Fragrances -Robert Piguet Fragrances - Fracas
twitches 12/31/2006 7:29:00 PM
This is my one major tuberose scent - if it didn't exist, I'd have to spring the big bucks for Malle's Carnal Flower. I've compared the two pretty closely, and while Malle's is a bit lighter and cleaner than this, they're close enough for me to justify saving the money. I would call this a "mature" scent, but not in an old-lady, powdery way - more of a confident, brave, and bold way; it's a scent that's not afraid to be womanly, upfront, and over all the girly-ness. I wear it to work sometimes and always get compliments when I have it on, but it's not one I wear on a regular basis. Still, I think my perfume collection would be incomplete without it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bond No.9 - Scent Of Peace
twitches 12/31/2006 7:09:00 PM
Think of sheets just out of the dryer, or for the hell of it, just sniff the dryer sheet. That's what this smells like, and even though it's expensive for such a light, simple fragrance, my quest for a similar, less expensive scent turned up nothing quite as pleasant. In the end, I'm glad I forked it over the big bottle (because dang, I do LOVE those Bond No. 9 bottles!), as this is so completely different from every other fragrance I wear, and I personally don't need two bottles of fresh, linen-y, newly-washed-laundry scents anyway. If you want something like that in your collection, I say you might as well go with this one and be done with it. I have been pleasantly surprised with how often I wear this - it is perfect for work, or anywhere you might go during the daytime to play and/or run around. Nice, pleasant, friendly, happy. That's what this one is to me. And it does have staying power, surprisingly, for being so transparent.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Tom Ford Black Orchid
twitches 12/31/2006 7:01:00 PM
Dear God I love this fragrance. The top notes are verrrry strong (HATED IT when I tried it out in Neiman's), and it is almost suffocating at first blast, but personally I love the drydown and don't find it plain at all - in spite of my initial repulsion I kept sniffing my arm all day and broke down the next week and bought a bottle. My only regret is that I didn't get the bigger one! There's something earthy in it that, for me, keeps it from being boring - I describe it as "wet leaves dipped in chocolate" and even though that may sound horrid to some, to me it's divine. One of my all-time favorites for the moment. I wear it at least three times a week. Oh - and the bottle is divine; black with the gold label, sooo glamorous. Love love love!
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Skincare - Body -Frederic Malle - Lipstick Rose Lait Parfumé
twitches 12/31/2006 6:53:00 PM
A divine lotion - smells as wonderful as the perfume, just like sexy, waxy red lipstick from the fifties. It's also a terrific body cream, absorbs quickly but the scent lingers. People rave about this scent every time I wear it - I think it evokes strong memories for most people; and the lotion's very moisturizing without being greasy, to boot.
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Fragrances -Frederic Malle - Lipstick Rose
twitches 12/31/2006 6:50:00 PM
This is an unusual scent - it is very sweet, but it is the one perfume I own that smells so EXACTLY like the name suggests - lipstick, but not just any lipstick; think grandmother's waxy red lipstick from the fifties and you've got the idea. This may sound awful to you, but I swear every time I wear this I am surprised at how many compliments I get - people rave about it whenever I have it on.
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - La Chasse aux Papillons Extreme
twitches 12/28/2006 1:47:00 PM
This is one of my favorite scents, that has sent me on a quest for anything peppery I can find. The pepper note is overwhelming, yes, but if you love it, there's nothing like it. It dries down to something light, floral and slightly spicy; unusual but delicious. I love it so much, I'd be heartbroken if it were ever discontinued.
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Mascara -MAC - Zoom lash
twitches 11/26/2006 9:32:00 AM
This is my HG mascara! It really lengthens and curls the lashes - however, I'll agree with other reviewers who've spoken of the dreaded "spider lash" effect. To combat this, I simply use a second dry mascara wand (I purchase them at the grocery store by the bag) to "de-clumpify" my lashes after application. I've found the mascara is only really clumpy when it's brand new, and after about the first week it calms down. Another thing you could do if it's too spidery-looking is buy it in brown instead of black, or try the Prolash instead. However, for me, this stuff really does the trick. I can't go back to anything else after getting used to a mascara that really adds to the length of my lashes, spider-eyes be damned. And, by the way, it's pretty easy to remove, a definite plus!
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Eyes -MAC - Prep + Prime Lash
twitches 11/26/2006 9:28:00 AM
I have used Zoomlash for years (except for one ill-fated Loud Lash purchase last month) and have always been pleased with its lash-curling and lengthening qualities. I was convinced to try the last primer by a sales consultant, and I'm still undecided as to whether or not this product is necessary. It doesn't do any harm, though, and my lashes definitely look longer when I'm done; I'm just not convinced the Zoomlash doesn't do the same thing on its own. I will say that I do think the primer helps the lashes curl, and it cuts down on clumping (the Zoomlash is really clumpy when it's brand new) so in that regard, it's fine. I gave it three lipsticks because while I can find nothing wrong with it, I can't say it's made a dramatic change in the appearance of my lashes. The Zoomlash, on the other hand, is to me what makes my lashes look longer and thicker.
