BellaSugar

12 Days of Holiday Beauty: A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Jaime Richards — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:00:33 PST

Traditionally, the 12 Days of Christmas begin on Dec. 25, and last until Jan. 5. That's a lot of celebrating, no? But since Christmas is just 12 days away, let's partake in a bit of preholiday revelry Bella-style. Using the classic tune "The 12 Days of Christmas" as inspiration for our anticipation, let's kick off this series off with the first day: a partridge in a pear tree:

Top off that fancy updo with Marc by Marc Jacobs Save the Birds Hairclips ($25) or the seasonally-appropriate Isn't It Pheasant Headband ($17). Get fruity (smelling) with Philosophy's Philosophy I'm Dreaming of White Pear Gel ($16) or Pre de Provence Apple Pear Soap ($7). And for a bit of glisten with a sweet finish, Love and Toast Prickly Pear Lip Balm ($17) or Kiehl's Lip Gloss in Pear Tree ($15).

You're My Angel: 6 Cheerfully Cherubic Beauty Finds

Jaime Richards — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:00:30 PST

Ding! Every time a bell rings, an angel gets her lipstick, er. wings. And since 'tis the season for angelic ways, let's take a look at a few cherubic beauty goods. It turns out that shades of pink and blue, along with metallic accents of silver and gold, seem to dominate the color schemes of what beauty product manufacturers seem to think these celestial beings embody. So blast Aerosmith's "Angel," and check out these discoveries below:

For your hair: Wash your locks (or body) with Philosophy's Snow Angel Gel ($16), give your style some hold with Nick Chavez's Angel Wings Light Hairspray ($22), and top off your coiffure with the delightfully sweet Giddy Giddy Angel Wing Felt Hair Clips ($16 for two).
For your body: Nostalgia Organics's Angel Kiss Peppermint Joy Soap ($8) will awaken the senses - and maybe even your spiritual side.
For your face: For a sweet touch, Boots No7's Stay Perfect Lipstick in Angel ($10) is a sweet pink accent. But every angel has its own set of problems, hence the Becca Fallen Angel eye makeup palette ($45), which includes a not-so-sinful opalescent peach highlighter, tawny peach lip and cheek crème, sheer peach gloss, and crème brush.

Are You More or Less Likely to Use a Beauty Product If There's a Religious Theme?

Jaime Richards — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 06:00:18 PDT

A few weeks ago on Glee in an episode titled "Grilled Cheesus," Finn has a spiritual awakening after discovering an image of Jesus's face in his grilled cheese sandwich. (I still can't get over the fact that he actually ate the sandwich after a week.) This episode got me thinking about the many beauty products available with religious undertones. For instance: Looking Good For Jesus lip balm ($7), Demeter's Holy Water ($6 to $40), Looking Good For Jesus bubble bath ($12), and the Buddha toothbrush holder. While some people consider these items sacrilegious, others may find an element of charm to them. How do you feel about these types of goods?

Bubbles + Play-Doh = Good Times

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:00:20 PDT

Whether you have an actual 6-year-old or are just an eternal kid like us, this adorable Red Leaf Bubble Bath Dough ($12) looks like it would be super fun. You can play with the dough, then when you're tired of molding log cabins and LOL cats, just rub it between your hands under hot water and voila! - a ginormous tub full of bubbles. The dough also comes in a bunch of distinctly non-kiddy scents, like Lavender, Lettuce, Black Tea, and Clover, so you'll smell like a grown-up when you hop out of the tub. So cute.

DIY: Make Your Own Bubble Bath

BellaSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:00:00 PDT

Over the weekend, I was really looking forward to a nice, fluffy, over-the-top kind of bubble bath. But, alas, the bubble part was missing. Realizing I had run out of my stash of sudsy products, I got to thinking that I should just make my own. So, I searched the Internet to find an environmentally friendly recipe. Check out this option below. It's easy on the budget, as well as the senses.

Gather together: one quart of warmed water; two ounces of liquid glycerin, like Nature's Answer Glycerine Extract ($9.50) or Heritage Store Vegetable Glycerin ($5); one four-ounce bar of castile soap, like Kirk's Natural Products Castile Bar Soap ($5); and several drops of your favorite essential oils to scent. Grate or chop up the soap and add to the warm water. Stir to melt. Add the essential oils and glycerin, store in an airtight container, and enjoy.

