BellaSugar

Product Review: 5th Avenue Bath Co. Exfoliating Body Polish

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:57:18 -0700

Judging by the name, you might expect 5th Avenue Bath Co. to hail from Manhattan's tony Upper East Side. Instead, the bath- and body-product company comes from suburban Columbus. I've been using its Exfoliating Body Polish with Shea Butter ($17.95) for about a month.

First, the good: I love the scent, Black Vetiver Cafe. 5th Avenue Bath Co. describes it as "a woody and ambery blend with a hint of citrus followed by notes of red cedar, sandalwood and musks." My nose isn't sophisticated enough to parse these notes, but lemme tell you, it has the "expensive and fancy, but natural" thing going on. Another plus is that because of the shea butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil, this scrub leaves a soft protective, moisturizing barrier on skin well after the shower. If you have dry skin, this stuff is a lifesaver!

For the rest of my review, read more

The only thing that I don't love about this polish is that it's really not a heavy-duty exfoliant. While I can feel the sugar crystals on my skin, they're not dense enough to give a large-scale sloughing. I like using this stuff right now, when my skin isn't flaky and overly dry-but during the winter months, I'll need a more serious scrub.

Doing Drugstore: St. Ives Moisturizing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:01 -0700

I love body polishes that don't require excess force to work, particularly ones that use sugar, which is gentler on the skin. Over the weekend, I tried out St. Ives Moisturizing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Oatmeal & Shea Butter ($8), which contains natural sugar crystals for exfoliation, oatmeal to soothe, and shea butter for softer skin. While this polish is a little difficult to scoop out of the jar due to its texture (think of a dense Crisco), once it hits the skin and some water, it almost melts, creating a rich, spreadable lather.

The polish has a sweet almond scent and a finer, more dissolvable grit than the famous invigorating St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($4). Before shaving, I spread a little of the polish on my legs for a smooth, non-irritating result.

I like it for a pedicure, too. After scrubbing my feet with the body polish, I used my beauty shortcut to fake a real pedicure. A little goes a long way with this product, making for an affordable - and effective - drugstore find.

Back To Basics: The Best Body Exfoliators

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:01:00 -0700

Welcome back to Back To Basics, the Cliff Notes version of my all-time favorite products. Since we've been talking so much about self tanner and body bronzer this week on beach week, I thought I'd give you a friendly reminder that the first step before applying any of these products is exfoliating. Your skin becomes shinier once you remove all of those unnecessary dull and dead cells, and it will feel softer and smoother too. Here's a look at three of my top picks for body exfoliators.

Lancome Resurface Microdermabrasion Body Polishing Treatment ($46) is a favorite among beauty editors. The small exfoliating crystals and pumice stone in the formula effectively buff away dullness, and they don't scratch your skin making it red and sensitive like a lot of other exfoliators can.

Since I've tried it, I can hardly shower without it! Your skin is left polished, radiant and it feels like buttah!.

For two more more of my favorite exfoliators, read more

YonKa Phyto Gel Exfoliant Shower Gel ($42) is the ultimate pampering experience to create a buffed bod! It's an ultra-light foaming shower gel and body exfoliant all in one. I love the aquamarine color, the botanical smell and the unrivaled gentleness of this product.

Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub ($28) is more of a creamy textured body exfoliator. It deeply revitalizes and soothes, creating one heck of a polish on the surface of your skin! Plus, it smells really good and woodsy since it's infused with lavender, orange, sandalwood and rosemary. Even your guy won't be shy to try this one out!

Succulent Strawberry Scrubs

BellaSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:01:12 -0800

Having these grainy and sweet body scrubs in the bath and shower is just asking for trouble. After just one whiff, I'll never want to get out. For those of you who want to take a break from the doldrums of January and indulge in a summertime treat, here are three succulent scrubs that'll do the trick. And hey, if you have any Winter strawberries in your fridge that you can't bear to waste, try making this strawberry scrub at home.

Fresh Sugar Face Polish ($55) is one of those oldies but goodies that you can never say too many great things about. It's made with ground-up wild strawberries and brown sugar, so it's deep cleaning and exfoliating. One of my friends swears by this stuff, and considering the fact that her skin is always soft and clear, it's enough for me.

This Fresh Ripe Wild Strawberry Scrub from Peter Thomas Roth ($35) is more for the body than for the face. It's a sweet-smelling scrub that uses strawberry seeds as exfoliating grains. Not only does it deep clean, it also sloughs away rough, dead skin.

