Fragrances -The Body Shop - Magnolia edp
ChaiBliss 5/5/2004 5:24:00 PM
I wish I could write a more product-specific review, but this is such an awful scent that I can barely even think about it. I didn’t have it on for even five minutes before I became terribly nauseous and my head started pounding. It’s unlike any floral scent I’ve ever tried in that it makes me absolutely sick to be around! I can’t even describe the scent, it was so suffocating and strong. I will never, ever wear this again.
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Moisturizers -Doll Face Beauty Cocktails - Creamsicle Hydrating Eye Cream
ChaiBliss 5/5/2004 5:22:00 PM
I have a real love-hate relationship with this eye cream. I really like the fact that it seems to be the most moisturizing eye cream I have ever used. It contains rosehip seed oil, which, according to Doll Face, “facilitates hydration and vitality.” It also contains vitamins A, D, E, and B5, as well as chamomile and eyebright extracts. These all help to condition the skin and keep wrinkles at bay, which is great. I love an eye cream that’s both firming and moisturizing.
On the other hand, it’s almost too moisturizing to be used during the day, even though it says to do so if you wish. It’s so rich that it makes my undereye area look a little shiny. Though it seems to be doing an awesome job keeping the area supple, it seems some of the cream takes a while to sink in. Forget about applying concealer on top of it. The surface is just too moist to allow for any makeup. As a result, I only use this at night.
The box also says that the cream can be used to soften and nourish cuticles. I’ve tried doing this and it works wonderfully. Despite not being able to wear it under my makeup, I have to say that this is definitely one of the better eye creams I have tried.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Clinique - Water Therapy whipped body cream
ChaiBliss 5/5/2004 5:18:00 PM
This product is weak at best, and the packaging is full of half-truths that draw you to the product initially but leave you baffled after trying it. They need to replace the word "whipped" with "liquidy" and the word "cream" with "lotion"! And while this may be fragrance free, there is still an awful scent that lingers on the skin - it's tough to describe but it's a cross between Clinique's standard product scent and the smell of rotting, damp wood. My skin is dry enough to know the difference between being slightly supple and feeling "smooth as silk" as Clinique claims this accomplish. I've used $3 drugstore products that are more moisturizing. Want a real whipped body cream? Check out St. Ives instead.
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Lip Gloss -Bonne Bell - Smackers Splash 'n Shine
ChaiBliss 4/20/2004 6:00:00 PM
I tend to stay away from most BB stuff nowadays, with the exception of my beloved Dr. Pepper Lipsmacker, but I was after a stick balm so I just picked up the first thing I saw, which happened to be this. Surprisingly to me, it isn’t so bad. It’s not as moisturizing as a real heavy duty lip balm, but it does the trick in keeping my lips supple (if only for an hour or so). I don’t find it to be particularly shiny, so the name is a little bit misleading. I purchased Smooth Vanilla, which smells nothing like vanilla but lots like buttered popcorn. Not bad, but not great. I wouldn’t buy it again but I’ll use this up!
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Lotions/ Creams -TendSkin - Tend Skin
ChaiBliss 4/20/2004 5:54:00 PM
I’m a little late to the party (although there are only 7 reviews!), but I’ve finally discovered how great Tend Skin is! This stuff works really well. I had a bump underneath my arm from a pesky ingrown that was really starting to get irritated. Well, I decided to give Tend Skin a try. I dabbed a little bit on for a couple of days and the next thing I knew, both the irritation and the ingrown were gone! I can see how this might sting a little bit when first applied, but I honestly felt nothing at all, even on a freshly shaved area. A little expensive for something that is an aspirin based product, but if you can afford it and don't want to make your own every single time... just buy it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Laura Mercier - GrapeSeed Oil Body Scrub
ChaiBliss 4/20/2004 1:43:00 AM
Though I generally hate the scent of lavender, somehow this scrub doesn't bother me too much. I have to say it really does invoke images of an herbal garden somewhere by the Mediterranean. What I'm not particularly crazy about is the scrub itself, which feels a little harsh on my skin. It's not really a creamy scrub, and any moisture provided by the safflower seed and grapeseed oils seems to vanish by the time it hits the skin. The consistency of this stuff reminds me very much of St. Ives Apricot scrub for the face. It feels the same and LM's scrub even contains apricot powder. I received this as an extremely generous freebie from my amazing SA, but I would not purchase it on my own accord.
