BellaSugar

Oh Dear! Another Sugar Girl Beauty Interview

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:00:42 -0700

So I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm the beauty-obsessed one here, but DearSugar often shows me up. Her long hair always looks perfect, and she can do a smoky eye like a professional makeup artist. To find out how she gets her everyday-glam look, read on.

Which beauty products are your must-haves?
Diorshow mascara in black, MAC tinted moisturizer, and Chanel black eyeliner pencil.

What’s your favorite beauty ritual?
I never wash my hair or wear makeup on Fridays so I feel extra pretty on Friday night when I get all dolled up.

For the rest of the interview, read more.

What’s your go-to lip product?
Chanel lip gloss in Syrup and my new favorite NARS lip pencil in Bettina.

What is your morning beauty routine?
Low-key! Moisturize, tinted moisturizer, mascara and lip gloss.

What’s your signature fragrance?
An oil called Faith from Madison LA.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
To wash your face before you go to bed - and I do it every night without fail!

And the worst advice?
No one told me when I was younger to wear sunscreen. My dad is very dark-skinned and has never worn it before in his life, so they never forced me to either since we have similar skin.

Any tips or tricks you want to share with readers?
Always keep your eyeliner sharpened, not to a point, but if it’s in need of a sharpen, it will smear all over your eyes. Not a good look!

Your favorite drugstore beauty product?
Aquaphor

When do you feel the most beautiful?
In the morning while on vacation anywhere tropical. Being sun-kissed and relaxed makes me feel beautiful.

Play Any of Our Fabulous Faceoff Games and Win a Wii!

Molly — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:00:00 -0800

It all started with Celebrity Faceoff, which brought a new definition to addictive, but lately we've gone a little Faceoff crazy here on Sugar. From Project Runway Faceoff to Which Girl's Name Is More Popular to Who's The Bigger Douche, the games just keep getting more fun - and what better way to celebrate than with a giveaway! Starting now and going until midnight on February 29, play any of our Faceoff games for a chance to win a Nintendo Wii! Your number of entries is based on your daily high score across every Faceoff game that you play and the winners will be chosen randomly from there - official rules here. Click below to get started playing Which Couple is Cuter or find any of our other Faceoff games.

Win $10,000 by Playing Celebrity Faceoff!

PopSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:00:00 -0800

Who wouldn't like a little cash to get started on that Spring wardrobe or fund a Winter beach vacation? Well good news because we are giving away $500 a day and $10,000 to one lucky grand prize winner!

To be eligible to win, all you have to do is play the Celebrity Faceoff game. If you love playing, but just can't seem to get your name on that leaderboard, then this is your lucky day because to win the prize you don't have to be a top scorer! Your personal high score will be the amount of times you are entered into the random drawing each day. Get 85 right - be entered 85 times! Your cumulative high score for the month will determine how many times you are entered to win the grand prize, so play every day for more chances to win $10,000! Check out the official rules here.

Source

Welcome, TrèsSugar!

Molly — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:45:00 -0700

There's a new girl in the Sugar network - we're extremely pleased to announce the launch of TrèsSugar.com! Smart, sexy, and fun, Très is bringing a unique new voice to our community as the go-to site for breaking news, love, and sex and the humorous links and videos that your friends are just waiting for you to forward them. To celebrate we're having the ultimate giveaway including a gorgeous bag, Kindle 2, iPod Touch, and more.

TrèsSugar is here to be on top of what's going on right now across the Internet and around the world. It's the ultimate site to stay informed, let your opinions be heard, and have some lighthearted fun when you need a break. In addition to discussion of the news and cultural trends you need to know right now, TrèsSugar offers:

Advice for all life's sticky situations
The day's most popular video clips
News-making photographs
Daily horoscopes

She'll also offer fun features like:

Conventional Wisdom, an advice column answered by non-experts from every walk of life
Say What? The best quotes from the past and present
Plus plenty of breaks for Cute Alerts and Sexy Time

You may notice that CitizenSugar, DearSugar, and GiggleSugar now all redirect to TrèsSugar.com, which will bring us a combination of the best possible content from all three sites and the editors you love. We're so excited to bring you our new site with everything a woman needs to know, now - check out TrèsSugar.com!

The Votes Are In: Best Mascara Is Dior

BellaSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:00:40 -0800

While drugstore varieties Maybelline and CoverGirl (along with luxe Lancôme) were neck-in-neck for second place in the Best Mascara of 2008 showdown, it seems that the majority of you adore Dior when it comes to mascara. Our very own DearSugar agrees. "I can't tell you how much I love my Dior!" she said with gusto.

As for me, my favorite mascara of the year is Givenchy's truly unique Phenomen'Eyes Mascara. It made some of my sparsest of lashes look longer and thicker. Yeah, it took some getting used to, but once I got it down, I was sold. Are you excited to see some more results? Check out the rest of our Best of 2008 coverage throughout the Sugar network from food to celebs to movies.

What to Do About "Chicken Skin"?

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:00:11 -0700

I love playing the role of DearSugar, even if it is just for a fleeting moment, so when team member alliallialli wrote in, I just had to reply:

Hi Bella! Seeing as about one half of the population supposedly has keratosis pilaris, but what the heck are you to do about it? One member left a comment on my profile page about a lotion from Sephora that works, but it's a tad expensive and I don't live near a Sephy...I was wondering if you could shed some light on the subject?

Keratosis pilaris, is a genetic condition of bumps on the skin, which often looks like goose bumps or acne. Commonly known as "chicken skin," the bumps can be inflamed, rough, bumpy, and/or rashy.

