.:: CybeleSays ::.

Mask O’ the Month

Last fall, KANEBO came out with the Sensai Cellular Performance Lifting Series. Not only does this brand have quite the cult following, but I’m sure this full anti-aging line will soon too. My first pick of the litter is the Sensai Cellular Performing Lifting Mask ($180 @ kanebo.com for a location near you). If you read this site regularly, you know we love a good mask and this one doesn’t disappoint and it’s a fun one to use since it peels off. No mess! Step one consists of spreading a smooth layer (only 3 or so pumps) of the Lifting Concentrate (.68oz) onto the skin. If contains highly concentrated Natural Musculifter, which is a natural yeast-derivative called Biodyne. Translation: it improves the texture and claims to energize muscle cells, whatever that means. I understand this next second step better. The Lifting Peel-Off Mask (1.7oz) reacts with the concentrate to help the skin absorb the nutrients and exfoliate the surface. I feel like a commercial here but it really did improve the overall texture, tone, and moisture level on my face. My skin was very smooth and did not feel at all tight.
The overall process takes about 26 minutes (25 on the face and 1 to apply) and it was the best 26 minutes I spent on my skin all weekend.

Cream Yer Face, Cream Yer Body

 

ZiA NATURAL SKINCARE Nourishing Crème ($36.95/1oz @ uncommonscents.com)

• Contains eight cellular renewal ingredients
• Certified organic
• Priced right

BiOELEMENTS Vitalization Rich Intensity Body Crème ($49.50/8oz @ dermstore.com)

• Frosting-like texture
• Contains pure botanical oils
• Nose pleasing scent

One Word Words That Work

Pure and Nude - two words I want to see when I'm perusing skin care products. Here are two that make the most of the one syllable.

NUDE Facial Scrub ($52/2.5oz @ barneys.com) uses fine beads made of rose quartz to gently buff away dead skin cells. If money is no object when it comes to skin care, I would check this one out.
PURE Lemongrass & Tea Tree Facial Cream ($13.50/1.5oz @ pureallorganic.com) contains many-a oil to nourish skin: apricot, coconut, avocado vitamin E and more. And Lemongrass and Tea Tree calm stressed out skin. Really thick and moisturizing and I’m wearing it now! Big recommendation.

Getting To The Shea Of Things - Part III

Here are some more products that max out the Shea Butter.

1. LA COMPAGNiE DE PROVENCE Hand Crème ($14/3.4oz @ lcdpmarseille.com)
2. SWEET GRASS FARM Shea Butter Lotion in Fresh White Lilac ($8.95/16.9oz @ sweetgrassonline.com)
3. MD SKiNCARE Powerful Sun Protection SPF 25 Lip Balm ($18/.25oz @ sephora.com)
4. L’OCCiTANE Shea Cotton Ultra Comforting Cream ($38/1oz @ beauty.com)
5. IN KRiSTiNE’S SHOWER Shea Butter Bathbombs ($2/1-2oz to $17.99/12-2oz-pack @ inkristinesshower.com) in scent picks Malibu Baby, Sunny Days and Girly Girl.
6. NATTY GiRL Body Sugar Scrub in Yuzu Peach ($26/13oz @ nattyproducts.com)

Mineral Cleansing

BARE ESCENTUALS’ new RareMinerals Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser ($26/2.5oz @ sephora.com) reminds of that powdered soap dispensed in public bathrooms years ago. You’d add water to it and there was your soap to wash your hands, although I always thought it washed them quite poorly. Thankfully the only trait these two share is that they both come in the powder form. This RareMinerals Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser is mineral-based and contains all things you like about your mineral makeup, like non-irritating chemicals and embraces the benefits of their RareMinerals face powder. I’m trying to get in the habit of looking up ingredients on the back of products to educate both of us, even though the long words and terms turn me off, so I wikipedia’d the first ten ingredients listed on the product and didn’t see anything bad. As with any skin product, if you react to some ingredients, it’s recommended you do a spot test.

A Brit Organic

Here’s a new line you probably haven’t heard of yet but with organic everything making headlines everywhere, this is one you should pay attention to. SOPHYTO is a Vegan line that comes to us from the UK and contains 95% certifiable organic ingredients. And it is the first professional line to receive the UK Soil Association certification, which has to do with using authentic organic formulas.

