Fragrances -Thierry Mugler - Angel Garden of Stars Lily Eau de Parfum
livadia 10/18/2007 6:31:00 AM
When I tested this, it did not smell Lily-ish, but I got it anyway as I admired the original Angel but never found the guts to wear something so powerfully sweet. The Lily did come out nicely on the piece of paper that I sprayed it on, giving this gourmand scent its wonderfully fresh, green twist. Alas, on my skin, it is a different story. The only vaguely floral scent was in the first 20 minutes, then it became Angel, all honey, chocolate and patchouli, which is the woody oriental base that all TM fragrances have. It just ends up being a diluted Angel (which is not too bad if you like Angel but want it toned-down). I will continue to enjoy this for the time being, but it was a tad disappointing as it was such a wonderful idea to mix Lily with Angel. My favourite of the Garden of Stars is still La Rose Angel, and this is second, but not a close second.
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Fragrances -Thierry Mugler - Innocent Secret
livadia 10/14/2007 3:37:00 AM
This starts off citrusy-sweet and a few seconds later, becomes pretty and delicate but still retaining some of its fruitiness on my skin (something like a mix of sweet peas and lemon verbena). Unfortunately, I had to press my nose onto my arm before I can smell anything and it was all gone in an hour! Absolutely no staying power whatsoever. Amongst all the Thierry Muggler fragrances, this is the least characteristic of Angel. While I can smell a bit of Angel in Innocent, Alien, Eau de Star etc, this is what I would say a conventional fruity-floral teenager scent. Not bad for someone in her late teens, but I wish it stays. It smells fantastic on the card though - stronger and with more impact. But it just wouldn't adhere to my skin.
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Moisturizers -Estee Lauder - Hydra Complete Moisture Gel Creme for Normal/Combination Skin
livadia 10/7/2007 4:08:00 AM
This product is not bad; but plain average. Let me start off by stating I actually hve oily skin but since I got this in a set with the very outstanding Advanced Night Repair (that is a different review), I tried this for good measure. I was also hoping that by using a moisturizer that is slightly richer than I am used to in the day time, I can combat the chilly conditions in the office. As a moisturizer, it performs adequately, and my skin is hydrated for the whole day, and I don't get any flakes towards the end of the day. It is artificially scented, something like a cross between melon and cucumbers. Texture-wise, it goes on well, but not as smoothly as I will expect it to. In short, it is what I expect any moisturizer to do, and nothing more.
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Fragrances -Guerlain - Insolence
livadia 10/6/2007 5:08:00 AM
I just have to step in to defend this scent! This is the best violet- and-berries scent I have ever sniffed. So this scent is not for everybody, that is why it can seem very sweet, but this can be said for other fragrances like YSL Babydoll, and RL Ralph. This scent (like many others) has an age and there is an occasion to wear it. However, unlike YSL Babydoll, Insolence is completely smooth and feminine, with no sharpness to it at all, from the start to the very end, so it is unlikely to annoy anybody. In fact, it does dry down to something warm and very comforting. 'Insolence' is the perfect name for this; it dares to be different, fruity-sweet yet smooth and satisfying.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - Aqua Allegoria Lilia Bella
livadia 10/6/2007 5:01:00 AM
At first, this is overwhelming sharp and green and the main flower takes some time to surface. But once it does, it is a simple, pure LOTV, with some lilac in the background. I don't smell the rose note, so maybe there isn't so much of it. In my opinion, the perfect LOTV scent is fresh, slightly sweet, innocent and flirtatious at the same time. This is close, but not perfect - I still prefer Diorissimo. This is clean enough and uncomplex; but has a rather clinical edge to it which prevents me from enjoying it from the beginning to the end.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Pleasures Delight
livadia 9/25/2007 5:43:00 AM
This was marketed to be a gourmand scent, and while I like some gourmand fragrances (eg. Ralph Hot, Omnia), this only smells faintly sweet for the first 10 minutes. After that, it smells absolutely like Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle, which my mother is addicted to. Even my mother agreed with my observation. I know what to get for her if I run out of money to get her the Chanel for her birthday. Still, kudos to EL for not coming out with another generic aquatic, wishy-washy floral which they have produced a slew of since the original Pleasures. It is not as fruity sweet as Pleasures Exotic; so it is a more sophisticated offering, in my opinion, but it is not my style and does not score on originality either.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Cetaphil - Moisturizing Cream
livadia 9/23/2007 4:23:00 AM
This is a great cream for the body. (I reserve my comments for use on the face as I have oily facial skin and have never contemplated using this on my face.) This is a thick and odourless cream, and I mean it has no smell at all, unlike some of the 'fragrance-free' products out there which actually smell nasty. That said, this cream is a god-send for all of us with eczema; it moisturises without any irritation. Texture-wise, this is good as well as it absorbs quickly so that despite its initial richness, it never feels sticky (and I live in a tropical climate). This has been my weapon against those nasty itchy, dry, red patches known as eczema and I have literally moisturised eczema on my knees away over the past 1 year with this, without resort to any steroids. The packaging can be better though; the tube is un-economical as so much gets stuck in it in the end, and the tub is rather unhygienic. The price is mid-range, for something that relies on simple ingredients (albeit those that work) like Mineral Oil and Sweet Almond Oil, it should be cheaper. But until I find a product that works as well, I am sticking to this.
