BellaSugar

Treating Blemishes Has Never Felt So Good

Sponsor — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:00:00 PDT

When it comes to treating blemishes, we want something that's effective but not harsh on skin. Introducing St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub and St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser. Formulated without parabens or phthalates, these products calm skin and prevent redness with 100 percent natural green tea, while salicylic acid works to treat even the toughest blemishes. Soothe your blemishes away with St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub and St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser. Use together as part of your daily regimen so you can feel fresh and look flawless.

Doing Drugstore: St. Ives Moisturizing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:01 PDT

I love body polishes that don't require excess force to work, particularly ones that use sugar, which is gentler on the skin. Over the weekend, I tried out St. Ives Moisturizing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Oatmeal & Shea Butter ($8), which contains natural sugar crystals for exfoliation, oatmeal to soothe, and shea butter for softer skin. While this polish is a little difficult to scoop out of the jar due to its texture (think of a dense Crisco), once it hits the skin and some water, it almost melts, creating a rich, spreadable lather.

The polish has a sweet almond scent and a finer, more dissolvable grit than the famous invigorating St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($4). Before shaving, I spread a little of the polish on my legs for a smooth, non-irritating result.

I like it for a pedicure, too. After scrubbing my feet with the body polish, I used my beauty shortcut to fake a real pedicure. A little goes a long way with this product, making for an affordable - and effective - drugstore find.

Back To Basics: The Best Face Scrubs

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:00:22 PDT

Back in July, you beauty marked some of your favorite face scrubs, and here are three oldies but goodies that I've adored for ages. Face scrubs are imperative in maintaining a healthy appearance. They work to gently remove dead skin, oil and residue from the daily grind. This helps unclog your pores and smooth out your skin.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($3.99) is likely my absolute favorite exfoliator. Even though the packaging seems to change every couple of years, the product remains the same - a thick, coarse, mild smelling facial scrub that has some of the largest grains of its kind. The oil-free formula is great for acne-prone skin since it contains two percent salicylic acid.

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream ($17.50) is a smooth exfoliator intended for skin that isn't currently experiencing any breakouts. This is more of a maintenance product for when your skin is dry or uneven looking - not so much for acne-prone skin. It works to slough away dead skin cells and unclog pores. Simply massage a nickel-sized amount into your wet skin for 15 seconds and rinse off with warm water.

For one last facial scrub,

read more. Clean and Clear Blackhead Clearing Scrub ($5.95) is another great acne-fighting scrub since it also contains salicylic acid and a gentle acne medication. This scrub definitely has the strongest scent, and you can feel it tingle as you work it onto your skin. It helps clear away blackheads, sebum and any leftover makeup. However, if you have super-sensitive skin, this may be a little bit harsh for you, especially since it is recommended for daily use.

New Product Alert: St. Ives Elements Protective Cleanser

BellaSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:00:15 PDT

When Freeze 24/7 released Ice Shield a couple of years ago, I was intrigued. The cleanser not only removes dirt and oil, it also protects skin with SPF 15. Innovative, no? My only complaint was the $48 price tag, which seemed a little high, even for a two-in-one product.

Ah, but now St. Ives has stepped in with its Elements Protective Cleanser ($7.99). The concept of this cleanser is the same: You simply wash your face as you would normally, which simultaneously "washes on" SPF 10 coverage. It's that simple, which should please those of you who prefer having as few steps as possible in your morning routine.

Although I like the lower-priced option, I'm not crazy about the relatively low SPF rating. SPF 10 is small potatoes; at the very least, you should wear SPF 15 every day, and SPF 30 is ideal. If you're serious about protecting your skin, you'll want a higher SPF. But if you're the type of person who doesn't wear sunblock every day already, this is a good way to get at least a little protection without adding another product to your skin-care regimen.

Doing Drugstore: St. Ives Collagen Elastin Body Moisturizer

BellaSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:00:40 PST

I've been using St. Ives Collagen Elastin Advanced Body Moisturizer ($5.39) on and off for about a year now. When my precious Creme de Corps seems a bit heavy or if I am just not in the mood to use something that expensive when I know I am going to shower again later in the day, I turn to this creamy, sweet-smelling body lotion to make my scaly skin smooth.

I'm pretty particular about my body lotion and hand cream, and I think this one is tops. It penetrates quickly and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth, not waxy or oily. And when I say that it smells good, I'm not exaggerating. Think of slowly brewed tea made from chamomile, primrose, elder flower and sunflowers - that's what this lotion smells like. It's not over-the-top powerful, sweet or girly, it's just right. Apparently I am not alone in my affections. According to a press release from St. Ives, Collagen Elastin has been the brand's best-selling lotion for over 25 years! I really encourage you to try this if you are on the market for a new body cream. It's available in three sizes, including a travel size for 99 cents.

Watch Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, and Jim Carrey in a Drunk History Christmas Lesson

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:15:58 PST

If you're a fan of Funny or Die's Drunk History series, then I've got a Christmas treat for you! Ryan Gosling is starring in this latest holiday version of Drunk History, and this time, they're taking on the festive poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Gosling plays the man who's woken up by Old St. Nick on Christmas Eve, and joining him in the goofy video are Eva Mendes and Jim Carrey (in a very important role). Get your dose of holiday Gosling now!

