BellaSugar

Festive Floral Spring Beauty Buys

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:00:20 -0700

In the movie The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep dryly says, "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking." I think this line is brilliant, because, well, she's right. And yet, who doesn't enjoy flowers at this time of year? Last April, I put together a series on flower-embossed makeup products and this year a few new fresh florals have come into bloom. Check out some of this Spring's festive beauty treats.

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Coming Soon: Chanel 4 Camèlias

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 11:00:26 -0700

Slowly but surely, the hush-hush plans for the Fall 2007 Chanel collection are being announced. We've already heard about the innovative, matte yet radiant Mat Lumière foundation, and now comes Chanel 4 Camèlias.

This gorgeous palette is comprised of four cream based, sheer, satiny and ever-so-slightly iridescent lipstick shades inspired by the Camèlia, the emblematic flower of Chanel. The colors include rosy white, rosy beige, plum and peach-pink. Each pretty palette comes in a black satin pouch along with a small lip brush and a mirror.

In a recent press release, I read that designers Dominique Moncourtois and Heidi Morawetz feel that a "collection springs to life each season, like a flower in an imaginary garden.” I take it that we can expect to see more flower-inspired products from Chanel this fall.

To see a larger picture of this influential Camèlia flower, read more

Flower Power Makeup Part III: Palettes

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:11:22 -0700

Welcome to the final installment of flower power makeup. This post includes two beautiful palettes embossed with floral designs. By the way, palettes make for great Mother's Day gifts if you are already thinking of ideas. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!

I just love the look of this brand new for Spring Chantecaille Les Roses Palette, $105. Although it's expensive, it actually is cheaper to purchase the palette than it is to buy all of the colors separately.

The shades chosen are all very wearable, and the full rose on the blush and bronzer adds a sweet and feminine touch. I happen to really like this brand a lot. I haven't tried this yet, but I can't wait to check it out.

For one last flower power palette, read more

Prescriptives Colorscope Set, $50, so reminds me of a flower! I can't be certain if it's a flower, star or sun, so I've taken creative freedom positioning it here. I'm a big Prescriptives fan and I really like the plum family of colors they have put together.

I have also seen this palette in more of a neutral tone, but I can't seem to find it online anymore - maybe it's sold out. It also comes with a double sided shadow and contour brush. I can't wait to hear what you think.

Flower Power Makeup Part II: Lips

BellaSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:50:22 -0700

Welcome to Part II of Flower Power Makeup. This installment features floral inspired lip glosses. Spring is here and that means all things flowery. These three glosses are a bit cheeky but they make for great gifts with their bright colors and springtime cheer. Enjoy!

Fresh Gloss Absolute, $24, is a gloss with a sweet citrucy smell and taste that helps to keep your lips hydrated! It is made with pomegranate extract to plump and vitamin E to soothe. Available in: Rose Parfait (sheer red), Bellini (light, shimmery pink) and Dahlia (sparkly peachy/apricot color). This is a Fab favorite - she just adores the packaging and texture of this gloss!

For two more flower power lip glosses, read more

Claire's Flower Lip Gloss, $5.50, is a clear plastic set of 18 sparkly and super sheer lip glosses that are shaped in the form of a flower. Each gloss snaps open and the stem even holds a clear gloss as well as a mini lip brush. This is too cute!

Tropez Lip Gloss in Baby's Breath, $2, is a potted lip gloss that won't break the bank and is available in six different and fresh shades - all of which have cute, floral names.

Flower Power Makeup Part I: Cheeks

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:34:44 -0700

Cosmetics companies are in full Spring mode. That means, flowers, showers, bronzers and lots of new colors. Since the post about Clinique's Fresh Bloom Collection was such a big hit, I thought that you would enjoy a new series on pretty Spring makeup embossed with flowers.

Jillian Dempsey for Avon Signature Sheer Glow All Over Face Powder, $8, is great for tired looking skin. It's both a blush and a bronzer and will add instant warmth to anyone.

Jillian was the former founder and owner of Delux Beauty which just recently closed its doors. But, have no fear - Mrs. McDreamy (that's right, she's Patrick's wife) has landed a job as Avon Cosmetics Global Creative Director.

It is available in two shades; peach champagne and sandy corals. Just gently brush on the powder and blend well.

For two more flower power blushers and bronzers, read more

Stila Rouge Pots, $20, are a super light air-whipped formula that glide on really sheer and blend easily. They are for the gal that's into a very natural, flushed look and who doesn't like to feel like she's wearing a lot of makeup.

These rouge pots go on wet and dry as a powder. Apply with your fingertips and blend well. Their best selling color is called Lotus. All in all there are six shades to choose from.

Valerie Beverly Hills Sheena of the Jungle Bronzer, $55, is for the lady who is looking for a deeper tan. For this you are going to need a large kabuki brush! Just swirl and pat all over your face, shoulders and decolletage. And how cute is this daisy compact? Me likey!

