.:: CybeleSays ::.

So what scent has your full attention right now? I seem to be all over the map and am changing my mind daily, which is what I’m allowed to do as a woman, right? Here are some more recommendations from L to R clockwise.

ESCADA Cherry in the Air eau de toilette ($56/1.6oz, $20/.25oz @ sephora.com) – I love the smell of cherry and always seem to have at least one cherry scent in rotation this time of year. This one has notes of black cherry, raspberry, mandarin, marshmallow, gardenia, coconut, sandalwood and oakwood. Love!

KRIGLER Pleasure Garden 79 Scented Candle ($65/6.34oz @ krigler.com) – if you love gardenia, this scent will take you to heaven! This one is a blend of jasmine, vanilla, mimosa, all floating on gardenia petals.

LATHER Orange Peel Face Soap ($8/4oz @ lather.com) – for normal or combo skin and contains organically derived orange oil. Sulfate and parabens-free.

ARQUISTE Flor y Canto eau de parfum ($165/1.8oz @ barneys.com) – described as an opulent floral, this one “celebrates the feeling and smells of an Aztec festival." Notes include Mexican tuberose, magnolia, plumeria and marigold. Very unique.

MOONESSENCE Papaya & Pineapple Exfoliating Masque ($42.99/2oz @ sfrbeauty.com) – contains extracts of papaya, green papaya and pineapple, which are known for their exfoliating properties.

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

For some reason my skin has been freaking out lately with blemishes and I have not been able to pinpoint what it is that’s causing it. Diet? Using my Clarisonic too much? Anyway, I was waiting to it to calm for a minute so I could try this SOMME INSTITUTE Boost Gentle Warming Mask but hey, why wait? This one could actually help, duh! This is one of those warming masks, which sometimes give me the creeps but it doesn’t get too warm like some I have tried in the past. Like all of their products, this one is infused with their patented MDT5 (Molecular Dispersion Technology), which is a complex of 5 highly engineered vitamins (A, B3, B5, C and E) and proteins to really smooth out skin. And I love that it also contains natural pumpkin enzymes, to help clear out dead skin on the surface. And I read in their materials that the warming is due to the Zeolite, which is a natural mineral the opens the pores enabling the Kaolin to absorb oil, dirt etc and free radicals can’t survive it. So it’s like a skin crime fighter!

The verdict? I’ve used it 3 times now and while I’m not usually big on using face masks, I really do like this one not only because you only leave it on for 5 minutes but also for what it leaves behind afterward, which seems to be calm skin and a feeling of a neutral pH, not dry and tight. And the fact that it has major anti-aging ingredients? Major double, or rather, triple duty benefits. Big recommendation. $40/3oz @ sommeinstitute.com.

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

I just finished off the last of the pumpkin pie leftover from Christmas dinner and I don’t think I will ever get sick of pumpkin but it’s nice to get a break. So instead of increasing my waist line, I’ll settle for JUNE JACOBS’ Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque.

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'Tis the season for holiday scents! Pine, cranberry, nutmeg and my favorite, pumpkin. It’s known for its awesome exfoliating properties so I always pay attention when I come across one. The SANITAS line has a Pumpkin Enzyme Mask ($32/2oz @ sanitas-skincare.com for locations) and it smells so good!! It contains organic pumpkin and a blend of essential fats and nourishing vitamins, Squalane, and Hyaluronic Acid among others. For some reason I thought it might sting a little on the skin but it didn’t at all. Leave this one on for 10 minutes and remove with lukewarm water. Big recommendation.

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

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the honey ingredient when it comes to beauty and did a whole on-going feature on it here. So when I saw the name of this one from the ANNMARIE GIANNI, it was a must try. I have to agree with the them when they say that this Coconut Honey Mask ($29.95/1.7oz @ annmariegianni.com) is good enough to eat as there doesn’t seem to be any ingredients listed that would prevent that from happening. But it's for the skin and I"m keeping it to using on there only! It contains honey, organic extra virgin coconut oil, vitamin C, B vitamins and amino acids among others. What I like about this one too is that a little goes a lot way and it doesn’t make you face feel or look like you are wearing a typical mask while wearing it. And after dawning this one for about 15 minutes, simply wash it off and there’s no tight or dry feeling to the skin. Major points for that alone!

