BellaSugar

BellaSugar's Top Five Hot Pink Lip Gloss Picks

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:00:28 PDT

Hot pink lip glosses are a summertime must have. They're flirtier than a classic red and pack more punch than a pastel. Plus, they match all of this season's trendiest neon pink nail polishes. If you're willing to try wearing a bright and daring hot pink pout, below are five of my favorites for you to check out! (I'm a poet and didn't know it.)

Sephora Brand Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss in Hot Pink ($15) is a semi-sheer, shimmery gloss with a sweet taste that glides on smooth and has a doe-foot applicator.
Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Gloss in Brighten Pink ($25) is a sugary, sheer yet bright and smooth gloss that doesn't have an overbearing, synthetic scent.
Stila It Gloss in Smashing ($18) is a creamy, not too bright punch of pink gloss that goes on more opaque than their famous click glosses, but is more sheer than a lipstick.
Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Pink Popsicle ($19) is a bright pink shade that doesn't contain any shimmer. This gloss creates tons of shine, but the only drawback is the icky sticky factor (just warning you). It was a limited-edition color, but I've found some in stock if you act fast!
Lancome Color Fever Lip Gloss in Volcanic Pink ($23) is by far the brightest and boldest pink I've ever worn. And although it looks shocking in the tube it goes on quite sheer. I like to pair it with a champagne shadow and black liquid eyeliner.

SPF Beauty Bonanza, Part IV: Supercharged Lip Balms

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 PDT

Last year, I sent you on a beauty-marking mission to find your favorite SPF Lip Balms. It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of balms, so I thought this would be the perfect time to tell you about three great products that contain SPF. Lip balms with sunscreens are a must-have for summertime play days at the beach, park, or pool. What are some of your most recent SPF lip-balm favorites? Here are some options.

Trish McEvoy Luxe Moisture Balm Stick SPF 15 ($28) is a chic, designer lip balm that helps keep lips protected and moisturized without feeling sticky or tacky. It can also be used like a salve or an all-purpose SPF on your eyelids, ears, and even on your nipples (for those of you who sunbathe topless)!

Armada Moisturizing, Protective Lip Balm SPF 60+ ($25) has been generating a lot of buzz lately, but I have yet to try it. I do love that it contains SPF 60, and that it's both fragrance and preservative free, so this is on my shopping list.

For one more SPF-enhanced lip balm,

read more. Bliss Superbalm SPF 15 ($10) is a moisturizing, deeply penetrating, virtually odorless and slightly shiny lip balm that contains mango, cocoa butter, and vitamin E to keep your smoochers hydrated, soft, and safe from the sun.

Eye-Brightening Makeup Pens

BellaSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:58:15 PST

Eye brighteners are sort of in a makeup genre of their own. While they may provide minimal coverage, they are not heavy and dense as a concealer yet they are lighter than a highlighter. These brighteners are for the makeup-advanced, as many makeup artists and professionals swear by them to give eyes an instantaneous "awake" and youthful look. However, it appears that all levels of makeup lovers are catching on, since YSL's Touche Eclat Eye Brightener Pen has reached cult status.

Here are three eye brightening makeup pens (and if these aren't enough for you, LilSugar's got a few more!) Here's a helpful tip: choose the shade closest to your skin tone, as going too light will create a halo effect around your eyes. Be sure to blend well, so that the product doesn't get caught in the tiny lines around your eyes.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightener ($30) is a sheer color-correcting highlighter pen that brightens dark circles and minimizes discolorations. It works to open up the eye area and smooth out the skin. Use either alone or under your concealer.

For two more eye brightening makeup pens,

read more Trish McEvoy Correct and Brighten Pen ($32) is a simple way to fake signs of fatigue. This pen is available in two sheer shades to brighten the areas around your eyes are well as even out any redness or dark circles.
Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen ($33) is a lightweight eye brightening pen that helps to decrease the look of shadows, dark circles and eye discoloration. It has a slight glow and shimmer and can be worn alone or under your concealer or foundation.

