.:: CybeleSays ::.

What do you think when a renowned makeup artist puts out a line? Does it make you more interested in the line or does it even matter? The latest line I’ve come across is IQ BEAUTY from internationally known makeup artist Fredericke Grillitz. Yes, the MUA has seen it all and will usually put out a line or collection of items where he/she has seen a gap in the industry. But do they always transfer to the everyday person’s use? Sometimes I say yes but sometimes no and only a professional will be to make use of a product.

With that said, I was able to give the Sheer Activity Base ($65/large size (looks to be about 2oz), $45/travel) a whirl and it seems to be kind of like a souped up tinted moisturizer. It's sheer like a tinted and the souped up part comes in as it has a touch of luminosity in it but not so much that you will look odd if you put it all over the face. It comes in one shade and contains vitamins A, C and E and even a SPF15. This is totally made for anyone to use.

If you do want more glow in specific places, then you should add a couple of dabs of the Sheer Activity Glow over the above base.

The items are a little on the expensive side but after trying these two, I’m curious about the others. Check out iqbeauty.com for more info.

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

As we hit this time of year, I find myself reaching for more coverage when it comes to a foundation. Do I instinctually think it’s going to keep me warm or something? Anyway, I recently tried ERNO LASZLO’s  Absolute Finish SPF 15 and while I’m looking for a fuller coverage, that doesn’t mean I was something that feels heavy on my skin.

Wanna see more pics? Click below.

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CLINIQUE Repairwear Laser Focus All Smooth Makeup SPF 15 ($32.50/1oz @ clinique.com) -  this is the latest foundation from the brand that includes an anti-aging serum in it as well as a spf. This comes in 12 shades.

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I’ve just been settling for some sunscreens for the face lately that I don’t really like in hopes of just using them up – most leave white behind that just takes too long to absorb. But this DR. JART Premium BB Beauty Balm ($39/1.5oz @ sephora.com) is a whole new avenue for me! It’s a moisturizer, sunscreen (SPF 45), and treatment serum that contains brightening properties. All things I can use these days! The best part about this one is that it’s tinted and the tint is supposed to adjust to your skin tone, which it seems to do pretty well. I’m a light to medium olive skin tone and at first my face looked kind of chalky but that faded after 5 minutes or so and the coverage is pretty sheer, so perfect for just evening out the skin tone.

From what I understand, BB Creams are really big in Asia and they are just being made available stateside and I can see why. If they do all this multi-tasking, what’s not to like or love?

Will you be trying this from Dr.Jart+?

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

From the man that I credit with pretty much creating the first makeup primer on the market, NAPOLEON PERDIS, comes his new ROCK ON! Collection. And this one has a new kind of primer, a powder form!

This is Mr. Perdis’s venture into the mineral makeup world and I actually kind of surprised it took this long for him. Here are the deets:

Mattifying Mineral Primer ($29) – this one can be used before and after foundation. A yellow powder? Don’t worry, it’s translucent but do you remember Urban Decay’s Nirvana Universal Loose Powder? It was yellow. Or I could be really dating myself by mentioning the other yellow powder I remember - T. LeClerc’s Banana Loose Powder? Also yellow and had quite a cult following.

Anyway, I found using a medium sized flat top brush like this one most effective when applying it before(it) the foundation and a bigger domed brush when applying it as a finishing powder.

And one tip about the container – he created it so that the sifter mechanism will measure out (click-click) just enough primer for one application. Genius!

Advanced Mineral Makeup SPF 15 ($59) – available in 6 shades, this one contains those light diffusers (pretty much a must-have inside any foundation these days), and also antioxidant ingredients and the aforementioned SPF. It gives medium matte coverage and a little goes a long way. I tried this one with a makeup brush and a sponge and found the sponge worked best. Let’s hear it for another winning liquid mineral foundation on the scene.

He was smart about these first two products by including antioxidants and sodium hyaluronate, which is a key anti-aging ingredient, in both of these. Love a multi-tasker! Both @ napoleonperdis.com. 

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

I never thought I’d see CLINIQUE’s Moisture Surge morph into anything else than what it is, so when they came out with this Moisture Surge Tinted Moisture SPF 15, umm wow, ok then. So they just got a little crazy with it and put out 6 new ones that are, as the name states, tinted. 

Warmer climates are on deck so isn’t it time to change up some of your makeup routine to lighter products anyway? Their researchers determined that 82% of women use a facial moisturizer and 67% use a foundation, so they thought, why not combine the two in one of their most popular moisturizers? Know that a little gel goes a long way and be sure to blend it in well right after squeezing it out of the tube.

For some reason, though, there only seems to be two colors of this on the lighter side of the spectrum. I tried shades 3 and 4, which look dark online and outta the tube but seem to work fine on my light/medium olive complexion. $24.50 @ clinique.com.

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

I was pretty excited when I heard about the new Clockpots from the HISSYFIT line. The vision behind it is their new Creative Director Reggie Wells. Recognize his name? He was Oprah’s makeup artist for 20+ years and I guess it was only a matter of time before he ventured onto something else.

Choose from Face Clockpot, Eye Clockpot and Cheek Clockpot and they take the guesswork out because you simply look for your skin tone and it tells you which ones would work for it.

I especially think the Face Clockpot is useful as it contains a Foundation, Highlight and Powder and the insert and underside of the compact tells you how to apply which shade and you apply each one … clockwise. $65 @ hissyfit.com.

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

Do you change your foundation each season? Like in the summer for example, do you only wear mineral makeup because it gets so hot? I find I don’t really have a pattern when it comes to the different types of foundation out there. I do find myself gravitating towards powder foundation mainly in the summer and them randomly throughout the year. Just something to think about!

So speaking of foundation, I’m really feeling LAURA MERCIER’s new Crème Smooth Foundation ($50/1oz @ sephora.com). First off, this 1oz size looks so huge in the glass jar it comes in and a little goes a long way. This gives medium to heavy coverage that’s totally buildable and it contains not only the anti-wrinkle ingredient Dermaxyl but also those optical diffusers. Available in 6 shades.

This formula also comes in a Toffee Bronzer shade that I’ve been using to practice contouring my cheeks. Do you contour your features?

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

What It Is: In the world of Pro Longwear, Foundation and Concealer carry the show with creamy, medium buildable coverage right through to a flawless, natural finish. Marathon makeup to go, made from micronized pigments to promote the smoothest application and colour purity.

Wanna read more about this collection? Click after the jump!

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I really like to shop online but sometimes what you see on the monitor is not what you get so you have to get used to doing your research on just about every aspect of a product, especially color. What I really like about COVER FX’s new The Big Cover Up 3 Step Essentials ($75 @ sephora.com) s there really isn’t a way to mess it up as all you have to do is choose from four color kits. FOUR!

What it is - a complexion perfection kit and it contains 5 items to help you get it right:

• Skinprep FX – primer and anti-aging serum
• Cover FX – Total Coverage Cream Foundation (3 different shades)
• Setting FX – Translucent Setting Powder
• Their #170 Precision Foundation Brush (this normally sells for $36!)
• How-to Instructional video

You know my love of all-in-ones when it comes to beauty and the compact that houses the cream foundations and setting powder is in one container!

The overall kit really is a novices dream come true and shop with confidence online when it comes to this product.

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