Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Anne Pliska
Sashayy 5/16/2006 11:30:00 AM
I agree with Basia and others who say that this is a chilly amber scent, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. The notes in this would lead you to believe it would be warm, comforting, envelopping, as usually vanilla, amber and sandalwood are all of that. Somehow though, in this, they create a sophisticated coolness, a sort of a detached wordliness that is both North American urban and now yet agelessly European at the same time. Compelling, slightly haunting, the type of fragrance a modern day Jane Eyre might choose to wear.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella Sheer Eau De Toilette
Sashayy 5/14/2006 10:13:00 PM
The original Stella is one of my top 5 HG fragrances, so this one had a lot to live up to. Luckily, it is exactly what I wanted it to be -- a lighter-on-the-amber, heavier-on-the-citrus version of Stella, slightly more sparkly and therefore perfect for warmer weather. The bottle is gorgeous; same shape as the original but taller and clear, with an embossed etched design on it.
Now one of my favourite comfort skin scents is one I can wear year-round. And major bonus - my hubby adores this one me. He kept growling playfully at me telling me I "smelled so sexy". If that's not an endorsement for the smell of this one me, I don't know what is!! This is a definite keeper.
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Fragrances -Diptyque - L Ombre Dans L Eau
Sashayy 5/12/2006 10:59:00 AM
I totally agree with Maller's review below and her description of this as only marginally a rose scent. This is far closer to the crisp fresh green scents of Hermes' Un Jardin series than it is to the roses of Les Rosines or even KM's Damascena. Though this bears a passing resemblance to Damascena on me, in that it has an equivalent crispness, this scent is all about the fresh greenery and the lake than it is about flowers.
With that said, it's a beautifully blended scent that has various moods as it dries down. It starts pungent, bracing, dry, then as it hits the middle notes a note of sweetness curls around the bracing quality and a hint of oxygenated water emerges, along with a distinctively green yet indefinable scent. On my skin, it is almost like a branch of an orange tree broken off with a single orange left on it. Though there isn't supposed to be citrus in this, on my chemistry, there is a distinctive citrus note among the greenery and air and water and faint hint of roses. But these are wild roses, the ones that grow wantonly along the old farm roads of the Canadian prairies, not the cultivated delicate hothouse ones of a florist shop.
While I wouldn't say I love this fragrance on me, I do find it haunting, compelling. It draws me in and whispers frequently to me as something that somehow matches aspects of my self. The mystery is partly why I like it so much. Definitely full bottle worthy.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Yves Saint Laurent - In Love Again
Sashayy 5/10/2006 9:37:00 PM
I adore this grounded citrus grapefruit scent. Somehow manages to be sweet and soft, without being flowery, powdery or cloying; fruity and zesty and zippy without straying near candle, house cleaner or cheap B&BW territory. Stays close to the skin with average sillage.
I'm not a huge fan of the rather basic Avon-ish bottle, but that won't keep me from enjoying the juice. Works well on my chemistry and I get compliments on it.
Still easily available online through eBay and others.
Notes: Grapefruit, Grape, Bilberry, Tulip Tree Flower, Water Lily, Blackberry, Musk, Sandalwood
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fragonard - Arielle
Sashayy 5/8/2006 11:58:00 PM
Well blended, soft, drys down in stages. It is a pretty dry floral, but doesn't work for me emotionally. It is too generic -- like anything I can buy at the bay or Holts. I wouldn't buy a full bottle of this.
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Lip Gloss -Smashbox - Lipgloss in 35mm
Sashayy 5/4/2006 5:00:00 PM
I love the texture and feel and lasting power of Smashbox glosses generally, but this tauped rosy brown shimmer gloss is my all time fave gloss from their line.
I deducted one lippie for the packaging because I find that the overall design makes it difficult to get all the gloss out when the tube starts to get low.
On my neutral super-pale PPP skin, slight freckled face and red hair, this looks gorgeous in all seasons. Doesn't seem to matter what colours I'm wearing on my body or my face, this works on me. It is the one gloss that I put into every handbag and that I miss hugely if I travel without it. Dare I say it.. my HG gloss? Yep its' true.
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Lip Gloss -Smashbox - Lipgloss in Candid
Sashayy 5/4/2006 4:56:00 PM
This is a cool toned pale pink gloss with golden shimmer. Like all Smashbox glosses, it is smooth, creamy, not tacky or sticky, no taste or smell. There is no grittiness in my tube - perhaps the other reviewer got a bad tube? I've deducted a lippie from the packaging because my only beef with Smashbox glosses is the wand design.
Given how pale and cool toned this is, it is best to be worn with a strong eye and cheek look, to avoid the 1980s frosty beach bum look mentioned by another reviewer. I find that if I do a pale pink eye with strong navy liner and lots of black mascara, this looks sophisticated and pretty on my blueish pink lips. It is a cool tone though and I'm rather warm-toned, so I didn't give this five lippies as a result. But that's not the fault of the gloss - it would be wonderful on a cool-toned porcelain skinned PPP or anyone who wants a sheer pinked-nude look on their unpigmented lips (I think this might look strange on pigmented lips).
