BellaSugar

Clinique Aromatics Elixir Perfume

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:19:52 -0800

Thanks Clinique, for bringing us such an elegant looking holiday fragrance to admire. I have yet to try Aromatics Elixir Perfume ($65), but what I can tell you is that the gold and floral atomizer it comes in is gorgeous.

The fragrance isn't new, but this limited-edition packaging is, and from what I hear, the scent is charming, woodsy, floral, and extremely appealing to the masses.
The perfume contains notes of oakmoss, patchouli, rose essence, sandalwood, chamomile, jasmine, muguet, patchouli, musk, vetiver, amber and ylang-ylang.

I prefer to smell perfumes myself before I buy them for others, but the mass appeal mixed with the pretty bottle sounds like it's the perfect present for a luxe lady. I'm really excited to check it out the next time I pass by a Clinique counter. How does it sound to you?

Oh Happy Day: Customize Your Own Bottle of Fragrance

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:00:50 -0800

If you haven't yet heard the word, Clinique has a super-cute gimmick for the 2007 holiday season. Right now, you can customize a bottle of Happy eau de parfum ($52) with a picture of your choice.

Happy is an upbeat citrus and floral fragrance with notes of of grapefruit, boysenberry bush flower and Hawaiian wedding flower. I know a lot of women who love it (and quite a few guys who do, too). Plus, early-bird holiday shoppers will like this: door-to-door delivery only takes ten business days. I think this would be a sweet gift for someone you want to make very happy-and besides, you know it won't be returned!

Take a Look at the 2009 CEW Award Winners!

BellaSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:00:13 -0700

What do all of these products have in common? They're just a few of the select winners of this year's 2009 Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Awards. If you're not familiar, each year, members of the CEW, who are working professionals in the industry, gather together to select their top beauty picks of the year.

It's like what the Grammys are to a musician or what the Oscars mean to an actor. Over 4,000 votes were cast for 2009, with nearly 550 products entered in 28 categories, covering the whole beauty gamut. Curious to see what products prevailed in these prestigious awards? Find out when you read more.

2009 CEW BEAUTY AWARDS WINNERS

Bath and Body

Body Treatment - Mass: Avon Products, Inc. Anew Clinical Professional Stretch Mark Smoother
Body Treatment - Prestige: Ojon Tawaka "The Ball"
Scented Bath & Body - Mass: Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary Eucalyptus & Peppermint Cold & Sinus Soak
Scented Bath & Body - Prestige: Fresh Fig Apricot Bath and Shower Gel

Facial Skin Care

Acne Treatment: Clean & Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Exfoliating Cleanser
Anti-Aging - Mass: Olay Regenerist 14 Day Skin Intervention
Anti-Aging - Prestige: Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector
Cleanser and Scrub - Mass: Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser and Deep Clean Foaming Pads
Cleanser and Scrub - Prestige: Fresh Appleseed Brightening Exfoliant
Eye Treatment - Mass: Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller
Eye Treatment - Prestige: Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment
Moisturizer - Mass: Olay Definity Color Recapture
Moisturizer - Prestige: Estée Lauder Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Moisturizer SPF 15

Hair

Hair Care, Style, and Coloring - Mass: Avon Advance Techniques Grey Root Touch-Up
Hair Care, Style, and Coloring - Prestige: Living Proof Straight Making No Frizz Styling Cream for Medium to Thick Hair

Makeup

Eye Product - Mass: L'Oréal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara
Eye Product - Prestige: Lancôme Ôscillation
Face Product - Mass: CoverGirl Simply Ageless Foundation
Face Product - Prestige: Giorgio Armani Face Fabric Foundation
Lip Product - Mass: Avon Pro-To-Go Lipstick
Lip Product - Prestige: YSL Rouge Volupté Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15

Men's Grooming

Men’s Grooming: Zirh Drenched

Scent

Men's Scent: Prada Infusion d'Homme Eau de Toilette Spray
Women's Scent - Mass: Avon Bond Girl 007
Women's Scent - Prestige: Harajuku Lovers Fragrances "G"

Sun

Sun Product - Mass: Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 70
Sun Product - Prestige: Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Cream

Indie Beauty Award (The brightest new start-up in the world of beauty.)

