sugarshock beauty blog

end notes

2008-08-15T16:33:00.012-04:00

Hi lovelies,
As mentioned earlier this week, today marks my last SugarShock post. I'm moving on to greener pastures at Elle Canada and have to say goodbye to all of you. Parting is such sweet sorrow and I thank all of you who have dutifully read and enjoyed this site. For you Canadian gals, you can keep getting my take on beauty in the pages of Elle Canada.
So, what'll you do without SugarShock to help lead you through the beauty amazon? Well, I leave you with some beautiful tour guides, namely, my favorite beauty bloggers. These are the ladies I turn to for my own beauty fix. Enjoy!
xo Kristen

Beauty Addict If she's not the first-ever beauty blogger, Kristen Kelly is certainly one of the best. Her dry wit and critical eye has saved me from at least a few beauty blunders and she never fails to entertain, whether it's her (mis)adventures with self-tanner or her fashion magazine-cover breakdowns.

Bella Sugar For breaking beauty news, how-tos and trends, Bella Sugar is the place to be. By turns informative and funny, and a little bit skeptical, this site, updated 5 to 6+ times a day, is like the CNN of the beauty blogging world. But with a penchant for covering some of the more bizarre things we do in the name of beauty, I like to think of it as the cool girl's beauty blog.

Beauty Blogging Junkie Amber Katz is totally funny in person and she has a quick-witted blogging voice to match. I love her sometimes obscure pop cultural references and never-ending obsession with finding that perfect hair product to get shampoo-commercial girl hair.

Lipstick Powder n' Paint This site by fellow Canadian Ellen Mirza recently went through a makeover and I love the new retro, Bewitched look and feel. But what I love most about it is the personal, intimate and funny voice of the site that always makes me feel like I'm in on a girl's slumber party, gabbing about our favorite beauty products.

Spoiled Pretty Always keeps me guessing. Whether she's covering the latest mascara or a hot tranny celebrity mess, Daneen Baird has a great mix of content and funny voice that never fails to keep me in stitches. Plus, this girl's the queen of giveaways. So if you're up for free stuff, head on over!

brown sugar: lancome crayon kajal amber night

2008-08-14T13:40:00.007-04:00

Seeing the beauty trends descend on us from the runways for the last few seasons, I've been feeling an overall sense of deja vu, a la Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. There's just some trends that seem to be here to stay, at least for fall anyway – the bold lip, the smokey eye and the statement brow, to name a few. Another to add to the list is the bronzed eye, which never seems to go out of style and has really become a new classic. And I for one, couldn't be happier about it. But rather than an all-out copperized eyelid, I like to add just a smidge of bronze to the lashline with a shimmery-brown pencil and my pick of choice currently is Lancome's Crayon Kajal in Amber Night from the fall 2008 Maharani Jewels collection. Amber is an apt description for this crayon, since it's a really lovely burnt copper shade that verges on a rust (don't let the photo fool you - it really doesn't do it justice). It looks really subtle and flattering applied just to the upper lids and so much more interesting than basic black.

gimme mor: marshmallow body butter

2008-08-13T14:36:00.008-04:00

It's no secret that foodie-themed beauty products are beloved around here at SugarShock. But sometimes those dessert-y flavors and concoctions can verge into tween territory and seem too sickeningly sweet, even for a sweet fiend like me. For the sophisticated gourmand, there's Marshmallow Body Butter by one of my new fave indie brands from Australia, Mor. Don't let the name deceive you - we're not talking StayPuft-Marshmallow-Man corn-syrupy sweetness here, dears. No, Mor Marshmallow is like sophisticated candy – a sugar-dipped mix of rose petals, white carnation and jasmine, along with hints of vanilla bean and cotton candy for good measure. The pink retro-ish packaging is delightfully girly, in a '50s minx kind of way, and the butter itself is super moisturizing and absorbs shockingly well (read: no grease-slick coating to speak of).

