BellaSugar

A Sense For Beauty, Part V: Taste

BellaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:22 -0700

While edible beauty items aren't on the top of my list (I take it they're not on the top of yours either since Jessica Simpson's Dessert makeup line went bust), it is important to me that what I use, especially on my lips, at least tastes palatable and not synthetic.

For example, what I love most about Sarah Happ's Lip Scrub is that it contains sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and all kinds of other sweet ingredients that you can lick right off of your lips! Also, minty lip glosses like the ones from Lola and vanilla-scented ones from Besame make me feel more kissable.

Joey New York has even created a line of lip glosses and lipsticks based around studies on how flavors and fragrances in lip products can help you battle the urge to smoke and overeat. Conversely, they can also help you become more alluring to the opposite sex.

Isn't it all just so fascinating? If you could design your own flavored beauty product, what would you want it to taste like?

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Bella Interview: I Heart Daily

BellaSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:00:48 -0700

What do you do after you've written for ELLEgirl, Teen Vogue, Teen People, and Glamour? If you're Anne Ichikawa and Melissa Walker, you start your own online publication. I Heart Daily features news on style, beauty, entertainment, and all-around cool stuff. It's meant for teenagers, but you'll like it if you're merely young at heart.

Ichikawa and Walker recently shared their thoughts on why youth culture fascinates them, how Pete Wentz is influencing style, and how to help teenage girls develop a healthy self-image. Read on!

You've both written for teenagers for years. What is it about them that grabs you?
MELISSA: They're so open and honest. Teenagers are going through really high highs and really low lows, and there's something universal about those emotions and the raw excitement of discovering new things to love. They care about what they're reading about-and they're not afraid to tell you when the loooooove something or when they think something sucks. I appreciate that.
ANNE: Teens are still forming their opinions about things, their taste and what they like. Because of that they’re more excited and open to discover what’s out there, whether that’s a new band or a new kind of lip gloss. I mean, my mom has used the same Maybelline eyeliner for the past 20 years in the same exact shade! They have a sense of passion that us jaded adults lose after a while. Haha.

For their thoughts on beauty trends, read more.

Do you think it's easier to be a teenager now than it was, say, 10 years ago? Or harder?
MELISSA: I think it's harder in some ways and easier than others. Seriously, the experience of that age is so universal that I think it all evens out and ends up just being a tough-and-amazing time no matter WHEN you go through it.
ANNE: I agree with Melissa - being a teenager is pretty universal throughout the ages. Sure, now there’s Facebook and MySpace, but you know, at some point TV sets and cordless phones also were new and crazy.

How have teenagers' attitudes toward their appearance changed since you were that age?
MELISSA: I think they have more access to celebrity style and beauty, plus quick-and-easy ways to get the exact products they see celebs using, so there might be a bit more experimentation. But the truth is that teenagers are always trying to find their personal style, and now they can just try on more identities, which is fun.
ANNE: I think it’s a little more accepted and cool to be different now. Being quirky and an individual is a good thing now-that’s partly due to the media. Who ever thought wearing huge nerd glasses (American Apparel style) and guys wearing black eyeliner (Pete Wentz) would ever become mainstream and hip?

For those of us with teenage nieces and sisters, what's the best advice we can give with regard to building their self-image?
MELISSA: Nurture individuality and encourage their passions. There's so much possibility to explore at that age, and the "eh, that's not realistic" line is one of the lamest ones older people pull. Encourage them to dream big-then their identities are defined by how much they rock the world, not how much they weigh.
ANNE: To be comfortable in your own skin. I know, I know…easier said than done, but it’s true! It’s so important to encourage young women to be curious, kind, intelligent and, most of all, to follow their passions. Focus on building a strong sense of self, and the confidence will follow.

For more from Melissa and Anne, check out I Heart Daily.

BellaSugar's Guide to Beauty Products and Your Senses

BellaSugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:00:22 -0700

I hope that you've enjoyed my series on the five senses and how they impact the beauty items that you buy. After taking a long look into my own personal beauty product inventory, I've come to understand that I am drawn more to the way that products look and smell than the way they sound, feel, or taste.

If you've fallen behind on your reading this week (it's OK, I'll forgive you this once!), below is a five-post roundup on each of the five senses. Please share with me, in a comment below, some of the things that you've learned about your own shopping habits when it comes to beauty products and your senses.

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Love's Baby Soft: Does 15 Years Make a Difference?

BellaSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:00:03 -0700

On my way to the Sugar headquarters today, I stopped into my neighborhood drugstore to scope out the fragrance scene. Since I've been on this major old-school kick lately, not just any old fragrance would do. Nope, I was aiming for the perfume I bathed in back in junior high: Love's Baby Soft. The goal? To see if my adult sense of smell would recoil at the BS, or if I'd fall back in love with the nostalgic aroma.

The classic powdery smell in the dome-shaped pink bottle sure brought back memories (cue MC Hammer tunes, Guess? sweatshirts, and Keds). Launched in 1972, this feminine scent is a mix of powdery florals, along with wood and "animal scents." (I hope that means musky.)

Would I wear it again? Enh. While it was fun to take a trip down memory lane, I'm looking for something with a little more bite - something that lasts longer than an episode of The Hills and doesn't make me smell quite as girly. So, I did a little research into powdery fragrances that would be a better fit for more grown-up tastes:

Kenzo FlowerbyKenzo ($25 to $85).
Guerlain Shalimar ($52 to $65).
Carolina Herrera 212 Collection ($44 to $79).
Donna Karan Cashmere Mist ($48 to $90).

I'd also feel a little dirty buying Love's Baby Soft. I think we can all agree that this advertisement turns the creepy factor up to 11.

A Sense For Beauty, Part I: Touch

BellaSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:00:22 -0700

Welcome to my series on the five senses and beauty products. You may not realize that you are drawn to certain items because they appeal to your sense of taste, touch, sight, hearing, and smell, but subconsciously these qualities have a huge influence over what you chose to purchase. This series is a great way for you to gain insight into your mind, body, spirit - and bathroom. Today's topic is touch.

Touch and beauty are correlated on many levels. For example, Body So Fine body balm by Benefit ($30) is one of the company's best sellers because of its unique velvety cream-to-powder texture. Also, products that have dense, oily, or milky consistencies can attract or deter people from using them.

Touch also plays an intricate role in a spa experience. Hands-on treatments (as opposed to saunas, steam rooms, and baths) are fantastic ways to boost your mood. Did you know that the human touch releases "happy" endorphins that can physically help reduce blood pressure, stress, and anxiety? Psychologically, touch can also make you feel less isolated and more secure. Do you love the way a certain bath, body, or hair product feels? If so, please share your thoughts with me in a comment below.

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Smoothing Strawberry Body Lotions

BellaSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:00:22 -0800

Welcome to my third installment on strawberry beauty products. These body lotions are refreshing and sweet fruit treats for your skin. I've found that even with the wide assortment of orange, lemon and pomegranate body creams, there's nothing quite as wonderful as strawberry. Judging from your comments about strawberry facial scrubs and cleansers I think you'll like these juicy treats too.

Kama Sutra Strawberry Creme Body Soufflé ($17.09) is more of a massage cream than a body lotion. I haven't tried it, but a friend has, and she claims it's even edible (tastes sweet, but good). The timing sure is perfect considering that Valentine's Day is next week. I think it's funny that there's a warning saying that you must be 18 and over to even buy the cream. So, let me get this straight: Anyone can buy condoms, but you can't buy massage cream unless you're 18. Hmm, tawk amongst yourselves.

For two more smoothing and soothing strawberry body lotions, read more.

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Body Drink Lotion (any two products in the range sell for $18) is a sugary, sweet and sexy body moisturizer that leaves your skin smooth and scented. I've had this product for a few months and always feel the urge to put it on when the sun is shining, even if it's cold outside. It's a boost to your senses and a great way to celebrate the scent of summer all year round.

Estee Lauder Pleasures Delight Body Lotion ($38.50) smells just like the fragrance only it's a little bit less intense. You'd never guess that it's made from strawberries, but that mixture (along with the scent of sugary confections) is what makes it so good. I was afraid that it would feel kind of sticky on my skin based on all of the sugar, but actually it feels very smooth and it absorbs into the skin quickly.

Oh Man: In Japan, 'Pretty' Guys Are in Style

BellaSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:57:02 -0700

In Japan, the most popular grooming brand for young men is Gatsby. This name always makes me giggle, because, well, things didn't work out so well for the literary Gatsby. From my American viewpoint, the number of Gatsby products is astounding-more than a dozen colors of hair dye, styling putty, six varieties of deodorant, on and on and on. Men have as many beauty products as women do!

