.:: CybeleSays ::.

Are greasy hands or feet lotions/balms/creams the bane of your existence? I’ve been able to find some that are pretty low on the greasy feeling factor but never one like this from the O’KEEFFE’S brand. Sometimes the best working beauty products are ones that are not really on the glamour side but in the end, it’s all about how it works, right?

Their clients are the hardcore like contractors, gardeners or basically anyone who works with their hands, are on their feet a lot or just suffer from really dry skin. Both Working Hands and Healthy Feet contain a high level of Glycerin that’s able to draw and really retain moisture and, I don’t really know how they do it, no greasy feeling whatsoever.

So now I want to know ….

How do they do it?

Most lotions or creams are made with oils and these are both oil-free allowing the glycerin to works its magic efficiently. That’s it? That seems way too simple. It looks and feels pretty much like a thick cream but if that’s their answer, that’s their answer and I won’t question what works nicely.

And it’s priced right for $7.99/3.2oz @ okeeffescompany.com.

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

‘Tis the season for flowery scents and I love a delicate one encased in a nice think hand cream. The latest I’ve been carrying around in my bag is ESSENCE OF BEAUTY Hand & Body Cream in their newest scent Lilies & Freesia. This one blends the two together with a touch of sandalwood for a nice, but sadly too brief of a nose experience while rubbing this into hands. Still a good quality hand cream though $5.99/8oz @ CVS stores nationwide.

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

It’s not often I come across a totally non-greasy yet moisturizing hand cream but that’s just what we have here with LAURA MERCIER’s Almond Coconut Milk Hand Crème from the new Almond Coconut Milk Collection. Maybe it’s the essential oils of Jojoba, grape, sunflower and olive that just sink into the skin. Not sure but what does make this one also stand out is the rich scent of sweet almond and coconut with the hint of vanilla and sugar. It’s almost overpowering and could easily be if it’s competing with a strong perfume. $15/2oz @ lauramercier.com.

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

Everything is coming up springtime scents right now! Each season the CND line puts out some season-appropriate hand & body lotions in the Scentsations line and the ones for their Blooming Meadows Collection are Fresh Day Lily, Magnolia & Mandarin and Dark Bergamot.

And I love that these come in the purse-friendly 2oz versions for $12 for all three but you can also get them in the bigger 8.3oz for $9.90 each.

Available @ cnd.com.

For some reason, anytime I see a visibly older woman, I always check out the backs of her hands to see how she is aging. Yes, we all look at the face but so many things can be done to the face that can’t be done to the hands when it comes to aging. Thankfully the twosome behind the successful Proactiv, created these next two products, made just for the backs of hands.

Part of the Anti-Age collection, RODAN + FIELDS comes at us with a two-product answer – the Anti-Age Hand Treatment Regimen.

There’s the Shield Hand Balm SPF 30 (1oz) that not only protects the skin from the harsh rays of both UVA/UVB rays with their patented SHIELDrf sunscreen technology but it also contains a stable form of vitamin C for its anti-aging benefits. And it’s in a fun and easy-to-tote balm form, which I love.

And for damage that is already done, use the ANTI-AGE Brightening Hand Treatment (1.7oz) will help bring them back around and lighten brown spots and really even out the skins tone.

$67 for the two or buy each separately, Balm ($43) and Treatment ($32) @ rodanandfields.com.

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

We are in the thick of things when it comes to winter and even though it doesn’t feel too cold, the air is super dry. Glad I’ve had PHILIP B. Lovin’ Hand & Body Crème ($8/2oz, $27/6oz, $90/32oz @ philipb.com) on hand (no pun intended). It’s surprisingly super moisturizing and not greasy at all for being so lightweight. And I don’t hate greasy lotions (I think I’m in my own category on this one!). It contains ingredients that will help the skin on hands look and feel better like coconut oil, shea butter and vitamins E and B5. And it has a really delicate scent to it that me likey.

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

These are really helping me enjoy summer this year! Have you made any adjustments due to the heat and humidity? Give these ones some consideration.

ELIZABETH ARDEN Pure Finish Mineral Cheekcolor in Sunkissed Coral ($28 @ elizabetharden.com) – If this one could talk, it would say, "I am the color of the decade!" Coral again is a big summer color and it's so gorg on the skin and really enhances a nice tan.

