I’m really excited to talk about this next new-to-me brand. It’s called SOUTH OF FRANCE. For two decades, the two founders, who happen to be sisters, have manufactured their products in the USA and paid attention to a lot of the important factors out there that people value:

• vegan
• non-GMO bar soaps
• Leaping Bunny certified
• free of sulfates
• free of phthalates
• free of parabens
• free of EDTA,
• free of animal-by-products
• gluten-free
• BPA-free plastic bottles

and many more. Click here to see all the traits.

When it comes to the soap, they make it using the traditional Marseille triple-milled recipe, which I love (read more about French soap here).

Click here to read more

If you are a regular reader of Cybelesays, then you know that I wasn’t blessed with strong nails. I have tried just about every product and pill out there to make them stronger, to no avail. So when I first discovered the world of polish strips and press-ons, I was kinda rocked. The reason I say kinda is that I go through phases with my nails. Like for a few weeks I will be all about them, full manicure and everything, then a few weeks of bare nails. There’s no reason.

Click here to read more

Raise your hand if you feel you have excessively sweaty hands or feet. The extreme condition is called Hyperhidrosis and it affects 2% to 3% of the population. That’s a lot of people!

I’ve never had a disproportionate sweating problem, but it doesn’t bother me here and there. Like here and for sure my feet. If I don’t wear socks or peds with heels, my feet really sweat, and I don’t think I’m alone. CARPE worked with derms and other experts and after 60 prototypes, they created a product for use on hands that sweat, Antiperspirant for Hands, and feet that sweat, Antiperspirant for Feet..

While I tried the Antiperspirant for Hands, it felt too chalky on my hands (the founder recommended I wash my hands 10 minutes after applying as it will still work). But thankfully I don’t really have a sweating problem there, so I tried it on my feet. And wow! No slippy-slidey in my shoes and no sweat means no smell. Double yeah!

The formula looks like any other lotion and all you really need is a pea-sized amount, rub it in and done.

From what I can gather, both the Carpe Foot and Carpe Hand ones have the same active ingredients so you can use it on both parts. And if you fall into the 2% to 3% of the population, they recommend applying the pea-sized amount daily just before bed and you’ll see about 25% reduction in sweat. $14.95/1.35oz @ mycarpe.com.

Is this something you need?

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

Disclosure: Post sponsored by Mirum but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

I’ve been testing the Dove DermaSeries Repairing Balm for the past 30-days and really giving this one a challenge on the dry parts of my body. Most in need were the hands, and two dry spots, one on my ankle and the other on my elbow. Have you been following my updates on Instagram?

What I like about this Dove DermaSeries Repairing Balm is how thick and emollient it is. That’s because of the unique petroleum jelly blend this contains. Regular lotion is fine but this liniment is more for those areas that might not respond enough to a cream and need something a little tougher, so to speak. It’s specifically made for those with dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, and it also a proven itch reliever. #fromblahtodermaspa

Click here to read more

A company I’ve written about before here has pointed out an age-old problem when it comes to fragrance and the wintertime. Spritz a fragrance on in the summer and it seems to lasts and last but spray the same on in the winter months and boom, it can fall flat, so they’ve done something about it.

SCENTBIRD has created the Hand Cream Collection, which features fragrance notes, like a perfume, and tucks them inside moisturizing hand creams they claim will last all day.

And they make the actual creams with vitamins A and E, and aloe and without parabens or sulfates. 

Choose from scents like Cucumber & Lotus, Earl Grey & Blackberry, Pineapple & White Amber, Rose & Prosecco, White Tea & Fig, and Yuzu & Ginger.

The nitty-gritty – while these do have real ingredients like rosehip oil, chamomile flower extract, aloe etc, they all still list ‘fragrance’ in the overall list, which is usually synthetic. And it is about the 6^th ingredient listed and comes before any of the notes. Sad face here. I know that there are a lot of body creams that make a perfumed cream, so I’m thinking that the notes these are made up of are not as sustainable in a cream like this? Not sure but just thought you should know in case something like this is important to you.

So the big question - how long did the scent last? With no hand washing involved, I could still smell the fragrance at about the 9th hour. Yes, it was faint but that's how any fragrance would be after 9th hours, right? 

Just like their perfumes, you can get a subscription to your favorite one so you never find yourself without. Pick up one Hand Cream up for $12/1oz, $16.50/1.7oz or sign up for a subscription and get one for $14.95/1.7oz/month @ scentbird.com.

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

If there’s one thing in beauty that I just love and actually collect, it’s soaps. I have about 20 stocked in my collection that I keep in my bathroom and beauty closet. And though I can’t seem to find the post right now, I know I’ve posted about keeping one on my beauty table just hold in my hand and smell here. They are just that enjoyable for me.

Have you ever thought about the soaps you keep for you and your guests to use in the sink and/or tub? I pay attention to this seemingly small detail and always have, so if you do, then you may recognize these Bath Soaps from LAFCO. Maybe it’s the name or their unique packaging they come in.

The base of LAFCO Bath Soaps is a blended 100% vegetable base using refined coconut oil. Each is quadruple milled and contain perfume-grade scents that will last on the skin.

Shown here in Sea & Dune (grass, sand, ocean), Champagne (clean and sparkling w/notes of ginger, lemon), Feu de Bois (woody, smoky, warm). Even with regular daily use, each bar will last up to 4 weeks!

In a world made up of gels, serums and scrubs cluttering the shower, isn’t it nice to revisit a simple basic? Choose from $17/8.5oz @ lafco.com.

