Lipstick -Vincent Longo - Lip Stain Foolish Virgin
DianeL 2/21/2004 9:03:00 PM
VL makes the best lipstain you can buy as far as I am concerned. Foolish Virgin is my favorite with Nolita close behind. Foolish Virgin is perfect for me and is a soft, natural looking mauve pink that does not shout *pink*. It is creamy, has plenty of pigment and never dries my lips out. This is a staple in my makeup collection.
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Bois Farine
DianeL 2/21/2004 8:46:00 PM
Since this new fragrance from my favorite fragrance house has been described so well by the reviewers below, I won't repeat what they have so eloquently written. I expected to adore this fragance. I was expecting something similar to Rahat Loukoum not hamster cage cedar. I am no fan of woody, masculine fragrances and this was no exception. My first thought when I wore it was that it was like a SL fragrance and that is was very masculine. I smelled no almond at all. None! On my skin it went to cedary wood and never changed. A huge disappoint as I had just found a winner with Dinner By Bobo and had high expectations. So much so that I bought 3 bottles unsniffed which ended up being sold on Ebay. I hope this is not a trend with L'Artisan as I always rely on them to have new frgrances that I love.
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Other -Unlisted Brand - Alora Ambiance in Due
DianeL 1/2/2004 10:27:00 PM
I love Alora diffusers. First of all, they really do work. Granted, they are pricey but if you turn the sticks weekly they will scent a room for about 6 months. Also I like the fact that they are not too heavy, just perfect to make a bedroom smell fabulous but not annoy you while you are sleeping. I also like the appearance, very classy. Due is my favorite, with Isola a close second. Due reminds me of a lot of L'Artisan's Linden room fragrance. It contains Ylang Ylang, cucumber and jasmine. Here is how it is used: Remove the closed cap from bottle and place all the sticks enclosed in open cap securely on the bottle. The sticks allow the fragrance to evaporate into the air. Flip them two or three times initially to saturate and then as needed to obtain desired fragrance intensity. The fragrances are a combination of alcohol and essential oils so use care when handling ALORA near finished surfaces or an open flame. Each open wood cap is hand-bored to fit snuggly on the bottle. Each fragrance includes 2 caps - 1 for the sticks when in use, the other to close the fragrance when not in use. 76.00 for 16 oz. which lasts about 6 months. http://www.home101store.com/AloraAmbiance.html... has free shipping.
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Makeup Brushes -NARS - Bronzer Brush 19
DianeL 12/6/2003 9:09:00 PM
One word: FANTASTIC! Worth every singe penny. It is known for being a bronzer brush and it does work perfectly with Nar's gorgeous Laguna bronzer but for blush, it is a fool proof applicator. Terrific design. One swipe on each cheek applies blush perfectly. Picks up just the right amount of blush and is the perfect shape. It also feels balanced and does not shed at all. It is 4 1/2" long and cost $50.00. For a while it was out of stock every where but they seem to be more available now. I got mine at Drugstore.com because Sephora was out of them. This kabuki brush is very easy to use due to the slightly longer handle. It is a really well designed brush, one I would never be without again. It puts the blush right where it is supposed to go with no effort at all and blends it perfectly every time. Buy it, it is worth it.