There is no known treatment for the condition, but it tends to reduce with age. To make less noticable: prevent excess dryness by using a moisturizing, mild soap-free cleanser, then exfoliate with a light buffer. Finish off by applying a lotion with alpha hydroxy, glycolic, salicylic, or lactic acid, and of course - don't scratch or pick. Coconut oil is said to help, too. Prescription treatments are available, if needed.

Source

Hair Static Dilemma: Avoid "The Einstein"

BellaSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:00:24 -0700

I love when I get to dabble in the advice-giving role, much like our DearSugar does on a daily basis, so when I got the following question from TeamSugar member hottpink, I just had to help. She writes,

I have very fine hair that's about chin-length. When I wake up every morning, my hair looks like I stuck my finger in a light socket! It literally stands up and out making me look like Albert Einstein. What can I do so that I won't wake up looking like a crazy-haired monster?

I've always had a soft spot for ol' Albert's mane, but I can see why it might not fly all of the time. For my genius advice, just read more.

Sorry to hear about this hair-raising (sorry) dilemma. Flyaways are common in hair that is fine, straight, and/or dry. That, plus the combination of your hair rubbing against the fabric on your pillowcase, generates static electricity. Check out my guide below for some tips to help tame your unruly tresses, and hopefully your hair will be flat in no time, er flat:

As crazy as it sounds, try rubbing a dryer sheet on your pillow before bed or on your hair in the morning. Just as this anti-static staple rids your clothes of the cling, the dryer sheets should rid your hair of the flyaways.
Try the old trick of spraying a comb with hairspray, then lightly running it through your hair. This cheap and easy tip will help put out the charges causing the static, plus it will help your locks stay put.
Avoid overwashing, which can cause dryness - which can then make your hair more susceptible to the frizzies. To keep hair fresh, try a light rejuvenating spray between washings such as Mario Russo Once a Day Spray ($7.50 to $17.50) or Dove Advanced Care Daily Moisture Therapy ($4.84).
Try an anti-static comb and/or heating tool, which work to reduce the negative ions in your hair. Try Bio Ionic Hybrid Bristle Paddle Brush ($30) and/or heating tool like Hot Tools 1875 watt Anti-Static Ion Dryer ($36).

Source

When You Don't Want to Leave Your Mark...

BellaSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 13:05:21 -0800

Last week, DearSugar sported a fancy red manicure. Unfortunately, it didn't last long before it smudged. She got the manicure around 6pm, went to bed around midnight, and woke up the next morning with sheet marks marking up the polish. I thought she was pulling my leg, but she showed me the evidence, which I have documented Dragnet-style here.

I'd be pretty steamed if I'd just paid for a manicure and it took a detour to Smudge City after having more than five hours of drying time. But in the future, there are a few ways you can avoid this annoyance. To find out what they are, read more

The most likely culprit of this crime against cuticles is thick, gloopy nail polish. Nail polish thickens over time, making it more difficult to spread smoothly and dry quickly. If you notice a consistency that's uneven or tacky, toss the bottle. (And at the nail salon, give the polish bottle a roll to gauge it.)
Another cause of smudged polish is applying too much polish, or not allowing time for the polish to start to dry between coats. If you brush on too much polish or go for a second coat too soon, you're asking for trouble.
If you have your nails done by someone else: I wouldn't ask the nail salon for a refund, but I do think it's worth bringing up the smudges next time you're there. For instance, DearSugar could say something like, "I love coming here because you always do such a wonderful job with such-and-such. Last time, though, it seemed like the polish took a really long time to dry, and I woke up with sheet marks on my nails. Any idea why that might have happened?" That way, you're still friendly, and presenting the issue as something that the nail salon might be able to solve.
Finally, keep it all in perspective. Smudged nails are minor annoyances, so don't stress out about them.

Welcome E. Jean Carroll from Elle Magazine!!

PopSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 23:40:12 -0700

We are thrilled to announce that Elle Magazine's veteran advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is joining forces with the Sugar Network! She'll be lending her no-nonsense advice and witty sense of humor to our advice site, DearSugar.

Tune in every Thursday to read E. Jean's responses to your burning questions. Check out the first installment here. Your anonymous questions will be chosen at random by E. Jean herself, so ask a question here.

Can't wait for E. Jean to respond? Check out the Ask E. Jean question box located underneath the "Editor's Picks" on DearSugar to get an instant hilarious and fun video response your question!

Nair: Now For 10-Year-Olds!

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:21:07 -0700

Remember the story about pre-teens' crazy beauty routines? It looks like those girls might be part of a bigger trend. The New York Times reports on Nair's new endeavor: Marketing a new product line to 10- to 15-year-olds.

Intended for middle-schoolers, Nair Pretty is a chemical hair remover that comes in kiwi and peach scents. The packaging features illustrations of teenage girls, and along those lines, the print advertisements target the girls directly. “I am a citizen of the world,” they read. “I am a dreamer. I am fresh. I am so not going to have stubs sticking out of my legs.” (Heaven forbid a 10-year-old girl might have hair on her legs.) And then there's the website:

It's not that you're obsessed or anything but maybe you've noticed that the hair on your legs (and other parts of your body) is just a little bit thicker and darker before. Chill. You're growing up... it's all good.

("It's all good?" What is this, 1995?) Dorky "teenspeak" aside, it bothers me that Nair is going after sixth graders. I'm sure pre-teens are curious about hair removal, but by actively targeting them, Nair is creating even more anxiety about puberty-an already anxious thing for most girls. Likewise, the emphasis on being pretty is a little depressing, since the implication is that you won't be pretty if you've got a little fuzz on your legs (or bikini line, as the Nair website helpfully mentions). I have no problem with girls eventually choosing to remove their hair, but there's something sad about thrusting that expectation on ten-year-olds. What do you think? Let me know, and then tell DearSugar what you think, too.