BellaSugar

Did You Get What You Wished For This Holiday?

BellaSugar — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 06:00:29 -0800

Whether you celebrated Hanukkah earlier this month or are enjoying Christmas today, I bet you had a present or two to unwrap. Did you receive whatever you wanted most? Or did you get more happiness from fulfilling someone else's biggest wish?

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Easy, Cheap Last-Minute Gift Ideas

BellaSugar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 08:00:58 -0800

It's the last day before Christmas, and if you've finished shopping, congratulations-you're one of those enviably organized people that everyone else secretly resents just a tiny bit. Kidding, kidding. But if you still have a few folks left on your list, don't panic-I've got a few last-minute gift ideas that don't cost a fortune. Better yet, you won't need to deal with crowds to pull it all together.

It almost goes without saying, but a spa or salon gift certificate is an easy choice. Local spas and salons can whip up a certificate for you on the spot, and some can even e-mail a certificate. Check out my shopping guide so you avoid any faux pas in giving such a gift.

For four quick and simple suggestions that cost less than $20, read more.

Forget about hitting the mall, mega-mart or Main Street today. The crowds are likely to be wackier than Phyllis Diller after a three-martini lunch. Instead, head to your local drugstore (and get bonus points if it's a 24-hour joint). Here are three quick, inexpensive and fun grooming gifts that you can pull together within 10 minutes at Walgreens.

Nail it down Create an at-home manicure set. Choose a simple base coat, a couple of shades of nail polish, a nail file, and a hand cream. Roll it all up in a simple white dish towel-they're always inexpensive-and secure it with a festive ribbon. Simple and fun.

Start off on the right foot Can Dr. Scholl's be a fun gift? Actually, yes. The good doctor's well-priced pedicure products for women are surprisingly cute-looking. Pick up a foot cream, a nail buffer, a rasp for rough calluses, and a bath fizzy. You could toss it in a stocking, or if you really want to be complete, arrange the products in a dish pan (which can be used as a foot soaking tub).

For the anti-metrosexual dude Skip the cologne aisle and head straight to the shaving aisle. Find the fanciest shaving cream there, pick up a new Mach 3 razor, and toss a container of face cream in the cart. (Neutrogena has a great men's line with guy-friendly packaging.) It's no-fuss, but he'll use it.

Get fruity If you have a friend who's crazy about a particular fruit, scour the drugstore for anything related to it. For instance, if your friend loves cherries, you could get her cherry Chapstick, Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick, cherry-scented soap, a red or pink bath sponge, and a bag of cherry Jolly Ranchers. Yeah, it's a little goofy, but c'mon, it's the eleventh hour-goofy is sometimes what you get.

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Essie's Festive Platinum Mini-Winter Set

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:31 -0800

Huzzah! Essie has decided to release a four-piece holiday 2007 nail-polish set called Platinum Winter ($18). These colors already exist in the Essie collection, but they're packaged in minisized bottles. Now, this is why I am so excited. The holidays are starting to take a toll on my savings, and I've found it extremely challenging to find great stocking stuffers or not-too-expensive gifts under $20! So thanks, Essie. I've only got one question: If I order them in bulk, can I get a discount?

Here are the festive shades that are sure to brighten up these gloomy and dark Winter days:

Showstopper is a sparkly, deep-berry shade flecked with gold glitter.
Steel-ing the Scene is a burnished pewter-silver, shimmery shade.
Who's She Red is a classy and sophisticated satin-finished crimson.
Wrapped in Rubies is a burgundy polish flecked with warm-golden sparkles.

Holiday 2007 Glittery Goodies!

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:00:09 -0800

Tis the season for all that glitters! From sparkly eyes to shimmery lips, cheeks and shoulders, if you have any glitter makeup that you've been wanting to bust out, now is the time. Glittery goodies can be a lot of fun to play with, but remember that only one feature on your body should be the main attraction. Don't overdo it, or you'll look like one big Christmas ornament yourself.

