BellaSugar

Do You Think Makeup Is Empowering?

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:00:43 -0800

I've always found it odd that some people think you can't be a smart, with-it, independent woman and enjoy wearing makeup. Hello? The two aren't mutually exclusive! It's not as though there's a secret society of with-it ladies that bans lip gloss. (In fact, noted feminist Gloria Steinem has some of the longest, most neatly manicured nails I've ever seen.)

That's exactly the topic that this article examines. While the author acknowledges the fact that women, not men, are expected to wear makeup, she also argues that using cosmetics was historically a form of empowerment-and even rebellion. She points to the late 1930s as an example, arguing that although most men disapproved of noticeable makeup, women decided to buy cosmetics anyway. And wait until you hear what they were buying:

Volupte introduced two new lipstick shades to American women, labeled "Lady" and "Hussy." "Lady" was marketed toward women who prefer lighter shades and "quiet, smart clothes and tiny strands of pearls," while "Hussy" was developed for women who wear dark shades and "like to be just a little bit shocking," according to Mademoiselle magazine in 1936. "Hussy" outsold "Lady" five to one.

I so wish I could buy a lipstick called Hussy. Anyway, while I don't agree with everything the writer says-I think looking good can be empowering, but wearing lipstick alone isn't going to smash sexism-it's an interesting read. And so I pose the question to you: Do you feel empowered by wearing makeup? Or is it just something you happen to do?

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Which Era Gives You Hair and Makeup Inspiration?

BellaSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:36:47 -0800

I've been on a real '40s kick lately, gallivanting about in seamed stockings and rich red lipstick. Before that, I flirted with looking like Jane Birkin, whose beautiful bangs and eyeliner make me feel like a foxy Frenchie in the '60s. To me, it's fun to take looks from decades past and reinterpret them into something modern. If you do this, too, where do you usually get your ideas?
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Test Your Lipstick Trivia Knowledge

BellaSugar — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:00:53 -0700

Most of us put on our lipstick and don't think much of it, but there's a lot of interesting history behind the stuff. Take this quiz to test your knowledge, and you might be surprised by the results. I certainly was!

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Bella Donna: Cleopatra

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:24:39 -0700

I thought you might enjoy a trip back in time for this week's Bella Donna. So we're going waaaay back to look at Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. It's hard to think of another woman whose beauty has left such a lasting impression. Her intense, kohl-lined eyes continue to inspire modern-day designers such as Alexander McQueen, who used a strong Egyptian eye on models for his fall 2007 collection. The jury's out on whether Cleopatra was physically attractive, but an officially commissioned portrait of her (it's the coin in the gallery here) suggests that she wasn't necessarily the Angelina Jolie of her day.

Cleopatra had a short life, but it was a tumultuous one. Trust me, even if you yawn when you think about history, you'll love this stuff-it is filled with all sorts of sordid drama and is too juicy to pass up. As a child, Cleopatra's older sister tried to poison her (but wound up being killed herself). Miss Cleo's reign didn't begin so well: At 18, she was queen... and was also married to her 12-year-old brother, Ptolemy III. Bossy Cleopatra wanted to rule alone, so she started to leave her brother out of official documents and events. Surprise! This didn't go over so well, and Cleopatra was forced into exile. But then her brother made the kind of mistake that only 15-year-old boys can make. To get the whole story, read more

So, some background: The Roman Empire was embroiled in a civil war at the time. Ptolemy, Cleopatra's pimply teenage brother, had taken over as the king of Egypt. Now, he owed some money to Rome, so to please Julius Caesar, he thought, "Hey, I know! I'll have Caesar's opponent Pompey beheaded, and then I'll hand him the head as a gift, and he'll totally think I'm an ally!" (Like I said, only a teenage boy would think of this.) So Ptolemy was all, "Look what I have for you, Caesar! Ta-da! A severed head!"

Bad idea. Caesar flipped out because Pompey was the widower of his late daughter. Personalities before politics, that sort of thing. So Caesar took over Egypt, and when Cleopatra heard about this, she decided that it was time to return. She's said to have returned to the palace rolled up inside a Persian carpet, only to tumble out of it in front of Caesar. He loved it, they became lovers, and Cleopatra gave birth to a son, Caesarion, nine months later. Apparently this warmed Caesar's heart, because he decided that instead of taking Egypt for Rome, he'd acknowledge Cleopatra as the rightful ruler.

Ah, but another love affair was on its way. After Caesar died, Mark Antony summoned Cleopatra to talk about where her loyalty lay. So she shows up in a grand, over-the-top way-think Pimp My Ride, but for ancient times-and impresses him. Cue the love affair. Cue the heirs. Cue yet another war, during which Antony mistakenly heard that Cleopatra had committed suicide. So then he committed suicide. A few days later, Cleopatra heard the news of his death, and then she really did commit suicide. See? Lots of drama.

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Beauty History: Cleopatra's Secret for Soft Skin

BellaSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:59:13 -0700

If you can't get enough beauty history, you won't want to miss this quiz. The questions stretch back as far as the days of Cleopatra (shown here, as memorably portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor). Think you're ready to test your knowledge? Then sharpen your eyeliner pencils and get going!

