.:: CybeleSays ::.

Everything’s coming up green these days. Not just the grass but companies that are giving us alternatives to the norm like hair care line EUFORA. This eco-friendly and organically driven line is based on certified organic Aloe Vera Gel, essential oils, botanical ingredients and environmentally friendly propellants and they’ve been doing it exactly the same way way since 1997. And the products? What I’ve tried so far has been great. What I like most is that instead of using water as a base in their hair products they replace it with the Aloe Vera Gel and then add the essential oils, panthenols and keratin proteins. Here are my picks of the moment from L to R:

• Sculpture Styling Glaze ($22.95/10.1oz) – used before blow-drying for control. Absolutely no flaking!
• Pure Cleanse Shampoo ($20.95/10.1oz) – no sulfates and is good at conquering dandruff.
• Pure Polish Finishing Drops ($28.95/4.2oz) – smoothes strands without leaving any greasy residue behind.

And if you are still wary about using an aerosol hairspray, they claim to have the cleanest aerosol hairspray on the market with .001 environmental impact. All @ eufora.net for a salon near you or 800-638-3672.

Pure and Nude - two words I want to see when I'm perusing skin care products. Here are two that make the most of the one syllable.

NUDE Facial Scrub ($52/2.5oz @ barneys.com) uses fine beads made of rose quartz to gently buff away dead skin cells. If money is no object when it comes to skin care, I would check this one out.
PURE Lemongrass & Tea Tree Facial Cream ($13.50/1.5oz @ pureallorganic.com) contains many-a oil to nourish skin: apricot, coconut, avocado vitamin E and more. And Lemongrass and Tea Tree calm stressed out skin. Really thick and moisturizing and I’m wearing it now! Big recommendation.

We’re pretty fascinated with packaging and always pay special attention to it when trying out a product as presentation is everything. A few years ago, I remember being quite taken with this kind of self-dispensing brush that SUSAN POSNICK’s Colorflo Mineral Foundation ($64 @ beauty.com) comes in. I can’t recall the first one I used but it is great for on the go. And this one is also refillable, which I never knew they could be. Or maybe just hers is? At first, I couldn’t quite figure out how to refill it but I found it. The bottom unscrews and it’s easy to get powder inside. Halleluiah! It comes in 15 different shades (even those with a really dark skin tones) and even a shimmer and a bronzer. So at least pick one of these up and you can change the powder out as needed. Now if they just sold refills for the brush part, I could use this for the rest of my makeup wearing life.

Ever long for one of those electric nail shapers they have in the salons for your home manicures? When I wore acrylic nails, this baby would have been perfect, as the technician would sometimes make the nail bed too thick. TALIKA’s Nail Shaper ($40 @ talika.com) comes with three tips: a nail file, a filing head and a shaping head. With two speeds, you can get just the right finish on your nails. They also recommend using it for your feet but I couldn’t really maneuver it that well. Comes with two AAA batteries.

Here are some more products that max out the Shea Butter.

1. LA COMPAGNIE DE PROVENCE Hand Crème ($14/3.4oz @ lcdpmarseille.com)
2. SWEET GRASS FARMS Shea Butter Lotion in Fresh White Lilac ($8.95/16.9oz @ sweetgrassonline.com)
3. MD SKINCARE Powerful Sun Protection SPF 25 Lip Balm ($18/.25oz @ sephora.com)
4. L’OCCITANE Shea Cotton Ultra Comforting Cream ($38/1oz @ beauty.com)
5. IN KRISTINE’S SHOWER Shea Butter Bathbombs ($2/1-2oz to $17.99/12-2oz-pack @ inkristinesshower.com) in scent picks Malibu Baby, Sunny Days and Girly Girl.
6. NATTY GIRL Body Sugar Scrub in Yuzu Peach ($26/13oz @ nattyproducts.com)

makeup loves me is helping you get ready for wedding season, by giving away 10 sets of french manicure fake nails!

StyleBell tries the CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protecting Spray and loves it!

A Touch of Blusher is putting gold on the lips.

The Makeup Divas reviews and falls in love with La Mer foundations and powder.

Beauty Anonymous loves the natural-looking makeup from Physicians Formula Matte Collection Quad Eye Shadow.

Girl Gloss loves the all natural classic flavored lip balms from the Badger Company.

Beauty411 reviews Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser and Toner and has the 411 on the upcoming Kiehl's Earth Day promotion!

Find out why the Muse is loving Givenchy's Perfect Again! Corrector Palette!

Click here to read more

CHANEL has revealed their fall collection and there's gold in them-thar hills. The collection will hit stores in July. And their Holiday Collection is slated for October 2008. Details forthcoming.

TED GIBSON is expanding his line to include bath and body products and home fragrances.

KENRA hair care is expanding its signature Kenra Platinum line by releasing another eight to ten new products in the next two years.

Cybelesays favorite LALICIOUS is retooling the whole line. Not only will the packaging get a makeover but the products will too. Each will be free of parabens and sulfates.

Source: WWD

It’s nice to treat yourself when you are out of town on a trip. One way is to take a toothpaste from GoSMiLE’s 5 Senses Toothpaste Kit ($25 @ sephora.com) on the plane. Each box contains 5 different 1oz flavors of whitening fluoride toothpaste (and a travel toothbrush) that contain aromatherapy essential oils. So which will you be in the mood for? Mango Paradise Smile, Ginger Cookie Smile, Lemonade Smile, Peppermint Smile, which we love last Christmas, and Aloha Tropical Smile.

Another suggestion - next time you have company in town, put a few of these in the guest’s bathroom.

I was going to include these in our feature on new makeup brushes but they are a nice set on their own and are especially made for mineral makeup! SEPHORA’s new Mineral Brush Set ($50 @ you know where) is four must have brushes that make applying your mineral makeup easy. Inside the two-pocketed quilted zippered pouch is an all-over powder complexion brush (made of goat hair) for foundation and setting powder, a smaller buffer brush (also goat hari), a concealer brush (make of Taklon), and a multi-purpose eye shadow brush (made of pony hair). Also included is a tip sheet so you can get the most out of your brushes and your mineral makeup. It may seem a little pricey but add up the cost of the individual brushes and this one is on mark.

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to the following Grand Prize winners: Sharon H/Eau Claire/WI; Nikki B/Key West, FL; Sharon K/Randolph, MA and our three runner up winners: Kelli R/St. Paul, MN; Jacqueline B/Ontario, CAN; Stacey S/Van Nuys, CA.

Check back for another cool contest in the next few weeks!

All my blush,

~Cybele