Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Solstice Scents - Leather/Red Lace
chrissypoo327 9/21/2011 8:25:00 PM
Very leathery upon initial application, but that fades rather quickly. I'm not very well versed in leather fragrances, but this one seems to be a refined leather. It is combined with vanillas and amber. The drydown is soft and a little sweet (but not overly so .. just enough to soften the leather. I find this a very feminine fragrance but with a touch of naughtiness to leave people wondering. It also reminds me of another fragrance ... maybe Hypnotic Poison? Something along those lines. Sillage is more toward the moderate side. I really like ... 1/3 oz. is $9. This is Solstice Scents' description: Black Leather, Red Lace is an erotic smelling fragrance with a slightly masculine edge due to the leather. It is a scent that could certainly be enjoyed by both men and women. A blend of gorgeous amber, several vanillas and sexy leather. The leather likes to play games in this fragrance: On initial application it is not readily detectable, then suddenly blooms and is vying for the affection of both Lady Vanilla and Ms. Amber. After settling in for a bit, he retreats into the shadows as a detectable note, yet not one that is playing for dominance.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Solstice Scents - Pharaoh
chrissypoo327 9/21/2011 8:15:00 PM
I'm not really a musk wearer ... not that I dislike it, but I generally prefer the darker orientals, other than a musk/patchouli scent I like. I ordered a few samples from Solstice Scents and Pharaoh is one of two or three that I really like. It's a musk blended with just a touch of frankincense (and a dab of honey). I wouldn't classify it as a "clean" musk, but neither it is a dirty musk, although I think the end result is a very sexy scent. It is a clean-smelling scent, but the frankincense adds just what it needs to take the edge off the clean smell. There is that dab of honey, also, but I could not detect it at all. It wears fairly close to the skin, no huge sillage here, but I could also get little whiffs just from moving around, so I'd say the sillage is more toward the moderate side. I think some would call this a skin scent, as well. Whatever you want to call it, I am going to get a bottle for those days when the heavier scents are either just not appropriate or I'm in the mood for something lighter. For $9 for 1/3 oz, I just don't think I can go wrong. Below is Solstice Scent's description of the scent: Pharaoh is a fragrance comprised primarily of the long-established, popular and neutral scent of Egyptian Musk spiked with just a few drops of Frankincense Essential Oil and a splash of honey far in the background. It is a beautiful, very soft fragrance that is perfect for wearing when you're looking for something understated and muted but would like to smell clean. It is a truly wonderful unisex fragrance that has a slight tinge of the exotic and is clean, fresh, mild, natural and has just the slightest hint of a floral. The frankincense is very soft and detectable solely upon application. After that, it takes a back seat and really is more of a note adding depth rather than one standing as identifiable. The honey is a very mild natural honey and does not contain the almond notes that other honey blends have.
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Eye Shadow -Everyday Minerals - Ginger Peach Eye Shadow
chrissypoo327 9/21/2011 10:46:00 AM
I got a trial size of this in a rollerball. First, I LOVE the rollerball for application. I find it much easier to control the application and minimize fallout. It's a perfect shimmery peach color that is awesome on blue eyes, although I think it would work very well on all eye colors. I don't find it too shimmery .. it doesn't have a glittery look whatsoever, just a soft shimmer. I had pretty much given up on mineral eyeshadows because of the fallout, but I am now checking out other EM eye colors with the rollerball applicator. I'm sure this would last forever, but if I did run out, I would definitely repurchase ... it's a color I had in my mind's eye for some time but could never find.
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Polishes -Sinful - San Francisco
chrissypoo327 9/16/2011 12:14:00 AM
Other than wearing this for St. Patrick's Day as others mentioned, I do not like this color at all. HOWEVER, put it over black and you have the most beautiful deep green with my always favorite microglitter! I probably would not repurchase this, but while I have it, I'll put it over black for sure.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Oil Cleansing Method OCM
chrissypoo327 9/16/2011 12:05:00 AM
I never heard of the OCM until I read it here on MUA. While my head "got" that it made sense, having combination skin made me worried. Eh, so I tried it anyway ... 75% grapseed oil and 25% castor oil. I definitely could tell it cleaned very well and I was surprised that my face wasn't greasy at ALL afterward (I used a washcloth with very warm water, wiped my face, rinsed the washcloth and wiped once more). I also started using Rose Hip seed oil at this time. I was VERY surprised there I wasn't greasy, but I wasn't! Then after a few days, I felt like my skin was sorta bumpy .. not with pimples, but just the texture, so I stopped for a few days. I kept reading on this cleansing method, and with just about everyone having such good results, I tried again ... the "bumpies" did go away after a few days, although I still can't find an explanation for them. Something I also do every once in awhile that I haven't seen done here and is my main reason for writing this review is that maybe 2 or 3 times a week, after I massage the oil in for a minute or two, I put some Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay on my fingertips and massage it in like a scrub. I have to say that before I started this new regimen, even though my skin was oily in the T-zone with blackheads and some whiteheads, it just started looking dry and, I dunno, overworked? Since using this method, I am not as oily, my skin texture is much more refined, and blackheads, etc. are diminishing by the day, not to mention I am not needing to use as much foundation. I do believe now that when you try to dry out your oily skin or oily areas, it just makes it produce more oil. I'm SO glad I gave this a second try!
