PopSugar

A Trip to the Cosmetics Outlet: It's Hit-or-Miss

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:00:49 -0700

This past weekend, YumSugar and I went shopping at the Premium Outlets in Napa. After scoring a pair of J Brand jeans for $100 off (!) I got sucked into The Cosmetics Company Store. It's an outlet shop that features Estee Lauder-owned brands, and if you live near an outlet mall, there's probably a location near you. (Here's a full list).

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To find out about our adventure, and to see whether we think it's worth seeking these outlets out, read more.

These stores stock makeup, fragrance, and accessories from MAC, Estee Lauder, Origins Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, and Clinique. The products include overstock, discontinued colors, and limited-edition products that have been taken off department-store shelves. It sounds great, but the Napa store was a letdown. We might have hit it on a bad day, but the cosmetic testers were filthy and the selection was spotty. (Yum wondered how old the cosmetics were. I saw a few items from MAC's holiday collection, so the products aren't ancient or anything.)

I was hoping for a treasure trove of deeply discounted beauty buys, but my alliterative aspirations were quickly quashed. The prices are generally 20–30% below retail, which is great if you're buying an expensive item, but not a wacky deal otherwise.

Yum and I agreed that it's worth popping into one of these shops if you're nearby. But if you have to travel to get there, you might be better off saving the gas money to buy the items at full price - because at least then you'll have a full range of products and some expert help. I know some of y'all have been to these stores, so I'm eager to see what you have to say about them.

Gangbangers Go Gruesome in the Name of Beauty

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:02:14 -0800

You might not want to read this story while eating your lunch. (And even if you're not chowing down, this news could make you sick to your stomach.) In a horrifying move seemingly plucked from the plot of Fight Club - you know where this is going - a gang in Peru has been killing people, draining the fat from the corpses , and attempting to sell it on the black market for use in cosmetics.

Police suspect that the fat in question was sold to European cosmetic companies, but there's been no solid confirmation so far. No surprise there, say dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons. "I can't see why there would be a black market for fat," plastic surgeon Dr. Adam Katz told the Associated Press. Although fat can be used in certain antiwrinkle treatments, it always comes from the person undergoing the procedure. Such an awful story - made even worse because other members of the gang have yet to be caught.

Yikes: We Put Hundreds of Chemicals on Our Bodies Each Day

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:33 -0800

Earlier this year, I asked you to estimate the cost of all the beauty products you wear each day. Some hovered around the very inexpensive $10 range, while others danced around $1,000. However many beauty items you put on daily, have you ever stopped to think about how many chemicals this equates? Research from Bionsen, company that manufactures natural deodorant, concluded that, on average, women put 515 different synthetics on their bodies daily. Some common products mentioned include: shampoo (15), hairspray (11), blush (16), eye shadow (26), foundation (24), lipstick (33), deodorant (15), lotion (32), self-tanner (22), nail polish (31), and perfume (250). Wowza. To find out more, keep reading.

Bella Brand: Pupa Cosmetics

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Pupa Cosmetics is a division of the Italian based beauty company called Pupa that creates quirky and innovative beauty products (with a specialty for palettes and kits) for the girly girl. They also make bath and skin care products, a sun care range and fragrances. The 30 year old company is based just outside of Milan and has found that its key to success has been by communicating emotional appeal through the use of bright colours.

The products are now available online in the UK and sell anywhere from £7.34 to £45.To see more photos of the adorable Pupa palettes, just read more.

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If Only This Ad Were on the Endangered List...

BellaSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:00:03 -0800

I firmly believe the beauty industry can help women feel confident and look their best. But when it comes to nonsense like this Belgian ad for a natural cosmetics company, I want to go concealer-free out of righteous rage. The ol' before-and-after shot transforms a scruffy woman into the typical "hot" vixen. The tagline: "No need to be ugly to save the planet." Nice, huh?

Look, I know it's a joke, but am I the only one who's tired, really tired, of this sort of thing? I know it sounds funny coming from a beauty-lovin' lady, but this ad exemplifies the worst of beauty marketing. I mean, it's not a sin to have acne or messy hair, so why shame women who don't fit that overly Photoshopped ideal? And if you are out saving whales, isn't that accomplishment more meaningful than having perfectly arched brows? (By the way, I know tons of beautiful environmentalists, some of whom love bright red lipstick and others who wouldn't wear makeup even if a spotted owl begged them to.)

