.:: CybeleSays ::.

Let’s talk tools. This is a topic I like and know quite well. I recently tried T-PRO’s Slik Stik Mini ($19.99 @ amazon.com) with tourmaline nano ceramic technology. This little straightening iron heats up to 400 degrees in three minutes. It even comes with a glove to protect your hand from the heat and a storage pouch. How does it work? Flawlessly. It straightens just as well as its big sister but what I like most about is that it’s really light and easy to maneuver. I love this baby! As far as hair types it will work well on, it gets pretty hot so those with thick or curly hair will probably fair well with this one. Since there is no way to control how hot it gets, you might want to opt out of this one if you have fine hair.

The weather has been hot here so let's make sure I have everything for my excursion to the beach...

Beach bag – check

Sunscreen – check

Big brimmed hat – check

New Armani sunglasses – check

CHANEL Rouge Hydrabase Crème Lipstick in new Rose Flamingo ($26 @ chanel.com) from the Summer 2008 Colour Collection to go with my killed bottler tan – check

I can’t say anything bad about NAPOLEON PERDIS’ Smooth Over Body Scrub ($33/9.88oz @ napoleonperdis.com). It’s a salt-based scrub, contains a lot of bontanical ingredients like Calendula and Chamomile to sooth the skin as you exfoliate and it smells just like Lychee. So springtime!

We are quite obsessed with products that work and smell terrific so let’s focus on body parts this time. We clean them and moisturize them and these are some that will make your skin tingle and nose dance.

MISTRAL Organic French Shea Butter Soap in Lilac of May ($7.50/7oz @ mistralsoap.com)

JUNE JACOBS Papaya Body Balm ($46/7oz @ junejacobs.com)

MOR COSMETiCS new Fruits of Cornucopia Body Bar ($19 @ @ morcosmetics.com)
PURE HAPA Haupia Orange Soufflé Body Cream ($24/3.2oz @ purehapa.com)

HARD CANDY Peace Palette ($22 @ sephora.com) is probably one of the most pocket book friendly palettes I have ever come across. It’s about the size of the average wallet! Here’s what you get:

• 4 Eye Shadows - bronze, golden beige, pink, dark plum brown
• 3 Lip Glosses - fuchsia, light pink, nude, sheer red
• Bronzer
• Anywhere shimmer shadow
• 2 Applicators
• Large Mirror

All for $22? And all very wearable colors!

I must say that I had a better experience with this OSCAR BLANDI Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray ($10/1.4oz, $21/3.2oz @ sephora.com) than I have with other dry shampoos. I tried one from a very popular line a few years ago and it was a disaster. I sprayed a little in and then a little more and a little more until I had it the way I liked it but I didn’t realize how much it would “bleed” because it had color in it. Boy, did I make a mess of my pillow that night. I had no idea that the color would come out but then again I might have put too much in. There should have been a warning on the bottle! Either way, that one went in the trash the next day. This one from Senor Blandi is clear so you don’t have to worry about the above. And it’s great for those days when I need a little volume but don’t have time to shower and or style my hair to the fullest. This one also contains rice, wheat proteins, Panthenol and vitamin E to fortify each strand. I never even thought of this but this product won’t cause any build up. Hot-dang!

6/4/08 - addendum - I keep forgetting to add this! I suggest spraying this on your hair outside and then styling inside. The spray has particles that not only go on your hair but everwhere else and show up on surfaces in the room you are spraying it in. Not fun to clean up after the 2nd or 3rd time you use it.

This next one is the biggest, fattest welcome product to get you from spring into summer. ESTEE LAUDER’s new Bronze Goddess Body Oil Spray ($29.50/4oz @ esteelauder.com) is at the top of my list on those days that are extra warm even though it’s only April. My nose detects a mix of bergamot, mandarin, Tahitian Gardenia and sandalwood. And their body oil sprays are some of the lightest I have ever tried. Never greasy and they sink into the skin quickly.

This scent also comes in an Eau Fraiche Skinscent and Body Lotion.

A Touch of Blusher continues the feast of vibrant colors.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic tries out a mineral mascara.

SugarShock Beauty has found a blush with greatness: Pop Beauty's Rose Belle. It's perfect for achieving that healthy, rosy glow that's so now.

StyleBell shows how to create a fab Bridal half up half down hairstyle.

Want long, lush lashes? The Beauty of Life offers you the chance to win some with an amazingly lash-tastic contest, courtesy of Ardell Fashion Lashes!

The Beauty Bug gushes about a heat activated exfoliator, that let's you know when your exfoliation is complete by changing colors! 

Beauty Blogging Junkie has identified fashion items that do beauty duty. Find out which allows her to channel Elvira Hancock from Scarface.

The Muse reviews the Kiss Spring 2008 Collection directly from Japan!

Beauty Anonymous wonders if you also like to collect small sample containers.

The Makeup Divas reviews and recommends this sunless tanning lotion.

Beauty and Fashion Tech finds some great values when she compares the four new Milani mascaras.

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BARE ESCENTUALS’ new RareMinerals Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser ($26/2.5oz @ sephora.com) reminds of that powdered soap dispensed in public bathrooms years ago. You’d add water to it and there was your soap to wash your hands, although I always thought it washed them quite poorly. Thankfully the only trait these two share is that they both come in the powder form. This RareMinerals Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser is mineral-based and contains all things you like about your mineral makeup, like non-irritating chemicals and embraces the benefits of their RareMinerals face powder. I’m trying to get in the habit of looking up ingredients on the back of products to educate both of us, even though the long words and terms turn me off, so I wikipedia’d the first ten ingredients listed on the product and didn’t see anything bad. As with any skin product, if you react to some ingredients, it’s recommended you do a spot test.

In continuing our coverage of great makeup brushes, we have some more recommendations. Some are brand new and some are not but they all get the thumbs up from us.

• URBAN DECAY’s new Big Buddha Brush ($36 @ urbandecay.com) is their answer to the kabuki brush. It’s 3” tall and 2” wide and made of the manmade fiber, Taklon.
• Use the tip of TRISH McEVOY’s #23 Angled Crease Contour ($32 @ nordstrom.com) to get color deep into the crease and then use the flat part to blend the color in.
• JAPONESQUE Travel Angled Foundation ($23 @ amazon.com) brush is made from Taklon and is pointed to help you get into those corners around the nose.
• DEBRA MACKI Angled Blush Brush ($28 @ debramacki.com) is made with pony hair and the angle helps sculpt the perfect cheek.
• ESSENCE OF BEAUTY Blender Brush ($7.99 @ cvs.com) is made of natural hair and especially for mineral makeup and will blend, blend, blend your bronzer, foundation or blush. Big recommendation.