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Product Review: Josie Maran Cosmetics

BellaSugar — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:00:26 -0700

As I wrote earlier, Josie Maran Cosmetics is a new, eco-friendly cosmetics line from the model Josie Maran. It features organic ingredients and is free of fragrance, parabens, and petrochemicals. The treehugger in me loves these ideas, but my inner beauty obsessive wants cosmetics that work well, too.

A lot of natural cosmetics I've tried just don't deliver good color or texture, but for the most part, that's not a worry with these products. In fact, one of them is superior to a lot of non-organic lines I've tried. For the full review and some color swatches, read more

I tried four products, so here's a rundown of each one:

Cream Bronzer ($30): Inside the packaging, the shade looked waaaayyyy too dark for my pale skin. What a pleasant surprise, then, that it blends well and looks believably natural when it's on the face. It gets more sheer as you blend, so I think this would be worth trying no matter what your skin tone is.

Lipstick ($18): This was by far my favorite product. I tried it in Flirtatious, a rich and creamy rose shade. It glides on smoothly, almost in a buttery way. And the color is gorgeous. If you try only one product from this line, make it the lipstick.

Concealer ($20): This was the one product I definitely wouldn't recommend. Even though the sample sent to me wasn't my shade, I tried it for the texture. Unfortunately, it doesn't have good "slip," and it's hard to blend. Plus, there are only three shades available, leaving the majority of women without a perfect match.

Cream Blush ($20): Again, the hue in the packaging seemed a little too Betty-White-on-the-lanai for me-but when it's on, the color is sheer and very flattering. When it's properly blended, it looks completely natural, like a normal and believable flush of color.

Product Review: Flirt! Cosmetics Plushious Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:00:53 -0800

After all of the hype that I've heard about this Plushious Liquid Velvet Lipcolor from Flirt! Cosmetics I just had to try it. I'm so happy that I did; Now I'm so addicted that I don't leave home without it! The texture alone is worth writing home about. It's not too sticky, not too goopy and has more of a creamy, lipsticky feel. It has just the right amount of tackiness mixed in so that you still feel like you're wearing a gloss.

The shade that I tried is called Nude Kiss. It was recommended by JanJay Sherman and Tina Precious, two reality TV stars from The Fashionista Diaries. Thanks to them, I might have found the world's most perfect peach.

The color doesn't make your lips look flat, pale or washed out. Instead, it brightens them up with a sheer hint of warmth and creates a glass-like effect. And, since it costs just $10, I won't feel bad replenishing my stock as often as necessary. I am even thinking of getting one for each of my girlfriends for the holidays.

And just so you don't think I am selling the stuff or anything, I do have one complaint about the gloss: I don't care for its awkward-sounding "plushious" name. What is that supposed to infer, anyway? It's not a plumper so it's probably not supposed to mean plump lips, but plush lips and lush lips don't really make any sense. I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

Makeup Review: Tallulah Cosmetics Glossary Super Gloss

BellaSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 07:14:05 -0700

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to Glossary, a line of lip glosses from Tallulah Cosmetics. I've since had the pleasure of trying some, and I have to say, Glossary stands out even among the many lip glosses I sample every week, and it fulfills all of the promises it puts forth.

This soothing, sunscreen-packed gloss ($16) is a great alternative to lip plumpers, which I don't like because they tend to make my lips sting. Tallulah's products simply make your lips appear plumper, using a mineral called mica to reflect light. Though the effect is subtle, it's definitely noticeable. The glosses have a mirror-like surface, forming a shiny rim around the lips for a very pretty effect. For the rest of the details, read more

Tallulah calls the gloss mildly flavored, but I only noticed a very light and pleasant scent, and the texture is velvety and non-invasive. Glossary comes in seven shades, and I prefer the lighter colors, like My Yacht or Yours and Love Me Ginger (pictured), because they allow a larger margin of error in application.

The only thing I wish were different about Glossary is that the mineral makeup were made from more natural ingredients. Aside from the mica, it's mostly full of the usual chemicals. But that is a small gripe, and it's certainly not enough to keep Glossary out of my regular rotation.

Review Products For a Chance to Win a $500 Gift Certificate From Benefit Cosmetics

BellaSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:00:22 -0800

Since 1976, Benefit Cosmetics has offered up makeup items that are both whimsical and downright cool. With products like the iconic Benetint, Lemon Aid, and BADgal Lash Mascara, it's easy to enhance your features with their signature, innovative makeup creations. And now, our friends over at Benefit have an offer that's too good to pass up. For the next five weeks (from now until March 23), five lucky readers will have the chance to win $500 each in Benefit Cosmetics gift certificates!

To enter, all you have to do is complete a minimum of three reviews on the Product Reviews website to be eligible to win each week. The more reviews you submit, the more entries you will have. Oh, and if you're not familiar with our ever-expanding Product Reviews site, it's a wonderful resource for discovering what other readers think about more than 50,000 beauty items ranging from hair accessories to the latest fragrances to the best (and worst) mascaras. You must be a TeamSugar member to write reviews, so log in or register for a free account if you don't have one. And don't forget to invite your friends. For the complete rules, click here. So what are you waiting for? It's time to voice your beauty opinions for the chance to win big with Benefit Cosmetics.

