BellaSugar

Bon Sante: Natural Makeup at Drugstore Prices

Miriam Lacey — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 08:00:00 PST

Until very recently, I'd never heard of Sante, an organic makeup and skin care brand from Germany that's just launched in the US. The brand is BDIH certified, which means that it uses natural materials and considers the biological impact of its products, and it's also got a nice, low price point. I especially like the Eyeliner Pencil in Metallic Blue ($10). I use it to waterline my upper and lower rims when my eyes are bloodshot from staring at the computer screen, and it's just the right shade to brighten without being conspicuous the way white liner is. Their Lip Duo Contour & Gloss ($12) is also a winner-it's a matte neutral red liner with a matching metallic gloss. The only product I dislike is the Soft Cream Foundation ($17). The texture is lovely, but the pump dispenses too much product, and it's highly fragranced, which the Bella team, after much sniffing, unanimously disliked.

Backstage at Alexa Chung for Madewell with Tamah Krinsky, Head Makeup Artist

FabTV — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:31:50 PST

At the Alexa Chung for Madewell debut, we got the inside scoop from head makeup artist Tamah Krinsky on the natural, radiant glow seen on the models who were inspired by Alexa herself. Hear her Fall forecast on beauty trends and more from 2010 New York Fashion Week.

Making Mineral Makeup

BellaSugar — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:00:11 PST

Ever wonder what's actually in your makeup and how it's made? Then you've come to the right place, especially if you're curious about what, exactly, is in that wondrously effective mineral makeup of yours, and how it's put together. It's actually extremely simple, and easy enough that you could make it on your own if you felt like it. So to find out what goes into making mineral makeup, just read more

The Natural, Week 4.5: The Real Smoky Eye

BellaSugar — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:59:31 PST

As promised, the other night I made my own eyeliner from a recipe given to me by reader Little Pepper. It sounded pretty simple; just burn an almond and use the soot to make eyeliner. Turns out, things require a bit more prep than that, but the results were lovely: a highly pigmented carbon black that was very smooth and not at all irritating. I modified the recipe a little bit and created this light winged look with it, which I found basically indistinguishable from something created with a regular black liner. For a cosmetic that costs basically nothing and took me 10 minutes to make, I'm pretty impressed. To see how to do it at home, just click through the tutorial gallery below.

View 6 Photos ›

Trend Alert: The No-Makeup Makeup Look

BellaSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:00:07 PDT

Looking fresh-faced and made-under is the look of the season. Although it appears to be effortless, there's still plenty of makeup needed to create this "naturally" gorgeous glow. The look, as seen on these models and socialites, is easy enough to create and will certainly shave minutes off of your beauty routine. Here are a few tips and product suggestions to help you achieve this look at home.

Above all, it is important to begin with a bright and flawless face. Begin by applying a brightening cream to your skin and follow with a creamy concealer and eye brightener. A gel cheek stain or creamy peach blush will add a natural and beautiful flush to your cheeks. On your eyes, you'll want to skip mascara altogether and simplify your look by curling your lashes for a wide-eyed effect. Lastly, coat your lips with a clear or tinted moisturizing lip balm. Easy, isn't it?

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Trend Alert: Natural Makeup and Glowing Skin

BellaSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:30:03 PDT

Summertime means increased humidity and low-maintenance makeup. So it's no surprise that so many celebrities were stepping out this week wearing very natural, dewy looks. First, there was Jessica Biel at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards, then Kate Bosworth glowed at the Whitney art benefit, and Helena Christensen showed up at Cartier's LoveCharity event looking shiny and new.

It's easy to get the look using multi-purpose face highlighters. Here are a couple of my favorite products to help create a dewy glow.

Candlelight Cream Colour by La Bella Donna ($65) is an all-over face gloss that creates a beautiful illuminating look. You can apply it on your eyes, cheeks, lips, or decolletage for a little bit of sexy glimmer.

For one more multi-purpose highlighter,

Birds of Paradise Gloss by Becca ($26) is an iridescent cream that gives your skin a dewy hint of sheen. It is fragrance-free and non-sticky, so it feels virtually weightless on your skin.

