Fragrances -Molinard - Nirmala
Alicina 10/1/2007 7:29:00 AM
I TOTALLY agree with SpinDiva's review below; I am a former deadhead / hippie who is all grown up now, but certain smells still bring back those happy, peaceful feelings from my past. This is one of them because to me it smells exactly like this grapefruity incense I used to burn in my bedroom called "Peace of Mind". I found this and sampled it yesterday at Aedes in the West Village, where it was in a beautiful purple crystal bottle with a long atomizer. That one retails for about $200. Then I found the same product this morning from scentiments.com for $19.99--3.4 oz edt--just sans the fancy bottle. Now THAT's a savings! I just hope the one from scentiments is the real thing... (p.s. I rated ths price "3" and packaging quality "3" because it depends--if you buy this at Aedes.com then these are both 5's! If you buy at scentiments then it's a 1!)
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Fragrances -Clive Christian - X for Women
Alicina 9/10/2007 8:18:00 PM
Gucci Rush. Hands down. You do not need to spend the extra $ on this! Buy Gucci Rush and just TELL people you wear Clive Christian X--they will never know, I'm telling you!!! Yes it's sexy--my husband said I smelled good--but that just tells me I need to break out my old bottle of Rush again. Save your money (but tell people you wear X b/c it sounds more glam!)
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Clive Christian - No. 1 for women
Alicina 9/10/2007 8:14:00 PM
I just tried this on at Saks on 5th Ave. in NYC; the sales rep told me this is what Katie Holmes wore when she married Tom Cruise. It is the perfect scent for her new style; I bet she wears this all the time. I'm totally jealous and I would totally buy it but it freaking costs like $750 so I will never own this, alas. Too bad. It smells good--nothing too special but I can't say anything bad about it either. It's just so glamorous! Chic chic chic; the scent reminded me of the Hotel Majestic Roma (which is right next to the Hotel de Russie or whatever where the Holmes-Cruises like to stay in Rome). I guess you just have to pay this price for such a level of exclusivity. UPDATE: Everyone keeps saying they get Jasmine and Sandalwood from this one...that might've been earlier in the drydown for me but right now, 3 hours later, it's lush, fresh roses on me, with a tiny touch of powder and berries!
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Lips -Laura Mercier - Lip Stain in Mulberry
Alicina 8/22/2007 7:37:00 PM
Love!!! Just what I've been looking for !!! I pat it on with my fingers and it makes my lips look full and lovely. I have dark brown hair and eyes but light olive skin (wear bobbi brown stick foundation in Sand) and this is seriously my perfect color. It's a perfect compromise for me with my anti-lipstick/gloss husband, who doesn't like anything that looks show-girly or comes off on him. This is just sexy, classy, refined and lovely. I love the "hot french woman" comparison below. Totally!!! by the way this stain is as at home with jeans and a hoodie as it would be paired with a dramatic eye for evening. Love!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Maybelline - Shiny-licious Jam'n Jelly Lip Gloss
Alicina 8/9/2007 10:34:00 PM
I LOVE this!!! First of all the color is a sheer creamy raspberry that's translucent (not shimmery)--it makes my lips look full and perfect. I think it does this by giving me an even, milky kind of coverage--not full coverage, and not sheer either. I was impressed with the amount of pigment for a drugstore product. And I LOVE the applicator--it's slim, slanted and made of the same fuzzy stuff at the end of lipgloss wands that you dip in the gloss. The gloss squirts out a hole in the fuzzy wand and you put it on your lips that way--I'm very impressed with the precision of the applicator and the ease with which you can control exactly how much or how little product you apply. (I like this MUCH better than the rounded plastic tips that you find on L'oreal lipgloss--it makes a huge difference). I wear this gloss with MAC plum liner and it looks phenomenal on me--for reference I am light olive skinned with dark brown hair and eyes. It's a great pretty lip for fall! I went back today and bought this in another color--cola, a natural pink with the same milky non shimmery consistency. I like the cola but not nearly as much as the jam'n jelly!! And I actually find the grape flavor of the jam'n jely quite appealing--it reminds me of grape kool aid!!! And the flavor/smell fades quickly so you don't have to taste it all day. One last thing--I love how long wearing this gloss is. At the same time it is not nearly as sticky as other glosses, yet sticky enough to stay on your lips and not bleed or smear at the slightest touch. Every brunette with my coloring should own this and wear it with teh MAC plum liner. I'm telling you, it's a hot look!!!
