BellaSugar

How-To: Get Debra Messing's Sexy, Glam Emmys Makeup

BellaSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Debra Messing got high marks from the majority of you for her look at the Emmys last night, and it's no surprise, as Carol Shaw, Lorac's founder, did all her makeup personally. Lucky for us, I've got the complete how-to on re-creating Debra's soft, smoky eye and creamy-nude lip. To find out how you can get the look for yourself, just keep reading

Bella Bargain: Score $160 of LORAC for $18.50

BellaSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:08 -0700

You know what's stinky? When beauty brands hawk a package of goods for a low price and promise a huge value, but then dish out tiny sizes of the original products. Not such a great deal - and not the case with this bargain. LORAC's VIP Starter Set is a true steal, packing up 10 items for a total of $18.50. That's $160 worth of goodies for less than the cost of popcorn, soda, and a movie. OK, so the bronzer is smaller than usual, but the rest of the cosmetics - three eye shadows, two lipsticks, two lip polishes, eyeliner, and a double-ended brush - are full-sized. Since the shades are pretty neutral, they'll be flattering for most people. Toss in a collection of cheaply priced closeout cosmetics and you'll be able to score a lot of LORAC for very little lucre.

Bella Bargain: Lorac Last Call VIP Discount

BellaSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:00:26 -0700

I do indeed feel like a very important person right now, or at least a very satisfied one, given that Lorac has put 20 of its products on sale for deep discounts. There's everything from polishes to the cheek stamp, which I've taken a look at in the past, but I'm most excited about all the palettes on sale - the Maui Wowie kit is usually $37, but right now you can swipe it for $10. That's high end for drugstore-cheap, my friends. The best part? It's all online, so if you don't have a Lorac seller in your area, it's no biggie. I'm an armchair shopper extraordinaire, and at these prices, I'm pretty sure I'll find several things I just can't live without.

Make Bronzer Look Natural With These Easy Tips

BellaSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:00:02 -0700

We all know that the only safe tan is a fake one, but if you don't want to commit to self-tanner, it's time to break out the bronzer. The key is to avoid the Malibu Barbie look. "When women want to look tan, a lot of times they will make their entire face tan with bronzer or tinted moisturizer," says Carol Shaw, makeup artist and founder of LORAC cosmetics. "It's too much." What's more, she adds, it can leave the neck white, creating a visible line along the jaw.

For a more natural look, use a shimmer-free powder bronzer. Shaw recommends her LORAC Baked Matte Satin Bronzer, which goes on ultra-sheer but can be built up for more intensity. (On a budget? Try Physicians Formula's version.) Use a brush to dust it where the sun would hit: on your cheekbones, the tip of the nose, your chin, and forehead. "You can dust it on your neck, too, so that your face and neck match," Shaw adds. And don't forget, you can use bronzer on your eyelids for a simple, natural-looking hue, too.

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11 Top-Rated Shadows For $20 or Less

BellaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:00:22 -0700

Summer is a great time for a little shadow play. It's a great time of the year to do some experimenting with bolder color choices and shimmery finishes. I've got you covered on a simple tip for applying shadow, and I've provided the basics of choosing the right shades. So now that you're off to a good start, go forth and check out eleven of the most popularly reviewed shadows for $20 or less on the Product Reviews website. Good times. Source

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How-To: Debra Messing's Makeup at the Golden Globe Awards

BellaSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:40:29 -0800

Whether you loved it or hated it, you've got to hand it to Debra Messing for going a bit bolder with her color scheme last night, particularly when it came to those heavily lined peepers.

The founder of Lorac Cosmetics, Carol Shaw, was the makeup artist behind Messing's look. She applied sultry green and black accents, which complemented Messing's midnight blue Zac Posen gown, keeping the cheeks and lips soft and neutral. And I've got the how-to when you read more.

Eyeshadow: To create that interesting peacock effect, the first shade of Color Me Couture Eyeshadow Palette ($37) was applied from lash to brow. Next, the third eye shade - a warm rosy gold - was swept on the lid and outer corner. Then, the jade green shade was used on the lid and crease, intensified even further with an application of Eyeshadow in Green Room ($17) over it. Black eyeshadow was used on the outer corner of the eyes and crease, and also to connect the bottom and top lash lines.
Eyeliner: Shaw lined the upper lash line with a liquid liner called Front of the Line Eyeliner in Black ($20). Then, a black eye pencil was used inside the eye for further contrast. To tie the look together, she smudged Green Room Eyeshadow under the eye for a sultry finish.
Cheeks: The Hot & Spicy Blush/Bronzer Duo ($28.50) peach shade was used as a blush, and the bronzer was used to contour.
Lips: Shaw lined Messing's lips with Pencil for Lips in #18, a light rosy nude, and applied Couture Shine Lip Gloss in Trend Setter ($22), a pearly peach shade.

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Beauty Mark It Results: Fashion Week, Here I Come

BellaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:00:13 -0700

In just a few weeks, Fab and I are headed out to New York City for Spring/Summer Fashion Week 2009. I've already started shopping for my outfits, and I asked you for some beauty suggestions to complete my look. Since I'll be surrounded by intimidating fashion types, I requested suggestions that were professional, yet creatively sassy; trendy, but effortless.

