BellaSugar

BellaSugar's Guide To Firming Beauty Products

BellaSugar — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:00:28 PDT

I hope that you've enjoyed my series on firming creams for your eyes, lips, face, bust and body. There are excessive amounts of these products on the market now, and truth be told, I am not completely sold on their effectiveness. They generally fall into a more of the anti-aging genre, so perhaps as gravity starts to take its toll, these items will come in more handy to fight the forces of nature. Below is my five-post round up on firming beauty products. If you have experience with any products in this category, please share them in a comment below.

Fantastic Firming Creams, Part V: Body

BellaSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:00:07 PST

Welcome back to my series on firming beauty products. Today's topic is body creams. Before we go any further, you need to know that no cream can actually remove cellulite. By following a healthy lifestyle you can shrink lipids, but topical creams will only work to stimulate your skin and temporarily help smooth the appearance of cellulite. Below are three that I've tried.

Benefit Jiggle Gel ($26) is a toning, firming, and hydrating moisturizer for your hips, thighs, tummy, arms, and booty. It claims to act as an "invisible girdle." I can't attest to it being quite that effective, but the mental image definitely worked to help me feel firmer. Simply smooth it onto your body and allow it to dry. I just read that it's also recommended to help reduce swelling after long flights, so it might be good for frequent fliers.

For two more body firming creams,

read more. Liz Earle Hip and Thigh Gel ($33) is another toning and moisturizing clear gel designed especially for your hips and thighs. It's made from herbs, essential oils, and has an overriding eucalyptus scent. I like how my skin felt soft after I used it, and of course, massaging it in feels wonderful. For optimal results, apply at least once daily under your usual moisturizer.
Murad Firming Body Cream ($42.50) is a thick, smooth, and creamy body lotion made with soy, oat protein, vitamin C, and shea butter. It was designed to hydrate, tone, and smooth away visible wrinkles. While I didn't see much of a difference in the firmness of my body, it does serve as a great moisturizer.

Fantastic Firming Creams, Part IV: Lips

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:00:52 PST

Since your lips and eyes have thin skin, they tend to show signs of aging more quickly than other areas of the body. Lip-firming products contain high concentrations of vitamins and anti-inflammatory agents, and they lessen the look of enlarged pores. Here are three products that have been recommended to me.

Pevonia Botanica Youthful Lip Cream ($46) sounds like the end-all, be-all lip-firming treatment. It's a great product for anyone who has yellow stains and/or fine wrinkles around their mouth from smoking. It contains SPF, timed-release retinol (to plump and smooth), shea butter (to moisturize and heal), and azelaic acid (to slightly lighten). Apparently, it also works great as a lipstick base. Apply twice daily and gently massage into the skin.

For two more firming and line-reducing lip creams,

read more. ($33) is a great product for those of you with dehydrated crepey skin around your mouth. It has an intense moisturizing effect and is formulated with vitamins C and E and topical polyphenols to help firm and rejuvenate your skin.
Caudalie Anti-Aging Serum Eyes and Lips ($70) claims to firm the skin around your eyes and lips, de-puff, diminish fine lines and wrinkles (and even help with dark circles). It should also smooth out the texture of your skin and help seal in much needed moisture.

Fantastic Firming Creams, Part III: Eyes

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:00:15 PST

Eyes are the windows to your soul, and they are also the first tell-tale sign of your age. Firming eye products are believed to tighten the skin around your orbital area to help smooth away the appearance of fine lines. They are generally light in texture and should be applied by tapping your ring finger in a figure-eight pattern. Here are three irritant-free firming eye products for sensitive eyes.

June Jacobs Firming Eye Repair ($64) is suitable for all skin types. It lifts, tightens, moisturizes reduces puffiness and minimizes the look of crow's feet. You'll instantly feel a cool and invigorating rush - and it happens to smell really good because it's made from a mixture of botanicals, and fruit and flower extracts.

For two more fab firming eye products,

read more. Korres Eyebright Firming Eye Cream ($38.50) is a delicate Grecian eye cream made with wheat proteins to firm the skin. It also contains argan oil to hydrate skin while reducing puffiness. All you need is a tiny bit of cream (it's made with oils so it spreads easily) and within two weeks you'll start to see results.
I received a sample of this DermaNew Firming Eye Cream ($30) after a facial a few months ago. It's especially great for sensitive and dry skin. It has more of a clinical smell than a botanical-spa-product scent, but it's nothing bad or off-putting. Not only does it firm the skin around your eyes, but it also helps to reduce dark circles (not so much de-puff, FYI). It also claims that it is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by up to 68 percent.

Fantastic Firming Creams, Part II: Face

BellaSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:00:52 PST

Yesterday I told you a little bit about some firming bust creams, and today we're moving up on the body by focusing on creams to firm your face. Firming facial creams can help to minimize the appearance of your pores, and some can topically and temporarily suspend muscle contractions in your face - similar to what Botox does, but without the side effects.

Tracie Martyn Firming Serum ($185) is a favorite among celebrities, so I was really excited when I received a sample to test. I used it only a few times, but I found it to be calming, moisturizing, and brightening.

Clarins Extra Firming Day Cream ($77) is more for women in their 40s and up. The medium-weight cream has a very clean smell, and it claims to firm, tone and reduce those stubborn fine lines on your face. I found it to be soothing and it left my skin looking plump and smooth, but I didn't feel any particular sensation when I applied it, so it's hard for me to judge if it really worked.