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Ambre Sultan
DianeL 12/6/2003 8:56:00 PM
I know I reviewed this before but it seems to have disappeared with many other ones. I will not go into the details or composition since so many below me have already done so, just my impression of this "fragrance"? This is for a man in my opinion. There is nothing even remotely feminine about this fragrance. Honestly I would not even suggest this for a man I know. I had a sample and asked my husband to put it on recently. For the first 30 minutes he said nothing. The he came and asked me what it was because it smelled to him like an old, musty trunk and he was going to wash it off. My husband never washes them off and had not expressed this intense of a dislike since MPG Fraiche Passiflore with he thinks smells like cat ***. ;) I do not smell that at all. However I have had other males say the same thing. The only other I can remember him washing off was when I out a dab of Tuberuese Criminelle on his hand. I think he washed it off because it smelled girly, not because of his dislike of it, since he is fonder of Criminelle than I am. Even though he likes it, it is just too much of an effort for me to wear more than a single drop. I think Ambre Sultan is yet another of SL's many flops. Nothing remarkable, just a musty attempt at an amber fragrance. Creed Tuberuese Indiana is a beautifully done amber fragrance, Ambre Sultan a disaster.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - People of the Labyrinths Luctor et Emergo
DianeL 11/8/2003 12:25:00 AM
I received decants of POTL parfum and EDT from a lovely. Surprisingly, the EDT lasted longer on me than the parfum. I was a little cautious of POTL because I was worried about the woodiness and incense. I am glad I went for decants and not a full size bottle. I like it for the first 5 minutes, after that, forget it. I know it is a much loved fragrance, but it just did not work for me. I loved the first 5 minutes when it reminded me of Rahat Loukoum, with the almond/cherry notes I love in Rahat. But they rapidly disappeared and I began to smell that dreaded Chergui similarity. Not that Chergui is a horrible fragrance, but it gives me a headache and makes me nauseous and I can not wait to wash it off. POTL is a compostion of amber, myrrh resinous woods and many other notes. On me it has a strong incense, woody scent which I do not like. It also is extremely powdery when it dries down. Perhaps some tonka and frankinsence with a heavy dose of myrrh. It is sweet only for a brief few minutes then it turns to an average, heavy, woody, powdery fragrance similar to a less potent Chergui or DK Black Cashmere. I also find it a bit masculine but a woman could certainly wear it as well. I feel that it is way overpriced for a powdery, mediocre fragrance. I had my husband smell both and also had some other men give it the sniff test and it does not seem to be one that men particularly care for. The women I had smell it were not that taken with it either. One commented it smelled like a campfire, not the scent I want. On my skin, it just does not even remotely smell like Rahat Loukoum after the first 5 minutes. I am not a lover of powdery, woody fragrances but I had high hopes for POTL because many have said it was so similar to Rahat Loukoum. It is, for all of 5 minutes on me. I will not purchase this, but will use the money instead for replacement bottles of Serge Lutens Rahat Loukoum. From the other reviews,(so many of you love it so much), perhaps it just does not work with my skin chemistry or the way my nose perceives it. I was disappointed, but at the price of this fragrance, the bright side is I have more money to spend ones I love. :)
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Premier Figuier Extrême
DianeL 10/26/2003 5:52:00 PM
It seems L'Artisan possibly has addressed the complaints that Premier Figuier was not long lasting enough and that the fig notes disappeared rather quickly. Perhaps they also wanted to make a more feminine version by adding the gorebush flowers to it. I always found that the original lasted most of the day on me but Extreme does retain the fig notes far longer and the dry down is very different. As far as being more feminine, I can not say that I noticed that all that much, but the fig note is decidedly more obvious and long lasting. I do not think Premier Figuier was ever meant to be a very feminine fragrance and I find the Extreme is still decidedly a unisex fragrance. Extreme is almost the same composition as the original with a few changes. They added Gorebush flowers, Bush peach and used Stone Pine in place of galbanum. Also, the Extreme has no lime. The sandalwood, almond milk, coconut, fig tree leaves, dried fruits, remain as part of the compostion as they are in the original version. Galbanum is very similar to pine, although it has more of a turpentine smell, so there is just a slight change there. The addition of the bush peach and the gorebush(a fragrant, yellow flower on a bush that is very thorny and considered a nuisance plant)seem to be the primary changes. I have never smelled gorebush alone and I can not really say I recognize any unusual, new floral notes. They are in the top notes and do fade rather quickly on me. It does indeed make a difference, although the fragrance is instantly recognizable as very close to the original. However Extreme is much richer and much more resinous or piney and not as green as the original. The pine is noticeable and the turpentine quality of the galbanum is absent. The almond is barely detectable to my nose and I never smelled a hint of peach. The peach is in the top notes so it would dissipate rather quickly but I never smelled it at all. Extreme is closer to Philosykos than the original Premier Figuier, but it has much more depth than Philosykos, is not as dry and has a definite pine note, which Philosykos does not. If you have ever smelled Marc Jacobs for men, the dry down reminds me very much of the first 5 minutes of MJ for men. If I had to say which I prefer, I guess I would say the new Extreme. The reason is not because it is that much more long lasting but I do not like the very green(think Diptyque Ofresia) final stages of the drydown that is present in the original Figuier. The new Extreme stays much warmer, the greeness is absent and has been replaced with more of a warmer, pine scent mingling with the coconut, sandalwood and fruits. The fig remains in the final dry down and is very prevelant where it disappears in the original Premier Figuier. As of now, October 2003, it is only available in the 1.7 oz. as is the Ambre Extreme. It does come in a lovely red velvet box, great for gift giving for a man or a woman.