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Lips -Palladio - Lip Ink Extra Long Wearing Lip Stain
chrissypoo327 9/15/2011 11:43:00 PM
Palladio Lip Stain in Nude: I'm not totally sold on any lip stain I've tried, but this is the best one so far. As far as it being "nude," if you put it on to fully and evenly cover your lip, it's going to turn out a slightly reddish brown, which for some people will be great. For me, not so much. However, what I do is apply it very heavily all over, let it set and dry for a few minutes, then using a very slightly dampened Qtip, I smudge off most of it, leaving a very natural MLBB look. It is dry, so a gloss would probably be needed over it. The other thing I do is use this under a similarly-toned lipstick (it obviously probably wouldn't work too well under pink, for instance) and it does seem to help with the lipstick's longevity. I am thinking of trying another color or two of this line. I think it ran about $6, which is the best price I've seen for a lip stain yet.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sinful - Secret Admirer
chrissypoo327 9/15/2011 11:19:00 PM
This is almost a very deep charcoal with microgiltter. I think it's a fresh, hot take on black, and I much prefer microglitter to a frosty look. Sinful colors has so many trendy colors, and for $2, I don't mind buying 6 at a time (or 7 ... or 8 ... LOL). Everytime I'm at Walgreens, I pick up a few more. Can't really speak to the longevity since I change polish every 3 days or so. Also, just a personal opinion, but this or any black looks SO awesome on toes with your "little black dress." As far as the reviewer below who is 20-something and feels she might be too old for a color like this, I say wear what YOU like and what you think is fun .. I'm 53 and I do ... no one has ever commented that I look tacky, not even my 26 year old daugher (and you know she would! LOL). Would I wear "Hello Kitty" decals or designs? Hell no ... but as far as color goes, I what what makes ME feel good.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Song of India Temple Oil
chrissypoo327 9/13/2011 4:57:00 PM
This oil is just such a different kind of oriental .. it's warm, sweet, incensey (but no smoke, thank GOD), and even has a little brightness to it. To me, it's an ethereal kind of scent that totally transports me to vision of Alladin and silk and Arabian dancers. I don't wear it a lot because I have to be in the right frame of mind, and it's most definitely a fall or winter scent unless you use just a pinhead amount in warm weather. I feel marvelous in a way I can't describe when I wear this. It's about $10 ... very strong, long lasting and big sillage.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Milani - Smooth Finish Blush - Luminous
chrissypoo327 9/12/2011 12:04:00 PM
I tried this based on the many recommendations here. I like that it gives a soft, natural color to my light to med-light skin. I was not too thrilled with the sheen of it though. What I started doing that seems to help is that instead of using the brush to distribute it in a sort of rubbing motion, I use a big fluffy blush brush and pat it on in a stippling motion. If there is still a little too much shimmer that has migrated to the center of my face, I use rice powder in that area and that takes care of any unwanted shimmer.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Graftobian - HD Pro Powder Foundation
chrissypoo327 9/11/2011 2:54:00 PM
I tried a sample of this with an order for other products. It's hard to pick the right color, and the one I chose was too dark and a tad orangey ... I believe it was "Buff" which I chose because that shade in other brands always is a no-brainer for my lightish-medium skin. However, I tried it just to see if it even warranted getting in a more suitable color. I think this would work for oily and combination skin ... dry skin might require a good moisturizer underneath. The finish was very, very nice ... filled in pores and gave a really flawless look. My skin is not too bad, a tad blotchy, visible pores on the cheeks next to my nose, and a few broken capillaries. I'm combo in summer and getting drier every year in the winter. It did not seem to accentuate fine lines that are really almost wrinkles by my mouth/chin area, which is very important to me. I think I will be trying samples of more colors.
