BellaSugar

Reader Review of the Day: Laura Mercier All Over Eye Color Brush

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:48 -0800

Laura Mercier is known for her lovely products, and her All Over Eye Color Brush ($30) is apparently no exception. Reader ElisabethR says:

"I have been fighting with eye shadow brushes for months. Every single one I bought was too small, too stiff, and didn't distribute color evenly on my lids. I finally broke down and bought this one. What a difference. It covers my eyelid beautifully with color, and I can blend right up into the crease. In a pinch, it works as a crease brush, as it fits perfectly into the crease of the eye. If you were trying to keep make-up brushes to a minimum during a trip, you could easily survive with this one. I can't recommend it enough. It's expensive, but you'll waste so much more money trying to go for cheaper, smaller brushes. I wish I had bought this one sooner."

Finally found something that works? Do us all a favor and write it up in the Product Reviews pages, then I might even feature your post. While you're there, check out the ever-growing number of reviews from other readers and see what other people have to say about the latest and greatest products.

Bella Bargain: Score a Deal With Laura Mercier Grab Bags

BellaSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:19 -0700

It's hard to grab something off the Internet, but here's a deal too sweet to click away from. Laura Mercier is offering three $65 grab bags stuffed with full-size items worth more than $300. While the selection varies in each set - Light & Fresh, Sunkissed, and Dramatic - all include at least one eye, lip, cheek, and nail color with body and bath items, too.

With hues complementing fair, medium, and deep skin tones, the products are shown online if you're hoping for something particular. Even though orders won't be shipping until July 20, don't turn the other cheek. Check out the products in each pack to see if anything catches your eye.

BellaSugar's Top Five Cream Eye Shadow Picks

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:00:44 -0700

The invention of cream eye shadows has had a time-saving impact on my life. Not only are they easy to apply (you don't even need to use a brush), but depending on the color, they can also double as a highlighter. They're a cinch to travel with since they can't spill, and they typically dry to a nice, powdery finish. You used to have to tend to the creases every few hours, but now they've evolved into long-wearing, crease-free, stay-put-all-day formulas that hardly require any maintenance at all! Below are my top choices for cream eye shadows; what are yours?

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow ($19) has a light and creamy consistency that dries to a silky texture within 30 seconds. My favorite color is RSVP, a versatile, pale shimmery pinky-champagne that looks great alone for daytime and as a highlighter in the evening.
Lola Cosmetics SocialEyes Gel Eye Colour ($20) are creamy, waterproof shadows that can be worn as eyeliners too. They have medium pigmentation so they can be layered together or worn alone. My color of choice is a pale green patina called Tahiti.
Just for Redheads Dream Eye Shadow Flavors (on sale for $18) are some of the best blending cream shadows I've ever used. A little bit goes a long way to create shimmery, and rich velvety soft color. The must-have color to seek out is Souffle, a taupey, purplish-brown that looks amazing on all skin tones.
Laura Mercier Metallic Crème Eye Colour ($22) is a waterproof, sheer and non-creasing cream shadow. My favorite color of the bunch is Rose Gold, a shimmery pinky brown that looks great alone, or blended with a deep brown or purple in the crease.
Nars Cream Eye Shadow ($21) has a soft cream-to-powder texture that dries quickly and blends easily. My favorite shade is Swing, a deep dark purple that looks great as a lid and crease shadow or as a liner.

How-To: Hayden Panettiere's Pretty-in-Pink Makeup

BellaSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:00:38 -0700

Over the weekend at more of the TCA festivities, actress Hayden Panettiere walked the red carpet looking polished in pretty pink makeup. Her hair was smoothed back in a sleek chignon, her cheeks had a youthful pop of bright color, her eyes were shadowed in a shimmery rose-shade, and her lips were painted a muted mauve.

To find out product suggestions and application techniques for how you can re-create this look at home, read more.

FACE: Make sure that your face is clean and exfoliated. After applying a moisturizer to your face and eyes, smooth on a product that will give your face sheen, not shine.
CHEEKS: Next, dust a shimmery bronzer like The Big Bronzer by Cargo on your temples, the tip of your nose, just under your cheekbones and use whatever is left on the brush for your chin. Blend well using a fluffy brush and then apply a shimmery pink blush to the apples of your cheeks and drag the brush outwards.
EYES: Apply a champagne shadow all over the lid and deep rose shadow such as Shotgun by Urban Decay in the crease. Then, line eyes with a black liquid or creamy pencil liner, add on a few false lashes and top with two coats of black mascara.
LIPS: Apply a creamy, sheer mauve lipstick without shimmer such as Laura Mercier Lip Colour Stickgloss in Brown Sugar and top off the look with a shine-enhancing gloss like Lip Glacé in Blush.

