NUDESTIX recently came out with Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm ($24 @ ulta.com, sephora.com). The formula comes in 8 satin-finish colors – from Fate, described as a clear but better (is that like YLBB??) to Wicked, a deep plum purple. And speaking of, while the Fate shade shown here wasn’t anything to write home about, the Rebel color is the consummate sheer pink color, so acronym’d it would be MPLC (my perfect lip color).

The feel of the formula on my lips was comfortable, not quite as heavy as a balm, and of course not sticky, and if you’ve read Cybelesays.com for a while, you know how crazy I am about wearing comfortable lippies! And each of these Gel Colors is made with rapeseed, sunflower, and vitamin E, among lip-nourishing other ingredients.

And my new MPLC of Rebel? I have a feeling I’m going to be wearing this a lot as it seems like it will work both for the office and paired with a smoky eye look.

And of course each comes with the accouterments of the metal tin box that has the mirror on the inside and the pencil sharpener especially made for these sticks.

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

All face mists are not created equal, which is what I thought for many years. I go through a few face mists each summer. They’re so totable and great for a quick refresh on the go. Here are two I love.

$$$ – TARTE COSMETICS Marine Boosting 4-in-1 Mist ($25/2.5oz @ tartecosmetics.com and sephora.com) – you’ll love this multi-tasker this season! It’s a face primer, makeup setting spray, hydrating mist and skin refresher. This one also contains their Rainforest of the Sea antioxidant complex to help nourish the skin. Yaaas!

$ – LA ROCHE-POSAY Thermal Spring Water Essential ($12.99/5.2oz @ target.com) – this thermal water is a super fine mist of antioxidant-rich spring water. This one feels so good on the skin when it's super hot so I have one of these cans tucked in a few different places.

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

URBAN DECAY just came out with a huge release. Like physically huge! Like 100 lipsticks! It’s Vice Lipstick and these span the range of finishes – from Mega Matte (designated by MM), Comfort Matte (CM), Cream (C), Metallized (M), Sheer (S), and Sheer Shimmer (SS).

So what is this Vice and why do I need them?

Vice Lipstick comes in a modernized, luxed-up version of our original lipstick case (that looked like a shotgun shell). It’s new, but speaks to our roots.

The luxurious, faceted gunmetal case has a gold base and debossed lettering.

Our custom-designed lipstick features an embossed “UD.”

Shade-matching labels (including the shade name and finish) make it easy to find our current addiction in your bag.

Let's get to the unboxing!

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Have you noticed the new look of the site? It was time and to celebrate, I’ve got a few giveaways up my sleeve! First one is from the buzzing Lizora brand and their Pu-erh Tea Nourishing Cream. Have you heard of this yet? It’s kind of an all-in-one – cleanser, exfoliator, moisturizer. Read more about this remarkable product here.

I have two give away so enter below!

Being in and out of the sun can leave lips quite dry so I make sure I some balm at the near at all times.

$$$: TATCHA Gold Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm ($36 @ tatcha.com and sephora.com) – this one is made with pure Camellia oil and topped with a sheet of 24-karat Gold leaf. Lip moisturizer has never been so fancy!

$: NIVEA Milk & Honey Lip Care ($2.99 @ walgreens.com) – Mmm, this one smells so good and contains vitamin E, grape seed oil and panthenol. And for this price you can stash one everywhere.

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

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Ok, I’m done. Done with being Joe-Jentle with my makeup brushes. I’ve been suffering from a bought of dermatitis brought on by bacteria in my makeup brush. Mind you, this has never happened before in my 20+ years of using makeup brushes to apply makeup.

The culprit? My beloved Artis Oval 8. Yes, everyone is bowing down to these brushes like they are Gods, and they are, but have you heard anyone discussing how to clean them? I know cleaning brushes is not that popular a topic besides the standard, “I need to clean mine more often,” however, I don't think the brands that make these brushes are being very informative on how to take care of them.

I noticed the ones shown here were performing as well as they could after a while and were due for a cleaning and not just a light cleaning. I’m pretty religious about cleaning mine but these denser ones are for sure more of a challenge. 

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No that’s not a typo. It’s a true statement. I have one baby foot and another baby foot from BABY FOOT!

Have you heard of Baby Foot yet? Have you seen Baby Foot yet? Oh you would know if you had. It’s a super foot exfoliator like I’ve never seen before and pretty much a must-have on my beauty list now.

It uses 17 extracts (seem to mostly be fruit extracts. See a full ingredient list here) to peel off dead skin and moisturize the feet. You got a tough callus you hide from the world? Baby Foot can handle it.

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This is the first post in an on-going feature on products you need in your beauty arsenal leading up to summertime with a splurge vs save option for each recommendation. Is a sunscreen on your list this summer?

So let’s get to the first category, sunscreen. The formulas are getting better when it comes to ones that go on clear or at least quickly fade to clear.

$ - COPPERTONE Clearly Sheer Faces Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 ($7.99/2oz @ target.com) - water-resistant for 80 minutes. Absorbs quickly. 

$$$ - KIEHL’S Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+ ($38/1.7oz, $61/4.2oz @ kiehls.com) - mineral-based. Great for those with sensitive skin. 

My hair has been going through an odd stage of eh-dom. Ever had that before? Here’s what I’ve been using to bring it back to life and it seems to be working!

1. UNWASH Bio-Cleansing Conditioner ($36/13.5oz @ ulta.com) – this is one of those crazy cleansing conditioners you might have heard about. Great for color-treated strands and helps control frizz.

2. SUDZZ FX Powerfoam Styling Souffle Non-Aerosol Mousse ($19.50/8.5oz @ sudzzfx.com) – I’ve been getting back into mousse after some time without it in my life. I forgot how much I enjoy a little poof in my hair style! This one contains their Ease-Style Technology, which offers flexibility and weightlessness.

3. WHITE SANDS Leave-In Conditioner ($15/6.5oz @ whitesandsproducts.com) – I’m a sucker for leave-ins. I mean, what’s not to like? This one has some ‘intelligent’ properties that somehow know what areas of the hair needs repairing. This one is also available in travel size.

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

I’ve seen the MILK MAKEUP brand a few times on the Sephora website and I know that when it’s sold there, it must be something. So I finally got my hands of three of the products to try out:

Milk Makeup

Lip Color in Gnarly, Eye Pigment in Mermaid Parade, and Lip + Cheek in Swish.

Milk Makeup made its 85-piece product debut on the scene early this year by the people behind NYC’s Milk Studios, so you know it’s already got the hip factor.

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