Doing Drugstore: EO Nighty Nite Bubble Bath

BellaSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:10:59 PST

What's a girl to do when she wakes up already stressed out and overwhelmed? It's the situation I faced this morning, and made a counterintuitive choice that turned out perfectly – I picked up a bottle of EO Nighty Night Bubble Bath ($7.99).

I admit that conjuring up bedtime is not exactly the best start to a work day, but the main ingredients of blue chamomile and lavender promised to soothe, and soothe they did. The mildly floral scent lingered in my bathroom to make me feel like I was wandering through a field of lavender, not putting on concealer and brushing my teeth.

Hours later, I'm still mellow but not sleepy (I'm thinking the coffee helped with that). I may just try this again tonight while sipping some chamomile tea for sleepy time. After all, this product had some of the longest-lasting bubbles of any I've reviewed, making me want to linger way longer than my AM routine allowed.

Beauty Mark It Results: Bubble Baths

BellaSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:00:21 PST

Bubble baths are the ultimate luxury. All you need is some suds, water, and a glass of Riunite on Ice - and all is good with the world. Lately, I've been on a bubble bath kick and I'm looking for some new products. So, for last week's Beauty Mark It challenge, I asked you to share with us which bubble baths were extra foamy and which ones fell flat.

Thanks to all of you who reviewed and here are some of my favorites below:

Tngirly was apprehensive about purchasing Juniper Spruce Herbal Bath by Dresdner ($3.30): "Juniper? It did not make me think of a relaxing time - but once I poured it into the bath and I sunk in, I felt like I was bathing in the middle of a pine forest! It is a heavenly scent and leaves your skin feeling great once you are done."
MandyWH reviewed Origins Ginger Float ($26): "Origins Ginger Float bubble bath is totally luxurious and soothing - if you can hold back from eating the contents of the jar before you have a chance to dump it in your bath. Seriously, how do they make this smell so good?"
Angelica declared that Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Wish Softening Body Wash ($15) was "not heavenly for me!": "I used this at a friend's house and developed a decidedly heavenly rash. If you don't have sensitive skin and like the scent you might fare better, but it didn't go over well with my skin."

Source

Product Review: Philosophy Amazing Grace Shower Gel

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:00:23 PDT

To smell Amazing Grace shower gel is to love the scent. It's soft, slightly sweet, and it somehow reminds me of that wonderful clean-baby smell. (Oprah loves it so much that she named it one of her favorite things in 2005!) But as much as I love the scent, I don't love this shower gel. It's supposed to be a three-in-one body cleanser, shampoo and bubble bath. Unfortunately, it's a good bubble bath, only an adequate shower gel, and a lousy shampoo.

First, I tried Amazing Grace as a shower gel. I was so excited about smelling good afterward, and I happily lathered myself up. During the shower, everything was great, but the scent didn't linger. A few days later, I used it as a bubble bath and was happy with the bubbles, but found that my skin got a little dried-out. Until this point, it was no big deal. But then I made the mistake of using the gel as a shampoo. Quelle horreur! Despite thoroughly rinsing my hair, it was left with a dirty, greasy feeling. Amazing Grace smells wonderful and I'd like to try it in a different form, but as a shampoo, it's just amazingly yech.

See reader reviews of this product and add your own here!

Be Mine: Rub A Dub Dub Me

FabSugar — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:58:22 PST

Sexual chocolate? Check! Sexy outfit? Check! Mood lighting? Check! What else does one need for a romantic night on Valentine's Day? Ah yes, a seduction location. With everything else standing by, all you need is to draw a bubble bath and see where the night takes you. Oh! And here's some bubbly to go with your bubbles. Check out a couple of my favorite bubble baths:

Molton Brown Inspiring Wild-Indigo Bath & Shower gel, $25. This is a unique scent and is said to be therapeutic - based on my experience it works wonders after a long day.

A couple more,

read more Aveeno Stress Relief Foaming Bath, $5.99. I know I've stated I'm not a huge lavender fan but this isn't overpowering and Aveeno products are really fab.
Philosophy Red Velvet Cake, $16. I haven't tried this flavor, but I love these 3-in-1 Philosophy products and I love Red Velvet Cake!

10 Warm Ways to Beat the Single Blues This Winter

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:56:47 PST

Winter can be a cold and lonely time for those who are single - but not anymore! We've got 10 snuggling substitutions that will keep you warm and comfy until the chilly weather relents, and you're hit with a case of Spring fever. Bubble baths, blazing fireplaces, and lots of hot chocolate are just a few ways to feel safe and snug. Click through to see what ways you can warm up.