Fragrances -Bulgari - Omnia
PoisonedIvy 8/27/2003 3:09:00 PM
I have a sample of this from Nordie's I've been wearing on and off. This has a nice spiciness to it, and it smells quite modern. I had to edit this, since it took me a few days, but I definitely fell in love with it. The scent is just so different (perhaps that's also why it took a while to grow on me), yet light and not overpowering. I am proof that samples work where just a test spray wouldn't have- I never would have bought it without a sample to use for a while. My only issue is that it doesn't last very long on me (though I solved this by begging another sample and carrying it in my purse). I believe I'll be wearing this most of the fall and winter this year. My husband also liked it and he is generally anti-perfume. Oh yeah, and it smells ENTIRELY different on skin than it does in the bottle- I feared it when I just opened the sample and took a whiff. I'm sure this scent isn't for everyone, and I think that's a good thing! I do like more unusual, yet light fragrances, and this hit that mark square on. It's a lovely wearable oriental. You could definitely do night or day with it.
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Fragrances -Origins - Frolic
PoisonedIvy 8/27/2003 3:04:00 PM
I love the scent of this. I wish that it lasted longer- hence the 4, rather than a 5- but I guess it is a "bodyspray". It's a floral, but light and sheer, not overpowering. It doesn't aggravate my allergies, either. One of my favorites. (I HATE the name though- why "frolic"? Yikes!)
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Fragrances -Chanel - No.5
PoisonedIvy 8/27/2003 2:55:00 PM
Sorry Marilyn, Coco. This is one scent that has not stood the test of time. It may have been revolutionary in the Art Deco era, but now there are so many better scents out there. One plus: it didn't irritate my allergies, which is unusual. Other than that, the smell was just outdated and generic smelling. It's something I my grandmother wears- she has excellent taste and wouldn't be caught dead in polyester, and this smell fits her just right, but definitely not me! My husband sniffed my wrist and said. "Hmmm. Old people." That about sums it up.
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Eye Shadow -Prestige - Eye Shadow - Horizon
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 8:53:00 PM
This is one of my favorites for sure. It's blurple! (Not really blue or purple but both.) Greyish hazy violet with a blue iridescent shine when the light hits it. (That's interference pigment blue for you art nerds out there.) Yet, despite the iridescence and the fact that it's blue/purple, it's really wearable. It's not too dense, it has enough grey in there to tone down the brightness. I truly love it with some liquid eyeliner and my moonstone necklace. Subtle, yet spiffy and shiny. Cool! (And a cute container, and dirt cheap.)
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Moisturizers -Nivea - Creme
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 8:37:00 PM
My mom used this forever and she has no fine lines at 56 or so, just some smile lines. And she tans, the bad thing! I have used it religiously since 19, I'm 26 now and have no fine dry lines either. It is the absolute only moisturizer that doesn't break me out. Despite the mineral oil. Also, likewise for my husband. He's prone to breakouts, but this clears his skin up too. Yep, it's heavy. Yep, feels kinda gnarly at first. Wear it at night and in the morning you'll look great. Now if only they made this with SPF I'd be set.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nivea - Shimmering Body Lotion
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 8:30:00 PM
Wellllll, I can't say I hated it. It is a very subtle shimmer (as opposed to a sparkle or glitter). It's there, but you're not going to look gold plated or anything. It is fairly attractive if you're going to go bare legged in a short skirt- very light pale gold shimmer, and definitely prettier than bare skin IMO. Thing is, I'm not a huge fan of gold shimmer anyway. And I have a L'Oreal Translucide gold *sparkle* powder I prefer to use when I want that effect. I do like a sparkle rather than a shimmer anyway. I didn't hate the smell, but I sure didn't like it either. Basically, ehhhh. Really a 2.5 rather than a 2- it didn't suck that much. Just not very impressive. And the yellow-palms thing was lame too.
