BellaSugar

What Do You Think of Poofy Hair?

BellaSugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:00:49 -0700

When I was writing last week's America's Next Top Model quiz, one of the questions was almost, "How many contestants were wearing ponytails with a hump of teased hair in front at elimination?" The answer hovered around seven, but some only did it halfway, so I decided it was a bad question. So imagine my surprise when the look came down Zac Posen's Spring 2009 runway. This hairstyle is starting to feel stale to me, but it's clearly popular. What do you think of it?

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Posen Prepares Pretty Perfume

BellaSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:00:53 -0700

Sometimes, when I think of designer Zac Posen, I imagine him switching places with Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell. He'd be the suave sartorial guru of Bayside High, and his catchphrase would be "Zac attack!" Except if that were the case, he wouldn't be one of the fashion world's biggest darlings, and I wouldn't be telling you about his new, in-the-works fragrance.

WWD reports that Posen has signed a fragrance deal with Selective Beauty, the company behind John Galliano's forthcoming perfume. Set to launch in the spring of 2009, Posen's scent is unnamed thus far (although I'm guessing he'll take the eponymous route).

It's too early to know about fragrance notes, but Posen mentioned wanting a fragrance with naturalness and freshness with WWD. "This is about having a really fresh perspective," he said, "and reminding people of their own adventureness and creativity. We need new forms. Others are just playing off of old ideas."

Are you looking forward to Posen's fragrance? Or are you now stuck imagining him trying to outwit Principal Belden, too?
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Trend Alert: Coral, Raspberry, and Purple Polishes For Spring

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:00:08 -0800

Bold tones will rule for Spring 2009, as nail polish manufacturers release their latest collections. We saw brighter colors on the Spring 2009 Fashion Week runways, so it's no surprise that nail polish manufacturers have followed suite. While you should still expect to see some traditional pastels, look for lots of depth and colors with some punch that move away from the deeper, darker colors of winter. My favorite trends for the upcoming season are bright corals, purples, and raspberries. Check some out below:

Deborah Lippmann Purple Rain ($15), a shimmering lilac frost created by Zac Posen.
Essie One of a Kind ($9), a poppy red.
Zoya Nail Polish in Moxie, a red-plum, and Malia, a cream violet.
OPI's South Beach collection in Miami Beet, ($7.32) a red-violet; OPI on Collins Ave ($7.32), a red-orange; and Done Out in Deco ($7.32), an opaque lilac.

How-To: Debra Messing's Makeup at the Golden Globe Awards

BellaSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:40:29 -0800

Whether you loved it or hated it, you've got to hand it to Debra Messing for going a bit bolder with her color scheme last night, particularly when it came to those heavily lined peepers.

The founder of Lorac Cosmetics, Carol Shaw, was the makeup artist behind Messing's look. She applied sultry green and black accents, which complemented Messing's midnight blue Zac Posen gown, keeping the cheeks and lips soft and neutral. And I've got the how-to when you read more.

Eyeshadow: To create that interesting peacock effect, the first shade of Color Me Couture Eyeshadow Palette ($37) was applied from lash to brow. Next, the third eye shade - a warm rosy gold - was swept on the lid and outer corner. Then, the jade green shade was used on the lid and crease, intensified even further with an application of Eyeshadow in Green Room ($17) over it. Black eyeshadow was used on the outer corner of the eyes and crease, and also to connect the bottom and top lash lines.
Eyeliner: Shaw lined the upper lash line with a liquid liner called Front of the Line Eyeliner in Black ($20). Then, a black eye pencil was used inside the eye for further contrast. To tie the look together, she smudged Green Room Eyeshadow under the eye for a sultry finish.
Cheeks: The Hot & Spicy Blush/Bronzer Duo ($28.50) peach shade was used as a blush, and the bronzer was used to contour.
Lips: Shaw lined Messing's lips with Pencil for Lips in #18, a light rosy nude, and applied Couture Shine Lip Gloss in Trend Setter ($22), a pearly peach shade.

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Deborah Lippmann Talks Nail Trends, Part Three

BellaSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:00:51 -0700

Deborah Lippmann, founder of Lippmann Collection, had a busy New York Fashion Week. After giving Mariah Carey not one but two manicures during Fashion Rocks (she wore Fashion during the Stand Up To Cancer performance and then Rhapsody in White for her solo) she did the nails at Rodarte, Zac Posen and Zegna (which, if you read my post on nail techs at FW, you know is no small feat). Still, she took a minute to talk to me backstage about a multitude of nail topics, the first being trends and the second, neutrals.

For today's installation of my interview with Lippmann, where I get the scoop on how to paint your nails like a pro, read more.

How much does the brush matter on a nail polish?
The brush makes a big difference, a huge difference. Even though it’s used in lots and lots of spas, I created my nail polish for women at home who don’t know how to polish their nails. Everything is about how long the brush itself is. Many of us, if we’re uncomfortable doing our nails, pull it out and go “oh my god oh my god oh my god!” I give them a moment for the polish to come down the brush. It's a medium-length brush, it’s not too long. Look for a shorter wand and a medium-length brush.

