Blush -Cargo - Gotham
smellslikeleaves 6/19/2005 12:33:00 AM
I gotta echo the recent reviews...this blush looked so gorgeous in the pan, and has gotten such great reviews here, but on my cheeks it's just meh. Perhaps this looks fantabulous on the PPP's, but not on this dark-haired, dark-eyed Eurasian FFF. It doesn't enhance my features that much, or give me a lovely flushed glow, as the best blushes do. The pigment and quality of the blush were fine (as with all Cargo blushes), but the color simply does nothing for me.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Creed - 2000 Fleurs
smellslikeleaves 6/17/2005 3:46:00 PM
A pretty, fresh, youthful floral bouquet which reminds me of AG Petite Cherie. Cute, but not my thing.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Creed - Jasmal
smellslikeleaves 6/16/2005 3:54:00 PM
This began with a sharp, heady, animalistic jasmine similar to that of SL A La Nuit. Unfortunately, instead of getting better with the drydown, it got worse--stale, sharp, and green. I have a lot of trouble with jasmine on my skin, and this is no exception. I wanted to love this since I grew up idolizing Natalie Wood (my mother's favorite actress), and I share a birthday with her. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. AG Le Jasmin remains my favorite jasmine.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - The Different Company - Bergamote
smellslikeleaves 6/15/2005 4:48:00 PM
The Divine Bergamote opened with fresh green notes, bergamot, and a kick of ginger, smelling like a lemon and ginger seasoned Vietnamese dish. It's herbal and spicy. Then it softened so much that I could barely smell anything at all. At this phase I figured that it had disappeared altogether. But then a new fragrance emerged from the remains of the old, and it justified the adjective "divine"--the sweetest, juiciest, most incredible orange fragrance I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. There was just a touch of woods and musk, and a lovely tart rhubarb to add some depth, but the orange really shined. Since I was disappointed with Keiko Mecheri's Sanguine (which I found too flat and musky), I'm thrilled to find an orange scent which I adore. The lasting power is only 3-4 hours, but the beauty of the fragrance more than justifies a purchase (as well as the high, high price). During these sweltering, uncomfortably humid days in New York City, this fragrance is so bright and refreshing that it instantly enlivens my spirit. The official notes: Bergamot, hesperidium, precious woods, ginger, orange flower, green leaf, rhubard wood, musk.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Nanadebary - Green
smellslikeleaves 6/14/2005 1:43:00 AM
I wanted to like a Nanadebary for a very silly reason--I love the bottle, featuring its sexy cosmopolitan vixen wearing thigh high black stockings, stilettos, and a come-hither stare. The bottle holds so much sensual promise, but I've yet to find that promise completely fulfilled. Nutmeggy Pink did not work on me, and although I have not tried Bronze on my skin, it smelled far too sweet for my personal taste on the tester strip. So I thought that perhaps Green would be the Nanadebary for me. After all, green is my favorite color! But alas, I was SO disappointed by Green. At least the other two had a modicum of sex appeal. Green has none whatsoever! A mild, crisp basil and green tea scent which vanished after an hour. Perfectly serviceable and nonoffensive, an appropriate work scent, but SO BORING. Instead of black thigh-high stockings, I got waist-high white cotton underpants. Bah! Talk about false advertising.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Ormonde Jayne - Sampaquita
smellslikeleaves 6/14/2005 12:46:00 AM
I have a true weakness for tropical flowers--some of my past favorites include the original CSP Tiare, PdN Juste un Reve, and Monyette Paris. So this lovely fragrance is right up my alley. The opening notes were fizzy, bright, and grassy with prominent tropical-fruity lychee and bergamot. At this point, I thought, "Hmm, pleasant, but nothing special...it reminds me of Gucci Envy Me and other fragrances of that ilk." Oh, but then the lush florals made their dramatic entrance: the sweet, lemony magnolia (perfectly captured, recalling the blooming magnolia tree of my childhood home, unlike all the other magnolia scents I've tried thus far), creamy jasmine, and delicate, cristalline water lily. Thankfully I didn't get much muguet, which usually