BellaSugar -- You're beautiful.

What's the Best Beauty Advice Your Mom Gave You?

bellasugar — Sun, 11 May 2008 06:04:37 -0700

My mom has shared her wisdom throughout the years, and when I've been smart, I've paid attention. Beauty-wise, one of the best things she's done for me — aside from sharing her genes, of course — is keeping me out of the sun. When I was a girl, she encouraged me to climb trees, swim, ride my bike, and do all of the things little kids do. But she hardly ever let me go outside without wearing sunblock, even when I pouted because I couldn't tan.

Turns out that Mom knew best, since we now know that wearing sunblock prevents skin cancer and signs of aging. So when people say I look younger than my age, I credit my mom. So in honor of Mother's Day, what's the best beauty advice your mom shared with you?

BellaSugar's Guide to Mother's Day Beauty Gifts

bellasugar — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:00:07 -0700

Hopefully you've found my Mother's Day gift guide inspiring. I've chosen a variety of bath and beauty products to suit all different types of moms and gathered them below in a six-post roundup. Keep in mind that a gift certificate to a spa or even a hair treatment at a salon will make your mother, aunt, sister, mother-in-law, grandmother, partner, or friend feel pampered and special.

There's a reason why people say motherhood is the toughest job in the world. It takes unrelenting patience, sacrifice and selflessness — and all most moms really want is to feel appreciated. So whatever you select, be sure to choose it with love.

Mother's Day Gift Guide, Part V: The Glam Gram

bellasugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:17:08 -0700

If you're lucky enough to have a grandmother around this Mother's Day, don't forget to spoil her. Below you'll find a mix of traditional and hip (don't worry, I haven't picked anything too outrageous) beauty products to help make the matriarch of your family all the more gorgeous.

The two of you can sip tea or champagne, depending on just how saucy she is, and talk beauty — now that's quality bonding.

Mother's Day Gift Guide, Part IV: The Busy Mom

bellasugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:00:42 -0700

If your mom is the ultimate multi-tasker, it's probably because she's got 101 things to juggle. Appropriate beauty gifts for busy moms are ones that help her primp and relax more efficiently.

Take this new Kiehl's Limited-Edition Gardenia Hand and Body Lotion ($19.50), for example. It has an incredibly feminine, floral and powerful scent making it both a body lotion and a daytime fragrance. Anything you can do to help mom cut out a step is sure to be appreciated.

Mother's Day Gift Guide, Part III: The Hip Mom

bellasugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:11 -0700

There are endless amounts of fab beauty products that you can buy your mom if she's the type of hip mom who can rock any beauty look from glam to grunge.

For example, this Sexy Mama Powder from The Balm is a brand-new, translucent setting powder with cute packaging. Heck, why not get her last year's awesome Hot Mama Blush and the recent Bahama Mama Bronzer as a little trio. Just a suggestion (of course), but if you're looking for more ideas, you can find an assortment of fun beauty products below that will make her swoon.

BellaSugar's Mom Has a Few Favorites of Her Own

bellasugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:00:57 -0700

Confession time: It's not like my love for all things beauty comes from nowhere. Like the saying goes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; my mom gets full credit for turning me into a beauty product junkie. She's definitely more into makeup and perfume whereas I love hair products, skin care, and bath and body treats, too — but I think that has more to do with the amount of variety that's available today. Here are some of my mom's all-time favorite beauty items. Tell me about some of the beauty products that you and your mother share a love for in a comment below.

Mother's Day Gift Guide, Part II: The New Mom

bellasugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 07:00:01 -0700

New moms have their worlds and their bodies turned upside down. Not only are they sleep-deprived, but they no longer have the luxury of free time. This means that twenty-minute blowouts, manicures and intricate makeup routines are a thing of the past. I even hear that showering actually becomes a luxury.

As if that's not enough, don't forget about their tired skin, the extra skin they're trying to firm and the new and icky, 'not so fresh' feeling from all of the baby excretions they are privy to. If you are looking for beauty treats to indulge yourself, a friend or a relative on her first Mother's Day, here are a bevy of goodies for brand-new mothers.

Beauty Mark It Results: Great Gifts For Mom Under $25

bellasugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:00:22 -0700

There are only five days until Mother's Day and you want to honor the woman that raised you. There's no gift that can repay her for all she's done, and even if there was, it would be highly unlikely that most of us could afford it. That's why I challenged you to find the perfect beauty gift for your mama, but to do it for less than $25.

It was no easy feat, but ErieIndiana was up for the challenge. She bookmarked the Best of Korres beauty set. I love this set because it allows Mom to experiment with a variety of products (two shower gels, body butter, moisturizer, eye cream, and a cooling gel) in travel-friendly sizes. Maybe next year you can get her the vacation to complement the travel set.

