Fragrances -LUSH - Karma Dusting Powder
Rebeccajw 4/20/2008 5:26:00 PM
I bought this to go with the Karma Kream, because I love body powders in the summer. I have Silky Underwear, which is fabulous, but I don't care as much for this one. The scent is great; nowhere near as strong as the perfume, but great lasting power just the same. The problem I have with this is that the texture is too chunky and grainy. I was expecting the smooth feel of Silky Underwear, and this is more like salt. I keep brushing grainy bits of Karma off of me. Other than that, it's pretty nice, but I don't think I'd buy it again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -LUSH - Karma Kream
Rebeccajw 4/20/2008 5:22:00 PM
I was in a Lush store this weekend, and was drawn to an open container of Karma Kream, although the fragrance itself is not one I've ever especially liked. The perfume, in my opinion, is a pretty heavy patchouli scent, but the cream leans more to the orange notes. As a moisturizer, it's fabulous. The scent is also great because it has tremendous staying power.
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Fragrances -Fresh - Lemon Sugar
Rebeccajw 4/20/2008 5:20:00 PM
I bought the smaller bottle of this on impulse at Sephora this weekend. It appealed to me because it's a bright, "happy" scent; one that I consider sort of a classic Fresh scent. It's a pretty straitforward fragrance, basically sugar and lemon, as the name suggests. However, there is also a saltiness there that I really like that's suggestive of the sea. I don't know that I'd buy the big bottle, but I definitely like it enough to get the smaller one, and will probably wear it a lot in the warmer months.
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Fragrances -Neil Morris - Afire
Rebeccajw 4/13/2008 3:02:00 PM
I have been sampling this for several days now, and I have to say, this is the first scent in ages that has completely won me over at first sniff. I can't stop sniifing my wrist. The last time this happened was with Chinatown, the love of my life. The notes (according to NM's website) are: citrus, berries, caramel, frankincense, vanilla, and wood notes. The effect is definitely hot and smoldering. I don't know how these notes work together so beautifully, but they do. I should be completely turned off by the berries and caramel, but somehow, this works. Although it's not listed, I seem to get patchouli from this. While Afrire doesn't smell like Chinatown, I suppose they are similar in that the end result is a complex, spicy-wood scent. This is also a highly unusual scent; you won't find anything else quite like it, which is fine with me. I think it's beautiful, and very much FB-worthy.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fresh - Cannabis Rose
Rebeccajw 4/13/2008 2:54:00 PM
I suppose I'll be the voice of dissent regarding Cannabis Rose. Let me start by saying I'm not blown away by it; it will never be HG material for me, but I do like it. It's an usual scent, and I have to say I don't really detect cannabis or rose. There is definitely an herbal element there, reminiscent of Cannabis Santal, but not as overpowering. From there it dries down to a woody-soapy blend. That's right: soap. I don't know what notes in this would produce a soapy smell, but that's what I get. It's very unusual, and could easily be overdone, but I like it. FWIW: I got the 3-piece set at Sephora for $45, so I can afford to be less-than-overwhelmed by it.
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Fragrances -Neil Morris - Dark Earth
Rebeccajw 4/12/2008 7:03:00 PM
Based on the numbers above, you might think that I don't like this, but it's not bad. Mostly I get patchouli and dirt, but it works surprisingly well. It reminds me quite a bit of CB IHP Winter 1972, but it's deeper. While I wouldn't wear this myself, I think it would be very nice on a man.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - Slatkin Persian Lime & Mimosa Fortifying Shampoo
Rebeccajw 3/27/2008 5:17:00 PM
I got this on a lark at TJMaxx because it was $6. I'm not a huge Slatkin fan, and really bought this intending to swap it. I thought I'd try it just once, and now I'm in love with it. This is such a fresh, clean scent, but it has just a bit of something spicy to give it character. Neither lime nor mimosa is a scent I would typically gravitate to, but I really love this shampoo. It's also great on my hair. My only complaint is that it comes in a tube and you have to take the top off before you can use it---that's a bit cumbersome in the shower. They should have put in a regular squeeze-type bottle. But aside from that, it's fabulous!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Erase Paste in Fair
Rebeccajw 3/22/2008 3:26:00 PM
I just got this today and I really like it. I have a hard time finding concealers that will cover undereye circles, but this does a nice job. It also does seem to live up to its name by brightening my undereye area a bit. My only complaint is that this is a *small* container; not much product for the money, and its size also makes it a little hard to dab on your finger. They include a spatula to use but that seems a little silly. Aside from the size, I really like this.