Unlike other skincare lines, these products are all water-based instead of oil-based, which definitely sounds better to me. Since preserving the formulas can be an issue when it comes to organic products, they have created to their own system that stabilizes it for up to three years. That’s pretty amazing.

They claim that each product is able to self adjust and handle a lot of different skin types and problems so you don’t need this one for that issue or that one for another. To me, that’s part of the confusion when looking at any line. The average person, me included, doesn’t really understand all that mumbo-jumbo.

Here’s what I tried and my thoughts:

Ultra Mild Silken Cleanser ($25/4.22oz) - this won’t strip the skin and it really removes makeup easily. Made for all skin types, even oily, and the cucumber and aloe smell is really pleasant.

Tone & Balance Super Bioactive ($25/8.45oz) – think toner. It’s also great for using after any kind of procedure like chemical peels or Microdermabrasion.
Mega Omegas Day Face Moisturiser ($38/1.35oz) – contains key fatty acids that are mucho skin beneficial: omega-3, omega-6, omega-9 and more. My skin really drank this cream in quickly. Read up more on this line @ sophytoorganics.com as there is a lot more to this line than when is written here. And why they put each products pH right on the box is pretty fascinating. 

Restore Your Face, Restore Your Life

This JAiME EARL Restorative Serum ($52/1oz @ jaimeearl.com) came out last fall so I’m a little late getting to it. She’s been in on the organic end of things for quite some time and this one doesn’t disappoint. All of her products are infused with green tea and DMAE. DMAE is a nutrient that claims to extend the life of the skin cells. Also in this Serum is MSM, which supplies sulfur to the body allowing it to heal itself. So combined with the DMAE, the cells are able to self-heal and thus stay alive longer and give up the good fight against acne, eczema etc. I think that’s what the “restorative” part of this serum is about.

I know we’re not much into ingredients as they are just a bunch of fancy whoo-buh-joob words for people like me to not understand but I must say that every ingredient listed in this product is totally understandable! And this list is the order in which they appear on the bottle:

• Organic Aloe Vera
• Kosher Vegetable Glycerin
• Organic Rooibos Tea
• DMAE (see above)
• Organic Jojoba
• Xanthan Gum (to thin the formula out)
• Vitamin E
• MSM (see above)
• Organic Black Willowbark Extract
• Meadowfoam seed oil
• Rosemary and Neem Oil

As with any product, especially organic ones, more natural means it could be harsher on your skin. Make sure to do a patch test on your face before applying it all over. 

Waiting For The Sun

Another reason I am totally cut out for the job of Cybelesays is that I can pretty much put anything on my face without adverse reactions. The only time I was given a problem was with a MAC Face Mask. Remember when they had one in their collection a few years ago? It turned my face red as in burned it! In the trash that one went. When it comes to any other product, I am usually fine when it comes to trying them, except sunscreens. The area around my eyes seems very sensitive to sunscreens so when I test them out, no burning is part of what makes a good one. One in this totally non-irritating category is AZUR Moisturizer and Anti-Aging Crème for Face & Eyes ($30/1.7oz for SPF 30 and $34/1.7oz for SPF 40 @  azurskin.com). This one has a long list of haves and have nots: tearless, natural zinc oxide, titanium dionxide, aloe vera, PABA-free, paraben-free, vitamins E, A and C, oil-free, and overall hypoallergenic. And the overall look? Non-cakey or white (from the zinc oxide). And they even sell travel sizes! Big recommendation.

Mask O' the Month

We introduced you to the NUDE line back in January and I finally had a chance to try the Miracle Mask ($70/1.4oz @ barneys.com). Let me say first that just because this product is made with mostly natural ingredients, that doesn’t mean it is gentle. So with that said, if you have sensitive skin, you may want to forgo this one as it’s not recommended for you.

This Nude line uses a lot of alternatives to harsh chemicals and this one is your answer to that dull winter complexion. It uses natural AHAs and mandarin extract to exfoliate and red ginseng to smooth your skin out and boost up the appearance.
The only thing I don’t like about the product line is the label. Once you peel it off to open the product up, there goes all the info on the product and you are just left with the blank container. Just a suggestion, Nude!