100% Pure Strawberry Butter Body Scrub ($22) is an all-natural, rich, and thick body scrub infused with coconut oil and shea butter to help condition while exfoliating. It also contains antioxidants to help brighten and protect skin. I can't think of a yummier way to scrub-a-dub in the tub.

Lovely Links, 6/26

BellaSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:00:21 -0700

In ever-brilliant form, Glossed Over dissects a fawning profile of beautiful Charlize Theron's beautiful beauty.

Makeup and Beauty Blog shows off a pretty purple and blue eye look with a tutorial.

Afrobella's kind and thorough response to an unusual hair request will get you all choked up.

Do you need to buy salon brands within salons? The Beauty Brains has the answer.

Beauty Snob compares L'Occitane and Curel moisturizers to see which lasts longer.

Louis Licari goes over the most common hair coloring problems - and how to set them straight.

Essie (yes, she of the fingernail fame) talks about how her saucy polish names get her into trouble.

Turns out those exfoliating beads in your body wash poison the ocean, says Product Fiend.

Brazilian designer Alexandre Herchcovitch's Band-Aid collection makes Shiny Gloss happy.

New Product Alert: Kiehl's Creme De Corps Lotion and Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish

BellaSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:40:59 -0700

This is really exciting news! The world's best body lotion, Kiehl's Creme de Corps has just launched a new formula called Creme de Corps Light-Weight Lotion SPF 30 ($26). Creme de Corps is the richest body lotion in the entire Kiehl’s line-I call it my own little daily indulgence!

This new cream is made with the same ingredients and has the same luxurious benefits as the original. However, it is a lighter formula that has been enhanced with SPF 30 to better hydrate and protect your skin.

To further this collection, Kiehl's has also come out with a Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish ($27.50) which is meant to be used before you lotion up. It is made from honey, soy milk, jojoba oil, almond oil, shea butter and ground loofah fruit so your skin will feel exfoliated, revived, glowing and smooth.

Bring On The Bling, Part III: Gemstones

BellaSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 15:31:03 -0700

Welcome to the third and final installment of Bring on the Bling. I already told you about beauty products that incorporate diamonds and pearls, and today, I'm rounding up three more products that include pulverized gemstones, which are said to give off strong vibrational qualities that soothe, smooth, and revitalize the skin.

Aveda Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Cream ($32) is a gentle face cream best suited for normal to dry skin. Crushed tourmaline is included in this formula, along with powerful anti-oxidants and natural marine and plant extracts. For best results, use in the morning and in the evening.

For more gem-infused skincare products, read more

Jewel Therapy Skin Perfecting Treatment System is a new skincare regimen with a $145 value - though you can get a deal on a 60-day trial kit. The set contains cleanser, treatment polish, and moisturizer, all of which contain several semi-precious gemstones that smooth fine lines and give your face a soft and natural glow.

Artemis Woman Healing Gems Topaz Body Polish ($14.99) is an exfoliator containing topaz crystals, aloe, and green tea antioxidants that helps recharge the surface of your skin by sloughing away dead cells. Two percent of profits from each sale are donated to to support alternative treatments and screenings for women's cancer.

BellaSugar's Guide To Beach Beauty

BellaSugar — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 14:26:57 -0700

To wrap up my fun-filled Beach Week on BellaSugar, I thought I'd organize a list of my top eleven (ten just wasn't enough) posts on summer beach beauty! I hope you are having fun, beating the heat and keeping your skin and hair protected with lots of sunscreen. Enjoy these beautiful days while they last!

Source

Bellissima! Comodynes Easy Peeling Towelette

BellaSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:59:56 -0700

Looky here – it's another new individual-use towelette product, and this time it comes in the form of an exfoliator. Comodynes has got it right. This brand is super-popular in Europe and I'm so happy to see that the US is finally catching on. It makes all kinds of individually wrapped beauty products to make going to the gym and travelling a cinch. Not only do you not have to worry about getting stopped at security for carrying liquids, but isn't it great to come home with less than you brought with you?

These new Easy Peeling Towelettes ($1.99 each) are a great way to say goodbye to dry, dull and dead cells and hello to bright, buffed and polished skin.

To use, simply massage the towelette onto your face/body in small circles once or twice a week. You don't even have to rinse afterwards (although that idea seems a little gross to me). And if you really love these, you can buy them in eight-packs for $16.