Source

BellaSugar’s Top Picks For Nude Lip Glosses

BellaSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:11 -0700

Nude lip glosses are the end all, be all of makeup because they're so versatile. They can be worn on a bare face, with a dark or metallic smoky eye or with a touch of blush and mascara. They've been one of the top beauty trends among celebrities and It girls for the past few years and it doesn't seem like this pale lip look is going anywhere.

Below, I've listed my all-time top five favorite nude glosses - and let me just say, these were not slim pickings. There are so many to choose from, but I based my decision on color versatility, texture and scent. What's your top pick for nude lip gloss?

Besame Cosmetics Enchanted Lip Glaze in Latte ($23) is a thick, creamy and sweet vanilla-scented gloss that leaves lips feeling moisturized and looking off-the-charts shiny.
Scott Barnes Lip Slick in Suggestive ($22) is an over-the-top creamy lipsticky-lipgloss. It's a favorite of Jennifer Lopez and Kate Hudson and is available in five nude shades to suit all skin tones.
Laura Mercier in Petal ($22) is a rich, opalescent, beigy-pink shade that lasts long and has been recently re-formulated with a hint of vanilla. The shine is brilliant and the neutral color makes it a makeup case staple.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Lip Gloss in Quartz ($16) has remained one of my favorite glosses for over a year because of its smooth, non-tacky texture and wearable color. It's by far the palest of the nudes listed, and looks beautiful over a neutral lipstick or worn alone.
Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Reflect in Beige Velvet ($24.50) is a shiny, light-reflecting nude-pink lip gloss that blends into the color of your lips. This is my go-to gloss for subtle daytime color.

Coming Soon: Laura Mercier Undercover Pot Camouflage

BellaSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:00:12 -0700

If you liked what I had to say about Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer Kit then you'll be blown away by the new three-in-one Undercover Pot Camouflage from Laura Mercier ($34). When you flip open the lid on the first tier you'll find a moist, slick and easy spreadable Secret Concealer sitting side-by-side with a corresponding shade of waxy and hard-textured Secret Camouflage.

This combination is Mercier's favorite way to customize the perfect color for your skin tone. The Secret Camouflage is thicker and is used to contour, even out blotchiness and cover blemishes. After you apply it (using your finger or a brush), smooth on some of the Secret Concealer. The creamy and light formula provides full coverage while also brightening the area around the eye.

Now, let's not forget the final product in the pot - oh yes, it continues to get better. The bottom tier houses a Translucent Loose Setting Powder to ensure a smooth, long-lasting flawless finish. All of the products are oil-free and have been designed in a compact, travel-friendly package. Undercover Pot Camouflage will be available in the Flawless Face product range (for Fall) this August in four shades.

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For a description of each of the color options, read more.

Undercover 1: is for fair skin tones - think Nicole Kidman or Dita Von Teese.
Undercover 2: is for those of you with light skin tones such as Natalie Portman or Lauren Conrad.
Undercover 3: looks best on medium skin tones like Jessica Alba or Eva Longoria.
Undercover 4: is for those of you who have olive-toned skin like Eva Mendes or Rosario Dawson.

BellaSugar's Top Five Loose Powder Picks

BellaSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:00:07 -0700

Loose powders are a fantastic way to provide light to medium coverage on your skin without having to apply a heavy or greasy fluid foundation. They help control shine, cover blemishes, red, spots, broken capillaries and under-eye circles - all without caking. Some of my favorite new loose powders also happen to be made from minerals, which also makes them good for your skin. Below are my top five favorites. Do you have a love for one loose powder in particular?

La Bella Donna Loose Mineral Foundation ($50) is a soft mineral face powder that contains SPF 20 and doesn't clog your pores. I've been using the shade Nicoletta for the past year (plus) and love how it gives my face flawless-looking coverage.
Prescriptives Custom Blend Powder ($45) is a customized, mixture of lightweight powder created to match your skin tone. You leave the store with a large jar and a mini travel jar which both include a puff. You can also pay an additional $15 for an extra container of pressed powder. Although it's costly, I think it's worth the splurge.
Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Loose Powder ($10.95) is a relatively new product that has been designed for sensitive and pimple-prone skin. It's non-irritating, it blends easily and has a natural finish. It comes with a brush, and I love the security of the snap-top close.
Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation ($25) is one of the smoothest blending mineral loose powders that I've ever tried. You voted it your favorite foundation of 2007 because of its silky texture, non-irritating formula and fabulous coverage.
Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 ($35) is a super-fine, oil-free loose powder that contains 15 amino acids that help achieve clear skin while providing a smooth finish. Not only do I love the tinted powder, but the translucent powder is essential for setting foundation, lipstick ... you name it.

