Blog Posts by BellaSugar

Source: Fact: You Wear Perfume to Make Your BO Even Stronger

Ever wondered why other people are so bad at picking out perfume for you, or how you just instinctively know when a scent is "right"? New research from Charles University in Prague suggests that we pick scents to amplify our body odor, not cover it up. And since every person's BO is unique (like a grimy, noisome snowflake), other people tend to do a bad job of picking scents for us, while we almost immediately know which ones will work.

Why on earth are we doing this in the first place, though? To find the right mate, of course. Our sweat broadcasts a bunch of signals about everything from our health to what kind of immune protections we have. People with different-but-not-too-different immune complexes produce the healthiest babies, so we're always trying to sniff out that special someone who has everything we need: good health, a great smile, and that bubonic plague immunity gene we're missing.


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Source: 5 Unconventional Beauty Tricks That Actually Work

There's a lot of quirky beauty advice out there, but it can be hard to tell which tips are smart and which ones are just kinda weird. The following five tips may seem a little beyond the norm, but they actually do work, and they're either free or very, very cheap to boot.

1. Spray starch for hair styling. As in the stuff you use to keep shirt collars nice and stiff. Ever wondered how stylists kept those flippy '50s ponytails so perfect? It was a light spritzing of laundry starch on ends before curling. It still works wonders if you need something more powerful than hair spray.
2. Tea bags to repair damaged nails. - If you break a nail while you're out and need some manicure triage, just cut out a bit of the filter from a tea bag and use any adhesive you have to glue it under your nail.
3. Almonds as eyeliner. If you've always loved the idea of wearing natural makeup, this is a fun one to try. Light an almond on

Source: How to Become a Lashaholic (and Other Hot Makeup Tips)

We all experience our makeup blunders now and then, but besides application and color selection mishaps, some of the more common makeup mistakes are wearing too much or too little makeup. "I don't know anyone, even the most beautiful actresses and models, that don't look better with something: a little flush on the cheek, a little stain on the lip, one coat of mascara," says Collier Strong, L'Oréal's cosmetics expert and Project Runway beauty guru. Strong has plenty more tips on how you can add just a touch of pizazz to your makeup routine, without taking it to the garish end of the spectrum.

• Love your lashes: "I'm a lashaholic," Strong admits. "If someone has great lashes to start with, then fabulous. I'll even add more. The other day I was working with Marcia Cross, and I used strip lashes, and then I added more on top of that. And then . . . mascara!"
• Smudge your liner: "I'll line the eye and I'll wipe

Source: Dr. Anthony Youn Talks Botox Cream and Common Cosmetic Surgery Misconceptions

You may know Dr. Anthony Youn as the cutie-pie doctor on the Rachael Ray Show and Dr. 90210, but he's also the author of the funny, touching memoir In Stitches. But most of all, he's a board certified cosmetic surgeon with a flourishing Michigan practice. We recently spoke with Dr. Youn about the no-needle Botox that's in FDA trials, why "bargain" procedures aren't actually great deals and lots more.

BellaSugar: What is Botox exactly, anyway?
Dr. Anthony Youn: When we talk about Botox, what we're actually talking about is botulinum toxin, which is a very powerful paralytic that we only use in minute doses. When you inject Botox, what it essentially does is paralyze specific sets of muscles so that wrinkles don't form there.

BellaSugar: Will people likely be able to use topical Botox all over, or will its use be more limited?
AY: For years, the problem with a topical botulinum has been this: how can

Source: Jennifer Aniston's Go-To Guy Explains 3 Do's (and 3 Don'ts) of Hair Color

Celebrity colorist Michael Canale has been working his artistic magic for 30 years, and he counts Jennifer Aniston, Denise Richards, and Nicole Kidman among his celebrity clientele. He's seen a lot of trends come and go through the years, but it's a natural-looking color job that he finds to be the most flattering. He explains, "For me, I think it's trying to use what God gave you already - enhancing the hue and brightening around the face." And when it comes to what feels fresh now, Canale says ombré is still in, but there's a more updated way to do it. So to see his top hair-color dos - along with a few don'ts - just keep reading.

Hair Color Dos:

• Try ombré . . . revised: Gone is the sharp-contrasted ombré color we were seeing just about everywhere. "What we're going to right now is an ombré look, but we're extending the natural base in the crown section. We're letting it grow in easily and

Source: Halloween Classics: Get a Breakfast at Tiffany's Costume

When you're just not sure what to dress up as for Halloween, you can always rely on a popular classic: Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Today just happens to mark the 50th year anniversary of the flick, as well, making it even more of a special choice for 2011. And luckily, channeling Audrey Hepburn in her role as the eccentric-yet-misguided society girl is easy.

• For the makeup: It's all about creating a peaches-and-cream glow with creamy, warm pink cheeks and lips. Pair with black eyeliner and curl-enhancing mascara, along with a touch of champagne (what else?) shadow on the lids. Finish with well-groomed brows and false lashes as needed.
• For the hair: If a tiara is hard to come by (or a tad pricey for your Halloween costume budget), go with an oversized rhinestone barrette instead, like this flower hair clip ($4) from Charlotte Russe. Of course, your look won't be complete without your

Source: October's Best New Nail Polishes

It's October, a month when wild nails are not only par for the course, but even encouraged in normally conservative environments. So what should you do with all this newfound creative freedom? Here are some gorgeous ideas to inspire, from the hottest new shade to some of the coolest sparkles you've ever seen. There are a few ghoulish delights in store, too (naturally), so check out the best of October now. Check out more wicked colors here.

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Source: Divorce, Smoking, and Alcohol Will All Make You Lose Your Hair

A new study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons suggests that marital stress, smoking, and heavy drinking disproportionately affect women's hair loss. The study, conducted on 42 sets of female identical twins, found that the major predictor of female hair loss was divorce or widowhood, but that heavy drinking and smoking also contributed significantly. In contrast, the primary predictor for male hair loss is genetics, followed by smoking, sun exposure, and dandruff.

Female hair loss, then, would appear to be driven far more by physical and emotional stress than genes. Interestingly, we know that marital stress like divorce does have plenty of other negative effects for men, including shortened lifespans. So if you want a full head of hair well into old age, don't smoke, drink moderately, and stay single.