Nia 24

BuzzSugar's Beauty Secrets Are Entertaining

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:00:59 -0700

Continuing on with the Sugar girls' beauty routines - check out Giggle's fave products and Fab's favorite tips if you missed them - I've checked in with Buzz. She always looks fresh and healthy with her minimal-makeup look, but when she gets dressed up for a special occasion, she's a classic beauty. Read on to see how she primps in between the movie premieres and CD release parties.

Which beauty products are your must-haves?
H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment, gel blush, foundation primer, and Clean & Clear facial wipes - they're excellent for traveling, especially with the liquids ban on airlines.

What’s your favorite beauty ritual?
Getting a haircut. It’s so refreshing and there’s usually a neck massage involved. It’s such a great way to feel beautiful and make a brand new start.

For the rest of Buzz's answers, read more.

What’s your go-to lip product?
Dr. Pepper LipSmackers! Also, C.O. Bigelow Lip Care products (specifically the Mentha Lip Shine).

What is your morning beauty routine like?
SUPER low-key! Basically wash-n-go.

What’s your signature fragrance?
Hmm... I’m kind of all over the place with fragrances. I used to use Clinique’s Happy, though not so much anymore. Probably my go-to fragrance is the eau de toilette from Banana Republic called Classic.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
Well, my mom always refused to let me get my hair permed when I begged her to let me do that, and I’m eternally grateful to her for never relenting! Also, BellaSugar’s advice about putting on moisturizer with SPF is some of the most important beauty advice I think I’ve ever gotten.

And the worst advice?
I used to hear that tanning beds were “better for you” than the actual sun, which now seems slightly preposterous. Tanning advice in general often seems just wrong to me, like the advice that people should get “a base tan.” Hey, for some of us, there IS no base tan! It’s just ivory to scarlet in 15 minutes.

Any tips or tricks you want to share with readers?
Save the blow-drying, hair irons, curling irons, what-have-you for special occasions or else your hair will live to regret it. There’s really no need to use those things if you’re just going to be sitting in your cubicle all day! Also: Avoid using mineral products when you know there’ll be photo opportunities in the near future.

Your favorite drugstore beauty product?
I really like most Dove products (deodorant, moisturizer, etc.). It’s just a reliable brand.

When do you feel the most beautiful?
I feel the most beautiful in those first few minutes right when I get out of the shower. It’s just such a wonderful feeling of refreshment and rejuvenation, and my face is often a little flushed from the steam. My skin looks great, and I feel clean and lovely!

Best of Bella

BellaSugar — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 08:00:23 -0800

Don't call it a comeback: scrunchie edition
Bye-bye "torture device," hello Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara
Which movie makeover is your favorite?
Fight the cold with Whitney Port-inspired headbands
Do you know your beauty basics?
Four tips to fight frizz year-round
What's your take on Angelina's buttoned-up hairstyle?
Get fragrance trend predictions for 2009
Chris Rock weighs in on "Good Hair"

How to do Dushku's 'do
Have you seen bumpits?

Think Pink: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

BellaSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:00:39 -0700

Along with Black Honey lipstick, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion is one of Clinique's cult classics. The fragrance-free lotion is lightweight enough to use on oily skin, but moisturizing enough to give dry skin a boost.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Clinique has created a 6.7 ounce bottle of the stuff for $35. Ten dollars for each bottle sold will go to the Breast Cancer Research Fund. The limited-edition packaging features a bauble with three charms: a silver Clinique “C”, a miniature 3-Step skin care set, and a pink ribbon.

'Ello, FabSugarUK! Fancy Sharing Your Beauty Thoughts?

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:00:52 -0700

Straight from Merry Olde, FabSugarUK is giving out some of her best British beauty advice. (I also hope she does not hate me for the dorky title of this post.)The London lass is a fan of both high- and low-end brands, so there's something here for everybody. Missed one of the Sugar girls' beauty profiles? They're all here if you'd like to read them.

Which beauty products are your must-haves?
Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, cherry Carmex, Clinique three-step skincare, Chanel navy blue nail polish.

What’s your go-to lip product?
Lancome Juicy Tubes.

To find out the best beauty advice she's ever received, read more.

What’s your signature fragrance?
Loving the new Chloe fragarance right now.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
Apply foundation with a brush for an airbrush finish.

