BellaSugar

A Sense For Beauty, Part I: Touch

BellaSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:00:22 -0700

Welcome to my series on the five senses and beauty products. You may not realize that you are drawn to certain items because they appeal to your sense of taste, touch, sight, hearing, and smell, but subconsciously these qualities have a huge influence over what you chose to purchase. This series is a great way for you to gain insight into your mind, body, spirit - and bathroom. Today's topic is touch.

Touch and beauty are correlated on many levels. For example, Body So Fine body balm by Benefit ($30) is one of the company's best sellers because of its unique velvety cream-to-powder texture. Also, products that have dense, oily, or milky consistencies can attract or deter people from using them.

Touch also plays an intricate role in a spa experience. Hands-on treatments (as opposed to saunas, steam rooms, and baths) are fantastic ways to boost your mood. Did you know that the human touch releases "happy" endorphins that can physically help reduce blood pressure, stress, and anxiety? Psychologically, touch can also make you feel less isolated and more secure. Do you love the way a certain bath, body, or hair product feels? If so, please share your thoughts with me in a comment below.

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The Big Tria Update: All of the Pros and Cons

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:00:18 -0700

A few things have happened since Tria, the at-home laser hair-removal gadget, came on the market. First, the economy tanked, which may explain why Tria's price went from $995 to $795. Second, I've had almost a year to give it a whirl (full disclosure: Tria's PR team sent a trial unit for me to use). Third, my opinion has shifted over the last few months. Is Tria worth the hefty price tag? Does it remove hair permanently? Would I recommend it? Find out the answers to these questions when you read more.

Tsumori Chisato Designs a Princely Collection For Shu Uemura

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:44 -0700

Back in high school, Mademoiselle Wood made it a requirement that we all read Le Petit Prince in French - a daunting task at the time. But I soon I became wrapped up in the dreamlike, surprisingly profound, world of this little prince and his similarly unpredictable companions.

Fast-forward to the present day, and I'm captivated by The Little Prince once again, as Japanese designer Tsumori Chisato is set to launch her own adaptation of the classic novella in collaboration with Shu Uemura.

See more pictures, and get additional information about the collection after the jump.

These Blind Massage Therapists Have the Right Touch

BellaSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:00:12 -0700

A massage clinic in a Dallas suburb has hired four massage therapists with one unusual thing in common: they're blind. Diana Alvarez, Bill Thayer, Zane King, and Paul Hughes work at the Massage Envy clinic, using their sense of touch to guide them. "Massage therapists who are blind really rely on touch alone," King explains. "And of course the right touch is the key element in massage therapy." Check out this AP report to find out more.

BellaSugar's Guide to Beauty Products and Your Senses

BellaSugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:00:22 -0700

I hope that you've enjoyed my series on the five senses and how they impact the beauty items that you buy. After taking a long look into my own personal beauty product inventory, I've come to understand that I am drawn more to the way that products look and smell than the way they sound, feel, or taste.

If you've fallen behind on your reading this week (it's OK, I'll forgive you this once!), below is a five-post roundup on each of the five senses. Please share with me, in a comment below, some of the things that you've learned about your own shopping habits when it comes to beauty products and your senses.

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Think Before You Pink, Says Advocacy Group

BellaSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:00:50 -0700

If you've shopped at all this month, you've likely come across dozens (if not hundreds) of pink-ribbon products. These items raise money for various breast cancer research groups; Estee Lauder alone is donating $500,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation this year. But with all of the pink-ribboned offerings, how can you choose wisely?

The people behind health-advocacy group Breast Cancer Action are going strong with their Think Before You Pink project, which wants shoppers to think twice before buying these items - particularly when it comes to cosmetic products, as the group believes that some ingredients in cosmetics are carcinogenic. In a thought-provoking interview, Breast Cancer Action Communications Director Richard Leiter touches on the group's goals.

Do you think companies behind these products are sincere about fighting breast cancer, or is this just a way for some of them to look charitable and improve their image while raking in profits?
We have no way to evaluate the motivations of any cause-marketer except to look at the nature of their contribution. Is the mechanism for contributing transparent? Is the total contribution substantial? Do they make it easy for consumers to see where the dollars are actually going? If a company is contributing a very small portion of their sales, then they're probably more interested in profits than progress.

Who are some of the worst “pinkwashers” in the cosmetics industry, and why?
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics publishes a list of cosmetics companies who have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Currently, none of the major cosmetics companies - including Avon, Revlon, Estee Lauder, Mary Kay - have signed the compact. And these four all engage in pink-ribbon marketing.

To find out which companies the campaign does like, read more.