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Polishes -OPI - Friar Friar Pants On Fire !
DianeL 9/9/2003 10:17:00 PM
Friar Friar Pants on Fire is from OPI's new British collection. This is one gorgeous red. It reminds me of the one they had a couple of Christmas's ago (forget the name) that sold out everywhere because it was so fantastic! To me it looks like a red, ripe strawberry with a lot of gold in it. The shimmer is just beautiful and it really is quite different from any of their other reds with gold. I use it on my toes and it is not loud or flashy but very shiny and classy looking. I wore it out with sandals on one day and several people wanted to know what that beautiful color was called. Get this one if you love reds. It is real winner by OPI.
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Fragrances -Loewe - DINNER by bobo
DianeL 8/27/2003 10:37:00 PM
My newest find! I really love Dinner by Bobo. I love the concept of making the top, middle and bottom notes into dinner courses and I really do adore this enchanting, beautiful and sexy fragrance. Suggested as a scent for both sexes, I find this very feminine and can not really imagine a man wearing it. Some have compared this to Angel which is one of my favorite fragrances. I find Dinner to be softer, slightly powdery, and it has far less patchouli and no chocolate or carmel. The lime seems to linger longer than the oranges. Then the middle notes emerge with no particular note standing out but a wonderful blend of all. The cinammon, ginger and fruits were more dominant on me. I barely smell the cardamon or cumin. After a few hours I am left with a beautiful,soft, warm, slightly powdery fragrance with all notes weaving in and out as do the notes in Angel. The patchouli is very light, much less than Angel. The musk undetectable to me. It must be a very minute amount used only as a fixative. The incense stage lasts about 20 minutes and then it is gone which is good because I am not too fond of heavy incense or woods in fragrances. I am able to detect the Ylang and jasmine but not the violet. The vanilla is easily detected on my skin and is just lovely as it mingles with the others. This fragrance is very long lasting. Maybe not quite as long as Angel which on me lasts 12 or more, but it does last a good 8 hours getting softer as the time goes on.
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Treatments -Phyto - Phytocitrus mask
DianeL 8/21/2003 2:31:00 PM
This is a great treatment for using after highlights or color. I use it for the first couple of weeks after highlights at least twice a week. Then once a week after that. It leaves my hair incredibly shiny and does not leave it flat and lifeless. It only takes a little bit, do not over apply or it weighs it down. Also, rinse, rinse and rinse again. At first I wasn't sure about this but I realized I was not rinsing it well. I thought I would never find a conditioner that was as good as Lazartigue Vita Cream but this is as good. Whichever I use I always alternate with Redken CAT to put the protein back into my hair which highlighting removes. I hate the glass jar and the price, but it lasts me about 4-6 months. I towel dry, apply, leave it one for 10 minutes then rinse really well and follow up with a cold, filtered water rinse and it leaves my hair shiny, full of life and body.
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Shampoo -Phyto - Phytocitrus shampoo
DianeL 8/21/2003 2:23:00 PM
I do not like Phytocitus. I used a bottle of it after i had my highlights done. It does give a little shine but it made my hair limp and lifeless. I get better results with Bumble and Bumble Gentle after highlights. It can make it a little limp too, but not as much. I will stick with my favorite... Phytorhum. I love that shampoo!
