BellaSugar

Trend Alert: Chrome Nails

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:00:56 -0700

Leave it to Rihanna, the queen bee of nail polish, to take an opaque, shimmery metallic color to the next level. Chrome is more of a powerful gold-and-silver version of its true silver sister gunmetal and it is also much darker than pale gray.

I still can't quite believe that metallic nails are still this much of a sensation. Even LC can't get enough of glittery metallic nails! Below are a couple of rocker-cool chrome polish suggestions for Summer. Enjoy!

Essie Steel-ing the Scene ($8) is a bronzey-pewter (effectively a chrome) shade of nail polish that contains flecks and packs a lot of punch. For those of you who are too shy to wear this on your nails, it makes for a great toenail color.

Tropez Super Pearl Nail Enamel in Black Pearl ($1.99) is a deep, opaque gray that looks amazing with one sheer coat of Tini Beauty's Gold Haze Topper as a topcoat. The result is a metallic, high-shine glossy finish - and the best part is that it's a unique color!

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Trend Alert: Grenadine-Colored Beauty Products

BellaSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:00:11 -0700

Grenadine is a sugary, pomegranate-colored syrup often used in cocktails to give them a sweet flavor and a pink tint. It's a popular mixer that has been around for ages, so it's really no surprise why cosmetic companies are inspired by its allure. Here are a few new Summer 2008 grenadine beauty products for you to check out.

Chanel Sheer Lip Colouring Pencil ($27) is a bright, yet sheer poppy (coralish-red) colored lip liner that glides on creamy and stays moist. It's great to wear alone (I like mine with a clear gloss on top, so it looks more like a stain) or under a lipstick to create depth and definition. Also, I love that it comes with its own sharpener.

Nailtini Grenadine Nail Lacquer ($12) is a bright pink DBP-, toluene-, and formaldehyde-free nail polish that can be layered with either a black- or white-base coat to make nails lighter or darker. I love this concept and the fact that Nailtini polishes dry so quickly. To check out more cocktail-inspired shades from this line, click here.

L'Oreal Infallible Lip Color in Grenadine ($7.99) is a shiny brick brownish-red lip color that is intended to last all day long without having to be reapplied. It involves a two-step process - first you apply a slick color and wait for it to dry and then you apply a clear topcoat. Check out pictures of my lips to judge for yourself if this is something you'd be into.

Bella Brand: 'Tini Beauty

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:00:08 -0700

At the end of 2004, Southern Californian Michelle Olsen decided to launch her own beauty brand that has evolved into what we now know as 'Tini Beauty. The concept was inspired by Michelle's love of cocktails and has its own unique twist - everything is layerable. Much how like you can blend your own ingredients to create your own signature drink, all of the items can be mixed and matched to customize your nail and lip colors.

Nailtini contains nail lacquers in 22 colors, two mixer shades in white and black (which can be used as a base coat to lighten or darken the polish), nine toppers, and a base coat. Also, new for Summer is the Margarita collection, which contains three shades of Rita (Classic, Mango, and Strawberry) and Sugar Rum (sparkling clear) topper.

Liptini contains 12 lipsticks, 11 topper glosses, 10 lip and cheek stains, five shimmer stains, and six mixer pencils that can you can apply as a base to help alter any of the lip colors. The most interesting to me are Banana Flip, a bight yellow creamy pencil that can warm up or cool down a lip tone and Ice Water, a lip balm in a pencil form that makes any of the lip products appear more sheer. I think this idea is fun and is something that you and your girlfriends could play around with together. Do you think you'd be interested in becoming a makeup mixologist?

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Doing Drugstore: Aveeno Positively Ageless Warming Scrub

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

I had one severe case of dry, peeling skin, and I had it bad. My chin and mouth area were flakier than both Heidi and Spencer Pratt combined. I needed one mighty fine exfoliator, and I needed it stat. I turned to Aveeno's Warming Scrub ($9) from the brand's Positively Ageless line. Thermal beauty products are nothing new, but I'm still fascinated by the sensation of warmed-up skin care, which to me - whether it really does anything or not - enhances the experience. To find out what I thought about this water-activated, self-heating scrub, just keep reading.

Win Imju Mascaras For You and Six Friends From Sephora!