fragrance notes: strange invisible perfumes musc botanique

2008-08-12T13:43:00.005-04:00

I think Strange Invisible Perfumes is quite possibly the best name ever for a fragrance house. It pretty much sums up for me the idea that fragrances are sometimes beyond description and that scent is hard to capture in words (unless you're Chandler Burr, of course). In short, it's just the kind of cool, niche fragrance line that's right up my alley, so I knew I just had to try this mysteriously cryptic line of organic, botanical fragrances. The first one I tried is the new Musc Botanique, a unisex scent which launches in stores in September. I've never been a huge fan of musk scents; I've often found them to be too heady and overpowering (and dare I say it, on the cheap side. Jovan Musk, anyone?). But Musc Botanique, completely derived from plants (it turns out there are botanical extracts in nature that mimic the scent of deer musk), has a freshness about it that balances out the heavy, animalic note and makes it ultra-wearable (even at work!). The result is the sensuous and comforting effects of musk combined with a bright, greeny, yet earthy floral (courtesy of geranium, white amber, angelica and frankincense) that seems ultra-modern. It's really light (almost too light), which makes it perfect for anyone who thought they had a deep-seated grudge against the ubiquitous musk.

styleshock: leighton meester at piaget event

2008-08-11T11:55:00.000-04:00

Seen here at the launch of Piaget's newest collection last week, Leighton Meester proves that minimalism is sometimes your best beauty weapon. With simple, almost barely-there neutral makeup, Leighton lets her natural beauty shine through. This look is all about Leighton's glowing skin: revved up with a hint of bronzer and a whisper of peachy-pink blush, it almost looks like she's wearing no makeup at all. But we know better. A touch of brown shadow on the eyes and a swipe of browny-pink lipcolor (no shine here to get that truly natural-lip match) round out this winning, no-makeup makeup look.

onwards and upwards

2008-08-11T10:15:00.005-04:00

My dear loyal readers,
I have exciting news to share with you!
I've recently been offered a job as associate beauty editor at Elle Canada. I don't have to tell you what a dream job this is. What does this mean for you? Well unfortunately, I'll have to put SugarShock to bed, because it just gets too darn confusing when you're going to a myriad of events and launches while representing two different media. I'm sad that I'll have to say goodbye to my baby which has been a labor of love but very excited about this new opportunity to say the least.
SugarShock will still be up and running until the end of this week, after which time it will go into hibernation mode. But you never know - I might just revive it one day....
So keep reading till the end of this week. And on Friday, I'll give you a round-up of my favorite blogs to satisfy your beauty fix.
ciao for now,
Kristen
:)

having female trouble? try nars...

2008-08-08T14:01:00.003-04:00

I had to chuckle when I saw the name of this new lipgloss, from Nars's fall collection. Not only does "Female Trouble" conjure a prim and proper, 50s-esque time when feminine issues were completely unspoken, but it's also the name of a particularly vulgar and disturbing John Waters "comedy" of the same name, starring tranny trainwreck Divine (quotable moments: "Nice girls don't wear cha-cha heels" and "The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life."). But, I digress. More importantly, Nars Female Trouble lipgloss is immensely easy to wear, both for nice girls and "cha-cha" girls alike. It's a beigey mauve that I thought would wash me out, but is actually incredibly flattering, and dare I say it – the new "pinky-peach" in terms of being workable with many skin tones. While everyone's talking about the black-red lip for fall, I'm betting this new variation on the nude lip will really fly with us non-runway girls.

skin fix: jan marini antioxidant daily face protectant

2008-08-07T10:20:00.010-04:00

Keen beauty girl that I am, I've always been pretty diligent about wearing a face moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. But lately, I've been hearing that 15 just doesn't really cut it anymore to block out those blazing, global-warming-given rays and that 30 is the way to go. And while I've tried a bunch of lotions in my quest to find my perfect 30, I've found that some of them can make my face a goopy oilslick. Not so with Jan Marini's Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant. It's a light, hydrating lotion that actually gives a matte finish, courtesy of something called microscopic sponges that, like The Terminator – (did you know that Christian Bale will be starring in the next one?) – are relentless in their ability to absorb those nasty oil blobs at the source, as they continue to monitor your pores throughout the day to trap and nix undesirable shine. As an added plus, this moisturizer is packed with machine-gun-toting antioxidants to banish and prevent further UV damage. Now that's some potent protection, no?

