BellaSugar

Nail It This Holiday Season With Festive Gifts For the Hands and Feet

Jaime Richards — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:00:10 PST

No matter the person, gifts with a manicure or pedicure theme are almost always crowd-pleasers. Since we've already explored 10 nail polishes worth celebrating this season, let's check out some other options for the hands and feet.

What Beauty Look Makes No Sense to You?

Annie Tomlin — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:00:32 PDT

I'm clearly in the minority here, but I cannot understand the appeal of French pedicures. More than 60 percent of you deem them chic, but they baffle me. Though I'm not a fan of their manicure counterpart, it's easy to understand why people want to make their nail growth look neat and brighter. But I'll never understand trompe-l'œil toenail growth. To each her own; it's just not a look for me. What about you? Is there a beauty look whose popularity you can't grasp?

Source: Flickr User rick

Get Decent Heels This Flip-Flop Season

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:00:00 PDT

Check out this sole-soothing guide from OnSugar blog Older Girl Beauty:

I hate wearing shoes. Seriously. If I could be barefoot all the time, I would be a happy girl. Heck, I could be the Barefoot Bandit's girlfriend if it wasn't for the whole "stealing" thing he had going on. Of course, running around barefoot doesn't make for the prettiest of tootsies. In fact, it makes my heels pretty dang callusy and hard.

Since it's Summer, and I have to leave my house sometimes, I tend to throw on some flip-flops, which doesn't hide the heel horror that I sport. So I need some heavy-duty help to make them presentable. After trying many things, I have narrowed it down to two things that help a lot.

To see her picks for smooth feet, just keep reading. Have your own magic combo of products? Why not create your own OnSugar blog to share it? You might just get featured here on Bella!

4 Ways to Keep Your Feet Blister-Free This Summer

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:12 PDT

Wearing the cute strappy sandals on a high school class trip to Cedar Point seemed like a good idea, but Mom was right - sometimes you have to choose comfort over looks. But thanks to a whole bunch of products and DIY methods, most of the time you can wear those cute, warm weather-appropriate shoes without suffering.

Blisters are caused by friction, so the key is to prevent your shoes from rubbing against your feet. Moisture-wicking socks are used by athletes to prevent blisters from forming, but unfortunately, socks and sandals just don't mix (unless the Clark Griswold look is something you're going for). While it's practically impossible to keep your shoes from touching your skin, you can follow a few different methods to create a thin barrier between you and your sandals. So bust out the espadrilles and huaraches, it's time to get blister-free this Summer. Get the details when you read more.

This Lady Has Spent More Than 80 Grand on Spa Treatments . . . For Her Small Children

BellaSugar — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:00:00 PDT

Yesterday on Tyra, Tyra Banks interviewed a bunch of women who take their kids to the spa all the time. This is not like taking your junior-high-aged daughter for a manicure; we're talking elementary school kids of both genders getting things like massages and facials every week. If I were wealthy, I might go to the spa a lot more often, but if you're spending tens of thousands of dollars "beautifying" your grade schoolers, then maybe you need to take a step back and think about how you're using that money. Do you think this is the kind of thing that's permissible if you have endless funds? Watch the mom explain herself here:

Definition: Reflexology

BellaSugar — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:00:19 PDT

Reflexology is a natural, alternative treatment that involves applying pressure and massage techniques to parts of the body (most often the feet and sometimes the hands). Not only does this type of therapy relieve stress, it also helps to boost circulation and improve body functions. (Psst: SJP is a fan.)

In reflexology, specific parts of the feet or hands are massaged to correspond with different glands, body parts, or organs. The idea is that by manipulating these precise points, which are mapped out in reflexology charts, the body will come back into balance. While reflexology shouldn't be considered a replacement for medical treatment, a relaxing massage is always good for the soul. To learn more, try Reflexology Massage DVD With Socks Set ($33), Total Reflexology: Everything You Need to Unlock the Healing Power of Your Body ($15), or Sexy Love Sox ($20).

A 4-Step Plan For Getting Sandal-Ready Feet

BellaSugar — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 06:00:00 PDT

The season of open-toed shoes is almost upon us, and no amount of last-minute nail polish can disguise feet that have been ignored lo these last six months. Fear not, though, for I have devised a simple, time-saving plan for getting gorgeous feet that you'll be proud to show off. To get started, just keep reading.

Meet Buffy, the Dull-Nail Slayer

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:02:15 PST

It seems like you can't walk through a mall these days without someone trying to check out your nails. You know what I mean, right? All you're trying to do is go get an Auntie Anne's pretzel, when you're accosted by a mall-kiosk clerk with a magical $50 buffing system. The good news about those kits is that they do make fingernails look glossy without polish. The better news: you can get the same results on your own without shelling out so much money.

All you need is a buffer like this one ($2.99). Be sure to use a buffer made for shine, not a nail shaper or file. Follow the directions on the package, but usually you'll have a two-step process: buff with one side, then follow with another to create shine. It's best to buff in one direction, with a light hand. (Going gangbusters on your nails won't make them any shinier, and you could wear the nail down. Ouch.) After you've achieved the shine you want, apply hand cream or cuticle oil for extra moisture.

If you've never done this before, try it. You'll be surprised by how shiny your natural nails can be, and you'll also be able to fend off the kiosk people by flashing your hands.

Are You Paranoid About Your Less-Than-Perfect Pedi?

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:51 PDT

When you peek at your feet, what do you think? Are you dazzled by your perfectly filed toenails and softer-than-soft heels, or are you none too thrilled with their less than impeccable looks? As this article in The New York Times points out, often, women take way better care of their faces than their tootsies.

According to a recent study from the American Podiatric Medical Association, 50 percent of women surveyed were "always, frequently, or sometimes" embarrassed by the appearance of their feet. In fact, there are several Facebook groups devoted to feet bashing, and pedicurists note that customers are often apologetic for the way their feet look. See both sides of the story now.

Fake Toenails: The Lazy Woman's Pedicure

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:00:18 PDT

On a flight a few weeks back, my mother sat next to a group of nurses going to Palm Beach for a conference. She immediately noticed (because she is Bella's mama) that they all had perfect, matching pedicures.

"Oh, how fun," she said. "You ladies all went to the salon together?" The nurses got very excited, began giggling like schoolgirls, and then the one next to her leaned over and whispered "No, they're all fake. $5.99!" My mom then called me to ask if I'd ever used something like this. I'd seen fake toenails before - always walk past them at Rite Aid - but I'd never heard of anyone who'd used them, let alone with great results. So I did a little online hunting, and I have to say that there's quite an array of these things.

The ones the nurses were using must have been these Kiss Everlasting Glue-On Toenails ($5.99), because the price is right, but all the big brands seem to have their own, from Revlon's Perfect Pedicure ($9) fakes to Broadway Nails Fashion Divas ($6), which come in several "sassy" styles that 12 year-old me would have loved but that the thought of an adult wearing makes me vaguely afraid. What do you all think? Have any experience with these things? If you've used them, I'd love to hear about it in the comments.