Fragrances -LUSH - Gorilla Perfume - The Smell of Freedom
GlamDiva 9/2/2012 11:02:00 PM
The Smell of Freedom gives me an impression of neroli, jasmine, iris, subtle spices, with light woods in the background. I'm reminded of India. Beautifully blended composition, though I prefer the rollup to the juice in this fragrance. The solid rollups are a great way to try the Gorilla fragrance line, and I like some of them better than the sprays. They must be worn to be adequately appreciated, and Smell of Freedom is a great example of this. Aficionados of vintage fragrances will recognize the quality of ingredients. For young perfumistas mostly familiar with today's mainstream fragrances are in for an epiphany when they get a whiff of the quality in the Lush Gorilla line. IMO the Lush Gorilla fragrances are among the very best available today, beautifully done, niche quality. Head and shoulders above the mainstream, and better than many other niche fragrances.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Heeley - Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of St. Clement’s
GlamDiva 8/31/2012 2:34:00 PM
Heeley Oranges & Lemons is a very simple, natural citrus blend, light and zesty, but subtle and fleeting. The later drydown did not work on me.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Aloe Body Butter
GlamDiva 8/23/2012 5:30:00 PM
Aloe body butter seems lighter and less emollient than the other TBS body butters. It also has a scent that is subtle, but I didn't like and did not work on my personal chemistry.
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Fragrances -Lancome - La Vie Est Belle
GlamDiva 8/23/2012 2:36:00 AM
La Vie est Belle flaunts loads of powdery iris on top, with jasmine and orange blossom, a generous helping of praline, vanilla, and is anchored with subtle patchouli in the base. Very feminine, extremely sweet, very pretty in the later drydown but a bit overwhelming for me with iris, sweet praline and vanilla in the opening and early in the drydown. Reminds me of a mix of Coco Mademoiselle, Flowerbomb, and Prada Candy. I get several hours of longevity from La Vie Est Belle, and it's around even the next morning. The final drydown the next day is much like Shalimar Initial with the iris, jasmine, vanilla and patchouli.
6 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Chocomania Body Butter
GlamDiva 8/20/2012 9:36:00 PM
I bought Chocomania in a small size thinking it might occasionally add some extra chocolate fragrance to the Cocoa Butter body butter, my favorite of the TBS body butters. Cocomania does have chocolate, but it also has woods, woods that are shared by several top selling fragrances today such as Coco Noir and Jimmy Choo. If you like those fragrances, Chocomania complements them beautifully. Or try Chocomania for when you wnat a lighter and more casual fragrance, or a soft comfortable and sexy fragrance for bedtime. You can own and enjoy a drift of fancy perfumes in Chocomania without paying a lot of money. But if you want just chocolate, move on. I found the texture to be smooth. But don't get Chocomania on your mouth! -- you'll be sorry.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Sephora - SuperStars - Super Supreme Body Butter 
GlamDiva 8/19/2012 2:31:00 AM
This review is for the Sephora body butter product being sold in mid-2012. It no longer says Super Stars on it, just Super Supreme Body Butter, so I suspect they may have changed the formula recently. Despite that silicones are down on the list of ingredients, it seems that this body butter is full of silicones. It goes on smoothly and dries very quickly within about 5 minutes, leaving the sensation of dryness and silicones all over the skin. Smooth yes, natural no, nourished no, moist no. It's not like the TBS or Bliss body butters that are very emollient and stay that way for a much longer time. Just depends on what you're looking for I guess, but I wasn't expecting the silicone feel and didn't care for it. Big honking jar, just under 16 oz, which would actually be luxurious if the product had been more richly emollient. Wish I'd saved my money and gotten TBS or Bliss instead.