speedy beauty: anastasia eye lights shimmer

2008-08-06T10:46:00.007-04:00

Ever since I started watching Carmindy on What Not to Wear wielding her magic wand – a pink pencil that, swiped in the inner corners, instantly brightens eyes – I've become obsessed with these little miracle-workers. Most come in a soft-pink matte finish, but I just discovered this one from Anastasia, which has a hint of shimmer, and it's become my morning-rush savior. You can swipe it on eyelids instead of eyeshadow in mere seconds, and it goes on smoothly and completely crease-free. It comes in two universally-flattering shades – a petal pink and a golden-beige – and you can use it on eyes, cheeks and even lips to get that glowy, wide-awake sparkle.

beauty duty 8/5/08

2008-08-05T09:21:00.003-04:00

A Touch of Blusher talks about Paul & Joe's lilac eyeshadow.

Come see why Teri of Beautiful Makeup Search is already a fan of The Model Brow when she hasn't even tried it yet.

Makeup Moxie reviews the new Revlon Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup.

he did the mash, the strawberry smash

2008-08-05T07:25:00.006-04:00

Looking like a fruity, Jell-O parfait, I was really tempted to eat this deliciously swirly, strawberry concoction, called the Strawberry Smash, by Farmhouse Fresh Goods. And while it comes packaged, strawberry-preserves-style, in an old-fashioned Mason Jar, it's not really edible, but is, in fact, like a cool drink of water for your skin. It contains so-called "live strawberry cells" suspended inside a skin-nourishing body gel, all swirled around with a sweet cream body whip, that, when applied, leaves your skin all dewy and faintly strawberry-kissed. It's light and refreshing enough to be the perfect summer body moisturizer, especially when paired with a similarly-sounding strawberry dessert (all covered in Cool Whip) to indulge in. After all, "Mushed-up stuff is better for you."

styleshock: blake lively at sisterhood of the travelling pants 2 premiere

2008-08-04T11:09:00.005-04:00

Gossip Girl's Blake Lively channelled her inner goddess at the premiere of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 in New York this week. Looking absolutely glowy, with a subtle tan and flushed cheeks, Blake looked like she just got back from summering in the Mediterranean, which was so fitting for the Greek-themed movie. With rosy cheeks (I'm pretty sure copious amounts of Nars Orgasm were used to get that gorgeous flush), and lips to match, along with champagne-shimmery eyes and lots of lashes, Blake almost stole the show from her Sisterhood costars (although, Alexis Bledel's fuchsia lips were also pretty stellar). As always though, Blake's shampoo-commercial hair takes centre-stage: Love the added touch of the little braids woven in here and there, which gives an extra bit of nature-girl boho-chic.

neon nights with three custom color light brights

2008-08-01T10:07:00.009-04:00

It's August 1st, and you know what that means: we've reached summer's official halfway mark(!). I'm thinking now's the time to pull out all the stops with my makeup, and what better way than with a take-no-prisoners, '80s day-glo pop of color on the lips. My choice: Three Custom Color's Light Brights in the cherry-pop color of Palladium. With its retro-ish name, I can't help but reminisce about my beloved childhood Lite Brite – the magical shining plastic light set that created glowing pictures; and Three Custom Color's Light Brights shine just as brightly, let me tell you. Palladium gives that just-slurped-a-cherry-popsicle pink stain on your lips – it's almost fluorescent, but it's sheer, so there's no harm in blinding those around you. And I love that it's sort of a lipstick/lip stain hybrid that's super-moisturizing and a no-brainer to apply, even without a mirror.
This was my first brush with Three Custom Color's products and I'm dying to try more.

