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Emergency Relief From Redness

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:00:08 PST

While there are plenty of great skin care options available for gals with sensitive skin, what about the occasional and pesky flare-up of redness that all skin types can relate to, such as the kind that occurs from an unexpected pimple, or a nose rubbed raw from a winter cold? In the past I've resorted to applying everything from Neosporin to thick, goopy hand cream on my poor nose, or even Visine on a pimple. Neither really worked.

Fortunately, I've discovered a much better and effective option in Therapy Systems' Emergency Treatment Cream ($32). This light and fluffy pink concoction is formulated with hydrocortisone to immediately zap redness and calm inflammation. Just dab a little on the emergency stricken areas, and it soothes your skin while eliminating the redness. Crisis averted!

For another great (and cheaper) option,

A more affordable alternative is Aveeno's Maximum Strength Anti-Itch Cream ($6). Even though it's marketed as an anti-itch cream, It contains the same active ingredient, hydrocortisone, to reduce redness and inflammation. I recommend it over other drugstore hydrocortisone creams because it contains ingredients such as oatmeal and aloe to nurture your skin while it's being treated.

Coming Soon: Therapy Systems April Fool's Makeup

BellaSugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:00:06 PST

As you are well aware by now, spring 2008 collections are out in full force creating all kinds of beauty buzz. This new line from Therapy Systems happens to be launching way far away in April, but I've been lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the goods.

While some might call it small, I call it succinct. The six piece collection contains two lipsticks, two gel blushes, a powder blush and an eye shadow. All of the colors were inspired from looks seen on spring runways, and the names come from chic Greek and Italian hot spots. So I'm not pulling your leg, this April Fool's Collection is very real!

View 5 Photos ›

For a description of each of the colors and the prices,

Tequila Sunrise Coral Powder Blush ($20) is a shimmery coral blush that gives most skin tones (especially olive skin) instant warmth.
Portofino Rose Gel Blush ($24) is a sheer, dewy and creamy gel blush with a little bit of shimmer. It can also be used as a lip tint.
Santorini Coral Gel Blush ($24) provides cheeks and lips with a subtle touch of coral shimmer. It should blend easily with your fingertips.
Mykonos Eyeshadow ($19) is a pale, shimmery, gold metallic eye shadow that looks great on most skin tones. It can be worn all over your lid or blended with other shadows.
Capri Lipstick and Naples Lipstick ($20 each) are two perfect sheer shades for spring. Capri is pink and Naples is coral. They are both extremely creamy, smooth and moisturizing since they are formulated with Vitamin E, and the colors are soft enough for everyday wear.

Product Review: Therapy Systems Tinted Moisturizing Lip Balm

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:46 PST

Wearing heavy eye makeup while participating in winter events can turn into a disaster. When your eyes water from the wind, everything begins to run. But wearing a lip balm is another story-it's totally easy. A hint of a tint gives your lips a healthy glow while shielding them from harsh weather. That's why I was excited to try these new Therapy Systems All Over Color Tinted Moisturizing Lip Balms ($22 each).

The metallic containers are a lot more chic than the average tube of Chap Stick, that's for sure. I also like that the lip balms are formulated with vitamin E and cocoa butter, and that they come in six flattering, sheer colors. But the formula pulls a little bit on my lips, and it's more of a protectant balm than a moisturizing one-in other words, if your lips are already smooth, it's great, but if they're chapped, this isn't the best formula. For $22, I expected a lot more. But if you like this genre, you can check out more tinted lip balms here.

7 Money Mistakes Women Often Make

LearnVest — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:15:55 PDT

We all make mistakes - we're all human after all. LearnVest shares some of the common money mistakes that women often make so readers will learn not to make them, too.

Some of us handle our money flawlessly, perfectly, brilliantly, all of the time.

But most of us don't.

Most of us make mistakes here and there. We make some mistakes more than others, because of our personalities, or our upbringing . . . or sometimes even our gender.

It's ridiculous, but true.

We've heard it firsthand - from our readers. In fact, we went through hundreds of reader submissions and found examples of the most common stories that cross our desks every day.

Let's be clear: Not all women make these mistakes. Not all men avoid them. But in our experience, these are a few female financial problem areas that can lead to major debt and lots of stress.

RELATED: Are You a Social Shopper?

Ever bailed out an ex? Indulged in a little more retail therapy than you meant to? Or woken up one day and realized you didn't know as much as you thought you did about managing your money? You just might recognize yourself.

Of course, if you don't, good for you. We're just saying, bad money snafus happen to good people. But read on: We'll show you the top seven mistakes women make - and what to do instead.

Feeling Guilty

"When we were together, I let my ex stay with me rent-free until he found an apartment, lent him my furniture and paid for every date because I had a job and he didn't. When I lost my job, he paid for my rent for a few months and bills, etc. Now that we're broken up, he wants me to pay him back for the rent he insisted on covering. I am still on unemployment and barely getting by. I feel so guilty because we didn't end up as the forever couple and while I can't (nor would I . . . ) calculate all of my assistance getting him settled in NYC, he can quite easily."

