BellaSugar

BellaTV: Go On a Lash-Tinting Adventure!

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:30:39 -0800

Curious about lash tinting but have no idea what to expect? In this episode of "Have You Tried It?," BellaTV correspondent Zelana tries the trend. Check her out as she tests the full treatment, from prep to lash dye, and lets you know what you can expect when it comes to tinting your lashes!

Lashisse Offers Longer Lashes, Side Effects Galore

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:01:24 -0700

Move over, Latisse. There's a new eyelash-enhancing drug in town. Lashisse features all of the over-the-top endorsements (including Molly Sims's) that you'd expect from a lash-lengthening serum. Plus, there are some very interesting side effects - to the easily squeamish, you've been warned.

How Much Would You Pay For Longer Lashes?

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:00:04 -0800

The desire to draw attention to the eyelashes has been going strong since around 4000 BC, when ancient Egyptians used kohl to darken lashes and eye areas. Fast-forward thousands of years later, and the mascara industry brings in over an astonishing one billion dollars a year. That's not even including other eyelash-enhancing products such as extensions, false eyelashes, and now Latisse, an eyelash-growth drug approved by the FDA last December. Take a look at my chart below to compare products available on the market now. How much would you pay for long and full lashes?

PRODUCT	PROS	CONS
Mascara	Easy to find and come in a wide variety of styles from vibrating, scented, colored, thickening, and lengthening. Cheap - ranging in price from $5 to $10 at the drugstore. Assuming you keep your mascara around three months, it's mere pennies per use.	Can run and smudge, doesn't always look natural, and very temporary.
False Eyelashes	Very accessible, easy to apply (see my attempt here), and relatively cheap, ranging in price from inexpensive like E.L.F. False Eyelashes ($1 to $3) to moderate/slightly expensive such as Shu Uemura ($16 for accent lashes to $95 for fantasy lashes). Also, they're just plain fun - bedazzled lashes, anyone?	Can fall off easily, don't last very long, can't always be reused, and can look, well, fake!
Eyelash Extensions	Natural looking, long lasting (around two to three months), and doesn't take very long to apply by a spa professional (around 80 minutes or so). Check out my experience with eyelash extensions here.	Expensive, averaging around $200 to $600.
Latisse	Effective, easy to apply - similar to putting on eyeliner, treats hypotrichosis (sparse eyelashes), long-lasting (several weeks to months), and looks very natural because it's your own hair growing out.	Available by prescription only, expensive ($120 for 30-day supply), needs to be applied daily, and side effects can include skin darkening, irritation, dryness, and redness of the eyelids.

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Beauty Byte: FDA Approves Eyelash-Growth Drug

BellaSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:59:09 -0800

Back in June, the maker of Botox was seeking FDA approval of its eyelash-boosting drug. Now, Allergan got its wish: the FDA has approved Latisse, an eyelash-thickening agent meant for people who have hypotrichosis of the eyelashes - in other words, too few lashes.

Latisse's active ingredient is bimatroprost, which happens to be the same ingredient used in glaucoma treatments. Side effects may include itchy eyes, eye redness, a change in skin color, and a potentially permanent darkening of the iris. For people who have serious eyelash problems, it's probably worth a shot - but considering the possible side effects, I'll stick with my mascara for now.

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Beauty Byte: Eyelash Drug May Be on Its Way

BellaSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Would you give up mascara? Allergan, the maker of Botox, hopes you will. The company is working on a drug to make eyelashes grow longer. The catch? It's already available for different purposes.

Lumigan, a formulation of bimatoprost, is a glaucoma drug that can be used (off-label, of course) to grow eyelashes. Cosmetics such as RevitaLash and the original formula of Jan Marini Age Intervention Eyelash have used the drug in their formulations, but Allergan is the first to seek FDA approval for its cosmetic use.

But like any drug, bimatoprost has side effects. According to the FDA, it may cause the skin around the eye to darken, or the eyes could change color altogether. Not exactly the cosmetic wonders I'd like to experience. I'll stick with mascara or lash extensions, but if the FDA approval goes through, expect to see people rush to their doctors in search of longer lashes. Will you be one of them?

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A Quick Tip About Eyelash Curlers

BellaSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:00:02 -0700

Over the weekend, a reader e-mailed me because she's been losing her eyelashes. She used to have thick, full lashes, but more recently, they'd been falling out. After she explained her beauty routine, I immediately knew what was up. She was using an eyelash curler, but the way she used it was the culprit: She curled her lashes both before and after using mascara.