web snob weekly

2008-08-01T07:00:00.002-04:00

A Few Goody GumDrops dishes on how to have a flawless face on High Defintion TV!
Save time and money with Stiletto Jungle's favorite bargain beauty finds.
Allie is Wired has the scoop on Jessica Simpson's country girl Elle cover.
Bag Bliss + tBF: Warning you about the harm of shopping for a knockoff.
Discover Wang's World at Bag Snob!
Beauty Snob has the latest on La Mer!
It's all in the fold, according to Coquette, with the latest trend of origami fashions.
Fashion, evolved discovers the very revolutionary 302 Designs!
Fashiontribes has some fabulous fall-must haves to buy right now.
Kristopher Dukes is hating Tom Ford's $2K sunnies.
Business of Film introduces with Mike Ajakwe ,Hollywood Insider!
Papierblog says stay away from the speedo and the muffintop
Quinta Trends loves ”Barbara B” beauty shoes.
Curious where hemlines fall this fall? Second City Style has the answers.
With a few styling tricks and some key additions,StyleBakery.com shows us how to wear our favorite summer pieces into fall.
Stylehive Giveaway: Win $500 Worth of Bling From Jami Rodriguez!
Sxy Fashion Queen shows four celebrities in the same Balenciaga floral dress. What a coincidence!
The Beauty Stop features natural tooth whitening options.
The Fashionable Housewife lost 10 pounds in 8 weeks wearing FitFlops. The shoes have been proven to boost overall leg and calf muscle activity as you walk.
The Shoe Goddess finds sky-high heels for the girl on a budget!

thin models: I'll have what she's having

2008-07-31T13:09:00.009-04:00

There's been a lot of talk lately about banning stick-thin models from the international runways, but don't expect it to happen in magazines any time soon. As it turns out, a new study confirms that those thin models pictured in ad campaigns do indeed make us feel bad about ourselves (shocker!), but we're more likely to buy a product a thin woman is shilling than from regular-sized ladies. What's more, women in the study were more likely to turn down a helping of Oreos after viewing stick-figure models. "These thin models make women feel bad, but they like it," said business professor Jeremy Kees, a business professor at Villanova University, in Ad Age. So what are we to make of this? Well, it's no surprise that whatever we buy, we're buying into a lifestyle and not just a material object, but we've also been conditioned to accept "thin" as the ideal, and, until the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty came along, haven't been exposed to many other body types in the media.
What do you think? Are you influenced by body image in your purchasing decisions? And, are we all just a bunch of sado-machists, knowingly wallowing in unattainable ideals presented in magazines? Let me know in the comments.

mistral soap: for the granny in you

2008-07-31T10:25:00.011-04:00

I fondly remember visits to my grandmother's house as a child, and especially exploring her bathroom, with all its pretty, pastel-coloured, rose-scented guest soaps. Of course, they'd never be used (they were too pretty for that), and would just sit in their shell-shaped dish, collecting dust (my Nana didn't like dusting). There was just something so ladylike about those soaps, and it ingrained in me the desire to line my own powder room with gorgeously scented rose perfumes and lavender sachets. So because of my love of all things granny (and all things French), I was immediately drawn to Mistral, which makes triple-milled soaps based on age-old French traditions. These vegetable-based soaps are infused with organic shea butter, so they're intensely moisturizing, and they're all wrapped up in pretty, retro-ish, straight-from-Provence packaging. But the real joy for me are the scents: there's traditional "granny" scents like rose petal, lilac and lavender, but they've also got more unexpected ones such as melon-pear and cantaloupe-cucumber. And even if you choose not to unwrap them, and keep them for display purposes only, they'll emit that lovely fragrance throughout your bathroom.

get fresh with frais hand sanitizer

2008-07-30T09:52:00.001-04:00

This one's for all you neat freaks out there: I'm big on hand-washing, but frequent sudsing at the sink can wreak havoc on my perennially dry paws. And while hand sanitizers work for many in a pinch, I find they often leave me parched, and I'm just so not into that telltale medicinal alcohol smell. So I'll give props to Frais (that's "Fresh" in French), a hand purifier that breaks with stuffy clinical tradition and elevates the lowly sanitizer to the level of luxury hand treatment. The secret? Something Australian brand Frais calls Les Huit – a mix of eight essential oils including ginger, tangerine, lemon myrtle, orange and basil, which balance out that nasty alcohol smell, so you get a moisturizing, aromatherapeutic effect. (You'll still get a slight whiff of the alcohol, but it soon gives way to the mix of invigorating scents that's so refreshing if you need a midday pick-me-up.) This clear gel is also decidedly less drying than your typical Purel, and it comes in a pretty little blue bottle that's perfectly purse-friendly.

