BellaSugar

Eye-Brightening Makeup Pens

BellaSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:58:15 PST

Eye brighteners are sort of in a makeup genre of their own. While they may provide minimal coverage, they are not heavy and dense as a concealer yet they are lighter than a highlighter. These brighteners are for the makeup-advanced, as many makeup artists and professionals swear by them to give eyes an instantaneous "awake" and youthful look. However, it appears that all levels of makeup lovers are catching on, since YSL's Touche Eclat Eye Brightener Pen has reached cult status.

Here are three eye brightening makeup pens (and if these aren't enough for you, LilSugar's got a few more!) Here's a helpful tip: choose the shade closest to your skin tone, as going too light will create a halo effect around your eyes. Be sure to blend well, so that the product doesn't get caught in the tiny lines around your eyes.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightener ($30) is a sheer color-correcting highlighter pen that brightens dark circles and minimizes discolorations. It works to open up the eye area and smooth out the skin. Use either alone or under your concealer.

For two more eye brightening makeup pens,

Trish McEvoy Correct and Brighten Pen ($32) is a simple way to fake signs of fatigue. This pen is available in two sheer shades to brighten the areas around your eyes are well as even out any redness or dark circles.

Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen ($33) is a lightweight eye brightening pen that helps to decrease the look of shadows, dark circles and eye discoloration. It has a slight glow and shimmer and can be worn alone or under your concealer or foundation.

Excellent Eye Brightening Creams

BellaSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:00:38 PST

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 market targeted to help lighten up your tired looking eye area, I thought it might help you out if I featured a few products that I've tried and have really liked -happy shopping!

Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair ($22.50) provides a heavy dose of hydration to the delicate skin around your eyes. It is formulated with SPF 10, it reflects light and it contains vitamin E and echinacea to help treat dryness and dark under-eye circles.

And although it appears to be colorless, Eye Repair is actually quite a complementary sheer concealer for Asian skin.

For two more excellent eye brightening creams,

Kiehl's Line-Reducing Eye-Brightening Concentrate ($40) is a savior for those who suffer from sallow skin under the eye area, crows feet and suborbital wrinkles. It contains a high concentration (10.5%) of pure Vitamin C (fights aging) and haloxyl (combats dark circles). With continued use, your skin will look younger, tighter, brighter and more awake!

Clean & Clear Morning Glow Eye Brightening Cream ($5.99) is an eye cream that will add instant brightness to tired, dark and puffy eyes. It won't clog your pores, it won't make your skin look greasy and it also provides a hint of coverage to even out your skin tone.

To use simply apply a small amount around your eye area and pat it into your skin until it's all absorbed.

4 Steps to Achieving Better Brows in a Flash

Jessica Cruel — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

The eyebrows are the frames for beautiful eyes (that means they are important). And now that full, bold brows are in style, having the right moves for filling them in is essential. Makeup artist Floriane David of Make Up For Ever Academy reveals her expert secrets to achieving your best brows.

Form an outline: Start by using an angled brow brush to draw one long stroke underneath and above the eyebrow, advises David. This will help highlight your arch and create boundaries to color within.
Make high arches: Because the arch is the most important part of your brow look, it's where you should begin applying filler. This way, the arch will get the bulk of the product from your angled brush, making it a point of intensity.
Fill it in: Next, sweep your brush from the arch to the outer corner, keeping in mind that the last two-thirds of your brow should be the darkest. Then, move from the inner corner to the arch to blend, keeping in mind that this area of the brow should be filled in the lightest for the most natural look. When your brush is devoid of product, blend the end of your brow so that it tapers off at the tail.
Brighten up: As a final step, use a shimmering highlighter underneath the arch, on the cheekbone right below the eyes, and at the bridge of the nose. Hello, bright eyes.

5 Ways to Beautify While You Sleep

Jessica Cruel — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:28:00 PDT

Sometimes there isn't enough time in the day to do all the steps in your beauty routine - cleansing, exfoliating, toning, masking, moisturizing, (whew). So why not maximize your schedule and let the products do all the heavy lifting while you snooze? Just add these simple steps and products to your nighttime regimen, and you can wake up one step closer to a more polished look. Discover which overnight treatments are so easy you can do them with your eyes closed when you keep reading

Christine Taylor on Organic Beauty, Her Must Haves, and Nighttime Hair Routine

Jessica Cruel — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 PDT

Actress Christine Taylor has signed on to be the spokeswoman for organic skin care line Nourish, and as a vegan and mother, her partnership with the brand seems like kismet. "A lot of times products will say 100 percent natural, but this one actually works," Christine explains. "Every person in my family has different favorites, and it's in every bathroom."

Not only does she love the idea of USDA-certified organic beauty (the fresh fig body butter is her top product in the line), but Christine also has plenty of tricks for getting the best results. "You can use the body butter during the day, but you can also load it on at night and wake up with really smooth skin," she explains. Look for Nourish at Whole Foods, and get more of Christine's beauty tips and advice when you read more.

