awake Aroma Facial Oil ($40) is a bedtime treatment that works wonders to soothe dehydrated and malnourished skin. Made from Vitamin E, herbs and macadamia oil, it penetrates the deep layers of your skin to protect skin without clogging your pores.

Clarins Gets Fizzy For Spring

BellaSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:00:28 -0800

Clarins is usually known as a skin care brand, but that could change with the introduction of this Spring 2008 Colour Fizz collection. Full of pastels with punch and just an overall feeling of energy, this collection is a breath of bright and fresh air. To create this look that you see in the picture, four new shades of eyeshadow as well as the new eyeliner and Double Fix Mascara were used.

Other pre-existing items such as Wonder Length Mascara, Gloss Appeal in Lilac, EyeLiner Pencil in Copper and Brown, 'Instant Light' Complexion Perfector and Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Eye Cream were also used. That's why you'll see them paired with this collection on the website and at makeup counters, but these aren't brand new products.

View 4 Photos ›

For more details about the new products in the collection, read more

Four new shades of Single Eye Shadows ($20) have been released in Sunny Yellow, Sweet Melon, Sweet Lilac and Gold Leaf.
This new liquid Eyeliner in Chocolate Brown ($24) is a makeup pen that allows for easy and precise application.
Clarins 'Double Fix' Mascara ($19) is a clear gel that is kind of like a shellac for your mascara. It hold in in place and can also double as an eyebrow gel.

New Product Alert: Clarins Gloss Appeal Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:00:55 -0800

The latest launch from Clarins is a new lip gloss called Gloss Appeal. I seriously need to get a handle on my lip-gloss fetish. With well over 75 glosses in my bathroom, why do I still get excited about the prospect of owning more? I think that lip gloss reminds me a lot of what Frances McDormand once said about shampoo in the movie Friends With Money.

She said something to the effect of every time she washed her hair in her youth, she looked at it as another chance to make herself more beautiful. That statement resonates with me, because I somehow think that if I find the most flattering lip-gloss shade in existence, I will become a lot prettier. I feel a little bit silly admitting this, but then again, I'm not sure that I'm alone.

Okay, so, back to the gloss. It contains hints of gold and silver shimmer as well as a plumping agent to create a super-shiny, light-catching effect. It is formulated with vitamin E to soften the lips and olive oil to help hydrate and protect them. The result is a sparkly, smooth, and more defined smile. In addition, the gloss is said to have a sweet flavor - bonus! Gloss Appeal is currently available in eight shades and sells for $19 each.

Superb Skin-Brightening Creams

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:00:03 -0800

Brightening creams are great for getting rid of small sun spots and for evening out blotchiness and skin tone. They shouldn't be mistaken for bleaching creams, which are harsher to your skin and can be harmful to your body. (Did you know that you shouldn't use bleaching creams that contain hydroquinone, or you can do damage to your liver?) Here are three safe brightening creams that will give your skin an even, radiant glow.

Made with Chinese herbs, Nefeli Skin-Brightening Cream ($70) comes in two variations: night and day cream. The day cream contains ingredients to counter irritations caused from environmental damages. If used daily, the cream prevents any redness and keeps your skin calm and even-toned.

For two more brightening creams, read more

Suki Complexion Brightening Cream ($45) is a rich, penetrating formula that lightens and brightens up the face, targeting dark circles, liver spots, and discolorations.

It contains high doses of vitamin C, rose wax, organic roses, organic oils, and shea butter to help stimulate collagen production and suppress sun damage. Massage one or two pumps onto your neck and face, and just wait for all the goodness to absorb.

Clarins Bright Plus HP Repairing Brightening Night Cream ($56) is a repairative brightening cream that deeply nourishes dry and stressed skin. It lightens sun spots, prevents the formation of new ones and it leaves skin looking radiant, rested, and beautiful!

Bellissima! Clarins Fix' Mascara

BellaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:28:43 -0700

Clarins Fix' Mascara ($18) is a sealant top coat for your eyelashes. It's not a regular mascara; instead, it transforms any mascara that you already have into a waterproof mascara. Brilliant!

It is made from ultra-fine waxes and hectorite clay crystals that have been formulated into a transparent gel. The gel then binds to the lashes, making them waterproof and even smudge-proof. You can also use it alone to strengthen, soften and add a fantastically shiny luster to your lashes. Just one coat, and you can cry if you want to!

Who Needs Underwire When You've Got Breast-Firming Creams!

BellaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:00:22 -0700

Sagging, drooping breasts are common complaints among the aging and those post-childbirth. I'm not sure why people don't expect it, since the laws of gravity tell us that what goes up must come down. Still, I guess losing the perky round shape of your breasts is a sign of saying sayonara to your youth. Hopefully now you can restore some of that depleting collagen in your boobies with these breast-firming treatments!

Apivita Express Bust Firming Mask with Centella ($24) is an invigorating and firming bust cream. (I'm not sure why they call it a mask since it doesn't dry and you don't wash it off.) It comes in individually packed sachets for easy travel use. It's formulated to help elasticity and firmness in your breasts, improve the overall texture of your breasts and leave your sexy skin feeling smooth and supple. After showering, apply a generous layer to your bust in circular motions until it's fully absorbed.

For two more breast-firming creams, read more

Clarins Bust Beauty Gel ($56) is an orange colored gel that gives quick results. It tightens the tissue on and around your breasts and provides contour and tone. This product is recommending to the aging, those who have just had a child or have encountered significant weight loss.

Godiva Breast Firming Cream ($15) is a highly concentrated cream that helps lift and firm your breasts. The main ingredient in the cream is Pueraria Mirifica, an phytoestrogen herb indigenous to Thailand. To use, apply a thick layer of cream to your breasts a massage it in for two to three minutes. Use in the morning and the evening for best results.

Beauty Byte: Clarins Finds a Wave of Criticism For Its Claims

BellaSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:00:36 -0700

Remember how L'Oreal was in trouble for its misleading advertising? Well, now Clarins is part of that club. The Advertising Standards Authority condemned Clarins for making claims that its Expertise 3P Screen Mist ($40) could protect skin from electromagnetic waves such as those that transmit TV and radio signals. Clarins marketed the spray as follows:

If electromagnetic waves can penetrate walls, imagine what they can do to your skin. Today, electromagnetic waves generated by a host of modern-day electronic devices join a list of well-known pollutants which can damage skin. For the first time, Clarins Research reveals the link between exposure to artificial electromagnetic waves and accelerated skin aging.

The only problem? The ASA wasn't too keen on the research. It turned to an independent expert, who criticized Clarins' method. It turns out that the spray was tested on plants in a laboratory, but not on people. So while the ASA has told Clarins to put the kibosh on its advertising claims, the cosmetics company stands by its advertisements, saying they are "factual and informative." What do you think? And would you have bought into the idea that a microwave can make you age in the first place?