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Fragrances -Chanel - Gardenia
DianeL 8/20/2003 10:43:00 PM
Gardenia is one of the few Chanel fragrances I really like. If you are expecting a true Gardenia scent, I found Goutal Gardenia Passion to be more true to the real Gardenia flower. However, I much prefer Chanel's. It is very soft, very subtle and very light and feminine. You can wear this in summer or winter. I believe the jasmine in this fragrance is from the Grasse region of France which in my opinion is always superior. I have the EDT and this isn't very long lasting. The most I can get out of it is 4 hours. On my skin it actually smells much more like orange blossom and soft jasmine with a hint of vanilla. The aldehydes don't bother me in this Chanel fragrance like they do in most others. If you love soft florals but can't stand strong white florals like Fracas, Marc Jacobs, etc. try this one. It is similar to L'Artisan La Chasse aux Pappilon but softer and not as unique. This one is hard not to like. My only complaint is the staying power. It fades significantly after 2 hours and is pretty much gone after 4. I haven't tried the perfume so I can't comment on how it compares to the EDT. I gave it a 5 rating just for being a really lovely, wearable Chanel. I purchased mine from gloss.com for around 75.00.
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Makeup Brushes -Paula Dorf - Eye Definer Brush
DianeL 8/16/2003 5:00:00 PM
The Paula Dorph Eye Definer Brush is a flat Taklon brush It's not hard like the Stila push brush but not as soft as the Nars. It deposits color under the upper lashes, very close to the root of the eyelashes perfectly. It makes your lashes look thicker at the base and gives a subtle eyeliner that can't be detected. Very natural look. I also use it to line the bottom lahses by just pushing or wiggling a little bit of shadow into the root of the lower lashes. I really like this brush a lot and after the Nars, it is my favorite. The Stila gives a finer line but I am not that fond of the Stila. It is too stiff and I can never get enough color on it to use the shadow dry which is the way I prefer. The Nars is softer but if you want a fine line with little stiffness, this is a good choice. It sells for $20.00.
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Eye Shadow -Stila - Italian Ices Trio in Due (Apricot)
DianeL 8/16/2003 4:45:00 PM
I feel like Due was custom made for me. I love natural, golden looks and this trio is perfect with my blue eyes, blonde hair and golden skin tone. Perfect! It's very natural yet really makes my eyes stand out. Due is a trio of Apricot/yellow toned shades. The lightest is a sheer light yellow/apricot. The medium a peachy/gold apricot with ahint of shimmer, just the barest hint. The darkest is a lovely brown with a very subltle golden shimmer. The Due trio is a very subtle, sheer look which I like, but you can build on them for more intensity. I use the lightest from lash to brow as a wash. I use the medium color on the lid and the darkest in the crease then I blend. I then use the darkest to line the upper lashes from underneath with a push brush. In fact the darker color is one of my favorite shadow liners ever. The texture is very soft, the golden brown color perfect for lining. I love this trio so much that I decided to get a couple more but had a really hard time finding them. Apparently this was the most popular of the 3 and I had to call forever to find them. So if you love this as much as I do, get your spares now because they are getting very hard to find as of 8/15/03.
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Bronzers -NARS - Laguna
DianeL 8/16/2003 4:29:00 PM
Is there such a thing as the perfect bronzer? YES! THIS IS IT! I have blonde hair, blue eyes golden skin tone and Laguna is perfect in every way. Finally a bronzer that doesn't look dirty, orangey or muddy on me and I have tried so many of them I almost gave up on them. Laguna is the most beautiful, golden, sunkissed bronzer ever. It has plenty of pigment but it is lighter than most so you can build on it to make it darker if you want to. I got a realy pretty, golden, summer look by using Laguna bronzer all over, Nars new Lovejoy blush and Stila Due Italian Ice trio. It also looks great with Outlaw blush. I had many compliments on this and people actually thought I had gotten a little tan on my face. They know I never let sun on my face, prefer pale to wrinkles and sun damage, but it was that believable. What more can I say? It's perfect for me and I adore it!!!!
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