BellaSugar

How to Apply Blush on Square Faces

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:48 -0800

Having a square face can be hard - you've got such gorgeous bone structure, but almost none of the application techniques commonly taught play up your features while softening any hard angles you might have. Square girls like Jessica Simpson have stylists on hand to help them, and you deserve assistance, too. So for my how-to, read on.

Four Makeup Tips You Won't Forget

BellaSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:23 -0700

After chatting with La Prairie's color ambassador, Raychel Wade, I was impressed with her simple makeup tips. Earlier, I shared with you her advice on lip-color essentials for your purse and her foolproof way to wear a dark lip; today, it's all about her blush and concealer how-tos. They struck a chord with me, and I think they will with you, too. To check them out, keep reading.

How to Apply Blush For Your Face Shape: Round

BellaSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:46 -0700

Round faces like Kirsten Dunst's tend to be petite, so blush can look like an all-over wash of color instead of a natural flush if you don't have the correct application techniques. My friend Joselyn swears by these steps for the perfect blush:

Use a fan brush, which is great for accurate application on smaller faces, to apply blush in a boomerang shape, with the tips right under the outer corners of your eyes and the fullest part of the arc under the inner corners of your eyes.
Continue using the fan brush to fill in the boomerang.
Use a medium-sized brush to blend your blush, making sure not to sweep the color any lower than the bottom of your cheekbones and no further out than the ends of your eyebrows.
Apply a touch of blush along your upper temples and to the center of your chin to give your face a little more definition.

How to Apply Blush For Your Face Shape: Rectangular

BellaSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:00:25 -0700

Rectangular faces like Gisele Bundchen's have great definition and can look devastatingly dramatic, but even those of us with amazing cheekbones still need good advice when it comes to makeup application. For the best blush application technique for your face, read on

How to Apply Blush For Your Face Shape: Oval

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:17 -0700

Oval faces like Rihanna's are desirable when it comes to hair and makeup because they're the easiest to work with. But the fact that your face is adaptable doesn't mean that you should always have to take generic beauty tips. To get the best blush for your face, read on.

Start using a sponge or medium powder brush. Dot a circle of blush onto the highest segment of your cheekbones, the part that sticks out furthest from your face.
Use a medium brush to sweep a lighter wash of blush up to your temples and a little bit up your hairline.
Blend well.
Apply a tiny touch of blush to the center of your chin for added definition.

Reader Review of the Day: Mark Good Glowing Custom Pick Powder Blush

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:00:12 -0700

Reader Steen has found a great budget blush in Mark Good Glowing Custom Pick Powder Blush ($6), a fragrance-free cheek enhancer that can be popped in and out of a compact for a customized palette. Take it away, Steen:

I ordered this in Kitten Glo and After Glo (a much-loved duplicate for NARS Orgasm). The color payoff is pretty crazy, so you have to keep a light hand with these, but they're definitely worth it. After Glo is my favorite! It's the perfect peachy color and adds a nice, natural color to my cheeks.

Do you have any favorite makeup shades that are rather similar to their more expensive counterparts? Let us know about your bargain finds by heading to our Product Reviews section. Perhaps your opinion will be featured right here on this daily post.

Reader Review of the Day: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Sheer Highlighting Blush

BellaSugar — Sat, 30 May 2009 08:03:41 -0700

Blushes with multiple colors are a great way to get the benefits of various colors, without having to buy an overabundance of product. Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Blends Sheer Highlighting Blush ($12.80) has a touch of color with a slight shimmery finish. Reader Laura220 is impressed, and here's why:

For me, this is expensive for blush, but it's so worth it. I'm very light-skinned, and this doesn't look silly on me at all. It matches my natural pink tones, and it blends well. I use it with a bigger brush than what is given in the compact because that's my preference.

What's your favorite blush or summery product? Let us know about it on the Product Reviews pages and I might just put it in the spotlight for all to see!

Three Makeup Colors That Look Great on Almost Everyone

BellaSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:00:22 -0700

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Yves St. Laurent national makeup artist, Dell Ashley, at the San Francisco Saks 5th Avenue cosmetics counter. Thanks to his expertise, I'll be sharing some of his best tips and tricks for accentuating your beauty over the next few weeks. Let's start off with three makeup shades that he says look great on practically everybody. (Don't worry if you can't swing the cost of YSL's luxe products. You can always try similar shades at the drugstore if you're on a budget.)

A mauve-pink lipstick: Not too pink, not too purple, and not too brown, YSL's Pure Lipstick in #66 Rosewood ($30) is naturally flattering. "I have yet to put it on a person that didn't like it," Ashley says.
A glowing peachy blush: "For summertime, a peachy color is always pretty. It's going to give you a nice glow without looking heavy," he explains. YSL's Blush Variation in #18 Coral Sand ($44) combines both a matte and iridescent finish to create a complementary subtle peachy-pink shade with slightly golden undertones.
A champagne shadow: A perfectly balanced shade, YSL's Water Resistant Cream Eyeshadow in #1 Pink Sands ($28.50) is a soft, slightly shimmery pink that lends a subtle glow.

Photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue, San Francisco

Reader Review of the Day: Clinique Quick Blush

BellaSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:00:59 -0700

It's always great to find a makeup brush and blush you like, but it's even better when you find one that's put together in a compact package - brush included. Reader SparkyQPublic said that Clinique's all-in-one Quick Blush ($21.50) gave her "pretty cheeks pretty quick." Here's why she loves it:

The brush is generously sized and super-soft, but best of all, it does not retract back into itself when pressed against skin. Also, the brush will reach completely into the cap that holds the blush so I don't anticipate having to break the blush cake to get the rest of it out when most of it has been used. The blush cake has the same texture as a traditional Clinique blush and blends beautifully. I have been wearing Pronto Pink, which looks bright pink in the cap, but blends into a lovely flush and has good lasting power. On the go or not, this blush is definitely worth checking out.

If you'd like the opportunity to be featured on this daily post, it's easy. Just head over to our Product Reviews website and review away. Try it out!

Doing Drugstore: CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Blush

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:00:32 -0700

Blush can be intimidating. Just a swirl and swish too many can make the difference between lightly flushed and clown cheeks. I've had my share of missteps, and when I saw how pink the CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Blush appeared in the container, I worried that I might have another Bozo moment.

Not so. The "Shimmering Sands" shade was so subtle, it nearly looked sheer. Once I inspected my face in daylight, the iridescent glow – with the prettiest hint of pink – was more visible. Very natural, very pretty. This brush and blush is safe from cross-contamination, making it handy for any mineral-based products. (I see another re-purposing project in my future.) So don't be scared by the bubblegum hue. If you're looking for light shimmer and a hint of pink, this may be just the blush for you.