.:: CybeleSays ::.

There’s nothing like a really great body oil and I’ve searched high and low for the best ones out there right now and came up with these winners. One of the reasons is that they are so versatile – face, body, even hair. Do you use body oils or will you start incorporating them into your beauty routine?

AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES Bath & Shower Oil ($63/1.86oz @ aromatherapyassociates.com and bigelowchemists.com) – the one shown here is for Inner Strength, which I think we can all use more of, the founder created this when she was going through cancer and blends clary sage, frankincense and cardamom. While I’m not wild about the overall smell of this one (smells really strongly of lavender for some reason, which I don’t like), the quality of this one reins and I’m sure it will appease many out there.

LIERAC Huile Sensorielle Sensory Oil with 3 Flowers ($40/1.86oz @ lierac.com) – Mmm, this one contains extracts of jasmine, gardenia, camellia (which they call the 3 White Flowers), hazelnut and sweet almond, to name a few. This one absorbs quickly and doesn’t make any part of the body greasy.

SHEA MOISTURE Raw Shea Butter Baby Oil Rub ($10.99/8oz @ cvs.com, CVS stores, Target stores) – this is a new brand to me and wow, I’m impressed! The ingredient list starts with sunflower seed oil, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond and jojoba and gets better from there. Nothing bad in this one! And it smells really nice. Big recommendation.

KAHINA 100% Organic Argan Oil ($36/1oz, $82/3oz @ kahina-givingbeauty.com) – why don’t you just cut to the chase and go with the oil of the moment, argan oil? This extremely anti-oxidant rich oil can be used anywhere on the face or body and even hair (hello Moroccanoil!?) and is one of the lighter oils out there. 

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

Everything is coming up … springtime scents right now and here are just a few that are at the top of my list. Each highlights a floral or fruit we often associate with spring. Are any of these your favorites?

EMINENCE ORGANIC Apricot Sugar Scrub ($48/8.4oz @ eminenceorganic.com) – this one smells like the definition of Spring and it’s made of all things good for the skin like Alpha Hydroxy Acids, apricot juice and pulp and their signature Biocomplex, which is a concoction of antioxidants and vitamins.

INEKE Hothouse Flower ($95/2.5oz @ ineke.com) – If you are all about gardenia, this is a good one to investigate. Know that this is not your typical gardenia though; it’s a little complex with the mix of notes like earl grey tea, green foliage, fig, frankincense on a base of guiaiacwood and musk.

THYMES Temple Tree Jasmine Body Wash ($19/9.25oz @ thymes.com) – another one you have to have to really welcome Spring and that’s jasmine. This one puts it front and center with a mix of jasmine, honeysuckle, ylang ylang, damask rose and coconut milk.

HOUSE OF HOUBIGANT Orangers en Fleurs ($180/3.3oz eau de parfum, $600/3.3oz parfum @ neimanmarcus.com) – how could you welcome Spring and not do it with orange? This one highlights orange but really steps up the sexiness by adding Rose Absolute, Egyptian Jasmine Absolute, middle notes or Tuberose, Eau de Brouts, Ylang Comores and Nutmeg on a base of Cedar Wood and Musk. Really unique! It also comes in a lotion and crème for layering.

The KIEHL’S brand just came out with 4 collections of Aromatic Blends, which were created to represent the company’s apothecary heritage of inspiring fragrance blends.

Each collection’s scent pairing is meant to represent an inspiring place in the world:

• Orange Flower & Lychee: a dessert oasis in Morocco
• Vanilla & Sandalwood: the dense jungle of Uganda
• Nashi Blossom & Pink Grapefruit: the tranquil gardens of Japan
• Fig Leaf & Sage: the lush countryside of Provence, France

In true Kiehl’s fashion, they pay attention to what they use and don’t use in their products. Each contains 30% less ingredients found in traditional fragrances, using instead higher proportions of each key ingredient. So when you smell these, they don’t really hit you in the nose with the scent, which I kind of like. Subtly is sexy too.

Fragrance $75/3.4oz, Body Lotion $26/8.4oz, Body Cleanser $24/8.4oz @ kiehls.com.

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

I had the strangest beauty run-in last weekend – I was at a friend’s pool party opening for the summer recently and I met a girl who is really into shower gels (let’s call her BodyWash Girl). Yes, body washes, shower gels, bain douche, etc. Apparently she keeps about 10 of them going in her shower at a time and picks whichever she’s in the mood for at that time – floral, mint, fruit and even a men’s one, if she feels the need to tap into her masculine side.

I have been trying PATYKA’s Body Wash in White Grape, so of course her eyes darted at me when I piped this info into the four-way conversation. She’d never heard of the line before so I told her what I know about it – the products are ECOCERT certified and this specific product derives 99.35% of its ingredients from a natural origin). And having a big mouth sometimes, I even, believe it or not, offered to put some into a travel bottle so she could try it. I know, I know, but if you truly live for beauty, I’m sure you’ve done this too. But now it’s been 8 days and I have not heard from the host yet so maybe BodyWash Girl forgot. $45/8.4oz @ spiritbeautylounge.com.