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Lip Treatments -Blistex - Lip tone lip balm
livadia 9/14/2007 5:03:00 AM
I have had this lip balm in my pocket/ bag since I was 13! This is still an indispensable item. It is moisturizing, though it probably won't be enough if you have especially dry lips. For daily maintenance, this is just right. It is a flattering 'warm mauve' colour (as described by an earlier reviewer) and looks exactly like your own lip colour, just better-looking. It is also very affordable and unlike other tinted lip balms I have tried, the colour is believably natural, and comes off evenly instead of in the form of coloured flakes. A must-have for any proponent of the au naturel daytime makeup look.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Aloe Caring Body Balm
livadia 8/24/2007 9:07:00 AM
Let me begin by saying that I suffer from mild to moderate eczema on my elbows, knees and sometimes ankles and thighs. The only thing that keeps it under control is careful and diligent moisturisation. Before this, I was using Cetaphil cream (in the tube form) and it gave good results. However, this is better in providing a slightly cool sensation. True, it takes more time to massage in, but it is so comforting and leaves no residue on the bed sheets if you apply 30 mins before bed time. Still, it is a tad too rich for my taste in the mornings, so I use the Body Lotion variant, which is very lightweight, cool and soothing. I never had any allergic reaction to this while using this, which is a big plus, because I can never use any of TBS Body Butters. The only lotions which have testures that I like better are from Eucerin and Vichy (Lipidiose 2), but I get sick of the scent after a while. This Aloe Vera Caring Balm does not have any scent at all, which is another plus.
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Fragrances -The Body Shop - Ananya
livadia 8/21/2007 8:47:00 PM
This is a deceptive scent indeed. Thank goodness the description in TBS shops warns you that it is 'Lush, Intense and Floral'. This is deceptively fruity at first and you would think that this is Dewberry with slightly more punch, But give it 5 minutes and it morphs into a full-bodied floral. Head notes: Bergamot [for the initial burst of freshness], Peach, Melon [adds to the fruity first impression], Coconut, Violet. Heart Notes: Jasmine, Rose [the king and queen of flowers respectively for a heady experience], Freesia, Tuberose [someone once commented that Tuberose is the 'Lolita of the fragrance world'], Ylang Ylang [sensual and ultra-feminine]. Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Vanilla and Musk. For women who love lush fruity-florals, this is highly recommended. Now I know why when Dewberry was all the rage amongst 12 year-olds when I was growing up in the early 90s, I always reached for Ananya.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Lipglass- revealing
livadia 8/8/2007 12:18:00 AM
Wow! I have tons of lipglosses and while I generally finish all my lipsticks, this is the only lip gloss I have managed to finish. A flattering shade for medium skin tones. I used to be an NC 35/40 and this worked great, with an appealing peachy undertone to it. But I am now an NC20/25 and Lust works better, nudey-pink without looking 'muddy'. Revealing is highly recommended if you are slightly tanned and are looking for an everyday lip gloss shade without the shimmer or sparkles that MAC lipglasses are usually loaded with.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Lipglass in Lust
livadia 8/7/2007 10:25:00 PM
My fave lip gloss! If you liked 'Revealing', and want a tad more pink to the brownish-nude lippie, this is it. It is the same creamy gloss, and is totally devoid of shimmer or sparkles. Just pure cream gloss and is perfect for a more polished, professional look. My only gripe is that it comes with a stick applicator and in tube when you can just dispense the right amount and apply to lips. Oh Well. But the colour is a gorgeous, pink-brown nude on my NC20/ 25 skin tone so I will still be buying this.
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Pressed Powders -MAC - Select Sheer Pressed Powder
livadia 7/24/2007 2:10:00 AM
I just bought this as I was looking for a something to use as a foundation with light-to-medium coverage. It has a noticeably lighter coverage than Studio Fix (naturally) but it covers reasonably well. (And I am one of those who actually have stuff to hide) The coverage stays that way for most of the day, but my oily skin requires a touch-up after 5 hours. It remains shine-free for 4 hours, which is not bad considering Studio Fix starts feeling heavy-going and greasy on me after 2.5 hours sometimes. A word of warning: this powder is a bit darker than most foundations offered by MAC. I usually use Studio Fix in NC30, and even though I got this Sheer/Pressed Powder in NC25, it is still a bit too dark. I should have gotten an NC20. But I am reasonably happy with this product, so I will keep this for when I get a tan and purchase an NC20.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Clinique - Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
livadia 7/20/2007 8:04:00 AM
Just bought my first big bottle of DDM Gel after the tube version. I seldom finish my moisturizers (Origins Matte Scientist and EL Clear Diff are the only others I have finished and re-purchased) so this must say a lot about this one. I find it light but sufficient for most skin types other than dry ones. Unlike the Origins and EL versions (Salicylic Acid-containing, mattifying ones), this doesn't matte out the skin or even any skin tone visually. But it moisturizes beautifully and really seem to 'plump' up skin. This is chokeful of silicones, so steer clear if very acne-prone. Also, it does not contain Salicylic Acid, so acne-prone types may wish to look elsewhere. For oily-skinned addicts of Clinique skin care: when I layer this below Turnaround Concentrate, I wake up with less oily skin.
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Fragrances -Giorgio Armani - Armani Night
livadia 6/8/2007 7:12:00 AM
This is a fragrance I got on a whim when I was bored stiff with all the classy, white-and-green scents I have also used. This scent is fab if you are looking for a slightly gourmand, woody oriental. The opening of the scent is almost fruity, what with the berries. But it quickly mellows down to one of the most feminine and bewitching fragrances ever. The peonies and lily-of-the-valley tempered the glorious magnolia to conjure the most well-balanced, subtly sexy scent that is gentle but never a wall-flower. That said, the scent is so well-mixed that there is no awkard progression from one stage to another - long after the scent has been spritzed and the woody base notes have set in, one can stil catch a whiff of the berries occasionally. The gourmand factor is also due in part to what smells like rhubarb to my nose, though there probably isn't any. This is similar to Burberry Brit Red, though slightly quieter and therefore, sexier, in my opinion.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No