BellaSugar

Bella Donna: Lucille Ball

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:00:41 -0700

"Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead." So said this week's Bella Donna, the hilarious and lovely Lucille Ball. The star and co-producer of the long-running show I Love Lucy, she was also the first woman to head her own television production company, Desilu. She would have turned 96 this past Monday.

Oddly enough, while most people associate Lucille Ball with blazing red hair, she wasn't a natural redhead. A natural brunette, she colored her hair blonde as a starlet in the 1930s and 1940s. To look better in front of the television camera, she dyed it red and often wore a wig on the set. She stayed with that hue from the 1950s onward. (She once joked that she was keeping the economy of Egypt afloat with her annual orders of henna.)

Lucille Ball's look relied on very fair skin, bright red hair and exaggerated, drawn-on eyebrows. It made for an excellent on-screen contrast, but it's a little too dramatic for today. For suggestions on creating a modern interpretation of Lucille's style, and to see a gallery of her look throughout the years (including a rare shot of her as a blonde), read more

Lucille Ball was a spokesmodel for Max Factor, preferring Pan-Cake makeup. It's difficult to find, and to be honest, it's too heavy and cakey. Instead, go for a medium-coverage foundation-it's more contemporary.
If you're thinking of coloring your hair red, I strongly suggest going to a professional colorist. While red is one of the most beautiful hues, it's one of the easiest to mess up at home (and yes, I learned the hard way). If you're confident with coloring your hair at home, Feria 77 Sunset Blaze will get your hair on the Ball.
Lucille also loved classic red nails. As with any bold color, red looks chic on short nails rather than long ones.
Lucille's brows were dramatically drawn-on. Update the look by keeping yours thick and well-defined, then filling them in with a brow pencil.
Mascara? Yes. Black.
During her younger years, Lucille Ball favored matte red lipstick; this may have been because red was one of the most widely available colors! As she entered her later years, she migrated to coral colors. The lighter shades are easier to wear for older women because if lipstick bleeds, it won't look quite as obvious as a smudge of red. So if you're of pre-retirement age, rock the red!
Finally, find a quirky yet loveable neighbor and a Cuban band leader and get into all sorts of hijinks. After all, laughter always was he most beautiful thing about Lucille Ball.

View 15 Photos ›

Source and Source

How Do You Feel About Hairy Hunks?

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

This month author Lucy Porter is coming out with what looks like a hilarious look at hirsute members of the opposite sex entitled Hairy Hunks: A Celebration of Shaggy Stallions. I love Mr. Bella's fuzzy-wuzziness, but before I met him I would never have thought I'd be as attracted to a hairy guy. I think this book would make a funny gift for anybody in your life who's got a weakness for Tom Selleck, and an awesome thing to have on your coffee table. But how do you feel about shaggy men? Are they cuddly and warm, or too scratchy for your liking?

Coming Soon: Lancôme L.U.C.I. Collection

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:00:20 -0800

Could L.U.C.I. be the G.O.A.T. for Lancôme? Gucci Westman's last color collection for Lancôme stands for Luminous Colorless Color Intelligence, and she's going out with a bang when it launches next month. Check out the design of this collection. I love how the shape of the packaging feels futuristic yet organic - especially that shell-shaped compact.

The products incorporate iridescent color, which looks white to the naked eye. When it's applied to skin, though, it captures and reflects light. This photonic effect varies, depending on the skin tone. If your skin is fair, the color looks pastel, and it appears deep and more intense on darker skin. Gucci tried some of the colors out on the Peter Som runway this past Fall. (Check out the gallery below to get a feel for how they wear.) "I wanted the models’ makeup to look easy and sexy,” she explained. "I gave the eyes a bit of a pop with Ombre Glacée for a sultry effect.”

View 5 Photos ›

For full descriptions of all of the products, read more.

L.U.C.I. Eyes - Light Color in Motion Eye Shadow Duo ($45) is the compact I'm crazy for. It contains two shadows: a bronze color and a photonic one. You can use either shadow on its own, but I'm excited to experiment with the photonic shade, which is supposed to create a luminous appearance on its own.

Photonic - Illuminating Powder Brush Face ($40) in Ray of Apricot Light is a light, loose powder that can be used to sculpt the face or add a sheer glow.

Ombre Glacée - Cooling Gel Illuminator Eyes ($22) is a cooling eye shadow available in Chameleon, Morning Pearl, and Sunrise. You can wear it on lids, of course, but it's also meant to be used on cheek and brow bones.

