.:: CybeleSays ::.

This Sea Glass Exfoliating Sugar Scrub from the B.WITCHING BATH CO. kinda sounds creepy. I mean, who wants to exfoliate using sea glass? Yikes! Actually, it has to just do with the scent and nothing more. Phew. And it’s a nice clean smell, btw. Inside this one are some nourishing oils like grape seed and sesame as well as Shea Butter and jojoba spheres. And this one is rather on the dry side in that there are no runny oils in it, which makes this a good one for exfoliating before applying a self-tanner. $12.95/8oz @ bwitchingbathco.com.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

Blue Jean…I Just Met a Girl Named Blue Jean . . .  is how the David Bowie song goes and those opening lines are exactly what I think about when I look at this new Pure Color Five Color Eye Shadow Palette in Blue Dahlia from ESTEE LAUDER. I think I’m finally ready to talk about fall (bye summer!!) and the awesome products coming our way and this palette is helping with the transition! It was fashioned by the brand’s Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheax for Derek Lam’s Autumn/Winter 2010 Fashion Show. And you can file this under another case of the in-person looks better than online! (yes, I took the pic seen here) It has THE perfect teal, beige, black, blue jean and sparkly white for highlighting. Don’t you agree? $42 @ esteelauder.com. 

Wanna see how to wear all five shades at one time? Click below!

Click here to read more

If you are feeling the need to shed your summer skin now that we are moving into fall, I have a suggestion when it comes to the face. J’AI OF BEVERLY HILLS Balancing Scrub ($40/2oz @ jaibeverlyhills.com) is short on ingredients and big on delivery. The ingredient list opens with Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, which I like and the formula also contains a pro Vitamin B5, avocado oil and in the middle of the list is their own Diamond Crystal Complex, which is the particles that are used to exfoliate. Upon further investigation, I found out that they are irregularly surfaced diamond crystals that roll over the skin. So in other words, the complex is safe to use on the delicate skin of the face and you know what a stickler I am about using round spheres if you are going to use a face exfoliator! And I’ve also been using it on the backs of my hands as they show age too.

So how does it work? Pretty well. The exfoliating particles are pretty dense and the fact that the emulsion  contains some good-for-skin-ingredients helps me give this one an overall grade of B+.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

How many times have you lolligaggled in front of the lipstick section in the drugstore or gone from kiosk to kiosk in Sephora trying to find the perfect pink or perfect red?  It’s just so hard to tell if you are wearing the right one for your skin tone. MAKE UP FOR EVER to the rescue! The line has given us a tool and a line of lipsticks that help take the guess work out. First the lipsticks - Rouge Artist Intense Lipsticks ($19 only @ sephora.com) are formulated with 50% more pigment than the traditional lipstick and come in three different finishes – matte, pearl and satin. Choose from 50 shades in all!

So how do you find your colors? The below is the tool that is displayed at the brand’s kiosk in Sephora stores. Simply spin the wheel to your skin tone color and you will see suggestions for reds, pinks and nudes.

There’s a new line in town and I’d like to introduce you to it. It’s for the face, body and home and is created in Atlanta, GA and from what I’ve read so for on a few of the products in the line, you don’t have to be wary of any of the ingredients. The products in HOLLYBETH’S NATURAL LUXURY line are from recipes handed down in her family tree. Love that!

The one I tried was their Wildflower Dry Oil ($40/.5oz @ hollybeth.net) and this is one of those where a little goes a long way so don't be too concerned with the amount in the bottle. Instead, check out some of the certified organic plant extracts in this one -  rosehip seed oil, pomegranate seed oil, grapeseed and vitamin E, just to name a few.  If you decide to read up more on this, be sure to take a gander at the whole list of ingredients. Nadda one bad one in the whole list!

And this one recently won a Best New Product Award at the prestigious EX-TRACTS Show in NYC and the line is carried by select Whole Foods nationwide. I can’t wait to try more items from this line!

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

I’m really picky when it comes to mascaras and one I recently discovered for definition is BARE ESCENTUALS’ bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara. I think the mascara wand is super important when it comes to helping you get a good application and I’m so glad companies are really going all out and creating them. The spooley in this one has short stubby straight bristles on the tip and it really makes getting at the small hairs really easy.

And this one is free of a lot of the bad stuff like parabens, synthetic fragrance, Phthalates and more. All in all, it’s worth the price tag of $18. Get it in Black or Espresso and it’s also in waterproof @ bareescentuals.com.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes

I really didn’t want to take off this manicure but it was time and oi, was I excited to try ORLY’s new Nail Lacquer Cosmic FX Fall 2010 collection! Each one looks just so exciting. Each polish combines natural rock minerals, crystals and glass to give nails an optical effect. Unlike most polishes, because this has particles inside it, the formula is a little bit on the sheer side so you’ll probably find the color looks best with at least three coats.

 

From L to R in picture top row:

Lunar Eclipse – blue w/pink purple Fx
Out of this World – purple w/pink silver Fx
Space Cadet – green w/purple gold Fx
Galaxy Girl – purple w/blue green Fx
Halley’s Comet – turquoise w/green yellow Fx
It’s Not Rocket Science – green w/gold blue Fx

One of the cool aspects of this collection is that a color can look one way and appear another. I’ve been wearing Halley’s Comet quite a bit and inside, it looks like Christmas tree ornament green but go outside into the sun and the color looks teal.

$10 @ orlybeauty.com next month. Two really big painted thumbs up for this collection!

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

This NATUROPATHICA line is really growing on me. This one rocked and now I’m onto their Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel ($56/1.7oz @ naturopathica.com). The process of putting it on is kind of fun too. I use a foundation applying brush to apply a thin coat and you only leave it on for only 3 to 5 minutes and rinse. The main ingredient in this one is sweet cherry puree and then lactic acid (Alpha Hydroxy Acid), wine extract and salicylic acid (Beta Hydroxy Acid) to exfoliate, brighten and infused skin with vitamins and nutrients. The only down fall from an almost A+ product is the preservative used in it.

This product has Sodium Metabisulfite in it, which is seen by some as an ingredient of concern. Read more here.

Read my ingredient disclaimer here.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

I love a new way of doing something or rather a new idea when it comes to packaging and that’s just what  this product gives us when it comes to blush. When it comes to cream blushes, I’m so used to using my fingers to blend it in but when it comes to SMASHBOX’s new Creamy Cheek Color & Brush ($29 @ smashbox.com) from the Masquerade Collection, one side is your color and the other side is the brush to blend it into the skin. I really thought the bristles would be too firm and make the process uncomfortable but they are actually pretty soft but not so soft that they don’t do a good job working the color in nicely.

It’s only available in Intrigue (warm pink) but hopefully they will continue this packaging trend.

And this is a great one to tote along in your purse!

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.