BellaSugar

Would You Ever Bleach Your Eyebrows?

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:40:00 PDT

Supermodel Lara Stone has been bleaching her eyebrows for years, it's said, after former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld recommended she do so. Lara does look fetching with barely-there brows, but outside being a runway model, would you ever consider bleaching your brows?

How-To: Rid Yourself of the "Moustache Shadow"

BellaSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:00:11 PDT

Cheese! You smile for the camera, and you're looking rather lovely. But once you see those pictures, you wonder why your appearance is just a bit too "Tom Selleck-y" for your liking (Gratitutious pic of Magnum, P.I. to your right - wink). Well, maybe it's not that extreme, but when it comes to your upper lip, you definitely aren't hoping for a dark, stubbled 'stache.

Wait, it's not even upper lip hair that is getting you all upset. After all, you just did a little hair removal over the weekend, and there's no way it's already reared its way back to the surface. Well, then - what exactly is casting this unwanted shadow that's taken up residence upon your face?

It could be the bluish/green hues of veins, which are causing your distress.

In this case, try using a concealing cream in a corrective color to help mask the undertones common in veins. A pinkish/yellow hue should do the trick. I like Benefit It Stick ($20).

It could be melasma, which is hyperpigmentation that can be caused by hormones (sometimes from the pill or other medications). To add insult to injury, irritation from the sun and/or removing hair from the upper lip can aggravate this area even further. Find out what treatments will help fade melasma related spotting and

Professional Teeth Whitening: What You Should Know

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Many toothpaste makers also sell over-the-counter teeth whitening strips to help make your smile dazzle. If you have severe discoloration, these strips may not give you the results you're after. That's when professional teeth whitening may cross your mind, so here are some things you should know.

Your teeth are equipped with an enamel surface that's designed to protect your teeth from the effects of coffee, smoking, wine, and aging. Over the years though, your enamel begins to wear down so it becomes more transparent, and the yellowish color of dentin (your tooth's core) begins to show through. Also with time, tiny cracks form in the enamel that allows debris and stains to sink in, which adds to the dull, grayish color.

When you have your teeth professionally whitened, the stains and debris are removed but the cracks will still remain. That means eventually your teeth will need to be whitened again to get that same desired white smile. People choose this option instead of over-the-counter whitening products because dentists have access to high-concentration peroxide gel, so you can achieve better results in a shorter amount of time. To find out what the risks of teeth whitening are

read more. The downside to professional whitening is that this stronger whitening formula can also cause extreme tooth sensitivity and gum irritation (which can last up to a month), not to mention it's much more expensive (around $650 per dentist visit). Depending on how stained your teeth are and how they respond to the gel, it may take several visits to acquire the whiteness you're after. Plus if you have crowns or porcelain veneers, the whitening won't affect them, so you could end up with what dentists call technicolor teeth (multi-colored teeth). Fit's Tip: Experts say that teeth whitening is safe, as long as the products are approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). If you're considering professional teeth whitening, it's best to chat with your dentist about your options. Source

What's Your Take on Whitening Products?

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:08:11 PDT

Whitening products are a fast-growing segment of the beauty industry in Asia, the Middle East and Africa; for many people, having light, porcelain-like skin is considered ideal. While I understand that every culture has different concepts of beauty, it saddens me to think about the number of women who inevitably think something's wrong with their dark skin. It's easy to understand why Sweetstrawberry, who lives in Korea, feels so frustrated by the narrow ideals she encounters at school.

As globalization spreads, this issue isn't likely to go away anytime soon. While some of the controversy can be attributed to cultural differences-after all, Caucasian people get spray-on tans!-you can't argue with the potential danger of certain whitening products. Those that contain hydroquinone and other mercury-based products can lead to skin blisters and burns (and, ironically, darkening). In some cases, they can lead to nerve damage and even death.

Of course, not all whitening products are worrisome. Some aren't terribly far from what you'd find in your average American Walgreens; they're just sold under a different name. These products are safe because they're not about bleaching the skin; instead, they aim to even out the complexion and protect against age spots. Yet much of the marketing language implies that dark skin is a disorder that needs to be cured. An ad for Olay White Radiance, for instance, "fights the five signs of skin darkening." Pond's just launched a White Beauty Detox product line in India last month. And then there's a Fair & Lovely commercial, whose heroine shows that without the whitening cream, she'd be a jobless, dateless loser. To see it,

read more So, putting aside the hilarity of that swarthy TV producer for a moment, what do you think about whitening products? Are they just filling a market demand along the lines of self-tanner for Caucasians, or are they creating a "solution" for a problem that doesn't exist?

