BellaSugar

Tour of Beauty: Ion Studio

BellaSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:47 -0700

Think being ecologically friendly means you'll have to give up style? Think again. At Manhattan's Ion Studio, super-hip cuts and vibrant color come to life in an environmentally conscious space. With years of styling experience behind them, founders Leonardo Manetti, Marco Santini, and Pasquale Ferrante aim to create a salon that is as good to the earth as it is to your hair.

Simple ideas led to a greener salon space. Much of its bright, airy feeling is due to natural light from skylights, the salon runs on wind-powered energy, and the stylists use the excellent and sustainable hair-care line Davines. Look around the art-filled room and you'll even see pieces made by reworking furniture from the space's former tenant.

As much as I like the green credentials of Ion, I like the vibe there even more. Even though the stylists have years of backstage experience at fashion shows (remember this cool braid at Coventry?), there's not even a hint of pretense. Instead, everyone is friendly and down-to-earth - so you get the world-class hairstyle without the upturned-nose attitude. And that just might leave your friends green . . . with envy.

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Tour of Beauty: Sonia Roselli Esthétique

BellaSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:00:23 -0800

Windy City ladies might not feel so lucky right about now, what with the cold weather and governor troubles. But on a lighter note, at least Chicagoans have one of the country's newest and most beautiful beauty boutiques. Sonia Roselli Esthétique is a girly-girl's primping paradise.

Longtime makeup artist Roselli offers airbrush makeup application, facials, eyelash extensions, and other beauty treatments. But the real reason to make a trip is the space's gloss bar. You'll choose from 120 color bases and a multitude of flavorings, then work with Roselli to create a custom lip gloss ($20) or lipstick ($35) - now that's giving urban Midwesterners something to smile about.

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Tour of Beauty: Chanel's Jasmine Fields in Grasse, France

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:00:34 -0700

Long before a blast of perfume reaches your skin, the fragrance-creation process begins with a flower. For Chanel N°5, those flowers are May rose and jasmine - and twice a year, those flowers are harvested in Grasse, France. Last month, Chanel invited me to view the jasmine harvest. Combined with last year's perfumery visit, it's safe to say that I've gained a new appreciation for how many steps are involved in creating the world's best-selling fragrance. Read on to see some beautiful scenes from the south of France, to learn about what happens in the fields, and to watch the first steps of the fragrance come together.

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A Sensational Senna Makeover

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:00:42 -0700

A few weeks ago when I was visiting Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of getting a full-face makeover by makeup artist Leesa Dang at Senna Cosmetics in Beverly Hills. The studio is in a posh location and it's set up with lots of mirrors and chairs, so right from the start my expectations were set high. I had no doubts that I'd walk out looking like anything less than a glamorous and red carpet-ready Hollywood star.

The first step was applying a cleanser, moisturizer and a magical, velvety, silicone-based Silky Primer ($36) that virtually evaporates once it touches skin. It made my face feel smooth and look incredibly supple. (If you're looking for a primer, I recommend it based on the incredible texture alone).

Next came the smooth and extremely sheer base, which provides coverage similar to a tinted moisturizer. However, when I looked in the mirror, I was sadly shocked by how pale and lifeless my skin appeared. Leesa eased my fears by explaining that Senna foundations are made from minerals and would only meld into my skin and soften as the night went on.

Finally came the dramatic mix of petal pink and navy eye shadow, deep navy eyeliner, two coats of rich black mascara, and a medium pink lipstick and gloss. At first I thought the cool tones were a bit heavy, but after a little more blending, it looked beautiful. My face looked even and the smoky eye paired with the pink lip was every bit as sexy as I'd hoped. For more about my thoughts on Senna's foundation, my new everyday lip color obsession, and to find out what celebrities wear this brand, read more.

Leesa was right about the foundation. As the day wore on, my base looked more and more natural and less like makeup. What I mostly loved about this experience was the time they spent with me (and their never-ending patience). After the makeover was complete, they touched up my brows and helped me with my search for a less Barbie-doll lip color that I could wear in the daytime.

I tried on several of their high-shine, thick, yet not-sticky glosses and my favorite of the bunch was a new, pinky nude Fall shade called Grace. However, my current favorite lip color is a creamy and sheer, almond-flavored lipstick (with SPF 15) in Whisper Rose ($17.50). This hearty rose shade contains flecks of gold glitter that transform the color from pink to coral peach.

