Whyyyy do I get so darn excited by beauty accessories? Hair tools, styling tools, nail accessories, it’s all so much fun to try out! So with that said, I’m here to introduce you to the latest one to hit the market. I think all of us have applied a full face of makeup and gone outside and saw that the foundation-shade was way off. Oops! Well this one can help put an end to that ever happening again.  

The J.O.I. Just Own It Spotlite HD Personal and the Spotlite HD Professional are lighted makeup mirrors that mimic natural daylight and claim to be 10 times brighter light than other illuminated makeup mirrors. Wowza, that’s a lotta time brighter!

So what are the benefits of this mirror? Here is the breakdown of each model:

• Portable
• Cordless (comes with recharge plug)
• Dimmable
• Premium LEDs for econ power consumption
• 360° Mirror Rotation
• Flexible makeup tray
• 5x magnification mirror
• Neoprene travel pouch (Professional)
• Rechargeable batteries (Professional)
• 10x magnification mirror (Professional)
• Power adapter (Personal)
• Power charger (Professional)
• Glossy Chrome hardware (Personal)
• Trending Rose Gold hardware (Professional)

And you can choose from three different colors of the body – 50 Shades, Blush (shown here) and Pearly.

The inside 1x magnification mirror is 6” tall x 7.5” wide and because you really need to see super up-close sometimes to tweeze that stray brow hair, they include a magnification mirror that has a magnet in the back and sticks directly to the main mirror. So cool.

Click here to read more

Have you heard of the 3 P’s of Self Tanners? Yup, it’s a thing, well at least I’m making it a thing right now, so learn more about each below. And while the formulas are getting better these days, I really wish there was more progress when it came to that darn tanner smell! Yes, some are able to mask it better than others but it's still there. 

In the meantime, let's check out the 3 P's!

Primed - SKINNY TAN Tan & Tone Kit ($54.99 @ skinnytan.com) – if you are looking for the whole kit and caboodle, this might be your answer. This one includes an oil-free skin exfoliator, Pre-Tan Primer, so you get the smoothest application you can. And the 7-Day Tanner gives skin an instant bronze loo that develops into a tan shade in a few hours and sticks around for up to 7 days. And make sure you give a healthy helping of this on your backside as they didn’t put the name Skinny in the name for nothing.

Click here to read more

[This is a sponsored post on behalf of Amopé. All opinions are entirely my own.]

The drugstore has to be one of my favorite places to visit. I mean, it has all kinds of cool stuff to look at and browse through. So when I was asked by Amopé® to pick up their Pedi Perfect™ Electoric Foot & Nail File at Walgreens for this campaign, I admit, I got a little excited! I blocked out 1 hour of the afternoon so I would have time to leisurely look around and put on my most comfortable shoes to do so. Yes, it’s a little adventure for me!. And I had a $15 off coupon for the device that you too can pick up @ coupon.com/amopé.

Now I can never have enough foot products on hand and I love trying new ones like this Pedi Perfect. I absolutely abhor dry cracked heels so I do whatever I can so that dry skin doesn’t appear on mine.

This useful tool has an ergonomically shaped spinning head to easily remove callused skin on the feet – use a course head for regular skin or choose the extra course head (shown here) for hard skin. Yup, I chose the one for hard skin! 

The motorized wheel has finely ground Diamond crystals for maximum and smooth exfoliation. And the wheel moves at a nice speed, not too slow like some I’ve used. As far as the texture of the wheel Diamonds? Think of them like a really course nail file surface! And this really smooths out my heels sooo  nicely.

So bellying up to the payment counter, I presented my $15 off coupon I mentioned above andsince the Amopé was on sale already for $36.99 (down from the regular price of $49.99), I picked it up for $21.99 + tax! Now how’s that for a total bargain? I love getting a great deal on something, don’t you? Let me know if you end up using the coupon to get your own Pedi Perfect from Amopé.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Amopé™. The opinions and text are all mine.

1. AMOPÉ Pedi Perfect Electronic Foot File ($39.99 @ walgreens.com, ulta.com) – yucked-up feet are not sexy no matter what season it is, and believe me, we Los Angeleans wear sandals year ‘round so the bottoms (of our feet) have to look tops at all times. This one keeps feet smooth and callus-free without a lot of effort, thankfully.  