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Fragrances -LUSH - Orange Blossom Perfume
GlamDiva 8/8/2012 6:52:00 PM
Lush Orange Blossome is sweet, clean and pure, reminds me of mock orange blossoms on springtime evenings in Southern California years ago. I've searched for that scent for ages and found it here. I have the solid rollup and will be getting a full bottle. I'm an orange blossom lover from way back, and Lush Orange Blossom is a gorgeous addition to my collection. Excellent with Lush Lust next to it. The entire Lush Gorilla perfumes line is outstanding. RAVE for the quality.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -LUSH - Gorilla Perfume - Lust
GlamDiva 8/8/2012 6:49:00 PM
Lush Lust is jasmine grandiflorum pure and simple - gorgeous and inspiring! Very high vibratory. The way I remember "headshop" jasmine, with a few other subtle notes in the base, and high quality ingredients. Sometimes indolic on me, other times not. I got the solid rollup for starters, but this juice is full bottle worthy for me. Excellent with Lush Orange Blossom next to it - gorgeous together. Bring on the jasmine - absolutely intoxicating!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrance -Bulgari - Bvlgari pour Homme Soir
GlamDiva 8/8/2012 6:36:00 PM
Bvlgari pour Homme Soir was introduced in 2006, fell out of production for a time, and is now back, probably reformulated. Notes compiled from various vendors include: musk, Darjeeling tea, Lifescent (??), bergamot, papyrus amber, gaiac wood from Paraguay. I perceive a light citrus with woods and musk, but the later drydown smells very sweet and jasmine-y to me as the woods fade out, although jasmine is not an official note. This is actually close to what I had wanted Jasmin Noir to be, as I don't perceive any jasmine in Jasmin Noir, and get completely overwhelmed by its woods and other basenotes. I consider Homme Soir to be a unisex fragrance suited to just about any occasion.
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Treatments -Mario Badescu - Buffering Lotion
GlamDiva 8/7/2012 3:45:00 PM
Specially designed to treat deep, cystic blemishes. Shake the bottle well, apply to zits as a spot treatment at bedtime, and blemishes resolve for me 2-3 times faster than they would with any other treatment I've ever used over the years. Will definitely repurchase if I ever finish this bottle.
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Lipstick -Estee Lauder - Pure Gloss Vivid Shine Lipstick - Gunmetal Luminizer
GlamDiva 8/2/2012 9:04:00 PM
Gunmetal Luminizer is designed to go over lipstick to give it depth and richness of color and shine. It can also be used as a sheer grey eyegloss, as it's not especially sticky - this is what I had wanted the earlier limited edition Tom Ford for EL Amber Nude collection eyegloss in black amber to be. Much easier to apply in the "lipstick" form now.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Victoria's Secret - Body by Victoria eau de parfum
GlamDiva 8/2/2012 2:51:00 AM
Introduced in 2012, the Body by Victoria eau de parfum is marketed as a fresh fragrance. Notes include: "mandarin, peach, raspberry leaves, water blossoms on top, with orange flower, ginger lily, magnolia, lily of the valley in the middle, and musk, precious woods, sheer amber, orris in the base." I remember liking the Body by Victoria in the translucent white cylindrical bottle years ago, a dryer sheets or clean laundry fragrance; however it may have been reformulated in the last few years. The Body by Victoria eau de parfum is a different fragrance altogether, not a stronger version of the Body by Victoria of 10 years ago. The BbV eau de parfum is a heady and fruity scent -- I pick up the magnolia, lily of the valley, and raspberry notes the most. After a pleasant initial spritz, it quickly dried down to something I didn't like at all -- very heady, cheap, and disagreeable. Beautiful bottle though. Come on, VS, you can do better!!
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Eye Shadow -Victoria's Secret - Silk Eyeshadow in Provocateur
GlamDiva 7/26/2012 8:50:00 PM
Provocateur is a light peachy bronze shimmer. It goes well with Champagne and with Between the Sheets (a deeper bronzey brown) in this line. I really like and own many of the VS eye shadows. They're not all on the website, and the colors on the website are not well depicted; however the shadows are displayed and swatchable at VS stores.
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Eye Shadow -Victoria's Secret - Very Sexy Silky Eye Shadow -- Between the Sheets
GlamDiva 7/26/2012 8:42:00 PM
Between the Sheets is a bronzey brown with a high shimmer that, unlike some similar shadows, the shimmer actually shows on the lids. Goes on easily, and is just what I was looking for.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -NARS - Illuminator in Copacabana
GlamDiva 7/25/2012 9:45:00 PM
Copacabana Illuminator is similar to MAC Strobe cream or Strobe lotion, however I find the Nars to be more concentrated and the tube prevents the product drying out into lumps in a pump bottle. Extremely versatile and multi-purpose, and a little goes a long way. Browbone, center of the lid, mix with foundation or concealer, top of cheekbones, etc. One of my favorite products of all time.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No