FabSugar UK

Beauty Byte: Organic Pharmacy Launches Mascara

BellaSugarUK — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:00:30 +0000

Good news organic beauty fans! Next month The Organic Pharmacy is taking its dedication to natural beauty a step further with the launch of its first organic mascara. The new mascara is set to go on sale in all stores from April 1st (£19.95) and will be available in jet black or brown shades.

I'm a huge fan of the Organic Pharmacy already, so am excited to hear about this. The new mascara is five years in the making and is the latest innovation in the brand's blossoming organic makeup range. It's 60 percent organic and totally free from artificial colours, presevatives and fragrances and made using aloe and beeswax along with vitamin A and E.

I managed to get my hands on a sample and I am really impressed! The product applies just like a regular mascara and gives great length and body to lashes. It has a slightly thicker texture than mainstream mascara products, so I sense it may dry out quickly. It's also not waterproof, but the upside of that is that you're wearing a totally natural product. It would be great for people with sensitive eyes, too. What do you think – Are you a fan of natural beauty products?

Photo courtesy of Organic Pharmacy

Exclusive! Luigi Mureno Shares Hair Trend Tips

BellaSugarUK — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:58 +0000

Uber hairstylist Luigi Murenu is one of the biggest names in the business. The Sardinian luminary has worked with everyone from Armani to Gucci, and from Viktor & Rolf to Prada on hair at their catwalk shows.

He also has a loyal celebrity following, having tended the locks of Madonna on her 2001 Drowned Tour, and subsequently worked with Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lopez amongst others on their red carpet styles.

I've met him a few times in the past and it's easy to see why he's so popular. He's flamboyant, hilarious, and extremely good natured. What's more, he's incredible at his job! I managed to catch up with Luigi after the latest round of shows to chat fashion, and hair. To see what he said, just read more.

Which shows did you work on this season?:

Having worked on the Autumn shows, what hair trends do you see emerging?: "This Autumn we are going to see lots of texture in styling. For instance, at Viktor and Rolf's show in Paris, the hair I created was all about pushing the texture of the hair to look beyond natural. At Givenchy it was about a soft, delicate, touchable texture too. I get my inspiration from many things; books, movies, people, things I see in the street, right through to conversations. It can all trigger a reaction. Even when I’m on holiday I will see the things around me and they create inspiration. Creating beautiful healthy hair is always paramount to me, though. Looks can be influenced by many things but most importantly it’s got to be about creating beautiful hair rather, than trendy hair."

What is your favorite part of working on hair for the fashion shows?: "I run on adrenalin, so backstage is when I really come alive. The atmosphere can be crazy but electric aswell. To be part of creating beautiful looks from head to toe in collaboration with an inspiring artistic team is amazing."

You are famous for working with celebrities as well as designers. How does working on celebrity hair differ from working on a show?: "I can arrive two days before a show and need to come up with a creative hair idea quickly. Prior to a show, preparation can take hours. Some of the shows have 50 girls to style. I only work with the best possible assistants and team. I'm like a chorographer with dancers! I teach them the technique and they do it. It can be intense but you take the risk and you do it."

Tell us about your latest celebrity look that you created: "I have just recently worked on a shoot with Madonna where the look we created was inspired by the Avedon picture of Contessa Cristina Paolozzi."

Photo courtesy of Luigi Murenu

Bella Brand: Wei Beauty

BellaSugarUK — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:00:50 +0000

Beauty bloggers have been on overdrive about Wei Young’s new upscale beauty collaboration with Space NK for some time, so I was excited to see the final product range called Wei Beauty, hit the shelves this month, which is sold exclusively at Space NK shops.

Wei Young is known for her cult beauty brand Wei East that incorporates Chinese herbology and eastern medicine into skincare. Her story is quite impressive. She first set up a herb based beauty brand in China in 1993. The business was later disbanded when the Chinese government banned direct selling in 1998. In 2002 she launched Wei East in the US and has made a name for herself on the Home Shopping Network. The brand has been a huge success in the States and is one of the network’s best selling lines.

Space NK founder Nicky Kinnaird discovered Wei in 2008 and approached her about a new range for the company. To find out the details of Wei Beauty's story and for more product images from the collection, read more.

View 14 Photos ›

The concept of Wei Beauty is a more luxurious version of the mainstream Wei East line, as it incorporating rare and expensive ingredients. The range includes a Pomegranate Buffing Beads in sachets (£15) right up to Ming Firming and Hydrating Cream (£72). They’re split in to four categories: Cleansing (Chi), Energising (Yang), Nourishing (Yin), and Perfecting (Zen). All of the products use traditional Chinese medicine theories to create treatments that balance in skin, combat the signs of aging and leave you feeling soft and looking radiant.