For one more drugstore brand,

read more. I have yet to try this Neutrogena Visibly Firm Face Lotion ($18), but I've read a lot of positive reviews on it and plan to check it out. It is a fragrance-free, non-comedogenic face cream that contains SPF 20 and active copper to restore firmness and elasticity to the skin. Supposedly you will see the firming results after just one week of use.

Fantastic Firming Creams, Part I: Bust

BellaSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:00:25 PST

For those of you who worry about sagging skin on or around your breasts, these firming creams are designed to lift, tighten, and rejuvenate your bust contours by improving tone, texture, and firmness. These are great for new mothers, or for anyone looking for a topical preventative treatment.

Keep in mind that firming creams claim to hydrate, improve your skin's resilience and boost antioxidant and collagen production - but they aren't cure-alls, and their effects aren’t permanent. I've found a few bust-firming products below. These are items I haven't tested yet, but I can recommend these Apivita Express Bust Firming Mask Packets firsthand, which make your skin smell and feel baby soft.

Mama Mio Boob Tube ($38) is a product meant for new moms. Not only does it claim to soothe sore, itchy breasts and nipples, but it also prevents stretch marks and improves tone and firmness. If you have any friends who just had a little one, this is a great way to show some, uh, support.

Guinot Liftenseur Firming Bust Cream ($40) promises to tighten, plump, and mend the suspensory tissues in your skin. The box says to avoid your nipples, so consider yourself warned.

For one last drugstore option,

read more. Palmers Bust Firming Cream ($5.49) contains cocoa butter, shea butter, and vitamin E. I wouldn't expect a miracle from using it, but at the very least, it'll keep your girls soft and smooth.

Who Needs Underwire When You've Got Breast-Firming Creams!

BellaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:00:22 PDT

Sagging, drooping breasts are common complaints among the aging and those post-childbirth. I'm not sure why people don't expect it, since the laws of gravity tell us that what goes up must come down. Still, I guess losing the perky round shape of your breasts is a sign of saying sayonara to your youth. Hopefully now you can restore some of that depleting collagen in your boobies with these breast-firming treatments!

Apivita Express Bust Firming Mask with Centella ($24) is an invigorating and firming bust cream. (I'm not sure why they call it a mask since it doesn't dry and you don't wash it off.) It comes in individually packed sachets for easy travel use. It's formulated to help elasticity and firmness in your breasts, improve the overall texture of your breasts and leave your sexy skin feeling smooth and supple. After showering, apply a generous layer to your bust in circular motions until it's fully absorbed.

For two more breast-firming creams,

read more Clarins Bust Beauty Gel ($56) is an orange colored gel that gives quick results. It tightens the tissue on and around your breasts and provides contour and tone. This product is recommending to the aging, those who have just had a child or have encountered significant weight loss.
Godiva Breast Firming Cream ($15) is a highly concentrated cream that helps lift and firm your breasts. The main ingredient in the cream is Pueraria Mirifica, an phytoestrogen herb indigenous to Thailand. To use, apply a thick layer of cream to your breasts a massage it in for two to three minutes. Use in the morning and the evening for best results.

Firm Up That Fabulous Face!

BellaSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:06:33 PDT

New from Benefit Cosmetics is their latest and greatest face serum called Firmology, $30.This "It" toning product intended for your face, neck and decolletage is made from Vitamins A and E to help improve elasticity in your skin. It is also formulated with hydrolyzed soy flour to help boost collagen fibers in your face which are necessary to tone aging and tired skin.

With continued use, your face will look radiant and feel ultra silky. Firmology has been dubbed "complexion lingerie" - how cute is that!

It is also clinically proven to help revitalize your skin to create a healthy glow (the light-reflecting pigments in it don't hurt either). Also, it's oil-free so it won't clog your pores. Enjoy.

In Her Shoes: April Beyer, Matchmaker and Relationship Coach

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:05:36 PST

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, April Beyer, expert relationship coach and matchmaker, gives SavvySugar an insider's look into her unique career. Helping men and women find lasting relationships for almost 14 years, she is the founder and president of Beyer & Company, a matchmaking and relationship consulting firm. She's frequently interviewed and has been seen on Dr. Phil, 20/20, and Good Morning America. Beyond her weekly clients, April writes on her blog, conducts seminars, and is working on a book to help women prepare for love and romance. April tells us what it's like to assist other people on their journey to finding love and happiness.

SavvySugar: Can you tell me about your career path and how your business has grown throughout the years?

April Beyer: I started out in the high-end matchmaking industry nearly 14 years ago. I had worked with a matchmaking company and was there for about six or seven years. I was responsible for many marriages there. In 2003, I decided to venture out on my own and start a relationship coaching and consulting business. Now, I still have my matchmaking company. I work with a handful of highly successful marriage-minded men. I am also a coach and a writer.

Now my passion is to help women better understand themselves first so then they can naturally attract the man of their dreams. I am a little bit more of a holistic dating and relationship coach, but I think of myself more as is a communication and authenticity coach. For me, it's not about teaching people dating skills, it is teaching them relationship skills.

Click here to read more about April.

The Simple Trick to Getting the Sleek Ponytails at Charlotte Ronson

Jaime Richards — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:18:16 PST

If you've ever attempted a sleek ponytail but all you get is a gelled-up mess, try this trick used for Charlotte Ronson's Fall 2012 show. After securing hair at the nape, Tresemmé stylist Jeanie Syfu tamed the style by using a hair color brush (the kind the pros use but are readily available at any beauty store) dipped in the brand's Ultra Firm Control Gel. The result was a look that was refined, but with a hint of edge.

Source: Getty