It makes sense, though: A recent story shows that young Japanese men are grooming themselves in a way that makes your average metrosexual seem like Charles Bronson in comparison. And their female counterparts consider it sexy, as shown by the heartthrob status of actor/model Takuya Kimura, pictured here. reveals the latest trend for guys in Japan: looking pretty, not masculine. Take a look at what it involves:

"I shave the tops and bottoms of my eyebrows to make them look cleaner," said Shinya Abe, 21, a wispy third-year student at Kobe University in western Japan. Abe, who also uses a men's eyebrow kit of brow comb, brow scissors and tweezers to keep his brows in line, says many of his classmates go further, shaving off their eyebrows and pencilling in new ones. Some go to aesthetic salons, or "esute", to get facials, manicures and pedicures.

To find out more, and to see a Gatsby commercial that would not go over too well on American airwaves, read more

This level of intensive grooming is indicative of the current preference for smooth-skinned, gentle-looking men. "Right now, the emphasis is on 'pretty', and nice, delicate men are in style," said Mayu Shimokawa, chief manager of product promotions at Mandom, the corporation that produces Gatsby. "Men's tastes are changing and we are changing to keep up with their tastes."

It's always interesting to peek into beauty ideals around the world, and there's something I like about a culture that says men can be pretty (without being called "gay" in a nasty way). But I'm not sure that I want to date a guy who spends his morning pencilling in his eyebrows, either.

Let me know what you think of these Gatsby commercials, which star the aforementioned superstar Takuya Kimura. I kinda dig the look in the first one-it's pretty hip and confident. The second one, in which he suggestively sprays deodorant, is more risque-enough so that I had to move my screen away from Intern's eyes, lest he accuse me of trying to pervert his young, impressionable mind.

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DuWop Takes Your Lips to the Moon

BellaSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:00:48 -0800

DuWop just can't stop re-inventing ways to push its famous Lip Venom on us. Last year they created a silver version, and this year we can plump our lips to out-of-this-world proportions with Moon Venom ($17). So far in 2008, I'm sensing things are going to be galaxy-themed-has anybody else noticed that?

Even though Moon Venom is technically the same formula as the original, what makes it different is that opalescent shimmer has been added to the mix of cinnamon, wintergreen and ginger essential oils.

While I won't be purchasing this gloss -this stuff is way too tingly for my taste - I'm sure lots of you are excited that your favorite lip plumper has a new special twist.

Wedding Nails: The Quintessential French Manicure

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:12:22 -0700

The French manicure has a regal connotation to it that represents class, elegance and a sense of high quality grooming. Having said that, plenty of people today feel that the French manicure is out of style and would even consider it cheesy. Whichever way you decide to go, I still think the French manicure is the quintessential way to paint your nails for your wedding day. It's soft, understated and shows that you pay attention to detail.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the French manicure, I have pictured it here for you. A white stripe is painted to the tops of the nails (I prefer a soft, square cut nail with a thin stripe) and then a sheer, pale pink or beige toned polish is applied on top. Here are a few French manicure kits to choose from.

Bourjois French Manicure Kit, $20, is a three piece French manicure kit. It includes a curved brush designed especially to create the most perfect and even white nail tips, a light pink polish which is so sheer that you can apply one or two coats depending on your taste, and a clear topcoat to ensure shine and protection to your manicure. In no time you'll look like you just waltzed right off the Parisian runways!

For two more D.I.Y. French manicure kits, read more

Sally Hansen French Manicure Kit, $6, includes a really cool feature. Inside are a set of stickers for you to apply to your nails so that you can create professional looking, no mess white tips. Once you apply the tips, peel off the stickers and then apply the soft colored nail polish on top. The kit also includes a topcoat and super clear and easy instructions.

Orly French Manicure Kit, $6, will give you a very natural looking manicure! This kit includes a polish, a base coat, white tips (you can choose from two different styles; straight or half moon) and a quick drying topcoat. Available in four different sheer shades.

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Kama Sutra Love Oils Gift Set

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 04:44:33 -0800

Things are heating up here on FabSugar for Valentine's Day. This sensuous and sexy Kama Sutra Loving Oils Gift Set, $26.99, includes five bottles of romance waiting to happen. You can pretty much bank on a steamy night ahead once you break out these delectable water-based oils.

Not only do they smell delicious, but they taste good too. When applied to the skin, they also create a tingling and warm feeling. For even more sensation, blow on the skin just as it is getting warm. Talk about appealing to your senses!

The oils are hypo-allergenic, they won't stain and are latex (condom) safe. This special gift kit comes with: the original, chocolate mint, cherry almond, raspberry kiss and vanilla creme oils.

*Keep in mind that you must be 18 years of age or older to purchase. Use externally.