BellaSugar

Fragrance Review: Memoire Liquide Vacances Liquide

BellaSugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:00:21 -0800

Vacances Liquide ($95) is like a more grown-up, luxe-smelling version of the popular Harajuku Lovers "G" scent. If you love coconut, tropical florals, and vanilla, you'll eat this one up. It opens up with a bright burst of very real jasmine, sashays its way into a mix of beachy floral and coconut water that smells like the best parts of sunscreen, then dries down to a soft, slightly woody vanilla that makes your heart break for the smell and feel of old redwood decking in the May sun.

It's an unabashedly summery scent, and the creators weren't joking when they said they designed it to smell like vacations, because it does. It reminds me of every trip to the beach, every Summer day spent swimming in lakes and sleeping on docks, and every afternoon spent lazing under the shade of Carolina jasmine creepers. It's rare that a fragrance can evoke such a general sense of nostalgia, but everyone I've asked to smell it feels the same way. A gorgeous scent for the first warm, blue-skied day you get. Wear it on a gray day, too, for a touch of the sweet sadness of memory and the promise of sun-soaked, lazy times to come.

We Found Cute, Affordable, Tiny Hair Tools

BellaSugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:58:09 -0800

When it comes to beauty products, mini anything always seems to be a crowd-pleaser. And while not every single person can benefit from Conair's MiniPro 1" Ceramic Curling Iron ($18) and MiniPro You Style 2-in-1 Ceramic Styler ($21), these diminutive styling tools can come in handy. Plus, they're just plain cute. Find out the pros and cons of these no-frills products when you read more.

Product Review: L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base

OnSugar Blog — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:00:51 -0800

Here's an excerpt from OnSugar blog Beauty Bag 411.

In a previous post I mentioned how excited I was to try this since I have been looking for a new face primer. To refresh your memory in case you missed my previous post, L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base ($13) is the product that I am reviewing. So I have finally tried it out... and I hate it! Okay, hate is a strong word, but I am seriously disappointed in this. Why? Let me count the ways.

Cheap Waterproof Gel Eyeliner. . . If You Can Get It Open

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0800

I'm a huge fan of cream and gel eyeliners, so you can imagine my glee when I saw the new Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner ($10). It's about half the price of the gel eyeliners I usually buy, and since it's waterproof, it stands up to waterlining - my eyeliner application method of choice.

Sounds great, right? Except that it almost didn't get reviewed at all, because when I brought this back from a lunchtime Walgreens run, I couldn't for the life of me get the lid off the tiny jar. Several other people at Sugar HQ also tried to open it, but to no avail. Finally, after minutes of exertion, a co-worker finally got it open. What the heck is wrong with this jar, and what's the product inside actually like? To find out, just read more.

Could Mousse From a Jar Really Work?

BellaSugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0800

Most of the time, when I think mousse, I think foam in a can that gives my hair lots of volume. But a little while back, I found Redken Aerate 08 Bodifying Cream Mousse ($13.59) and thought, "Hmm . . . mousse in a jar? Really?" If such a wild invention were to work, it would make the product more portable (take that, TSA), rid us of the need for aerosol cans (yay!), and make application a lot more precise.

So is this cream the beginning of a mousse revolution? Well, yes and no. To find out what the pros and cons are, just read more.

Tria Take 2: A Major Pitfall

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:00:43 -0800

This Bella is kind of a shaving fanatic, so while I'm extremely conscious of my water consumption, I'm more of an unwilling lingerer when it comes to showering, all thanks to my long-term relationship with Gilette's Venus. Enter, the new and improved Tria. (Which, in full disclosure, was sent to us by the folks behind the brand.) It's been about a month since I made the commitment to utilize this hair removal device, promising myself I'd make baby steps to dedicate the time to zap hair from my bikini and underarm areas only. So far, I'm very impressed with the results, but I've suffered a major pitfall. Find out what I mean when you read more.

5 Great Cleansers to Balance Oily Skin

BellaSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

Even though we're in the heart of Winter, there are many of us, myself included, who still experience issues with oily skin. Over the next few days, I'll be featuring some highly rated cleansers from all price points using our Product Reviews pages for a part of my inspiration. For those of you with dry, acne-prone, and sensitive skin, stay tuned; you're up next. For now, check out these five cleansers that help to put oil in its place. Source: Flickr User qhwa

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Product Review: Aveda Tourmaline Charged Eye Cream

BellaSugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:00:11 -0800

I've been using Aveda's Tourmaline Charged Eye Cream ($32) on-and-off for several years; and recently, our love affair is back on, and here's why. The antioxidant-laden eye cream, which is more like a soft, easy-to-spread gel emulsion, never pills up on you or feels greasy. It simply just sinks right into the skin, creating a subtle luminosity under the eyes, which thanks to its smooth texture, wears nicely under concealer or foundation.

Whenever a beauty product costs more than $20, I think twice before making the purchase, and at $32, this eye cream isn't cheap, but since it tends to last me well over six months, I have no qualms about forking over my cash at the register. While Aveda claims this product reduces puffiness, I can't say I've noticed a big difference, and while the cream doesn't fade my dark circles, it does create a light-reflecting glow around the eyes. If you're looking for a lightly moisturizing way to perk up tired eyes, you might just want to eye this cream up.

Clinique's New Moisturizer Is Even Better

BellaSugar — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:00:11 -0800

I'm pretty suspicious of skin-tone-evening agents, especially since they tend to be nothing more than traditional skin bleachers like hydroquinone that may have harmful side effects. Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting SPF 20 Moisturizer ($42), however, substitutes acids, caffeine, and yeast extract for the usual suspects. Huzzah!

This product is definitely a tone evener, not a lightener, so I haven't gotten any of the blotchiness that can sometimes occur with skin bleach. I can also say that after using it on my arms and hands every day for the past five weeks, the skin is genuinely more even-toned, with my freckles and other pigmentation faded, though certainly not invisible. It's also lightweight and absorbs nicely, and I do appreciate the wide-spectrum SPF - although I think it needs to be higher than 20 to provide long-term protection.

I was afraid to use this on my face since it has sensitizing (but effective) hyaluronic and salicylic acids in it, so I'd suggest you patch-test before you give it a go. Overall, though, a nice product for the money if you have issues with light hyperpigmentation or patchiness and don't want to go under the laser.

A Tale of Two Bellas: Reviewing Benefit Cosmetics Stay Don't Stray

BellaSugar — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:00:16 -0800

For one of us, it was the best of times, for the other, it was the worst of times. (Well, not that bad.) Two members from Team Bella had two very different experiences after trying the new Stay Don't Stray ($24), the new paraben-free multitasking primer from Benefit. This moisturizing pre-makeup, which also includes vitamins C and E, is applied on both the under-eye area and lids to give concealers and eye shadows long-lasting, crease-free results. But one Bella's delight was another Bella's blight. Find out why when you read more.