BellaSugar

The Big No!No! Update

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:00:26 -0800

After my initial review of No!No!, I promised an update on the new hair-removal device. My little pink gadget and I have been together for a couple of months now, and so I can give you a more robust idea of how well it works. (If you need a quick intro to how No!No! works, just read the first review.)

The first thing to understand is that using No!No! ($250) requires a time commitment. No, it's not a huge one, but it's still there, and I often had a hard time fitting my zapping time into my routine. I usually spend 20 to 30 minutes using No!No! on my legs and bikini line, and you're supposed to do this two or three times a week. It sounds easy, but if you have a busy schedule, it can be difficult to keep up this pace. (I found that it was easiest if I used the device while watching DVDs.)

For the full update, read more

Because I often missed a session or two with No!No!, I've had good but inconsistent results. That's all because of me, not because of the product, but I feel like it's worth mentioning again. No!No! doesn't magically zap your hair away immediately; it takes time. I've been using No!No! more consistently over the past few weeks, and I can say that I already see a big improvement.

Before, I'd mentioned that the smell of burning hair was a turnoff. The more you use No!No!, the better it gets, because you're dealing with small bits of stubble. So that's not so bad. And again, the actual procedure is genuinely painless. Occasionally, along the bikini line, I can feel the heat, but it doesn't burn.

So does it get rid of hair? Yep, it does. I have significantly less growth on my legs, and while the skin isn't completely hairless, it's a considerable improvement. Plus, because I have less hair, I don't have to shave very often. Now, if you want 100% hairless skin, you'll probably either have to use the device forevuh or consider waxing or laser hair removal. But if, like me, you just want to deal with less hair overall, and to shave less often, it works well. For this reason, I think No!No! would be a fantastic find for women who feel their arms are more hirsute than they'd like.

The bigger issue, of course, is the price. I received a test unit to review here, but No!No! retails for $250. Not chump change! Whether it's worth buying depends on your needs. I think No!No! is worth purchasing if:

It fits within your budget.
You're willing to spend an hour to 90 minutes each week, for four to six weeks, to get results.
You want to minimize body hair, to get professional-level results, and can deal with the occasional stray hair that comes back.

If you have any other questions, leave them in the comments. I'll try to answer as many as possible!

Product Review: No!No!

BellaSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:02:04 -0700

I've already told you about No!No! ($250), a new and painless hair-removal device that's making its U.S. debut at Sephora. Well, I was able to try out No!No!, and I think you'll like what it does.

First, it's important to understand that No!No! promises measurable, but not miraculous, results. With continued use, it will eliminate about 65% of body hair. It won't do it overnight, however; you need to be committed to using the device two or three times a week for at least eight weeks. After that time, you should see much less regrowth, and the hair that is there will not be as obvious. I've only been using mine for two weeks, but I'm already noticing a difference. To find out what it's done so far, read more

No!No! works by using Thermicon technology, which uses thermodynamic pulses of heat to dissolve the hair follicle. To use the device, you plug it in, insert a wire gadget appropriate to your hair length, and run it along your skin at a 90-degree angle. A green light at the top of No!No! helps you know if you're doing it right. When you are, it's steadily green. When the light flickers, you're not at the right angle.

No!No! claims to be pain-free, and guess what? It is. There might be a slight sensation of warmth, but it's not even vaguely uncomfortable. One thing I wasn't expecting, though, was the smell. As the hair follicles get zapped, they smell like, well, burning hair. It's not the best odor, but I found that after the initial session, I was zapping stubble-so with shorter hair, the stink is minimized.

As I said earlier, I'm only two weeks into my No!No! adventure, but I'm starting to see a difference. Maybe it's just the placebo effect, but I feel like I can go an extra day or two without shaving, simply because the hair doesn't seem to grow back as fast. (I'm shaving while using No!No! just so I am not a hirsute leggy lady.) The initial results are promising, and I'm going to stick with the program.

Now, I know the price is off-putting to a lot of you. It is to me, too (I was given a test unit to review). Two hundred and fifty dollars is a lot of money, but depending on how important hair removal is to you, it may be worth it. It's a lot less expensive than laser treatments, and it's much cheaper than getting your legs or bikini area waxed every month for a year. That said, it's also more expensive than kicking the Bic. I will say, though, that if you have stubborn body hair-such as thick arm hair-or if you just don't want to mess with shaving anymore, you'll want to say yes, yes to No!No!