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Foundations -L'Oreal - Quickstick Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 7:13:00 PM
I truly love how easy this is to apply. So much faster than liquid. The finish is nice, and since I get a little overexcited with liquid and put too much on frequently, this is great since you can control exactly how much you want on. I stopped using it 3 years ago, thinking it was making me break out, but (having repurchased and worn for the last 6 months) it turns out the cheap stick concealer was the culprit. It has SPF- YAY! Sadly, the lightest color is no longer a good match for my skin. Too dark. Rats. If I ever get a bit of a tan, I'm buying this again, but for now... just too dark. So a 4 for not too many choices of color.
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Liquid -L'Oreal - Mattique Liquid Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 6:54:00 PM
Hmmmpf. I am completely in love with the color- L'Oreal is one of the only drug store brands to make an Ivory light enough for me, with no pink undertones. However: no SPF- why? Plus, this stuff is MATTE. Sucks into your skin like it's going onto a sponge, and then it's very difficult to blend without streaking. If you accomplish that, though, the coverage is nice and med/light and natural looking. How I wish it had SPF, though. If it did, I'd buy it again and suffer through trying to blend it. (My skin is just too lame to deal with a facial sunblock, I get red irritated bumpies, so it HAS to be in the foundation.) And here is an interesting trick it does: like some astringents, it makes my skin OILIER at the end of the day, some sort of rebound effect I guess, after having every bit of moisture leeched out by this stuff.
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Powder -L'Oreal - AirWear Powder Foundation
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 6:48:00 PM
Yes, I have to mix two colors to make a good match for my skin. But, after trying MAC Studio Fix, I figured why not try. This powder foundation is actually better than Studio Fix- the finish lasts longer, and controls oil better, and the sunblock is just essential. It also covers nicely, despite the fact that it really is a powder, not a liquid-to-powder. Looks great, and I like that it's not quite as heavy coverage as with many foundations. In fact, a little kid about 6 or 7 told me I had the most beautiful skin she'd ever seen while I was wearing it!
This is a great alternative to Studio Fix, and IMHO better. Oh, and a mere $12 cheaper for god's sake. I just wish the color range was comparable to MACs. Oh well, mixing two lasts twice as long.
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Lipstick -Chanel - Infrarouge - Dragon
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 6:32:00 PM
Got this sample as a freebie. It's awesome! If I ever run out I'll have to buy it. I'm quite pale skinned, and I have a hard time finding true reds- they come out wretched fuschia. This is a seriously dramatic red that looks killer on me. Nice matte finish; it lasts and lasts, so much so that I wonder if I will ever run out of the teeny sample! 1 application in the AM works all day. Gorgeous, but not a very "everyday" color (though that rarely fazes me!)
EDIT: Dagnabbit! I finished my little sample, and bought a full size and lo and behold, the full size is fuschia. Just a bit. Not as bad as most. But I compared the wee bit left in the sample side by side on my skin with the full size, and they are actually different colors. The sample was true red, the full size is lighter and pinker. Sigh. The search for a perfect red continues...
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Lipstick -Maybelline - Drippin' Honey Lipstick
PoisonedIvy 7/12/2003 6:24:00 PM
This is my all time favorite summer red. I have a very hard time finding reds that work- they all turn pink, my skin is sooooo white. But this one is a nice, sheer, believable red on me. Wow! From the other reviews, it seems that with darker skin (and hey, most everyone's skin is darker than mine) it's more of a your-lips-but-better thing. But with very light skin it's definitely quite red. Hate: the pink tube- the top falls off constantly. Grrr. Also, never mind those lame ads in the magazines. There's a bit of shine, but definitely not that discoball-esque look they show in mags. Which, IMHO, is just fine. It doesn't last forever, which, as a sheer lipstick, is pretty much to be expected. Never tried the famous BH, so I can't compare w/ that. I have a bunch of others in this line, and as long as one avoids the darker pinks and other reds, they're pretty nifty. (Edit: Am I nuts, or did they change the formula in this? The one I bought 2 or 3 years ago is a nice red, and the new one I got seems browner... not as good as it was!)
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