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,

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.

Four Mad Men-Inspired Office Accents That Deserve a Comeback

Elka Karl — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:00:23 PDT

To say that I've been eagerly anticipating the return of Mad Men is a bit of an understatement. I've been anxious to see how season five would deal with the many unresolved story lines from the season four finale. What will happen to SCDP? Will Joan 'fess up about the father of her baby? Will Peggy ever get any recognition?

Today, I'm teasing you a bit with a photo from season five's first episode, "A Little Kiss," which airs on Sunday night on AMC. In this scene, Pete Campbell addresses Stan Rizzo, Peggy Olson, and Ken Cosgrove - perhaps in an effort to drum up more business for the firm. While checking out the photo, I was struck by three items in the office that may deserve a comeback.

Curious as to what those items are? Keep reading to see the four items from Mad Men that every office may need in 2012

Weekly Faves: 5 Inspiring Indoor Spaces

Angela Swinderman Elias — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 06:00:10 PDT

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I've been admiring beautiful Irish homes from across the country. Some of them seem quintessentially Irish, while others look as though they could be in almost any city in the world. Whether country cottages or majestic castles, these spaces represent both historic and modern Ireland and are equally inspiring. Keep reading to see the Irish homes I've uncovered!

Photo courtesy of Sebastian Guinness Gallery

Weekend DIYs

Elka Karl — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 03:00:10 PDT

Spring is almost officially upon us! To celebrate, I've rounded up colorful, fresh, and fun Spring projects that will add some freshness to your home. Whether you want to DIY some Spring green napkins for St. Patrick's Day or Easter, or you're intent on adding a twist on floral arrangements, I've got you covered. Find these projects and many more in this week's DIY roundup.

Ultimate Beer-Lover's Dessert: Guinness Ice Cream

Susannah Chen — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:47:12 PDT

For St. Patrick's Day, I already know what I'm serving for dessert: Guinness ice cream! Since spotting the Food & Wine recipe, I've bought an ice cream maker and prepared it twice in one week. With the big green holiday looming in the days ahead, I can only imagine how many more times it'll get made.

Next up: mixing in homemade chocolate-covered pretzels and ribbons of from-scratch fudge sauce. This ice cream is all at once nuanced and full of multifaceted flavor, yet at its heart, simple and comforting. Want the recipe? Then keep reading.

Did Your Diet Change For Your Breastfeeding Baby?

BabyCenter — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:32:37 PDT

Here is another great post from our partners at BabyCenter - Kate Marsh Lord's article about breastfeeding diets.

I’ve been very lucky to successfully breastfeed my kids with very little complication. For example, I nursed my first two for a total of 32 months and never had to give up foods to pacify a sensitive baby belly. However, not even two weeks in with baby Max and I’m concerned that my food choices are aggravating his little tummy.

So far breastfeeding has been a relatively smooth experience with Max. My milk came in a day after he was born and he took to nursing right away. He barely lost any weight and at only six days old weighed 5 ounces more than his birth weight. However, the past couple days I’ve noticed that he seems to be uncomfortable and the only thing I can figure is that his belly is upset.

At least a couple times a day, Max fusses and grunts and pulls his little legs to his belly. He seems to struggle a bit and then passes gas or goes poop. He has several (or a million) dirty diapers a day and not all of them seem to cause him pain. And, thankfully, he doesn’t seem uncomfortable while feeding or even shortly afterwards. The only connection I can find with his discomfort is to occasional gas or bowel movements.

I hate to think that something I’m eating is causing him pain, so I’ll certainly make a sacrifice if it will help him to feel better. But the idea of vetting my entire diet is a little overwhelming. I’m hoping that this is just a little phase and that his baby belly will adjust.

Does Max’s belly ache sound like anything your little one has experienced? Did you have to give up certain foods while breastfeeding?

More great reads from BabyCenter:
Woman endures labor for 75 days
Is pink slime on your kid's lunch tray?
10 St. Patrick's Day treats
Judge awards $3 million in wrongful birth suit
7 best choices for baby's first utensils

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