BellaSugar

This Soap Is Full of Bite

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:48 -0800

Who doesn't like a little decorative soap in his or her bathroom? Etsy has the craziest varieties of decorative soap options known to mankind. Oh, what a little creativity, a bit of glycerin, and any type of mold (and I mean any) will get you these days.

Six bucks will get you Honey, I Can't Find My Teeth, a denture-shaped soap gift set made from goat's milk. Can you imagine poor granny reaching for her dentures, only to be shocked by these soapy lookalikes? At least they're scented with the palate-pleasing scent of peppermint, no? I'm not so sure that these false teeth will be making it to my bathroom shelves. What about you? Are these chompers cool or do they bite?

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20 Fan-Made Twilight Beauty Items You've Got to See to Believe

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:00:04 -0800

Sure, there's already an official Twilight makeup collection. But when it comes to Twilight-inspired creativity, there's nothing like fan-created handmade beauty goods. I've used my werewolf-like powers to sniff out 20 of the cutest, wildest, - and in one case, X-rated - soaps, candles, and perfumes inspired by the saga of Bella and Edward. Whether you're a huge fan or you're so over the vamp craze, there's something here to make you crack a smile. Trust.

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There Could Be a Rainforest in Your Shower

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:13 -0800

If a trip to the rainforest isn't in the cards, you could always bring a piece of the rainforest to you. Wembé, a new collection of handmade soaps, lets you do just that.

Made in Paraguay, the soaps ($5-9) incorporate South American ingredients such as black clay, passion fruit, and chocolate. Unsurprisingly, they smell amazingly fresh and fragrant, but they don't have that headache-causing overload. Some of the soaps sound almost good enough to eat -Yerba Mate, Dulce de Leche, and Mango among them. (Disclaimer: Don't eat soap.) My favorite is the loofah exfoliating blend, which cleans gently while whisking away dead skin.

If you're a treehugging type, you'll be glad to know that the entire line is free of petroleum products, sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrance and color. FYI, Wembé has a three-bar minimum order. Still, it's cheaper than a flight to the Southern Hemisphere.

The First Rule of Soap Club Is, You Don't Talk About Soap Club

BellaSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:00:42 -0800

It's hard to believe that Fight Club hit movie screens 10 years ago, but, well, time flies. In a tribute to one of the grossest parts of the plot, Etsy seller SerendipityEight is offering soaps inspired by the movie. Available in Bay Rum and Cool Water scents, they're a convincing knockoff of the soap that Brad Pitt holds on the movie poster. Fortunately, the homage goes only so far; this soap is made with shea butter and glycerin, not human fat. Get yours for $5 if you're so inclined - but move fast, before the copyright cops jump into the ring.

Each Month, a New Soapy Scent Pops Up

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:05 -0700

What do you get when you take a former drag queen and a doctor to a 200-year-old farm? Beekman 1802, a concept that aims to get people connecting with old-timey pleasures such as cooking, gardening, and crafting. Writer Josh Kilmer-Purcell and physician Brent Ridge (a former VP at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia) live on a farm estate in upstate New York, where - among other things - they have a line of handmade soaps ($12.50/set of two) made with milk from the farm's freely grazing goats. The soapmaking process avoids using harsh chemicals, and each bar is scented with essential oils. Nice. What I love about this concept, though, is that there's a different scent for each month. Each bar incorporates scents found on the Beekman 1802 estate - think fresh grass for March, apples and firewood for October. Such a cute idea for gift-giving, and an affordable luxury for those of us who miss a whiff of country air now and then.

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Are You Too Lazy For SPF? Not Anymore . . .

BellaSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:00:21 -0700

If you're forgetful when it comes to applying sunscreen, here's a simple way to get a little bit of protection: wash up. These days, sunscreen comes in cleanser form, leaving an invisible shield on your skin after you wash the soap off. And while it doesn't offer maximum shield from the sun, it's better than nothing.

The latest of these products to catch my eye is the Betheseda sunscreen soap ($8). Like St. Ives Elements Protective Cleanser, it provides SPF 10 protection, but in bar-soap form. What's notable, though, is the company's "Melanie Policy," named in honor of the founder's sister, who is battling colon and liver cancer. Bethesda is giving away a free bar of the soap to anybody who is fighting cancer or knows someone who has the disease. Generous - and good karma, too.

Reader Review of the Day: Shea Butter Extra Gentle Soap - Milk

BellaSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:00:22 -0700

Sometimes, simplifying your routine is the way to go. And that's exactly what reader Bellazmom had in mind when she purchased Shea Butter Extra Gentle Soap - Milk ($7). Here's why she is so fond of this extra-gentle cleanser:

I am getting back to the basics of life and trying to buy more natural products. This soap is certainly a keeper. The smell is very mild, but pleasant, and it is very gentle for bar soap. The shea butter leaves my skin very soft. It also lasts a long time, so it is worth the price.

What products are you dying to tell us all about? Share your opinions on the Product Reviews website, and check out other featured reviews while you're at it.

Is This Naughty Soap Funny or Freaky?

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:00:37 -0700

Is there a frisky man in your house? If so, he may like CleanerWeinerSoaps' Use Your Imagination soap ($7). As the product listing page helpfully points out, it's soap with a HOLE. For, you know, doing things. My inner prude is completely skeeved out, but I'm guessing most dudes would just use this for cleaning up. What's your take? Phallocentric phun or just superfreaky?

How-To: Make Bar Soap Last Longer

BellaSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:01:35 -0700

I recently received a sample of facial soap, which I ended up liking, but it was in bar form, and it seemed to deplete rather quickly. This got me to thinking about how to make bar soap last longer, besides the rather obvious advice of "just use less." So let me stand on my soapbox (sorry), and present you with some tips on keeping your bar soaps longer:

High and dry: Keep soap out of water, away from the direct shower stream to avoid "melting." Soap-saving products come in all shapes and sizes to drain water out and keep your bar soap protected. Try a Wooden Slatted Soap Saver ($2), a vertical Soap Holder ($2), or the slanted angle Soap Saver ($6).
The harder the better: I'm still talking soap, people. Look for the French milled or triple milled variety, which is made at high pressure, resulting in a harder, dense soap that has less air, and lasts much longer.
Use a washcloth: Limit the amount of soap usage by busting out a washcloth. A shower sponge or mesh sponge will also do the trick.
Nothing but net: The Container Store's Netted Soap Saver ($2.50) allows you to drop small scraps of soap into the netted pouch for an exfoliating effect. You can also make your own by putting those little soap remnants in the cut-out foot portion of old nylons or tights, hanging them in your shower where the water wouldn't hit.
DIY: Unwrap empty soaps and place them in a drawer or between layers of linens. This helps "cure" the soap (dry it out), making for a harder, longer-lasting bar.

Source

Doing Drugstore: Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap in Almond

BellaSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:00:36 -0800

Hands down, Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap in Almond ($14) is one of my bath-time favorites. It might not be the cheapest of the bunch, but it has a rich, pure aroma that makes me want to linger in the shower longer than I should. But I don't, since I'm trying to be more conscientious about my water consumption, of course.

Besides the fact that this liquid soap is organic, it's not too gag-me sweet. Since the scent is natural, it doesn't linger around or smell fake all day, unlike certain overly perfumed products can do. My only complaint? At first I was annoyed by the runny nature of this castile soap (it's made purely from vegetable origin), but it produces a nice, foamy lather that is both film-free and moisturizing - so I've learned to deal. Oh, and if you're looking for hours of entertainment, I recommend reading the fine print on the bottle, where you can catch the philosophical rantings straight from the late Dr. Bronner himself.