Reader Review of the Day: Benefit Cosmetics "Hello Flawless!" SPF 15

BellaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:00:01 -0700

Benefit Cosmetics "Hello Flawless!" SPF 15 ($34) is a foundation and cover-up, all-in-one. Recently, reader Lilkimbo reviewed this product and loved it, giving it the coveted five-star rating. Check out what she has to say below, and be sure to read my review, too.

I have never been a big wearer of foundation powders. I've typically gone with a liquid foundation and setting powder combo. But, this is absolutely amazing. It gives great coverage without looking cakey or piled on. (Or too matte, like some powders can.) This is definitely worth trying.

If you'd like to get your opinion out there, it's time for a visit to the Product Reviews section. We're so close to hitting 12,000 reviews. Let's make it happen!

Reader Review of the Day: Benefit Cosmetics high beam

BellaSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:00:58 -0800

Highlighters are great, so don't just save them for special occasions; use them everyday for that wide-awake glow.

So, for today's reader review, we're looking at Benefit Cosmetics high beam ($24), a brightening complexion enhancer. Reader A Million Suns is loving this product, calling it an ethereal glow in a bottle. Here's what she had to say:

"Just a few dots of this on my brow bones, inner corners of my eyes, and cheekbones made instantly makes me look fresher and gives me that ethereal glow. Plus it lasts forever because you don't need to use much of it each time."

Want to add your own two cents? Check out our product reviews section to share your thoughts.

User Review: WhiplashGirlchild on Benefit Cosmetics Silky Finish Lipstick

BellaSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:30:40 -0700

Like many BellaSugar readers, WhiplashGirlchild tends toward lip gloss rather than lipstick. So I was intrigued by her positive review of Benefit Cosmetics Silky Finish Lipstick ($16), and I thought I'd let her tell you what she likes about it and what she doesn't for today's user review. (Write your own reviews in the Beauty Product Junkies group, and I might post yours on BellaSugar too.) Here's WhiplashGirlchild's take:

I've been strictly a gloss girl for a long time. I haven't bought a lipstick in years. So I was a bit nervous to try out a lipstick. But I liked this color and I had a coupon code, so I purchased Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick in Hug It Out, which they describe as a "pink nectar (pearl)" color.

Okay. Now, when I received the lipstick, it didn't look anything like a pink nectar to me. It's more like a medium pinky-brown with a bit of shimmer. Good thing I like to have pinky-brown lips.

For the rest of her review and a photo, read more

So the color being off was a happy accident; I'm okay with that. The lipstick goes on very lightly and feels pretty velvety, more like a light gloss then a lipstick. It's not thick or sticky but smooth. It barely feels like I'm wearing anything at all.

This is me wearing it and holding the tube so you can see what the actual color is. If I were you, I'd buy Benefit's Silky Finish Lipstick at a counter if possible, since the color was so off. But if it weren't for the color being off, I'd give it five stars!

Reader Review of the Day: Urban Decay Eye Shadow

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:01:37 -0700

Urban Decay's Eyeshadow ($16) has long been a favorite of makeup junkies, but lately the company has expanded its collection even further to include new textures and colors. Reader gooz1231 tried out the newest palette, and says:

"The brighter colors have great pigmentation and they go on lovely and smoothly. Some of the colors, like Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, tend to have chunky glitter, so I would avoid those-but the rest are really nice. They are a little bit more expensive than MAC eye shadows, but I would still recommend them anyway."

I actually love Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, specifically because the glitter is so bold, but that's why it's important to get more than one opinion, and her point is well-taken. Is there a cosmetic you like that I don't, or vice versa? I'd really like to hear your take on it, then. Just pop over to our Product Reviews pages, where there are more than 50,000 products to review. While you're there, read up on what other people think, too. It's a great way to share your experiences, and makes finding something to love a little easier for all of us.

Reader Review of the Day: Urban Decay Cosmetics Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss

BellaSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:59:35 -0700

Back in March when I took this highly scientific survey about the launch of Urban Decay Cosmetics Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss ($19), the majority of you were excited. Recently, reader Burotukunam tried out the sexy new product, and here's what she had to say:

I couldn't help myself. I just bought Doug. It looks like a bright pink shimmery shade . . . and is actually quite sheer with a hint of color. They have a type of guy for everyone, though. It's supposed to smell like crème brûlée. Mine kind of smells like cookies to me, but it's still good. The gloss itself is sheer and a little on the thicker side but smooth. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five was because I wish they made the colors separately and let you choose your top to mix and match.

Have you tried some new products on the market as of late? Tell us all about them on the Product Reviews pages. Oh, and don't forget that Urban Decay's put your guy on a Pocket Rocket contest ends Friday, if you want in on a little of the action.

User Review: Trendyindc on MAC Prep & Prime

BellaSugar — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:20 -0700

When I posted about MAC Prep & Prime, I hadn't yet tried it out. I still haven't, but after reading Trendyindc's review, I know what's next on my shopping list. Her user review makes it nearly impossible to keep from rushing out to buy it this minute. Here's her review:

As with most MAC products, you can tell the difference right away. I only had to use two tiny dabs to cover my face and got great coverage. I love that it is all one easy step (moisturizer and SPF) plus the oil control that doesn't interfere with my foundation.

I'm on my second day of using it, and for someone who lives in a humid climate, with oily skin, I now can go the whole work day without worrying about major ruboff and turning into a puddle. Great product, and I have a feeling the tube will last me through the summer!

Sounds good, yes? I want to hear about which products you love and don't love. Write your own reviews in the Beauty Product Junkies group, and I might post yours on BellaSugar too.