BellaSugar

A Sensational Senna Makeover

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:00:42 PDT

A few weeks ago when I was visiting Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of getting a full-face makeover by makeup artist Leesa Dang at Senna Cosmetics in Beverly Hills. The studio is in a posh location and it's set up with lots of mirrors and chairs, so right from the start my expectations were set high. I had no doubts that I'd walk out looking like anything less than a glamorous and red carpet-ready Hollywood star.

The first step was applying a cleanser, moisturizer and a magical, velvety, silicone-based Silky Primer ($36) that virtually evaporates once it touches skin. It made my face feel smooth and look incredibly supple. (If you're looking for a primer, I recommend it based on the incredible texture alone).

Next came the smooth and extremely sheer base, which provides coverage similar to a tinted moisturizer. However, when I looked in the mirror, I was sadly shocked by how pale and lifeless my skin appeared. Leesa eased my fears by explaining that Senna foundations are made from minerals and would only meld into my skin and soften as the night went on.

Finally came the dramatic mix of petal pink and navy eye shadow, deep navy eyeliner, two coats of rich black mascara, and a medium pink lipstick and gloss. At first I thought the cool tones were a bit heavy, but after a little more blending, it looked beautiful. My face looked even and the smoky eye paired with the pink lip was every bit as sexy as I'd hoped. For more about my thoughts on Senna's foundation, my new everyday lip color obsession, and to find out what celebrities wear this brand,

Leesa was right about the foundation. As the day wore on, my base looked more and more natural and less like makeup. What I mostly loved about this experience was the time they spent with me (and their never-ending patience). After the makeover was complete, they touched up my brows and helped me with my search for a less Barbie-doll lip color that I could wear in the daytime.

I tried on several of their high-shine, thick, yet not-sticky glosses and my favorite of the bunch was a new, pinky nude Fall shade called Grace. However, my current favorite lip color is a creamy and sheer, almond-flavored lipstick (with SPF 15) in Whisper Rose ($17.50). This hearty rose shade contains flecks of gold glitter that transform the color from pink to coral peach.

I love getting makeovers, but they're even more fun when you're working with someone who loves to gossip about celebs just as much as me. She mentioned how Eva Longoria, Jessica Simpson, and Michael Jackson's makeup artists all come in to pick up products for their famous clients! I'd have to say that without a doubt, my overall makeover experience gets an A+, so thank you, Senna.

What a Pair: Lip Sync From Senna Cosmetics

BellaSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:00:06 PDT

If coveting a product is sin, lock me away forever! Senna Cosmetics released a two-in-one lip gloss and lipstick product called Lip Sync ($24) a few weeks ago. These glossy, creamy, and shimmery tubes have my heart going pitter-patter and my eyes wide with excitement.

The concept is much like the Dual Ended Lip Color and Plumping Glossy Tints from Sonia Kashuk's past Summer collection, but these are far richer, and they contain shimmer. Plus, they have an enticing almond biscotti flavor, and the texture is significantly less sticky. Lip Sync is available in three complementary shades, and my absolute favorite is A La Mode - a pinky-peach lipstick paired with a shimmery peachy-pink gloss. However, all of the shades can be worn alone or mixed and matched together.

For more details about all three lip duos,

A La Mode is a combination of rosy-peach lipstick and shimmery peachy-pink gloss.
Paris Pink is a rose-colored lipstick paired with a shimmery, pale pink lip gloss.
Stunning houses an earth-toned deep bronzey-coral lipstick on one end and a true gold lip gloss on the other.

How-To: Sheryl Crow's Country Music Awards Makeup

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:00:05 PST

At the 2007 Country Music Awards, Sheryl Crow wowed the red carpet. Her hair was soft and wavy, her outfit was classy, and her makeup was polished.

I especially like the way her nude lips sparkle, taking years off of her face. Clearly there's more than just talent that makes this lady a shining country music star! The magic behind her makeup is none other than Chanel's secret weapon, makeup artist Angela Levin.

