MURAD Time Release Acne Cleanser ($32/6.75oz @ murad.com and sephora.com) – yup I’ve been struggling with hormonal acne for the last year or so and have not found anything to control it until this cleanser. I’m not sure if it’s the .5% salicylic acid or the technology that allows this one to continue working after it’s been rinsed off. Either way, I don’t care! It works for my skin and that’s the bottom line.

And this is the only product I’ve been using on my face and neck – no toner or face cream, just this.

The cleanser itself is pretty thick and there really isn’t any kind of foaming action, so don’t look for that in this one. My skin has been on this for almost 2 weeks and I saw a difference in the way my skin looked and felt in just a few days, which doesn’t happen often. Thank you Murad!

MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation ($43/12.5g @ sephora.com in September) – a big release for the brand with this and the Ultra HD Liquid Foundation ($43/1oz @ sephora.com out now). I assumed a stick would be too heavy for this time of year but thankfully it’s not and wow, did this give me an amazingly natural finish that lasted all day.

The technology behind this is called the 4K Complex – Amino Acid Coated Pigments (those reflected particles that blur imperfections), Hyaluronic Spheres (to hydrate and plump skin), and Sericite (a fine grained mica that adds light reflecting properties).

I love that the foundation category seems to always be introducing new technology and this is one that’s winning with it.

Have you tried the Liquid one yet? 

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

So what’s on your beauty must-have list right now? I'm all ready for summer and on my short list is a fitting fragrance, a good sunscreen and a new essential beauty tool! Are any of these tickling your fancy?

ESCADA Turquoise Summer EDT ($25 rollerball @ sephora.com) – this scent screams everything warm and tropical with notes of fruity sorbet of wild red fruit, fleshy peach and a dash of floral with violet and orange flowers. Simply delightful all the way around!

MURAD Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 PA+++ ($60/1.7oz @ murad.com and sephora.com) – a UVB/UVA sunscreen is essential these days, everyday really no matter what time of year, and why not use one that does double duty? This one fights aging with added vitamin C.

THERMALABS The Ultimitt ($10 @ amazon.com) – kinda over using those flimsy mitts that come with the self-tanners. I took a risk with this one when I read about it on amazon and I’m delighted to report how much more effective this one is. It’s made of a microfiber cloth and can be used to apply any type of tanner – mousse, gel, mist or lotion. It’s machine washable and is guaranteed for one year. Now how can you go wrong with that? 

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

I had a few questions emailed to me from readers after this feature the other day on the hows and whats of COVER FX’s Custom Cover Drops so I wanted to address them here. When it comes to HOW to apply it, I consider this product kind of an at-home beauty experiment; a DIY, if you so please, in the sense that you should apply it however is comfortable for you.

Here are a few different ways I’ve tried: above I'm showing a drop next to some plain sunscreen on a tray I use to mix paints on when I’m crafting. On a side note, literally hours after I took this photo, I got Beauty Blender’s Sur.face Pro, which is great because it’s made just for mixing makeup! Now I have a tray for each.

So you can mix your Custom Cover Drops with your product on a tray or add the drop/s to a product in your hand, or if you’re mixing it with a primer, I’ve also put a squirt of product and a few drops on the back of my hand and then mixed them together with the brand's Liquid Foundation Brush ($38). But I nixed that after I started thinking about how the products might just be sinking into the back of my hand so I switched back to mixing on the tray.

So I guess it’s up to you on HOW you want to mix the drops and a face product together.

The other question I received was with WHAT can you mix it with? I’d say 99% of your face products! Like I’ve been mixing a few drops with products I’ve been trying in the past few weeks - Cover FX’s Mattifying Primer with Anti-Acne Treatment ($38/1oz @ sephora.com), Murad’s Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($65/1oz @ nordstrom.com and ulta.com) and Tarte’s Maracuja Neck Treatment ($49/1.7oz @ tartecosmetics.com and sephora.com). And the pigment drops blend in beautifully and tints them all my shade!

If you have any other questions about Cover FX’s new Custom Cover Drops, I’ll be having a Twitter Party tomorrow, Friday, March 20^th from 3pm to 4pm EST, just to talk about them! Join the chat by using the hashtag #dropportunity and looking forward to talking to you then! And I'll be giving away some bottles of the Custom Cover Drops.

Read more @ ulta.com. 

Did you know there are different kinds of acne? Yes, there is teenage acne and adult acne but I figured they were kind of the same except that they happen to the different age groups but basically caused by the same thing, overactive glands. Then again, I am not a skin care expert so how could I know that there are different kinds. So I’m here to tell you when I’ve learned in the past few months. Not only can acne be different but it surely is caused by different reasons.

Now that I’m in my forties, I’m going through hormonal changes and have acne popping up around my jaw line and neck and it’s not your normal acne. It sits under the skin and never comes to the surface. So instead of using any ol’ acne product, which were not working btw, I started using MURAD’s Resurgence line, which is made just for hormonal breakouts. The Resurgence Introductory Kit is a great value at $39.95 and includes all the necessities: Renewing Cleansing Cream (1.5oz), Age-Diffusing Serum (.33oz), and a Age-Balancing Night Cream (.5oz) and this set includes samples of the Sheer Lustre Day Moisture Brand Spectrum SPF 15 | PA+++ and the Renewing Eye Cream. That way you can see which ones work for you. Keep in mind that by ordering this set, you will get a 90 day supply for 3 monthly payments of $39.95. But the good news is that you can cancel it at any time for whatever reason.

I’ve been on this system for a solid 4 weeks and I have seen an improvement in my skin around the jaw line. While it hasn’t gotten rid of all the acne, I’d say these have helped keep about 75% of it at bay, which works for me. And not only that but the products also have anti-aging ingredients in them, so I’m going to be on this system for a while! See if this line is right for you @ amazon.com. 

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

You can also follow Cybele on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram