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How-To: Queen Latifah's Makeup at the 2009 People's Choice Awards

bellasugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:10:53 -0800

At last night's People's Choice Awards Queen Latifah was a fabulous hostess. And, of course, no queen would be complete without a regal purple silk chiffon gown with multidimensional sparkles. As for her makeup? The majority of you loved it. Her look was a hit, and now I've got the details on how to be luminous like Latifah.

Seeing that the star is the spokesperson for CoverGirl, it's no surprise that celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine created her classic look with products from this iconic drugstore line. To see color selections and techniques straight from Fine himself, check out the how-to below:

Eyes: Fine applied an eggplant shade (which is easier to wear than lilac since it's closer to brown/mahogany tones) on the crease and underneath the lower lash line using Eye Enhancers Quad Eye Shadow in Ice Princess ($4.99). He also used an opalescent beige shadow on the eyelid to open up the eye. Next, he lined the top lash line for definition, applied false lashes, and some Volume Exact Mascara in Very Black ($7.29). "Mascara helps to fuse Queen's lashes to the fake lashes," he said. Great tip.

To see the rest of the how-to, along with Fine's instructions on what he did to add drama to her lips during a costume change,

Biggest Beauty Headlines of 2008: Ellen DeGeneres Signs With CoverGirl

bellasugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:00:14 -0800

It was all kind of hush, hush at first and the rumors were swirling like crazy. No, I'm not talking about Heidi and Spencer's big nuptials. I'm talking about the Ellen DeGeneres' CoverGirl deal. And when the news was finally confirmed, it got people talking.

In a forward thinking move, the 50-year-old company paired up with a 50-year-old woman, making the comedic lady its spokesperson. It's so refreshing to see the drugstore cosmetics giant take steps towards showing that beauty comes in all types and ages, for that matter. Kudos, CoverGirl, for your modern take on the beauty biz.

Photo courtesy of CoverGirl

Time to Try a Tinted Mascara?

bellasugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:00:16 -0800

Wearing brightly colored mascara is usually a lot of look, but it doesn't have to be. The newest varieties have just a hint of tint, adding depth and dimension without overpowering your lashes with color. They work by adding colored pigments to a dark base, which can play up your eye color without making you look like an extra in The Warriors.

Interested in adding a little color? To find out which mascara is right for your eyes,

Beauty Flashback: Cover Girl

bellasugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:00:58 -0700

Did you know that sailors abandon their womenfolk due to acne? Sad but true, according to this 1965 Cover Girl commercial. But with a bouncy little jingle and Noxzema-infused foundation, you'll be able to bring the men right back . . . or so the ad would like you to think.

Beauty Byte: CoverGirl Signs Ellen DeGeneres

bellasugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:05:22 -0700

Beginning in January, newlywed Ellen DeGeneres will appear in CoverGirl ads. In an official statement released today, a company spokesperson said, "Her beauty and down-to-earth personality fit perfectly with what CoverGirl represents." Ellen's low-key appeal may make her a much more modern and relatable CoverGirl than, say, Christie Brinkley. What do you think of this surprising pairing?

Source

Beauty Mark It! Your First Beauty Purchase

bellasugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:00:16 -0700

Next week will be celebrating Independence Day on July 4. Yes, 232 years ago we declared independence from Great Britain. This got me thinking about different types of freedom, mostly of the George Michael kind, but also the freedom of first being able to wear makeup.

I had definitely experimented with Bonne Belle's Smackers in the Dr. Pepper flavor, but my first true makeup purchase was Cover Girl's Lipslicks. I can't remember which color I tried, but the packaging is bringing back memories of junior high.

What was your first beauty purchase? Bookmark your choice and share your experience in the comments below.

Share your choices by bookmarking items from around the web and tagging them with the phrase First Beauty Purchase. I'll feature your favorites here next Tuesday.

To learn about Beauty Mark It challenges and how to add your picks, check out this how-to. To see some of my favorite online beauty stores,

BellaSugar's Top Five Mascara Picks

bellasugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:00:18 -0700

Over the past year, I've talked in great detail about many different types of volumizing, lengthening, curling, separating, and glossing mascaras. There's even a new one from Besame that smells just like gingerbread. I've tried them all, and while most of them are great at the beginning, I find that they generally don't live up to the hype about remaining clump and flake-free for more than a month.

That's why I'm partial to these five mascaras. I know that I can always turn to them to separate, define, and darken my lashes and make them look flirty and fluttery in the most natural-yet-enhanced possible way. What's your tried and true mascara?

Lancome Courbe Virtuose ($23) helps gives lashes that extra curl they need to look longer and sexier. The brush is amazing, it never clumps, and the color isn't too light nor too dark.
Lash Blast by Cover Girl ($6.99) is awesome. It's inexpensive and it effectively gives you a sexy, false-lash look.
The Balm Two-Timer ($19) is great because you can use the fine brush for a natural daytime look and the thick brush for a dramatic, curled, and elongated evening look.
Mirenesse Secret Weapon ($27, but deals abound) separates and lengthens lashes like crazy. It doesn't look too over-the-top, and although it stays all day, it comes off with just a bit of warm water.
Beauty Addicts Lash Galore ($22) is silky, rich, conditioning, and volumizing. It creates full, separated, long lashes with a touch of glamorous shine.

Reader Review: Cover Girl Professional All In One Mascara

bellasugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:00:40 -0700

I've had good luck with the Cover Girl Last Blast mascara, so I was excited to read NadiaPotter's review of Cover Girl Professional All In One Mascara in the group Beauty Product Junkies. The mascara claims to magnify your lashes while still looking natural, and to "find lashes you didn't know you had." I'll turn it over to NadiaPotter for the scoop:

I bought Cover Girl Professional All In One mascara, the mascara that is supposed to give you everything... Well, it doesn't, of course. It promises so much, but it doesn't do the full job.

It didn't give me volume, and I did have a little clumpiness. It does give a "natural effect," like you don't have on a mascara that "magnifies" your lashes at all. If you already have big and curly lashes, maybe it would look good on you. But I don't, so, I won't use this one.

Looks like I'll stick with my Lash Blast. Share your stories in Beauty Product Junkies, and maybe I'll post yours here, too!

Doing Drugstore: Cover Girl TruBlend Foundation

bellasugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:00:22 -0800

I've been interested in trying Cover Girl's TruBlend line for some time now. Mostly because I love their spokesmodel Drew Barrymore, though I think that the highly airbrushed ads are a disservice to her natural beauty. This mineral-based liquid makeup employs the Cover Girl-patented colorsphere technology, which claims to help the foundation blend smoothly and invisibly into your skin, for a "naturally flawless" look. Since I am always searching for that flawless look, I was excited about the possibility that such a product could not only exist, but be available at my local drugstore for less than $10.

The verdict? While my quest for foundation perfection is still ongoing (let's be honest, will it ever end?), I am happy to add TruBlend to my short list of foundation favorites, but mostly because of the price. If it cost $60, I would expect more, but for $9, it blends well and provides a good medium-level coverage. Personally, the coverage was a tad too heavy to live up to the "no-makeup" claims, but it did a good job of covering the redness and unevenness in my skin. Have any of you tried TruBlend? What do you think?

See reader reviews of this product and add your own here!

Fashion Week Update and Free Mascara!

bellasugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:00:08 -0800

Whew! Fashion Week has just started, and I've already seen some gorgeous hair and makeup backstage at Alice Ritter. But more on that later. Right now, I wanted to show you what people mean when they say Fashion Week is a lot of work. It's pouring in New York, and while going from the subway to my hotel, I saw this adorable-but-drenched girl standing outside of the Bryant Park tents. She's passing out free samples of Cover Girl Lash Blast, and since you know that I'm a fan, I was happy to take one off of her hands.

But like I said, it's pouring! "You poor thing," I said. "How are you holding up?" She laughed and said she was fine, but how she stayed so chipper, I have no idea. So if you happen to be in New York right now, swing by the corner of 42nd St and 6th Ave for a free mascara. On my way back to the shows, I'm planning to bring her a coffee to help her warm up! Expect more updates throughout the weekend, my friends!

(PS) Fab keeps giving me all of the beauty products she's getting in her goody bags. Not that I'm complaining, but who doesn't like shampoo samples?