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Moisturizers -Paula's Choice - Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer
twitches 11/26/2006 8:42:00 AM
Whoa - this is a serious moisturizer, for sure! Very thick and a little goes a really long way, which I supposed is why it's such a small (2 oz.) bottle. I should have read the fine print before ordering this as I admit I was shocked at the tiny size of it, but once I used it I realized it's so thick you don't need but a dab each time you use it. Also, the pump does not work well with the consistency of the product - I had to beat the heck out of it to get anything to come out the first few times I used it, and finally figured out that if you pull the pump out a little bit, it will finally suck out some of the product. The website says this is good for under the eyes, and in fact, that's the best way to describe it - it's like putting an undereye cream all over your face! I have pretty dry skin but even in winter there's no way I can use this during the day; when I tried, my makeup literally just slid off my face. This is fine for a night cream, but unless you are seriously dry, don't expect to be able to use this under your makeup! I'm going to go back and try something else from her for daytime use, and if I decide I like this as an eyecream, I may buy a bottle again, but otherwise it's just too heavy for my face.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Betsey Johnson
twitches 11/21/2006 8:40:00 AM
This scent is OK - very very sweet, very floral, and like another reviewer mentioned, it smells like a lot of scents already out there. For a floral, I prefer Flowerbomb, which I think is similar to this, but Betsey's perfume is cheaper, so that's a plus. The packaging is a cute idea but it is a little on the cheap side - on the bottle I tested, the big pink chandelier-cap broke off in the salesgirl's hands. Still, I liked it on my wrist and kept smelling it all day - I just didn't get it because I already have a few sweet perfumes and didn't need another one. It is pretty, though.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Black
twitches 11/19/2006 9:59:00 PM
Fantastic. Very heavy - for me, definitely a winter scent. I do smell the rubber, but it fades on me quickly, leaving something synthetic and sexy behind. Long-lasting, and very strong - a little goes a long way with this one. I am usually into sweet scents, so it's bizarre that I would like this, but it's totally, totally original. Everyone wants to know what it is when I wear it. My husband likes it, too, and he generally hates cologne. There's nothing typical about it, and I think if you're into unusual scents, or even if you typically don't like perfume at all, this is one you should try, because it's unlike anything else.
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Primer/ Corrector -MAC - Matte
twitches 11/14/2006 10:07:00 PM
I've used MATTE under my Studio Fix foundation for about a year now and I love it. I have pretty normal skin that leans towards dry, and once I started using the Matte I noticed a definite difference in the application and staying power of the foundation. With this product I've found that a little goes a long way - one tube will last me at least six months. I would put it on over my foundation and right away my skin felt smoother. The only reason I didn't give it a five is because I recently switched to the new primer, which i think is a little lighter and a little better. Still, if they quit making that, I could easily switch back to this stuff - which has more of a gel feel versus the lotion feel of the new primer. UPDATE: I've recently switched back to this from the Primer. Maybe it's just better for me in the winter months - but I think this really does work better under the Studio Fix.
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Fragrances -Viktor & Rolf - Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb
twitches 11/13/2006 7:00:00 PM
This is flowery and sweet, but only on first spray. It is not powdery for me which I hate with a lot of floral-y perfumes, and to me at least it does not smell like the typical department-store fragrance, there's something cleaner about it that I really like. Personally I think this scent has nice staying power as well - I can smell it on me six hours later without having to sniff my wrists.
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Lipstick -MAC - Pro Longwear Lipcolour
twitches 11/13/2006 6:34:00 PM
My HG lipcolor. I simply MUST have lipstick on to feel "dressed," and as a teacher who's constantly talking, I can't be re-applying lipstick all day long. I put this stuff on at 6:00 AM, and when I get home at 4:00, it's still on. You have to be able to tolerate the dryness of a long-wearing lipstick like this to wear it, though; when you can't re-apply the gloss for a long period of time, you do have a dry feeling on your lips, which makes some people crazy but doesn't bother me. I can eat with it, talk for hours, eat again, you name it and it stays on - and no icky lipstick smudge on my coffee cups, either. My only complaint is that the gloss gets used up quickly and is so thick you can't get it all out of tube anyway, so I have to buy lots of extra little gloss tubes to keep on hand. *As a sidenote: I've recently discovered that the new Max Factor MaxWear lipsticks have a gloss on them that works with the MAC Longwears, which is terrific, because some of those glosses are in really cool colors, like chartreuse or yellow! Using them can really spice up the longwear lipsticks if, like me, you only have one or two colors you really like - and you can't just use ANY gloss over them; the MaxWears don't ruin the base color or longevity at all!
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Mascara -MAC - Loud Lash
twitches 11/13/2006 6:27:00 PM
Ugh! I bought this when the saleswoman suggested I'd like it sooo much better than my usual ZoomLash...what a mistake! While the ZoomLask really darkens, thickens, and curls my lashes, this stuff goes on very thin (they don't call it "weightless" for nothing), does nothing to lengthen, and as someone mentioned already, it is impossible to remove. I wake up every morning with black smudges under my eyes (even after using eye makeup remover AND soap the night before ) and then it still doesn't come off when I wash my face the next morning. Personally I see no reason to use this mascara when MAC has such better formulations (ZoomLash or Pro LongLash, IMHO). Won't be buying it again.
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