BellaSugar

Bella Bites It, Finds Small Solace in Stylish First Aid

BellaSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:48 -0700

So last night, I was tooling along on my bicycle, smugly congratulating myself for facing my fears of riding in city traffic, when . . . whump! My tire got stuck in the track of the light-rail train, and I somersaulted through the air with my bike. "This is gonna hurt," I thought right before eating pavement. The good news is I managed to get out of the way of the oncoming train, so I wasn't flattened. The bad news is I was so bloody that I looked like an extra in a Romero film.

For the gorier scrapes, I used Neosporin and Band-Aids (and will be on crutches ASAP). But for the relatively small ones - those of a half-inch diameter or less - I'm going to switch to Help bandages. They're like any other bandage, with one smart difference: they're white. As Help puts it, "skin tone" bandages don't match most skin colors, which might seem like a dinky thing, but it's nice to have a universally flattering bandage. Less nice to need them in the first place, but you gotta roll with the punches. Or the bike-flips, as the case may be.

Expectant Mamas Can Get Waxed, Too

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:00:59 -0700

If I were carrying a baby Bella inside me, I'd like to think that I'd have some pressing issues on my mind: Lamaze classes, proper nutrition, getting the nursery ready, that sort of thing. Pubic grooming doesn't make the list. (It's not like I'd be able to see anything below my bump, anyway.) But if you want to test your pain threshold before the birth, you could always go in for a bikini wax. Completely Bare spas have introduced a prenatal wax for pregnant women.

Developed with the help of a physician and esthetician, the service aims to make hair removal more comfortable for the bun-in-the-oven set. Since pregnant women frequently have sensitive skin and reduced maneuverability, the treatment incorporates special pillows, different positions, and a nipple cream to soothe freshly waxed skin. For women who love to be bare, it's a smart idea. But I have a feeling that if I were incubating Bella Jr., I'd probably rather splurge on a nice foot massage than deforestation.

Source: Flickr User daquellamanera

Filmmaker Mitch McCabe Shares Her Thoughts on the Anti-Aging Obsession

BellaSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:05:59 -0700

Tonight, do yourself a favor and watch Mitch McCabe's excellent documentary, Youth Knows No Pain. (It airs tonight at 9 p.m. on HBO, and it is great.) The film explores our societal obsession with looking forever young, but what makes it all the more interesting is McCabe's own backstory as the daughter of a plastic surgeon. Through interviews with cosmetic surgeons, Botox babes, and her own introspection, she's created a smart, fascinating, poignant, and funny film. Set your TiVo already, and read on as McCabe discusses her take on our age-phobic society in this interview.

It seems like 10 or 20 years ago women in their 20s weren’t so concerned about aging. Now a lot are - we even see 26-year-old Julia Allison go for fillers in the film. Why do you think there’s been that shift?
One thing Julia was talking about is that women’s fertility decreases after 25, and just from a biological standpoint, there’s an expiration date - biologically and therefore in terms of attractiveness. My Buddhist friend, we’d argue about the subject matter of the film and say attractiveness is only meant to attract a mate, your importance is supposed to come from the inside. So once your breeding days are over, of course your attractiveness is supposed to fade out. It wasn’t supposed to be important in the first place. Not that Julia Allison is a Buddhist, but she's speaking the truth of what happens out there. I mean, do we see women in their 30s and 40s being cast in many different roles out there? No. If women try to date on the Internet and post their real age, can they get as many dates as a woman who’s 28? No. If you really listen to a man who’s maybe had a couple drinks, he might be more honest about his views on older women.

For the full interview, read more.

Reader Review of the Day: Stila Convertible Color

BellaSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I love combination lip and cheek colors. There's no better way to get a natural, pretty flush, and that's why I was glad to see reader Medgrl726's smart, informative review of Stila Convertible Color ($25). (Celebrity makeup artist Brett Freedman is also a fan.) Medgrl725 tells us:

I'm almost out of my Stila Convertible Color, and felt compelled to talk up its mileage for all this time. The creamy color has rich pigment, so just a dab does the trick on cheeks and lips. I find that it lasts longer when I'm wearing a sweep of powder blush over it, but no powder can fake the beautiful, rich flush this cream produces. It has lasted me a while, so though the price is steep, it's worth it if you crave a high-quality cream blush.