Coming Soon: No!No!

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:11:06 -0700

If you hate shaving as much as I do, you might say "yes!" to No!No!. This small, portable hair removal device promises to destroy hair painlessly using thermal technology. The heat gently destroys hair by crystallizing the top part of the follicle, stopping up to 64% of hair growth over time. It isn't a miracle cure, nor does it provide overnight results. You'll need to use No!No! two or three times a week for the first two months, but it pays off: A study found that on average, hair reduction reached 45% after eight weeks of use.

Compared with shaving, waxing and laser treatments, No!No! has a few advantages. It's less likely to cause ingrown hairs, it's pain-free and it works with short, light hairs as well as longer, darker ones. I'm eager to try this out when it launches at Sephora next month-and of course I'll let you know how well it works.

Enter BellaSugar's "Good Skin Is In" Giveaway and Win a No!No! Hair Removal Device!

BellaSugar — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:30:22 -0700

This month every week we're giving away an electronic gadget that helps you achieve a flawless complexion. And this week while it might not clear your skin it'll surely give you smoother skin. That's because today's giveaway is for the No!No! hair removal device. The No!No! uses thermal transference that brings heat to the hair and subsequently removes it. It's a safe, at-home alternative to laser-hair removal. And, I fell in love with it when I tried it out last year.

To enter to win, just log in and take this quiz. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just simply on taking the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member to take the quiz. So if you're not already a member, register here for an account and to join in all the fun on the Sugar sites! One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Remember: You must be logged in to TeamSugar for your vote to count. Just click on "take the quiz" below; I will do a random drawing on Monday, Aug. 4, at midnight PDT. US residents eligible only (sorry!). Click here for the official rules. Good luck!

Take the quiz

Link Time!

BellaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:01:18 -0800

Ashley Greene talks about her hair history - In Style
Makeup artist Tina Turnbow is creating makeup for Tarte - Stylelist
Take a peek at Chanel's next It nail polish color - Temptalia
Learn how to create a bright turquoise eye shadow look - Makeup and Beauty Blog
How to avoid a bad haircut - Allure
The No!No! hair zapper gets an update - Glamour
Does asymmetrical hair work? You be the judge - FabSugar UK
A woman lies about breast cancer . . . to get a boob job - Lemondrop
Frédéric Malle's new Madison Avenue boutique is just gorgeous - The Moment

Do You Shower With Your Significant Other?

BellaSugar — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Lately, this is a topic that has surfaced more frequently than I care to admit. You see, Mr. Bella has taken an informal survey of various friends and co-workers to find out if showering together gets a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Many people agree that it's a no-no because someone always ends up shivering on the non-water flowing side and/or it's just too slippery or time consuming for it to be any fun.

On the affirmative end, others think it's romantic, sexy, and a great way to get those hard-to-reach areas washed. So, what do you think? Whether you're single or in a relationship, do you like a shower buddy or do you prefer to go solo?

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Bella Donna: Charlotte Rampling

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:00:24 -0700

Charlotte Rampling has a lot of nerve. Even though she's had several roles before and several roles after, I'll always remember her odd (to say the least) portrayal of Margaret, a woman in love with a chimpanzee in Max My Love (1986). After beginning her acting career as an uncredited water skier in a 1965 film, she primarily worked as a model in her native England before her breakout role in Georgy Girl, playing a bitchy roommate to Lynn Redgrave's Georgy.

Charlotte continued to take daring roles, never shying away from playing unsympathetic parts. She shared the screen with actors such as Sean Connery, Woody Allen, and Paul Newman. In fact, when asked about her role with the chimp she said, "Difficult acting with a chimp? No, no. The emotions were the same. In a way it was like playing opposite Paul Newman. The chimpanzee reacted differently, that's all." Burn!

Ever outspoken (and prolifically talented), she was most recently seen playing Keira Knightley's mother in The Duchess and looked just as lovely as her modeling days some 40 years earlier. It's this, and her approach to beauty that makes this woman such a Bella Donna in my eyes.

Read her opinion on beauty and see more photos when you read more.

