BellaSugar

Inside the World of Celebrity Scents

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:00:07 -0700

Eighty-four percent of you say you're sick of celebrity fragrances, but you must be anomalies-because celeb perfumes are selling like crazy. Some of the interesting bits from the story:

There's big bucks in this business. Euromonitor International, a Chicago-based market research firm, reports that worldwide sales of the top seven celebrity scent lines-just the top seven!-totaled $353.6 million last year.
Diddy's sitting pretty. A lot of you find his Unforgivable ads cheesy, but the scent is doing just fine. Last year, it did $74.9 million in sales.
Inside the contract: Fragrance companies such as Coty and Elizabeth Arden produce and develop the fragrance, then the star's name goes on the bottle. Contract details are kept private, but the industry standard is to give the celeb 5–10% of sales, with a possible signing bonus.
Jennifer Lopez has made many cents out of scents. Forbes writes: "In 2006, Lopez's net worth was about $110 million, according to Forbes' list of the 20 richest women in entertainment-but her last CD was a flop, as were her last several movies. Sales of her fragrances, including Glow and Live Luxe, totaled $77 million in 2006."

What I'd really like to know-and what the story doesn't reveal, unfortunately-is the extent to which celebrities are involved in creating their scents. I've heard that Hilary Duff had a lot of input and feedback on hers, and I can see Gwen Stefani knowing what she wanted for L. Somehow, though, I'm not convinced that Britney Spears was actively involved in making Believe-at least, not with all of her personal drama this year.

Love It or Hate It? Diddy's Banned Unforgivable Commercial

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:25:54 -0700

Another day, another fragrance ad that's bound to ruffle a few feathers. Yesterday, it was Tom Ford's crotchtastic photo and now it's Diddy's commercial. MTV has deemed his spot for Unforgivable Woman too racy to air. But he refuses to edit it, so now it's online. It's supposed to be sexy, but to me, it seems more cheesy than anything else. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Fab Flash: The Truth Behind Faux Fur

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:13:44 -0800

Did you know that many faux fur coats that are sold in the U.S. are actually made from dog fur? The Humane Society of the United States reports that 24 out of 25 jackets that have been tested, were incorrectly labeled.

The tests show that the fur comes from a breed of dogs called raccoon dogs, an Asian and northern European animal that looks remarkably like a raccoon. Coats made from this fur are manufactured by Diddy's clothing line Sean John, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. They are sold all over the country in large department stores such as: Macy's, Burlington Coat Factory and J.C. Penney.

It is said that the fur is coming from China. The law prohibits the import or sale of dog and cat fur products, however, if the amount of fur on an item is worth $150 or less, then no labeled is required. This is how the wool has been pulled over the eyes of the consumers.

The issue is being discussed further on Capital Hill by Rep. Jim Moran, D-Virginia and Rep. Mike Ferguson of R-New Jersey about how to regulate these types of legal loopholes. Also, The Humane Society is currently speaking with department stores that carry these types of products about pulling them from their stores.

To find out what Diddy had to say on the matter, read more

"I was completely unaware of the nature of this material, but as soon as we were alerted, the garments were pulled off the Macy's floor and website," Combs said. "I have instructed our outerwear licensee to cease the production of any garments using this material immediately. I appreciate the tireless work that the Humane Society does and would like to thank them for bringing attention to this issue."

2009 Primetime Emmy Awards: Kim Kardashian

BellaSugar — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:13:38 -0700

Kim's hair and makeup were looking very Jennifer Lopez in her Diddy years this evening, not that that's a bad thing. Silver-white eye shadow with big ol' honkin' false lashes is basically the inverse of the smoky eye, and it's bombshell sexy in its own right. The almost nonexistent slicked hair lets her gorgeous skin and enviable features stand out, and the neutral lip makes her pout even more pronounced without taking it over the top. Are you seeing what I'm seeing, though? Does this look have its good points, or should Kim have left it back in 2003?

Vote on all of my Primetime Emmy Awards polls here!

Jennifer Lopez vs. Sean Combs: A Fragrant Battle of the Exes

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:57:27 -0700

Let the showdown begin! Sean Combs and Jennifer Lopez have each released fragrances in the past year: Jennifer's Deseo ($46–$56) and Diddy's Unforgivable Woman ($55–$75). It's not the first foray into the fragrance world for either, but with Deseo expected to make millions in its first year alone, and P. Diddy's nomination for a CEW award, these ex-lovahs both have a lot at stake. But whose scent is better? For a side-by-side comparison, read more.

