BellaSugar

Is Applying Makeup in Public a Do or a Don't?

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 06:00:33 -0700

This morning I boarded the bus, only to notice a fellow rider putting on her makeup. I'm not talking about a little touchup, either-it was the whole shebang. She plucked product after product from her bag: foundation, concealer, powder, eye shadow, lip liner, eyeliner, mascara and so on. By the time she pulled out the eyelash curler, half of the bus riders were trying not to stare. DearSugar and I agree that it's a tacky transit don't. What do you think?

Does Your Significant Other Complain About Your Beauty Routine?

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:37 -0800

I'm not entirely convinced that Mr. Bella will ever understand my beauty routine. "Do you really need to put wax (tinted moisturizer) on your face?" he asks. "Why do you have dark brown conditioner?" he wonders. "What is that torture device (eyelash curler) you are putting on your lashes?" he inquires.

Even though I'm all about looking nice and presentable when I leave the house, I don't consider myself overly excessive. In reality, all I need is about 15 minutes for the everyday hairstyling and makeup application. What about you? Does your significant other have not-so-nice things to say about the time you spend on your beauty routine?

You Can Look Pretty in Purple Shadow, Too

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:22 -0800

Emma Stone sure knows how to glam it up, doesn't she? At last night's GQ Men of the Year event in LA, the actress wowed in this subtle lavender shadow. Encircling the eyes with makeup can look raccoon-like, but Emma manages to pull it off, thanks to a light touch and a soft-toned shade. The great thing about this cooler-toned shade is that it looks great during all seasons, and it just happens to be very of-the-moment. You can look pretty in purple shadow, too. To get some tips on wearing it without looking Grimace-y, just keep reading.

Australian Schools Let Companies "Teach" Makeup

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:55 -0800

I know that marketing in schools is nothing new, but a program in Australia is taking things to a new level. A program called Fashion Roll Call, which is sponsored in part by makeup brand NP Set Cosmetics, is touring all-girl schools around the country. Their goal is to educate girls in fashion and beauty industry careers by presenting a "lunch-time fashion parade" followed by makeup application tutorials taught by makeup artists who work for NP Set.

When I was 13, I probably would have been excited for this, since it means no class and playing with stuff my parents wouldn't let me wear. But as an adult, I have mixed feelings. The cosmetics brand is getting choice branding access to kids in exchange for a few makeup tips. And since this program is being billed as educational, and intended to teach children about the fashion and beauty industries, why no boys or coed schools? There are tons of men in the fashion and beauty industries, and their absence suggests that the informational element here is a thin veneer to make aggressive marketing more palatable. What do you think?

Make Your Halloween Makeup Stay The Night

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:00:46 -0700

With the wrong Halloween makeup, your cheerleader costume can become a zombie cheerleader costume by the end of the night. Makeup that stays put is imperative in pulling off the ultimate costume. Here are some tips to help your getup last the night.

Makeup stays longer on hydrated skin. Be sure not to slack on your moisturizer and eye cream.
Use professional stage makeup. "Usually over-the-counter makeup lines are called washable cream makeup, and they will smear and rub off," says Dominic Cruz, Education Director at Kryolan. If you don't have access to cake makeup, he recommends setting your look with powder or Kryolan Fixing Spray.
Choose a long-wearing or waterproof concealer, like Maybelline Cover Stick Waterproof Concealer.
Use an eye shadow base or primer, like L‘Oreal De-Crease Eyeshadow base.
Curl lashes, and use a waterproof mascara if your costume includes it. If you need to wear false lashes, bring extras and glue with you. If you need to wear colored mascara and can’t find one, try Benefit She Laq, which comes with a mascara wand applicator.
If your disguise requires flushed cheeks, layer more than one kind of blush (mousse, powder, gel, stain) to make the color last longer.
Use long-wearing eye pencil on brows instead of brow pencil. Also use it for fake moles or freckles (that means you, Marilyn).
If you need to create the illusion of big lips, use concealer all over your lips before applying either liner or lip stain and then lipstick. If you need to tweak the shape, use a reverse lip liner.

Source

Matte Lipstick Is a Big Trend, So Why Are There Only Two Choices at the Drugstore?

BellaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:00:29 -0700

I'll always love Sephora and elegant department stores, but I'm also intrinsically opposed to having to go one of those places to pick up on-trend makeup. My latest pet peeve is matte lipstick. Matte is everywhere; suffice it to say it's the lip and skin texture of the season. And yet at the drugstore today there were only two matte lines in the whole place, and what little stock there was had clearly already been rummaged by desperate fashionistas. Of the paltry choices there were, the matte I prefer is the Sally Hansen Moist & Matte in Charmeuse ($7). It's the true red my volunteer at the right is wearing. It doesn't dry your lips out, and it tastes like mint, plus the applicator's pretty cool. On the downside, the pigment's staying power is unimpressive, and it definitely doesn't stay on when you drink and eat. OK for a shopping trip or going dancing, bad for a romantic dinner or drinks after work.

How-To: Ginger and Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Makeup

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:37 -0700

It's a rivalry as old as ridiculous stereotypes about women: Ginger vs. Mary Ann. We all know that on Gilligan's Island, at least, the goody-goody in short shorts won out, but as far as makeup goes, both ladies' looks were absolutely divine - and surprisingly similar, when you get right down to it. To find out how to go from sultry to sweet with the substitution of just a couple products, read more

Jemma Kidd Has Easy Eye Makeup Basics

BellaSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:00:18 -0700

When it comes to applying your makeup, what area do you find to be the trickiest? If you're like me, it's all about the eye area. While I love trying trendy shades and techniques, sometimes I just want a quick and easy routine. And since I can never get enough eye makeup tips, when I came across five suggestions from makeup artist Jemma Kidd on going back to the basics with your eye makeup application, I took notice. To find out her easy-to-follow tips, read more.

21 Hair and Makeup Looks You WON'T Be Wearing Come Spring

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:00:01 -0700

From the runways onto department and drugstore shelves, I'm sure we'll see lots of fresh new makeup options and application techniques go full circle come March. Last month in New York, we saw six very wearable trends emerge, from peach lips to bold eyeliner to heavy-handed under-the-eye liners. But throughout the course of New York Fashion Week and other Spring 2010 shows, including Paris, London, and Milan, there were other looks that won't quite make the transition. Take this sequin forehead heart-shaped applique, for instance - straight from the Ungaro show in Paris, for which Lindsay Lohan acted as artistic adviser. While I appreciate each and every designer's artistic flair, some looks just won't translate to real life. See what I mean now.

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Gorgeously Retro: How to Look Like Samantha in Bewitched

BellaSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:56 -0700

Watching Bewitched on Saturday afternoons was a childhood ritual for me, and I dreamed of being as gorgeous and funny as Elizabeth Montgomery. Sam is still my favorite witch of all time, and if pressed, I might admit to a small crush on poor, sweet, OCD Darren (original Darren, of course, not the second one). But what's even more classic about the show is Sam's gorgeous hair and makeup, which I think is totally timeless. Especially now, with the fashion and beauty vogue of Mad Men (and the huge red lipstick trend for Fall), why not indulge in a little stylish '60s nostalgia? To find out how to get Sam's pretty look, just wiggle your nose and read more.