BellaSugar

Seventeen Ways to Blow Your Tax Refund (In One Shot)

BellaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:00:33 -0700

Now that tax day is over, many of us can look forward to receiving refunds. Personally, I like to take a cue from Savvy and bank mine. But what if you wanted to blow your refund on beauty products? I've rounded up some over-the-top luxury items that could eat up your entire check - and then some. (This stuff makes Creme de la Mer look inexpensive in comparison!)

View Slideshow ›

The $140 Pedicure, Explained

BellaSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:00:42 -0700

I just read a little blurb about pedicurist Bastien Gonzalez, who works on celebrities including Naomi Campbell and Gwyneth Paltrow and flies around the world to tend to the feet of the filthy rich. This translates to "18,688 miles traveled per week; 3 passports owned; 10 clients per day; 3,000 pedicures in 2006; 18 pedicurists trained last year; 10 pedicurists fired last year; and 1 buffing chamois used per month."

His fee for a pedicure? ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY DOLLARS. Plus tip. Now, I'm not the sort of girl who goes super-cheap on pedicures; I think it's worth paying a little more to ensure clean instruments and a safe environment for your feet. But $140? That seems pretty high, so I decided to investigate to see what this pedicure entails. To find out, read more

A friend joked that for $140, she wanted her feet to be soaked in diamond-filled water. No diamonds here, though. According to Gonzalez's pedicure concept, the procedure is a medical pedicure that removes corns and calluses using sterilized tools (such as scalpels, lancets and drills). From there, he shapes the nail, applies a buffing paste and rubs it with chamois. (It's a polish-free pedi.) Finally, there's a leg and foot massage.

I'll admit, that does sound pretty relaxing. But aside from the scalpel scraping, I think I could do much of this at home for next to nothing. Would I say that if I were able to afford his services? I like to think I'd still be frugal, but of course, most people who can afford a $140 pedicure wouldn't even blink at the cost. If that high-roller type is you, you can get on Gonzalez's waiting list here.

Source

Beauty Byte: Cosmetics For Caviar Tastes

BellaSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:37:07 -0700

While we're on the topic of ultra-expensive face creams, check out this story from Women's Wear Daily about the growing market for "uber-luxurious" fragrances and beauty products. Headlined "Costly Concoctions," this story makes a $150 moisturizer sound like a bargain, finding beauty products with price tags that "rival those of sports cars or fine jewelry":

Take V1, a fragrance created by London-based designer Arfaq, which has a starting price point of $170,000 per platinum, gold, ruby and diamond-bedecked bottle. ... Clive Christian, based in London, claims to sell the world's most expensive juice, with its No. 1 fragrance weighing in at £1,260 per ounce.

The article also points to Estee Lauder's Re-Nutriv creams, which can cost more than $300. I can understand that a bottle covered in precious gems would cost a pretty penny, but a face cream? It all seems a little bit ridiculous to me. Even if you had all the money in the world, would you pay this much for beauty?

Source

Battle Royale: Baths or Showers?

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:00:43 -0800

Quick: what's better, baths or showers? Yeah, I know we tend to take more showers when we're in a hurry, and baths when we need a soak, but most of us have a secret (or not so secret) favorite. I love a good bath now and again, but I'm definitely a shower girl at heart. For me, the constant stream of warm water is one of life's greatest pleasures. What about you? Are you a shower enthusiast like me, or do you daydream about long, luxurious tub time?

How-To: Michelle Trachtenberg's Season-Perfect Look

BellaSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:09 -0800

Unlike her Gossip Girl character Georgina Sparks, Michelle Trachtenberg seems to have a good head on her shoulders, and she showed it off to her best advantage last night at a party hosted by American Eagle. She didn't shy away from her naturally pale skin, and her eye makeup was sexy, fun, and a little retro. This look would be perfect for your upcoming holiday parties, so to find out how to get it, just read more

Reader Review of the Day: Lipstick Queen Saint by Poppy King

BellaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:23 -0700

For me, that first breath of chill-tinged air is always a sign to start shopping for new lipstick, and while I've long been a fan of Lipstick Queen's Sinner and Medieval shades, I hadn't given much thought to Sinner's corollary line, Lipstick Queen Saint by Poppy King ($18). After seeing this review by reader Sabrina See , though, I think I'm ready to check them out, although I'm sad that the colors she wanted weren't in stock. She says:

"I tried this one in red and pink - what luxurious colors. They wore extremely well, and moreover, they look fabulous. Perhaps better than any other lipstick I have ever owned. Too bad they did not have the colors I wanted in stock, though. I'll have to go back or buy it online."

