BellaSugar

A Little Elbow Grease = More Primer Potion

BellaSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:00:29 -0800

Because beauty products aren't always cheap, I like to get the most I can out of them. When I discovered this trick, I knew I had to share it with all of you.

Urban Decay Primer Potion ($15) is one of those cult-favorite products that people run through fairly quickly. But a few value-oriented makeup addicts have figured out a way to get the most out of the product. When the wand seems to have run out of product, they use an old knife to slice open the packaging, then scoop the primer into a different container. As you can see, there's a ton of product that you wouldn't be able to reach otherwise, effectively doubling the life span of this product.

It's surprisingly easy to do. Check out this guide to doing it yourself and enjoy the "extra" product you scoop out.

Source

Bella Bargain: Shop at Beauty.com, Get a Rachel Roy Case

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:01:15 -0800

It's all about the Benjamin(s) over at Beauty.com. If you're thinking about making a beauty purchase anytime soon, check out the site for a pretty nifty gift-with-purchase offer. Spend 100 bones...clams...a C-note (I'm on a roll) and receive this vintage-inspired case from designer Rachel Roy. It's filled with all sorts of goodies, many of which would make excellent holiday gifts, I might add. Korres Basil Lemon shower gel, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, and Stila Eye Glaze in Kitten? Score!

How-To: Get Every Last Bit From Your Beauty Products

BellaSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:00:57 -0700

Sick of paying big bucks to replace your favorite lotions and gels? There's a way to hold off a little longer. You might think you're already getting most of the good stuff out of the container, but there's often much more hiding within. (Case in point: Urban Decay Primer Potion.)

Fortunately, PartySugar shared how she squeezes a few extra uses out of her favorite hair gel when it's running low. It's really easy to do, and you'll get your money's worth. To see how it's done, just grab a plastic tube of your favorite product, then read more.

Step one: You'll need the tube and scissors for this project. Squeeze the product as close to the opening as you can, then cut the tube in half. Use your finger or a tool to remove the extra product from the top half of the tube. Place the product in the bottom half.

Step two: Pinch the bottom half and slip it inside the larger half, as shown. You'll still be able to squeeze the product out a few more times before returning to the store for a replacement.

12 Days of Beauty Giveaway: The Big One

BellaSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:15:38 -0800

It's the last day of the 12 Days of Beauty giveaway, and one lucky winner is going to walk away with, well, 12 days of beauty! Our generous friends at Sephora have come up with one fantastic surprise. One winner will receive all of the previous 11 days' prizes, and they'll be wrapped up in a Sephora Brand Train Case.

So to recap, that means our big winner will receive: Nars Saratoga nail polish; L'Occitane Hand's Best Friend hand cream trio; Sephora Brand Croc Pop-Up Brush Set; Sephora Brand metallic clutch; Philosophy Candy Cane Lip Shine; Sephora Brand Lip Gloss Ring; Bliss Snow Wonder Hand Cream; Vincent Longo Lipstick; Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara; Cargo Eyelighter; GoSMILE Peppermint Candy Smile; Make Up For Ever false eyelashes; TheBalm Stainiac; and Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Quite a haul, huh? To enter, just take today's quiz by 5pm PST, and we'll select one winner at random. This time, though, the winner will be drawn from all readers who answered the questions correctly-so you need to be a TeamSugar member to enter, and you need to pay attention! If you're not already a member, register for an account! One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Remember: YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO TEAMSUGAR FOR YOUR VOTE TO COUNT. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

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Enter the 12 Days of Beauty Giveaway!

BellaSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:30:26 -0800

'Tis the season to be giving, and our friends at Sephora are very generous indeed. They've worked with some of the best beauty brands to create the 12 Days of Beauty giveaway. For the next 12 weekdays, we're giving away a wealth of goods. Today, we're giving away prizes to 12 winners, tomorrow 11 people will win, and so on. So come back each day for a fabulous new gift that's sure to amaze!

Today's giveaway is for Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Just about everybody I know is gaga for this stuff. It's an ultra-sheer eye base that glides on with the wave of a wand and then disappears instantly. It's the ultimate eye prep for smoother, longer-lasting, absolutely crease-proof eyeshadow. And 12 of you will win it!

To enter, just take today's quiz, and we'll select 12 winners at random. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just simply on taking the quiz after you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member to enter. So if you're not already a member, register for an account! One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Remember: YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO TEAMSUGAR FOR YOUR VOTE TO COUNT. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck-and for the quiz answer, check out Sephora.com.

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December Must-Haves

BellaSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:55:41 -0800

Even though stores are filled with people seeking gifts for friends and family, let's be realistic: Most people pick up a little something for themselves, too. And why not? It's been a long year, and a bit of pampering won't hurt.

