Blog Posts by BellaSugar

POPSUGAR BeautySource: Find Out the Tools Nail Art Pros Use

While gel formulas give professional manicurists the ability to create fantastic nail art, there are plenty of other tools of the trade that you can use too. Get ready to take your DIY designs to the next level with the objects the experts use to create eye-catching nail art. The best part? Almost everything is under $10, so you can get a professional-looking manicure at a fraction of the cost at home.

For even more nail art and polish trends, be sure to check out our ultimate nail guide!

• 3D Nail Charms: Rhinestones are great, but 3D charms, like these sparkly bow nail art charms ($4), take that dazzling look one step further. Just sandwich them between two layers of a fast-drying top coat.
• Dotting Tool: While you can use practically anything with a fine tip (bobby pin, toothpick, etc.) as a makeshift dotter, dotting tools, as featured in this Sephora Nail Art Set ($10), work nicely. The metal balls on each end come in

Source: Hair and Makeup Tips For a Wedding on the Beach

When you imagined having your nuptials on the beach, we're sure windblown frizz and melting makeup were not a part of the idyllic picture. To make sure your seaside wedding is more blissful than stressful, we're giving you a cheat sheet to making your wedding day beauty last, even through the heat, humidity, and sand.

For hair: Backstage at Marchesa's bridal show, Kérastase stylist Akemi Tamaribuchi revealed a few tips for brides styling hair for a windy oceanfront setting. "If her hair doesn't do well in humidity, she should go for an updo. If she's a dancing machine and plans on being out all night, go for an updo," Tamaribuchi said. "If she's just going to glide along the beach, wearing really secure waves is an excellent option. The hair needs to represent the woman," she said. If you do decide to wear hair down, curl with hot rollers instead of just an iron for added holding power. Be sure to seal with an antihumidity hair

Source: Skin Care 101: Exfoliation

The skin care step that will give you immediate results? Exfoliation. Whether it's to bust breakouts, diminish dark spots and scars, or even smooth away lines, finding the right exfoliant for your skin will help ensure that your complexion stays healthy and glowing. Learn what type is right for you, then shop our favorite picks here.

Why You Need It: As we get older, the cellular turnover rate of our skin slows down. This means we're not producing as many new and plump skin cells as when we were younger, which results in dead, dull skin on the surface. Sloughing action helps to shed these old layers, while also prepping your skin for better penetration of your skin care products, such as spot treatments, serums, and moisturizers. Plus, you instantly have softer, smoother, more radiant skin.

For Oily Skin: Excess sebum production mixed with dead skin cell buildup can lead to unwanted pimples and breakouts. Salicylic acid is a mild exfoliant found in

Source: How to Clean Up Nail Polish Stains and Spills

Into every life, a little nail polish must fall. But just because you accidentally lacquered your skirt, desk, or couch doesn't mean the stuff has to stay there. The faster you act, the better off you'll be, and most materials respond well to solvents you already have lying around the house. See our easy polish-stain fixes now. For the good side of nail polish, be sure to check out our ultimate nail guide!

• Wood: First rule: don't use nail polish remover on wood. It actually ruins finishes and leaves new, maybe even worse-looking, stains. Don't panic, though, because there's actually a really easy way to fix the polish-on-wood problem. Just spritz your polish puddle down with plenty of hair spray (we use Aqua Net), let it sit for about 20 seconds, and then wipe it off. You might need to repeat the process a few times, but it's far, far preferable to having splotchy furniture.
• Carpet: First of all, what color is your

POPSUGAR BeautySource: Expert Tips For Buying Eco-Friendly Makeup

Greening up your makeup bag might sound a little daunting, but if you're looking to make more eco-friendly choices this Earth Day, we have some advice on how to find the right Earth-friendly beauty buys for you. Sasha Plavsic, founder of the luxury natural beauty brand ILIA, gives us her green beauty tips, when you read more.

Know what works with your skin.
"There are various forms and levels of natural and organic makeup on the market, and everyone's skin usually reacts differently, depending on tone and sensitivity," Plavsic explains. "More often products with less natural and organic ingredients will perform better, so finding a give or take in this area is completely subjective."

Do your research.
"Reading reviews are a big help in finding something that you might like, yet it's also important to remember that when seeking a more natural and organic product, the first step is to read the ingredients before making a purchase."

POPSUGAR BeautySource: Your Personalized Guide to Contouring For Your Face Shape

Contouring. Just the word strikes fear into many hearts, but this technique shouldn't be left only to the pros. A simple swipe of bronzer and highlighter in the right places can bring light to your best features (and detract from others). All face shapes are beautiful and unique in their own right, but artists try to give the illusion of a more oval face by creating shadows on the face. "The key to a perfect contour is proper blending and remembering that light accentuates the face, while shadowing recedes it," Floriane David of Make Up For Ever Academy says.

In order to contour at home, choose an eye shadow, foundation, or bronzer that is about one shade darker than your complexion, and grab an angled brush. Get your personalized guide to contouring based on your face shape when you [break]read more.[/break]

Square: Women with square face shapes have a very prominent jaw, so in order to soften this area, create a

POPSUGAR BeautySource: 10 Tips For a Nearly Painless Bikini Wax

We're convinced only masochists look forward to a bikini wax, but the thing is, it doesn't have to hurt quite so badly. There are ways you can reduce the pain. If you're new to waxing, start out with a professional to see how it's done. After a few times, you might want to try doing it at home to save a few bucks. Either way, to learn how to keep pain at bay, keep reading.

• Plan to wax after your period. Your pain threshold is higher in the week after your period than beforehand. Think of it like this: if sappy commercials make you cry when you're premenstrual, having wax applied to your dainty bits certainly will.
• Lose your self-consciousness. Yes, a stranger is going to see you wearing, at most, a paper thong. Don't worry about offending her or feeling embarrassed. It's nothing she hasn't seen before. The less anxious you are, the less you'll worry about pain.
• Start off slowly. Your first bikini wax is not the

Source: Makeup Brush Breakdown: Spoolie Brush

Did you know the brush that deposits your mascara onto those lush lashes of yours actually has a name? Well, the stand-alone version of that brush is called a spoolie brush, and it's an important piece of any makeup brush collection.

What It's Used For: Spoolie brushes serve a few different purposes. They're great for removing clumps following mascara application. They are also extremely useful when it comes to eyebrows, whether it's for distributing pigment for bold brows or just grooming an errant hair.

What It Looks Like: Take a look at your mascara wand. It's fitted with about an inch of bristles that cyclone to a point. A spoolie brush follows the same design, just with a longer handle.

Why You Need It: Ever had a clump you couldn't crush? Thinking about giving bold brows a go? A spoolie brush is a necessary tool for both of these issues. Simply take a clean brush and wiggle it over your brows or up your lashes to keep everything