BellaSugar — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:30:00 -0700

Do you love the look of long, curled lashes, but your mascara just isn't giving you the results you desire? Or, perhaps it's merely that you don't have time or the patience to apply false lashes to create the flattering effect. Whatever the case, for this week's giveaway, our pals at Sephora are giving you the opportunity to try seven sets of innovative lash-enhancing products from Imju. That's 14 products in total! Keep all for yourself, and/or share with friends.

In Japan, the Imju brand is one of the top beauty companies in the country. In fact, its much talked-about Fiberwig Mascara, which uses a special microfine fiber to coat the lashes, is renowned for giving the illusion of lashes so long, it's like you're actually wearing falsies. Not only will the lucky winner receive seven of these mascaras, but they'll also receive seven Tiny Sniper Mascaras, with brushes that are small and angled to coat those hard-to-reach hairs. We've got your lashes completely covered.

To enter, just take the quiz by 5 p.m. PDT Sunday, and one winner will be selected at random. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just on taking the quiz after you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a PopSugar Community member to enter. So if you're not already one, register now. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Prizes can be shipped to US destinations only. Remember: You must be logged in to the PopSugar Community for your entry to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

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Bella Bargain: Score $160 of LORAC for $18.50

BellaSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:08 -0700

You know what's stinky? When beauty brands hawk a package of goods for a low price and promise a huge value, but then dish out tiny sizes of the original products. Not such a great deal - and not the case with this bargain. LORAC's VIP Starter Set is a true steal, packing up 10 items for a total of $18.50. That's $160 worth of goodies for less than the cost of popcorn, soda, and a movie. OK, so the bronzer is smaller than usual, but the rest of the cosmetics - three eye shadows, two lipsticks, two lip polishes, eyeliner, and a double-ended brush - are full-sized. Since the shades are pretty neutral, they'll be flattering for most people. Toss in a collection of cheaply priced closeout cosmetics and you'll be able to score a lot of LORAC for very little lucre.

'Tini Beauty

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:07:13 -0700

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Face It, Your Skin's Already Covered in Acid

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:00:31 -0700

How much do you know about that nice coating of acid on your skin? (Yes, I'm serious.) As it turns out, the outer layers of skin are about as acidic as a bowl of crushed tomatoes! The acid is produced when enzymes break down fat-like molecules in skin cells, called phospholipids, into smaller acid-tipped fat molecules called fatty acids. Add to that normal perspiration, made up of mostly fat and fatty acids, and these mild chemicals mixed with warmth and air exposure can corrode metals like 14-karat gold, sterling silver, and this aluminum keyboard.

Want to learn some beauty ingredients that can make this worse and where these smudges actually come from? Find out while we get all Mr. Wizard in here.

How to Apply Blush For Your Face Shape: Oval

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:17 -0700

Oval faces like Rihanna's are desirable when it comes to hair and makeup because they're the easiest to work with. But the fact that your face is adaptable doesn't mean that you should always have to take generic beauty tips. To get the best blush for your face, read on.

Start using a sponge or medium powder brush. Dot a circle of blush onto the highest segment of your cheekbones, the part that sticks out furthest from your face.
Use a medium brush to sweep a lighter wash of blush up to your temples and a little bit up your hairline.
Blend well.
Apply a tiny touch of blush to the center of your chin for added definition.

Do Looks Lead to Special Treatment?

BellaSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:59:13 -0700

Over the weekend, I toddled a few blocks to my favorite bakery to grab breakfast for me and the roomie. This bakery almost always packed with foodies clamoring to get their hands on a warm pain au chocolat or fancypants tart. You wait and wait in line, then finally you get your food and enter taste-bud heaven. A disarmingly good-looking woman was in line in front of me. She was unusually beautiful, especially when she smiled. Pretty lady, I thought, and began plotting my croissant fest.

When we got to the front of the line, the counter staff was visibly charmed by her appearance. And then, pow, she got an extra pastry for free. When I followed after her, I had to pay for all of my pastries, and a tiny part of me was miffed. (I, too, would enjoy a free croissant.) Then again, I'm sure there have been times when I've given special treatment to someone I found attractive, and I've probably enjoyed perks from someone who thought I was cute - so I'm just as guilty.

Have you ever been given special treatment because of your appearance, or have you doled out privileges to someone you found attractive? If so, did you feel uneasy about it?

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