Lipstick -Clinique - Color Surge Butter Shine Lipstick in Rum Kiss
majanet 11/7/2005 2:41:00 PM
None of the ButterShine sticks are cream/matte colors - all are frosted, and glossy, but not sticky. I found these to be similar to the Different lipstick formula, with a little more luxurious texture. The duration is not great, but it feels wonderful to put on. :)
It's a good idea to use lip pencil with this formula, as I noticed bleed in all of the shades I tried.
My only complaint about the gorgeous case is how it closes. I have the feeling I'll find an open tube in my purse rsn.
Of the three colors I ordered (crushed grape, rosalita, and rum kiss), this is probably the one I will use most. It's a gorgeous warm wine color, blots/stains beautifully, and works on fair/dark blue/yellow undertoned complexions alike. Grab it if you can find it.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Butter Shine - Crushed Grape
majanet 11/7/2005 2:28:00 PM
I went to the various department stores in my area with the hope of buying one for the new Butter Shines - everyplace I went to was SOLD OUT. Not nice, Clinique.
I ordered 3 tubes from the Clinique web site, including Crushed Grape. Lovely fall shade, esp for paler complexions. (I'm so pinky-white, I'm nearly blue.)
Texture is simply luxurious. No perfume. I had some bleeding, which was solved with lip pencil.
Not an endurance product - it wears off fast, but as long as you're using pencil, you get a lovely stain, not a "worn out" look. Fans of Clinique's Different Lipstick formula will not be disappointed.
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Lotions/ Creams -Chanel - Allure Body Creme
majanet 9/21/2005 1:39:00 PM
Allure has been my signature fragrance since '96. When I began travelling overseas for work, I was able to stop at the duty-free shop in Schipol almost every other month, and took advantage of that to try as many Allure products as I could, ranging from the deodorant to the hair mist. The body creme was by far the best of all products. Its rich formula is perfect for dry skin, but isn't greasy. The fragrance is light, but with real staying power (they use the real juice to scent the cream - an SA told me it's a 1/4 oz). Sometimes it's difficult to find, but if you can only buy one Allure product, this would be the one to get.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Allure Sensuelle 
majanet 9/21/2005 1:32:00 PM
Allure Sensuelle is what ShelleyMac said - Allure's sexy cousin. I have worn Allure since '96 to raves from strangers (male and female), with the exception of the time I was pregnant. Sensuelle is a warmer, headier version of the fragrance, with some subtle but important differences.
First, the vanilla notes are much stronger, especially in the drydown. The impact of the vanilla and other spices is definitely heavier, richer, more opulent. I missed the vetiver - one of my favorite male fragrances - but almost got drunk on the vanilla and spice notes. The lasting power is incredible. I apply it at the back of my neck, on the hairline, on my wrists and in the décolletage, and it lasted 2 days. I think this is because of the mix of it being EdP and the heavier fragrance notes itself.
I'll wear this in the cool weather, but cannot imagine wearing this in the summertime. Unlike regular Allure, I think it's too heady for summer wear, at least for me.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Klorane - Soothing Eye Makeup Remover with Cornflower Sensitive Eyes
majanet 9/21/2005 1:14:00 PM
This is the best eye makeup remover I have ever used. It's a very gentle but effective formula - no blurred vision, even right after using it. No other eye irritation either, and while it is not oily, it also leaves the skin soft.
I have bought my bottles of it when visiting France, since the price had been about USD6. I'm sure the exchange rate would put it closer to the prices I'm seeing on the Web. The plastic bottle packs and travels exceptionally well, and makes for a nice eye refresher independent of makeup-removal. If you're headed on a long flight, slip a bottle into your carry-on bag.
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Fragrances -Calvin Klein - Euphoria
majanet 9/16/2005 11:04:00 PM
One of the most beautiful bottles I've seen in some time, it convinced me to try it on me before a paper strip.
30 seconds after applying this to my skin, I was off to the restroom to wash it off. The top notes of pomegranate and persimmon combine to make the smell of strawberry candy, at least on me. I think this is a love it or hate it fragrance, as I observed women literally snatching it off the shelves. The SA was telling people it has chocolate notes, but I didn't catch that. Those who love the sweets will not be disappointed - those who spend hours trying to find shampoo that doesn't smell like a Jolly Rancher will be tortured.
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Fragrances -Stella McCartney - Stella- Eau de Parfum
majanet 9/14/2005 12:10:00 PM
This was the only perfume that smelled good to me when I was pregnant - it was a soothing, relaxing floral. Until that time, I wore Allure 24/7, with some spring-summer interruptions of Diorissimo and Cristalle. Now my little tiger is 14 months old, and when I put on Stella, I thought of both the Ponds reference and the tubes of Glycerin and Rosewater hand cream I would find at my grandmother's house. That's not bad, but it's not necessarily what one would expect for the price.