One of the easiest ways to make your eyes look bigger is to use an eyelash curler, but it's essential to curl your lashes only before applying mascara. (Here's how to use a curler.) If you curl after applying mascara, the curler will stick to the coated lashes. At worst, it breaks the lashes then and there; at best, it will weaken your lashes over time, making them more likely to fall out.

Fortunately, lashes grow back over time, and my reader friend will soon be back to her doe-eyed self. But to avoid lash loss in the first place, curl them only before slicking on your mascara.

Tools of the Trade: Portable Eyelash Combs

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:00:34 -0700

This is definitely not the age of Tammy Faye Bakker - and although long, lush, and voluminous lashes are sought after, so is a clean, defined, no-makeup makeup look. These contrasting worlds have no room for clumpy, lumpy lashes. With these relatively inexpensive and super-small lash combs, you won't have to worry about your lashes being a beauty faux pas.

Tweezerman Folding Eye Lash Comb ($6.99) is a thin and tapered gold-plated comb that has been designed to painlessly glide through your mascara-coated lashes and remove anything that is stuck together or clumpy. Use it when your lashes are still a little wet in gentle, upward motions (away from your eyes).

Eco Tools Bamboo Lash and Brow Groomer (on sale for $2.99) is a long and slender environmentally-friendly eyelash comb and eyebrow brush. It is made from synthetic bristles and the ferule is made from recycled aluminum. Check out the cost, too. At $2.99 a pop, you can keep one stashed in all of your primping locations.

For one more eyelash comb, read more.

Sephora Duo Eyelash/Brow Comb ($5) is a clear plastic, double-sided lash and brow comb. This one is also purse friendly since it's really light and the ends fold neatly inward so they won't catch on anything.

Beauty Blooper: A Brash Lash Decision

BellaSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:01:48 -0800

A reader shared this beauty blooper with me, and I just had to pass it along. So in case you're thinking of getting eyelash extensions, read this first!

My now-husband and I decided to elope. I still wanted to get all gussied up for the event, so I decided to treat myself to eyelash extensions. I was excited about them because I thought they would look really natural and fabulous in all of our wedding and honeymoon photographs. I took my time and did extensive research on spas and salons, and decided on a new salon in my area that offered the treatment.

What happened was a complete disaster! I ended up with lashes that were all the same length. I call them doll lashes since they happened to also be ridiculously long. In a feeble attempt to improve the look of my lashes, I cut them with manicure scissors. It helped a little bit (or so I thought), but when I took an objective look at them in the mirror the next day, I realized they were still too long, and now they were also uneven.

I did the unthinkable and began to pry them off with tweezers. When that didn't work, I tried using an oil to remove the glue, but the salon had used so much adhesive that I wound up pulling out many of my own lashes as well. The burning and the pain was intense but once I started I couldn't dare stop! For the next two months, I had to live with sparse eyelashes until they began to regrow. Why did I allow this to happen right before my wedding?

Lesson learned: Ask to see photos of a salon or spa's work before you have a semi-permanent treatment done. If it doesn't go well, have your eyelash extensions removed by a professional. Furthermore, if you are ever feeling pain from a beauty treatment, please seek out immediate care from a physician or an expert.

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Beauty Blooper: Eye've Really Done It This Time

BellaSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:00:32 -0800

I can't believe what happened to me last week when I was innocently getting all gussied up for a big night out on the town. As a finishing touch to my fabulous mod makeup look, I decided to make my first attempt at applying false eyelashes. I read the instructions that came with my cute mini falsies kit, applied the glue and then began to attach the fake lashes with the help of a tweezer.

I was prepared to fumble my first time around, but boy, I completely dropped the ball. I put on way too much glue and the lashes wouldn't stick. As I was trying to press one end to my lid, the other end fell right into my eye. Not only did glue get inside, but the falsies were prickly and my eye began to water. I was blinking profusely yet still trying to keep my makeup intact, but when I looked up, my perfect black liner was badly smudged. So much for mod-I'd gone goth.

My eyes eventually stopped stinging and I did my best to re-apply the lashes, but I wish someone had told me to try them on a bare face first! I'll never make that mistake again. Do you have any beauty bloopers of your own to share with me? If so, become a TeamSugar member by registering here and then send me a private message.

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Beauty Marked! False Eyelashes

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:30:54 -0700

We've got the results of last week's Beauty Mark It challenge, and if this doesn't make you bat your eyelashes, nothing will.

Lambs found these crazy, cool feathered lashes, while retail_therapy showed us the pair she uses for a smoky eye. Check out everyone's favorites in this widget, and be sure to come back tomorrow for the next challenge!