BellaSugar

Going Gamine: 28 Past and Present Looks to Inspire

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:06 -0800

Recently, after seeing a picture of doe-eyed, pixie-sporting Ginnifer Goodwin, I've had gamines on the brain. Characteristics often associated with gamine women include pixie hairstyles, short, straight-across bangs, bobbed hairstyles, wide eyes, petite features, boyish qualities, and a bit of what you might call a certain je ne sais quoi. Check out some famous gamine stars - from both past and present - right now.

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Seven Ways to Wear a Wavy Pixie Cut

BellaSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:00:50 -0700

I can't get enough of Audrey Tautou's wavy pixie. It has the perfect vintage vibe with a fresh, modern appeal. To duplicate this forever-in-style look, apply a texturizing gel or a curl activating spray to damp hair and let air dry. If your hair is short, touch up pieces with a curling iron for a polished yet effortlessly tousled look. If your hair is longer, create a "fake-out" style by pulling your hair back into a tucked-under ponytail, then curl face-framing sections to shorten. Check out my slideshow for some inspiration on re-creating this gamine style for different hair types. Source

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Bella Donna: Audrey Hepburn

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700

It's almost clichéd to love Audrey Hepburn, but it's almost impossible not to. One of the biggest icons in film history, she's still often cited as one of the world's most beautiful women - even though she didn't always view herself that way. She disliked her crooked teeth, large feet, and flat chest - "I never thought I'd land in pictures with a face like mine," she once said - but those so-called flaws made her even more likeable.

Nearly 80 years after Hepburn's birth, her simply chic style is still inspiring photo shoots and women all over the world. Hepburn often drew thick brows that extended over her natural pair, but for real life, brushing the thick part of your brows upward should do the trick. Lipstick in a pastel pink, light rose, or classic red will give you that Hepburn lip, but don't get too shiny - matte is best. Don't worry about concealing your under-eye circles completely; Hepburn often had the hint of them, which gave her a slightly vulnerable look. For Audrey literalists, you might want to know that she was a fan of Erno Laszlo and Estée Lauder skin care - though if you can't afford a $39 bar of soap, read these beauty tips, said to be among her favorites, instead.

For tons of Audrey Hepburn photos, read more.

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Givenchy Prismissime Eyes Holds A Secret Message from Audrey Hepburn

BellaSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 10:55:13 -0700

I'll bring you more on the Givenchy Fall 2007 Collection later, but for now, I just couldn't resist giving you a peek at this stunning new Prismissime Eyes Cache-Cache Palette ($53). This petite, camouflage-inspired compact holds a mixture of nine matte and metallic shades: khaki, midnight blue, sky blue, gold, brick red, black, ivory, peach and whisper pink. The bottom level cleverly holds two sponge applicators, so you can touch up on the run.

Engraved in the mirror, you'll also find another surprise. It's an inscription that shares the beauty philosophy of Givenchy's muse, Audrey Hepburn: "Style for Life."

The shadows are made of fine, lightweight powders that feel so silky, they can either be applied with an applicator or your fingertip. They can each be worn alone or blended together to create your own unique look. Or if you want to mimic Audrey's eyes, pick up Audrey Style, which has step-by-step instructions on recreating her lovely look.

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Quick Quiz: What Was Audrey Hepburn's Skincare Routine?

BellaSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:00:41 -0700

The incomparable Audrey Hepburn believed that kindness was the best way to be beautiful. She was lovely enough to live by that belief, and lucky enough to be breathtakingly pretty on the outside, too. Can you guess what she did to take care of her skin?

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For Audrey: China Glaze's Hepburn-Honoring Polish

BellaSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:44:28 -0700

It's been 46 years since Audrey Hepburn enchanted audiences in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but her influence as Holly Golightly is still strong. Case in point: China Glaze's new "For Audrey" nail polish ($6.50), which bears a striking resemblance to Tiffany Blue. I say "striking resemblance" because Tiffany & Co. holds a trademark to the shade you see on its bags and boxes; although other colors come close, nobody else has official dibs on that particular hue.

Like Melanie at Blogdorf Goodman, I received a sample to try out. I usually don't go for wacky colors on my nails, but I'm surprised by how much I like this turquoise-and not just because I spent my late teen years shamelessly mimicing Audrey's style. For the detailed review and a Breakfast-inspired photo, read more

It turns out the polish is a lot more wearable than I anticipated. Sure, it's not something I'd recommend for a job interview, but on short nails it's a fun flash of blue. I think it would be overkill to wear this on long nails unless you're the kind of woman who can pull off high-drama, attention-getting looks. Next time I'll probably wear it on my toes, which a lot of brides might want to do for the "something blue" of their weddings!