	Deseo by Jennifer Lopez	Unforgivable Woman by Sean John	Advantage?
The Ads	A scantily clad Lopez lounges in a hammock in a tropical locale. It's pretty, but haven't we seen this sort of thing before?	Big stud Sean is flanked by scantily clad women strewn across a bed, looking as though they've just engaged in some serious Diddy-diddlin'.	Diddy's ad seems like it belongs in a men's magazine of questionable pedigree. (In fact, his commercials were banned for being too racy). Jen's ad is just yet another glamour shot - nothing groundbreaking - but I'd rather be the woman in her ad than one of the women in Diddy's. So Jen wins, but just barely.
The Inspiration	"A midnight walk in Jennifer's flower garden just before a thunderstorm."	"The essence of sensuality that intoxicates the senses, that expresses what it is to be the unforgivable woman."	Prancing around in Jen's garden sounds a lot more enjoyable than being scolded with Diddy's unintelligible take on female sexuality. Lopez for the win!
Bottle	A faceted, angular turquoise glass with a gold top.	A traditional, minimalist light pink frosted bottle	J.Lo takes this one. Diddy's is unforgivably blah.
How it smells	Fruity and sweet with a hint of coconut.	Musky and spicy, with a strong note of Jamaican rum.	Diddy wins. His fragrance is slightly more complex, less sweet, and more daring - as long as you don't mind smelling a little boozy.

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Best of Bella, 3/16

BellaSugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:00:02 -0700

Share your two cents on Miley Cyrus' latest hair color.

Go inside Bare Escentuals headquarters with me!

Think you're immune to a gross-out? Check out my post on sebaceous cysts.
Will you be partaking in the colorful new Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush line?
See which nail polish color looks big for spring.
Want to smell like Hillary, Barack, or John? Well, now you can. OK, sort of.
Check out beauty tips and hints for all you pretty Pisces out there.
Thinking about going on Accutane? Make sure you know the facts first.
If you loved Lo Bosworth's teased chignon, check out my easy tips for getting the look at home.
Are you ready to rumble? Jennifer Lopez's and P. Diddy's fragrances face off.
Peek at my preview of the Chanel Spring 2008 makeup collection.
Or follow these easy steps to create your own at-home hair removal treatment.

Flynet

Love It or Hate It? Beyonce's Not-So-Beyonce Look

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:07:38 -0700

When I saw this picture, I thought, "Huh, that girl kinda looks like Beyonce." But it is Beyonce-with a departure from her usual look. She was at a party for Diddy's new fragrance, Unforgivable Woman. (Check out his banned ad, which is kind of cheesy.)

I like Beyonce's glamorous, long lashes here, but even after looking at this photo for a few minutes, I still think she looks more like Raven-Symoné than herself. Maybe this would be a good Twin Peeps for Giggle! What do you think? Do you like this look on Beyonce, or should she go back to her less pastel, more golden look?

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The Best of Bella, 9/16

BellaSugar — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:47:29 -0700

Check out tons of how-tos and trends from New York Fashion Week!
Catch my video interview with a MAC makeup artist-he explains the fall face and how to get it.
On a fragrance-ad note, most of you thought Diddy's was cheesy, while Tom Ford's was sleazy.
Speaking of ads, Angelina has a new Shiseido commercial that you won't see on TV... in the States, at least.
Oh my goth, it's the return of the morbid makeup look. Break out the Siouxsie.
There's still time to enter my $225 Back to School Sephora giveaway!
Quiz time: See if you can match the beauty quotes with the people who made them.
Find out why burnt-orange lips are the big new trend.
I don't know if you heard, but there was a bad performance at the VMAs last weekend. Vote on the hair and makeup of the stars, including, yes, Britney and her extensions.

Model of the Week: Jessica Gomes

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 09:12:43 -0700

Welcome to BellaSugar's Model of the Week. This week, we are chatting with the beautiful Australian brunette, Jessica Gomes. Jessica was born in Sydney, the baby of a family that includes two older sisters, an older brother, a Portuguese father, and a Chinese mother. Her childhood was simple and rustic, so her interests lay more in reading, art, and sports than in fashion and beauty.

Fearing she wouldn't grow up polished, Jessica's mother sent her to finishing school at the age of 13. It was there that she appeared on the hit TV show "Bush Patrol," which lead to a modeling contest and the start of a successful career.

You might recognize her from her photos in Vogue, Teen Vogue, Glamour, and the Victoria’s Secret catalog. She has appeared in ads for Adidas, Gap, Motorola, and DKNY. She also recently signed with Estee Lauder as the face of Diddy's Unforgivable fragrance.

When she's not walking the catwalks, Jessica enjoys interior design, yoga, dancing, painting, gymnastics, playing tennis, squash, surfing, swimming, and boxing. She currently lives in NYC and gets back to Australia to see her friends as often as possible.

We spoke to Jessica about her beauty secrets, so to read the interview and see a gallery of photos, read more

BELLA: What is your secret to beautiful skin and hair?
JG: My secret to beautiful skin and hair is eating a healthy diet, which includes lots of fruits and vegetables. I also eat a lot of fish for their high omega-3 content, as well as taking fish oil supplements to help keep my hair shiny and my skin glowing. Oh, and I drink lots of water!

BELLA: What is the one product that you can't live without?
JG: Lucas Paw Paw Ointment from Australia and Laura Mercier Tinted SPF Moisturizer.

BELLA: What is your guilty pleasure?
JG: Hmmm. A glass of rosé and a cigarette...and then a piece of chocolate!

BELLA: What are your favorite drugstore products?
JG: New Skin for my blisters, Trident Sweet and Sour Strawberry Gum, and Venus Razors.

BELLA: Happiness is...
JG: Hanging out with friends and buying a beautiful piece of jewelry.

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