A New Cream In Town

We’re all looking for the latest in technology when it comes to younger looking skin. ESTEE LAUDER just came out with their Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Crème and it’s creating quite a buzz. Here’s the lowdown and I’ll break it down as best as I can.
This does all that a good cream should - improves overall tone and plumps fine lines. It really seems to youth-i-fy my skin! Their scientists have created what they call the Youth Molecule--Resveratrate, which is a potent form of Resveratrol (antibiotics produced by plants when under attack in outside forces). Resveratrate is a time-released version of Resveratrol so rub a small amount into the skin (it’s pretty concentrated) and your skin will benefit throughout the day. Can you believe that this product has 23 patents pending worldwide? This is a pretty serious cream and gives lovely results and I hope I didn’t lose you with the above explanation! The only thing not good looking when it comes to this cream is the price. But can you put a price on something that works so well? $250/1.7oz @ esteelauder.com

High Performance Cleanser

Let me just state up front that I have a hard time using a little of anything. As in you only need a little bit because the product is concentrated. LA MER is hitting the scene with another new product and you guessed it – you only need a little. The Cleansing Foam ($65/4.2oz @ crèmedelamer.com) uses sea algae and special white pearl powder to gently cleanse and nourish the skin. I don’t think I have come across many cleansers that have left my skin really soft like this ones does. They usually leave me feeling tight and stretched. Ugh, I hate this feeling! This formula also contains their unique magnetized tourmaline and Deconstructed Waters to change the property of the water and make it work better with the cleanser. Big recommendation.

You Read It Here First ...

I have not seen this line anywhere else so I am guessing it is safe to say you are reading it here first! File this one is under the headline of “a totally fun product to use.” The N8B (pronounced Nate B) line has three products – 2GETHER, a men’s moisturizer and post-shave healer, 3SOME, a shaving foam/face cleanser/body wash for men, and our pick, Stick ($22/1.5oz @ n8b.com). It’s a unisex face wash that’s totally portable and the Clean scent smells divine. Inside the stick is aloe vera and algae extract, among others. The formula kind of looks like glycerin soap and you just wet your face, rub some of the hard stick over your skin and then use your fingertips to work up a light lather. This one will be great for my next trip. 

One For Every Occasion

Let’s get to know CLARiNS’ new HydraQuench Mulit-Climate Care skin care collection. These adjust to the climate to give your skin the ultimate protection. Right now, most parts of the country seem to be covered in snow so better get the their HydraQuench Rich Cream for Very Dry Skin or Cold Climates ($48/1.7oz) first. Here’s the breakdown of the others:

HydraQuench Cooling Cream-Gel for normal to combination skin and hot or humid climates

HydraQuench Cream for normal to dry skin in any climate

HydraQuench Lotion SPF 15 (same as Cooling Cream-Gel)

HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase Dehydrated Skin ($56/1oz) – emergency hydrator for when skin feels tight like after washing

Each is $48/1.7oz except where listed @ sephora.com

Facial Euphoria

We loved The Youth As We Know It Moisturizing Cream when it came out last year and yeah, they’ve expanded the collection! I don’t think much will get by when you have this 5some on hand from BLiSS.

First up, we got the creamy The Youth As We Know It Cleanser ($30/6.7oz) and the The Youth As We Know It Toner ($28/6.7oz). There’s been much debate on whether or not the skin even needs a toner. I vote yes as I’ve read a few places that it resets the pH of the skin. I really like this next product in the collection called The Youth As We Know It Concentrate: Age Control ($70/1oz). This serum claims to release moisturizers two different times in the day. Wow! I guess I have to believe them since I couldn’t see it on my skin but I know my face did not seem dried out when I went to wash it at bedtime.
Then there’s the The Youth As We Know It Eye Cream ($75/.5oz), if you need it, and rounding it all out, slather on that Moisturizing Cream ($79/1.7oz). They say that products in a collection are usually made to work with one another, so I would give a few of these a shot. All @ sephora.com

Somebody Get Me A Doctor!

Your skin is peeking out from behind the cold. PHiLOSPHY Winter Skincare Rescue Pack ($40 @ sephora.com) will wake sleeping skin and give it max hydration. This kit has some of my favorites from their line including the Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser (4oz) – this one is great for travel! When Hope Is Not Enough Replenishing Cream (1oz), Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub, Kiss Me Red Very Emollient Lip Balm.