This was the first time I used China Glaze lacquer, and I was very pleased with the application. I'm too clumsy to use long, thin brushes, so China Glaze's short, fat one was a breeze to handle. And not to get too Mr. Wizard on you, but the formula has just the right amount of viscosity: It wasn't so runny that it dripped into my cuticles, but it wasn't so thick that it glopped up, either. Easy application means one happy Bella. I had good color coverage with one coat, but I recommend two to get a more even and consistent hue. For Audrey is shipping now, so it should be in nail boutiques any week now. When I find an online retailer that hasn't sold out, I'll let you know.

Here's a picture of me about to pet a very squirmy "Cat," just before we hopped onto the fire escape to croon a little "Moon River." What do you think?

Bella Donna: Jacqueline Bisset

BellaSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0700

British-born actress Jacqueline Bisset first became well-known in the late 1960s for her parts in films such as Bullitt, Casino Royale, and Two For the Road, in which she starred with Audrey Hepburn. The wavy-haired actress, now 65, was initially often cast for her stunning good looks, aka "window dressing" roles. In fact, in the late 1970s, Newsweek named her "the most beautiful film actress of all time," and I'm guessing that Andrew McCarthy's character in Class would have to agree. Eventually Jacqueline was taken more seriously for her acting abilities, garnering award nominations for Golden Globes and Emmys.

More recently, she's been seen on Nip/Tuck and has made the transition from sexy screen siren to seasoned actress very successfully, as evidenced by the following statement she once made: "Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades." To get Jacqueline's old-school look, which translates quite nicely into today's makeup palettes, it's all about the dark liner and mascara, along with a tawny blush like Benefit Dallas ($28) and a subtle, nonfussy sheer lipstick like Bare Escentuals Quick-Stick in Escentual Fig ($14). Check out my gallery below for further inspiration.

To see more photos of Jacqueline, just keep reading.

Audrey Hepburn

BellaSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:54:05 -0700

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Ciara's Stylist Tells You How to Get Her Chic New Hairstyle

BellaSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:02:16 -0700

Ciara arrived at the TXT L8TER event in Hollywood the other night looking like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn. I've always been in awe of her long, super-shiny hair, but I'm really coveting this new cut, which is actually - scoop! - a perfectly shaped hair piece (no worries, you can do this with your own hair, too).

To find out how it's done, I talked with Warren-Tricomi Los Angeles salon stylist Kiyah Wright, the Emmy-winning makeover guru who just transformed Ciara. (She's also been responsible for the amazing hair of Tyra Banks, Gabrielle Union, Iman, Mary J. Blige, and more.) She had some great tips and a ton of excellent advice. Want to know how to get this gorgeous hairstyle on your own or with a little help from the beauty supply store? Just keep reading.

How-To: Clean Out Your Beauty Stash

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:00:01 -0800

I moved to a new apartment this past weekend, and let me tell you, I never want to move again. Embarrassingly, I had about six boxes filled with beauty products - much more than I could ever need. In going through the stash, I managed to trim my collection down by at least half, and the resulting lack of mess and clarity of mind is priceless. Need to get organized, too? Get my tips for creating a clutter-free beauty stash when you read more.

Become a bag lady. Take three grocery bags (or boxes) and label them donate, keep, toss.
Get the big picture. Oh no, there's stuff everywhere! Pull it all together and lay it out on a table to see what you have. If products aren't separated already, sort them into appropriate categories. For instance, I put my lip glosses, lipsticks, and lip liners in different piles.
Lose the new and unused. Go through each category and look for new, unopened, unused products that you've had for a while. Put them aside and be ready to give them away. I know, you're thinking, "Oh, but I was going to use that!" Ah, but you haven't done so yet, so put it aside. We'll go back to this later, trust.
Ditch the stuff you hardly ever use. Why did I have four turquoise eye shadows? And how many cans of hair spray does one woman need, anyway? Since I wear turquoise eye shadow once every two years, they had to go. Ditto for hair spray, since it takes me about a year to go through a can. Be honest with yourself: If you haven't used a product in more than six months, do you really need it? Nah. Put it in the toss bag.
Lose the old stuff. Embarrassingly, I had a Prescriptives lipstick from their Audrey Hepburn color collection... which came out in 1999. Gross. Trash that crud and anything like it. If it smells bad, the color is off, or the consistency has changed, into the trash it goes.
Remove the duplicates. This step was hardest for me, but it was worthwhile. You know that collection of beige eye shadows that you have? And they're all more or less the same? You don't need them all. With color cosmetics, I swatched the colors on my wrist to see which colors I liked and which were just OK. Keep what's necessary; donate or toss the rest.
Share the wealth. Remember the pile of unused products? If any of them will replace something you tossed, keep it. Otherwise, they join the donate bag. New items can be donated to women's shelters, or you can always ask friends if they'd like some of the gently used goodies.

Anybody else have cleaning tips?

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