View 4 Photos ›

Source

For a full list of the goods used on Sheryl, including tips on product application techniques,

FACE: Angela actually stopped over to see Sheryl the night before to prep her skin with some Chanel Sublimage Cream so that it would be nice and hydrated for the event. The day of the event, she applied some Hydramax Plus Tinted Moisturizer in Sand to her face and then added some Cle de Peau Cream Foundation on top for more coverage.
CHEEKS: Then, to warm up the apples of her cheeks a little bit, she added a dusting of Senna Cosmetics bronzer and highlighter combo in Radiance Face Color Trio and blended along her cheekbones.
EYES: The goal was to create a natural, yet polished and defined eye. Angela began by blending the colors in the Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Golden Eyes together and then adding in some of Senna Cosmetics Double Effect Creamline Powder Duo in Midnight Magic. She finished the look with two coats of Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir.
LIPS: Lastly to create Sheryl's shiny, nude mouth, Angela applied a little bit of Herbal Lip Therapy in Cherry Almond and then topped them off with a special, sparkly Chanel Glossimer Lip Gloss in Sunset Gold.

Senna Cosmetics Wear Your Chocolates Collection

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:00:03 PST

This new deep, dark and rich Wear Your Chocolates collection is part of the Fall 2007 Drop Dead Gorgeous Collection. Inside of the Chocolate Bliss Kit, you'll find five different items that contain a total of twelve products and three tools. Individually, everything would cost $120, but this collection is $80 - I'd say that's a pretty sweet deal. (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun!) This limited-edition collection won't be around forever, so you may want to consult your gift list and decide who's deserving of this decadent treat.

To read about each of the products in the Wear Your Chocolates collection,

Chocolates Eye Color Palette includes five day-to-night sultry neutral shadows in Buttercream, Toffee, Caramel, Malt and Truffles as well as a double-ended brush for blending and lining.
Velvet Eye Liner in Black Chocolate is a rich brown definer powder pencil on one end, with a smudge tool at the other end.
Double Dose Blush in Parfait is an ethereal rose-colored blush that can be layered to create a natural or striking glow.
Double Lip Liner in Cocoa Rose houses one of Senna's best-selling nudes on one end and a subtle rose shade on the other end. Either of these shades work well with almost any lipstick or gloss.
Double Dose Lip Lacquer in Chocolate Cherry tastes just like chocolate - mmm! There is beigey-pink shade on one end and a decadent chocolate brown on the other.

Bellissima! Senna Cosmetics Mineral Mix Blush & Tint

BellaSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:59:39 PDT

Oh, how I adore two-in-one products! And this Senna Cosmetics Mineral Mix Blush & Tint ($35) is amazing! It contains an extremely sheer loose powder mineral blush and a lighter, sheer pressed powder highlighter. Both colors compliment each other beautifully to create a three-dimensional glow and natural-looking flush.

The finely-milled products and are free of fragrance, talc and oil-but the best part is the packaging! The loose powder blush is housed on the bottom of the container and the highlighter is packed into a solid on the top. If you like this style, it Is also available in four shades of bronze & glow as well as four shades of cover & finish .

The colors available for the Mineral Mix Blush & Tint are

Oasis: a bronze rose
Organza: a natural rose
Rose Quartz: a fresh coral-pink
Sunset: a sheer peach-rose

Bella Brand: Senna Cosmetics

BellaSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:28:50 PDT

Senna Cosmetics was founded in 1976 (the year I was born!) by Eugenia Weston. Though Eugenia was just 13 years old at the time, she really disliked all of the bright and heavy makeup women were wearing. She began to mix her own makeup, so she could find complimentary nude hues to wear herself.

After gaining experience by selling her cosmetics to housewives, Eugenia created her own line, opened up a store and makeup studio in L.A., and began working with top Hollywood names. She was even nominated for an Emmy for makeup artistry.

Her first product was the Form-A-Brow kit ($42), which is still one of her best-selling items. She has also gained status as an expert brown shaper, living by the rule of tweezing or threading but never waxing. Three years ago she also launched a mineral line that has proven to be another best-seller, alongside her lip glosses.

Eugenia just opened up her sixth California boutique and has also starting selling her product collections to spas and salons. Her latest Spring Collection, Illuminations, is designed to brighten the skin. I am expecting some goodies in the mail by the end of the week, so I'll be sure to report back and tell you what I think.