.:: CybeleSays ::.

When I first received ORIGINS new Super Spot Remover acne treatment gel, I thought, great, I don’t have anyone to try this out since I don’t get a lot of blemishes. But then, lo and behold, it’s like my skin heard me and cropped a few up just so I could try it out. And then a few more appeared shortly thereafter. Ok, acne Gods, I hear you. Trying it…

This one was funny – this treatment gel helped speed of the healing of two of them and on three of them, a week later, it didn’t seem to do a thing. It’s formulated with 1.5% Salicylic Acid to heal and caffeine and Red Algae to get rid of the “hello world, I have a pimple” redness. For $13.50/.3oz you really can’t go wrong and you dab a little on twice a day. This one also comes as Spot Remover Acne Treatment Pads ($26.50/60 pads) also with 1.5% Salicylic Acid, so if you want to give your skin an overall coating of SA, that might be one for you to pick up. Both @ origins.com.

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

We’re at the half-way point of summer and there are still loads of products to talk about. Here are some favorites right now.

TOO FACED Lip Bronzer in Pink Leopard ($17 @ sephora.com)
PHILOSOPHY When Hope Is Not Enough Omega 3-6-9 Hydrating Body Scrub ($30/8oz @ sephora.com)
ORIGINS Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash/Bubble Bath ($21/8.5oz @ origins.com)
ONE WITH NATURE Dead Sea Mineral Soap in Lemon Verbena ($3.79/7oz @ onewithnature.com)
ALIMA PURE Eye Shadow in the indigo purple, sparked with silver of Andromeda ($9/2.5g, $1 sample @ alimapure.com) from the Stargazer Collection.
RODIAL Skinny Beach SPF 15 ($49/5.1oz) and Skinny Beach Sticks ($60/14-5grams). Both @ blissworld.com.
SMASHBOX Untamed Waterproof Shadow Liner Trio in Savage ($29 @ sephora.com)
KOHGENDO Fresh Face Blush in Apricot Peach ($38 @ kohgendocosmetics.com)

Ok, you find yourself in a unique gifting situation (it happens). You don’t know what their favorite color is; if they are sober so it’s good to stay neutral in this kind of situation. One occasion coming up besides Christmas is New Years. What do you get the host of the party? Instead of regifting the bottle of wine that you got, opt for something citrus-y. I mean, who doesn’t like citrus? While I have not conducted a formal study, I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say they don’t like it so here are a few suggestions for host gifts.

REN’s Hand Duo ($50/10.2oz each @ bluemercury.com) - Citrus Limonum Hand Wash (10.2oz), Citrus Limonum Prebiotic Hand Cream (10.2oz) 

ORIGINS Blue Skies Ahead ($35 @ origins.com) – Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle (4oz), Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash and Bubble Bath (3.4oz) and Gloomaway Grapefruit Body-Buffing Cleanser (3.4oz)

Now I don’t eat mushrooms and I found myself also staying away from products that use this fungus in their formulas. Inside or outside, I’m not touching them but know that this one does not look like mushrooms or in anyway smell like them. They could have told me this was anchovies inside and I probably would have believed them. But I decided to suck it up and try the new ORIGINS Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Body Cream ($45/7oz @ origins.com) from the Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins line. Using a blend of a few different mushrooms and Shea and Cocoa butters, this cream helps to reseal skin after a shower and keep harmful irritants at bay. They could have called this anything and snuck mushrooms in it and I would have never of known. It smells to good to have that fungus in it, but not too strong, just pleasant.

Lots of new colors and products out for the spring. Here are some stars:

ORIGINS Brush-On Color in Coral Reef ($17.50 @ origins.com)

SHU UEMURA Tri-Color Eye Pencil in Aqua Flow ($28 @ sephora.com) from the Rebirth Collection

BOURJOiS Dose de Nacres Mini Loose Powder Eye Shadow in #3 orange with a silver sheen ($8 @ ulta.com)

SPA RITUAL Lacquer in Plugged-In ($10 @ sparitual.com) from the Awakened Collection.

SMASHBOX Green Room Bronzer ($28 @ sephora.com) from the Green Room Collection.
BOBBI BROWN Lip Gloss in Pink Popsicle ($19 @ bobbibrown) from the Pink Raspberry Collection

Here’s a first -- ORIGINS is the first prestige line of hair and body products to put out a collection certified organic by the USDA National Organic Program. Each of the 9 products in the Origins Organics line declares how much of the product’s ingredients are organic, so for the most part, you know what you are getting. Hair and body never had it so good and I think this will be a trend for 2008. So choose from the Foaming Face Wash ($25/3.4oz) or the Cleansing Body Bar ($15/3.4oz) or some others. My other favorite has to be the Soothing Lip Balm ($15/.5oz). It’s 97% organic, fixes my dry lips and has a nice vanilla scent. All @ origins.com

If you want to face the day in a safe way, ‘Have a Nice Day’ Super-Charged Moisture Lotion-SPF 15 by ORIGINS is a must to protect your face from the harmful rays. It may be fall but sunscreen should still be apart of your daily routine. Great for my combination skin, I apply this every morning as it’s a potent blend of UV protectors which includes firming Birch Extract, nourishing Soybean Oil, and Vitamin E that help to stop the dangers of environmental damage and prevent premature aging. And one whiff of the awesome aroma of grapefruit is an instant pick me up. Smells sensational plus prevents sun damage. $32.50/1.7oz @ origins.com ~Randi

Any dry lip, that is. There is no excuse for having lips that are dry and chapped with all the great choices out there for soothing lip balms out there. Here are a few of my favorites:  

BLUE Q Wedding Cake White Silk SPF18 Lip Balm - not just for Brides! Yummy Italian Cream Cake flavor is like dessert for your lips. $5.99 @ blueq.com.

New at ORIGINS is Dr. Andrew Weil's Conditioning Lip Balm with Turmeric. For extreme lip comfort and healing the spice Turmeric is used to provide extra antioxidant protection $15 @ origins.com

Fresh from Virginia we get DiONIS Cucumber Mint Lip Balm made with goats milk, jojoba oil, Shea butter. 96% natural and tastes like a summer cucumber salad! $3 @ dionissoap.com
SONIA KASHUK Lip Balm SPF 15 ($6 @ Target stores nationwide) comes in a little pot and while I prefer sticks, I actually don't mind dipping my finger into this one as I rub the excess on the back of my hands to get the added protection from the SPF this one has. ~Lisa

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Today's WWD reports ORIGINS is coming out with a new line in the fall called Origins Organics. This is the first prestige-market organic collection of U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified body, skin and hair care products. Six of the collection's nine products will carry the USDA organic seal: the lip balm, purifying tonic, face lotion, body spritz, massage oil and hair oil.