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Team Zoe's Joey Maalouf Explains How to Fill in Your Brows

BellaSugar — Sun, 27 May 2012 03:30:00 PDT

Strong brows are back - and because they instantly brighten and define your face, we know they're here to stay. So we invited Rachel Zoe's makeup artist Joey Maalouf to show us how to fill them in less time than it takes to brew your morning coffee. The result is pretty, natural brows that immediately elevate your look.

Shawn Johnson Talks Weight Loss and Learning to Love Her Body

espnW — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:05:26 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson is blogging for espnW throughout her training for the Olympics in London this summer. Follow hers other Olympic hopefuls' journeys on espnW.com.

Four years ago, I was standing on an Olympic podium, wearing a gold medal, and still thinking to myself how I could have been better. It had nothing to do with my performance - it was all how I looked. Back then, I always felt like I could have been a few pounds lighter. But the irony is, when I look back at the pictures, I look unhealthy and too thin. It's easy to get into a trap as an elite athlete, because you're made to feel that you're never perfect, that you can always be better. That's how you improve in your sport, but it's also tough because you aren't satisfied with yourself ever - it's second nature not to be. I'd always think, "Just get a little stronger, a little lighter," until it was completely ingrained in my mind.

Shawn Johnson takes us inside training camp

It's easy for people to blame gymnastics for this mentality, but I feel like the sport has improved a lot. The horror stories we heard from generations ago (think Joan Ryan's infamous book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes), you don't hear at all anymore. But I do believe it can improve further and that good nutrition could be a key to all of this, if it were only taught at a young age. Many gymnasts go into the elite level at 13 or so, and a 13-year-old isn't going to go to the library to read some book on nutrition! She needs to be given the right information on how to eat well. Otherwise, it's not until she's out of the sport that she realizes the damage she's done to her body by not eating enough over the past 20 years.

Shawn Johnson in the driver's seat

I see all the success we have as a country where the gymnasts aren't 100 percent healthy, and I imagine how amazing we could be if we were doing it in the healthiest way possible. I don't think it's a failure on anybody's part; the education just isn't there right now, and it's just not thought about in our sport. My parents have told me since I was little, "You're given your body for a reason. It's OK to be different. Being unique is a good thing." But I always struggled to believe it. I'm stocky, muscular and short, and I wanted to be thin and flexible so bad! My mom would say, "You're not made that way, and you're not going to become that, so you have to learn to accept and love the body you're in." Well, some people are born with that appreciation, and some people have to work really hard to get there. Put me in that second camp.

Read on for more on what Shawn Johnson has to say about body confidence and how she feels in her gymnastics leotard.

4 Steps to Achieving Better Brows in a Flash

Jessica Cruel — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

The eyebrows are the frames for beautiful eyes (that means they are important). And now that full, bold brows are in style, having the right moves for filling them in is essential. Makeup artist Floriane David of Make Up For Ever Academy reveals her expert secrets to achieving your best brows.

Form an outline: Start by using an angled brow brush to draw one long stroke underneath and above the eyebrow, advises David. This will help highlight your arch and create boundaries to color within.
Make high arches: Because the arch is the most important part of your brow look, it's where you should begin applying filler. This way, the arch will get the bulk of the product from your angled brush, making it a point of intensity.
Fill it in: Next, sweep your brush from the arch to the outer corner, keeping in mind that the last two-thirds of your brow should be the darkest. Then, move from the inner corner to the arch to blend, keeping in mind that this area of the brow should be filled in the lightest for the most natural look. When your brush is devoid of product, blend the end of your brow so that it tapers off at the tail.
Brighten up: As a final step, use a shimmering highlighter underneath the arch, on the cheekbone right below the eyes, and at the bridge of the nose. Hello, bright eyes.

How to Keep Your Foundation From Melting in Warm Weather

Jessica Cruel — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:02:00 PDT

The weather is heating up, and so is your makeup (meaning it might be melting). There are a few tricks you can use, however, to keep your foundation heat-, melt-, and sweat-proof. Get CoverGirl makeup artist Jake Bailey's tips for maintaining a matte finish through Spring and Summer's heat spells when you continue reading.