Your Go-To Guide For Wearing a Nude Lip Look

Jaime Richards — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:40:00 PDT

Struggling to find a nude lipstick shade that matches your skin tone? The trick to wearing a neutral hue is to actually think subtle touches of color in lieu of taking the term "nude" literally. From beige to mocha to sheer washes of pink, a nude-toned lip can be quite flattering, especially when coupled with a smoky eye. Take Rihanna, for instance, who opted for a pretty coffee-colored lipstick paired with dark liner and soft shadow at the 2012 Met Gala. Find out a few tips for going nude, sans the chalky effects, when you read more.

Feelin' Blue: When to Use a Cool-Toned Concealer

BellaSugar — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:35:00 PDT

You can try to grasp the purpose of each and every shade of color-correcting concealer on the market until you're blue in the face. But why do that to yourself? Speaking of blue, it turns out the icy hue doesn't have to leave you looking like an extra on The Smurfs. So what can blue do for you? Let's first look to the color wheel for guidance. Oh color wheel, tell us your magic ways.

Not only does blue add radiance to the complexion, but it also assists in reducing the appearance of minor imperfections. And if you have deeper skin tones, blue might be your cure to quelling under-eye circles. Another cool tip is that blue, the opposite of orange, can also help to neutralize overly Oompa Loompa-esque pigments caused from self-tanners.

In addition, purple, lilac, and mauve shades (which are somewhat close to the blue color family) can neutralize sallow, yellow tones. Hues of purple also can brighten olive skin and balance out yellowish blemishes on most skin tones. Try: Make Up For Ever's HD Microperfecting Primer in Blue or Mauve ($34), Givenchy's Mister Mat Mattifying Foundation Primer ($33), or Signature Club A by Adrienne's Anchorwoman Blue Dark Circle Cover ($16).

Source: Flickr User Linzi Clark /

How to Make Yellow Concealer Work For You

Jaime Richards — Sun, 06 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

A few weeks ago, Kim Kardashian posted an Instagram of herself getting her makeup done, complete with yellow streaks over her entire face. The reason? Yellow primer is a complexion-brightening corrector that helps even out the tone of the skin prefoundation. But that's not all. Now that we have you covered (heh) on the benefits of green correctors and pink correctors tones, let's take a closer look at the warming, brightening capabilities of yellow.

You glow, girl: A yellow powder or primer can add an instant glow to the skin, create a lightening effect, and help to erase the signs of fatigue. How can you not love that?
Get the red out: Yellow helps to soften and balance out pink tones, and it's also great to use for neutralizing pink-toned blemishes and fading out under-eye circles. Yellow correctors, when blended onto the eyelids, create a clean slate on which you can apply your eye makeup.
Try: Benefit's Lemon-Aid ($20), Nyx's Hi Definition Photo Concealer Wand in Yellow ($5), or Napoleon Perdis's Mighty Concealer Pen in Mellow Yellow ($29).

Source: Flickr User Linda Cronin

Pretty in Pink: When to Use a Pink Concealer

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

When it comes to makeup shades, pink is one of the most flattering hues on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. But when it's a pink concealer or corrector palette, however, just how does it fit into the mix exactly? Get the scoop when you read more.

Designer Suki Cheema Thinks Spring With His Indonesia Collection

Elka Karl — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:34:27 PDT

Designer Suki Cheema is renowned for his intuitive, in-depth understanding of pattern, textiles, and printmaking, which has landed him positions with Calvin Kelin, Ralph Lauren, and Diane von Furstenberg. In fact, it was Diane von Furstenberg who inspired Suki to follow his dreams of launching his own line. With SUKI CHEEMA, an exclusive collection of home and personal accessories, Suki marries his love of art, textiles, and travel. The line includes throw pillows, quilts, rugs, tabletop items, handbags, and more, all featuring hand silk-screened prints and embroidery techniques that are centuries old.

I recently caught up with Suki to discuss his latest collection, Indonesia and found out his thoughts on printmaking and pattern, Spring decorating, and inspirations.
CasaSugar: What inspired the Indonesia collection specifically?

Suki Cheema: A trip to Indonesia some time ago. I was most inspired by the Batik designs from Java. Batik is unique to Indonesia and is one of its most traditional art forms. It has a special place in the culture and history of the people. My color choices for the collection were also influenced by Indonesia. You will see lots of indigo and shades of blue throughout the collection with pops of scarlet and other bright colors.
CS: How did you develop the patterns for this collection?

SC: During my trip I collected lots of batik fabrics and took photographs of everything that caught my eye. I like to take inspiration from traditional things and give them a modern twist, which is exactly what I did for this collection. I play with the scales and dimensions of patterns and reform things so that the inspiration is just that and not a literal interpretation.

Keep reading to find out more about the SUKI CHEEMA collection and to see more of the line