turns sharply green or annoyingly soapy on my skin. Finally, my favorite part was the drydown (as with most of the OJ's I've tried): a gorgeous, richly layered earthy melange of spice, moss, and woods to add depth to the heartbreakingly beautiful floral notes. Far more complex than just a pretty floral, this composition somehow manages to be lush and tropical but not overwhelmingly heady. It reminds me of one of my early perfume loves, Juste un Reve by Parfums de Nicolai. It's a truly divine, complex, sexy skin scent which makes me want to nuzzle my own wrist. This tropical fragrance is just perfect for these humid summer days in New York City, which is probably part of the reason I'm loving it so much right now. The lasting power for the EDP is about average on me at 6 hours. I find Sampy much more compelling than OJ's humdrum Osmanthus (which was much more like a boring, typical department store fruity floral in the drydown). Although OJ's Frangipane Absolute was stunningly lush and gorgeous, I found the buttery aspect slightly bothersome. Thus, Sampaquita is currently my favorite of the OJ's I've tried (although I suspect this may be subject to change), and very high up on my list of future must-haves. Who knows...perhaps this will be my wedding scent, as others have mentioned that this is the OJ fragrance of choice for many brides. But I have to find a fiance first!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bond No.9 - Hamptons
smellslikeleaves 6/10/2005 3:30:00 PM
I have never been to the Hamptons and don't know much about the place (other than its fame as a getaway for New Yorkers), but apparently some view it as an extension of New York. Its reputation is too posh for my personal taste...but if I ever end up dating an investment banker instead of a starving artist/graduate student, I'll let you know if I think this fragrance captures the spirit of the Hamptons. This is the new fragrance from the Bond No.9 line; there's a tester now available at Saks. Immediately after spritzing, I was strongly reminded of Bond 9's Wall Street with similar green sea vegetal and marine/ozone notes, although this version is softer and more feminine. The linden and sage are detectable as well. The marine note then calms down as light florals and woods become more prominent, as well as the typical Bond 9 slightly sour musk. The list of notes implies that this is a strongly floral composition, however on my wrist, the flowers are very light and hardly noticeable (except the linden and a touch of jasmine). It's definitely more of a salty ocean air/grassy beach kind of smell. While this is pleasant, and one of the better Bonds, I'm not a fan of fragrances with strong marine/ozone notes. The only water fragrances I've really liked were those from Christopher Brosius' I Hate Perfume store in Brooklyn, which are remarkably authentic, and lacking those harsh marine/ozone notes (my favorites are Mediterranean, Wet Pavement, and Petal on Water). However, if you want a nice alternative to Cool Water or Aqua di Gio, this is definitely one to try. Official Notes --> Top notes: Lime blossom, bigarade oil (from the bitter-orange flower), bergamot, and bracing armoise oil, with overtones of cedar and sage. Heart notes: magnolia, white jasmine and Turkish rose. Base notes: amber, sandalwood and cashmere musk.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - Jicky
smellslikeleaves 6/10/2005 3:04:00 PM
I had tried Jicky in EDT concentration before, and was less than impressed...it seemed quite harsh and strange. The parfum version, as often with Guerlains, was a different animal altogether. It began with herbaceous notes of lavender and rosemary with just a touch of lemon, reminding me of many visits to botanical gardens over the years. This phase was very cool, crisp, and no-nonsense. Then it softened and deepened in the drydown as the woods and vanilla became prominent. This phase was truly stunning, and captivated my interest. Jicky is quite cool, remote, solitary, contemplative. It evokes quiet and stillness. The lavender and vanilla are soothing, but there's a bit of underlying darkness which makes it so intriguing...sort of like a white, fluffy cloud with a dark, ominous underside. I could easily imagine women at the turn of the last century wearing this complex classic, as they hid their figures under voluminous folds of fabric, tightly buttoned up coats, in addition to hats and veils and gloves. I can also see why many find Jicky to be an