Fragrances -Demeter - Skating Pond
Chandler5 12/8/2008 12:37:00 PM
Really odd. I found this at Marshall's along with a few other holiday Demeters. Comes in their usual square shaped spritzer with the metal cap, the text is plain against a gray stripe. The lasting power is short as most of their PMUs, but it's quite a little trip. Starts off with their dirt/snow note, and then there's a strong grassy/herbal presence. This certainly is a slushier pond than I was used to skating on - maybe a winter pond that's melting? Or the smell you get after you *faceplant* into the dirty snow by the pond. The gradual drydown is really, really weird. Almost like pepper, or fennel, or some kind of sharp rooty herb. So strange. I will keep it, but... so strange.
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Fragrances -Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Eau de Naphe
Chandler5 3/3/2008 4:28:00 PM
Eau de Naphe - per the CSP website based off of 'orange blossom water,' with notes of jasmine. Other top notes are citrus (lemon), coconut, ylang-ylang as a middle, musk and cedarwood as a base. Going on, this has a definite fresh hit as the familiar orange blossom/petitgrain sweetness and almost immediately the bright citrus heads more towards heady floral. The ylang-ylang is quite prominent, and fans of Bath and Body Works' long since discontinued Ylang-Ylang and Myrrh may like this aspect of the fragrance. On my skin this is a strong, powerful tropical/exotic floral citrus. Not bad. As time progresses this sways towards ylang/jasmine and is pretty potent. This would be a good evening scent, but used with caution as it is much more powerful and long-lasting than most CSPs I've used and is more in the floral fragrance vein.
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Fragrances -Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Aqua Motu
Chandler5 2/26/2008 8:20:00 PM
This is such a kelpy, true beach scent. No overarching 'mist' or 'seaspray' to add a sharp, cloying unnatural bent to the interpretation, no cold blue musks to simulate the ocean. This is salty air, kissed lightly with strands of kelp and a hint of salvage wood. For me this is the scent of the Outer Banks in NC, sand squishing between my toes, salty breeze in my hair, horses munching grass further in. The scent of sandgrass and washed up branches soaking up the sun and the water. --- but, such a light scent. A beautiful memory fragrance.
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Fragrances -Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Mage D'Orient
Chandler5 2/25/2008 5:30:00 PM
Online, the CSP website described this scent as a woodsy, refreshing, unisex scent filled with tropical fruits, and the description of such was very intriguing. Top notes include: Bergamot, 'Limette', 'Green Orange,' Pineapple, Lychee, Apple. Middles listed as: Jasmine, Sea Spray, Geranium, Lavender, Muguet, Orange Tree Flower, and Bottoms as Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Musk, Vetyver, Tonka and Vanilla. With such a bold list of notes I was expecting to be wowed, and that this would be a warmer fragrance than it actually is. On my skin, initially there is a very strong marine, aquatic note which I believe is the sea spray, but of the tropical fruits I do not get much. There is little to none of the warmth and sweet spiciness I was expecting from vanilla or tonka bean, although after sitting on my skin a while Mage does develop some more depth. I think overall it's a very confused fragrance. Too many notes in one bottle. My overall impression is a fresh, lightly scented, men's lime based cologne that dries down to a sharp musk. I'm a guy so this is fine by me, however I'm not terrifically impressed. Staying power seems better than other CSP's I've used.
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Fragrances -Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Matin Calin
Chandler5 2/16/2008 8:00:00 PM
This is a burnt sugar smell, like that topnote of creme brulee, and definitely a lot of Borden's Condensed Milk as well. Lasting power is super fleeting. Found a bunch of these on discount at my local secondhand store and got two. I can see myself spritzing prior to bed, and using a lot since this is quite a faint fragrance. I don't know how wearable this is for public but it does bring back some nice scent memories of breakfast and for me, shaved ice with condensed milk poured over it. As a guy, I doubt I could pull this off as a 'going out' blend but it's quite nice for relaxing at home. The packaging is simple aluminum which caters to my style, but does look different from the traditional perfume bottle (certainly odd next to the intricate glassware and tapered edges of, say, and Artisan Parfumeur or Bvlgari). I doubt I would pay full price for any CSP, the pricing for the lasting power is ridiculous.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Garnier - Fructis Style Surf Hair
Chandler5 5/20/2005 8:29:00 AM
You know what? I usually shell out big bucks for professional styling products. I'm convinced now that this works better than most. Love the texture, and it really controls my frizzy hair - turns it chunky and playful. Shoot - and so cheap, too.
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Styling Products -Garnier - Fructis Fiber Gum Putty
Chandler5 5/20/2005 8:27:00 AM
Goopy, sticky, and marketed as having more hold than surf hair. Product is a slick mass of fruit-scented green gel that once in hair just does what an average hair spray would do. Style has no staying power. Ugh.