Halloween How-To: Jem

BellaSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:00:16 -0700

If you want to look truly outrageous this Halloween, we've got some great tips from MAC makeup artists Louise Zizzo and Sarah Dean, who transformed us into a glam-rock version of the '80s cartoon. Check out this video for tips on how to achieve this look, along with specific color suggestions from Zizzo and Dean when you read more.

Complexion:

Start off with a matte foundation in a shade lighter than you'd normally wear for a cartoonish effect. Dean used Studio Fix Foundation in NC15 ($26). Blend well around the neck. When finished with entire makeup, set with Blot Powder ($21).

Eyes:

Outline - Zizzo used a Brow Finisher pencil ($15) to create the triangular shape outlining the eye area.
Fill in - Using a vibrant pink shade, Zizzo applied Chromacake in Pink Vivid inside the lines. If you are unable to locate this professional product, try alternative pink shades - Sushi Flower Eyeshadow ($14.50) or Powder Blush in Fleur Power ($18).

Lips:

Use a concealer to tone down the natural lip color. Apply a bold shade of pink like Lipstick in Pink Nouveau ($14).

Lovely Links, 9/20

BellaSugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:00:48 -0700

The New York Times' Chandler Burr reviews Flower by Kenzo and even gets in a David Foster Wallace reference (RIP).
Jezebel poses some tough questions about beauty marketing.
Having egg on your face doesn't have to be bad. Use your eggs to make a face mask, and go out for brunch.
Jessica at Allure goes through makeup artist Kristofer Buckle's makeup bag.
Missbehave magazine's blog posts a clip of Jessica Simpson discussing her new fragrance that's kind of a PR nightmare (around 1:18).
A wall made up of bricks of Neutrogena bar soap? Style.com has pictures to prove it.
Blogdorf Goodman uses a power outage as an excuse to test the Seikisho Mask. The verdict? Apparently, it hurts so good.

Source

Beauty Mark It Results: Much Ado About May Flowers

BellaSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:00:06 -0700

We've reached the middle of May and you know what that means: the days are longer, the temperature is warmer, and the flowers begin to bloom. Ah, we can breathe again. (Unless, of course, you have allergies.) To get us in the mood for this seasonal passage and the upcoming Summer months, I challenged you to find beauty products inspired by May flowers. And boy, did you rise to the challenge.

Team member emalove did an exceptional job choosing a product that fit the theme perfectly. The Bare Escentuals Ponder Four Piece Collection screams May flowers, as the eyeshadows are all in very earthy tones. Not only that, the kit, which also includes a double-ended shaping brush, comes in a floral makeup bag. Flower power indeed.

Check out the rest of your suggestions below:

Beauty Mark It! Much Ado About May Flowers

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:00:52 -0700

As the saying goes, April showers give way to May flowers, and after the rainy season in San Francisco, I'm ready. Not only am I excited to break out my Summer wardrobe (check out Bella's hot new dress), but I'm definitely raring to change up my makeup palette. This year I can do just that all the while honoring the blooming flowers that begin to appear in May.

Case in point, Shu Uemura's limited-edition pressed eyeshadow. The pristine green is the perfect color to take me into the warmer climate, but the floral design is what really caught my eye. What flower-power products are delighting you?

Share your choices by bookmarking items from around the web and tagging them with the phrase may flowers. I'll feature your favorites here next Tuesday.

To learn about Beauty Mark It challenges and how to add your picks, check out this how-to. To see some of my favorite online beauty stores, read more.

Saks Beauty Place
Sephora
Saffron Rouge
Drugstore.com
Fred Segal Beauty
Folica
Amazon.com Beauty
Strawberrynet.com
Nordstrom
Bergdorf Goodman
Beauty.com

Beauty Byte: Pucci Relaunching Its Signature Scent

BellaSugar — Tue, 29 May 2007 11:00:24 -0700

I have always loved Pucci prints, so I welcome any foray that the Italian brand makes into beauty. (Have you seen the Guerlain by Emilio Pucci makeup? It's really lovely.) Now, the brand that helped define '60s fashion is going back to its roots with a "new" fragrance. According to Women's Wear Daily, Pucci is releasing a reformulated version of its first fragrance, called Vivara, in the Fall.

The original Vivara was launched in 1966 but has been unavailable for about two decades. Though the new scent will have the same name, it has been reimagined for the modern market. According to WWD:

"The fragrance is an amazing re-edit of the original Vivara," said Laudomia Pucci, daughter of Emilio Pucci and vice president and image director for the fashion house. "It has a powerful attitude and personality, feminine sensitivity and strong cachet with its packaging."

The scent sounds very Italian and romantic: It will have topnotes of galbanum, Italian bergamot, and amaretto with elements of jasmine, narcissus flower, Florentine Iris, and more. It will be available starting in September at high-end department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. The eau de parfum will be available in a 50-milliliter bottle ($85) and a 80-milliliter bottle for $110.