Check out the rest of your suggestions below:

Mother's Day Gift Guide, Part I: The Classical Mom

bellasugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:00:26 -0700

Welcome to my series on beauty-centric gifts for Mother's Day. All week long I'll be featuring a different type of mother, along with a selection of beauty-appropriate gifts in hopes of offering up great ideas for last-minute shopping (don't forget that Mother's Day is this Sunday). Today is all about the classical mother. She wears strong spicy and floral scents and hasn't changed her manicure style in years. Although she respects your beauty choices, she prefers to stick with what she knows. Below is an assortment of 15 beauty treats for the traditional mom — happy shopping!

Win a Sophisticate Mom Prize from Sephora!

bellasugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:00:06 -0700

Mother's Day is fast approaching and to celebrate the big day, we're teaming up with Sephora to bring you an amazing set of giveaways.

If your mom is a cosmopolitan woman, she's an example of the Sophisticate Mom — and you could win a prize for her (or to keep for yourself). One lucky winner will receive one YSL Baby Doll Miniatures Gift Set , one Sephora Makeup Show! Palette , one DiorShow Black Out mascara, one Fresh Cannabis Rose EDP , one Fresh Cannabis Rose Bath and Shower Gel, one Sephora Colorful Duo Eyeshadow #8, and one Guerlain Blush Eclat Blusher.

To enter this week's contest, here's what to do:

Join the Sephora – The Beauty Authority group on TeamSugar. (If you're not already a TeamSugar member, sign up here — it's free!)
Make a blog post, video or photo album about why your mom — or a mom you know — is an icon of sophistication. Creativity counts, so don't hold back!
Submit your post to the Sephora group, and be sure to tag it with the phrase sophisticate moms. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PST on May 4.
Sephora will select one winner to receive these glamorous goodies! (For the official rules, click here.)

Good luck to you!

Get Scentimental: Miracle Forever This Mother's Day

bellasugar — Fri, 11 May 2007 12:30:29 -0700

I am willing to bet that every single one of Mom's favorite fragrances is available in a Mother's Day gift set. But if you're going to go with perfume as a gift, why not get sentimental with a scent that reminds her of the precious miracle she created? (That would be you, of course.) Lancome has just released a beautiful new fragrance set in time for Mom's Day, called Miracle Forever Moments ($52). Yes, the name is tad sappy, but the scent is very mom.

A smooth mix of flowers and oriental spices, Miracle Forever has both a sweet and a sensual scent. It is made from star anise, black currant, peony, lily of the valley, almond flower, heliotrope, tuberose, honeyed mimosa, vanilla, Virginia cedar, amber, and patchouli. The set includes a 1.7-ounce Eau de Parfum spray, a 3.4-ounce Body Lotion, and a 3.4-ounce Shower Gel. It's available at Macy's and other department stores, if you need to pick up a last-minute gift!

Give Mom the Gift of Good Hair This Mother's Day

bellasugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 13:00:00 -0700

We all know how important good hair days are. So for Mother's Day, why not make sure your mom has plenty of good hair days to go around? Biolage has created a limited edition Smooththérapie Spa Gift Set ($24.95) that helps to control waves, fly-aways, and unruly hair.

The package includes Biolage's famous Smooththérapie smoothing shampoo, conditioner, and a body balm made from delicious-smelling avocados and grape seeds.

Using smoothing products helps tame dry and over-processed locks, so this is an especially great present for moms who battle frizzy hair. The key is to find something that won't weigh hair down: These products are light and rinse out completely, so residue won't be an issue. Just visit the Biolage salon locator to find a retailer near you.

For details on the set,

Bella Bargain: 20 Percent Off at Tarte Cosmetics

bellasugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 10:40:50 -0700

Technically, Tarte Cosmetics is offering this discount in honor of Mother's Day, but it lasts until the end of May, so feel free to use it on a gift for yourself too. (I know I will.) From now until May 31, the brand is offering 20 percent off of four mom favorites, including:

Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara (regularly $1
Eyeliner (regularly $1
24/7 Lip Sheers (regularly $14)
The Eraser Smooth Concealer (regularly $19)

To get the 20 percent off discount on these products, just enter the code "mom07" when you check out. (Thanks to Beautiful Makeup Search for the tip.)

A Mother's Day Bargain from E.L.F.

bellasugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 16:43:53 -0700

Ok, now you've got no excuse not to make your mom smile this Mother's Day, even if your cash flow is running low. This cutesy I Love Mom Hypershine Gloss and Card by E.L.F. costs just $1 and includes a sheer nude lip gloss and a card that reminds me of an elementary-school valentine. (The card is part of the packaging.)

This shiny, glass-like gloss is E.L.F.'s most popular product. The cotton-candy-scented coating conditions your lips and tastes yummy too.

New Spring Fragrance Collection from Chantecaille

bellasugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 09:34:22 -0700

New from Chantecaille is the elegant Spring Perfume Collection. It consists of four very special parfums that were created in France and inspired by all of the different types of very special women in the world. I probably don't need to tell you that these perfumes would make for beautiful and perfect Mother's Day gifts.