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Bath Treatments -LUSH - Creamy Candy Bubble Bar
Chandler5 5/7/2005 12:24:00 AM
2nd Bubble Bar I've tried from LUSH, the first being Blue Skies (mmm Patchouli). I have a whirlpoolagig thing on my tub that prevents me from using the melts, but suits the bubble bars just fine! Chopped a bar into thirds, plunked one chunk into the bath as it filled, and immediately bubbles rose from the water accompanied with a very bubble-gum vanilla fruit scent. Something was mighty familiar about it... gave the whirlpool a quick spin and the bubbles... took... over. Wow, potent little bar chunk. That, and I suddenly realized where I'd smelled the fragrance before. The first bubble bath I ever took was one of those Johnson and Johnson dealios made for kids, and Creamy Candy is like spot on. Very happy with LUSH products, and had a content nostalgic moment there. Can't wait to try other bubble bars!
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Gels/Soaps -LUSH - Skinny Dip
Chandler5 5/4/2005 11:33:00 PM
I love this. My first LUSH product, and it hooked me. I'm a guy, and no complaints about this doozy of a spicy fragrance at all! It's a bit of a surprise that the scent is so... herbal clovey and such, since two of the main ingredients are white chocolate and 'creamed coconut.' Mmm. Anyways. I asked a sales rep today if they were discontinuing Skinny Dip, and she said that they were 'reformulating' it to make it better. Looking at the LUSH Times catalog, LUSH itself says they're discontinuing all the gels except Flying Fox to make room for new ones.
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Scrubs -LUSH - Aqua Mirabillis
Chandler5 5/4/2005 11:29:00 PM
So - I discovered LUSH while walking to a tapas bar, and it was not good news for my checkbook. I decided to dive right into LUSH stuff by sampling a bit of everything popular, and picked up a bar of Aqua Mirabilis. The product is a squarish block of various plant butters, mixed with a generous helping of almond bits and shells. The product was already sort of melting onto my fingers in the store, so I hurried it home. I'd heard that the product melts fast, so I took a regular kitchen knife and sliced it into eighths. A bit skeptical at this point and wondering why I'd dropped 11.00 on a piece of nut-scented butter, I went into the shower and followed the rep's directions. Cleanse normally - wet skin - direct water away or turn off - rub bar over body and then massage product across skin - rinse. While I was using it, I noticed a very comforting, although not spectacular almond cookie fragrance. After a bit of time had passed, I rinsed off and toweled dry, not expecting or feeling much difference. However, after I started studying, typing, and writing with a pen, I noticed that my fingers were quite soft. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this bar worked a miracle - made my skin soft without weighing it down with creams, or any moisture I could 'feel!' Quite a good exfoliator, though the price is steep.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Aromatherapy Sandalwood Orange
Chandler5 4/18/2005 11:30:00 AM
Good lotion quality, something off with the scent. Definitely detect brisk orange notes at first, with a hint of woodsy, dry sandalwood. Dries to a sharper, more bold orange, but then it suddenly hits a 'generic herbal tea' note. As in sharp, grassy herbal. May be your thing, but was sufficiently disconcerting that it wouldn't quite help me get to sleep.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Aromatherapy Lavender Mimosa
Chandler5 4/18/2005 11:29:00 AM
Great lotion quality, as always with the Aromatherapy line. A lavender with less herbal bite, possessing a much more powdery topnote thanks to the mimosa absolute. A creamy, lightly musky floral.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Whatever you shea hand cream
Chandler5 3/21/2005 5:32:00 PM
Same problem as the first reviewer of this product... sort of 'off' vanilla nut scent, and then the product never really was absorbed. Pity, since I'm needing something to fend off this horrid Chicago winter.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Le Couvent des Minimes - Skin Softening BODY BALM - Honey and Shea
Chandler5 3/8/2005 11:36:00 PM
Interesting product! Looks and feels like it has the same texture as one of BBW's Pure Simplicity Masks (think Pumpkin!) and feels kinda goopy going on. After application, however, it sinks into skin really quickly and leaves it quite heavily fragranced and moisturized without tackiness. I'm impressed! But be warned the fragrance is a strong, strong honey scent that will turn heads. But... maybe that's a good thing!
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Gels/Soaps -Bath and Body Works - Couvent des Minimes Honey and Shea Gentle Bath Soap
Chandler5 3/8/2005 11:34:00 PM
A bar of soap done in the style of L'Occitane or Pre de Provence, with a heavenly, pure honey fragrance. Lathers up a storm and isn't as drying as most commercial soaps available in this fine country (although, as a soap, it does dry the skin to some degree). Contains shea butter extract and honey... very nice. I want a big bar!
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