New Product Alert: Trish McEvoy Brow Builder

BellaSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:01:15 PDT

New from Trish McEvoy is Brow Builder ($32). This makeup pen was created to help give thin or sparse brows a little bit more life. Simply twist the bottom of the pen and wait for the fibrous nylon gel to make it way through the chamber.

Apply the comb-tipped applicator to your brows and fill them in with small strokes to ensure the color gets distributed evenly. If you fancy fuller eyebrows, all you have to do is extend your strokes slightly outside of your natural hair line.

But please use a gentle hand - you wouldn't want to wind up looking over-drawn, fake and severe! Brow Builder is available in either light or dark shades to match most hair colors, but if you are a redhead, I suggest blending in a bit of auburn eyeshadow for a more natural look.

Vitamin C Skin Care Part II: Facial Moisturizers

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:00:08 PDT

Welcome back to the second installment of my series on vitamin C-enhanced beauty products. To read about a small sampling of serums on the market, click here. Today we take a closer look at a few facial moisturizing lotions that contain vitamin C to help smooth, brighten and tighten your skin!

Say goodbye to dull and blotchy skin with this new Px Prescriptives Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Cream Moisturizer ($46 ). It's a face cream that subtly lightens the skin, boosts clarity and evens out the skin tone. It also helps to diminish visible age spots (any dark spots, really). To use, just gently massage a little bit onto your face and neck.

For two more vitamin C-enhanced facial moisturizers,

read more Bioque C-Plus Vitamin C Moisturizing Cream ($45) contains L-ascorbic acid (yes, that's vitamin C) to help protect skin from aging while also helping collagen production. All you need is a little bit to start seeing the effects. Apply to your face and neck twice a day. It's even safe for sensitive skin, but a patch test is recommended.
Trish McEvoy Even Skin C Cream ($68) is a super-strong antioxidant-filled face lotion that makes skin look and feel smoother, younger and tighter. It has a wonderful and light citrusy smell to it-and it leaves your face glowing and less blotchy.

Scented Cosmetics Candles, Part I

BellaSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 04:33:33 PDT

Scented candles are ritualistic. They symbolize moods, sensuality, relaxation and spirituality. Cosmetics companies really understand how to make a woman look and feel beautiful. Not only are these candles pretty to look at, but they have aromatherapy powers to calm any symptoms of stress. Whether you are chilling out in the bath or primping for an evening out, light a candle, it'll change your mood! Here are three new scented candles brought to us by some of our favorite cosmetics companies.

Fresh Sugar Lychee Candle, $48, is a warm and sweet smelling candle that I think both men and women will love. If you've ever smelled their lychee hand cream, you will know what a unique and incredible scent I am talking about.

The candle is made from a blend of citrus, lychee, grapefruit, lotus flower, freesia, tonka bean, sandalwood and amber. It is also available in yuzu, palomino, demitasse and sake scents.

For two more scented cosmetics candles,

read more Estee Lauder White Linen Scented Candle, $50, burns with the smell of their White Linen fragrance. It is a white candle housed in a really pretty deep navy blue glass votive. This makes for a fab gift since the packaging happens to be really amazing too. To see the rest of the Heritage Collection, click here.
Trish McEvoy Scented Candle, $45, is a vanilla and blueberry scent which creates a super yummy aroma. It has a powerful, yet soft scent that really awakens your senses when lit. It comes in a substantial frosted glass votive with a silver top and comes packaged in a chic clear wrapping with a grosgrain bow. The wick is also lead free for safety. Also available in Orange Ginger.

Trish McEvoy Does Sexy

BellaSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:45:44 PST

Introducing Trish McEvoy Sexy #9 Eau de Parfum, $95. This is the ninth and most alluring scent in her fragrance collection. It is rich, sweet and seductive...perfect for tempting him tonight on this special Valentine's Day!

Sexy #9 is made from: lush and captivating Amazon lilies, woodsy patchouli, rich amber and fruity and sensuous blackberry and vanilla musk. The musk is what stands out the most, and it is also what makes it so long lasting.