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Beauty History: 20th-Century Foxes

BellaSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 07:00:13 -0700

To kick off the week, I thought it would be fun to do a quiz exploring the beauty habits and philosophies of famous women of the 20th century. To do well, it'll help to have knowledge of pop culture, movies and even a little history-I can't wait to find out what you think!

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Brows Throughout the Ages

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:09:11 -0700

Okay, so you're not fans of Sienna Miller's bold brows shown here. But you can't blame the girl for following trends. Just like fashion, eyebrows follow cycles of thin, thick, arched, and everything in between. FabSugar pointed me to an article about the history of brow shaping (from Nightline, of all places! Maybe Sam Donaldson had something to do with it.) Here are some interesting tidbits:

During the "golden age" of Hollywood, female movie stars often removed their eyebrows completely. Think of Marlene Dietrich and Bette Davis. "There was a real interest in ramming home the difference between the genders," says Zoe Williams, a columnist with The Guardian newspaper of London.

For more brows-throughout-the-years trivia and a gallery of images, read more

In the '60s, a more natural look dominated. Many women let their brows grow wherever they spread.
The '80s began with Brooke Shields' bushy brows, but as the decade progressed, skinny brows became more popular.
When the grunge gained popularity during the early '90s, funky brows were in. Francois Nars encouraged model Kristen McMenamy to remove her brows entirely, which helped take McMenamy's career to the next level.
Fast-forward to the modern day, as eyebrows are returning to a fuller shape.

What do you think-do you follow trends when it comes to shaping your brow, or do you stick with the same shape over time? And what do you think of these brow looks throughout the years?

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Victorian Secrets: How Your Great-Great-Grandmother Got Pretty

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:00:19 -0700

Did you take yesterday's beauty history quiz? If you haven't, be forewarned: I'm about to reveal all the answers, along with some other oddball facts about the lengths to which Victorians went to look pretty. Are you sure you can handle reading about the lard-based beauty treatment? If so, then read more

First of all, here are the answers to the quiz.

What did women rinse their hair with to make it soft and shiny?
Rum and rosewater, my friends. Victorians used to wash their hair with a frothy mixture of egg whites, then rinsed it with a blend of rum and rosewater.

What was the name of the first commercial deodorant?
Mum's the word. Invented in 1888 in Philadelphia, Mum was the first commercial anti-stink product. Although its popularity decreased in the States, Mum continues to be sold in the UK.

When were women not supposed to wear cosmetics?
That would be when they were menstruating. Unfortunately, the idea of women being tainted or "unclean" during their monthly cycle meant that Victorian women were told to keep their faces free of any sort of cosmetics. (How cruel it would be if this were still the case, as I need concealer most when I get those monthly chin zits!)

What did some Victorian women consume in an attempt to lighten their complexions?
Yum, yum! Guess what's for your dinner, ladies? Chalk! Yep, chalk. Is the popularity of indigestion tonics during the Victorian era mere coincidence?

To make their eyes bright, what did some women do?
It hurts my eyes to even think about it, but they washed their eyes with lemon juice or orange juice.

How did women create rosy cheeks?
They pinched them, essentially. And to get red lips, they'd gently bite them.

Finally, here's a bit more trivia from the Victorian era:

Rimmel was founded in 1834 in London; it specialized in products such as violet water, ylang-ylang perfume and Aquadentine, "to Whiten the Teeth and refresh the Mouth."
Vaseline was around back in the day, offering a soap with this catchy slogan: "The best emollient in the world must be the best basis for toilet soap."
A men's hair oil called Macassar Oil was very popular. Its tendency to rub off led to the development of the antimacassar, which is basically a cloth to guard sofas and chaises from oil blots.
Cucumber-infused lard was used as a hair treatment. This made-at-home concoction involved several steps, including heating six pounds of lard and mashing cucumbers into it with a mortar.

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Link Time!

BellaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:01:18 -0800

Ashley Greene talks about her hair history - In Style
Makeup artist Tina Turnbow is creating makeup for Tarte - Stylelist
Take a peek at Chanel's next It nail polish color - Temptalia
Learn how to create a bright turquoise eye shadow look - Makeup and Beauty Blog
How to avoid a bad haircut - Allure
The No!No! hair zapper gets an update - Glamour
Does asymmetrical hair work? You be the judge - FabSugar UK
A woman lies about breast cancer . . . to get a boob job - Lemondrop
Frédéric Malle's new Madison Avenue boutique is just gorgeous - The Moment

ANTM Beauty Quiz: "Let's Go Surfing"

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:10:53 -0700

Oh boy. Where to begin with last night's episode? I appreciate Tyra's attempt to educate the girls on Hawaiian history, and huzzah for highlighting different cultural blends, but what a misguided idea for a photo shoot! You'd think that for as well-traveled as Tyra is, she'd know that painting light-skinned girls dark is all kinds of Bad Idea Jeans. I kept hoping for one of the models to pipe up and say, "I don't feel comfortable wearing brownface," but no dice. Because of the facepalm nature of the photo shoot, I give this episode my lowest short-legged cat rating of the season. (Look at him! Even he can't believe it.) Anyway, see if you were paying attention to the beauty trivia last night, and then take Buzz's quiz, too.

this episode earns one measly milo:
Photo courtesy of The CW

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