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Makeup Brushes -Laura Mercier - Mercury Rising Mini Brush Set
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:58:00 PM
I have needed some decent, high quality mini brushes for a while, so when my SA told me about this set, I decided to splurge. Packaged in a very pretty pearl zip up case, the set includes seven miniature brushes: cheek colour, camouflage powder, eye crease, eye colour, flat eye liner, secret camouflage, and lip colour. Each brush features a sturdy black handle bearing the LM logo, as well as the name of the brush. So far, they’ve proven to be excellent brushes – they hold up well, clean easily, and are soft and pick up just the right amount of product. I do wish the cheek colour brush was a bit larger, but as it’s a mini set, I guess I can’t complain too much about that. The case is gorgeous and features a small pocket that conveniently fits the Mercury Rising Face Paints palette! The set is $100 and is limited edition at NM.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -MMU Cosmetics - Iced Melon Slush Honey and Milk Body Wash
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:57:00 PM
What a yummy scent! I ordered this because it sounded perfect for these warmer months, and I am really pleased with it. While I wouldn’t say this smells just like a melon slush or anything, it definitely is a strong, true melon scent. It’s not too sweet, either! Let me tell you… there’s nothing better than chilling this in the fridge and then using it. Combined with the cool, fresh scent of melon, it makes for a great way to cool down on a hot day!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -MMU Cosmetics - Rice Cinnamon Pudding
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:55:00 PM
I don’t know how MMU does it, but this somehow smells just like Kozy Shack rice pudding! It’s not too heavy on the cinnamon, so it’s not an overly spicy scent. Instead, it’s sweet, with a sugary note and the smell of milky rice pudding. I can’t describe it well at all, but if you have tried rice pudding, this is it in lotion form. I have this in the Silk Body Luster, but I’m sure it would be wonderful in just about anything! My only complaint is that it’s not very strong, even in the strongest intensity.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -MMU Cosmetics - Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake & Vanilla Wafers
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:54:00 PM
In my endless quest to find a pumpkin scented lotion that actually smells like the real thing, I've taken to having scents custom blended in an effort to design the scent myself. My latest choice was a blend of Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake and Vanilla Wafers. I’ll say first that it still isn’t what I’m looking for. Nevertheless, this is a really, really nice scent, and probably the best pumpkin scent I’ve tried so far! It reminds me a tiny bit of SP’s Pumpkin Pie Filling, but this is a lot sweeter. I can smell that wonderful pumpkin pie cheesecake scent, touched by a hint of cinnamon, but in this combo, the creamy scent of vanilla tempers down the spiciness and makes it smell a lot better to my nose. The scent is strong and really lasts.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Laura Mercier - Mimosa Gel Body Wash
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:53:00 PM
Though I’m a huge fan of the majority of LM’s bath and body line, the Mimosa scent has failed to impress me. Maybe it’s just not my type of scent. It’s pleasant enough – fresh, clean, a little green, slightly lemony. But it strikes me as kind of a dull fragrance, definitely not worthy of being a part of LM’s high end line. The gel itself is pretty good. It’s thick, lathers well, and even works okay for shaving. I just prefer the Gourmande line to the Mediterranean collection. If you like earthy, green scents or even florals, this may well appeal to you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -A Zaftig Woman - Mexican Cocoa Shower Gel
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:52:00 PM
This is the first shower gel from AZW that I’ve tried, and thus far, I’m really pleased with it. Mexican Cocoa is such a unique twist to the usual standard chocolate scent. This is a blend of chocolate and cinnamon, and the result is a sweet, equal blend of the two. I find that the chocolate note is more pronounced when simply sniffing the gel from the bottle, but once it foams up, the spicy cinnamon note is much more evident. I really like this scent, but I’m not as crazy about the gel itself. It’s a little too liquidy for my tastes; I usually prefer something thicker and creamier. It does lather well, but due to its watery consistency, I seem to lose some of the gel when I pour it into my hand.
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Lip Gloss -Unlisted Brand - Not Soap, Radio Cocktail Party Lip Gloss – Amaretto
ChaiBliss 4/19/2004 7:51:00 PM
This is an adorable little cube of gloss that I picked up on a whim at my salon recently. The amaretto scent is very true with its strong almond note. In the cube, the gloss looks to be a sparkly golden beige. When applied, it shows up as a sheer gold gloss with a slight hint of shimmer. It’s a great topper for dark lipsticks, and looks really pretty worn alone, too. The scent doesn’t last very long, but the gloss itself is surprisingly moisturizing and long lasting. It also has a slightly cooling effect on my lips, almost like a mint gloss would. The cube, which snaps open, also features a cute, tiny, square mirror inside the lid. Perhaps not worth $10, but at least I’ll be using this up!
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Lotions/ Creams -MMU Cosmetics - Maple Nut Sticky Bun
ChaiBliss 4/18/2004 5:39:00 PM
I can almost always count on MMU to come up with a yummy and wearable dessert scent that won't turn on my skin. This is another that smells exactly like its name - a totally decadent sticky bun topped with maple syrup and nuts. The combination is very nearly perfect, and the scent is strong and lasts for hours. When I first sniffed this directly from the bottle, I thought it smelled similar to Philosophy Cinnamon Buns. It's definitely in the same vein, but after applying it and allowing it to dry down, it seemed to be more of a pancake-type scent, due no doubt to that yummy syrupy fragrance.
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Lotions/ Creams -MMU Cosmetics - Italian Panettone
ChaiBliss 4/18/2004 5:33:00 PM
This smells great, but it does not smell a thing like Panettone! On first sniff, I detected a very strong orange note (not really a strong citrusy scent, but something similar to orange soda), followed by a slight note of candied maraschino cherry. I have had a shamefully generous amount of Panettone over the years, and this is just not it. It seems to be lacking something - perhaps the slightly sweet fresh bread scent, or the hint of nutty pecan crunch. Regardless, I really like this scent. I just think it should be called Orange Soda instead!
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