What is the trick to a perfect polish change?
Paint three strokes: one down the center and one down each side. As you pull, once you put the brush down, you want to pull it to the tip. The harder you push on the brush, the more it spreads. And it will go to the sides by itself, so you don’t have to be working really hard at brushing a million times. When you push on the brush it spreads. Set the brush down 1/8 of an inch from the cuticle. When you set it down, polish comes out of the tip of the brush, so if you put it too close there it’ll go all over the cuticle. Once you press and polish comes out you pull it toward the tip, and it’ll go a little on the side. So here’s the trick to doing the sides: you put [the brush] down, press on it, then pull straight toward the tip and as you get to where the nail gets wider, press harder. It's actually simple, but no one ever tells you.

Deborah Lippmann Talks Nail Trends, Part Two

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:00:22 -0700

For today's installation of my interview with Lippmann, I got a genius tip for choosing a neutral nail polish and I discovered a secret from her past, read more.

How do you choose a neutral?
Deborah Lippmann: It’s sort of the same as finding a foundation or finding a lip color. You need to find out if you’re warm or cool. I have two colors in my collection, one is warm and one is more blue based. If you put on the wrong color and your cuticle looks red, it’s not the right color. The warm is called Fashion, the one called You Can Leave Your Hat On has more blue undertones. Even if you’re wearing the wrong red, your cuticle will look red when it dries down.

When switching from a darker nail to a neutral, why do nails sometimes turn yellow?
Deborah Lippmann: Yellowing nails don’t mean you are unhealthy. You may be wearing a lot of pigment in your nail polish. Try a thicker, ridge filling base coat if you are wearing really pigmented colors. It could also be from sunscreen. Or, of course, if you're using acrylics on your nails. Fake nails are how I stopped biting.

I can’t believe you bit your nails.
Deborah Lippmann: That’s how I got into the business! When I was younger, I bit my nails. I started performing – singing, I'm a jazz singer – and when I got on stage, I was holding the microphone and the director was like "No, no, no. Put on a set of nails," and I was like, "[gasps]." I felt so comfortable. It was a really life changing thing.

For how to perfectly polish, check back on Friday!

Deborah Lippmann Talks Nail Trends

BellaSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:00:53 -0700

Deborah Lippmann, founder of Lippmann Collection, had a busy New York Fashion Week. After giving Mariah Carey not one but two manicures during Fashion Rocks (Mimi wore Fashion during the Stand Up To Cancer performance and then for Rhapsody in White for her solo), she did the nails at Rodarte, Zac Posen and Zegna (which, if you read my post on nail techs during FW, you know is no small feat). Still, she took a minute to talk to me backstage about a multitude of nail topics, the first being trends. To find out the fate of the French pedicure and whether you can stop asking for "squoval" nails read more.

OK, here's your chance: What nail trends do you never want to see again?
Deborah Lippmann: Neon is done; it's a quick trend. As for pedicure trends, the French pedicure is done. Done! It’s so over. And also, no length on the toenails. They shouldn’t go over the toe - maybe even have a little bit of flesh showing. The chipped nail polish trend is over too.

What nail shape is in coming into style?
Deborah Lippmann: It’s going a little softer, more feminine, not square. Not oval, not squoval, somewhere between an oval and, if you have a little bit of a length, an almond shape. That’s what I do on all the fashion shoots, that’s what all the photographers want.

What's are the upcoming trends in nail color?
Deborah Lippmann: It’s matchy matchy. Matching nails on hands and feet are coming back. We’ll be seeing lavenders and lilacs with a little bit of twinkle. For Spring, sheer nail polish is not happening. You can still wear a neutral nail, like something flesh-toned. But for neutrals, it's not a twinkle, not a sparkle, not an iridescent.

To find out how to find your neutral, check back on Wednesday!

Follow MAC at Fashion Week!

BellaSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:01:37 -0700

Of all the makeup brands working backstage at Fashion Week, MAC is by far the most prevalent. This year, its artists will be working on shows such as Rodarte, Rebecca Taylor, Zac Posen, and Karen Walker - and this year, you can practically be there.

MAC Pro team will be Twittering - basically, microblogging - about their backstage experiences. Senior artists Gordon Espinet, Terry Barber, and Vanessa Rozan will all share their behind-the-scenes take on shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Want to get in on the action? MAC's Facebook page will have a widget with all of the updates, and of course, I'll be keeping you posted on everything I see, too!

Lippmann's Fall Shades Are So Very Rocking

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:00:12 -0700

It's not even August, but the new Lippmann Collection Autumn colors are already available online. The four Fall shades are bold, rich in color, and perfectly fine to wear even before the weather cools down. The polishes are formulated to dry quickly and are made with green tea extract and proteins to keep your nails strong and shiny.

Deborah Lippmann is once again inspired by pop culture, and she named these new shades after popular songs. My favorite of the group is Pump Up The Jam, a dark and edgy shimmery metallic aubergine that contains flecks of iridescent gold. For a description of each of the colors, the songs that they were inspired by, and for close-up individual product shots, read more.

Stop and Stare is a true red shade that doesn't contain any shimmer. It's not too blue and not too orange. Also, here's a fun fact: it was named after OneRepublic’s song.
Pump Up the Jam is nothing short of superfly. Keep an eye out for this trend-setting color to pop up everywhere next season. The shade is named after Technotronic's dance-party song, to which I spazzed out on the dance floor in fifth grade.
Rhapsody in White is a pearly, opaque white that has a hint of 60's mod flair. It was named after a song by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra.
Fade to Black is an opaque jet black nail polish without shimmer that was actually worn in Zac Posen's Fall fashion show. It was named after the Dire Straits tune. So '80s!

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