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Heidi Klum Launches Her Skin-Care Collection

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:00:55 -0700

Is it just me, or is Heidi Klum everywhere lately? She's the face of Victoria's Secret, she's involved in heart-health campaigns, she's gearing up for another round of Project Runway, and throughout all of this she's taking her little ones out for playtime. Her latest endeavor is In an Instant, a skin-care line that she's hawking in infomercials.

In an Instant is an antiaging line that promises immediate results. "It's like airbrushing your wrinkles away," Heidi declares gleefully in a clip on the website. The six-product line ($29.95) includes a foaming cleanser, a firming serum, a wrinkle smoother, a tinted moisturizer, an eye treatment, and a warming scrub. I think the products are fairly priced, but I'd like to know more about the ingredients before snapping it up. (The serum contains peptides, which is promising, and the tinted moisturizer has SPF 15, but the ingredient list isn't available on the website.)

Take a look at the before-and-after pictures to see what to expect. Truthfully, I see some improvement, but nothing dramatic; I also think that while some products will give you instant results, most skin-care items take at least a month to do so. When the first batch of In an Instant ships in a few weeks, I guess we'll start to hear a bit of buzz - but I have a feeling it will take a lot more than foaming cleanser to make me look like Heidi.

Beauty Byte: Heidi Klum to Appear in Infomercial

BellaSugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:26:14 -0700

Bummed that Project Runway won't return until December? Don't worry-soon, you'll be able to get your Heidi Klum television fix in a different way. Everyone's favorite German supermodel is saying "guten tag" to Guthy-Renker, the company that owns Proactiv, Natural Advantage and Youthful Essence. This fall, she'll star in her own infomercial for In An Instant, a new skincare line. WWD reports that this move is likely to draw the in-demand, 18-to-40 female viewership that companies dream of:

"Heidi Klum is going to attract a very different target market in our opinion than Cindy Crawford, Susan Lucci, Jane Seymour or Victoria Principal," said Greg Renker, founding principal of Guthy-Renker, referring to spokeswomen for various brands in Guthy-Renker's portfolio. "Heidi Klum has a young, hip following that watches her show on Bravo."

I think Heidi is highly likeable, and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I'd probably watch the infomercial because of her charm. Plus, she does have good skin, which is likely to entice viewers to buy In An Instant. What do you think? Would Heidi's involvement make you more likely to buy a product?
Source

Fragrance Review: Guerlain's L'instant Magic

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:00:05 -0800

Last weekend I had to kill some time at the airport, so I spent almost an hour checking out holiday gift sets and fragrances at the duty-free beauty shop. L’instant Magic by Guerlain isn't totally brand new-it launched in September-but as soon as I smelled it, I was really taken in by its pleasant and warm subtlety.

It's something that I immediately thought would be a great gift for a young woman as well as someone older who is looking for a lighter woody and floral scent.

Apparently it's been getting confused a lot for its predecessor, L'Instant fragrance. This version is much softer than the strong and spicy original. Also, the bottles are slightly different - the L'instant Magic base and top are tinted black, while the original bottle is all pink.

L'instant Magic is made from bergamot, rose, freesia, sandalwood, cedar almond accord and musk. It's available in a 1.7 oz EDP for $74, a 2.7 oz EDP for $100, a .25 oz perfume for $115 and in a scented body lotion for $50.

Product Review: Prescriptives Instant Gratification Skin Renewal Peel

BellaSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:00:00 -0800

Prescriptives has just come out with a new skincare product called Instant Gratification ($45). It's a self-heating mask with microbeads that whisk away dead skin, and it promises to combine the benefits of a facial, peel and microdermabrasion-with results equivalent to a 30% glycolic acid peel.

Although I wasn't an immediate fan of Instant Gratification, it's won me over for its simplicity and results. I keep going back to this mask over and over, so it's definitely doing something right. For the full review, read more.

Here's how to use the mask: Clean your face and blot off any excess moisture, leaving your skin slightly damp. Then, rub a generous amount of the mask on your skin in circular motions. You'll feel a warm sensation, but it doesn't burn at all. After five minutes, wet your fingers and gently scrub off the mask.

I've found that Instant Gratification does a great job of brightening the complexion and keeping my pores clear. It also leaves skin soft and smooth-and it was able to get rid of the gross flaky skin that inevitably pops up near my nose each winter. It's definitely not the strongest mask I've tried, but I like it because it's both effective and gentle. If you've been curious about exfoliating with beta hydroxy acids, this mask would be a good introduction.

See reader reviews of this product and add your own here!

Mark Makes a Greek Vacation Into an "Instant" Reality

BellaSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:00:45 -0700

This summer, two huge films feature the Greek Isles in their backdrop: Mamma Mia! and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, which opens today.

While a trip to the Greek Isles will have to remain a fantasy for me just this second, I can thank Mark for bringing an "instant vacation" right to me with their Mark Instant Vacation Greek Isles Fragrance Mist ($15).

