Double Duty: Zit-Zapping Concealers


Updated 11/04/10 7:00 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Concealers That Also Heal Pimples

When it comes to covering up pimples, there are a few tricks to keep in mind: use a concealer in a shade that matches your foundation, apply the product with a small precision brush (like Smashbox's #5 ($20), and lightly stipple around the edges to blend. But if your concealer can pull a double duty and conceal and heal, to quote Ina Garten, "How good is that?" Formulated with acne-fighting Read more

Make Your Own Soothing Acne-Fighting Gel


Updated 07/09/10 1:31 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 6 comments

How to Make Your Own Acne Gel

Gone are the days when splotchy white zit cream was the cure for the pimple blues. Gone also is the notion that you have to sacrifice using natural ingredients for chemicals in order to get the acne-zapping job done. In Sophie Uliano's new book, Do It Gorgeously, the eco expert has lots to say about how we can go DIY. Her soothing acne gel recipe is perfect for calming inflammation and preventing Read more

What Do You Know About Tea Tree Oil?


Updated 06/23/10 3:12 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 6 comments

Tea Tree Oil Quiz

What can you bathe in, spot-treat a pimple with, and use in a facial steamer to open up the nasal passages for better breathing? If you answered tea tree oil, you're right. But that's not all you can do with tea tree oil. From quelling dandruff to easing the itchiness of insect bites, tea tree oil can be used in a wide variety of ways — especially when it comes to cosmetics. What do you know Read more

You Ask, We Answer: How Can I Stop Biting My Nails?


Updated 05/10/10 4:15 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 6 comments

How to Stop Biting Nails

Not only does biting your nails expose you to unnecessary germs, it can also make nails crack and cause unnecessary wear to your teeth. There's the unsightly aspect about having raggedy, nubby nails, too. Recently, reader ldekosky asked for advice on how to stop biting her nails on the BellaSugar Q and A group in the BellaSugar Community. I think we all have bad beauty habits, but if nail-biting Read more

Tea Tree Oil Will Cure What (N)ails You


Updated 06/10/09 10:44 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 9 comments

Tea Tree Oil Will Cure What (N)ails You

Earlier this year, nearly 70 percent of you told me that you bite your cuticles. I have a confession. During particularly nervous moments, I sometimes do a little chomping myself. Ack! Recently, a manicurist gave me a little talking to after discovering my dirty little secret. Her solution? Tea tree oil, an antiseptic essential oil with antibacterial benefits. Not only does this product help heal Read more

How-To: "Green" Your Manicure


Updated 09/23/09 3:38 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 8 comments

Green Manicure

Toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate — all chemicals considered dangerous for our bodies and the environment, and yet they are still found in many nail products. Sophie Uliano is the author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life ($15.25), where she discusses everything from choosing an earth-friendly lipstick to preparing eco-conscious treats. Last year, Uliano Read more

Product Review: Espa Essential Tea Tree Oil


Updated 05/08/08 6:34 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 6 comments

Product Review: Espa Essential Tea Tree Oil

For someone like me who is constantly battling erratic pesky pimples, I've gotten to know the spot treatment market fairly well. And the newest product that I've tried and liked is called Espa Essential Tea Tree Gel ($33). This gentle botanical gel contains lemon (to detoxify), thyme (to soothe), evening primrose (to balance) and tea tree oil which helps attack bacteria and banish blemishes — Read more

BellaSugar's Guide To Tea Tree Oil Products


Updated 10/08/07 12:13 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 3 comments

BellaSugar's Guide To Tea Tree Oil Products

Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia plant which grows exclusively and in abundance in Australia. The leaves are distilled, pressed and can then be used topically or aromatically (inhaled). Tea tree oil can be found in many over-the-counter beauty, household and first aid items. Take a look at my five-post roundup on tea tree oil for a more in-depth look at a Read more

Product Review: Arezoo Ingrown Hair Cream


Updated 01/29/08 9:26 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 9 comments

Product Review: Arezoo Ingrown Hair Cream

Arezoo Kaviani worked at posh Mayfair salon in London for years, where she had a constant client waiting list. After much success she decided to venture out on her own. She now owns a private salon kitty-corner to the world-famous Harrods department store. Her specialties are extremely gentle waxing and facials, but she is so talented that her one-stop shop also offers a gamut of alluring body Read more

Tea Tree Oil Products, Part III: Hair Care


Updated 10/12/07 6:47 AM · Posted by BellaSugar · 9 comments

Tea Tree Oil Products, Part III:  Hair Care

Welcome to my third and final post in this tea tree oil products series. Today I've picked out a few very special hair and scalp products containing tea tree oil that are designed to correct dry, itchy, flaky unbalanced scalps, as well as lackluster, brittle hair. If you have any favorites of your own, please leave a comment and let me know more about them! Paul Mitchell has a whole range of Read more