BellaSugar

50 Great Ways to Use Petroleum Jelly - in Under 2 Minutes!

BellaTV — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:45:32 PDT

After we shared our secret beauty must have for girls on the go - we heard you wanted more uses for petroleum jelly! Watch Zelana give 50 quick tips and tricks to try at home or anywhere you need a fast and easy beauty fix.

Moms Without Makeup

LilSugar — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:00:00 PDT

The glitz of Hollywood glamour is largely show and that's something we all know, but the other day my jaw hit the floor when I caught a segment on television condemning moms without makeup. Of course, kudos were given to a fistful of women for their God given beauty - Heidi Klum and Jennifer Garner - but that was only after actresses like Marcia Cross were condemned for being too pale on the playground. As a fellow mom, I think the forty-something mother of twins looks rather fabulous bare faced! To see what happened,

Other notables were cited for offenses from lacking luster and not having taken the time to smudge on a smoky eye or pouty lip before heading out. I'm fairly certain those who dared to comment on the appearance of the women weren't parents themselves. Otherwise, they'd know that when in a rush - a mama is more apt to grab a tube of sunscreen than mascara. And, some are lucky just to fit in a shower. Do you make wearing cosmetics a part of your daily routine even when you're hanging out with your offspring?
Source and Source

What's Your Weirdest Beauty or Grooming Habit?

BellaSugar — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:00:59 PDT

I just did a sneaky thing when nobody was looking, and it's so bonkers and embarrassing that I've never told anybody about this habit. This is a practice I'm not proud of, and it's a little gross, and I'm sure some psychoanalyst would have a field day dissecting it. But somehow I have a feeling that I'm not the only one with a weird grooming or beauty habit. I bet a lot of us do goofy things. (Note Bella trying to justify her weirdness.) So if I tell you my secret, will you share yours?

To find out my embarrassing habit-because I can't bear to have it all over the front page-

Okay, so a lot of you know that I'm a little obsessive about skin care. But you don't know how detail-oriented I am about it. When I was a kid, my parents gave me a microscope, which I used to examine all sorts of things. I became fascinated by the ability to see the minutia of everyday life. This interest remains to this day, which is why-ugh, I can't believe I'm going to tell you this-sometimes I set my camera on its macro setting. Then I zoom in on blackheads and blemishes to take high-resolution photos of the clogged pores. Finally, I open the document in Photoshop and zoom in to see what clogs are there, which ones are barely visible with the naked eye, and which ones are yearning to liberate themselves from my skin. I can't stop staring at this stuff.

I know. It's weird. It's a sickness!

But surely I'm not the only one who does weird stuff, right? Anyone else willing to share her oddball beauty quirks? (Bueller? Bueller?)

Some Beauty Rituals Are Best Kept Private

BellaSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:05:27 PDT

After the wedding and the honeymoon, it's now The Honeymoon's Over week! I'm sharing all kinds of ideas to keep your married life as beautiful as your courtship.

When you're married (or just in a committed relationship), there are some grooming and beauty rituals you just can't hide from your sweetheart. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since sharing the mundane details of our lives can be healthy. At the same time, though, there's something to be said for keeping the romance alive, right? I always say, "If you wouldn't do it in front of your boss or best friend, don't do it in front of the person you love." Here's my advice on a few beauty secrets you may want to keep to yourself (while keeping yourself as pretty as ever).

The home bikini wax Just trust me on this one: Wait until Hubby is out of the house before getting started. Nobody looks or feels her best while hopping around naked, waving hot wax in the air and ripping out hair from delicate areas. Unless your "sexy time" involves wincing in pain and pulling tiny dried bits of wax off your skin (and hey, if it does, more power to you) it's probably easier to do this routine solo.

For three more beauty secrets best left unshared,

Zit popping Everyone gets blackheads and acne, but enlisting your man to help you conquer the Krakatoa-sized pimple on your nose is not the best way to keep the romance alive. (The one exception is if you can turn it into a fun spa treatment; Mr. Bella and I occasionally give each other facials, but I still don't let him pop my pustules).

Preparation H Models have claimed that using Preparation H on puffy eyes can reduce swelling. More women have heard about this unusual treatment than men, which means your husband is more likely to ask how your hemorrhoids are doing than to marvel at your puff-free eyes. Not sexy.