For this month's must-haves, I've found items that will help you primp and prepare for end-of-year festivities-along with a few that'll help you decompress from the stress of the holidays. To see my picks, read more

If there's any time to have shiny, shimmering hair, it's in December. I'm planning to pick up Fekkai Sparkling Shimmer Spray ($13.50), a mist that has microscopic diamond crystals to lend a subtle golden glimmer to your hair. Paired with good tools like this T3 mini flat iron ($119), it would provide a professional-quality hairstyle for New Year's and beyond.
Urban Decay's holiday kit is worth considering. Midnight Cowboy Rides Again ($32) is spot-on with the metallic trend. It includes a golden, shimmery beige eye shadow, Eyeshadow Primer Potion (so your color will stay put), an eye pencil in a deep coppery shade, and glittery gold eyeliner. Worn all at once, these items would be too much. But adding just one item to your regular look will be a gild-y pleasure.
If you're visiting family during the holiday season, you'll need portable, flight-friendly body care supplies. You may also need to de-stress. (Just sayin'.) This gorgeous Red Flower Hammam Set ($56) lets you do both. It contains travel sizes of these 100% natural goodies: Moroccan mint tea silt purifier, lemon coffee blossom olive stone scrub, jasmine rose rhassoul clay polish, orange quince steam room mist, cardamom amber oil, tangerine fig butter cream. Just reading about them makes me want to relax and unwind with a cup of tea.
Bonne Belle Smackers ($2.95) are a favorite from my childhood, and since 'tis the season for chapped lips, I figure it can't hurt to have a few extra lip balms on hand. I'm a fan of the Dr. Pepper flavor, which takes me way back to junior high.

Beauty Marked! Honeymoon Essentials

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:00:13 -0700

Wow, you ladies really know your stuff when it comes to picking the must-have honeymoon items. For last week's Beauty Mark It challenge, I asked you to select the essential products for your first vacation as a married couple. Did you ever!

CocoChic says this pocket-sized version of BeneTint will last through lots of kissing, and Steen loves Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion because it keeps eye shadow in place even in hot, humid weather. Mellie_608 suggested using Bare Escentuals Shine Control Sheets to blot out oil and shine so you'll look great in pictures.

I've assembled all of the Honeymoon Essentials beauty marks in a handy widget, so you can just use the arrows on the upper right to scroll through the Beauty Marks! If you want to learn more about a product, just click on the link. Nice work, everyone!

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My Makeup Routine: Atoxicsparkle

BellaSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 05:55:54 -0700

Over in the Beauty Product Junkies group on TeamSugar, the members have been posting step-by-step breakdowns of their daily makeup routines, complete with before and after photos. What brave souls!

I absolutely love this idea, so I've asked several users if I can post their routines here. I also invite you to join the group and post your own routines. Who knows? You might just end up featured on BellaSugar too!

Today's routine comes from BPJ founder Atoxicsparkle, whose beauty arsenal you can peek at above. To see her makeup routine from start to finish, read more

Here is Atoxicsparkle's "before shot." She explains: "my eye looks funky but oh well, takin' one for the team. And I swear, I don't always look so pissed as I will in these pics, but my camera was being stupid and giving me hell." Now for the steps:

Step #1: "So before I even start putting makeup on, I do one of the most important things every woman should do, and that is moisturize! I start by smoothing Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15 all over my face and neck, then Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 Daily Eye Cream on and around my eyes. Then, using a wet sponge, I apply MAC Select Moistureblend SPF 15 in NW25 all over my face and neck. To help the foundation settle, I apply MAC Blot Pressed Powder in Medium Dark all over with a large powder brush."

Step #2: "Now I apply Urban Decay Primer Potion to my lids, fill in my eyebrows with my Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Brown, then apply Benefit Mr. Frosty Eye Pencil on my brow-bone right under my eyebrow. Then comes the hardest decision: Which eyeshadow to wear? Seriously, sometimes I can stand there for 10 minutes trying to decide on how to do my eyes that day. Today, since I was wearing a green dress, I decided to use the Laura Geller Eye Stay Duo in Champagne/Mocha."

Step #3: "To finish off my eye, I first line my upper lid with my Benefit Eye Sketching Pencil in Onyx. Then I line my lower lid with the Too Faced Foiled Liner in Bronze Bombshell, then smudge it up into the corners with a Sephora Smudge Brush. (Every woman must own one of these; they are awesome!) Curl my lashes and give 'em two coats of DiorShow Mascara in Black, and my eyes are done!

Step #4: To finish, I apply Clinique Fresh Bloom All-Over Colour in Peony on my cheeks with a large blush brush, and highlight my cheek, eye, and jaw bone with MAC Skinfinish in Lightscapade using an angled blush brush. A thin coat of Benefit Her Glossiness V.I.P. Lip Gloss in Life on the A List on the lips, and I'm ready to go!

Now, for the after shot. Bellissima, Atoxicsparkle!