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Lipstick -Shiseido - The Makeup Shimmering Lipstick SL4
Alicina 7/27/2007 4:19:00 PM
Kama is right on with her review--I just have to add that I bought this yesterday and I LOVE it. I've been wearing it with a Rimmel glossy liner in the same color but you don't even really need liner because I swear this stuff doesn't smear or budge. Still it feels like nothing at all, isn't sticky, shimmers without looking teeny-bopper-y (or feeling gritty), is moisturizing, and lasts a very long time. All in all this is a total holy grail product for me!
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Styling Products -TiGi - Bedhead Creative Genius
Alicina 7/10/2007 7:53:00 PM
I'm on my 2nd bottle of this after I found that nothing else could scrunch my slightly wavy hair up into decent looking curls that stay. Then I saw a picture of myself from a few years back on a trip to Italy and remembered that I brought this stuff with me, and my hair looked great on that trip. This stuff is great for slicking hair into a low, "French Riviera" style knot or pony. Then for scrunching, my fine wavy hair takes to this stuff like activator, and before I know it I have a head full of curly waves that stay and stay. The downside is the pina colada smell (not just coconut--I smell cheap pineapple too!) and the bizarre packaging, which is IMPOSSIBLE to travel with (I had to tape the lid on to bring this to Europe). Basically in my opinion this is a good summer essential for either scrunched or slick styles that stay. I would definitely NOT use this for blow drying because I agree with the others that it's too sticky! It also doesn't work well on dry hair; you have to put it on your hair when it's really wet. Others have said it makes hands sticky: I agree! But it's nothing too annoying. Others have also said it takes the shine out of your hair; I have not had that problem! Overall I would buy it again but only for the purposes I've already stated: slicking and scrunching in hot and humid weather!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Bobbi Brown - Stonewashed Nudes [DISCONTINUED]
Alicina 7/6/2007 5:48:00 PM
I love this!!! I was having a grumpy day (the makeup artist at Blue Mercury, Janet, told me I was feeling "punky") and I needed a boost. This provided it!! I have dark brown hair and brown eyes, and fair olive skin, and I'm always looking for something to bring out my eyes and brighten up my look. When Janet did my eyes they just popped!! The look is classy, refined, clean, but significant: that is, you can tell that I have makeup on (but not too much). I love this!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Bumble & Bumble - Super Rich Conditioner
Alicina 5/22/2007 4:50:00 PM
This works especially well for me as an everyday conditioner paired with my Kerastase Bain Satin 3. I've found that the Kerastase daily conditioners don't do enough for my long, damaged hair, and the Masquintense and Age Recharge Masque are too intense for daily (or every couple days as it may be) use. I found this conditioner as a sample I got from Blue Mercury, and I 'm just so happy with the results. My hair is smooth and air dried well with a minimum of products (just some B&B Tonic on my scalp for soothing b/c it's oily and flaky) and some Fekkai Summer Quenching Gelee on my ends (b/c they're extra dry). I will update this review if something changes but right now I am very happy with the B&B super rich conditioner-- it is the thickest stuff I have ever felt (thicker than Masquintense!) and so the product must be very concentrated. Even though it is expensive, it's seriously the most concentrated conditioner I know of , so you probably don't need as much. And I like the smell-- it's super subtle, but very "just stepped out of a salon"! :)
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Fragrances -Tocca - Cleopatra EDP
Alicina 5/4/2007 4:08:00 PM
I just bought this fragrance after falling in love with it at first sniff (a rarity for me!! Only has happened a handful of times in the past, most recently with Chanel's "Bois Des Iles"). I didn't know what the notes were; it was no surprise then to open the box and find that this fragrance includes many of my favorite notes, like amber, jasmine, tuberose and vanilla. I was also sooo pleased to see that it was inspired by the "mediterranean seductress"; that's exactly my style inspiration! (think Sofia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Claudia Cardinale) A very sexy fragrance; unique in that I would call it a floral skin-scent. It smells floral, but like sexy skin at the same time. Rare. I bought the body lotion and wash to layer, because I am in LOVE! $68 for 1.7 fl oz/ 50 ml. Description from Tocca.com is as follows: Tocca’s perfumers have re-interpreted our most popular scents to create a breathtaking family of unique fine fragrances. Combining elements from our classic scents with unexpected yet complementary notes, our eau de parfum are beautifully unique and yet quintessentially Tocca. Inspired by the Mediterranean seductress, Tocca’s Cleopatra eau de parfum captivates the senses. Fresh and sparkling grapefruit and lush greens fade into accords of sensual white jasmine and tuberose, leaving an exotic, rich dry down of warm patchouli, golden amber and rich vanilla musk
12 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Avene - Cleansing and Make-Up Remover Micellar Lotion
Alicina 4/12/2007 3:25:00 PM
I just bought this and I love it! Did anyone else notice that it has sodium hualuronate in it? That's hyaluronic acid, right, which is good for plumping? Another big plus is that it is paraben-free. It took all my makeup off and de-greased my nose. As someone with sensitive but oily and breakout prone skin, I was happy to find a sensitive-skin cleansing product that doesn't automatically assume that sensitive=dry. My face feels fresh and clean; not tight. I respect what others have said about the fragrance; however they must be ultra-sensitive. I am not--I don't have rosacea or anything. Just skin that seems not to like most of what I put on it! :) I applied the product with a cvs oval cotton pad and then followed with a spray of avene thermal spring water, which I then wiped off with another pad.