Fallen in love with something recently? Please tell us about by writing a review on our Product Reviews pages. It's a great way to spread a little knowledge, and there are tons of reviews for you to peruse as well. It's a win-win.

Bella Bargain: Free DuWop Gift with Purchase

BellaSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:09:40 -0700

It's not everyday that the hoity-toity online store eLuxury gives stuff away for free, so I didn't want you guys to miss this offer. Right now, when you spend $75 or more on DuWop products in the online store, you get a Venom lip gloss collection for free! Just enter the promo code LIPS when you checkout; the promotion is good as long as supplies last. If you've always wanted to try this famous lip-plumper, here's your no-strings-attached chance.

I would have absolutely no problem spending $75 in the DuWop store, because I've really been loving the brand's makeup lately. If you haven't dabbled in DuWop, I highly recommend the Revolotion Face tinted moisturizer ($29) and the nutritious and delicious DuWop Elixrstix. And though I have yet to try the DuWop Blushbooster ($22), it sounds divine. What are your favorite DuWop products?

In Which Bella Falls Hard For a $5.99 Shampoo

BellaSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:34 -0700

When you're on crutches, even the smallest tasks can be daunting. (You just try to carry a glass of water while carrying yourself. Can't be done.) In the name of simplicity, I've minimized my grooming routine, which means that I haven't been blow-drying my hair. Normally, letting it air-dry makes it flatter than Flat Stanley under a steamroller. And yet, I've been getting compliments left and right on my hair. What gives?

Then I realized that it had been about a month since I'd switched my shampoo/conditioner combo. Since then, I've been using John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo and conditioner ($5.99 each). They promise to make hair look fuller, and, well, they deliver. Even without using a hair dryer, my hair is bouncy and shiny, and the products smell good, too. I know I might seem like some crazy shampoo proselytizer, but it is always pleasing to stumble upon a product that does what it says it'll do. And it's even better when it's reasonably priced. So while my body may have limited mobility, at least my hair has body. (It's the little things that make my day.)

Each Month, a New Soapy Scent Pops Up

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:05 -0700

What do you get when you take a former drag queen and a doctor to a 200-year-old farm? Beekman 1802, a concept that aims to get people connecting with old-timey pleasures such as cooking, gardening, and crafting. Writer Josh Kilmer-Purcell and physician Brent Ridge (a former VP at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia) live on a farm estate in upstate New York, where - among other things - they have a line of handmade soaps ($12.50/set of two) made with milk from the farm's freely grazing goats. The soapmaking process avoids using harsh chemicals, and each bar is scented with essential oils. Nice. What I love about this concept, though, is that there's a different scent for each month. Each bar incorporates scents found on the Beekman 1802 estate - think fresh grass for March, apples and firewood for October. Such a cute idea for gift-giving, and an affordable luxury for those of us who miss a whiff of country air now and then.

View 12 Photos ›

That New Shoe Smell: Jimmy Choo Gets Its Own Fragrance

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:15:44 -0700

WWD is reporting that Tamara Mellon, the socialite and scene queen behind haute shoe and accessories line Jimmy Choo, has announced a newly inked perfume deal for the brand. Mellon said, "It has always been my vision to fully accessorize the woman, and fragrance is an integral part of the modern wardrobe."

I'm all for fully accessorizing, but I'm curious to see how this works out. Jimmy Choo is a name associated with a certain kind of luxury, and its already moved into handbags and a line for H&M, so creating a fragrance isn't surprising. But when I think Choo, I think high heels, and my weird foot phobia means that I then think of feet. Agh! No word yet on what the first scent will be like, but we're guessing it won't smell like Odor Eaters. Are you looking forward to Eau de Choo, or are you taking a wait-and-see approach?