.:: CybeleSays ::.

If you’ve been with me for a while then you know my love for products made with honey. And the latest one I cannot get enough of is L’OCCITANE’s new Shea Butter Honey Whipped Body Cream ($22/2.5oz @ loccitane.com). Not only does this limited-edition cream smells heavenly and so comforting, but it is really light and my skin drinks this stuff in! I can’t rave about this one more as it’s teetering on Hall of Fame status right now, but only time will tell.

Will you check this one out?

I just started a regular workout routine again and oi, my body is sore. So much so that I think an overall massage would actually hurt too much at this point. So I am starting slow and glad I have LUSH’s Hottie Massage Bar on hand for my calves (we did 100+ lifts!) and triceps from the brutal pushups.

The shape of the bar is square so it’s easy to hang onto whilst rubbing and the bumps on the bar actually need to help massage the oils into the skin!  

The formula in this bar is specifically made for really sore muscles and contains black pepper oil to help get the circulation going as well as ginger oils and then their usual Shea Butter, jojoba oil and cocoa butter to nourish the skin. Overall I wasn’t really wild about the scent and I saw that they have this one. Must. Get. Hands. On. It!

I keep a few of their massage bars  on the coffee table in front of the TV so when I’m their watching my latest VH1 reality show, I can mindlessly some into elbows, knees and especially heels. $8.95/1oz @ lush.com.

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

Do you ever get so frustrated with beauty products in trying to decipher the ingredients? Some of the words are so long and you really have to have a degree just to understand what you’re even using! So here is one where there is no guessing - LA NATURA 100% Pure Shea Butter ($20/2oz, $28/4oz @ lanatura.com) is just Shea Butter and nothing else but some added essential oils. Shea Butter is in a ton of body care items because of its excellent moisturizing capabilities. So if you have a purest on your hands, this one is sure to get you two thumbs up.

And it comes in over 19 scents like Apricot Twist, Chocolate and Jasmine but the Peppermint one is ooo, so perfect for this time of year!.

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

I find myself wanting to know what’s inside the products I’m using. Take the new Vanda Orchid line from JUNE JACOBS. I tried the Vanda Orchid Body Balm ($60/7oz) and the Vanda Orchid Shower Gel ($35/7oz) and I really liked both (both @ junejacobs.com). They smelled heavenly and worked well. The Vanda Orchid is native to Northern Australia and Eastern Asia and is one of the rarest forms. The extract from the flower contains high levels of anti-oxidants and fortifying minerals. But with these two, I really wanted to get down to the nitty-gritty.

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As I come to the end of the Spring Scents feature, I’m wondering what the distinction is between scents that are good for spring vs. good for summer. As I ponder that thick question, below are some more recommendations.

L to R clockwise:
PADDYWAX Jasmine Candle from the Garden Crush Collection ($13/6.5oz @ paddywax.com)
CARESS Whipped Souffle Body Wash in Peach Cream ($6.49/15oz @ drugstore.com)
THE SOAP & PAPER FACTORY Oil Diffuser in Jasmine ($32 @ soapandpaperfactory.com)
THYMES Triple-Milled Soap in Naia ($14/8oz @ thymes.com)
CHLOE Eau de Fleurs – Lavande EDT ($135/3.4oz @ nordstrom.com)
THE BODY SHOP Spa Wisdom Polynesia Monoi Moisture Balm ($24/6.77oz @ thebodyshop.com)

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

How often do you find the combo of rich body moisturizer and tantalizing fragrance that lasts? (And I stress the word lasts). Not often. Actually, it’s probably only happened once or twice in my life. To say this next one is rich and decadent, is an understatement. Australian’s URBAN RITUELLE Body Balms come in four scents - Ginger, Green Tea, Pomegranate, Coconut & Kului and rest assured that no matter which scent you choose, know that each contains the utmost nourishing ingredients like jojoba oil, cocoa butter, Shea Butter, and vitamins A, C and E.

My pick of the fragrances has to be the fifth frag in the group, the White Orchid & Lotus. Let’s break it down like a true perfume, shall we? Top notes: bergamot, citrus, peach nectar and coconut milk. Middle notes: white jasmine, lotus blossom. Base notes: amber and musk. Help skin stays supple and soft in this dry season. $30/8.8oz @ urbanrituelle.com.

Disclosure: The following item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

Who doesn’t love the smell of green tea? How about a whole line made with green tea? GREEN TEA GOODS is that line. Just check out the ingredients in the Ultra-Caring Lip Balm ($4.95/oval tube): coconut oil, sweet almond oil, beeswax, vitamin E, green tea fragrance, jin yin hua (honeysuckle), gan cao (licorice root), tea tree oil, aloe extract, rosemary extract, and chlorophyll. And I can totally smell the green tea as I move it back and forth on my lips. So great ingredients + a great scent = a yes vote from me.

Other star products in the line are the Herbal Body Balm ($6.95/.35oz) and the Nourishing Cuticle Cream ($6.95/.5oz). Check out the whole line @ greenteagoods.com.

The mission of the DE-LUXE line is quality at affordable prices. I have a few of their products here to try out and the first ones that jumped out at me were the Shea Butter ones. Shea Butter is one of nature’s most prized commodities because of its natural antioxidants and it’s high in vitamins A and E. The Shea Butter Hand Cream ($7.99/5oz) and 100% Pure Shea Butter ($9.99/3.4oz) are not only affordable but very good quality products. It may take a few to really work these creams into the skin, but the end result is worth it. And the light scent is heavenly. I can't stop smelling my arms! These are both highly recommended so treat your skin today. Both @ drugstore.com