Glitter is a great finishing touch to a smoky eye or on the center of your lips. You can sprinkle some along your collarbone and even highlight your cheeks with a more subtle form of glitter (such as a sheer shimmer). I've gathered up some of the season's hottest glitter makeup products below. Tell me, which is your favorite glitter product?

New Product Alert: Clarins Gloss Appeal Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:00:55 -0800

The latest launch from Clarins is a new lip gloss called Gloss Appeal. I seriously need to get a handle on my lip-gloss fetish. With well over 75 glosses in my bathroom, why do I still get excited about the prospect of owning more? I think that lip gloss reminds me a lot of what Frances McDormand once said about shampoo in the movie Friends With Money.

She said something to the effect of every time she washed her hair in her youth, she looked at it as another chance to make herself more beautiful. That statement resonates with me, because I somehow think that if I find the most flattering lip-gloss shade in existence, I will become a lot prettier. I feel a little bit silly admitting this, but then again, I'm not sure that I'm alone.

Okay, so, back to the gloss. It contains hints of gold and silver shimmer as well as a plumping agent to create a super-shiny, light-catching effect. It is formulated with vitamin E to soften the lips and olive oil to help hydrate and protect them. The result is a sparkly, smooth, and more defined smile. In addition, the gloss is said to have a sweet flavor - bonus! Gloss Appeal is currently available in eight shades and sells for $19 each.

Buh-Bye Dry: Fruity Body Moisturizers

BellaSugar — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 10:04:54 -0800

With winter beginning to rear its ugly head, the temperature is dropping and you know what that means: All of your body's extra moisture is now being sucked right out of you. If you've been noticing some unsightly scaling on your arms, legs, and elbows, these fruity limited-edition body moisturizers have come to the rescue.

Kiehl's Limited-Edition Hand and Body Pear Tree Corner Lotion ($19.50) is a fast-absorbing cream that leaves skin smelling like fresh pears. Don't let the lightweight texture fool you; this lotion is made with aloe vera and oatmeal to ensure that your dry skin gets all the nourishment and moisture it needs. (And if you're wondering, Pear Tree Corner is the corner where their flagship store is located in New York. )

For two more fruity, limited-edition body lotions, read more

Bath & Body Works Couture Limited-Edition Japanese Cherry Blossom Swirling Shimmer Body Crème ($19.50) is a delightful body cream infused with a Japanese Cherry Blossom eau de parfum. It also contains aloe vera, shea butter and mango butter.

The Body Shop Limited-Edition Pomegranate Body Puree ($19) is a light-feeling lotion that absorbs quickly and hydrates deeply. It's got an amazing pomegranate-berry scent and it leaves skin feeling smooth.

Bellissima! Cargo GlossyGreetings

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:00:29 -0800

I've been a sloth about sending out holiday cards, but this new discovery might change all of that. Cargo has come out with GlossyGreetings, a two-piece collection of paper goods. The cool part is that they come with a little dab of lip gloss-an unexpected and fun twist on the greeting concept.

GlossyGreetings are available in five-packs of cards cards ($10) and gift tags ($7.50). What's more, Cargo is donating 100% of the profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. So if you've been slackin' when it comes to correspondence and wrapping gifts, you know what to do.

Bobbi Brown 2007 Pink Quartz Holiday Collection

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:03:01 -0800

Bobbi Brown has launched another collection called Pink Quartz. The line is a smorgasbord of beautiful pink and brown limited-edition products - all of which are great gifts for yourself or for your loved ones! My favorite item is Bobbi's famous shimmer brick compact, which has been created in an unbelievably gorgeous golden-pink combo. I mostly use it as a highlighter, but I also love mixing the shades individually on my lids and using them as a shadow as well.