We have a kit to giveaway! Simply email us the band that has a song with the same name as the title of this feature. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address or you won't be entered into this random drawing. Hurry, entries close one week from today at 12 noon PST! cybelesayscontest (at) gmail.com

Max Meds

I’ve been curious about this next line for quite some time and finally got the chance to try it out. We all know what great brands Sephora carries and this COSMEDiCiNE was created especially for the outlet. They claim to have the highest grade of ingredients just short of a prescription. The products also have what they call Instant Recognition Technology, which is a way for the ingredients to deeply penetrate the surface so they can do their thing.
One of the most interesting traits is one that the Medi-morphosis Self-Adjusting Exfoliator ($42/4.2oz). This face scrub is made with stop-action crystals that won't let you overdue it. That's a first!
And as with any line you want to try, if they have some kind of sample kit, I say go for it. This Spa-It-Yourself At Home Facial Kit ($95) contains nice sizes of all the essentials – The Facialist Deep Exfoliator (2oz), 1.35 oz Medi-Mask Intensive Clay Treatment (3.35oz), Hydra Stat Intensive Moisture Mask (2oz), Mega Dose Skin Fortifying Serum Ampoules (6 x 0.5 oz - these are my favorite items in the line), an adjustable white terry cloth head band, all packed in a white terry cloth travel pouch. All @ @ sephora.com

You Want the Best? You Got the Best…

There’s a new line on the horizon and we’re please to introduce you to it. If your skin seems to be extra sensitive, flaky, dry or red this time of year, then this line is for you. What sets this line apart from others? ATOPALM has a patented MLE technology, which helps restore the skins’ lipid layer that can be broken down in these colder months. Think of these as a toothpaste made for when your teeth are sensitive.

The 7-product line has ones for your face and body and they have a great kit with nice sized versions, which I always say is the only way to try any line. The Skin Repair Kit ($99 only @ skinstore.com), contains a Facial Foam Wash (5.06oz), MLE Cream (2.19oz), MLE Body Lotion (4.05oz) and MLE Face Cream (1.18oz). These are worth a try.

It's All In the Kit

Thanks goodness for at-home treatments! I’m not really a spa type girl except for a massage. Other than that, you won’t find me there on a Saturday afternoon. Since Microdermabrasion kits started appearing on the scene a few years back, I was intrigued but not really won over. Yes, there are some good ones out there and I am putting this ZiA NATURAL Microdermabrasion System ($79.95 @ zianatural.com) in that category.

The most important trait when looking at anything you put on your face is to make sure it gentle and won’t make microscopic tears in the skin. Most scrubs that say “for the face” are too harsh for the face and it seems that the only good ones on the market are those with synthetic beads. The Natural Microdermabrasion Scrub (2.5oz) in this kit uses a Magnesium Oxide Crystal Crème to exfoliate and from what I could find online, it’s pretty gentle and I found quite a few popular scrubs that also use this ingredient. Also contained in this kit is the, the Microdermabrasion Tool with Stand and a Replaceable Sponge Head. And this is the fun part! Simply apply a nickel-sized amount of the scrub on the sponge head of the Tool and run it all over your face from 1 to 3 minutes. Afterwards, use the Skin Balancing Tonic (3.3oz) and then the Moisture Infusion Serum (.5oz) to seal the deal.

Cold Weather Answer

Is the cold taking its toll on your skin? DARPHiN’s Aromatic Purifying Balm ($75/.5oz, $220/1.6oz @ darphin.com) is perfect for this time of year. It contains Tea tree, Lavender, Sage, Geranium and Grapefruit essential oils; Hazelnut and St. John’s Wort oils and Beeswax. These ingredients really hydrate the skin and it is recommended for use before you hit the hay. And where does the “Aromatic” part come in? Some of the above ingredients are pretty fragrant, especially the Lavender. This one’s nice after a long day.

Facesome Foursome

I love when a line keeps it very basic. Like the one from DiANA B. Their moto is CLEANSE. HYDRATE. NOURISH. TRANSFORM. And yes, all in caps.

CLEASE = Foaming Facial Sugar Scrub

HYDRATE = Hydrating Toner

NOURISH = Face Cream

TRANSFORM = Eye Cream

Now I don’t know about you but I can’t imagine washing my face with a sugar scrub everyday. I didn’t try it so I can’t comment on it. The ones I did try were the Face Cream ($90/3oz) and Eye Cream ($85/.9oz). I like using them both at night. Neither contains filler ingredients and are non-comedogenic.