I love getting makeovers, but they're even more fun when you're working with someone who loves to gossip about celebs just as much as me. She mentioned how Eva Longoria, Jessica Simpson, and Michael Jackson's makeup artists all come in to pick up products for their famous clients! I'd have to say that without a doubt, my overall makeover experience gets an A+, so thank you, Senna.

Tour of Beauty: Thalazur Thallasothèrapie & Spa

BellaSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:00:11 -0700

Last summer I was lucky enough to head to the south of France for a quick family reunion. What I thought was going to be a ridiculously hectic trip filled with touring and catching up with relatives, actually turned out to be quite pleasant and even a little bit relaxing. I found a few moments to sneak away to the beach and was even surprised with a special stop at the Thalazur Thallasothèrapie & Spa in Antibes (courtesy of my cousin).

These Thalazur spas are apparently all over Europe, and they resemble more of a clinic than anything else. In fact, the experience is focused on healing and therapy as opposed to the common pampering and indulgent American spa setting.

Another difference was that the appointments were much shorter. They offer increments of 20-30 minutes and, get ready for this - the locker rooms are co-ed. Imagine my surprise when I was caught in my birthday suit by a much (much) older man. I realize that the French aren't shy - they sunbathe topless for heaven's sake - but I felt prudish when I recoiled and sought some privacy.

To read about my treatments, read more.

I received a face massage and algae body wrap, and during the lag time I dipped my toes in the salt-water pool, which is believed to heal and balance the body. The face massage consisted of an esthetician taking a look at my skin and inquiring about its redness. Considering my face is always a little bit pink, I soon realized this woman had intentions to help even out my skin tone - yay. The massage was quick, but my face felt cooler and was almost immediately more hydrated and calm.

For the body wrap, a different woman slathered mud on my body and wrapped me in cellophane followed by a heated plastic blanket. At first I thought I was going to panic because my arms were constrained but it was quite relaxing and I thought all about the benefits that fangotherapy would have on my skin. Overall, the experience was delightful and educational but definitely not as organized and luxe as other luxury spas. Does anyone else have any unique spa experiences they'd care to share?

Tour of Beauty: Kryolan

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:00:47 -0700

Most women aren't familiar with Kryolan, but if you talk with makeup artists, it's a completely different story. The German company creates highly pigmented stage and theater makeup - think of the fake scars and wounds of The Shield or CSI. In addition, Kryolan manufactures consumer cosmetics at reasonable prices, both for their own line and for some bigger brands I can't mention. Recently, I took a tour of the San Francisco facilities to see how makeup is really made. Watch the video to check it out!

Tour of Beauty: Los Angeles Primping Spots

BellaSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:00:44 -0700

This weekend, I joined dozens of lovely ladies in LA for Total Beauty's beauty blog summit. One of the highlights was a day-long tour of some of the city's poshest primping places, including the top places where the A-list get gorgeous. Read on to see some of the best sites from the day.

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Tour of Beauty: Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:00:08 -0700

Makeup artist Napoleon Perdis is already a star in his native Australia, but now he's making a mark in the States. His cosmetics line is stocked in Sephora, he's opening up more of his own boutiques, he has a training academy in Los Angeles, and he's about to star in his own reality TV show. Busy guy! I recently popped down to LA for a weekend and enjoyed a tour of the Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy. Read on to see the facilities, including a shot of the VIP room where celebrities primp and prepare for red-carpet events.

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Bella's Bare Escentuals Adventure

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:00:58 -0700

So, you may know that Sugar HQ is in San Francisco. And you probably know that Bare Escentuals is also based in the city by the Bay. So when I was invited to a luncheon, you know I headed over! The event itself was a brainstorming meeting for a pretty cool endeavor between Sephora and Bare Escentuals. Two lucky Sephora cast members (that's employees, to the rest of us) were given the chance to create a Sephora-exclusive Bare Escentuals makeup kit. After viewing dozens of pigment samples and even mixing their own colors, they presented their ideas to the Bare Escentuals team. Since the kit is still in the works, I can't share details - but I will say that their ideas really impressed me. Read on to see my exclusive photos from the event (and to get the scoop on meeting Leslie)!

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Tour of Beauty: Three Custom Color Specialists

BellaSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:16:43 -0800

Last week, I had a chance to tour the headquarters of Three Custom Color Specialists, a color cosmetics line that's frequently heralded for its skill in creating custom-blended products. I've read about this brand for years, so when co-founder Chad Hayduk gave me a tour, I wanted to share some of the most interesting parts with you. Read on to see how custom cosmetics are made, and how I got to see one gorgeous A-lister's favorite lipstick shade.

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