Nipple hair removal Oh, come on. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! Most women have some nipple hair, and if you're okay with yours, leave it and love it. If you don't like it, though, you could find better ways to bond than by bleaching your nipple hair with your newlywed love.

What do you think? Are there any grooming or beauty rituals you'd rather not share with your beloved, or is it open game?

The Secrets Behind Pretty Private Parts

BellaSugar — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:44:44 PST

Say it isn't so. We've shared some red carpet secrets with you to prevent catastrophes, but it never occurred to me that some people actually prepare and look forward to a nipple slip or a picture of them bending over while going commando. Whoa! Some gals actually enjoy a 'lil scandal. Duh: that's why we're so addicted to PopSugar!

How about a show of hands for all of you that bleach your anus. Yep - it's true. There is a desirable shade of ass. There's even a Salon in Sherman Oaks, CA, dedicated to it.

Esoterica Nighttime Fade Cream, $9.99, is an at home product that you can use to help lighten up your load (ha!). It's made with 2% hydroquinone formula (bleaching agent) that is safe and gentle enough for most people to use in the sensitive areas of their body.

*Note: If you are irritated by this product, discontinue use immediately. Do not use on broken or irritated skin.

Now I've only used cheek tints to give a healthy glow to my face cheeks and lips. It has been brought to my attention that others like to use Benefit's benetint, $28, to tint their breast areola a perfect blush color.

So if you've wondered how celebs, strippers, dancers and porn stars get such succulent nips - now you know!

To read what Benefit has to say about this usage of their product,

"Women want nipples to be pert and fresh-looking, and this shade makes them appear that way. For a long time, the idea of a ripe, rosy nipple has been considered appealing and alluring. Even if you don’t show it off, you know they’re rosier and more perky."

Halle Berry Reveals the Secret to Her Flawless Skin

Jessica Cruel — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:38:00 PDT

Yes, Halle Berry really is as gorgeous and flawlessly complected in person as she appears on screen. So now that your most pertinent question is answered, let's move on to the good stuff. Halle has served as the global brand ambassador for Revlon for over 10 years, and she's set to launch a campaign for the brand's new ColorStay Whipped Creme foundation (which hits shelves June 1).

With Halle's impossibly glowing skin, it's hard not to want to know her skin-care secrets. The actress has a few pearls of wisdom to share on how she maintains her luminous look, along with her tips for living a happy and beautiful life. Find out Halle's advice, the reason she changed her hairstyle, and more when you continue reading.

4 Steps to Achieving Better Brows in a Flash

Jessica Cruel — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

The eyebrows are the frames for beautiful eyes (that means they are important). And now that full, bold brows are in style, having the right moves for filling them in is essential. Makeup artist Floriane David of Make Up For Ever Academy reveals her expert secrets to achieving your best brows.

Form an outline: Start by using an angled brow brush to draw one long stroke underneath and above the eyebrow, advises David. This will help highlight your arch and create boundaries to color within.
Make high arches: Because the arch is the most important part of your brow look, it's where you should begin applying filler. This way, the arch will get the bulk of the product from your angled brush, making it a point of intensity.
Fill it in: Next, sweep your brush from the arch to the outer corner, keeping in mind that the last two-thirds of your brow should be the darkest. Then, move from the inner corner to the arch to blend, keeping in mind that this area of the brow should be filled in the lightest for the most natural look. When your brush is devoid of product, blend the end of your brow so that it tapers off at the tail.
Brighten up: As a final step, use a shimmering highlighter underneath the arch, on the cheekbone right below the eyes, and at the bridge of the nose. Hello, bright eyes.

Link Time: The Versatile Glass Lamp, Eco Summer Vacations, and Pinterest-Friendly Design Quotes

Elka Karl — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:30:57 PDT

Need a neutral? These glass lamps are incredibly versatile. - Houzz
Love farmers markets? See if your favorite farmers market made this list of the best.- Country Living
Take a peek inside celebrity designer Jeff Andrews's gorgeous home. - Curbed
See why this Top Design alum loves to use Pinterest. - Stylelist Home
Tired of cliche cruises? These eco-oriented adventure vacations are the perfect remedy. - EcoSalon
These 35 designer secrets need their own Pinterest board! - House Beautiful

How Not to Destroy Your Marriage

The Good Men Project — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:30:42 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Mark Tyrrell offers eight relationship tools to make your marriage work.

