BellaSugar

Cancer Vixen Raises Cash For BCA Month

BellaSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:00:29 -0700

It's Breast Cancer Awareness month, as you probably know from the thousands of pink products in stores right now. But I've got a bone to pick: What's with so many BCA items being stingy with the donations? A $30 product that gives only $1 to charity is no great shakes. So that's why I'll only be highlighting items that give good amounts of cash to a great cause.

This pick fits the bill. C.O. Bigelow teamed with cartoonist Marisa Acocella Marchetto, a breast cancer survivor, to create Cancer Vixen bath and body products ($7.50–$29.50). Based on Marchetto's graphic novel of the same name, the lip shine, hand wash, body lotion, body cleanser and travel kit are imbued with a berry scent (and the cute packaging isn't bad, either.) C.O. Bigelow is donating $250,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which means this endeavor is Bella-approved!

Bella Bargain: Goldie's Bag of Tricks

BellaSugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:00:04 -0700

I just ran across this velvet tote bag from Goldie, and as cute as it is on the outside, what's inside is even better. It's packed with 15 travel-sized beauty samples from Bath and Body Works, so you can try new treats. I'm squinting to see what's in there, but it looks like (among other things) you'll get aromatherapy body lotion, C.O. Bigelow Mentha body wash, Sea Island Cotton body lotion, foot lotion, and lip balm. But I've saved the best for last: Regularly $50, this made-in-the-USA tote is now just twenty bucks. Not a bad price for two accessories and a haul of beauty booty! Want more bargains? Check out deals and steals at InStyle.com.

Bella Bargain: Semi-Annual Sale at Bath & Body Works

BellaSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 05:00:20 -0700

Ok, there's some serious sale action going on right now at Bath & Body Works, both in stores and online. Until this Sunday, June 17, the retailer is offering up to 75 percent off select products, including a ton of cleansers and moisturizers priced at just $5, Bath & Body Works "classics" for $4, buy one, get one free home fragrances, and more.

I used to think of Bath & Body Works merely as a place to buy stuff like Sparkling Peach Shower Gel ($5 reduced from $9.50). But lately, the retailer is impressing me more and more, carrying upscale brands like Frederic Fekkai and C.O. Bigelow. To see some of my picks from the sale, read more

Aromatherapy Body Wash Sensuality Jasmine Vanilla ($5 reduced from $13). I bought a set of these Aromatherapy products once just so I could get the cute cosmetics bag they came in, and this scent is absolutely divine.

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Spearmint Lip Shine ($5 reduced from $7.50). This ultra-glassy refreshing mint gloss is hands-down one of my favorite lip balms ever.

Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in Coconut Lime Verbena (3 for $10). I am a sucker for the cleansing beads in these soaps, which are great to keep in the kitchen.

Beauty Mark It! Cool Stocking Stuffers Under $10

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:00:55 -0800

Along with the holiday gift guides I've been putting together, I thought it would be fun to come up with a few inexpensive stocking stuffers. This set from C.O. Bigelow is my pick because it's cute, retro, and affordable. The Soda Fountain Mini Mentha Lip Shine Trio ($10) contains three milkshake-flavored lip shines in Vanilla Malt, Double Chocolate and Strawberry Shake. (Double Chocolate smells the best.) They're a little tingly, and they moisturize while adding sheer shine. On its own, it's already a budget buy-but if you divvy up the three lip shines, it's downright cheap.

So that's my suggestion for a beauty stocking stuffer that costs less than a ten-spot. I'm sure you have tons of ideas, too. So for this week's Beauty Mark It challenge, let's all band together to come up with cheap, cool stocking stuffer that costs $10 or less. Share your favorites by tagging your choices with the phrase "under 10." I'll feature the readers' favorites on BellaSugar next Tuesday, December 5.

To learn about Beauty Mark It challenges and to see how to add your picks, check out this how-to. To see some of my favorite online beauty stores, read more

Saks Beauty Place
Sephora
Drugstore.com
Fred Segal Beauty
Folica
Amazon.com Beauty
Strawberrynet.com
Nordstrom
Bergdorf Goodman
Beauty.com

Beauty Marked! Lip Plumpers

BellaSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:00:40 -0700

Okay, so we may not all be able to have Brad on our arm like Angelina, but her plump pout is completely attainable. I asked all of you to share your favorite lip plumpers, and the results are in!

Lintilla raves about C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine. She says that even though it isn't technically a lip plumper per se, the peppermint oil in it it "tingles just enough to increase the circulation to my lips and do the job." And Tnkrbelli loves Philosophy Chicken Lips. "I always get turned off by plumping glosses because they are so sticky," she says. "But these are extremely natural-looking and natural-feeling glosses."

Want more? Check out everyone's choices below, and for an added effect, cue up Big Mouth Strikes Again by the Smiths.