If shoppers wish to support breast cancer research, how should they approach pink-ribbon products?
We urge shoppers to examine each product to make sure that a sufficient percentage of the purchase price does indeed go to breast cancer research (or services, or education or treatment - which all require funds.) Even more importantly, they should make sure that the pink-ribbon products they support don't cause breast cancer.

Within the beauty/cosmetics industry, which BCA products get the thumbs-up?
Our Think Before You Pink website lists companies who have gone paraben-free. We think that's a good start.

What are some of the successes the campaign has had? What would you like to see in the future?
The "Think Before You Pink" campaign led to the California Safe Cosmetics Bill in 2004, encouraged Avon to begin reformulating some of its products, and most recently focused considerable consumer attention on Yoplait yogurt's "pinkwashing". They require you to eat a hundred containers of yogurt and mail in the lids just to contribute 10 bucks. Doesn't it make more sense just to send a check?

A greater worry: Yoplait is made from milk that comes from rBGH-injected cows. rBGH has been linked to breast cancer and other cancers. We'd like to see General Mills join Wal-Mart, Starbucks and all of Europe in using rBGH-free dairy.

One more result: We've seen other breast cancer groups begin to urge their membership to ask tough questions of manufacturers and demand transparency.

Let me play devil’s advocate: Isn’t it better for some money to be donated to breast cancer groups than to have none donated at all?

Individuals and corporations will continue to donate to breast cancer. It might actually be better for that money to be donated directly to the most promising research and most needed services - rather than allowing a marketing department, which may not be fully informed or motivated, to make that choice. Another danger in feel-good cause-marketing is that consumers may get the impression the breast cancer is cured or almost cured and that's far from the truth. The end to the epidemic will come only when profound environmental and societal shifts occur.

The jury is out on whether phthalates and parabens are causational, correlative, or unrelated to the development of cancer. Why should women be concerned if the evidence isn’t completely in?
The stakes are so high - and the consumer alternatives are so abundant. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

Coming Soon: Chanel Fall 2008 Collection

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:00:10 -0700

Good lord, when did it get to be time for Fall cosmetics yet? Summer hasn't even officially begun! Leave it to Chanel to be the first in line to set the gold standard with their launch - and I mean that in the most literal sense. The new collection was designed by Peter Philips (the new Chanel makeup designer) and in true Chanel form, he drew his inspiration from Coco's decadent apartment to create a gold-based range. I'm seriously wondering if metallics have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for longest-running makeup trend.

The collection is filled with 20 new products, including two limited-edition gold items. The first is a powder highlighter called Gold Fever ($50), which can be worn on the face or the body and the second is a pale, shimmery gold nail polish called Gold Fiction ($30). Everything will be available in July.

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For a complete list and a brief description of each of the new products in the Fall 2008 collection, read more.

Lips

Rouge Hydrabase Creme Lipstick ($26) will be available in three new shades; Simply Pink (coral pink), Fantastic Plum (deep purple) and Great Copper (bronze).
Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour ($30) has a sexy new, creamy coral red on the market called Enthusiast.
Aqualumière Sheer Colour Lipshine with SPF 15 ($26) introduces two new shades in Formentera (beigey rose) and Papeete (cranberry).
Glossimer (Lip Gloss) ($26) and my personal favorite Chanel lip lacquer will have three new shades for Fall. They are Amberlight (bronze), Delight (lilac), and Gold Light, (shimmery gold).
Precision Lip Definer ($28) will be available in Pretty Pink (medium-toned, nude pink).

Eyes

Eye Shadow Quad in Reflets d’Ombre, ($55) is a palette of four shadows in coffee, dark green, ivory, and gold.
Soft Touch Eyeshadow : ($27.50) will come in a new duo that contains Le Bronze, (metallic brown) on one side and Bois Bleu (dark teal) on the other.
Silky Eyeshadow Duo in Cristal-Dusk ($40) contains two shadows in white and brown.
Precision Eye Definer in Denim ($27.50), is a grey-ish, slate blue.

Face

Powder Blush in Rose Dust ($42) is a pinky, plum shade.
Soft Pressed Powder in Almond ($50) a shimmery beige.

Nails

Nail Color in Kaléidoscope ($19) is a fashion-forward greenish-gold shade.
Nail Color in Fantastic ($19) is a deep, plummy wine (this color never seems to go out of style).

Man Lives As a Woman, Lives To Tell About It

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:01:36 -0700

Prepare to laugh. Or cringe. A British journalist decided to live as a woman for a week to get insights into the experience of the fairer sex. Although the writer, Tom Mitchelson, is funny, he also has some pretty narrow, stereotypical views of women. He assumes we're obsessed with dieting, finding the right man, shopping, cleaning toilets, leg waxing, and calling Mom every day.