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Masks -Borghese - Fango Active Mud for sensitive/ dry skin
majanet 9/13/2005 1:08:00 PM
Years ago, I tried the regular Fango mask. I can't say it improved my skin, but it was fun to apply and a pleasure to relax into it. Last weekend, I saw two-packs of Fango and Tono skin cream at, of all places, Costco! Full sized jars selling for 19.99 per pack! Since my skin has changed a bit since my early 20s, I picked up the two-pack with Fango Delicato.
Fango Delicato isn't exactly delicate. :) The tea tree and peppermint oils are potent. Depending on your tolerance, it's either tingly or screamingly stinging. The base has less clay and more moisturizers, and comes off with warm water and a soft wet cloth. My skin felt dewy, but was a bit pinked out by the oils. Anyone with sensitive skin should use this mask with caution, as you're definitely going to come out rosy - and not necessarily in a good way.
I think I will probably use this once per month, on my face and neck, with a rinse off in a warm shower.
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Styling Products -Fresh - Hair Cream Extra definition
majanet 9/12/2005 5:37:00 PM
With a light citrus scent and great texture, Fresh Hair Cream has been the one part of my regimen that has yet to change in more than 2 years. Non-drying, it leaves my long, fine hair smooth, silky and anything but flat. I've been able to use it on both wet and dry hair, and apply it to the ends for a little extra smoothness. It's pricey but worth it.
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Fragrances -Burberry - Brit Red
majanet 9/12/2005 5:18:00 PM
My first spray of Brit Red was a wake-up call - gorgeous citrus burst, which struck me as grapefruit, but was actually mandarin and rhubarb. The drydown brought more sweet fruit, but not enough warmth for what I was seeking. Finally, it was just sweet sweet sweet, and not in a full way - a high, scratchy sweetness. Like comparing white sugar packets to brown sugar.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Omnia
majanet 9/12/2005 5:12:00 PM
I gave Omnia a whirl the other day while with my toddler. On the BVLGARI Web site, Omnia has this description:
saffron, ginger, cardamom and black pepper imbue OMNIA with fascination and mystery. Mandarin gives it solar freshness. Prized Masala tea, at the heart of the fragrance, blends in the taste of the orient. White chocolate and Indian wood add a touch of unexpected deliciousness.
What I noticed was a smoky note, not at all like the masala tea I know, or any gooc chai. It smelled great on the BVLGARI rep, but not on me.Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Guerlain - L'Instant de Guerlain
majanet 9/12/2005 5:03:00 PM
In a search for a new signature scent, I got a fistful of samples, including the real juice for L'Instant. It wore for 24 hours, with most of that time smelling like dessert. I couldn't figure out if it was white chocolate, or vanilla, or both. I can't speak to sillage, since the only other person who smelled it was my husband. His level of subtlety with cosmetics ranges from "Ooh! Red lips!" for any kind of lipstick to "What's that smell?" for perfumes. In the end, L'Instant was just a tad too sweet for me.
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Lipstick -Clinique - Different Lipstick-Black Lily [DISCONTINUED]
majanet 9/12/2005 4:58:00 PM
Black Lily does what a good makeup product should do - enhances what you have without looking like it's a layer on top of your lips. The berry-stain gives lips a little oomph, if you're as blue-pale as I am, and would look even better on women with some color. I'm a long-standing fan of the Clinique Different formula, and this does not disappoint.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Allure for women
majanet 9/12/2005 3:56:00 PM
This was my signature fragrance for years - from the time it came out in '96, until I became pregnant in '03. Men and women alike would stop me on the street and ask what I was wearing. I would go through a bottle of edt every three-six months. I tried the edp, and it was both different and less pleasant. And then came the pregnancy, when it still smelled nice _on_ me, but it no longer smelled nice _to_ me. :( I would recommend the edt to anyone, as well as the hair mist and the body cream (not the lotion, or the bath gelee). UPDATE! At the advice of a wise SA for Bvlgari, I tried the EdP of Allure, and fell in love again. For the right person, it's still a great scent - not too obtrusive, not screaming, but inviting.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Cristalle
majanet 9/12/2005 3:52:00 PM
I don't wear Cristalle all year, but I think of it as a spring cleaning / summer cool-off fragrance. Crisp, green, citrusy notes with vetiver (one of my favorite men's scents as well), it has worn well on me. I have both edt and edp; slight preference to the edt. Unlike other fragrances I have worn which got comments (Diorissimo, Allure), this one I wear just for me.
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