Color Fever Gloss ($23) comes in three colors: Sunray (the photonic shade), Seashell, and Rainbow

Color Fever Shine ($25) is available as two new lipsticks. Luminous, a photonic shade, gives a reflective lilac effect on its own. Or you can layer it over Desert Pink, a deep-raspberry shade.

Traceur Design - Illuminating Long-Lasting Eyeliner Soft Brush ($20) in Ray of Purple Light is an eyeliner with lilac reflections.

Source

How-To: Nicole Richie's Women in Film Flawless Makeup

BellaSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:00:11 -0700

Any way you slice it, Nicole Richie knows how to do hippie well. She's got everything from the daytime-braided-hair look to this nighttime Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards gala floral dress and accessory ensemble down pat.

I especially loved her makeup. Her eyes were soft, yet still dressy and smoky and her lips were polished, yet neutral so that the focus remained on her eyes. For those of you who are as captivated by her look as I am and are looking for product and application suggestions so that you can re-create her makeup at home, read more.

FACE: Spread a medium-coverage foundation all over your face and neck and blend with a makeup sponge. Using the same sponge, blend concealer under your eyes and to any blemishes or red areas that are still visible. Then, dust a matching colored loose powder all over to take out the shine and set the foundation.
CHEEKS: Apply a shimmer-free bronzer to your temples, forehead, cheeks, and chin and blend it well with a clean, fluffy bronzer brush. Then, sweep a rose-colored powder blush such as Laura Mercier Cheek Color in Azalea to the apples of your cheeks and blend outwards towards the tops of your ears. Touch the brush to your nose, chin, and forehead to create a natural-flush effect.
EYES: I suggest using a powder eye shadow palette like this one from Vincent Longo in Trastevere. Use the medium shade all over you lid and gently sweep the lightest, yellowy-shimmer color under your brow bone. Then, apply the darkest color in the crease, but only use a touch for definition. Next, line the top of your lashes with black liner and extend the line just slightly beyond the corners. Apply two coats of black mascara and finish by dabbing some champagne eye shadow just above your eyeliner.
LIPS: Nicole's lips are polished and smooth looking, but they aren't the focus of this look. For a natural, subdued lip, I suggest sticking with the bronze color family (the same as on your eyes). Try something like Estée Lauder Sheer Lip Tint in Bronze followed by Estée Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Sugarcane .

Source

Shine vs. Sheen: Mimic the Look of Natural Skin

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:10:22 -0800

These pictures of actress Ali Larter are stunning; it looks like she drank the fountain of youth! I love the way her skin has a natural sheen without having any kind of glitter or shimmer to it. MAC Pro artist James Molloy was just telling me that great makeup mimics skin's natural texture, and we all know that skin has a little bit of shine to it.

I thought I'd introduce two shine-enhancing products that are must-haves among makeup artists to help you recreate this look at home.

Lancôme Ombre Glacée ($22) is a light-reflecting illuminator for the eyes and face. When I first saw it, I practically jumped out of my skin from its powerful iridescence, but as played with it more and more, I realized that if you use a little bit (you only need one to two dots for your whole face) it can transform your complexion.

Ombre Glacée was originally created in a colored eye shadow, but the latest variation is part of the L.U.C.I Collection and can be used on your eyes, face, and decolletage.

For one more shine-enhancing product read more.

MAC Strobe Cream ($29.50) is one of the staples that a makeup artist always keeps on hand, and it is popular backstage at fashion shows season after season. This instant pick-me-up contains green tea and tons of vitamins to moisten, freshen and revitalize tired, dull, and flat skin.

You can use it over, under, or mixed into your foundation (one part strobe cream, three parts foundation) for a gorgeous glow.

Source

Love It or Hate It? Lucy Liu's Simple Face, Simple Hair

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:00:16 -0800

Aw, I just love seeing the lovely Lucy Liu out and about. It's been a while since we've seen her at a fancy event-my guess is that she's been hard at work on her upcoming show, Cashmere Mafia. At last night's ACE Awards, she went for a simple, sleek updo and makeup in natural shades. What do you think of her look?

Source

Cameron Diaz Hearts ilm Head Gear

BellaSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:01:22 -0800

Though celebs can pretty much afford whatever they want, it doesn't mean they underestimate the value of quality and low-cost products. For example, Cameron Diaz. She adores these iIm Tough Tread Head Wraps, $7.99.

She wears her black one all the time to the gym, when she's running errands, and in private sessions with her fab celeb trainer Teddy Bass. And if you think that she's the only one who loves these head bands, think again!

Since this new line has been featured in Elle, Marie Claire, Latina, Family Circle and Star, other celebs like Lucy Liu are addicted too!