Any tips or tricks you want to share with readers?
Not sure whether it’s a trick, but use a primer as well as moisturizer - you will be amazed how much longer your foundation lasts.

Your favorite drugstore beauty product?
Can I say Carmex again?!

When do you feel the most beautiful?
When dressed/made up for a big night out.

A Trip to the Cosmetics Outlet: It's Hit-or-Miss

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:00:49 -0700

This past weekend, YumSugar and I went shopping at the Premium Outlets in Napa. After scoring a pair of J Brand jeans for $100 off (!) I got sucked into The Cosmetics Company Store. It's an outlet shop that features Estee Lauder-owned brands, and if you live near an outlet mall, there's probably a location near you. (Here's a full list).

View 3 Photos ›

To find out about our adventure, and to see whether we think it's worth seeking these outlets out, read more.

These stores stock makeup, fragrance, and accessories from MAC, Estee Lauder, Origins Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, and Clinique. The products include overstock, discontinued colors, and limited-edition products that have been taken off department-store shelves. It sounds great, but the Napa store was a letdown. We might have hit it on a bad day, but the cosmetic testers were filthy and the selection was spotty. (Yum wondered how old the cosmetics were. I saw a few items from MAC's holiday collection, so the products aren't ancient or anything.)

I was hoping for a treasure trove of deeply discounted beauty buys, but my alliterative aspirations were quickly quashed. The prices are generally 20–30% below retail, which is great if you're buying an expensive item, but not a wacky deal otherwise.

Yum and I agreed that it's worth popping into one of these shops if you're nearby. But if you have to travel to get there, you might be better off saving the gas money to buy the items at full price - because at least then you'll have a full range of products and some expert help. I know some of y'all have been to these stores, so I'm eager to see what you have to say about them.

Bella Bargain: The Beauty Event at Neiman Marcus

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 09:00:36 -0700

Ha cha cha! That's what I say when I get excited about something. No joke. I know it's nerdy, but soon you will see why I'm geeking out.

As you may know, Neiman Marcus is celebrating its centennial with a slew of exclusive, expensive limited-edition products with prices reaching the level of rent. But for those of us who want to splurge on a smaller scale, there's The Beauty Event. Neiman's does this twice a year, and if you're going to treat yourself, it's the best time to do it. If you spend $100 or more on cosmetics or fragrance, you'll get a metallic tote with eight samples from Laura Mercier, Clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Revive, Prada, Orlane and Molton Brown. Is it the biggest Bella Bargain I've ever found? No, but it's one of the best gifts with purchase I've seen all year!

But wait, there's more! (I say that when I'm excited, too.) To find out what else Neiman has in store-yuk yuk-just read more

Along with the tote and samples gift, each beauty brand is offering its own gifts with purchase. For instance, spend $95 on Burberry Men and you'll get a logo sport bag. Spend the same on Juicy Couture and you get a four-piece fragrance set. Drop $30 on Phyto and you'll receive a Phytobrush Smoothing Shampoo. And on and on. While these aren't teeny-tiny price points, it makes sense to shop now if you've been planning on a big splurge. The deals are good through September 17 online, and in stores between this Friday and September 16. Happy shoppin'!

Product Review: Renoir Oil-Free Dual Foundation

BellaSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:00:22 -0800

My Renoir Oil-Free Dual Foundation ($36.50) is one of those products I've always kind of kept on the down low. When I lived in New York City my roommate told me about a beauty shop/apothecary on the Upper East Side called Boyd's where they carry their own line of cosmetics. She was born and raised in New York, so I thought I had just discovered an ultra chic secret line of makeup.

I was about to begin my first job and wanted to find something a little more adult than the Clinique compact I had been using since high school to keep my face shine-free throughout the work day. What attracted me to this product was the texture. The lightweight pressed powder absorbs oil quickly and creates a fresh (not cakey) looking canvas on your skin. You can also wet it and it instantly turns into a creamy foundation for heavier coverage.

For years this became my base for everything from work to weddings and the only real drawback is its overly sweet, old-ladyish smell. I never will understand why more makeup isn't fragrance-free.

I've stopped using Renoir products now that I test so many different foundations and powders for Bella, but I found an old one in the bottom of my drawer recently, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for my days in New York. Memories of me and my Renoir compact came flooding in and it got me wondering if any of you also feel attached to specific products from your past?