A 2011 study from Eversave.com found that 67% of women have felt guilt about a purchase. But that's not the only opportunity for guilt: There's also staying in a job you feel guilty about abandoning, giving someone money because you feel guilty about their situation and, oh, doing the opposite of what you want when it comes to working after having children because you feel guilty about being a good mom (more on that here).

This guilt effect might not be limited to finances, either. Some studies suggest that women are more inclined than men to feel any kind of guilt. And we'd argue, more likely to bail out their exes, too.

Read on for more.

How Your Wardrobe Reveals Your Personality

LearnVest — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:15:13 PDT

Your clothes reveal a lot about who you are as a person. LearnVest shares how psychology affects the way we dress and what our clothing styles mean.

It’s no news that your wardrobe says a lot about you.

What you wear can inform passersby of your type of employment, as well as your ambitions, emotions, and spending habits.

And now it’s even launched a whole new type of psychology.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner literally wrote the book on this phenomenon, which she calls the “psychology of dress.” In You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You, she explains not only how psychology determines our clothing choices, but also how to overcome key psychological issues your wardrobe might be bringing to light in your everyday life, or even at work.

“Shopping and spending behaviors often come from internal motivations such as emotions, experiences, and culture,” says Dr. Baumgartner. “You look at shopping or storing behaviors, even putting together outfits, and people think of it as fluff. But any behavior is rooted in something deeper. I look at the deeper meaning of choices, just like I would in therapy.”

We spoke with her to figure out why clothes are so revealing (of our personalities, that is), what messages they’re sending and how you can use your wardrobe to change how others perceive you - and even how you think about yourself.

How We Use Clothing as an Aid . . . and a Weapon

Americans rely on clothing as an economic and social indicator because there aren’t official marks of rank such as a caste system or aristocracy, says Dr. Baumgartner.

“When you don’t have a specific system, people come up with their own,” she explains. It’s what “helps you figure out where you fit in. Especially now, with the economy, with people losing status, maintaining a sense of who we are becomes even more important. Our clothes help place us where we think we want to be. ”

She cites the Real Housewives TV series as an example: “Look at the way they focus on money. When they fight, they use logos and designers as a way to put each other down. They’re using clothes and accessories both as a tool to know where they fit in and as a weapon against others.”

Read on for more.

7 Ways to Ease Muscle Soreness After a Workout

Michele Foley — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:49:51 PDT

Whether you ran too hard, tried out your first TRX class, or woke up feeling unusually achy after a gym session, muscle soreness after working out is commonplace. While sore muscles are a sign that you're challenging your body, they can also put a damper on fitness goals. Here are seven ways to treat and prevent everyday soreness associated with working out.

Massage: If you're looking to relax and pamper your sore muscles, treat yourself to a massage. Besides relieving overworked muscles, a massage boosts the body's immunity system. If you went big this week and your muscles are feeling tighter than usual, skip the aromatherapy for a trigger-point or sports massage instead. It will feel a little more intense, but it's worth the payoff.
Foam Roller: Can't afford a massage? Go for the second best thing, and grab yourself a foam roller. The quick process of rolling out your body breaks up knots in muscles and is especially beneficial for trigger points like IT bands or shin-splint pain. Even better is that foam rolling helps to decrease future muscle pain and injury by keeping the body flexible and loose. Get started with these five stretches to do on a foam roller.
Active rest: Sometimes the best thing you can do for an overworked body is to give it a break - a rest day now will prevent a more serious (and sidelining) sports injury later. But that doesn't mean you have to lay in bed all day! Light to moderate activity helps the body recover by bringing oxygen and nutrients to damaged muscles. Just make sure to lay off the part of your body that is feeling the stress. Check out these active ways to take care of your body on a rest day.

Learn four more ways to treat sore muscles after the break!

"Bad Breakup and on the Brink of Losing It"

Tres Community — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I broke up with my boyfriend of two years yesterday. It was very peaceful at the time and he admitted that he was in the wrong for everything. We have been long distance and he started to talk to me less and I delayed the inevitable until recently. He was telling me he loved me, talked about future plans and made it known that he didn't want me going anywhere. I was going to go there next week but somehow our conversation just turned into a breakup. He got choked up and sounded like he was crying which is very unlike him. He doesn't show his feelings ever. But he didn't fight to keep me around. He seemed okay about it, which is what is really killing me. I made the mistake of texting him this morning basically asking if we can work things out but now he is set on doing his own thing with law school and work commitments. He said maybe in the future we will both have stability and be able to get back together. I broke up with him but I'm the one feeling the most rejected. It's only the first day and I have been in bed since 7am until 1pm crying and can't seem to stop. I feel hopeless, empty and like there is nothing else at the end of the rainbow. We were both 24. I thought without a doubt he was the one. I had such a strong feeling about it. Now I feel like he died, I'll never get to talk to him again and his voice and face will become a distant memory.