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Treatments -Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) - Radiance Peel
chrissypoo327 9/10/2011 11:54:00 PM
I had been using the 25% mandelic acid peel for about 5 weeks (and that is how long the trial size lasted using it every 5-7 days!). I was happy with the results, but my face seemed to have that "glow" post peel for only about 3 or 4 days. So this time I tried the Radiance Peel. This one also contains mandelic acid (no percentage given), along with deionized water, lactic (milk) acid, sodium lactate, sacharum officinarum (sugar cane extract), sodium glycolate, pyrus malus (apple fruit extract), citrus medica limonum (lemon extract), mandelic acid, aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate (stable vitamin c), SD alcohol (natural), salix alba (willow bark extract), glycerine, hydroxyethycellulose, jasmine alcohol, EDTA, retinyl palmitate (vitamin a), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin e). The instructions say to use this only one a week, so I bought it hoping it was a little more amped up than the plain mandelic peel. I left it on only 2 minutes to see how my skin reacted .. there was barely any stinging. After rinsing I put on some passion fruit oil (which is awesome, btw, and I should do a review on that as well). My skin did look more refined and definitely smoother, and fine lines were minimized, although I would expect that from minor swelling from inflammation. I have done various peels, and I am not expecting to feel dry or "peely" with this one, but I will report back in a few days. A half-ounce was $14 (free shipping) so I consider this quite a steal considering I am estimating to get 10-12 peels from this size. I received my order in 3 days. Their customer service is awesome. EDIT: Day 2 Post Peel. I has very minimal flaking in the chin area. Nothing that going over the area lightly with a washcloth didn't take care of. The fine lines in that area have continued to be minimized, and my skin tone all over is a little more refined. Of course, you have to keep up with weekly peels to see continued results. As an aside, as much as I said I would never do a TCA peel again due to the down time, I'm currently laid up with a torn ligament in my foot and will have puh-lenty of down time now since walking, etc. is very limited ... so I may do another TCA in the very near future.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Eye Studio Color Explosion in FOREST FURY
chrissypoo327 8/25/2011 10:06:00 PM
This is actually a review for the Caffeine Rush colors. All in all, the colors are nothing special. I found them kind of "blah," lacking no warmth. The only thing that made them even a little nice was the luminizing top coat ... I only applied a little dab since it was for daytime and didn't want to be too sparkly. Over a primer, they didn't last all day like most eye shadows I use, either (and most are DS items). It did give a decent everyday, office, neutral look, but I am much more happy with the WnW colors and application, as well. These went on nicely, but not as smoothly as I had hoped from reading reviews.
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Lip Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Sexpot Cosmetics Lip Plumping Gloss
chrissypoo327 7/7/2011 9:30:00 PM
I fell for their hype about a year ago. Actually the product wasn't horrible, IMHO, but what really peeved me was the "testimonials" of this great plumping effect (which didn't occur) and most of all, the scrimpy size for the money! I was relieved to see the other negative reviews here because I often think it's just me and that I'm too critical (when I should know better because I'm not). I do have to say I like the sugar scrub, but my GOD, you can recreate that at home for pennies.
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Lips -Kinerase - Dr. Lewinn - Lip Resculpt 3-D Lip Balm
chrissypoo327 7/1/2011 12:25:00 AM
This is actually a review for the Lip Resculpt 3-D Lip Balm. I read a review praising this lip plumper, so I decided to try it. My biggest problems are 1) my upper lip is thinning as I get older, and 2) I have a very undefine vermillion border so I go through this crazy routine to get a defined lip line. I have to say after just a few days, I did start seeing a difference. Of course, it's not like injections, but I am not really keen on a trout pout anyway LOL. But, both my lips are a little fuller, and the best thing I noticed is that my lip line is more defined .. to the point that I could probably get away without lip liner if I wanted to and this is after about 2 weeks of use. I usually use it twice a day, more if I'm off. I also make it a point to rub it in, versus just laying it on the surface of my lips .. not sure if this helps, but I do it anyway LOL. I did not notice any scent. It comes in a squeeze tube with a slanted tip. I will absolutely buy this again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Olay - Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-aging Eye Cream Line and Dark Circle Minimizing Brush
chrissypoo327 6/30/2011 11:57:00 PM
Luckily, I don't need a whole lot of concealer. In the winter I apply eye cream under my eyes before makeup, but in the summer it's just a li'l too heavy, so I decided to try this more for it's treatment benefits than anything else. The texture is very light and not too greasy/oily, which I like. The color is just a teeny tiny darker than I would like on my fair skin, but it's still perfectly acceptable. I like the finish it gives .. as I said, it's definitely not going to cover really dark circles, but it does brighten my area area. As far as the treatment benefits, it's too early to say. I used a bit on my cheek just to see if it had any coverage, and I was very pleased with the look, especially for summer. I am now considering buying their tinted moisturizer. I don't, however, use the brush to apply this product .. it's way too big (IMHO) ... so I click the end to dispense, and use my finger to pat it around my eye area. To me, it's just a gimmick with the brush ... I would much prefer a little tube or pump bottle. I did not notice any scent, but I am not sensitive at ALL to scented products, so I might have just not noticed if there was. Definitely will buy this again, especially for summer, as I am still oily in my old age LOL.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No