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."

Best Practices: Extend the Life of Your Workout Wear

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:37:43 PST

You splurged on $70 capris, but since they make such a difference in the way you feel during workouts, you'll never go back to cheapo clothes again. Because you've shelled out a lot of dough for these items, it's best to know how to take care of your workout clothes so they'll last. Always check the label or the brand's website for care instructions, and to answer a few common concerns about washing wicking-wear, we spoke to a few of our fave brands to get the skinny on the matter.

Go With Cold
We spoke with Zobha, Lululemon, and SmartWool, and they all agree: wash your technical and wool workout garments in cold water. No need to hand wash either! Just drop your clothes into the machine. But Lululemon adds "avoid washing with fluffy clothing (i.e. big cotton sweatshirts)" so your favorite leggings don't end up with a bunch of unwanted lint as decoration.

Say No to Bleach and Fabric Softeners
Bleach does not play nice with technical fabrics, so these brands say to avoid it. When it comes to your woolens, SmartWool recommends avoiding fabric softeners "because they coat the merino wool fibers and reduce the fibers' ability to naturally manage moisture and regulate your body temperature."

To Tumble Dry or Not
When it comes to drying your gear, all these brands agree: it's perfectly acceptable to tumble dry your clothes on low. Lululemon does provide the caveat that "hanging to dry will help prolong the life of the garment." I find using the dryer helps lessen the stink factor that affects some of my workout wear. Plus it saves time - I hate when I grab a pair of air-drying capris for my morning workout and they're still damp.

If you have more questions on washing your fave pieces of gear, read up on how to wash workout clothes for more tips.

Guy Fieri Hopes to Take Over the Wing World With New Sauces Out This Month

Susannah Chen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:30:27 PST

Aside from his new show with Rachael Ray, what's Guy Fieri been up to lately? Besides shilling signature framed sunglasses, our favorite bleach-tipped babe is capitalizing on the Super Bowl snack craze with a brand-new line of chicken wing sauces, out in stores this month. Guy! Guy Fieri offers three flavors of chicken wing sauce to float your bar-snacking boat: Buffalo NY, Habañero Mustard, and Korean BBQ. We tried them all. Find out whether they flamed or fizzled when you keep reading.

Suddenly, Barbie Is Looking Very Burning Man

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:05:54 PST

London salon Bleach is famous for its daring hairstyling and amazing color, and now it has a very important new client. And though she may only be 11 inches tall, she's got a whole lot of style cred. For two weeks, colorists and stylists from Bleach are creating hairstyling masterpieces on none other than Barbie, she of the eminently chewable feet and statement eye shadow. So far, the stylists have done everything from the rainbow rope braid above to star-print extensions and wild dip-dyed color. They're all impressive and well worth checking out. Plus, each Barbie style creator details exactly how they made the look, just in case you want to go a little wild yourself.

What We're Sweet On: The Deepest of Deep Conditioners

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:45:03 PST

Sometimes, bad things happen to your hair. Whether it gets burned on a flat iron, fried by a bad perm, or reduced to string by a too-high lift bleach, the (literal) fallout can be extremely depressing and super frizzy to boot. Enter Global Keratin's deep conditioner ($36), which makes even totally destroyed hair look nice and shiny again. It's a long conditioning pack - 20 minutes with a cap on, running a hair dryer over your head to keep it warm - but the results are well worth it. We used it twice over the holidays, and it made our totally destroyed strands look soft and sleek again for about three days. It's not cheap, but a tub of the stuff should last you until your hair's grown out a little, and it's great to have for special occasions when you need to have some semblance of a healthy mane.

Week in Review: DIY Bath Salts, Gorgeous Nails, and More

BellaSugar — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:19:20 PST

Check out our latest BellaTV episode and some of our favorite stories from the week:

These homemade bath salts would make a great holiday gift.
December's hottest new nail polishes.
Five easy makeup mistake fixes.
Great stocking stuffers under $25.
Bring back these old timey beauty products.
Bleach London makes wild-haired Barbies.
The secret to fixing dried-out eyeliner.