I can't handle it. I have been throwing up, crying and shaking uncontrollably and it doesn't seem to be stopping. I'm not sure why I'm handling this so horribly but I really need support. I don't have a support system and have been having to do this alone. I don't even know if he is upset. It feels worse to think that I'm the only one feeling bad.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

What You Never Knew About Procrastination and How to Cure It

Emily Co — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:18:24 PST

Some people may wonder why procrastination advice seems to never work for them and if there is a deeper issue at hand. Well, for 20 percent of the population who are chronic procrastinators, it is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, according to Joseph Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul University and a leading expert in the study of procrastination. For those 20 percent, telling them to just "do it" is like "telling a clinically depressed person to cheer up," says Ferrari, author of the book Still Procrastinating?.

It's a serious problem if . . .

So how do you know if you're a chronic procrastinator? "You find that you procrastinate at home, at school, at work, in relationships. You don’t pay your bills on time . . . You miss sporting events, concerts because you never got the ticket," says Ferrari. "You’re late for any social gathering, you’ll miss doctor’s appointments because you're never there on time, the refrigerator is empty because you never restock it in time, food goes bad because you never eat it on time. If you do all those kind of things, you probably are a chronic procrastinator."

Read on to find out how people become procrastinators.

"My Family Is Being Unsupportive"

Tres Community — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:37 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I'm tired of my family looking down on me. No one thinks I can accomplish anything. I'm the youngest of three and so far none of us have gone to college. My sister and I took a few classes at our community college. My brother just got out of the army so so far he's the most accomplished. I had thought about joining the military a year ago, I started working out but everyone told me I'd never make it. Eventually I changed my mind, the military really isn't for me, that just reaffirmed everyone's opinions.

I think my parents are disappointed in me because I'm really smart, I just never tried in school. I talked about going to university, but when it came down to it my craziness prevented me from going. When I say crazy I don't mean psychotic or schizophrenic or anything, I'm just socially awkward and dependent and let's just say I have some issues. My parents never went to college so I don't get where their expectations come from. Whenever I tell my family about my ideas they scoff and say like that'll happen. I'm tired of being shot down. I feel like everyone looks down on me.

When my boyfriend and I started dating I wasn't working so I feel like he thinks I'm a loser, or at least that he's better than me. I know he doesn't really, but I've become paranoid and now I have terrible self-esteem. I'm about to start school at my community college and go full-time (I'm doing radiological technology) but everyone thinks I'll quit or not go. I hate it.

My boyfriend and I were supposed to move in together, but then he had to wipe out his savings to fix his car so we had to start over again. My sister keeps saying I'll never move out, I need my mommy. I hate that I have no support system, I hate their judgment. And it's not like they're doing anything, my mom and sister are stay at home wives. My brother is the only one doing something (he's about to enter the police academy). No one ever believed in me, I just want to hear someone say I believe in you, you can do it. I want to prove everyone wrong, become wealthy and rub it in their face (immature, yes).

I guess I came here to rant, I don't know. Has anyone dealt with negative family members? How'd you handle it? I feel like we all have emotional problems, they have low self-esteem and take it out on me. We fight a lot. Or maybe I am a disappointment (I know my dad didn't want me, my aunt told my mom to abort me, and I was never the favorite child). I don't know I just feel like no one's looking out for me and they think I'll never do anything. Thanks for listening.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

6 Unique Ways to Fend Off Illnesses and Avoid Medical Bills

Emily Co — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:16 PST

There are very few things that are worse than getting sick. Not only will you have pricey medical bills to pay, but you may also have to skip out on work. Fortunately, you can employ plenty of preventative methods to avoid falling ill. We've heard the usual "eat right and exercise" advice, so here are a couple of tactics that you may not have heard of:

Immune boosters in a pill: Although you've heard of the usual immune boosters like vegetables and fruits, there are a couple of holistic cures you might want to try. There's New Chapter's LifeShield Immunity ($20), which is a supplement made out of a combination of mycelium, fruiting bodies, spores, and extracellular compounds from tonic mushrooms.
Take ginseng with your vaccine: When you get a flu vaccine, try taking some ginseng with it so you'll bounce back from the effects of the vaccine. There was a study done in which only 13 percent of the group of participants who took ginseng with flu vaccinations caught colds vs. 37 percent of the placebo group.
Trick yourself psychologically: Don't discount old wives' remedies! Even if you don't have any scientific proof, perhaps the cures have some sort of psychological effect that results in physical effects. For example, a cure for cough that works for me is rubbing vapor rub over my feet and wearing socks at night. Another scientifically disproved treatment is Airborne, which somehow always fends off a cold when I feel one coming on.

Read on for more tips.