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

I seemed to have fallen behind in my face mask usage and what better way to get back on board than with a cult favorite? The mask is from Italian brand BORGHESE and it’s their cult favorite Fango Active Mud for Face and Body. Not only does the product have quite the following but it just celebrated 25 years in production! No small feat. So what’s so great about this algae looking gunk? Well it is made with mud from a volcano located in Tuscany so it’s really rich in minerals and botanicals. It also contains their trademarked Acqua di Vita Complex ingredient, which is found in many of their products and they claim it’s a mood enhancer. Fascinating!

So if you are considering this one, know that it does triple duty – cleans out pours, exfoliates and hydrates. Got a few to kill? Apply a thin layer on the face, neck and décolletage and relax. $33.50/7oz, $64/17.6oz @ borghese.com.

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

Isn’t it nice when you find a brand that not only makes a great product but it’s something you too can believe in it? The new-to-me line is called BY NIEVES and each handmade product is created in the San Francisco area. I tried the Face Fix ($32/4oz @ bynieves.com) and this is one that comes in the dry form, so no preservatives, and can be used as a face scrub or a face mask. And yes, I’m a fan of the ingredients: Organic White Willow, Licorice, Horsetail, Rose Petal, Comfrey, Chamomile, Orange Peel, Lavender, Grapefruit Peel, Lavender, Neem Leaf, Bladderwrack (of course I had to look this one up! It’s a seaweed found in the North Sea), Rosehip Powders, White Kaolin Clay and Jojoba Beads. Quite a few of these are really soothing to sensitive skin so if that’s you, you might want to consider this one. I can’t wait to try out other products in her line!

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

Wowee, this is some mask from ARCONA! It’s their Tea Tree Mask and it “cleanses, purifies, detoxifies and refines the skin’s texture,” and I feel like it did all that and just really woke my skin up! I have combo skin and I’ve used it a few times all over my face and neck but I’m also thinking since I get blemishes only once in a while, this might be a good one to use as a spot treatment. But wow, it does feel so good when I use it all over, like my skin just gargled with Listerine! Witch Hazel Extract and Sulphur are the first two ingredients listed but the product itself doesn’t smell overwhelming like sulphur, which it’s sometimes known to do. And the Sulphur is a really good exfoliator and this especially great at helping to treat psoriasis spots, which I have a few of on my body. $30/2oz @ arcona.com.

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

We are pleased to be able to introduce new brand to you! KARUNA is a line of face masks based on the wisdom of East-meets-West and uses ingredients found in Asia. Choose from six different masks – Anti-Aging, Anti-Blemish, Brightening, Anti-Oxidant, Exfoliating and Hydrating. Whenever I am using a cream or gel mask, I never really know if I am using the right amount but these come in a fold out cloth (with the nose, eyes and mouth cut out) that you simply lay on the skin and let it do its magic. Remember the one from Shiseido I feature a little while ago? Same kind of cloth here and since each has the ingredients already on it, so you know you are using the right amount. And these clothes are all-natural fiber cloths that are made from bio-degradable wood pulp.

I tried two different masks and I have to say hands down, the Hydrating Treatment Mask ($28/4 masks only @ beautyintuition.com) worked the best for me. This one uses a Japanese soybean called Natto to super hydrate the skin as well as other plant extracts, like Aloe Leaf Juice, peptides and anti-oxidants.

One thing I noticed in trying both masks were that each was sopping wet, as in, they didn’t skimp on ingredients! With everyone cutting corners and tightening belts, this is a big plus.

And since you have to leave the cloth on the skin for 10 to 20 minutes, it kind of forces you to just sit and relax. And after you are done, no need to rinse the excess off of your face, just rub it in and what I like doing with the cloth afterward is to lay it out on my upper chest. That area just doesn’t get enough attention and can always use some extra hydration.

I’ve read many places that you should be wary of at-home peels and such but it seems that more and more companies are putting out, what they call, “gentler strength” ones for just that. And I guess that’s what my job is for here, right? It’s a tough one, but I’m up for the challenge. So take this REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel ($55/1.7oz @ sephora.com), for example. It sounds quite daunting doesn’t it? It’s pretty simple actually. It’s a resurfacing mask that uses fruit acids and Papain to deeply exfoliate the skin, that’s it. Even though it’s made for acne or blemish-prone skin, my normal to dry skin seemed to do just fine with it, like I just had a deep cleaning and it only takes 10 minutes once a week.
And another way to weigh the cost of this one is that I only had to use a little bit each time, so this tube will last you quite a long time.