And doesn’t White Grape just sound so lush and yummy right now?

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

You know me, I love discovering a new line! The latest is ANGEL MINARO and because the creator has a pharmaceutical background, she understands the science of putting together the formulas in each product. Each is handmade and she also makes them in small batches to maintain their freshness.

Click here to read more

I’ve always been a big fan of the LALICIOUS line. They just put out great quality body products where I never have to be afraid of the ingredients. They just added a new scent called Sugar Reef this month and I tried two of them. So did they live up to my expectations?

Click here to read more

It’s not often that a line has multiple positives going for it. That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to a new line making its US debut from Germany. The 25 year-old line is called PRIMAVERA and if you’re looking for a line with quality natural and organic ingredients, this is one you will want to check out. Choose from four different product lines: face care, body care, wellness therapies and home fragrance. Primavera is the first brand to have all their products certified as natural and organic by NATRUE (I was unfamiliar with them so here is more info on them) and they also package them in recyclable glass bottles and jars.

They have fair-trade partnerships with 18 growers around the world who provide over 125 of their ingredients. And if that’s not enough, their new state-of-the-art headquarters in Germany boasts a carbon neutral footprint. If these facts alone don’t make you want to try this line, then maybe info about the below product will.

The products I tried were their Restoring Rose Sallow Thorn Bath Oil ($37/3.4oz @ primaveralife.com). For me, October opens the door for bath season, officially, so the timing   was perfect. As I was running a bath, it was hard not to poor the whole bottle of bath oil into the water, it smelled so good! And I’m a fan of bath oils because it takes that extra step of moisturizing the skin afterward. I mean, who wants to stand in a cold room rubbing cream into your skin? I’d rather jump into some flannel pjs instead!

Anyway, this one is made with 70% organic ingredients, like rose hip, rose, sallow thorn and wheat germ, as well as jojoba and sweet almond oil. Not only did this oil soften the water but the delicate scent really made my first bath of the season quite enjoyable.

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

Here are three traits that make finding products fun: one I’ve never heard of, quality ingredients and totally affordable. And this LEVEL NATURALS encompasses all three of these. They live by the motto -  “we don’t put anything on you that we wouldn’t roll around in ourselves,” and what you would roll around in are some pretty fantastic ingredients. All the products are vegan, cruelty-free and use recycled paper when possible. This man and woman team started the line in Los Angeles two years ago with a Cranberry Seed Calendula Soap and has since expanded to include bath bombs, shower bombs, body butters, candles and body polishes.

My favorite right now has to be the Lemon Sage Ginger Body Polish. It’s very thick and the ingredients are super simple: raw sugar, coconut and jojoba oil, Shea Butter, sunflower and rose hip oils, aloe oil, lemon sage essential oil, vitamin e and rosemary extract. That’s it! And with its healthy balance of oils, there’s really no need for a lotion or body cream afterward. $18/16oz @ levelnaturals.com.

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

Do you prefer a liquid body soap or bar soap? I oscillate between the two throughout the week with no real favorite rearing its head. Here are four new ones that just came out that are in full rotation in my shower.

BODYCOLOGY Shower Gel & Bubble Bath in Enchanted Forest ($4.99/16oz @ bodycology.com for locations) – using real honey and aloe vera, this one smells of jasmine (my favorite) and nutmeg on a base of musk and just really clean smelling.

THYMES Triple-Milled Soap in Bergamot Vert ($13/7oz @ thymes.com) – this one is a dash of floral, a dash of woody and two dashes of citrus. Yes, it’s officially fall but this one seems to delight all year round.

SOAP & PAPER FACTORY Handmade Shea Butter Soap in Close ($8/4oz only @ Anthropologie stores nationwide) – now you and your man can enjoy the same soap as this one is a tad masculine – sandalwood, cedar and a hint of citrus.

BATH & BODY WORKS Shower Gel in Paris Amour ($10.50/10oz @ bathandbodyworks.com) - this scent collection just came out and it’s surprisingly nice this time of year – French tulips, apple blossoms and sparkling pink champagne.

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

 
As many species of fish there are in the ocean, there are probably twice as many more plants many of which haven’t even been discovered yet. And that’s where the H2O+ line comes in. If it’s in the sea, they’re trying it out in their products. They just came out with a new collection called the Sea Moss Collection and the three products contain micro-fine volcanic black sand that’s obtained from real cooled lava found in Polynesia lagoons and island, mineral-rich red and brown algae and Irish moss

My pick of the litter has to be the Sea Moss Black Sand Body Scrub ($18.50/8oz). This body cleaning double-dutier  contains the above ingredients as well as sea salt, aloe vera, provitamin B and smells lightly of water lily and other marine accords. And did I mention is scrubs like the dickens? Love it.  

Also available in Sea Moss Replenishing Body Wash ($16/12.5oz), Sea Moss Replenishing Body Lotion ($19.50/8.5oz) and they also have 2oz travel sizes of each. All @ h2oplus.com. 

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