New Product Alert: C.O. Bigelow Mentha Body Collection

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 12:27:35 -0700

One of C.O. Bigelow's most popular products is its Mentha Lip Shine (and since Fab is a fan, you know it's good stuff). This week, the apothecary is introducing Mentha Body, a collection of mint-infused soaps, creams and lotions. I got a sneak peek at the products and I like them quite a bit. The fresh, invigorating scent is reminiscent of a candy cane, but it's not so overwhelming that you'll walk around smelling like one of Santa's little helpers. For a rundown of my favorite products, and to find out why guys will like them too, read more

I tried a few items from this line, and I would recommend them for anyone who likes to "wake up" in the shower rather than wind down. My favorite was the exfoliating soap ($7.50), a bar soap with crushed walnut shells to exfoliate dead skin. (If you're not a fan of bar soaps, you might like the Smoothing Body Buffer ($14), which uses sugar crystals to slough away flakes and dull skin.) I also liked Vitamin Body Lotion ($14). It's a good moisturizer for average skin; I keep it at my desk so I can keep my paws soft throughout the day. And then there's the Vitamin Body Wash. I had mixed feelings on this one. The scent is wonderful and it's a big pick-me-up when I'm sleepily showering in the morning. But, like so many minty products, you really don't want to use this stuff on the, er, sensitive body parts. So just be careful with it around your nether regions.

Overall, the Mentha Body line is great to stock in the shower-especially if you live with a guy roommate, a boyfriend or a husband. The fragrance is minty, and in my completely unscientific test, it pleases the male beast. After I quietly put this in the shower, a freshly washed Mr. Bella specifically mentioned that he liked the body wash. The body wash is launching with a special promotional price of $5, which is reasonable, so why not give it a whirl?

Lovely Lemon Bath and Body Gift Sets

FabSugar — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:20:14 -0800

Lemons are synonymous with fresh feelings and clean aromas. These yellow delights have also been known to help treat varicose veins, high blood pressure, cold and flu symptoms, and bring down a fever. From a beauty perspective, lemons can help prevent acne and cellulite. Who knew lemons were so powerful? Take a peek at these fabulous lemon bath and body gift sets that do a body good.

C.O. Bigelow - A Whole Lotta Lemon Gift Set combines dribs and drabs of my personal favorites. This particular set contains lemon body wash, hand treatment, body cream and a body scrub. All of these are made with real lemon oils and extracts that help to protect, moisturize, and brighten your skin while smelling delicious. Buy it here for $22.50.

The Bliss Exclusive Lemon + Sage Super Spa Box is a delicious body smoothing set that includes lemon+sage body butter, soapy sap and a body scrub that all come neatly tied together in a cute little bliss bix bundle. Buy it here for $75 while supplies last.

To see one last zesty gift read more

The Davies Gate Lemon Made Lemon Wedge Travel Set is great for those who like to take lemon scented goodies on-the-go. This travel size set includes: a bath & shower gel, a warming sweet cream body scrub, a body lotion, a salve and an SPF lip balm. It also comes inside a reusable tote. Buy it here for $25.

Nude Lips With a Sexy Shine

FabSugar — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 13:01:49 -0700

As both a lip balm addict and a lip gloss lover, I have a hard time deciding which gooey stuff should go on my lips at any given moment. Even if I want a nude look for my lips, plain old lip balm doesn't give me the polished look I need. For that reason, I am currently obsessed with C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine, made by the Greenwich Village apothecary brand that's sold at Bath & Body Works. I love this stuff for so many reasons, starting with the super-high-gloss finish that makes even nude lips look nicely made up. Better yet, the moisturizing shine feels more like lip balm than lip gloss (note: kissing partners will appreciate this), and the tingly, minty flavor (advertised as a breath freshener) doesn’t conflict with my gum. You can buy it here for $7.50.

Skip Lines and Meddling Salespeople With This Luxury Vending Machine

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:00:46 -0700

You can get just about anything out of a vending machine these days. There's iPods, selections of DVDs, and even hot dogs (ick). I've seen my fair share of beauty vending machines throughout the past few years, but a new type of automated shopping is about to class things up with U*tique Shop, the a luxury beauty product machine that recently hit the market.

While the company has plans to launch the upscale shopping device worldwide, they've just unveiled the first one at Fred Segal in Santa Monica. Playing up the interactive factor of a touch-screen surface sans salesperson, the colorful machine uses a lighted display to appeal to your inner geek girl. Among some of the 50 frequently changing spots in the machine's cubby holes are Bliss, Lancome, Bliss, Chantecaille, C.O. Bigelow, Lancaster, ZIRH, Lipstick Queen, and Zelens. Are you dazzled or indifferent?

Photo courtesy of U*tique

Casa Quickie: Choose Your Bottles

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

I love a good knick-knack shelf, but open bathroom storage can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it makes it difficult to hide your more embarrassing toiletries, but on the positive side, you can create pretty vignettes with your most well-designed bottles.

Products from brands such as Bumble and Bumble and CO Bigelow look chic next to simple candles, single flowers, and even old-school blue bottles of calamine lotion. To see the whole shelf, read more.