Fragrances -Chanel - Chance
ruby_tea_roses 2/8/2007 10:53:00 AM
Blech. My first impression .... smells like men's cologne. Smells chemical-y to me. Too sharp, too biting, too green, too peppery, too masculine. The eventual drydown (2 hours later) is softer and a bit more feminine, but it still has that artificial chemical scent that I don't like. It's not the worst fragrance I've ever smelled, but I definitely do not like it. Chanel's No. 5 Sensual Elixer and No. 22 are much, much softer, smoother and better.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Clinique - Kohl Shaper for Eyes Black Amethyst
ruby_tea_roses 2/7/2007 2:04:00 PM
Lovely black-violet color. Deep, deep violet - almost black. Dark enough to define my brown eyes, but still enough color to see that it's violet (amethyst) and not straight black. Creamy and easy to apply. Does not smudge on my eyes. Lasts all day. And I love the built-in sharpener in the lid. 5 lippies!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Almost Lipstick - Black Honey
ruby_tea_roses 2/7/2007 1:58:00 PM
Beautiful raisiny-red color. Moist, glossy and sheer. Looks black in the tube, but goes on lips a gorgeous, sexy, deep raisin-red. Beautiful!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Chanel - Aqualumiere - Tahiti
ruby_tea_roses 2/6/2007 9:23:00 PM
Gorgeous shimmery red-coral. Beautiful, vibrant, and the shimmer is a very unique rose-pink color. Love it! 5 lippies!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - No. 22
ruby_tea_roses 2/6/2007 2:37:00 PM
*Heavenly*!!! No. 22 is hands down the *best* white floral I have ever experienced. It is ethereal, airy and light. The white flowers are so pure and innocent. And it has a soft barely-there soapiness that makes you feel like you just stepped out of the shower. It makes you feel light, clean and fresh. It's not overly sweet at all. No. 22 is NOT one of those sickly sweet florals. Oh no, no, no. What No. 22 is, is a light, airy just-bloomed white flower bud swaying in the cool crisp air of the gentle morning breeze. The two best words I can think of to describe No. 22 are "airy" and "clean". Perfection! Also, I find this smells absolutely nothing like No. 5 to my nose. I know other reviewers said it reminds them a bit of No. 5, but honestly, I don't smell it. No. 22 is much lighter, fresher, soapier and more "natural" to my nose than No. 5. I think No. 22 blows No. 5 out of the water. But that's just my humble opinion! LOL!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Bois des Iles
ruby_tea_roses 2/6/2007 2:26:00 PM
Meh. Too dry and spicy for me. Borders on masculine in my opinion, but then again I like really sweet fragrances like No. 22 and YSL BabyDoll. Bois des Iles seems more exotic, spicy and incensey than I am used to. It's not a bad scent. It's unique, that's for sure. But it's just not my taste, so I wouldn't repurchase. In fact, since it's so expensive and I know I just won't ever wear it, it's getting returned tomorrow. I wish it would have worked for me, but oh well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Chanel - Sublimage
ruby_tea_roses 2/6/2007 5:45:00 AM
I received a few samples of Sublimage in some orders I placed online at Chanel.com. I have oily skin, and I assumed Sublimage was some kind of heavy moisturizer for mature/dry skin, so I just left the samples sitting in my dresser drawer untouched. Then one day about 2 weeks ago, as I was rooting through the drawer looking for something else, I saw the Sublimage samples and decided to pick them up and read about them. It turns out Sublimage is for ALL skintypes (oily, normal, combo and dry), and it is an anti-aging treatment that is supposed to be a serum + moisturizer + eye cream + neck cream in one. It's an "all-in-one" cream. Well, seeing as I had the samples I decided to try it. I applied Sublimage before bed on my clean dry skin - I applied it all over my whole face and around my eyes too. I tried not to use too much as it did feel slightly heavy going on. It immediately gave my skin a radiance. I went to bed and when I woke up in the morning I was really impressed. My fine lines looked smoothed out. When I smiled, they did not crinkle up nearly as much as they normally do. How could this be after only one night? Maybe I was imagining things. I used Sublimage the next night and the next for 2 weeks now, and I am amazed at the difference it has made in my skin! I am 35 years old and I have the beginnings of fine lines around my eyes, in between my eyebrows, and on my forehead, but after using Sublimage at night for 2 weeks my lines are smoothed and my skin seems much firmer. I would say it smoothed my fine lines by 50 % and firmed my skin by the same amount. I am very, very impressed! I'm not sure what is in Sublimage, I am wondering if it contains some kind of argerline-type ingredient that works to relax muscles (botox-like effect where it prevents muscles from moving as much) because when I smile the lines don't crinkle on my face as much anymore. It's like 5 years have been taken off my skin, and I've only been using it for 2 weeks! One sample lasted me a week, and I have 4 samples, so I am going to use my other 2 samples for an additional 2 weeks and then update this review. If Sublimage continues to work amazingly well on my skin, and continues to reduce my fine lines and firm my skin even further, then I do think it is worth the hefty price tag ($350.00 for 1,7 ounces), and I will purchase a full size jar. So far, I am very, very impressed and thrilled with the results. Oh, and another thing, it has not clogged my pores or made my oily skin break-out at all. In fact, my skin tone, texture and color look more even and smooth. So far, Sublimage gets a 5 lippy rating from me! I'll update in another 2 weeks! :)