This week it was so difficult to pick just one item from your selections. If I could, I'd pack them all! Team member laratf really rocked the runway on this one for recommending Lorac's Double Feature ($24). I'll be attending multiple shows and working long hours, and this product with multiple uses will help me perk right up. It covers undereye circles, reduces blemishes, and works as a highlighter, so I'll be sure to look wide awake - even if I'm not.

Check out the widget below for some runway-worthy products:

How-To: Gina Gershon's Sexy Stage Makeup Look

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:00:14 -0700

Meow. Sex kitten Gina Gershon knows how to turn heads with her killer smile and effortless sex appeal. She looked stunning at the 2008 Tony Awards channeling old Hollywood with a beautiful diamond-brooch hair accessory and hint of edgy New York spark with her two-toned hair.

Her flawlessly smooth skin was contrasted by dramatic eyes and lips. For those of you who are interested in re-creating her beautiful Broadway makeup look at home, read more.

FACE: Blend a medium-colored ivory foundation all over your face and neck and smooth using your fingers. Tip: Remember to match your foundation with your skin. If you look at Gina's neck and chest, it's slightly darker than her face (oops).
CHEEKS: Apply a soft pink powder blush such as Yves Saint Laurent Touche Blush in Rose to the apples of your cheeks and along your cheekbones. Follow with a dab of creamy luminizer and blend with a makeup sponge for a subtle effect.
EYES: Try using an eye shadow palette like this Starry-Eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trio in Evening Star from Lorac. Begin by sweeping a shimmery, silvery shadow all over the lid, then apply a deeper gray color to the crease. Line your upper- and lower-lash line with a metallic charcoal shadow and finish with two coats of mascara. It looks like Gina skipped using false lashes, but I think a few corner lashes would look fantastic.
LIPS: Lastly, line lips with a nude lip liner and using a lip brush, apply a creamy peach-colored lipstick such as Smashbox Photo Finish Lipstick in Beautiful all over your lips. Lastly, dab an ultrashiny translucent lip gloss in the center of your lower lip for a sexy, attention-getting finish.

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Trend Alert: Multi-Color Powder Bronzers

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:00:16 -0700

Summertime always breeds safe, fun, sunless bronzing products and I've noticed that a few of the new bronzing-powder compacts contain more than one shade in them. The idea is to create a healthy-looking glow, and I suppose the gradation of colors is a way to achieve that look. Instead of having a flat tan all over your face, the variation of shades creates a more natural effect. Here are five new multicolor powder bronzers on the market for Summer 2008 for you to check out.

Shiseido The Makeup Multi-Shade Enhancer ($35) contains five shades of shimmery bronzer. Blended together, it can be worn on your face and body and used separately it can double as eye shadows or a highlighter. Also, it is available in two shades.
Caribbean in a Compact in Sun Bunny ($25) is a dual-shaded bronzer made from silky, light-reflecting powders. Each of the colors can be worn individually or layered together.
Lorac TANtalizer Baked Bronzer ($28) is a multishaded terracotta baked bronzer that can be used on your face or your body. This marbelized makeup also contains a brush and mirror on the lower level of the compact.
Sephora Summer Safari Bronzer ($16) is a powder bronzer available in two animal prints depending on your skin tone. Giraffe is light and zebra is dark and coppery. Blend the shades together for a bright, glowy complexion.
Smashbox Desert Chic Fusion Body Bronzing Powder and Brush Set ($55) contains four tan and bronze shades and comes with a mini-kabuki brush. This oversized bronzer can be worn on your face and body for a healthy, glowing tan.

Reader Review: LORAC Visual Effects Mascara

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:00:03 -0700

I don't know about you, but if I'm going to spend $20 on a mascara, it better do a heckuva job. So when LORAC's Visual Effects Mascara ($19.50) claims to "curl, separate, and lengthen," I expect it to do just that. Beauty Product Junkies group member lily8206 really wanted to like this mascara, so let's see how it worked out for her:

"When I tried it at Sephora I used the sample mascara brushes they offer so I didn't get the effect of the special four-sided, contoured brush that is on the LORAC wand. It would be better off with a normal brush because the LORAC 'innovative' brush has some serious problems. The bristles are way too far apart, and therefore way too much product is on the brush - causing eye lashes to clump, big time. Having the bristles on all four sides is a logical idea, but they are oddly long. So I found that on top of it being awkward to use on my top lashes, applying the mascara to my bottom lashes was a serious challenge.

"I bought the midnight blue color, which is a really pretty medium shade of blue. When it is first applied it is a very subtle nice color on the lashes, but it dries quickly into a darker almost black color (losing all hints of blue). If I wanted black mascara I would buy black mascara. I gave it 1.5 stars. Aside from the color issue, I think the actual product could have been promising if the wand had been better designed."

Sounds like this one didn't quite deliver on its promises, and lily8206 will be returning her tube. By now I should be used to my hopes being dashed when it comes to big mascara claims. Sigh. Share your stories in Beauty Product Junkies, and maybe I'll post yours here, too!