Also be sure you check out their beautiful line of candles, body creams and more!

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

Quite a few times in the last few weeks I’ve found myself wanting a little boost in color but I have just not been in the mood to smell the self-tanner. Then I met SAY HELLO TO SEXY LEGS Tinted Glow Gel ($38/5.1oz @ sephora.com, qvc.com). It’s a wash-away-with-soap-and-water gel lotion that gives skin instant color and once it dries down is completely transfer-resistant.

And this is great for two reasons – sometimes I just want instant color before heading out for the evening and it dries down in 3 to 5 minutes! Yup, you don’t have to stand there waiting and waiting to get dressed. The other reason is that the color itself is really nice and doesn’t look fake at all. I am usually hesitant when it comes to these instant tints because it’s a one-size-fits-all when it comes to the shade but I have to say they pretty much nailed it with this one.

Click here to read more

When it comes to aging, how much do you pay attention to the backs of your hands? They can totally give away your age or look old before your time. I usually apply sunscreen or leftover sunscreen from my face on the backs of my hands almost every day but I do forget sometimes.

I have not seen many products made especially for this area until now. EXUVIANCE Age Reverse Hand Rejuvenator ($65 @ neostrata.com, ulta.com) is a two-product system – the peel and the cream. I’ve been testing it out since early February so let’s check it out.

What It Is: This two-step intensive treatment restores smoother, firmer and younger looking hands. The 10% Citric Acid Peel gently exfoliates and lifts away dull rough patches, uncovering smooth skin and preparing for the rejuvenating cream treatment that follows. With potent anti-agers CitraFill®, NeoGlucosamine® and Apple Stem Cell Extract, the Hand Rejuvenator Cream helps diminish all the signs of aging on hands - crepiness, loose skin and dark spots, restoring hydration and firmer, younger looking hands.

My Take: Well as you can see from the below photos, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between the two. I swiped the Peel product with a cotton pad on the backs of my hands and then applied some of the Cream after every day for a solid 5 weeks. I feel like the skin on the back of my hands has not changed much at all. I’m surprised because of the ingredients it lists but this one is a big pass from me.

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

Spring is finally here so perk up your parts with some new products. Are you ready? I am  and here’s how I'm doing it. 

1. Hands – TOUCH GermBlock ($5.99/1oz @ walgreens.com) – this one claims to protect hands from germs for up to 6 hours! How do you know it’s working? Well, I can’t think of a way to test it so just have to take their word for it or better yet, test it out. Available in Unscented, OceanMist, Tropical Breeze, and Mint Green Tea Aloe.

2. Refresh - PIXI BEAUTY Vitamin Wakeup Mist ($15/2.70oz @ pixibeauty.com) – when temps rise I make sure I always have a face mist at the ready and Pixi just came out with a few news ones. This one sure wakes my skin up!

3. Skin – ACURE Purifying Fruit Peel ($22.99/1.4oz @ acureorganics.com) – this one uses acids found naturally inside mangos, bitter cherry and raspberry, among others to exfoliate. A thin layer on the face and neck for 5 to 8 minutes 1 or 2 times a week is all it takes.

4. Hair – CUVÉE BEAUTY Champagne Spray ($45/5oz @ revolve.com) – I find that when I spray this one and this one both on towel dried hair, I get the perfect blowout that lasts for a few days. A perfect tousled/piecey look!

5. Lips – HIGHLIGHT Liquid Lipstick in Sahara Rendezvous ($25 @ highlightcosmetics.com) – lipstick is good but metallic lipstick is better this season! And this coppery/bronze shade will go with any tan. And this one dries down all the way but not dry like a desert.

6. Cheeks – BENEFIT GALifonia Powder Blush ($29 @ benefitcosmetics.com, macys.com) – a pinky blush with a touch of sunkissed gold and smells like grapefruit and vanilla. Yum!

7. Complexion – COLORESCIENCE Tint Du Soleil Whipped Foundation ($54/1oz @ colorescience.com, ulta.com) – this is one of those all-in-one foundations that includes SPF30, nourishing vitamins for the skin, and it wear beautifully. Available in 4 shades.

8. Clean - LE COUVENT DES MINIMES 3-in-1 Micellar Water ($19/13.5oz @ ulta.com) – time to lighten things up now that the temps are going up! So gently remove makeup and clean the skin with this one.

Have you heard of the new TREETS TRADITIONS line yet? It’s a pretty good one with a lot of positive traits so I wanted to put it on your radar. Treets searches all over the world for ancient traditions of body care found in nature and infuses them in their products. It’s important not to forget this previous knowledge created in different regions of the world.

They have 5 different collections, which highlights different benefits:

• Energising Secrets (based on natural ingredients found in the Amazon)
• Relaxing Chakra’s (inspired by Asian traditions)
• Revitalising Ceremonies (inspired by ceremonial herbal steam rooms, salt and mineral baths from the North)
• Nourishing Spirits (taking its vision from the butters, oils, nuts and seeds coming from Africa)
• Healing Harmony (inspired by the blend of herbs and oils based in the Alps)

Shown here is their Hand Wash ($12/10.14oz) and Hand Lotion ($18/10.14oz) from the Energising Secrets line, which contains ingredients from the Amazon like Passion Fruit Oil and Buriti Fruit Oil in the hand wash and Shea Butter and Sacha Inchi Nut Oil in the hand lotion, designed to moisturize and protect the skin.

And the products are conveniently available @ ulta.com.

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

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