Plenty of beauty companies promote their products through positive messages. So why, in 2009, are some ad agencies still taking a fearful, sexist route?

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Beauty Factory Game: For the Ambitious, Beauty-Obsessed Geek

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:45:24 -0700

If you can't get enough of Second Life or Sims-like games where you're challenged to create an avatar and personality that succeeds in a virtual world, AND you also happen to be obsessed with one day running your own beauty product factory and company, then I've got the ultimate niche video game for you: Beauty Factory.

When I first glanced at the game, I assumed it was a video game with challenges like, "Coordinate the Lip Gloss to the Nail Polish," or "Ultimate Smoky Eye Challenge," but when I saw the tag line, "Girls just wanna have business," I realized my mistake. Beauty Factory is an exercise in being a cosmetics industry mogul, and has more to do with marketing and innovating than mascara and eye shadow application.

Build up your cosmetics empire, check in on the scientists formulating the perfect concealer, and prove you're more than one kind of Mac girl!

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Does Your Makeup Talk to You?

GeekSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:36:41 -0800

Every once in a while, I run across a gadget I'm not sure is kind of useful or just plain odd. Like cosmetic company Stila's geeky makeup case, which was featured on BellaSugar. Part makeup case, part portable speakers, the Makeup Player ($70) even comes with cosmetics inside.

Download instructional videos from stilabeautytube, plug your iPod (or any video-playing MP3 player) into the case below the mirror, and watch instructional makeup videos from a professional makeup artist as you try the tricks for yourself.

It seems a little gimmicky to me, but I could see the appeal, especially if you're trying to learn some new tricks. Would you use this case?

Cosmetics Companies Treat Spring Fever

BellaSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 16:36:22 -0700

I guess cosmetics companies know that the secret to great marketing is to resonate with your audience, and if there is one strong feeling I'm having right now, it's Spring fever! So I thought I'd tell you about three great Spring products with feverishly cute names that are making me even more excited to use them.

Do you think product names have a subliminal effect on your buying power? Tell me below, and check out these perfect products for Spring. They look good, smell good, and make me feel warm all over.

Clarins Summer Fever Lip Colour Palette ($24.50) is a lip gloss palette that includes six shiny, sun-colored glosses. The texture of the glosses is really quite smooth, and they have a sweet and fruity flavor to them. Colors in the palette include bright pink, sheer shimmering peach, shimmering bronze rose, juicy coral, sheer beige shimmer, and shimmering light pink.

To more remedies for Spring fever, so read more

Origins Spring Fever Body Souffle ($26) is a light whipped body lotion made from olives, grape seeds, apricot kernels, and rice bran oils that help to soften rough or dry skin.

I love Lancome Color Fever Lip Gloss ($22) so much that I just had to mention it again. The colors are vibrant, the texture is silky smooth and not sticky, the scent is refreshing, and the applicator is shaped like a heart. What can I say: This is true lip gloss love!

Patrick Dempsey Juggles Multiple Projects on GMA

PopSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:05 -0700

Patrick Dempsey attended Reese Witherspoon's Avon benefit last night, and he was by the actress's side again today to appear on Good Morning America before heading out to do some shopping. Reese was on the show to chat about her new fragrance, while Patrick opened up about his own work with the cosmetics company as well as this season of Grey's Anatomy. He showed off a preview of tomorrow night's episode before going on to reveal that he's developing a new pilot with his wife based on her experiences in cosmetology school.

To hear Patrick talk about his upcoming pilot, and to check out his amazing juggling skills in the video, just read more.

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Polishes Inspired (or Created) by Your Favorite Stars

BellaSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:39 -0700

Lots of cosmetic companies name their products after celebrities. In fact, there are many fragrances inspired by - or occasionally developed by - the stars. On a side note, just how many celebrity fragrances are too many, anyway? In addition to scents, there are also nail polishes with famous people as the muse behind the shade. For instance, celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann is famous for collaborating with people like Pat Benatar, Cher, and Sarah Jessica Parker to come up with distinctive colors and finishes. Check out my widget below for more, and tell me what other celebrity-inspired polishes you like.