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Styling Products -Bumble & Bumble - Surf Spray
Alicina 3/28/2007 10:48:00 PM
Save your money!!! I figured out how to make this at home. Here's what to do: go to the drugstore and buy an empty spray bottle and some epsom salts. At home fill the bottle about 1/3 full with epsom salts and fill the rest of the way with warm water (leave a little bit of room at the top if you plan on adding anything else for conditioning or fragrance; I think a couple drops of jojoba oil or coconut oil might be nice; any other essential oils could be used for fragrance). I just tried it on my hair and I have the same salty, matte, cruncy beachy type of texture that the others are describing here at a fraction of the price (around $3.50 for the bottle and $2.50 for 1/2 gallon of epsom salts). By the way, one of the main ingredients in Bumble Surf Spray is magnesium sulfate, and guess what that is: epsom salts!! There's no reason not to make this at home! EDIT: My recipe was a little heavy on the salt--whenever I touched my hair, little salt crystals fell all over me, and they STING and itch!! Try this recipe instead: 8 oz bottle, put 2 tsp. salt (i used table salt this time) and 2 squirts of gel (I used 1 squirt Dove shine & define and one squirt of TIGI creative genius). This works great--just like Fekkai Summer Hair wave spray. And no itching!!!
36 out of 41 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Stella McCartney - CARE Discover Set
Alicina 3/6/2007 11:29:00 PM
Just a note to the person below who recommends using Alba Botanica products instead: I read the backs of all the skin care packages at Whole Foods and Alba is one "natural" brand that still uses parabens as preservatives. Parabens are harmful, cancer causing compounds that are not present in many natural skincare products (for example, my Aubrey Organics Rosa Mosqueta face moisturizer does not have them). So buyer be warned: not all products marked as "natural" really are. You still have to read the labels!!
5 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Dr. Bronner's - Almond Castille Soap
Alicina 3/6/2007 11:16:00 PM
HG!!! I love this stuff. (If my score looks low it's b/c I'm not in love with the weird hippie-ish packaging. But whatever, it's worth it for the product) Awesome body wash, amazing smell; moisturizing (even in this extremely harsh freezing winter); makes a milky, scented bath; gentle enough to cleanse my face with; natural and free of parabens and other junk that cause cancer and such. After cleansing with this I moisturize with pure coconut oil and I smell good enough to eat--literally!! My dogs today couldn't stop licking my feet and ankles after my bath! :) p.s. I bought the pepperment scent for my hubby to use in the shower; he loves "tingly" things and this fits the bill for sure. We'll see what he thinks!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Clairol - Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Shampoo
Alicina 2/22/2007 9:07:00 PM
The smell of this shampoo/conditioner combo is phenomenal! It makes me happy in these cold rainy mucky end of winter days. I feel like a surf queen; it's what I bet Jack Johnson's wife smells like. Also, these two products don't have any parabens in them, which is awesome; I cannot say the same for even some health food store products (like Nature's Gate) -- so I get the cute and pretty smelling hair of a "real" (i.e. not-health-food) shampoo/conditioner, without the guilt of using parabens which are bad for my body. Perfect!! It's love. UPDATE: I quickly found that this stuff made my hair dull and the ends rough. I ended up cutting my hair a couple of days after I bought it. So I'm lowering the score!! The shampoo does make a decent smelling bubble bath, though. (I'm not putting it on my hair ever again so I figured I'd try it in the tub!) too bad about the hair because I love the scent. :(
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