"All marriages are happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble." - Raymond Hull

So how do you make your marriage work? Or do you just blindly hope it'll take care of itself?

Think of a hot, successful date with someone you’re attracted to. You have fun, great conversation and more sexual chemistry than a warehouse full of pheromones. You don’t have to “work at” the date because it’s self sustaining. It runs as smoothly as the gliding hand of a classical guitar maestro and you can’t wait for another rendition.

Teenage Dating in a Twilight-Hunger Games World

But marriage, or any long term relationship; well that’s a whole other caboodle.

If we’re not careful, marriage can deteriorate into little more than a torturous assault course; littered with routine boredoms, frustrations and resentments. Couple all that with external pressures and sometimes marriage feels not worth the effort. But there are major benefits to being hitched or committed, other than just a beneficial tax regime.

Healthy marriage; healthy people.

Being happily married bestows heaps of health benefits. You might be forgiven for thinking that if you’re married you don’t live longer it just seems like it but, no, a good marriage really can help you clock up more years (1) and married people are happier (2) even though they don’t always look it from the outside.

But when marriage doesn’t work it can feel being manacled to a maniac, marooned with a misogynist or nailed to a nag. And I don’t care what the studies say, that’s not healthy. You may hear couples say stuff like: “We are making our marriage work!” but how do we do this?

Making it work.

We pay lip service to “working on the marriage” but what is the work we need to do? Marriage vows such as “to love and to cherish” and “forsaking all others, for better or for worse” don’t really tell us how to make it work, although they give us a clue.

Fortunately a ton of research has been done on what to do and not do to make your marriage, or any intimate relationship work. Follow the guidelines here to become “good at marriage."

Tip one: Be romantic but keep it real.

We are all (force?) fed romance in movies and novels. The handsome man gets the beautiful woman. But what I wonder is what happens after our romantic couple ride off into the sunset together? What do they do exactly? Bicker? Moan at one another? Start to ignore each other?

After all that romance, our beautiful couple is bound to have massive expectations of their life together. But when rose tinted expectations clash with day to reality, watch out!

Romance is vital in any relationship. Always seeing the best in your partner helps to keep things intimate and love should be expressed. But if you have been raised on Mills and Boon Romance novels or feel-good movies, then your own romantic expectations can work against the sustainability of your long term relationship.

When day to day life fails to live up to the giddy, heady lust-filled days of the pre-settled down romance people can become angry, even blame one another: “This wasn’t what I signed up for." They find it hard to take the rough with the smooth because they never really figured there would be any rough.

Expectations not diluted with at least a dash of realism can be a royal road to relationship ruin. Your partner may be an angel, but they have feet of clay. You must learn to love those feet or at least accept them a bit!

Get the rest after the jump!

The Hottest Spots in the World For Design Inspiration: Morocco, Britain, Cuba, and Two Other Amazing Destinations

Guest Writer — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:56:53 PDT

We're thrilled to present a post from Ashley Read at SFA Design. Ashley recently attended the Los Angeles design event, Legends, and reported back to us on the latest trends and inspirations from the event.

Named "LA's premier destination for home design" by House Beautiful, the La Cienega Design Quarter is chock-full of the hottest interior design studios, showrooms, and galleries. Until recently, this chic neighborhood has been a trade secret among design professionals, but with the 4th Annual Legends of La Cienega event coming to a close, it seems that the LCDQ is a secret no more!

For those not yet in the know, the Legends event is a who's who gathering of the top designers, design publications, and vendors, similar to the West Week events, but in a more relaxed, neighborly setting. Each year comes with a relevant theme: last year celebrated art, and for 2012, Legends designers shared their international inspirations via "Windows to the World," complete with panel discussions and window displays depicting an exciting array of location-based inspirations from Abu Dhabi to Antarctica, Kenya to Côte d'Azur.

Attending all of the amazing panel discussions was a real eye-opener and definitely caused me to add a few new spots to my "travel bucket list!" Check out a few international inspiration tips we picked up from the A-list Legends panelists, and instead of Paris or Tuscany, try looking to Fes, Morocco, or Vietnam as your next design muse . . .