2. HARRY JOSH Pro Dryer 2000 ($300 @ dermstore.com) – I don’t really think of a hair dryer as a gadget, per say, but it does fall into this category because it’s electronic! Since my beloved T3 died late last year I’ve been on the hunt for its replacement and I think this is it. It’s the best way for the average person to get a good blowout. Besides the comfortable weight and quick drying time, the cool down button on this actually means c-o-o-l d-o-w-n. I've never met a cool down button that does much but this one totally does. 

3. CLARISONIC Mia Fit ($189 @ ulta.com) – still not convinced that these cleansing brushes really help the skin? Now I already have a Clarisonic and didn’t think I needed this one until I used it. The compact shape of this is, dare I say, is better than the original. It just fits better in my right hand. This has two speeds – a delicate and power and takes care of skin like all of them do. Choose from Blue, Pink and White.

4. COLOR ME Automatic Foundation Applicator Kit ($54 @ nordstrom.com) – this little battery-operated device is the latest to come along and to help apply your foundation flawlessly using 250 sonic taps per second! And this kit comes with a sponge to apply powder (both can be used for liquids) and a protective cover to keep it clean between uses.

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

Have you seen the Summer 2016 makeup collection from URBAN DECAY? I love that the brand really seems to think about each season and what products help bring out the beauty in each of us. Here are my picks! 

Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter ($26 @ urbandecay.com, sephora.com, ulta.com) in Fireball (peach w/pink shift) – Inspired by the brand’s popular eyeshadows in the same shades (also available in Sin and Aura), use this shade to bring forth those features you want to stand out like the inside corner of your eyes, tops of cheeks and the cupid’s bow.

Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector SPF 20 ($34/1.3oz @ urbandecay.com, sephora.com) – this one has garnered quite the buzz on the blogs! Not only does this foundation have that blurring technology to make skin look flawless but it also lasts for hours. Available in 6 shades.

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($20 @ urbandecay.com, nordstrom.com) in Heartless (light frosted pink) – Use this kind of like you would the above Afterglow but I have also been using this on top of eye liner for an unexpected look.

24/7 Waterline Eye Pencil ($20 @ urbandecay.com, nordstrom.com) in Walk of Shame (nude) – Out of this whole collection, I think I was most excited about this pencil. The waterline is just oh so important and really completes a look and this one is great to make eyes look bigger.

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

It’s a battle to see which one is the best! Is it the one from Cailyn or Clinique? I discovered the Cailyn Cosmetics balm at the ISSE Show a few years ago when it was first launched and it became a fast favorite for removing makeup. Actually one of the best I’ve ever used! It cleans the skin and removes makeup lickety-split and it doesn’t sting the eyes.

And the Clinique balm just came out a few months ago. They have a version of this that’s in the liquid form that I wrote about a few years ago and really liked so I was curious how these two would do against each other since they seem so similar.

While each creamy balm looks like it would leave a greasy film behind, know that these don’t. They even  remove the toughest makeup like waterproof mascara and liquid lipsticks. I know, they’re that good!

So let’s look at each product in detail as only one will be inducted into my Holy Grail list.

CLINIQUE Take Off the Day Cleansing Balm ($29/3.8oz @ clinique.com, ulta.com) – this white balm comes in a huge 3.8oz size and know that you don’t really need to use a lot to get your face of makeup off. Just rub a quarter-sized dollop in-between hands to warm it up and it turns into a milky liquid fast.

Here is the ingredient list for Clinique –

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, PEG-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol.

CAILYN COSMETICS Dizzolv’It Makeup Melt Cleansing Balm ($24/1.7oz @ cailyncosmetics.com) – pretty pink color of the balm though it too melts down into a milky liquid. This one has papaya enzymes in the formula to help dissolve dead skin cells, improve skin texture and elasticity as well as other fruit extracts. Like the Clinique one, this also melts in-between hands when rubbed together. This used to come in much bigger size but they seem to only sell the 1.7oz one now, which is still great.

Here are ingredients inside Cailyn’s. I bolded the ones that are also in the Clinque one, which is only one ingredient.

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Aqua, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Thuja Orientalis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Resveratrol, Yellow 6 [CI 15985], Red 33 [CI 17200]

So who’s the winner?

Click here to read more

I’m just loving the smell of almonds lately. I mean, what’s not to love? They’re good for you to eat and they are highlighted in these two products.

$$$ - L’OCCITANE Almond Delicious Paste Exfoliating Butter ($42/7oz @ loccitane.com) – this is one of the thickest scrubs I’ve ever used, hence the word ‘Butter’ in the title, cuz they mean it! This one uses a combination of sugar and crushed almond shells to exfoliate nourishing oil like Sweet Almond Oil and Shea Butter.