I love the turquoise blue bottle, which reminds me of the bright waters and skies of Greece. Floral notes such as gardenia and white freesia impart a lighter tone than the predominately honey-and-coconut scent. It's a warm, slightly fruity fragrance with decent staying power (plus, it's not overwhelmingly heavy). I also like the fact that even though it is reminiscent of warmer climates, it can be spritzed well into any season. It isn't the most distinctive scent you'll ever try, but it's pleasant and fresh. One day I hope to spend more time in this beautiful Mediterranean island. For now, I'll take this journey - even if it's really only in the aromatic sense.

Doing Drugstore: Conair Instant Heat Compact Styling Setter

BellaSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:00:39 -0800

Have you planned your New Year's Eve hair yet? I'm no stranger to procrastination (or impulse buys), but spotting this product left me imagining myself ringing in 2009 with cascading waves. The set was on sale and small enough that I could bring it anywhere – if NYE had me jetting off to LA for the night, I could pop this in my carry-on and go!

I got home fingers crossed and went for a trial run. Even though it says instant heat, I gave them about 10 minutes (hunger called). Picking up the rollers found them hot to the touch – don't wrap your hand around them and squeeze – but far less hot than I expected. I liked the large and small sizes for different sections and went all out, adding the entire set of 12 to my head.

Find out what happened next when you read more.

I settled in to watch TV and, at the end of the show, went back in the bathroom to remove the rollers. While I did have undeniable waves, I felt like my hair got much more voluminous (not necessarily a good thing) than when I started and, by about 20 minutes later, the curls were nearly flat and full of frizz. Definitely not gonna hold up to a long night of dancing no matter my NYE destination.

Bellissima! Revlon Expert Effect Instant Nail Gloss

BellaSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 05:03:47 -0700

Here's a fabulously no-fuss beauty solution for Summer: Revlon Expert Effect Instant Nail Gloss. It's a nail polish pen, but not as fancy-schmancy as the Yves Saint Laurent Nail Touch gadget I told you about last week. If YSL is Montblanc, this is like your old reliable Bic.

The Expert Effect pen is filled with a high-gloss finish that can be used to give bare nails a quick coat of shine. The portable tool also seems like it would be great for touching up an existing manicure, since it dries fast and works anywhere. Plus, it smells like green tea and lily, rather than stinky old nail polish. I want one! Thankfully, it's available online for just $7.99.

Bizarre Beauty: Press-On Eye Makeup

BellaSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:00:29 -0800

Just when you think you've seen everything, along comes colorOn Instant Eye Shadow Applicator, which does for eyes what Lee Press-On Nails do for your fingertips. Developed by makeup artist Irina Iosilevich, the product is essentially eyeshadow deposited on an eyelid-shaped applicator. To apply it, you peel back the applicator, press it to the closed eyelid, rub the shadow on, and set it with included powder.

The idea is to give women the opportunity to wear complex eye shadow looks without having to fuss with a lot of brushes and shadow pots. In theory, it seems nice... but I like being able to control what goes where. (Sorry, I'm a control freak.) And at $16 for a package of 10 pairs of applicators, I can't see this being a daily indulgence. Still, the idea is fun and innovative. Think you'd ever go for something like this?

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Bella Brand: Renée Rouleau Skin Care

BellaSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:06:24 -0700

I just heard about this skincare line called Renée Rouleau, which was founded by a skin salon owner of the same name. (Rouleau also christened September as National Skin Care Awareness Month.) The Rouleau collection consists of more than 60 products, which run the gamut from cleansers to sun protection.

The star product I'm excited to try is the just-released Instant Line Filler with Vitamin C ($62.50). The wrinkle-reducing serum is made with Restylane (typically delivered through injections) and something called Hyaluronic Filling Spheres, which act like little sponges to plump the skin. Frankly, the whole concept sort of boggles my mind it sounds so cool.

It doesn't tingle, but your skin will feel tighter and moisturized. Though I haven't tried it yet, I did speak with one woman who claims it has really helped firm her crow's feet and brow furrow. (Of course, she's only 29, so take that with a grain of salt.) Use the serum in the morning when your skin is cleansed but still moist.

Sunday Giveaway! Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral Powder

BellaSugar — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:30:00 -0700

'Tis the season to be shiny. Unfortunately, 'tis also the season to be susceptible to the sun's scorching hot rays. As always, our friends at Sephora have us covered - literally. Each day this week, they've been giving away Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral Powder, a transparent mineral powder with an SPF of 45. If you didn't notice, this handy product comes with the applicator built right in, so you can touch up whenever you need it, without all the mess. Today's the last day, so be sure to enter.

To enter, just take the quiz by 5 p.m. PDT, and one winner will be selected at random. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just on taking the quiz after you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member to enter. So if you're not already one, register for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Prizes can be shipped to US destinations only. Remember: You must be logged in to TeamSugar for your entry to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

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