BellaSugar

5 Foods (and 1 Supplement) That Help Banish Acne

Jaime Richards — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:39:00 PDT

There are topical home remedies to blast away acne, but certain foods can assist in putting blemishes, breakouts, and inflammation in their place, as well. Stay tuned for more information on superfoods and their skin-enhancing benefits, but for the acne-specific ones, just keep reading.

Three Acne Spot Treatments That Really Work

BellaSugar — Sat, 12 May 2012 04:40:00 PDT

No one likes getting pimples - especially the ones that seem to sprout up overnight and last for months. Luckily, there are tons of treatments that help put a stop to acne breakouts without emptying your wallet. That's why we chose these three miracle-workers that break pimples down within 24 hours to give you flawless skin once again. And the best part is, you can get each one of them at your local drugstore.

How to Conceal a Blemish in 5 Steps

BellaSugar — Sat, 05 May 2012 03:35:00 PDT

Everybody gets blemishes, but nobody has to know about yours. Concealing requires only a little effort, as long as you know the keys to camouflaging. Here, celebrity makeup artist Desirae Cherman shares her best practices on making an angry red bump disappear - with a natural-looking finish - in just a few simple steps.

Defeat Poison Ivy With Tea Tree Oil

FitSugar — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:40:56 PDT

You went for a gorgeous two-hour hike in the woods, brought back some great photos and uh-oh - you also brought back some poison ivy. When you accidentally brush up against this plant, the uroshiol oil rubs onto your skin, and can instantly create redness, raised bumps, blisters, and an insatiable itch. First and foremost, get out of the clothes you were wearing on the hike and wash the oil off your skin using soap and cold water (warm water opens your pores) to prevent the rash from spreading.

Unfortunately, now you're left with an itchy, bubbly rash. Topical creams like Calamine lotion and hydro-cortizone can keep the itchiness at bay, but when it comes to poison ivy, the quicker it heals, the better. Reach for the remedy, pure tea tree oil. It's all natural, not that expensive, and easy to find at most health food stores. Thoroughly wash and dry the affected areas. Sprinkle a few drops of the tea tree oil directly on the rash and use a Q-tip or cotton ball to spread it around. Apply a few times a day, and you should see the blisters disappearing and the rash clearing up.

Tea tree oil has antiseptic, antifungal, and drying properties, which is why it's so effective against the dreaded poison ivy. This natural remedy can also be used to treat acne, minor cuts and scrapes, athlete's foot, and yeast infections so it's great to keep a bottle in your medicine cabinet.

Source: Flickr User frotzed2

Exclusive! Proactiv Names Jurnee Smollett Its Newest Spokesperson

Jaime Richards — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

You might remember her as Michelle Tanner's feisty friend Denise on Full House or as hard-working high school student Jess Merriweather in Friday Night Lights, and now actress, singer, and activist Jurnee Smollett has landed a new role: Proactiv's newest spokesperson. Jurnee, who has battled acne since she was 10 years old, admits she tried just about everything, from facial treatments to doctors appointments to peels, before she had the consistent success she has found with Proactiv.

"It goes back to a few months before I was getting married," she explains. "I was shooting Friday Night Lights in Austin, [and with] the humidity, the great Texas food, the hormones, and the stress of me planning the wedding, my skin was freaking out." Although frustrated, Jurnee felt her complexion issues added a realistic element to her character. "I kept telling myself, "'I'm playing a 16-year-old high student. It's OK; high school students break out,'" she reveals. "But no one wants to break out, whether you're a teenager or not!" See the rest of Jurnee's story now.

Two Home Remedies That Zap Away Acne

Jaime Richards — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:03:00 PDT

The next time a breakout decides to crash your clear skin party, no need to run straight to the store for a quick-fix cream (or, not to mention, tube after tube of concealer). What you need is probably already in your medicine cabinet or kitchen pantry. Find out what two common household ingredients will assist you in banishing spots on the spot when you read on.

Wash Away Blemishes With These 3 Gentle Cleansers

BellaSugar — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 05:00:24 PDT

Having sensitive skin with acne flare-ups can be painful, not to mention discouraging. If you feel like you've tried it all, but aren't seeing results, perhaps it's time to give botanical cleansers a chance. Most contain ingredients that are less harsh than most acne fighters and are still great at combating blemishes. Check out three botanical cleansers that have given us results.

Got Bangs? 3 Ways to Avoid Unwanted Forehead Acne

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:43:00 PDT

Yes, bangs elevate your Spring hair hotness level to the umpteenth degree, but are you paying the price with unwanted forehead blemishes? Hairline acne (street name "pomade acne") can be caused by the constant contact between hair and skin, which deposits debris from your styling products onto your face. Sure, your bangs are the perfect cover-up, but clear skin is the better choice. Get tips for keeping your skin clear underneath the fringe when you read more.

What We're Sweet On: Acne Cleanser Without the Freeze-Your-Face Side-Effects

Jaime Richards — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:05:00 PDT

Acne cleansers, especially the gel variety, can be so astringent, you're left looking like Han Solo sealed in carbonite. With Yes to Tomatoes Acne Control Gel Cleanser ($10), skin is not just smoother, but softer, too. While the face wash contains the ubiquitous salicylic acid to gently slough away dead skin, preventing new blemishes from sprouting, it's the tomato ingredient that does some of the most impressive work. Thanks to the lycopene contained within this antioxidant-rich ~~vegetable~~ fruit, pores are unclogged and inflammation often associated with flare-ups is reduced. Fruit acids also help to control oil production; you're still left looking slick, but only in all the best ways.

5 Celebrities Who've Battled Acne

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:00:45 PDT

Broken out and feel like you're the only experiencing acne despair? You're definitely not alone; even Hollywood's most beautiful women can have problematic skin. Some, like Cameron Diaz, have been open about their acne issue for years, while others, like Naya Rivera, have only recently begun to talk about it. Find out who's being up front about their acne, and how these famous faces deal.