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For all of the details about the new Bobbi Brown 2007 Pink Quartz Holiday Collection, read more

Shimmer Brick ($38) is a brand new compact that contains five shimmery shades of pink, rose, beige and gold that create a beautiful bronze and pink flush. You can use it as a blush, highlighter or as an eye shadow.
Best of Chocolates Palette ($55) contains the most popular shades from the Fall 2007 Chocolate Collection. The two-tiered palette includes four eye shadows (Bone, Frappe, Cacao and Chocolate) and four lip glosses (Frosted Pink Shimmer, Pink Mocha, Golden Caramel and Double Fudge).
Lip Gloss Trio ($40) includes three high shine shades that come in a cute box (perfect for a present, hint). The shades are Pink Sugar, Slopes Shimmer and Buff.
Pink Quartz Mini Brush Set ($45) is a trio of brushes. It contains a face blender blush, an eye shadow brush, an ultra fine eyeliner brush which come packaged in a small, pale pink case.
Long Wear Eye Palettes in Truffle and Pewter ($55 each) contains three shades of cream eye shadow, one shade of gel eyeliner and a dual-ended mini shadow and liner brush. This combo is perfect for creating a smoky or subtle eye.
Pink Quartz Nail Shimmer ($8.50) is a new sparkly shade for your fingers and toes this holiday season! Can be worn alone or layered over your favorite polish for a finishing metallic effect.

New Product Alert: Lancome Color Design Eye Palettes

BellaSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:00:33 -0800

Lancome has recently released two beautiful and classic-colored powder eye shadow palettes for the holidays called Topaz Kisses and Diamond Studs. What I love about these palettes is that they contain traditional colors, yet are modernized with a mix of shimmer, matte and metallic textures that can easily take you from day to night.

Also, they are packaged in slender and pretty quilted clutch-looking cases - striking red satin for Topaz Kisses and sexy black satin for Diamond Studs. Both of the palettes sell for $45 and include a travel-sized shadow brush that fits neatly inside.

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For a list of the colors in each of the palettes, read more

Topaz Kisses includes: Rendezvous, Wear it Well, Backstage Pass, Off the Rack, Socialite and The New Blue.
Diamond Studs includes: Kitten Heel, Guest List, Mochaccino, Filigree, Bikini Golden and a limited-edition new color called Pop the Cork.

Yves Saint Laurent End-of-Year Collection

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:00:35 -0800

You've seen a little bit of Yves Saint Laurent's End-of-Year Collection already (namely the Palette Pour Les Levres and Limited Edition Multi-Usage Palette) but here's the entirety of it.

I don't know about you, but ever since YSL came out with Lip Twins Duos, I've been on pins and needles awaiting its next round of goodies. The rest of this collection is comprised of six products, including a Compact Powder/Blush ($52), a Holiday Eye Shadow Quad ($50), Limited-Edition Rouge Pure Lipsticks in two shades ($28 each), and two matching shades of La Laque Nail Enamel ($18 each).

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For a detailed description of each of the products, read more

Poudre Compacte Pour Le Teint ($52) is a matte compact powder and blush with an adorable embellished heart design. Inside you'll find a Pink Beige (background color) powder and a Rose Whisper (heart) blush that looks great on most skin tones.
Fards À Paupières Four Colors ($50) is a metallic, pastel-colored eye shadow quad that creates a soft and sexy smoky eye. The shadows contain mother-of-pearl and mica particles that result in a smooth, shiny, and easily blendable texture. The colors in the quad are Silver Green, Steel Pink, Gold Platinum, and Bronze. Each shade can be worn wet or dry, and Gold Platinum can also double as a highlighter.
Rouge Pure Shine Lipstick ($28) is an already existing product that is now available in two new limited-edition colors: Red Desire (garnet red) and Starry Dream (sparkling and pale gold). Both of these colors can be worn alone or blended together.
La Laque Nail Enamel ($18) is also an addition to a preexisting product. Two new shades, Red Desire and Starry Dream, have been added to complement the lipsticks. The polishes are very shiny and have a quick-dry formula.