The bottle also comes with an old time atomizer bulb attached which looks very chic and feminine on any dresser. Enjoy but spray lightly - a little goes a long way.

The Refreshing Scent Of Trish #8

BellaSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:47:06 PST

Trish McEvoy is an amazing makeup artist and perfumer who is on her ninth scent right now, but Trish McEvoy Fragrance #8, $68, is what really makes me swoon.

This year old fragrance is nothing new to the beauty world, but it is so deliciously airy and refreshing for Spring that I just had to share it.

This fragrance has a very light, citrusy-orange smell to it that is reminiscent of a farmers market and fresh spring grass. It is made up of the petals of many different kinds of citrus fruits as well as french neroli oil, linden blossom, wood and white musk.

If you like this as much as I do, you might also want to test a few other of my favorite orange scented perfumes too! Enjoy.

Beauty Spring Peek: Raspberry Pink Lips

FabSugar — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:25:04 PST

Rumor has it raspberry pink lips are going to be hotter than ever for Spring. Just take a look at this cute pink pucker from the 3.1 Phillip Lim show. I am really digging some of the gorgeous new raspberry colored lip glosses. Want to know what else is brewing for Spring? Be sure to check out my other Spring Peeks.

To view my favorite raspberry pink lip glosses,

read more This vibrant hot pink color is hot off the presses! Raspberry Syrup Pop Gloss 436 by Givenchy, $22.50 is a graffiti inspired color for Spring. It is an exceptionally bright shade in the tube, but it goes on sheer and light. This new color will join the Pop Gloss collection that is set for release in select Saks.com and Sephora.com stores over the next two weeks.
Guerlain KissKiss Laque in Fabulous Rose, $26, is considered a lipstick because of its thorough coverage, yet it has the shine of a gloss and is packaged just like a gloss. It smells delicious (infused with vanilla, red fruits and violet) and it looks uber sophisticated both in the tube and on your lips. This color is vivid, long lasting and provides incredible shine. Oh...and I love the fabulous name!
Trish McEvoy Highlights Lipgloss in Rose, $22, is an old time favorite of mine. It's not too sticky and can be worn alone or over a lipstick for more opaque color. This gloss leaves your lips feeling smooth and looking shiny.

Makeup Brushes, Part VII: Excellent Eyeliner Brushes

BellaSugar — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 12:33:24 PDT

Welcome back to FabSugar's detailed look at make-up brushes. Today's installment: excellent eye liner brushes. (To read the other installments, click here.) Eye liner brushes are necessary when you are using powder or cream liners. These guys definitely look a little funny. They tend to be square and made of white super firm, synthetic bristles because they maintain their shape better and they provide the best control for creating fine lines.

To use: Line your eye by dotting or carefully drawing color across your lash line. For your upper lash line - begin at the inner corner of your eye and work outward. For your lower lash line - begin by laying your brush flat by the outer corner of your eye, and carefully working your way inward. For extra heavy duty staying power, apply shadow over your eye pencil. These brushes can also be doubled as eye brow brushes. Here are a few of my favorite eye liner brushes:

Shu Uemura's 5F Eye Liner Brush is made from synthetic, short hair. It's flat shaped for eye lining with wet or dry color with a firm touch. Great for beginner makeup users. Buy it here for $15.

Chanel's Precise Liner Brush #5 (Ligne Precision) is made from nylon brush hairs. It's a flat-edged brush shaped to fit along your upper and lower lash lines. It can also be used to create a smoky eye effect by smudging the line along the eyelid. Buy it here for $26.

Two more, so

read more Trish McEvoy's #11 Precision Lining Brush is another synthetic brush designed for both cream and shadow eye lining. I've been using this for years; it's virtually mistake proof! I also love the lucite handle that makes it easily identifiable in my make up bag. Buy it here for $25. Elf's Eyeliner Brush has a super gentle tip that creates ultra thin lines for cream or powder shadows. This brush (well actually all e.l.f. brushes) are ergonomically designed to fit in your hand to help facilitate application. Buy it here for $1.00