BellaSugar

Nars Celebrates 15 Years With 15 Stars and a Book

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:26 -0700

When couples celebrate their 15-year anniversary, the traditional gift they might give their mate is crystal. But when François Nars celebrates his company's 15th anniversary, he makes a book, with all proceeds going straight to charities. And as you might expect, it's not your ordinary coffee-table publication. To commemorate the company's quindecennial anniversary, Nars plans to release 15x15 ($80) in mid-November, with only 1,500 copies hitting the presses.

The book, which will be available for 30 days at 15x15project.com, will feature photos of 15 celebrities, from Marc Jacobs to Amber Valletta to Naomi Campbell. "Basically, I wanted people who reflected my taste, friends, and people I admired for their look and talent," Nars told WWD. Inside the book, you'll find two inspirations behind each photo, along with a featured makeup product. Nars promises, "You don’t get bored." And after looking through some of the photos below, I couldn't agree more.

To see more images from 15x15, just keep reading.

21 Hair and Makeup Looks You WON'T Be Wearing Come Spring

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:00:01 -0700

From the runways onto department and drugstore shelves, I'm sure we'll see lots of fresh new makeup options and application techniques go full circle come March. Last month in New York, we saw six very wearable trends emerge, from peach lips to bold eyeliner to heavy-handed under-the-eye liners. But throughout the course of New York Fashion Week and other Spring 2010 shows, including Paris, London, and Milan, there were other looks that won't quite make the transition. Take this sequin forehead heart-shaped applique, for instance - straight from the Ungaro show in Paris, for which Lindsay Lohan acted as artistic adviser. While I appreciate each and every designer's artistic flair, some looks just won't translate to real life. See what I mean now.

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18 More Gorgeous Looks from Fashion Week: Days 6 and 7

BellaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:10:00 -0700

The last couple of days have been some of the most experimental of the week. If you've seen the makeup and hair at Marc Jacobs's runway show you know what I'm talking about. While I'm excited to see designers innovating, I'd also like to showcase looks that are achievable without a team of brilliant makeup artists present. So along with the big, cool-to-look-at shows, I've put together some of the prettiest, most accessible looks from the last couple of days. Click through and see for yourself. (And in case you missed them the first time around, be sure to check out my favorites from days one and two and days three through five.)

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Transformers: 5 Rings With a Beauty Secret Inside

BellaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:00 -0700

When I was little, I was absolutely obsessed with those cheapy clear plastic rings full of glittery, gooey lip gloss in what I now realize were totally gross artificial flavors. As my ability to judge product quality has improved, though, my nostalgia for those little rings hasn't left me. Feeling sentimental the other day, I Googled "lip gloss rings," only to find that there are, in fact, a whole bunch of high-end, very pretty versions that are totally appropriate for grown-up ladies. Click through here to put a ring on it.

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Love It or Hate It: A Bevy of Bows at Marc by Marc Jacobs

BellaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Hmm, let's see. Where else have we seen '80s-influenced styles on the runways thus far? We caught a glimpse of the totally awesome decade with Derek Lam's rainbow of eye colors, Gwen Stefani's rocker chic looks at L.A.M.B., and we even experienced a touch of it from the twisted headbands at Charlotte Ronson. Let's add Marc by Marc Jacobs to the growing list of rad styles, where the famous designer featured these big, bold, and completely bodacious bows on the Marc by Marc Jacobs runway for Spring 2010. If you were a child of the 1980s, I'm sure you can't help but think Madonna-meets-Minnie Mouse, right? You can always do your own hair-inspired hair bow, but when it comes to the material-girlness of it all, are you feeling these cheeky headpieces, or are they a bit too colorfully cockeyed for your liking?

Get the Scoop on 4 Polish Shades Hand-Picked by Marc Jacobs

BellaSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:52:05 -0700

Not only have we spotted minimal makeup this 2010 Spring Fashion Week, we're also seeing lots of pale nails. At Marc Jacobs's show, the theatrical makeup look, which was created by NARS and inspired by dancer Martha Graham, had a gothic, mysterious quality. As for the nails, Jacobs hand-picked four shades of OPI polishes to complement the whimsical, nude-toned clothing we saw on the runway. I'm sensing a trend alert here, as other designers, such as Erin Fetherston, Georges Chakra, and Andy & Debb have all featured pale polishes, too.

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To find out what shades Marc picked, read more.

Marc Jacobs Loves Lola. (Lo-lo-lo-lo Lola)

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:00:41 -0700

In my mind, there are two Marc Jacobses: the slightly nerdy guy who appeared in Sonic Youth videos, and the slick, slim cool-guy megadesigner he is now. And maybe it's just me, but I kinda miss the dorky Marc who loved the more obviously offbeat. Fortunately, there's a bit of both Marcs in his latest fragrance, Lola ($65-85).

Like Daisy before it, Lola is a scent for the young - which makes sense for a fragrance whose name has Nabokovian connotations. Like so many recent launches, it's another fruity floral fragrance, filled with notes of pear, grapefruit, pink peppercorn, peony, rose, and geranium. After the initial burst of brightness, it settles into a warmer, more nuanced vanilla-musk scent that makes Lola feel a little more grown-up than its first moments suggest. It's pleasant and soft, and it's bound to be a hit among the young. But if you're old enough to remember the Reagan administration, this candy-sweet scent might not be the right fit for you.

Coming Soon: Marc Jacobs Lola

BellaSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:11 -0700

Almost two years ago, Marc Jacobs launched Daisy to much success. And now, there's a new gal in town, named Lola ($65 to $85). "Where Daisy is more innocent and sweet, Lola is more sensual - the name conjures up a flirtatious, warm spirit," Jacobs told WWD. Think of Lola as the bolder, older sister, with a somewhat vampy feel.

The fragrance will contain top notes of pink peppercorn, ruby red grapefruit, and pear d’anjou, with fuchsia peony, rose, and geranium serving as the middle notes, and vanilla, tonka bean, and creamy musk as the bottom notes. It will be topped off with a cap of of violet, fuchsia, and red flowers in somewhat of a wild, helter-skelter design.

I can't help but wonder, could Jacobs's latest scent be a nod to muse Madonna's only daughter, Lourdes? Whatever the case, look for Lola to be sold exclusively by Bloomingdale's for the first month of its launch in August.

Photo courtesy of WWD

2009 Fall New York Fashion Week: Marc Jacobs

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:53:21 -0800

Tonight, Marc Jacobs took things to new heights with a hair-raising take on fashion. Filled with punches of neon brights, his fall 2009 collection was inspired by club kids and night owls - a total '80s lovefest. It was enough to bring François Nars out for his first runway show in a decade. While his team created most of the looks, the sparkling, intense eyes (using shades found in the Night Palette) were conceived by the makeup legend.

As for the hair, each of the 65 models had a tailor-made, shaped style. "The hair has all the bad things you can do - too much gel, too much teasing," said hairstylist Guido Palau, who lead a team working with Redken. "All the things we're told are bad taste, that's what we're doing." Bad taste, perhaps, but judging by the excitement that Marc always drums up, I'm guessing his fans are ecstatic about these looks.

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Do You Buy Duplicate Perfume Bottles Just For the Design?

BellaSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:00:39 -0800

Marc Jacobs launched his youthful fragrance, Daisy, in 2007 with great success. And this month, the designer is shaking things up by offering a limited-edition bottle of Daisy called Sticker Edition ($57). It has the same lighthearted floral aroma as the original scent, but in whimsical springtime packaging that includes stickers. For die-hard Daisy fans, it's a must - but if you already own the scent, there isn't an urgent reason to buy it... or is there?