ORLANE Super-Moisturizing Tinted Cream ($75/1.7oz @ neimanmarcus.com) – it’s way too hot to put on a full mask of foundation so why not use a two-fer like this? It combines a deeply moisturizing face cream with a slight tint. Available in 3 shades.

NYX COSMETICS Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Sky Blue and Extreme Green ($4.50 @ nyxcosmetics.com) – colored liquid liners are hot these days and these do like the Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney duo and “Stay, Stay, Stay.” (I know it’s Say, Say, Say but Stay works better for this piece!).

LUSH 'Dirty' Springwash Shower Gel ($9.95/3.3oz, $17.95/8.8oz, $26.95/16.9oz @ lushusa.com) – I really wasn’t feeling their Dirty collection of products but this shower gel seems like a lighter version of the rest, according to my nose and it has a hint of spearmint oil in it.

SMASHBOX Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer ($17 @ smashbox.com) – who wants their makeup to slide after applying? Summertime is great for this one as it gives a nice sheen, whilst helping makeup stay, stay, stay! And this one has some good-for-skin ingredients like grape seed extract and vitamins A, C and E.

VICTORIA’S SECRET Sheer Love Ultra-Moisturizing Hand and Body Cream from the VS Fantasies Collection ($12/6.7oz @ victoriassecret.com) – a scented cream is the perfect way to kiss the skin with fragrance without overdoing it. This one is a mix of fresh white cotton and luminous pink lily and contains avocado, zsweet almond oil and my favorite ingredient, honey.

The Victoria's Secret item contains mineral oil, which is seen by some as an ingredient of concern. The Lush product contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which is seen by some as an ingredient of concern. Read more about these and other ingredients here.

Read my ingredient disclaimer here.

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

I’ve been pretty lucky lately when it comes to hand creams by finding ones that really work! The latest one I am touting is VOTRE VU’s Duette Luxe Lip Balm & Hand Crème. Yup a two-in-one hand cream in the tube and lip balm in the cap. I’m all about having multi-taskers in the car and this one is perfect for that.

The hand crème has Shea Butter, oils from coconut, jojoba, and grape seed, to name a few and the scent is a cross between biscotti and supermarket frosting (I had one friend tell me this), which they call Almond Pie. I must say that I am not always in the mood for the scent so I wish they’d stuck with a more neutral fragrance with this one or maybe had an option with it.

As far as the lip balm, there is an option for a straight up balm or a tinted balm but the tinted balm didn’t seem to leave any tint to my lips. It’s a great idea but would have been nice to get some color in the tinted one! However, it does soften lips with Shea Butter, coconut oil and beeswax, which is what matters most. $38/1.35oz @ votrevu.com.

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

If you’re serious about hand cream or are in need of a good one, then this next one is for you. UK’s  PAI SKINCARE Fragonia & Sea Buckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream ($25/1.7oz @ paiskincare.com) contains some pretty skin nutritious ingredients like the aforementioned frangonia (an oil derived from a shrub that helps with anti-inflammation) and sea buckthorn (another shrub known for its anti-oxidant properties) as their main ingredients. And they also throw some oils we all know work well – rosehip, avocado, macadamia and grapefruit among others. Surprisingly, it sinks into skin rather quickly and there is absolutely no greasy feeling or look to the skin afterward; you would think with a high oil content, it woud have to be. I mean, I can turn the knob on my computer speakers up and down with no problem!

And since this product is from the UK, it has gone through their system of approval to be certified organic by the Soil Association. Now I’m curious about how the other products in this line are and will let you know if I try any. And they have a pretty interesting story behind them if you feel like reading a little more about them.

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

As I get older, I notice that my hands get a little drier each fall/winter. Oh aging, what fun! I’ve been switching off between these next two all December and can’t really pick a definite winner so I’m running both.

DAVINES Hammam Ritual Hand Treatment in Bergamot Black Pepper - at first it was hard to weigh the cost against the size of this duo. Each glass jar is only 1oz but after I used the Hammam Hand Scrub and then the Hammam Hand Cream, did I realize this was a case of quality = price. Wow. And since you really only use it once a week, you can really make it last. $28 @ davines.com.

THYMES Moonflower Hand Cream – this scent seems made for right now! It’s a blend of gilded cinnamon, clove and dark amber with cognac. Oh and the cream is really good too and doesn’t contain any parabens, which I love. $16/2.5oz @ thymes.com. 

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