making a love connection

2008-07-29T13:10:00.007-04:00

Sorry for the dearth in posting this week my dears. Life sometimes gets in the way of blogging and this weekend, orchestrating a move into my new home had me focussed on other more pressing tasks. That said, a move turns one's life into chaos, and nowhere is this more evident than with my beauty stash, which is for the most part, packed up in non-descript cardboard boxes. So while I had a hard time tracking down some of my makeup bag must-haves, I discovered at the top of the box heap, like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, one of the surprisingly tame Mineralize Eyeshadow duos from MAC, in a not-so-scary neutral called Love Connection. And they just happen to be some of my favorite shadow shades to wear. While the left side looks kind of pinky in the pan, it actually goes on as the softest, shimmery champagne-lavender, and the other side is a deeper irridescent gold shade – perfect for shading in the crease. And it looks like I'm not the only one coveting this shade; it's sold out online, but I'm sure you can still find it in stores.

styleshock: maggie gyllenhaal at the dark knight premiere in barcelona

2008-07-28T10:02:00.004-04:00

I've always loved Maggie as the hipper, indie-cred Gyllenhaal. With her new movie The Dark Knight, Maggie traverses into mega-blockbuster terrain, but could she have picked a cooler movie? She's an individualist with her style too: At the premiere in Barcelona this week, Maggie G opted for a pared-down, classical take on Old Hollywood glam, yet with a bit of an edge. Voluminous, almost towering, pompadour-like curls, softly lined eyes with a hint of bronzy shimmer and rosy-red lips round out the look. This statement is all about the eyes – verging on emerald green, they almost look like jewels. And with eyes this green, who needs jewelry?

pretty things: lulu organics hair powder

2008-07-25T09:47:00.010-04:00

I love a pretty package, and this Hair Powder from New York City-based Lulu Organics, which looks like something you'd find in a Victorian ladies' dressing room, had me at hello. But it's not just a pretty package: shake a little of this delightfully scented powder in your palms and rub it through your locks, and you'll be able to keep the grease monkeys at bay long enough to skip a day or two of hair-washing. While baby powder may work well in a pinch, this Hair Powder packs a grocery-list of ingredients, including organic corn starch, baking soda and rice powder, along with white clay, to really freshen and act like a sort of dry cleanser. Plus, it's entirely organic and gets the USDA Organic seal of approval. Love the botanical-y scent of the lavender/clary sage scent, too.

web snob weekly

2008-07-25T07:56:00.001-04:00

55 Secret Street attends the hottest (and we do mean hottest) party for lovely and innovative fashion designer Isabel Toledo at her gorgeous Manhattan loft.
A Few Goody GumDrops is excited for you to view the "Dresses Collection" from renowned artist Laura Bean.
Shoe Steals are back at Stiletto Jungle: 10 pair under $30!
Is Michelle Williams dating Spike Jonze? Allie is Wired has the scoop.
Bag Snob must have for Fall 2008: Bottega Veneta Noce!
BagBliss is currently craving the re-introduced Fendi Vintage Olsen Twin Tote.
Beauty Snob: Be chic and shimmer in Bobbi Brown this Fall!
Cheap JAP discusses which Pre-Fall Trends aren't worth your time or your dime.
Coquette and Heidi Klum love the Converse All Star Slip On Sneakers.
Debutante Clothing gives a young Rockabilly teacher styling advice for work
With these ruby slippers, you're definitely not in Kansas anymore notes Fashiontribes.
KRISTOPHER is hating FitFlops' gladiator sandals.
Ladybrille introduces Ebbe Bassey, Emerging Hollywood Actress!
Papierblog looks at what's really going to be in Nordstrom stores this Fall
Quinta Trends teachs how to find a perfect style with Latin-Americans emerging designers.
Second City Style feels some celebrity fashion offenders make amends while others don't.
The StyleBakery.com editors share their no-fail go-to signature looks of the season and want you to share yours for a chance to win a chic shopping spree!
Stylehive brings your smokin' swimwear to wear on your sexy beach getaway.
Stylenotes staffers bravely tested over a dozen self tanners for the face and body. Find out the pros and cons for each of our self tanner selections.
Sxy Fashion Queen reveals one of Eva Longoria greatest loves.
The Beauty Stop explains how to deal with acne in your thirties.
The Fashionable Housewife doesn't want you to forget to bring Fashionable Swimsuits On Your Summer Vacation!
Purple is huge for fall, and The Shoe Goddess has found an amazing pair of purple Dior pumps for you!