appropriate scent for work. There's nothing brash or crude here, and it's so breathtakingly sophisticated. But it's not a perfume of fussy feminity either; a man could wear this as well as a woman. Weirdly enough, I decided that it must be accompanied with good posture--shoulders back, chin lifted. Jicky is certainly a masterpiece from the house of Guerlain, and I hope the reformulation rumors are wrong...because any alteration of Aime's much-admired creation would be a shame, not to mention highly disrespectful of his artistry. For a cheapie, much simpler alternative, Bath and Body Works' lavender vanilla from its aromatherapy line is pretty nice...however it lacks the dark undercurrent of Jicky. It's just the fluffy white cloud.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -MAC - Hue-Turquatic ] 
smellslikeleaves 6/9/2005 3:35:00 PM
This just smells like sour musky grapefruit to me. Blech. I much prefer YSL In Love Again, KM Hanae, or KM Grenades for a similar kind of fragrance.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - L-eau de l-Artisan
smellslikeleaves 6/9/2005 3:21:00 PM
Pretty but unremarkable. It's the non-floral version of La Chasse. Very light, fresh, minty lemon, which makes me think of sitting outside on a hot summer day, sipping iced tea in the shade. It's unisex, but has a sparkling quality which would make it easy for a woman to wear. While this is nice, I wouldn't pay the full price when there are so many cheap options for a similar effect.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -MAC - Hue -Violetrix
smellslikeleaves 6/9/2005 12:08:00 PM
I was excited that MAC was releasing a new violet perfume, but this sorely disappointed me. It's a very sweet, fruity violet with a plasticky quality, similar to the Bath and Body Works violet bouquet line. Its sweetness also reminds me of Caron Aimez Moi, although that one is much nicer. As a fan of woody and green violets, as opposed to sweet or powdery violets, I didn't care for Violetrix at all.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Liners -MAC - Subculture
smellslikeleaves 6/6/2005 5:45:00 PM
This is my exact lipcolor (quite pigmented) in pencil form. So versatile. I find the texture creamy, with no dragging problems. My absolute favorite lipliner.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Miller et Bertaux 3 green green green and green
smellslikeleaves 6/1/2005 3:57:00 PM
I must quote from the previous reviewer: "It's as though as the creator thought up every note that evoked the scent of "green" and combined them into this scrumptuous fragrance." Exactly. In general, I'm not a fan of "green" fragrances, which usually turn very sharp and sour on me. But this is a gorgeous, bright, fresh, springy green which evokes a sunny day in a garden--twigs, newly sprouted leaves, herbs, citrus, grass, and granny smith apples, grounded with a woody drydown. It's sparkly, invigorating, and oh so pleasant. Of all the fragrances I've tried, it's most similar to Hermes Un Jardin sur Le Nil (with its green mango note), but this is certainly its own (very green) animal. Lasting power is 4-5 hours on me. Unsure about shelling out for a full 100 mL bottle, but I'd love a decant. This is the perfect green spring/summer scent for outdoor excursions.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Coppertone - Oil Free Faces SPF 30
smellslikeleaves 5/31/2005 4:43:00 PM
I like the texture of this, and I like how moisturizing it is. I like how it disappears into the skin without leaving a white cast. However, there are three major strikes. It irritates my eyes, it makes my face greasy, and worst of all, it clogs my pores and breaks me out despite being oil-free and supposedly noncomodonegic. Ah well. The search for the perfect sunscreen continues.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Cumming
smellslikeleaves 5/28/2005 4:47:00 PM
The top notes are truly hideous, a nose-searing combination of burnt rubber and rubbing alcohol. But the drydown is surprisingly pleasant--whiskey, tobacco, moss, and leather. It's the scent of that old-money guy at leisure, who dons a velvet robe, has a cigar in his mouth, and a drink in his hand. I find it quite sexy, actually. It's not really my thing, but guys or adventurous women could certainly make quite the impression with this cheeky perfume. As for the name...well, it's his name! And I happen to be a fan of Alan and his saucy sense of humor.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No