She told The Independent in 2005:

I think you have to earn beauty. You can use it or abuse it however you want when you're young. It's a God-given gift. You have a visiting card; you can go into any room and someone will come and talk to you. But I've always thought from very early on that you have to be careful with that - not being vain or narcissistic. Have fun, but don't be obsessed with it.

View 15 Photos ›

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Deborah Lippmann Talks Nail Trends, Part Two

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:00:22 -0700

Deborah Lippmann, founder of Lippmann Collection, had a busy New York Fashion Week. After giving Mariah Carey not one but two manicures during Fashion Rocks (she wore Fashion during the Stand Up To Cancer performance and then Rhapsody in White for her solo) she did the nails at Rodarte, Zac Posen and Zegna (which, if you read my post on nail techs at FW, you know is no small feat). Still, she took a minute to talk to me backstage about a multitude of nail topics, the first being trends.

For today's installation of my interview with Lippmann, I got a genius tip for choosing a neutral nail polish and I discovered a secret from her past, read more.

How do you choose a neutral?
Deborah Lippmann: It’s sort of the same as finding a foundation or finding a lip color. You need to find out if you’re warm or cool. I have two colors in my collection, one is warm and one is more blue based. If you put on the wrong color and your cuticle looks red, it’s not the right color. The warm is called Fashion, the one called You Can Leave Your Hat On has more blue undertones. Even if you’re wearing the wrong red, your cuticle will look red when it dries down.

When switching from a darker nail to a neutral, why do nails sometimes turn yellow?
Deborah Lippmann: Yellowing nails don’t mean you are unhealthy. You may be wearing a lot of pigment in your nail polish. Try a thicker, ridge filling base coat if you are wearing really pigmented colors. It could also be from sunscreen. Or, of course, if you're using acrylics on your nails. Fake nails are how I stopped biting.

I can’t believe you bit your nails.
Deborah Lippmann: That’s how I got into the business! When I was younger, I bit my nails. I started performing – singing, I'm a jazz singer – and when I got on stage, I was holding the microphone and the director was like "No, no, no. Put on a set of nails," and I was like, "[gasps]." I felt so comfortable. It was a really life changing thing.

For how to perfectly polish, check back on Friday!

The Clarisonic Diaries: Week One

BellaSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:00:59 -0700

There are two beauty gadgets people usually ask me about: No!No! and Clarisonic. As far as No!No! is concerned, you can read my review here. But until last week, I'd never tried Clarisonic ($195). The oscillating brush uses sonic technology, promising to remove six times more makeup than regular cleansing, while reducing the appearance of fine lines at the same time.

My buddy Philleif recently bought a Clarisonic, and he won't stop raving about it. (He may or may not have mocked me for being behind the times.) But now that I've been sent one to review, I'll keep you posted on whether his (and Oprah's) Clarisonic evangelizing is deserved. For my first thoughts, read more.

I've been using my Clarisonic for only a few days, and as the weeks progress, I'll update BellaSugar with my thoughts. So far, so good. Because Clarisonic is supposed to clean better than soap and water alone, I did a few unscientific tests to see if there was any difference. I washed my face the regular way, then followed it by cleansing with Clarisonic to see if it picked up any residue.

I've always thought that I take good care of my skin, particularly when cleansing, but, uh, I was wrong. Even after cleaning my face, I'd use Clarisonic and be amazed by how much additional dirt and makeup it removed. Clarisonic lifted up bits of blush and powder that were invisible to the naked eye, but when they turned up on Clarisonic's bristles, I couldn't believe how much I'd missed in my first cleansing. You know how you'll sweep your floor, and it looks clean, but then you Swiffer it and find so much more dust? It's like that.

I'm less than a week into my Clarisonic cleaning spree, though, so who knows what other discoveries await? Will it reduce the appearance of my pores? reduce oil? make my other skin care products more effective? I'll keep you posted!

Does The Pill Help Reduce Your Acne?

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:00:11 -0700

Recently, the FDA issued a warning letter to Bayer, maker of the birth control pill YAZ, for misleading consumers into thinking the drug can help remedy most, if not all, pre-menstrual symptoms. While YAZ is approved to treat moderate acne vulgaris, the commercials suggest that the drug can treat all acne problems, which is a no-no, says the FDA. So, this got me to thinking about The Pill in general, which helped clear up my case of jawline acne. What says you on this topic?

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