I've managed to get my hands on some of the range, and have to say I’m impressed. The packaging for a start feels earthier and is a nice change from the sterile glossy white that skincare products usually come in. My favorite products include the Royal Ming Firming and Hydrating Cream (£72), which incorporates purifying purple nutsedge and Goji Berry extracts to energise skin. It’s rich, like butter, but absorbs really quickly and didn’t overwhelm my skin. I also loved the Mulberry Leaf 3-in-1 Eye Cream (£50). It's made from mulberry leaf, green tea extracts and soy proteins to diminish the signs of lines. It's expensive, but I find you only need a tiny bit to amply cover the area around the eyes.

For an indulgent night in, the Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask (£30) is amazing. Each mud pod contains the right amount for one face treatment, so you’re always getting a fresh batch when you open one up. Plus, it's fun to smear on with the brush that comes as part of the set. Which product are you most excited to try?

Beauty Byte: Big Lashes are Big Business for 2010!

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:00:45 +0000

I knew lashes were a major focus for 2010, but not to this degree! According to reports today, lashes, false lashes, and lash enhancers are the fastest growing sector of the beauty industry. Apparently, sales of false eyelashes have gone up 6.2 percent in the US alone this year, raking in a staggering $44 million. Eyelash stimulators, simultaneously, have become a $1 billion industry there!

Last week, I told you about Lancôme's new Hypnôse Precious Cells mascara, a dual function product that helps grow eyelashes at the same time as being makeup. This is set to come out next month, and already there's a waiting list.

There's also a host of other new items on the market here from Enormous Lash, to Revitalash (£95) and Smashbox Lash DNA mascara (£16.20) at Debenhams. Space NK have been steadily building up their offering of Shu Uemura false lashes, hand crafted by an in house team. There are a lot to on offer, from subtle ones to update a day-to-day look, to bright blue and diamante encrusted styles.

So why all the emphasis on lashes? Honestly, I'm not sure. I think it's partly to do with the Lady Gaga phenomenon. Bold makeup is becoming big again as starlets opt for increasingly daring eye shadows, and dramatic looks. Are you becoming more aware of your eyelash beauty?

Beauty Byte: Vidal Sassoon, The Movie!

BellaSugarUK — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:32 +0000

Not long to go now girls until the Vidal Sassoon movie is unveiled! This week it was announced that the world premiere of Vidal Sassoon The Movie will take place at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival in New York, which means it should be over here in the UK pretty soon too. The feature documentary is a portrait of the hairdressing luminary, made by Bumble and Bumble founder Michael Gordon and Craig Teper. It follows Michael's journey as he works research a book about Vidal's life, and shows how Vidal transformed our attitudes to hairdressing and became a cultural icon.

For those less familiar with Vidal's genius – he was the man behind the iconic 'Wash and Go' catchphrase, championing easy haircare for women. He also created the geometric bob. The documentary explores all of this, from Vidal's early orphanage beginning, his life as an Israeli soldier, right through to global fame.

The Tribeca Film Festival screening will air on April 23, and Sassoon is set to attend, with a Q&A session afterwards. It could be time to book a flight...

Photo courtesy of Vidal Sassoon

Which Hair Colour Is Prettiest on Katherine Heigl?

BellaSugarUK — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:30:19 +0000

She's done it again! Only earlier this month Grey's Anatomy actress Katherine Heigl, switched her hair from a a russet aubern colour to dark muddy brown. For last night's ShoWest Awards held in Las Vegas she changed gear it up again switching to glamorous jet black. It also looks like she added some hair extensions to create the soft 1940s Hollywood wave. I thought it looked great! It's a long way from the early Grey's seasons of sporting bright blonde curly hair. Which shade do you think works best?

Cult Beauty's Alexia Inge Shares Spring Beauty Must-Haves

BellaSugarUK — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:30:17 +0000

I'm a huge fan Cult Beauty. The company was launched by self-confessed beauty geek Alexia Inge and Jessica Moore in 2008 and has since built a fabulous reputation for its edit of unbeatable beauty products, frank advice, and flurry of unusual independent brands.

It's always ahead of the curve in terms of the latest beauty innovations, too. This week, I managed to catch up with Alexia to talk about her favourite new products for Spring. To find out what she said, just read more.