need a lashing? try givenchy phenomen'eyes

2008-07-24T12:01:00.010-04:00

Now, I'm all for innovation in the beauty world, but the latest trend, in the area of mascaras anyway, is a little on the macabre side. Take the new Givenchy Phenomen'eyes mascara, for example. I simply can't shake the feeling that, with its spherical head of spiky bristles and towering base, it has a definite resemblance to one of those medieval implements of torture. You know, that spiky ball thing with a chain attached, a la the weaponry of one Conan the Barbarian. A mace, I think it's called.
Kind of puts a new spin on batting your lashes, no?

makeup to-go: kimiko lifting puff blush

2008-07-24T09:26:00.003-04:00

Some days of the week, when I'm feeling all ambitious and Bionic Woman-like, I'll skip out of work during lunchhour and huff it to the gym (granted, it's not that far; the company has a gym on-site). If I really want to give it my all and work up a good sweat, I need to lug all my post-gym accoutrements with me to work, and that includes not only shower stuff, but also some of my war paint. But in the mad-dash to get ready in the morning, I inevitably forget something, and often it's blush and/or makeup brush or both (or if I do remember the brush, it ends up lingering in the depths of my grotty purse). Happily, with some divine intervention, I came upon a sample of Kimiko's Lifting Puff Blush and let me tell you, it's a godsend for girls-on-the-go. It comes complete with a built-in puff housed in its little tower of greatness so you can buff on a pretty flush sans brush. Plus, if the girls at the gym have swarmed the mirrors and the primping gets out of hand, you can use the trusty little mirror on top of the little pot of blush, because it comes with that, too. Oh, and did I mention that the Puff Blush also helps firm your skin with its Hydra-FirmLift-powered ingredients? (No heavy lifting involved here, dears.) I'm loving the Sweet Lychee shade, a soft matte pink, that's a perfect match to that post-gym flush.

beauty world tour: komenuka rice bran wash

2008-07-23T09:32:00.008-04:00

I've always been fascinated by Japanese beauty rituals, some of which are still rooted in traditions of the geisha and kabuki. So when I heard about the skincare brand Chidoriya, from Daily Candy's Best in Beauty round-up (they named the brown-sugar-based Chidoriya soap tops), I knew I had to try this under-the-radar line. While I wasn't ready to try the Nightingale Droppings cleanser (and frankly, I don't know if I ever will be; but apparently, the treatment is all the rage at the top spas), I was all over the Komenuka Rice Bran Wash. Dubbed the Japanese woman's "common sense" beauty treatment, this exfoliating formula based on pure rice bran powder has been around since before the dawn of facial soap. It's rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E, so it sloughs away dryness to reveal moisturized, glowy skin. And it really does. My skin has never been so soft, smooth and dewy-looking. While it's recommended to put the powder inside little cotton cloth bags, I used the cleanser on its own as a paste mixed with water, and had excellent results (though the treatment did feel a little rough and gritty without a buffer in between). This is seriously one of the best products, with immediate, visible results, that I've tried in a while.

This is the first installment of Beauty World Tour, where we travel far and wide to bring you the best beauty brands from around the world.

under cover: kate moss for vogue

2008-07-22T15:32:00.007-04:00

When I first heard that Kate Moss would be gracing the cover of Vogue's August "Age (Less)" issue, I was actually pretty psyched, thinking such a dynamic cover subject would finally beget a cool, creative cover. How wrong I was. Don't get me wrong, I think Kate looks gorgeous (presumably, Moss was chosen because of her preternatural beauty and ability to outlast the usual supermodel expiry date), but she looks nothing like the real, rocker-chic, boho Kate we all know and love. Quite honestly, she looks about as hip as Cindy McCain. Which makes me wonder: for an age-themed issue, why would you want to "age" your cover subject? Or maybe, Vogue went for a straight-laced Kate simply because it's the complete antithesis of what she's all about?
What do you think? Let me know in the comments.