How to Stick to Your Diet (or Workout)

Health — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:07:08 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Su Reid St. John

I've been struggling a bit recently with old, not-so-great eating habits. I've made a few halfhearted attempts to stem the tide, but it wasn't until last week, when I found my favorite jeans a little hard to button, that I realized I'd gotten pretty far off track. So I turned to a simple mantra for help: It's not an option.

I repeat it every time a plate of brownies shows up in the break room, my husband bakes gingerbread cookies and leaves them on the counter, or I'm simply contemplating a second helping of tortellini.

5-Minute Fat Burners

I actually got it from Lisa Delaney, author of the funny, insightful book Secrets of a Former Fat Girl (and former executive editor at Health magazine). She came up with the phrase in a desperate moment, trying to stop her formerly out-of-shape self from quitting yet another workout. "Those four little words ended the internal argument right there," she writes. Bam. Done.

It's not an option.

The finality of this particular mantra is what makes it so effective for me. It simply slams the door on the possibility of doing something I don't need to do - this is the way it is, no arguing. It's oddly freeing, too, because as soon as I say it, my inner waffling comes to a halt and I no longer have the stressful "should I or shouldn't I?" debate running nonstop through my brain.

More tips after the break.

David Beckham Shows What's Underneath His Shirt in Indonesia

Allie Merriam — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:48:50 PST

David Beckham went shirtless and tore off his jersey yesterday after a soccer game in Indonesia! He and the LA Galaxy traveled to Jakarta this week to meet with and play against a select group of Indonesian athletes. Today, though, the Galaxy packed their bags and moved on to the Philippines. They were seen arriving at the Manila airport and boarding a bus this morning. David, Landon Donovan, and some of the other LA guys met with Philippine players at a press conference. David spoke about his future in the US once his Galaxy contract expires soon. He's rumored to be accepting an offer at Paris's St. Germain. David said of a transfer, "I'm very proud of the time that I've spent with the Galaxy and it might continue. I think at the end of the day I have a big decision to make, but I obviously haven't made one yet." He also reiterated his hopes to join the UK team next Summer during the Olympics.

David is in Asia while Victoria wraps up a visit to the UK. Posh went to England to attend the British Fashion Awards, where she was honored with Designer Brand of the Year. David wrote on Facebook of his and their three sons' happiness for Victoria. He wrote, "The boys and I are incredibly proud of Victoria after winning a prestigious British Fashion Award tonight. She has worked so hard and deserves all the recognition. It's amazing what she has achieved tonight, very special."

3 Injury-Prone Workouts and Tips on Avoiding Harm

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:47:05 PDT

You might avoid certain workouts because you are fearful of injury. Or if you are like me, you might migrate toward certain classes or equipment because you are trying to maintain some fitness level while recovering from an injury. I'm currently working through back and leg injuries, so when it comes to protecting my body from further damage, I've learned that proper alignment is absolutely key for prevention. If you're also dealing with an injury (or worried about getting one), keep reading to see which workouts you should be aware of and follow these simple tips to avoid injuries while doing them.

Spin: Cycling can easily lead to hip, back, wrist, and knee injuries if your bike is not properly aligned. In addition, since biking consists of a lot of repetitive motion, taking several spin classes a week can lead to a muscular imbalance. You can overexert certain muscles, especially the tops of your thighs, while deconditioning other areas like the inner and outer thighs. To avoid these problems, always ask the instructor to help you properly set up your bike and cross train with other types of workout classes that target your core and thigh muscles.
High-intensity cardio: Fast-moving, intense classes like boot camp can lead to a variety of injuries, including sprained ankles, muscle pulls, low-back pain, dehydration, and overheating. If you are new to the class or technique, it's important to trust your body and modify moves or weights depending on your level of expertise. If you don't know a particular move, try it out at a slower pace to get the feel of it. Focus on proper alignment and your strength level rather than keeping up with the pace of the class. Remember, slow and steady win the race, and with gradual training your muscles and endurance will become stronger.
Weight lifting: Lifting heavy weights can cause a plethora of injuries, including stress fractures, sprains, strains, overexertion, and muscle pulls in wrists, shoulders, knees, and backs. However, proper weight lifting does have several benefits like helping weight management and improving strength. Sign up for a personal trainer to walk you through the weight room or see if your gym offers a group training session. By using correct alignment, you will target and strengthen the right muscles as well as save your tendons, muscles, and bones from some serious, unpleasant damage.

Still worried about injury? See three alternative low-impact workouts after the break!

Hit Up Hamburg Hot Spots While Staying at 25hours Hotel HafenCity

Elka Karl — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:00:46 PDT

While I've always had Berlin as the number one city to hit on a tour of Germany, I have to say that the 25hours Hotel HafenCity is now making me mark Hamburg as a close second on my hypothetical travel itinerary. Hamburg's HafenCity neighborhood is Europe’s largest development project of the 21st century. A reinvention of Hamburg’s old harbor quarter, this cool hood features new restaurants, bars, cultural stops, and shops. When you're done exploring all of the great spots in HafenCity, you can retire for the night to the 25hours Hotel HafenCity, the first hotel development in this neighborhood, which just opened this Summer.

Taking inspiration from the neighborhood's maritime history, the re-imagined 21st century seamen's club includes 170 cabin-style suites, a rooftop sauna, restaurant, bar, art gallery, private wharf, and a conference room housed in a repurposed shipping container. On the ground-floor level, the lounge/bar gets buzzing thanks to DJed dance parties and delicious drinks, enabling you to take the party home, if you so wish. Take a tour of the hotel's hip design!