.:: CybeleSays ::.

Ever just want to throw caution to the wind and make your own beauty products to ensure freshness? Yeah, who has the time not to mention the resources? Just think of those nasty preservatives inside our products that are needed to make them last from the manufacturing facility to your home. So I had some fun with this next one as it made me really get in touch with my inner chemist! L’OCCITANE’s Ma Crème Nature ($42/5.1oz @ loccitane.com) takes four steps to create: 1) fill the enclosed bottle with mineral or spring water 2) shake and set aside 3) pour the sachet that contains plant oils into the main 5.1oz jar 4) slowly add the contents of the bottle to the 5.1oz mixture and voila! There is also a label you stick to your jar and there is a space when you can mark the date you created it and a date you need to toss it by. And the contents of this are certified organic by Ecocert.  

I’m only supposed to use sulfate-free shampoos on my hair right now because of the Brazilin Keratin Treatment I had done a few weeks ago (I totally recommend it, btw), so I can only test out sulfate-free ones. Since some have a form of sulfate in them according to the ingredient lists, I know I won’t blow it by using the brand that was the pioneer in sulfate-free shampoos, PUREOLOGY. They just put out a collection of EssentialRepair products and the EssentialRepair Shampoo ($27/10.1oz) and EssentialRepair HairConditioner ($27/8.5oz) have been tub-side since I got my grubbies on them. Be sure to check out the styling products in this collection too! All @ pureology.com for salons. 

A lot of the lines are putting out face primers and I had the chance to find a few. Some didn’t work at all while others faired really well in the temps. Know that both are free of lots of bad for you ingredients like parabens, synthetic fragrances and petro chemicals and the formula of the Korres one is the first ever to be silicone-free.

KORRES Face Primer ($10/.34oz, $28/1.01oz @ sephora.com)

Made with 85% organic ingredients, REVOLUTION ORGANICS Freedom Glow Beauty Balm ($32/13g @ revolutionorganics.com) is rockin’ my world right now. I introduced you to the line a few months ago and they just added some products with color in them and this balm is my pick right now. It can be used anywhere – lips, cheeks, eyes and all three colors, Pink, Peach and Bronze are totally wearable. I’m sure I’ll be using them all summer long.

In front of me now on my desk are four hand creams and ones that I’ve written about here. One I am adding to this stash is ELLEN SIROT Hand Perfection products. This line was created by a hand model and is comprised of four products – Moisturizing Cleanser, Complete Day Cream, Complete Day Cream (purse size), Nail & Cuticle Treatment and Night Solution and they are all made just for the hands to help fight the signs of aging. Let’s look deeper at the Complete Day Cream ($30/1.7oz @ handperfection.com) since that’s the one I tried out. What I liked was the list of powerful ingredients like antioxidant vitamins, silica, titanium dioxide, and their own Advanced Moisturizing Complex made up of glycerin, sodium PCA and trehalose.

I’ve read many places that you should be wary of at-home peels and such but it seems that more and more companies are putting out, what they call, “gentler strength” ones for just that. And I guess that’s what my job is for here, right? It’s a tough one, but I’m up for the challenge. So take this REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel ($55/1.7oz @ sephora.com), for example. It sounds quite daunting doesn’t it? It’s pretty simple actually. It’s a resurfacing mask that uses fruit acids and Papain to deeply exfoliate the skin, that’s it. Even though it’s made for acne or blemish-prone skin, my normal to dry skin seemed to do just fine with it, like I just had a deep cleaning and it only takes 10 minutes once a week.
And another way to weigh the cost of this one is that I only had to use a little bit each time, so this tube will last you quite a long time.

It’s been a few since I’ve used liquid foundation as minerals have pretty much ruled my world for the past few months. I’m glad I gave this RiMMEL LONDON Stay Matte Clarifying Foundation ($6.99/1oz walgreens.com) a try because it really good. The matte formula contains what they call, SKINPURE Complex, which is a dash of salicylic acid and botanical extracts to help with pores and inflammation. I’m not sure if it’s this ingredient that makes it feel so smooth on my skin or something else but wow, I like it.
And the coverage? Pretty sheer. It seems to dry quicker than most so you gotta have a quick hand with this one! I know that foundation is a really personal choice but if you're in the marketing, give this one a whirl. Available in six shades.