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Nasomatto - Hindu Grass
Rebeccajw 2/9/2008 5:00:00 PM
I would think long and hard before I plunked down the $$$ for Hindu Grass. I was intrigued by the name, and was expecting something calm and contemplative. I suppose it could have that effect for some people, but for me, it was basically just straight patchouli. It wasn't the heavy, head-shop patchouli; it was milder than that, but still pretty much a one-note scent. If you like patchouli, you'll probably like Hindu Grass, but you can easily find something comparable for much less money.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Provence Pigment
Rebeccajw 2/9/2008 4:56:00 PM
This is only the second MAC pigment I've tried, the other being Vanilla. Provence is a great, highly wearable color. It's a flesh-toned buttery color, with just a hint of shimmer. It reminds me of BE's Well-Rested, but the color is a bit darker and has more noticable shimmer. I've never really understood the fixation some people have with pigments, but Provence and Vanilla may eventually win me over.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Stila - Vieux Carre Duo
Rebeccajw 2/1/2008 6:51:00 PM
First of all, I have to admit that I bought his duo solely because of the name. I love New Orleans, so how could I resist Vieux Carre?? That said, I knew when I ordered it that purple and brown are not colors I would generally wear together. But I was determined to make it work, and surprised myself by actually liking the combination. The purple is a medium, slightly red-toned purple with shimmer, and the brown is a dark, true brown with shimmer. I use a beige shimmer as a wash, the purple on the lid, and the brown in the crease. It's not my favorite combination, but it's not bad. The colors don't go on quite as dark as they are in the pan--they're not terribly well pigmented. It's not one that I would necessarily get attached to and want to repurchase, but I like it just the same.
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Fragrances -Parfumerie Generale - Cadjmere
Rebeccajw 2/1/2008 6:45:00 PM
I'm surprised the reviews for this aren't more positive. It's a beautiful scent. It's a very wearable woody spice scent. For me, it doesn't seem to be as sweet as it has been for some reviewers. In fact, I get very little sweetness at all. I want to think I smell cedar in there, although it's not listed as a note. It makes me think of Ava-Luxe Moksha; it has that same serene, contemplative element. My only real gripe with Cadjmere is nothing to do with the scent itself: it's the bottle. Why is such a gorgeous scent in such a plain-Jane bottle??
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Eye Shadow -Stila - Kajiki Eyshadow Duo
Rebeccajw 2/1/2008 6:40:00 PM
I am always drawn to teal eyeshadow, but it seldom works for me. I buy them with high hopes, but they never seem to look right once they're on. I ordered Kajiki because I thought the colors were beautiful, but halfway expected to send it back to Sephora. I got it yesterday, and it's just as pretty in person as it is in the pictures. The two shades are a blackened, midnight teal with a hint of shimmer, and a lighter, true metallic teal. I used the darker color as a liner and in the crease, with the lighter teal on my lid. (And MAC Naked Lunch as a wash.) The effect is really nice. This teal is not as bright as some I've tried in the past (MAC Parrot and the teal from the Lure collection). I suppose it could be applied more heavily for more effect, but applied with a light touch, it's fairly sheer. The two colors work very well together, and I think I've finally found a teal ES that I can actually wear.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - HEELEY Cardinal
Rebeccajw 1/11/2008 12:30:00 PM
I love woody/incensey scents, and have been looking for the perfect incense scent for a long time. Most of them are too strong, too head-shoppy, or too abrasive. Cardinal is beautiful. I think it's more of a unisex scent than I would generally wear, but I still think it's pretty close to perfect. It's definitely more of a churchy incense than a hippie, Woodstock incense, and I think I get some vetiver from it as well. It has great lasting power and a little goes a long way---it will probably take me forever to use this bottle, especially since it's something I'd probably only wear in cold weather. If you like mellow, contemplative scents, try Cardinal---it's beautiful and very calming.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Montale - Orient Extréme
Rebeccajw 11/2/2007 5:16:00 PM
I ordered this unsniffed during the Montale frenzy. I couldn't pass up a sale like that, but had never tried any of them, so took a shot in the dark based on the notes and. . . . . .it's love!!!!! At first, this is a very generic perfumey smell. I was a bit disappointed when I first applied it. But the drydown is fabulous! It's a soft, lightly spicy, lightly woody oriental. It felt vaguely familiar for several days and then I realized that it's an awful lot like EL Cinnabar, which was a favorite of mine years ago. This is a real winner, and I got doubly lucky, because they sent me another full-sized bottle for free!
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