The priciest of the bunch is Le Jasmine de Chanticaille, which retails for $135 for a 3.4-ounce bottle and $85 for a 1.7-ounce bottle. The other scents — Tiare, Frangipani, and Wisteria — all sell for $95 for a 3.4-ounce bottle and $58 for a 1.7-ounce bottle. For the details on each of the four scents,

Brand-New Brand: Wise Woman by Body Shop

bellasugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 06:00:41 -0700

I love this new trend in anti-aging products (like Dove's Pro-Age) wherein cosmetics brands are celebrating mature beauty rather than trying to deny the effects of aging. Appropriately named Wise Woman and clad in subtle gold packaging, the Body Shop's new skincare line is designed especially for women over 50.

Released just in time for Mother's Day, the line includes eight products designed to keep skin moisturized, radiant, and resilient. I'm particularly intrigued by the Softening Toner and the Eye Cream. The Wise Woman Starter Kit (pictured) looks like it would make a great gift: It comes with day and night creams, as well as the very magical-sounding Vitality Serum.

Giveaway of the Day! Smashbox Beauty Book

bellasugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 23:30:24 -0700

To celebrate the very exciting launch of BellaSugar, we're giving away a different product every day in May, thanks to our very generous friends at Sephora. A big congratulations to Smart Blonde, who won yesterday's giveaway for the Philosophy Amazing Grace for Mom Set.

I'll be bringing you lots of Mother's Day gift ideas this week, but here's another one to help you along. Today's giveaway is the Smashbox Beauty Book, an eight-piece makeup set with a $181 value. With it, you get a selection of Smashbox loot, including a travel-size bottle of Smashbox's famed Photo Finish Foundation Primer, as well as cream eye liner, an eye shadow quad, lip gloss, and much more.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment in the comment section below by 5 p.m. PDT / 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 9, and we'll announce the winner when we post the next giveaway. Please, only ONE comment per person; duplicate comments will be discarded, so commenting more than once won't up your chances of winning. Also, you must be a TeamSugar member to comment, so if you're not a member, please register here for an account. For all of the rules and regulations, just click here. Good luck!

For Mother's Day, Turn Your Mom into a Hot Mama

bellasugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:49:12 -0700

If your mom is anything like you, then she's probably a beauty junkie. So for this Mother's Day, why not give her a fun and flirty blush made for a hot mama? These adorably named blushes are universally flattering and, with their over-sized packaging, they will last her a long time.

Hot Mama by The Balm ($1 is a really cute all-in-one peachy-pink blush, shadow, and highlighter. This is perfect for the mom who like to keep things easy and simple. Hot Mama has just hint of shimmer and comes in a magnetic case with fun packaging.

For one more hot mama blush,

Giveaway of the Day! Philosophy Amazing Grace for Mom Set

bellasugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 23:59:00 -0700

To celebrate the very exciting launch of BellaSugar, we'll be giving away a different product every day in May, thanks to our very generous friends at Sephora. A big congratulations to CestLaVie, who won yesterday's giveaway for the Sephora FACE Weekend Set.

I'll be bringing you lots of Mother's Day gift ideas this week, but if you win this giveaway, you can stop your searching. This limited-edition Philosophy Amazing Grace for Mom Set is a four-piece bath and body kit that any mom is sure to love. This gift has an $89 value and includes an 11-ounce bubble bath, a 16-ounce firming emulsion, a 16-ounce gel, and a soap duo, all in the lightly floral and musky Amazing Grace sent.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment in the comment section below by 5 p.m. PDT / 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, May 8, and we'll announce the winner when we post the next giveaway. Please, only ONE comment per person; duplicate comments will be discarded, so commenting more than once won't up your chances of winning. Also, you must be a TeamSugar member to comment, so if you're not a member, please register here for an account. For all of the rules and regulations, just click here. Good luck!

Jouer Cosmetics Mother's Day Pretty In Pink Kit

bellasugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 08:50:01 -0700

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 13, so all week I'll be bringing you lots of beautiful ideas as part of BellaSugar's Mother's Day gift guide! Today, I've discovered a great gift for mom from Jouer Cosmetics, a brand I love for a number of reasons. For one, Jouer makes a great natural-looking, non-sticky, and non-greasy product that can be effortlessly applied with your fingertips. Also, the makeup comes in these cool small white cases that snap together in the back for easy stack-ability and storage. You can even slide em' together on the sides to create a palette.

A couple of days ago, Jouer released a limited-edition Pretty In Pink Kit ($32), which is perfect as a Mother's Day gift for moms on the run. The kit will be available until June 30th. It includes:

A rose-colored cheek, eye, and lip tint called Petal All Over color
A super-sheer and lightweight Pink Sand Lip Gloss
A compact Noir Conditioning Mascara, which also slides onto the rest of your palette

The best part is that you can add on the rest of Mom's favorite colors as gifts throughout the year.