BellaSugar

5 of Our Favorite Beauty Features From the Ladies of Harry Potter

BellaSugar — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:00:00 PST

It's almost the end of the Harry Potter flicks, my friends. Or more accurately, the happily ever after. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I arrives in theaters on Nov. 19, so to gear up for the occasion, we'd like to pay tribute to the young women of Hogwarts - and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, to be accurate. So here are five of the things we loved best about Hermione, Luna, Ginny, and the rest of the gang.

That's What She Said: 6 Fun Celebrity Beauty Quote Quizzes

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:00:00 PDT

Part of a celebrity's job is to participate in interviews, and lucky for us, that means juicy quotes galore. I gathered together a few of our favorite celebrity quizzes based on things stars have divulged in topics relating to beauty. From lipstick to acne to plastic surgery and even freckles, can you guess who said what?

Whose Thinking Behind Their Inking?	< Can You Match the Plastic Surgery Quote to the Star?	Who Talked About Their Perfume Philosophy?
Can You Guess the Celebrity Freckle Quotes?	When It Comes to Lipstick, Who Said What?	Who Revealed Details About Acne Struggles?

Another Reason to Avoid Lightening Creams

BellaSugar — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:00:00 PDT

In the Renaissance and onward well into the 19th century, women used lead-based makeup to keep their skin fair and youthful looking. Sadly, lead poisoning was common. While most of us assume our beauty products have evolved since then, that's not always the case. There've been plenty of studies showing evidence of lead still present in lipstick, and now a Chicago Tribune investigation found mercury in six of the 50 lightening creams it tested. The levels were high enough, in fact, to cause kidney damage, even though using mercury in cosmetics has long been illegal in the US. On top of that, mercury is easily absorbed through the skin, making it particularly dangerous when used in cosmetics. I'm not a big fan of lightening creams in general, because I think the skin you were born with is beautiful as it is. I do understand, though, that some people use creams to even skin tone or get rid of hyperpigmentation, age spots, and sometimes freckles. However, there are also plenty of other options available - like kojic acid and alpha hydroxy acid, for example. According to the article, lightening product sales are projected to reach $76 million annually by 2015, so it's obvious they're here to stay. What are your thoughts? Do you use lightening products, and if so, how closely do you check the label?

People Who Really Shouldn't Tan Are the Most Likely to Do It

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:00:00 PDT

It's clearer than ever that tanning beds are dangerous and carcinogenic, but that apparently isn't stopping the people who are most vulnerable to skin cancer from using them - at least in the UK. The British Association of Dermatologists conducted a study and found that redheads and other pale, freckled people were the most likely to use tanning beds, even though they're at much, much higher risk of developing skin cancer already and almost never actually get a tan. So in lieu of prematurely aging yourself and damaging your skin, slather on wide-spectrum sunscreen and stick with the self-tanner instead.

Or, better yet, start trying to love the skin you were born with. This Bella grew up extra pale in a place where everyone else was golden brown, so I know how it feels. But for your health and psychological well-being, eventually you have to accept yourself and realize that other people's ignorance is their problem and that every skin tone is equally beautiful. That's just my two cents, but what do you think?

20 Stars With Freckly Faces

BellaSugar — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:00:15 PST

It was a close call, but most of you say that you embrace your freckles. Lots of stars are peppered with these sweet spots, and I've got photos to prove that freckles have a certain kind of magnetic charm.

Can You Guess These Celebrity Freckle Quotes?

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 PDT

Am I one of the odd ones who's always kind of liked my freckles? After all, "A face without freckles is like a night without stars," according to the old saying. There are lots of celebrities that share my affinity for freckles - and some that don't. When it comes to these fellow freckle-faced stars, can you guess who said what in regards to their own beauty marks?

Question 1 of 5

Who said, "My freckles are always there. I think the lighting blows it out. If we had to cover up the freckles, I'd be forever with a thick thing of makeup."?

Do You Embrace Your Freckles?

BellaSugar — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 05:52:47 PDT

A few days ago I told you how the makeup artists at MAC penciled in freckles at Matthew Williamson's Spring 2009 runway show. The look was meant to be fresh, fun, and a bit naughty.

Typically, it's freckle faders that people seek, not freckle-enhancing products. If you have freckles, do you love them or do you try to hide them?

Source

Freckle Juice at Matthew Williamson

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:00:22 PDT

Like tans, natural brows, and blowouts, freckles are one of those things that beauty insiders seem to vacillate about with rapid speed. Some of the same companies who make products that fade freckles have also come out with and discontinued freckle pencils (Lancome, Chanel). Luckily for those of us who are fans of ephiledes (that's science for freckles), Charlotte Tilbury's brought them back at Matthew Williamson. "We're painting on a few little freckles across the nose and on the tops of the cheeks where the sun would naturally bring them out with a lip pencil called Hodgepodge by MAC," said Tilbury. "It's a fresh young look that's a bit naughty." So naughty, in fact, that she revealed how she painted them on Kate Moss on a few occasions. One caveat: "For real life, use waterproof pencil!"

For my backstage pictures from Matthew Williamson,

Makeup Tips for Freckle-Faced Femmes

BellaSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:00:10 PDT

Every now and then, I get an e-mail from someone who hates her freckles. Usually these dappled lasses want to cover them up, or find out how to make them disappear. This always baffles me, because I think freckles are beautiful! I saw this picture of America Ferrera and thought, "Wow, she makes freckles look really sophisticated."

If you have freckles, you've probably been conditioned to cover them up. But I think letting them show is a more contemporary and individualistic look. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a "cute" one, either; in this photo, America looks like a fresh-faced young woman, not a little girl. To find out more about freckles and to read makeup tips for freckled faces,

read more First of all, freckles are not a skin disorder. They're small spots of melanin that usually show up on fair complexions, though they can also appear on darker skin tones as well. Although having freckles is a genetic trait, sun exposure can cause the spots to darken or multiply. If you have freckles, wearing sunscreen every day is imperative, because people with freckles are more susceptible to the sun's rays. Additionally, if you aren't crazy about your freckles, a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 will help them from multiplying. If you really, really hate your freckles-and I hope you don't!-there are some removal options. A dermatologist can prescribe topical lotions (such as Retin-A) that speed up the process of skin cell renewal, which will minimize the look of freckles. Intensed pulsed light (IPL) treatments, available at med spas, also work to even out skin tone, but they're expensive. If you do love your freckles, here's how to work with them. In the past, makeup artists used heavy foundation and concealer to cover up freckles. Today, though, this looks dated. A more modern approach is to take a cue from America here, who's wearing a sheer foundation. This evens out her skin tone, but still lets a smattering of freckles show through. If you do have any spots that need to be covered, consider using a mineral foundation such as Neutrogena Mineral Sheers. Because mineral makeup reflects light, it keeps skin from looking flat and cakey like some heavier liquid and stick foundations can. Overall, work with-not against-the gorgeous freckles you've been given! Source

Julianne Hough Explains Her Footloose "Granola Hot" Look

PopSugarTV — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:52:00 PDT

Julianne Hough may be a fair-skinned blond bombshell in real life, but to play Ariel in the Footloose remake she was transformed into that down-home girl next door. Julianne told Conan O'Brien last night that her look in the small-town-set flick was supposed to be less "Playboy bunny" and more "granola hot," which included fake freckles being spray-painted on her every day. Watch her explain what else goes into the granola hot look and what she thought of being spray-tanned to oblivion on Dancing With the Stars now!