Benzoyl Peroxide vs. Salicylic Acid: Which One Is Better For You?


Updated 04/16/12 11:15 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 34 comments

Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid: Which Works Better on Acne? 2010-01-14 04:00:36

Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are both excellent acne fighters, and definitely the most affordable treatments on the market. Almost any drugstore acne treatment is going to have one or the other. But it's impossible to tell from the bottle which product is going to help clear up your specific acne. If you end up with the wrong one, it can actually make things worse. To help you determine Read more

Doing Drugstore: Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser


Updated 07/24/09 8:51 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 20 comments

Doing Drugstore: Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser

I'm a recent convert to Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Cleanser ($6), but I'm glad I found it. It's cheap, it's a pretty good makeup remover, and it washes completely off like a regular foaming cleanser. Best of all, it's easy. It's the kind of product that keeps you from falling asleep in your makeup after two mojitos too many, because while you many not have the energy (or coordination) Read more

Back To Basics: The Best Face Scrubs


Updated 03/23/08 9:01 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 62 comments

Back To Basics: The Best Face Scrubs

Back in July, you beauty marked some of your favorite face scrubs, and here are three oldies but goodies that I've adored for ages. Face scrubs are imperative in maintaining a healthy appearance. They work to gently remove dead skin, oil and residue from the daily grind. This helps unclog your pores and smooth out your skin. St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($3.99) is likely my absolute favorite Read more

Excellent Eye Brightening Creams


Updated 03/26/08 5:33 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 15 comments

Excellent Eye Brightening Creams

Welcome back to my second installment of brightening beauty products. Today's range of products concentrates on eye brightening creams. These light infused creams help diffuse dark circles, soften fine lines and brighten the skin around your eyes to create a more youthful appearance. They are also extremely gentle so they won't irritate your skin. With the overwhelming amount of products on the Read more

Doing Drugstore: Clean & Clear Morning Burst Oil Absorbing Sheets


Updated 11/02/07 2:48 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 28 comments

Doing Drugstore: Clean & Clear Morning Burst Oil Absorbing Sheets

This is going to sound weird, but I love seeing oil and sebum. I love them most when they are no longer in my face, which is why oil-blotting sheets are so much fun. There's something satisfying about dabbing your skin, then seeing the "oil spill" on the paper. Better there than on my face, right? I've been using Chidoriya blotting papers, which are great, but I recently tried Clean & Clear's Read more

4 Steps to a Stellar Sponge Manicure


Updated 05/23/12 2:48 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Do a Sponge Manicure

We're happy to present this story from our friends at Allure: I recently met with Roxanne Valinoti, an educator for CND, a professional nail product line, who showed me a cool trick for sponge-painted nails. This is definitely worth trying the next time the urge for DIY nail art strikes. (Or does that only happen to me?) You'll need a natural sea sponge from a craft store and five different Read more

Thinking About a Juice Cleanse? 4 Ways It Can Cause Weight Gain


Updated 05/18/12 11:15 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Will I Gain Weight From a Juice Cleanse?

Whether it's to improve energy, clear acne, Spring clean the digestive system, or shed a few pounds, juice cleansing is all the rage now. Even celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Richie are buzzing about the benefits of liquid detoxing. Before you splurge on a juicer or lay down the dough for a liquid detox program, learn how a juice cleanse may lead to weight gain. Hard-to-measure liquid Read more

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Dark Shadows"


Updated 05/14/12 3:37 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

Mad Men "Dark Shadows" Recap

It feels like just yesterday it was summertime in Mad Men world, but alas, we've already arrived at Thanksgiving. It's not exactly a celebratory episode: Betty's cranky about both her new diet and Don's new wife; Pete's still struggling to figure out his life; and Don and Ginsberg have a showdown at work. Roger, on the other hand, is still using his money to get everything he wants, which Read more

See How We Transformed an Ikea Lampshade With a Potato


Updated 05/18/12 4:34 PM · Posted by · 5 comments

Ikea Lampshade Block-Printing DIY

As part of our Styled by You $500 Giveaway with Ikea, Elka and I have been re-envisioning some Ikea products, thinking beyond the flatpack. Today, I'm sharing my first project, which was made with an ÅSELE lamp shade ($15) and a BRÅN Clear Glass Table Lamp Base ($20). I was inspired by an Uzbeki ikat polka-dot fabric and was determined to re-create the look on my own. I decided to take a Read more

The Office, "Free Family Portrait Studio": Best Lines of the Night


Updated 05/11/12 10:20 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

The Office Recap "Free Family Portrait Studio"

This week is the season finale of The Office, and Dwight puts on a family portrait studio for his co-workers, but it's really to prove that he's the father of Angela's baby. Andy comes in looking absolutely crazy, but we learn that our old friend David Wallace has decided to buy Dunder-Mifflin from Sabre and give Andy his old job back. Darryl makes his affection for Val very clear to everyone — Read more