At Home facial by Ling Skin Care (£85): Alexia explained, "Ling is the go-to New York facialist for everyone from Uma Thurman, to Naomi Campbell, Cameron Diaz, Agnyess Deyn, Gisele Bundchen, and Madonna. She is extremely good at sorting out problem skin. She just put together an At Home Home version of her signature facial that she uses on these guys and it rocks! Ling is all about mixing learnings from East and West. No fancy machines, it's all in the fingers which is why the home kit works so well."

Neil George Hair Care Collection (£16-32): "Think of any Hollywood starlet, and chances are they go to Neil George," says Alexia. "The brand was founded in 2005 by Amanda George and Neil Weisberg and is known for using indian gooseberry in products to make hair healthier, stimulate its growth and support hair follicles. They just launched in the U.K. and we have a capsule range. The team love it!"

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation (£32): "This foundation kicks butt. It's the best I've tried so far. We found it through our American expert panel. The foundation is a unique blend of silicones that builds a lightweight, breathable second skin effectively airbrushing your complexion," says Alexia. "It comes in 10 water resistant shades that really don't shift. Another genius aspect is that you can also buy a Zero Plus and a Zero Minus shade in order to fine tune your foundation to perfectly match your complexion, adapting as your skin pales in the winter and tans in the summer, without having to keep buying new shades."

Kaplan MD Lip 20 (£22.50): "We just launched this lip treatment and our customers have gone absolutely NUTS for it. We sold out 3 times already!" says Alexia. "The dermatologist-developed lip treatment is designed to moisturise, plump, contour and protect with SPF 20– all in one! Celebrities love it too. I heard Kate Beckinsale, Sienna Miller and Natalie Portman are all fans."

Blinc Brow Mouse (£16.50): "It's rare to find innovation in eyebrow makeup, which is why we were excited to find this eyebrow product. It's the best we've found so far." says Alexia.

Shop Alexia's recommendations below

More Blinc...

Photo courtesy of Cult Beauty

Fabulous Beauty Faces for 2010!

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:00:37 +0000

Lara Stone was announced as the face of Prada's new fragrance campaign yesterday. It's so exciting! The beauty is already fronting Jaeger's Spring campaign and is going from strength to strength. She's not the only new face on the beauty scene. There's a whole new generation of starlets fronting beauty campaigns for 2010, from the new crop at Rimmel that includes Coco Rocha and Beyonce's sister Solange, to Julia Roberts who recently took the helm at Lancôme. Check out my slideshow to see the hottest new faces in beauty for 2010.

View Slideshow ›

Beauty Byte: Kelly Osbourne Collaborates with St. Tropez

BellaSugarUK — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:30:55 +0000

Kelly Osbourne's been all over the place recently. First for her rapid weight loss, and then for her new hip lavender hair colour. Her latest project is with tanning brand St. Tropez, working to champion self-esteem among young people. Kelly was unveiled as the face of the new campaign this week, which is being launched with youth charity The Prince's Trust.

I managed to get my hands on the shot which is being launched nationwide this week and Kelly looks great! Apparently she's a recent fan of St. Tropez following her turn in Dancing With The Stars. She's also been an ambassador for The Prince's Trust for two years.

The campaign is based on research backed by. St. Tropez, that 60 percent of young people have low confidence about their bodies and that three quarters of young people suffer from low self-esteem. As part of the project the company has also said it will give £10 of every £45 Complete Bronzing Set to the charity.

Kelly seems super happy and content here. She's been working hard to keep trim and promote a healthy appearance recently. She's also known to have struggled with her looks and self-confidence in the past, so she's a great choice for the campaign. What do you think – would you have picked Kelly?

Photo courtesy of St. Tropez

Beauty Byte: Elemis Launches First Fragrance

BellaSugarUK — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:00:02 +0000

I'm a big fan of Elemis spa products, so I was excited to hear that for its 20th anniversary the company is launching its very first fragrance!

The scent – known simply as Elemis Eu du Parfum (£35) – goes on sale next month in Debenhams and has been made in Grasse, the famous town in Southern France known for supplying floral ingredients to some of the finest perfume houses. Apparently it was created by Noella Gabriel, Director of Product and Treatment Development for Elemis and her French perfumer.

I haven't managed to snag a sample yet, but the fragrance is said to be a fresh light floral scent with notes of of sweet grasses, patchouli, vetiver, and oak moss. This is a bit of a bold move for the company, who until now have been known only for their excellent spa products. They join French spa brand Caudalie, who also have their own scent. What do you think? Would you buy a fragrance from your favorite spa brand?

Photo courtesy of Elemis