Blog Posts by BellaSugar

Source: Too-Light Foundation? There's a Fix For That

In the makeup world, there are few things worse than discovering you've purchased a too-light foundation shade. (Cullen family, anyone?) But before you send it to the junkyard or head back for a refund, make your mismatched makeup work for you. Here's how: If your foundation is too light:

• Use it as a highlighter: For a nonshimmery take on a highlighter, apply your light-toned foundation to the middle of the nose to elongate, on the upper cheeks to add brightness, or on the top of the Cupid's bow to lend definition. On the eyes, use it on the inner corners and under the eyebrows for an instant lift.
• Rev it up: Intensify a too-light shade by mixing in a bit of bronzer (whether it's gel or powder). Or, if you're feeling artistic, blend it with a darker shade of foundation for a completely customized palette.
• Save it for another season: Skin can lighten and darken depending on season, so use that to your

Source: Shield Your Hair From the Sun With These Quick, Easy Tips

Hair can take a beating in the Summer, whether it be from the sun, the chlorine in your pool, or your blow dryer when you try to wrangle your frizz. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your strands in tip-top shape. Kim Vo, brand ambassador for Schwarzkopf, shares his tips and secrets for keeping your hair healthy this season.

• Seal the hair cuticle: Cuticles are the hard, rounded scales that create the outer layer of your hair, and they often take the brunt of the elements. Damaged cuticles stick up and make the hair look bristly, not to mention give your color a shorter shelf life. That's why Vo stresses the importance keeping them flat with the proper cuticle-sealing products and tools.
• Accessorize your armor: Just because you're nurturing your hair doesn't mean you can't get a little stylish. Vo suggests tying a scarf around your head for a fashionable twist on sun protection. Or, embrace the wet

Source: How Much Should You Tip at the Salon? Find Out Now

Tipping is a custom that allows you to express appreciation for a job well done. But when it comes to salon, spa, and nail services, it can be hard to decide who and how much to tip - especially on a color job gone wrong. And while tipping is at your discretion, here are a few suggestions on amounts to give in a variety of circumstances.

Source: An Oil You'll Want in Your Hair

Fighting frizz can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, thanks to our good friend humidity. Products that claim to do the work for you tend to weigh down and flatten your hair in this weather, which is never a good look. Thankfully, this isn't the case with L'Oréal EverSleek Precious Oil Treatment ($123). Putting oil into your hair may seem counterintuitive (and a little bit scary), but the ones used in this serum are extremely beneficial. Sunflower oils are used to soften your strands, while olive oil improves their strength and elasticity.

But the real winner in this treatment is the argan. This oil gives incredible shine and completely flattens frizz. It's also helpful for your hair's cuticles. Not only does it seal them, making your ends look less bristly, it also cuts styling time down (which protects your hair from heat). Just make sure to keep this stuff away from your roots and to adjust the amount you use if you have thinner hair.

Source: How to Update Your Ombré Highlights This Summer

While the ombré trend has been going strong for seasons now, we've seen various adaptations of the graduating style over the course of its popularity. And while extreme ombré is out (think: high-contrast color and overly obvious roots), this season, it's all about the s'ombré, aka the softer side of ombré, explains celebrity stylist and Schwarzkopf ambassador Kim Vo. "We've added a warmth to it, we've added caramel colors to it, and we've added a little bit of highlights on top, around the face, just to soften it up," says Vo, who notes that celebrity ombré lovers, including Drew Barrymore and Jessica Biel, have both started following this modernized, kiss-of-ombré mantra.

But by all means, whenever you're opting for any lighter color, whether it's ombré or not, avoid matchy-matchy roots. "People assume the root color should be blonder than their end color." However, great blondes are rootier with light ends: "It's much more

Source: Copy Blake Lively's Tousled, Texturized Fishtail Braid

Blake Lively has a way with making any hairstyle all the more interesting. Take this thick, tousled fishtail braid, which she wore at the Savages premiere in New York. Instead of your average, off-to-the-side fishtail, Blake opted to break up the braid for an edgier, less-than-polished finish. She also played around with contrast, wearing a dressed-up, shimmery ponytail holder at its base, tying the bottom together by wrapping her matte-textured hair around the elastic.

To copy the coiffure, use a thickening spray before braiding (or you can even add extensions to increase bulk). Next, create a fishtail braid, and complete with a metallic ponytail topper, such as Free People's Stingray cuff ($18), or Elle's metallic square beads holder ($10), near the crown. Wear this braid during the day for a cool-girl look, or in the evening for a dressy, not-too-serious feel.


Related Content:
Learn How To Do a Dutch Braid
5 Easy Steps

Source: To Sulfate or Not to Sulfate? A Celebrity Stylist Weighs in

Ah, the great sulfate debate. Found in cleansers such as shampoos and body washes, sulfates are chemical compounds that create the foam and lather. While one camp says they're not ideal because they can be drying and/or irritating, the other says they're necessary in order to make the hair truly clean.

L'Oréal ambassador John Nollet, who has worked with stars such as Diane Kruger and Vanessa Paradis, is under the mindset that both stances have merit. "We don't have to say sulfates are good or sulfates are bad; it all depends on your texture, your nature, and your hair habit," he explains.

When not to sulfate. In the celebrity world, stars can go from straight hair in the morning to curly in the afternoon to a twisted updo at night. The thing is: it takes lots of tools and products to achieve all these different textures. And while we might not be switching our hairstyles with the regularity of Hollywood's leading

Source: Embrace Your Freckled Face

Today photographer Reto Caduff releases Freckles ($69), a photo book featuring an assemblage of freckled beauties. Caduff was inspired to create the publication because speckled visages are rarely seen in magazines and media today; models with freckles are often covered with makeup or altered digitally to erase their most distinctive (and visually alluring) feature. Get a sneak peek of the striking images at freckledbeauties.com. But hurry and grab your limited-edition copy, as only 500 books have been printed. And to all those childhood bullies who called you freckle-face or spot: who's laughing at your uniquely freckled face now?


Related Content:
20 Stars With Freckly Faces
Make Up Tips For Freckled-Faced Femmes
Do You Embrace Freckles?


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