$ - SIMPLE SUGARS Almond Body Scrub ($14/5oz, $19/8oz @ simplesugarscrub.com) - Oy, I could inhale this one every day! It smells like my favorite dessert, marzipan! And the exfoliators in it are a combo of sugar and bits of almonds as well as essential oils to moisturize the skin. No need for a lotion afterward.

While I'm not sure if it's one specific product or the combo of them for what's quite keeping my skin clear these days, I'm not even going to question it! I've been using these 5 for the past month+ and my skin is behaving quite nicely. See anything you like? 

1. BETTER SKIN CO. Mirakle Cream ($34/1.7oz @ thebetterskinco.com and urbanoutfitters.com) – they call this all-in-one face cream a ‘Genius in a Jar’ and was a family recipe that found its way to Seattle, WA from Uzbekistan when one of the creators and her family emigrated here. The natural peptides and hyaluronic acid seemed to have “checked” my skin in that it’s behaving right now with no random blemishes or dryness. I’ll take that!

2. MD SUN Super Hydration B Serum ($85/1oz @ mdsun.com) – I’m not sure which I love more, the presentation and bottle of this serum or the deep hydration this seems to impart in my skin. Pro vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid never looked so good!

3. INSTRUMENTAL BEAUTY Sonic Touch Cleansing System ($45 @ riteaid.com) – this multi-pulsating gizmo gently shakes up the skin as you move it over your face. It cleans and exfoliates and most importantly, isn’t going to break the bank.

4. MD SUN Intensive Eye Gel ($105/.5oz @ mdsun.com) – I don’t know the last time I’ve used a product for the eye area that sunk in my skin so quickly! And this is another all-in-one as it works on dark circles, wrinkles, puffiness and pigmentation.

5. PACIFICA Kale Detox Deep Cleansing Face Wash ($10/5oz @ ulta.com, target.com) – I don’t usually have acne-prone skin but for some reason they crop up in the summer. This one uses phytonutrients like kale, seaweed and blue seakale to remove makeup and get skin in check.

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

You can also follow Cybele on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat

I think I’ve been around the liquid lipstick block a few times now and with the latest ones I’ve tried being on the indie side, I have some more observations. It seems that just about every brand is coming out with their own version these days, which is great, but not so great when you kinda know what formula works for you, and you don’t get it when you open the tube. If you’re on the liquid lipstick (will abbreviate to LL) bandwagon, do you know which form you like best? I think I do, now that I’ve tried quite a few different brands:

Chanel, Wet N Wild, Tarte, Buxom (part of BareMinerals), ColourPop, Motives, Cailyn Cosmetics, L’Oreal, Make Up For Ever, Stila, Laura Mercier, Merle Norman, NARS, Lime Crime, Ofra Cosmetics, Fyinnae, Maybelline, Ciate London, L'Oreal, Napoleon Perdis, Houglass Cosmetics, CoverGirl, LipSense by SeneGence, Giorgio Armani, Sephora, Kat Von D, MAC, Makeup Monster, LA Splash Cosmetics, Caked, Beauty Bakerie.

Brands on my list to try: The new ones from Smashbox, Anastasia Beverly Hills (I know, I know, I'm like the only one on the planet but I've read mixed reviews), Jeffree Star, Milani (drugstores are always out of the Amore Mattes!), Lonely Planet.

Click here to read more

Who wants to wear a heavy lippie when the temps go up? Even most of my liquid lipsticks are taking a backseat this season for something with a light wash of color instead.

Here are two that give lips just a hint or ripeness while keeping them in tip top shape.

$$$ - LANCOME Juicy Shaker ($21 @ lancome.com, sephora.com) – these are super cute packaged pigment infused bi-phased lip oil. And the oils are good for conditioning the skin with a combo of apricot, rose de muscat, cranberry, peach and sweet almond oils. Shown here in #151 Cherry Symphony (red).

$ - BURT’S BEES Tinted Lip Balm ($5 @ burtsbees.com, target.com) – When my lips get a little dried out from wearing too many liquid lipsticks, I’ve been using this one in Rose to bring them back to life. Just a hint o’ color nestled inside some nourishing ingredients like shea butter and natural botanicals.

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