BellaSugar

Pantene Gets a Makeover

BellaSugar — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:00:19 -0800

If you find the eternal sameness of the Pantene bottle comforting, then you're in for a rough time. The brand is giving all of its packaging and marketing an overhaul. The new bottles will be shinier, more colorful, and differently shaped than their predecessors.

What's more, they won't be arranged in the usual way on store shelves. Instead of having all the shampoos and conditioners together, all the products for a given hair type will instead be in the same area, including styling products like mousse. Pantene is the most popular shampoo brand, and it's been Bella readers' favorite in the past. Do you think this change was necessary?

Is Light-Up Packaging a Brilliant Idea?

BellaSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:00:07 -0700

As if the fluorescent lights at megamarts weren't lovely enough, soon you'll see flashing lights while you shop. NXT, a new line of paraben-free men's grooming goods, isn't spending its money on a huge advertising budget. Instead, it's relying on innovative packaging to draw shoppers in. Each container has an LED light at its base, and the light illuminates the gel within. The New York Times explains:

Every 15 seconds, a light-emitting diode (LED) in the bottom of the container flares on, stays lighted for a few seconds, then fades out. . . . Each NXT light is powered by two or three AAA batteries, and a rolling switch turns off the contraption when it’s upside down or sideways. The light will flash for about a year, so the product is shipped upside-down from its plant in China in boxes that say “This Side Up” in five languages.

From a marketing standpoint, it's pretty smart - who wouldn't pause in the shaving-cream aisle to investigate the flashing lights? And yet, I hope it doesn't kick off a trend; those blinking red coupon dispensers always annoy me at the grocery store, and the idea of an entire wall of flashing (or worse, musical) products makes me anxious. What do you think of this concept? Would you be more likely buy a product if it would light up your life? Or are you ready to hide away in Bella's Dark Bunker of Non-Illuminated Products if the trend gets bigger?

How Much Does Packaging Matter To You?

BellaSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 06:00:43 -0700

The other weekend, GiggleSugar and I went to Nordstrom. Even though the last thing I need is another nail polish, I dropped a ridiculous $19 on Chanel Gold Shimmer. Yep, I got suckered in by the sleek black cap and double-C logo. (And of course, the pedicure has already chipped.) How often does packaging make or break a decision?

How To: Make Your Cosmetic Containers Sparkle

BellaSugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:00:00 -0700

A lot of you are in love with the crystal-adorned Vaseline container from Monday's blush post, so I thought I'd tell you how you can make it at home. In fact, you could dress up almost any classic beauty buy this way, making even the most routine grooming products into objets d'art in your loo.

Swarovski makes crystals that you can individually glue onto the Vaseline container, but i think this approach takes too much time and money. Do you really want to spend hours messing with glue? Instead, the quick and easy way to get the rhinestone effect is to buy a set of peel-and-stick acrylic crystals. You will need about 300 small clear crystals and around 125 blue ones. Before you start application, be sure to clean the container so that you don't have any random petroleum jelly stains. From there, it's a simple (if tedious) process of peeling and sticking each crystal onto the jar. Start at the bottom and work your way up; this way, you can easily hold the container still. And that's it, really! It's easy, inexpensive and fabulous-an honor the humble Vaseline jar has probably never had bestowed upon it before.

Source

Saturday Giveaway! Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:30:04 -0700

Spring is the time to flirt, and our friends at Sephora want to help give you the most tempting pout around with a little help from Hourglass. Today's lucky winner will receive:

Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss - A moisturizing, water-resistant gloss with amazing shades and purse-friendly packaging.

To enter, just take the quiz by 5 p.m. PDT today, 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 PopSugar Community member to enter. So if you're not already one, register now. 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 the PopSugar Community for your entry to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

Take the quiz

Friday Giveaway! Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:30:04 -0700

Spring is the time to flirt, and our friends at Sephora want to help give you the most tempting pout around with a little help from Hourglass. Today's lucky winner will receive:

Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss - A moisturizing, water-resistant gloss with amazing shades and purse-friendly packaging.

Take the quiz

Julianne Moore Wants to Help You Help the Rainforest

BellaSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:33 -0700

If you like being a smooth-complexioned do-gooder who's down with art, then Kiehl's has created the perfect storm for you. The brand's Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mist ($26) is a 100 percent natural, ECOCERT- and Cradle to Cradle-certified organic toner chock full of antioxidants.

What's more, it's all wrapped up in limited-edition packaging by Jeff Koons, Julianne Moore, Pharrell Williams, and Malia Jones. Each of the bottle wraps delivers a little star power with each spray - and, most importantly, all net proceeds from sales of the mist go to the Rainforest Alliance, which works to protect biodiversity and give people living in forested areas sustainable livelihoods. The project is expected to raise $200,000, and the goods are on sale now.

Thursday Giveaway! Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:30:12 -0700

Spring is the time to flirt, and our friends at Sephora want to help give you the most tempting pout around with a little help from Hourglass. Today's lucky winner will receive:

Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss - A moisturizing, water-resistant gloss with amazing shades and purse-friendly packaging.

Take the quiz

Don't It Make Lara's Brown Eyes Blue

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:41 -0700

Model Lara Stone has a gorgeous new fragrance campaign, a new fiancé, and a lot of clout in the industry right now. And in her new ads, she has something else new, too: a different eye color.

Look and you'll see that Lara's big brown eyes are a light greenish blue in the campaign for Prada Infusion D'Iris. No word on what prompted the change, but we suspect it may have been done to have her peepers better complement the color of the packaging. Critics might point to the ad as another example of Photoshop being taken too far, but is this change really any different from a model sporting colored hair? Your thoughts?

Predict the Oscar Winners and Win a Prize Package!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0800

The Oscars are just a few days away, and we have everything you need for the big night! First, check out our brand-new printable ballot - download by clicking here. It's the perfect addition to your Oscar night, whether you're having a big bash or just want to compete with your friends. Plus, Yum has all the details on the Governors Ball menu and party planning tips for your own Oscars bash.

You, too, can be a winner: if you've yet to fill out my Oscar ballot, then you're missing out! You could win a huge DVD prize package, so be sure pick your choice in each and every category to be eligible to win. Need help choosing? Get hints with my category breakdowns.

The grand prize includes limited-edition items from four Oscar nominated films: Up in the Air, Star Trek, The Lovely Bones, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, courtesy of our friends at Paramount Pictures! That's not all - the winner will also receive the ultimate Oscar movie collection: a 30-plus DVD package from Paramount of past Academy Award-winning films including such favorites as American Beauty, Gladiator, Forrest Gump, Ghost, The Godfather, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sunset Boulevard, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Saving Private Ryan, There Will Be Blood, Titanic, Love Story, Roman Holiday, Fatal Attraction, Witness, Romeo and Juliet, and much, much more!

All you have to do to enter is click here and start making your Oscar winner picks. You must be a registered member of the PopSugar Network to join in, and if you're not a member yet, that's OK: just go here to sign up. Check out the official rules here, and you have until noon PST on March 7 to enter - so start predicting your winners now!