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Erno Laszlo - Antioxidant Mattifying Complex
ruby_tea_roses 2/3/2007 8:44:00 AM
This is a very nice daily moisturizer for my oily skin. It has spf 15, is oil-free, contains antioxidants to protect and nourish skin, and it it does slightly help mattify and control oil. Does not clog my pores, and has not caused any breakouts. 5 lippies! :)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Caron - Bellodgia
ruby_tea_roses 2/1/2007 2:11:00 PM
Beautiful pure carnation solo-floral. I don't know what other florals are supposed to be in Bellodgia, but all I smell on MY skin is beautiful, creamy, pure, white & pink carnations. With soft, gentle bottom notes of soothing baby-powder like a whisper on the skin. Very comforting, yet also uplifting, joyful, youthful, and innocent. Lovely!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Clinique - City Cover Compact concealer
ruby_tea_roses 1/28/2007 2:45:00 PM
I love this concealer for under my eyes! It is soooooo moisturizing, creamy and soft. It never settles into fine lines or turns dry or chalky on skin. Most concealers will cause the delicate skin under the eyes to dry out by the end of the day, but not this City Cover Compact Concealer. It is hydrating, creamy and wonderful! I am PPP and I bought the color "City Fair" and it's perfect for me. It is also SPF 15 (physical sunscreen - no chemical sunscreens in this!), and it has antioxidants to nourish and protect skin. I apply it gently with my fingertips (I don't use the brush that's included in the compact), and it blends smooth as butter. I love this concealer - if I could give it 10 lippies I would! :)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Cargo - Suede Blush in Gold Coast
ruby_tea_roses 1/28/2007 9:27:00 AM
Gold Coast is a beautiful shimmery mixture of three different colors swirled together. The colors are light baby pink, caramelly nude pink, and vibrant red-coral. I am PPP and on my skin, Gold Coast is beautiful. It's a soft-focused slightly pinked coral. Very healthy and glowy looking. The shimmer is very, very fine and not over-the-top at all. It just gives the look of glowing good health. This is a gorgeous color that is soft enough to be used by light skincolors and yet also it has the capacity to be vibrant enough to create a beautiful color on darker skincolors. Gold Coast has the potential to reach HG status. Beautiful! 5 lippies!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Smith's Rosebud Salve - Minted Rose Lip Balm
ruby_tea_roses 1/27/2007 6:10:00 PM
Love the minty-rose taste! It's tinted ever-so-slightly red, and is creamier, softer, and more moisturizing than the original Rosebud Salve. Lasts a long time and is very glossy. Cute little flowered tin too! 5 lippies!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Yves Saint Laurent - Young Sexy Lovely
ruby_tea_roses 1/26/2007 6:54:00 PM
This is a very spicy peach scent. Smells to me like spiced peach potpourri. It is somewhat similar to YSL BabyDoll in that it has the peach notes, but it is much more spicy than BabyDoll. BabyDoll has peaches with a sweet, fruity, creamy base - but Young Sexy Lovely has peaches with a spicy potpourri type base. I prefer BabyDoll over this, so I would not purchase this again. It's a nice scent though, just not for me.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Erno Laszlo - Timeless Skin Age Preventative Treatment
ruby_tea_roses 1/25/2007 1:41:00 PM
This is very silicone-y and heavy for a serum. I was expecting a lightweight, sheer serum, but instead this is slick, slippery, heavy and borders on greasy. I have oily skin, and there is no way I could use my daily moisturizer over this serum. It also took quite a while to absorb into my skin. The color of this serum is clear, and the scent is a nice citrus scent. Unfortunately it is too heavy for my skin. I think if you have dry skin, this might be a nice soothing serum for your skin. But if your normal, combo or oily, this is going to be way too heavy.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Gardenia
ruby_tea_roses 1/25/2007 10:37:00 AM
Chanel Gardenia Parfum is beautiful! Smells like an actual fresh flower. You know how when you're outside and you stoop down and actually pick a flower from the ground and put it up to your nose ... you know that fresh, literally *alive* scent of the flower ... it's fragrance, it's soft and cool petals, it's pollen, sweet but not "perfumey" sweet, fresh and alive but not overly green. Sweet in a natural, vibrant, *living* flower way. This is how Chanel Gardenia smells to me. If I close my eyes and smell my wrist with Gardenia on, I see in my mind a fresh, living flower in a bouquet in a vase filled with cool water on my table. I don't smell artificial "perfume" or perfume-scented-chemicals like most other floral fragrances. What I smell in Chanel Gardenia is a fresh, living flower. Alive and vibrant and singing joyous songs of springtime blue skies. Very lovely! Expensive, but worth it!
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No