Benefits of the Face Cream – ingredients include algae extracts, nourishing oils of sweet almond, jojoba, Evening Primrose, and Shea Butter to name a few. Seems to work beautifully for this time of year.
Benefits of the Eye Cream – same as above but also contains ones to help tone down dark circles. And it has a slight cooling effect when applied. So de-puff away! All available @ luckyscent.com

Know What You're Using

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

Get Nude Skin

This new skin care line from the UK, NUDE, thinks of everything that is on our minds these days, mainly alternatives to using harsh chemicals. It was created by the founder of Fresh and Wild (like our Whole Foods) and launched here in the States last fall. Since his shoppers were avidly concerned about what they put in their bodies, he thought it was only natural that they would open to a new line that uses high performance natural ingredients. We all know that drugstore and department store brands are filled with chemicals but we’re pretty much a slave to them until now. Their products don’t claim to be organic but as I mentioned they do use a lot of botanicals and other natural ingredients. So you get the performance without a lot of the super bad-for-your-skin ingredients, like parabens, sulphates, silicons and mineral oils, to name a few.

Product picks: Age Defense Moisturizer ($100/1.3oz), Cleansing Facial Oil ($52/7oz).

One of the best traits is the really cool squoval packaging. 40% of the recyclable packaging used is already recycled materials.

So set these up in your bathroom, have a party, and see how many comments you get from guests. All @ barneys.com
I have the Miracle Mask on deck to try so as usual, we’ll let you know if it’s worth the investment…

Mask O’ the Month

We’re always so head over heels with SHiSEiDO’s cosmetics that we have not really devoted the time to their skin care line, until now. Their White Lucent Intensive Brightening Mask ($66/6sheets @ sephora.com) seems especially made for this time of year. Not only do these somewhat Friday the 13th looking sheets hydrate but they also claim to penetrate deep enough to fade pigment spots in the skin. From what I read, it just says that it fades them; it doesn’t get rid of them altogether. To what degree are they washed out? No concrete evidence on that or from what my naked eye could see in trying them out. I don’t think using one of these masks for 10-minutes a week for 6-weeks would be powerful enough to rid the skin of them anyway.

If you are looking for a refreshing boost to your sallow skin this season, this is a good one to use. It uses a Multi-Target Vitamin C, Spot Deacti-Complex, and Asian plant extracts that Shiseido developed especially for this line of White Lucent products and these really seemed to plump up my skin.

Holiday Pick - Treat Her Like A Lady

Here’s one to print out and leave on the kitchen table so your significant other can stumble upon it. LA MER The Essentials ($615 only @ neimanmarcus.com) is all the yup, essentials, from the line: Lifting Face Serum (1oz), Eye Concentrate (.5oz), Crème de La Mer (1oz), all on a metal and white enamel vanity tray. Very royal.

Coming Our Way Preview *Bites*

SHiSEiDO is coming out with a line of skin care to address postmenopausal skin called Benefiance NutriPerfect. The 20 product collection will debut in February 2008.

DiOR is coming out with a 4-unit anti-aging line to be sold exclusively at Macys stores starting this weekend. Capture R 60/80 XP targets women 35 and over and is based on their Stemsome technology.

DOLCE & GABBANA will be launching The One for Men in March 2008.

CVS is opening their biggest store yet in Manhatten and with it is the debut of their exclusive line, 24.7 Skincare. The 5-item anti-aging line is also available @ cvs.com

Source: WWD

Mask O' the Month

I got so much more than I ever dreamed I would the first time I tried this is a super star at home mask. MALiN + GOETZ new Detox Face Mask ($38/4oz @ malinandgoetz.com) not only produced timely results but the smell of the natural almond extract calmed me immediately. The thick formula feels good going on the skin and afterwards it felt firmer, smoother, lifted and plumper! Amino acid hydration technology (their description) translates to adding stable vitamin c, vitamin e and soy protein to address concerns for aging. Oxygenation cleansing agents deep pore cleanse and lift out all the impurities. There is zero irritation and it is safe for all skin types. You really need to get this one! ~Lisa

Travel Friendly

I am really loving these BOOTS No7 Quick-Thinking 4-in1-Wipes ($6.99/30 pack @ target.com). I recently went on a motorcycle trip through Albuquerque and back to Los Angeles and these were my saving grace as I could only pack a backpack on the bike. Each thick wipe cleanses, tones, removes makeup and moisturizes. What does the work? The pro B5, natural witch hazel and fennel. Perfect for any traveling you have to do this season!

Total Skin Therapy

DERMAQUEST SKiN THERAPY is top quality! Sitting on the edge of the latest technol