Are you absolutely glowing from your latest blush experience? Or glowering from a not-so-pleasant one? Want to know what other people really think about that new lip and cheek stain you've been coveting? Just click your way to our Product Reviews pages. There are well over 50,000 products to review and hear about other users' experiences with, and members add new ones every day, so there's always more to learn and see.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy: Five Ways to Stop Nibbling Your Nails

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:00:24 -0700

Every nail biter knows that it's a bad habit: you get bacteria from the environment into your mouth, age your hands, wear down your teeth, and generally end up feeling pretty bad about yourself and your willpower (or apparent lack thereof). But biting your nails isn't about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps for a lot of people. Instead, it's an automatic reaction that has to be overcome by other means, because will alone doesn't work when you don't notice you're doing something or have no other means of release. To help those of us for whom nail nibbling is all too natural, I've put together five smart tips that promise quick results - just keep reading

Get the Look: Zooey Deschanel's Makeup From 500 Days of Summer

BellaSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Earlier, I gave you the details on Jennifer Aniston's favorite gloss, straight from her makeup artist, Jorjee Douglass, who worked with the star on The Baster earlier this year. "I've been blessed to work with such amazing, smart, and beautiful leading ladies," said Jorjee, whose impressive list of celebrities also includes Jennifer Connelly, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Zooey Deschanel. "Zooey was so much fun to work with on 500 Days of Summer," said Jorjee. I've always admired the actress's bright style, and now, I've got the the scoop on what products Jorjee used on the indie darling during filming. See what Buzz thought about the flick, and find out tips for replicating Zooey's soft makeup look after the jump.

View 5 Photos ›

To get the look, keep reading.

Capturing Cool With Nikon

Sponsor — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:45:00 -0700

The Nikon COOLPIX suite of Touch cameras are complete with technologically advanced capabilities that capture the perfect mementos from all of life's candid and treasured occasions (and non-occasions) with the ones you love the most.

Compact, sleek, handsome, and chock-full of desirable features such as 10.0 Megapixels, 3x Optical Zoom-Nikon Lens, 4-Way VR Image Stabilization, Advanced Touch Panel LCD, Smart Portrait System, and more - you'll never have to worry about the moment getting away from you.

Pick up your S230 today in your choice of smart colors: Plum, Night Blue, Gloss Red, Warm Silver, and Jet Black. Learn more at AshtonsCoolPix.com.

New Product Alert: Peeka Bu

BellaSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:13 -0700

Is this a hair gadget? No. A magnifying mirror? Guess again. A pubic-grooming mirror? Ding ding ding, we have a winner.

Peeka Bu ($35) is a new flexible-necked tool designed to give you a better view for the tidying of your nether regions. Designed by former art director Sarah Nehamen, the mirror attaches to a solid surface via suction cup, then can be angled as necessary. It's biodegradable and made in the States, if that's important to you. The marketing materials promote it as a smart addition to your grooming arsenal, but it would be just as useful for getting to know parts of your anatomy. No doubt Betty Dodson would approve of that, but would you shell out $35 for this mirror?

Get Alerted When Your Favorite Beauty Items Are on Sale!

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:45:19 -0800

If you just can't get enough bargains on Bella, you'll like this news: ShopStyle has just come up with a smart way to track prices on your favorite beauty (and fashion) products. Sign up for sale alerts and you'll receive an email whenever your favorite items, brands, or categories are discounted. With the holidays coming up, that means less hunting and pecking, and more clicking and saving, when it's time to shop.

Mary J. Blige to Launch Her Own Fragrance

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:00:10 -0800

For celebrities, having your own perfume is considered a lucrative rite of passage, so it's somewhat surprising that Mary J. Blige hasn't had a signature scent before now. She's developing a fragrance with Brooklyn-based beauty brand Carol's Daughter.

Set for a release sometime next year, her My Life fragrance borrows its name from her second album. No word on what the juice will be like, but this is one scent that might get some hands-on attention. “Ever since I was a child, I loved buying products that made me feel beautiful and clean,” Mary said to WWD. “I’m a total beauty nut - you should check out all the junk in my bathroom.”

The world needs another celebrity fragrance about as much as it needs another reality show, but somehow, I'm rooting for Mary J. She's always seemed so strong and smart (and sexy!) - and although I'm kinda meh on the scent name, here's hoping for her success.

Source