Conditioner -Dove - New Dove Advanced Color Care Conditioner for Lightened or Highlighted Hair 
darkharbour 4/27/2007 8:39:00 AM
Not nearly rich and nurturing enough for foiled hair. My hair feels strawlike.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Dove - Advanced Color Care for Lightened or Highlighted Hair 
darkharbour 4/27/2007 8:38:00 AM
What can I say other than "meh"? No terrible, not great. OK, light smell. Does not strip but seems rather harsh to use daily.
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Fragrances -Parfums de Coeur - Body Fantasies Cotton Candy
darkharbour 4/20/2007 8:48:00 AM
Well, I am an old ("mature"?) reviewer. 50 years mature, in fact. I am wearing this today. I do find that it is berry-like and quite sweet, but that is exactly what cotton candy smells like to me -- at least at the fairs I go to. Whether you like this or not is a matter of personal taste. I bought a small bottle on a whim at a dollar store. For the price, it was a fine, feminine bottle of pink juice that smells like cotton candy. I would not wear this every day, nor would I wear it to a gala function. But it's fun for what it is -- a throw away fragrance that is not terribly serious,a bit of a hoot, and quite girly. I did not buy this to impress or lure a man, by the way. I am quite settled in that regard. This was just a fun adventure for me.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Fleurs de Citronnier
darkharbour 4/16/2007 9:48:00 AM
I found that this really worked with my chemistry, much better than his orange flower. I keep thinking: This is so pretty. And it has lasted. Floral-citrus. Clean and fresh. No real strong lemony element, no tart zinginess. It is sweet, but subtle. And -- pretty!
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Fragrances -La Maison de la Vanille - Vanille Noire du Mexique
darkharbour 4/10/2007 9:25:00 AM
This is utterly gourmand, sweet, velvety, and rich. The vanilla in this is a bit more buttery (more "french vanilla") than many. It does not smell like you spritzed on vanilla extract. The base notes are rich and chocolatey. It smells like a decadent dessert, and keeps on going strong, with only a little fading. The scent stays true, perhaps getting a bit more coffee-like as time progresses. Major gripe: the silver enamel on the bottles peels and chips and leaves glitter on your hands.
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Fragrances -Ava Luxe - Absinthe
darkharbour 4/3/2007 2:32:00 PM
Ew. Camphory and medicinal. Bitter. Smells like the wormwood plant -- too much so.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara
darkharbour 3/29/2007 4:45:00 PM
Utterly annoyed with this product. It lengthens and thickens, for sure, but no more than products from the drugstore. It is highly perfumed and made my eyes sting -- what were they thinking putting so much perfume in a mascara? It flaked. And, for the piece de resistance, one day, I attempted to use it and the product had globbed all over the brush, so that it looked like a paint roller covered in black paint. I couldn't even see the bristles. And I live in a cold climate -- the heat didn't get to it. There was no wiping or cleaning it. For the money, it is hardly worth it. An expensive mistake.
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Fragrances -Frederic Malle - Lys Mediterranee
darkharbour 3/28/2007 9:59:00 AM
Exuberant, floral, exotic and yet fresh. A fews years ago, I ordered a moonlight garden kit of mixed flower seeds. The flowers were mostly white and emitted pervasive nocturnal perfumes. The blossoms glowed in the moonlight. It was haunting, mysterious, lovely -- a fairy garden. Bees, moths, hummingbirds, and butterflies danced among the blooms. Against the stone walls, I had planted stargazer lilies and enormous white datura. This perfume reminds me achingly of that garden. The summer of the moonlight garden. The heady scent of lilies, datura, and night scented stock. I get no marine notes, thankfully. Perhaps a salty whisper, but no iodine. This is stunningly lovely and richly floral. I adore it.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Kiehls - Ultra Facial Moisturizer
darkharbour 3/21/2007 4:38:00 PM
Pretty basic but good moisturizer, that costs a lot for what it is. It is a nice, thick rich cream that hydrates and smoothes. No irritation. Good, serviceable, boring product. I would not repurchase given the price, and the fact that I can find rich creams at the ds for far less.
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Arabie
darkharbour 3/19/2007 12:31:00 PM
This would be wonderful -- for someone else. I am reminded of mincemeat pie or plum pudding. I can smell dried fruits, dark honey, citron, spices, a dash of vanilla, and maybe even some brandy. There is a somewhat smoky background that reminds me of old wood and churches -- possibly due to the beeswaxy smell of the honey element. This stays very close to the skin, remarkably, not a powerhouse in terms of sillage. Perhaps in the months of November and December I might enjoy wearing this more.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Dove - Cream Oil Shower
darkharbour 3/4/2007 4:29:00 PM
Utterly rich, luxurious and smoothing. This applies like a facial cream cleanser that is meant to be rinsed off. You can achieve a low suds, creamy lather if you work at it. It is winter in northern New England, and today I did not need lotion after my shower on my 50 year old skin. I even shaved my legs. Smells like Dove soap.
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Fragrances -Tabu - Tabu by Dana cologne splash
darkharbour 2/21/2007 2:26:00 PM
Tabu, if you were the product of Serge Lutens or Ava Luxe, the world would love you. Instead, you are synonomous with chintz and cheap, and lurk on the lower shelves of mass market stores. Tabu is a powerful fragrance, which must not be applied lavishly. Instead, it must be kissed against one, two, but no more than three pulse points. Perhaps between the breasts, the hollow of the throat, and lightly on the backs of the knees. The result is a warm, spicy, fiery scent of incense and civet. Very long lasting. Not for a garden party. It was conceived and developed as the scent of a "putana" or, prostitute. It does not smell especially whorish to me. It may be sexy to some, but I also find it to be weirdly evocative of more contemplative moods, with an Indian sitar playing a soothing accompanyment. It is the scent of an exotic place.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Redken - Color Extend Shampoo
darkharbour 2/5/2007 3:15:00 PM
Very nice, highly conditioning shampoo that smells terrific. I am not sure if it truly keeps your color longer, but my fading seems to be reduced. My hair feels soft and it is shiny and smooth.
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Lip Gloss -Unlisted Brand - Savvy Crystals Lip Gloss Sheers
darkharbour 2/5/2007 3:07:00 PM
As noted, these are, well, sheer. (Hence the name?) I have the red one and it only gives the slightest blush tint to my lips. It is barely pigmented. However, the texture of this gloss is superior to many I have tried. It is dense, and relatively long lasting for a syrupy gloss such as this. The shine is amazing -- like clear vinyl. The taste is mild, and somewhat melon-like. (Jolly Ranchers?) The truly wonderful thing is that this gloss is completely non-sticky. It is also quite moisturizing and heals chapped lips.
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Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Night Cream
darkharbour 1/1/2007 7:02:00 AM
This is an new and improved version of another d/c'd Neutrogena product. I was looking to replace my RoC, and saw that this was less expensive. I took the plunge. I am 49, and will turn 50 in six months. My skin is pretty good overall. This stuff is really good. It has no fragrance, it is very light, melts right in, and does its thing. Now, I would be skeptical about DEEP wrinkles, but fines lines are far less noticeable. Make sure you use SPF 15 or higher during the day. My skin feels soft, smooth, and has a soft sheen.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No