BellaSugar

5 Luxe Skin Care Products That Are Worth the Splurge

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 06:00:00 PST

Not sure where to start or what to get when it comes to high-end skin care products? Team Bella has tried out lots of luxe skin care items over the years, and here are a few of our favorites. Some are slightly more reasonably priced than others, but all deliver luxurious results.

How a Mask Brush Got a Handle on Me

BellaSugar — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:00:00 PDT

Do you ever feel like your DIY facial mask applications look more like you've been pied in the face? Not that you have to have a perfect spalike appearance to your at-home mask, but if there's a cleaner, neater way to get it on, then why not? A few years ago, an esthetician friend gave me a facial mask brush, and I cannot sing its praises enough.

Not only does this skin care tool provide a smooth, even application, but you'll find you actually need less product - and make a whole lot less of a mess - when you use it. Plus, there's something kind of glamorously old-school about a perfectly-applied mask. To apply, dip the brush into the product and use upward, long and sweeping motions to create an even layer all over the face. Or try a similarly shaped large foundation brush to get the same results.

More Sephora...

These Face Masks Look Scary, but Work Well

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:00:51 PDT

While some beauty brands go for subtle design - think of Nude's softly curved bottles or Noxzema's solidly blue jars - drugstore standby Montagne Jeunesse does not. Its individually packaged face masks are loud, brash, and a little frightening. (Honestly, look at that blue mask and tell me you don't see Mothra.) But that's the fun of these. I haven't tried all of the offerings, but the mud masks do a nice job of balancing oily skin. At just $2 and change a pop, taking a trip to Fudge Sauna is ridiculously affordable, too.

Feel the Heat: Here's How Self-Heating Products Really Work

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:00:00 PDT

Whether you think it's just a slick marketing ploy or you're truly on board with them, self-heating beauty products possess that certain Liz Lemon I-want-to-go-to-there kind of appeal. Most often found in the hair and skin care categories, self-heating products, aka thermal, typically come in hair or face masks or body scrub form.

Self-heaters work by creating an exothermic chemical reaction, meaning they're formulated to release energy when activated. In this case, it's water that causes the chemical (like zeolite or magnesium sulfate, for instance) to release heat.

But what's the benefit of these self-heating products, anyway? The answer lies in the fact that heat allows other ingredients to work more quickly and efficiently. Heat also encourages circulation in the skin. While some people love the immediate effects and soothing, pampering sensation, others can experience sensitivity. And if you're concerned about burning the skin, don't worry. These thermal reactions only cause a temporary, slight elevation in temperature.

Reader Review of the Day: Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask

BellaSugar — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:00:12 PST

I haven't used Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask ($21) since college, so when I came across reader voxtrotlous's review of the pore- and pimple-clearing treatment, I got all nostalgic. But is it worth the purchase? Find out what today's reviewer had to say below:

It's not a complete dud of a product. It's less that 20 bucks, so it's not anything you can complain about. All I'm saying [is that it] doesn't really do what it says it will. . . It made [my skin] a little bit smoother, but it didn't help clear my breakouts. I don't recommend it.

Have you tried out any detoxifying or clarifying masks as of late? Then it's time to hit up our Product Reviews pages, where you can tell us about everything you're loving (and hating) these days. You'll find more than 50,000 products from which to choose, and you never know - you might just be featured on this daily post, too.

Got Leftover Sweet Potatoes and Beer? You've Got a Face Mask

BellaSugar — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:00:00 PST

If you've been entertaining lately and are now the proud owner of a fridge full of extraneous yams, sweet potato casserole, and beer, I've got the perfect recipe for you. This one's a moisturizing and clarifying mask from Return to Beauty, a book of traditional skincare recipes. Just take a cup of your sweet potato (if it's already mashed or casseroled, great; if it's whole, boil it and smash it up) and add two tablespoons of beer. Apply the mask all over your face and neck, and keep it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and apply your toner or moisturizer. Easy, festive, and helps you clean out your fridge.

DIY Spa Treatment: Good Smellin' Fall Cranberry Apple Mask

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 PDT

I love the cool weather smells of the season, and what can be more warm and enticing than cranberries and apples? The combo is also, incidentally, an excellent exfoliant for dry Fall skin, and I've got a DIY recipe featuring these two ingredients, to give you the best of both worlds. For a divinely scented kitchen and naturally glowing skin, check out this easy, three-ingredient mask from Narine Nikogosian's new beauty home remedy book Return to Beauty ($25), due out next month. To get the directions, just read more.

DIY Spa Treatment: Pumpkin Face Mask

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:00:14 PDT

After a few weeks of warm temperatures, there's no denying it officially feels like Autumn. Yesterday I passed by one of those makeshift pumpkin patches on the city street corner and then immediately bought myself a long-sleeved turtleneck and a big bag of Brach's Harvest Mix. Now that I'm in the mood for this seasonably crisp weather and I've officially got an addiction to candy corn and other mellowcreme confections, I've got pumpkin on the brain. High in vitamins A and C and zinc, this gourd-like squash helps heal and protect the skin from free radicals, all while gently dissolving dead skin cells. The addition of egg helps bind the mask together, nourishing and lifting the skin. To get the recipe for this homemade pumpkin face mask, read more.

DIY Spa Treatment: Honey and Yogurt Acne Mask

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:00:53 PDT

When it's warm outside, my face tends to be more apt to breakout. Do you hear me on that one? I've shared with you dermatologist Dr. Hema Sundaram's recipe for her Sweet Tea Antioxidant Facial Exfoliator, and now she's got something else for us to help beat the early Autumn heat - and the pimples. Better yet? Most ingredients are probably already in your pantry or refrigerator. Her latest recipe both hydrates and exfoliates the skin, while providing antibacterial properties.

"Neem oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, which can help heal breakout-prone Summer skin," said Dr. Sundaram. But that's not all. "The fatty acids in neem oil build collagen and maintain skin’s elasticity while plain yogurt works to soothe, nourish, and tighten skin," she added. Get the easy-to-make recipe after the jump.

Reader Review of the Day: Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser Mask

BellaSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:02:37 PDT

Reader Itsme3683 has found her perfect mask in Neutrogena's Clear Pore Cleanser Mask ($7). Better yet, this acne-fighting formula can be used as both a daily moisturizer and a daily mask. Take it away, Itsme3683:

Like some of the other reviewers, I don't recommend using it as a twice-daily cleanser because it is really intense, and I think it's too thick and annoying for a cleanser anyways. I use it as a mask whenever I feel like I need a good deep clean and I love it. I also use it as a spot treatment when I have a problem zit - just dab a little of this on before bed and it's so much better in the morning. Highly recommended.

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