What A Pair: Cream and Powder Eye Shadow Duos

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:00:09 -0700

Usually eye shadows come in palettes that have either a powder or cream consistency, so it's rare when you find a few dynamite duos that contain one of each. Here are three amazing cream and powder eye shadow pairs that I think you'll love as much as I do.

A few days ago I promised you more info on the Laura Mercier Eye Colour Pot ($32) from the Gold Digger collection (which totally looks like the Senna Cosmetics Mineral Mix Blush & Tint). The top of the container houses a cream eye shadow and the bottom holds the loose powder shadow. The colors can be blended together (cream color is typically applied first) for an intensified eye, or worn separately. It comes in bronzed gold, solid gold, and white gold.

DuWop Smoke ($28) is a dual cream and powder eye shadow palette that makes creating smoky eyes a cinch. I have olive branch and plum wine and I use them all the time, day or night. All you have to do is swipe the cream shadow over your lid in the area between your top lashes and your crease and then add the powder shadow on top to set it. The compact comes with two mini-brushes and is available in four shades.

For one other cream and powder eye shadow pair, read more.

Sephora Colorful Duo Eyeshadow - Cream & Powder ($16) contains two shades of eye shadows. The color comes off slightly more sheer than the DuWop or Mercier options, which makes them perfect for daytime. They are also enhanced with green tea to help detoxify and soothe your eyes and are available in ten color-coordinated options.

Laura Mercier Goes Digging For Gold

BellaSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:00:39 -0700

This summer, Laura Mercier goes for the gold with her Gold Digger collection. It contains 11 color products and one dual-sided eye brush. As expected from the name, the range consists of metallic gold, platinum, and bronze blushes, bronzers, eye shadows, nail lacquers, and lip glosses.

My favorites are the Eye Color Pots (more on these later), 24 Karat gold polish and the bronze Lip Glace. Products are already available in stores, so check it out and tell me what you think.

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Laura's famous Lip Glace ($22) now comes in three new shades: gold, bronze, and platinum.
Eye Colour Pot ($32) houses a satin cream eye shadow on top and a loose powder matching metallic shadow to create a sexy and intense eye. Available in bronzed gold, solid gold, and white gold.
Dual Eye Colour Brush ($34) is a limited-edition tool to help with the application of the Eye Colour Pots. The cream end has flat, tapered oval bristles and the other has medium-length round bristles for the loose powder.
Bronzing Duo ($32) is a compact that contains a slightly shimmery long-wearing bronzer on one side and a bright blush on the other. Available in Coral/Bronze and Pink/Bronze.
Nail Lacquer ($15) now comes in 24 Karat (gold) and Platinum (shimmery silver). This high-shine polish is formaldehyde free, and it helps protect nails from splitting or peeling.

Get Glowing With a Liquid Highlighter

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:00:54 -0700

Not just for textbooks anymore, highlighters provide a very fun and flattering way to add a subtle glow to any makeup look. What's more, they can enhance or conceal flaws or features. Here are a few ways to wear them.

For an All-over Glow: A shimmer highlighter like Benefit's Moon Beam ($24) is a great multipurpose product. It has pink and gold undertones, so it works well with any skin type, and the formula is thin and light, so it can be blended easily. This kind of highlighting fluid can be used anywhere. Dab a bit of this on your brow bones, lips, and décolletage to create an overall luminescence.

Conceal: A great way to conceal a patch of redness, uneven skin tone, or dark circles is to reflect light off of the area with a highlighting concealer. Laura Mercier's Secret Brightener ($30) adds a faint tint and a light sheen where applied, replacing flaws with a fresh-faced glow.

To find out how to conceal and enhance certain features with a highlighter, read more.

Enhance: If you want to play up or reduce the appearance of a certain feature on your face, a highlighting fluid such as Physicians Formula Pearls of Perfection Multi-Colored Face Tint ($12) is just the ticket. Try dabbing a bit on the inner corners of your eyes to instantly brighten and widen the eye area, or use it on the bridge of your nose to make it look slimmer.