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Lip Gloss -Smashbox - LipGloss *general*
Sashayy 5/4/2006 4:51:00 PM
Smashbox is my HG of lipglosses. They're smooth and creamy (even the ones with frost, none of the nasty grittiness of MAC), and not at all sticky though they do have decent wear for a gloss. The colours are nice and flattering with plenty of choices for all ends of the colour spectrum, from pale to dark, from cool to warm. They have no taste or smell and they leave a nice stain. 35MM is my favourite shade from them, a rich neutral rosey brown with neutral shimmer. I'll rebuy these over and over. Definitely worth it - and now sold at Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Canada!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fragonard - Emilie
Sashayy 5/3/2006 2:34:00 PM
When I read the reviews, I decided that I had to try this, so I went straight to my Fragonard sample box and pulled it out and dowsed my cleavage with it. At first, wow! loved it - that sweetly spicy nutty rose scent. But as it dryed down throughout the day, an aldehydic soapiness emerged that caught and scratched the back of my throat. Up close, it is sort of a take on Malle's Lipstick Rose, but with a nutty quality that seems to be the signature Fragonard note. It is sugar, flowery, rather old-fashioned. If I had to imagine it as a flower, the idea of sugared lilac-coloured pansies comes to mind (yes I know pansies have no scent, but that's what it evokes for me). I ultimately had to scrub it off of me as the soapiness intensified on my chemistry. It isn't for me, though it is well-blended and definitely smells classically French. I wouldn't buy a full bottle.
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Eyeliner -Annabelle - Smoothliner - Gunmetal
Sashayy 4/28/2006 10:29:00 AM
I bought this on a whim because it was only $5 and my drugstore had a $1 off coupon, but I'm seriously impressed! It glides on so smoothly and easily, no tugging whatsoever. It sharpens to a nice point and can be smudged out. It stays put during a very long and sweaty day. I actually prefer this to MAC's Powerpoint liners!
Gunmetal is a medium metallic smoked gray, with a strongly silvered look to the sheen.
I'm very pleased - I hope these Smoothliners become permanent. Definitely worth it!
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Eyeliner -Annabelle - Smoothliner - Jade
Sashayy 4/28/2006 10:27:00 AM
I bought this on a whim because it was only $5 and my drugstore had a $1 off coupon, but I'm seriously impressed! It glides on so smoothly and easily, no tugging whatsoever. It sharpens to a nice point and can be smudged out. It stays put during a very long and sweaty day. I actually prefer this to MAC's Powerpoints.
Jade is a dark metallic tealed forest green. Imagine a cross between MAC's Tealo and Forever Green Powerpoint liners and you'll know what I mean. The metallic sheen is difficult to pin down colour wise, because it looks silvery in some lights, green in others and slightly golden in strong daylight.
I'm very pleased - I hope these Smoothliners become permanent. Definitely worth it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Annabelle - Smoothliner - Meteorite
Sashayy 4/28/2006 10:25:00 AM
I bought this on a whim because it was only $5 and my drugstore had a $1 off coupon, but I'm seriously impressed! It glides on so smoothly and easily, no tugging whatsoever. It sharpens to a nice point and can be smudged out. It stays put during a very long and sweaty day. I actually prefer this to MAC Navystain Powerpoint - definitely worth buying.
Meteorite is a medium metallic navy blue, similar to MAC Navy Stain, but more shimmery with a slightly silvered look to the sheen.
I'm very pleased - I hope these Smoothliners become permanent. Definitely worth it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Annabelle - Smoothliners
Sashayy 4/28/2006 10:19:00 AM
I bought the Bronze colour on a whim because it was $5 and my drugstore had a $1 off coupon, but I'm seriously impressed with these! They glide on so smoothly and easily, no tugging whatsoever. They sharpen to a nice point and can be smudged out. They stay put during a very long and sweaty day (I actually worked out cardio with the bronze on and it didn't budge!). I love that the colours are metallic and slightly shimmery. I actually prefer these to MAC Powerpoints - definitely worth buying. I was so pleased with the Bronze that I went to Loblaws and bought them in 4 of the 6 colours:
- Gunmetal- A medium silvered metallic smokey gray
- Bronze- A metallic bronzey medium brown
- Meteorite- A medium metallic navy blue, similar to MAC Navy Stain
- Jade- A dark tealed forest green - imagine a cross between MAC Tealo & Forever Green
I'm very pleased with these - I hope they become permanent. Definitely worth it!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Dawn Spencer Hurwitz - Purple Lilac
Sashayy 4/28/2006 10:08:00 AM
This is a very true-to-the-flower sweet and soapy single note scent. It evokes memories of cutting fat purple lilac bunches from neighbour's bushes to carry to school for my grade school teachers. There is a slight soapy warm accord in the middle note but not harsh. As this is an oil, the lasting power is fantastic and like most of DSH's oils, it doesn't go rancid on my body chemistry. With that said, I'm not sure I want to smell like lilacs this true - reminds me of too many B&BW scents, air fresheners and the like. I'm not nitpicking against the scent itself, for it is what DSH set out to make, it's just not for me.
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Eyeliner -Annabelle - Smoothliner - Bronze
Sashayy 4/20/2006 9:02:00 PM
When I saw how shimmery these were and they were only $5CDN I figured why not. But I'm impressed! They truly glide on like a dream and stay on all day. And unlike most pencil liners, for whatever reason, these don't irritate my eyes or give me racoon eyes underneath. This colour, bronze, is like a light shimmery brown. It holds a thin line and I can easily thicken it, wing it or smudge it and it stays all day (14 hours!). Very impressed - would definitely repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No