I rolled my eyes at some of these silly assumptions, but I did get a kick out of his experience at a makeup counter:

"I am sitting on a stool at the cosmetics counter in a department store while Julie, whose face is painted with a precision that would make Rembrandt jealous, fiddles with my face and applies creams, colours and unguents-which I learn are concealers, foundations and an antipuffing eye lotion that she claims are used by men as well as women. She explains in micro detail everything she does. None of it makes any sense to me.

...Julie uses scientific jargon, citing ceramides and light-reflecting pigments. She tilts the mirror so I can see what she has done. Staring back is someone who looks a bit like me, but better. She ushers me over to the counter and makes me pay for something which looks like a gold pen but is in fact Touche Eclat, which, she tells me, will 'add a touch of radiance anywhere on my complexion where shadows appear'".

It always cracks me up when men get a tiny glimpse of the beauty world. (It cracks me up almost as much as seeing Tom's wonky application of Touche Eclat.) But I love this guy's view of women even more. Source

Beauty For Your Sign: Pisces

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:00:59 -0700

Pisces is one of my favorite signs, and not just because my sign, Taurus, tends to get along with it so well. Imaginative, friendly Pisces is known for being open minded, and this romantic sign is also in touch with its emotions. Pisces is also known for having a great sense of humor - just think of Drew Barrymore and Queen Latifah.

Unfortunately, life doesn't always go swimmingly for this fishy sign. On a bad day, Pisces is likely to be moody or unfocused, or unwilling to confront issues head-on. When this happens, Pisces can feel refreshed by having a good cry, journaling, or hugging it out.

For Pisces-specific beauty tips, plus some product suggestions, read more.

What works if you're a Pisces: This sign is all about dreams and fantasy, so ethereal looks are worth a try. Look for shimmery eye shadows and highlighters for the face, and dust a little bit of sparkly powder on your body when the weather is warm. This water sign looks great in shades of sea green, mauve, and violet.

What doesn't: Bright red and orange colors aren't your thing, and you'll probably get bored by simple, neutral shades.

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Black Market Makeup: How To Spot Fake Cosmetics

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:00:20 -0700

You might think that counterfeits exist only in the realm of "Mark Jacobs" and "Guchi" purses, but there are fake and black-market beauty goods, too. I love a bargain, so I wind up buying a lot of housewares and accessories on eBay. But when it comes to shopping for cosmetics, you've got to be careful. I've found quite a few counterfeit eye shadows, lipsticks, glosses and fragrances-all offered at prices that are too good to be true. While there are honest sellers out there, a few folks are out to make a quick buck.

Why is buying counterfeit merchandise a bad idea? There are a few reasons, but first and foremost is your health. If you don't know where a product really comes from, or what ingredients are inside, why would you let it touch your skin? Counterfeits also funnel money into shady operations, and-oh yeah-they're illegal. And on a less sinister level, the colors just aren't accurate!

To find out how to avoid buying fakes, read more

Common sense will take you a long way. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is! For instance, the 12 "MAC" eye shadows shown here were being auctioned on eBay for $24.99. Hmm, that's a pretty low price, considering a single shadow is $14.50 in the stores. Now, I can't tell whether those eye shadows are genuine or fake, but the price seems a little odd.

For that particular auction, I also looked at the seller's feedback, which had complaints by bidders who claimed the MAC shadows were fakes. The seller also had dozens of similar auctions; why would one person have literally hundreds of "new-in-box" eye shadows? Is there a possibility that this particular seller is legitimate and just being accused of selling fakes? Of course. But it's not a chance I want to take.

For most people, common sense will help you spot obvious fakes, but the counterfeiters are getting better and better at making their junk look like the real thing. This detailed guide has great examples of counterfeits lined up to the real thing, and I recommend it as an excellent reference.

What do you think? Would you buy counterfeit makeup to save a few bucks, or would you rather save up for the real thing?

Hard Candy Glitter Eye Pencil - $7.25	TRUE COLOR Eyeshadow Single in Sale Shades - $4.00
Clinique Almost Lipstick (In Style Award Winner) - $14.00	Shu Uemura Depsea Water Facial Mist - $24.00
Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Relaxing Bath Tablets - $30.00	Tadé Pays du Levant - Dead Sea Salt - 200g - $8.00
Chantecaille Protect Paradise Eye Compact - $90.00	Bobbi Brown 'beach' Shimmer Body Powder - $35.00
Tarte Celebutante Dry Oil Shimmer Spray - $28.00	Origins Shedonism™ Shimmering Body Oil - $25.00