Fragrances -Guerlain - Jicky
jd-jd 6/26/2007 8:24:00 PM
Jicky is almost an exception among the Guerlain perfumes; it smells great in the EDT. Since it's pert nigh impossible to find the EDP or parfum, be content. Jicky was originally intended as a MEN'S fragrance, and Jicky was, I believe, a nickname for Jacques Guerlain. So it is a man's cologne and hence the EDT (weakest form) would be appropriate as an after shave spray. But women claimed it unto themselves (like Eau Sauvage of Dior.) The scent is dry lavender and moist, dirty nasty civet. A contrast almost like a Hegelian dialectic; to make a fine scent, create a stink and clean it up with lavender, the original "laundry" scent (lavender meaning "the wash" in Latin.) Sprayed lightly, it can be worn with tweeds, velvets or corduroys. It is not to be worn (as another reviewer accurately noted) in SUMMER, when the humidity will bring out the animalic civet like cat pee in a carpet on a hot humid afternoon. This scent is made for the rugged, heavy clothes of fall, when you are outdoors, talking lovely walks in the city or the country, walking the dalmations who pull at the leash and your love is not sure why he thinks you are so sexy but you just are. This was the scent favored by fashion cognoscenti like the exquisitely interesting Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Trust Jackie. Jicky is ...ladylike with a dirty mind.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Other -Susan Lucci - Microdermabrasion machine
jd-jd 5/9/2007 7:20:00 AM
This kit does what it says; makes your skin smooth. I was using Mary Kay's 2-part cream but the vibrating tool that comes with the Susan Lucci kit works better. I got mine from HSN, which means I don't have autoship from Guthy-Renker, which I wouldn't recommend. You will use up the microdermabrasion cream first, and it's not easily available on its own from HSN, but the crystals are available online to make your own version. You have to rinse very well (they suggest showering) and a toner afterwards really helps. The kit comes with a gel wash that can be applied with a brush, but I just use my DHC soap. My only complaint is that HSN has not made the sponges available separately. You should change the sponge every 30 days, so why won't they sell a packet of sponges? My skin does look smooth and wonderful under makeup the day I use it.
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Eyes -Mally Beauty - The Light Wand Eye Brightener Powder Pencil
jd-jd 4/22/2007 10:36:00 AM
I get these as parts of Mally sets, but I wouldn't go out of my way except if I needed a concealer-colored pencil. The wand is a 2-part pencil and dauber. The dauber has the powder in the cap and there isn't much of it. Not only that, sometimes the entire unit wants to come out of the pencil and it is a pain to open (by unscrewing.) The powder in my shimmer set ran out pretty quickly. The pencil lasts longer. The shimmer is rather "piecey" and not as subtle as I'd like. The matte is a good eye highligher and lip line highlighter, but frankly for the price, I don't really think it's all that.
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Blush -Mally Beauty - Mally Beauty Shimmer Shape Glow Face Defining System
jd-jd 4/12/2007 8:00:00 AM
The reviewer that said "This is not a blush" is absolutely on point. No matter what brush you try, even the darkest color doesn't apply much color. But when you use the three different shades, you do get a healthy look that gets noticed. The shimmer shade is not terribly shimmery (thank goodness) and goes on the top of your cheekbone (zygomatic process, for you anatomy fans.) Then the darkest shade, a taupey brown, goes in the low spot. You put the "blush" on the high point, the apple of your cheek. It will not look colorful, but go outside and you will see your face is not blank and dull but has a healthy mild glow. The lightest shade (Life is Lighter) is about like Nars Orgasm; it does not show much on me as a NW30; I am not dark-- a medium-light beige and it just doesn't show. So if Orgasm or other light peachy blushes don't show on you, get the dark peach or dark pink color. Imagine, there are refills; if you use up the cheek color first (probably will) you can rebuy just that shade for $15. A nice touch. Also very ecological.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Mally Beauty - Citychick Smokey Eye Kit in Tribeca Taupe
jd-jd 4/4/2007 6:26:00 PM
The colors in this set are greyed taupes. The lightest shade is almost like MAC Malt but not as warm. The colors are almost "invisible" but give the eye a sculpted look. Mine came with a grey and brown double ended pencil; the taupes look great with mid tone grey (warm grey.) The shadow base is easy to smooth on. While the color is subtle, I found when I used my makeup remover, a lot of color was still on my eye. If you don't look good in greyed tones, you won't like this. I do wear grey, so this works for me. *UPDATING. I must like this, as I hit the pan on the lightest shade. I use all three of the shades, and the darkest goes on with the small brush as a powder liner. Very good day look, natural but finished. This is probably one of my favorite palettes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Swan Lake
jd-jd 2/22/2007 10:29:00 PM
Wow: I cannot wear BLUE and gray used to look dull on me. But with my letting my hair go streaky gray, this color looks exceptionally good. The color is a blue-gray shimmer, more gray than blue in most lights, and looks good with pink or pale cream shadow or best of all with Rondelle, the silver shadow from the same colorstory, Danse. I wear it with Rite of Spring all over the eye, Rondelle under the brow and Swan Lake either in crease or all over lid. Line with Greyprint. A great color, one of the best blued grays ever.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - En Pointe
jd-jd 1/3/2007 9:14:00 PM
This is a light pink, the color of ballet toe shoes. Medium shimmer, no big pieces of glitter (which I don't like.) Goes on very glassy smooth. Less color than Magic Spell, which was a similar light pink, maybe a tad darker. I used up Magic Spell and it was le, so En Pointe is a good substitute for a plain pink gloss. Not outstanding, but a good standard pink color if you just want gloss and not much color payoff.
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Highlighters -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade
jd-jd 1/3/2007 8:46:00 PM
This MSF looks odd in the package; it is a yellow-lavender-pink mix with some blue. It looks like someone took a Degas pastel (of ballerinas, no doubt) and tried to get a swirly color mix based on the tones in the picture. I do this --often I take samples of works of art to get palettes via digital sampling. But here, the "not-found-on-skin" colors look rather sick in the domed product. However, as a highlighter, Lightscapade is a subtle glow, rather like Meteorites but with less pink and not as lightening. I am not sure I'd buy another, but I like it as an all-over highlighter. **UPDATE. For an overall glow, I notice this really makes a difference, compared, say, to Glissade. Upgrading this to a five. **UDATE II: This has become an HG. I dust it on with the kabuki style brush of MAC from the Beauty Powder collection and I get a subtle candlelit sheen, especially on my nose. I love the ease of application. The BP's are a bit more shimmery and evening, and the Accentuate side of the shape n sculpt is not as visible as this one. I wish it weren't le but that's MAC for you--issue 2 color stories a month, have a great item or three and then abandon them like a three-year old playing with his newest toy, only to become fascinated by an old sock and the toilet plunger and leave the toy under the porch to get all cobwebby and show up on Mom's yardsale table.
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Blush -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish - Glissade
jd-jd 1/3/2007 8:42:00 PM
This MSF is a subtle one! The peach is a darkish peach, due to the plum veins mixed in. This results in a slightly bronze tone on me (NW25) when I apply it. But it is in no way dark like a bronzer or even as dark as a blush. However, my husband sure noticed it! He really liked it on me and made a comment. The subtle healthy glow is what I want in a skin highlighter--something I can dash all over to avoid a pallor I get with my grey hair. Big thumbs up but warning; darker gals will find this is a highlighter only--won't work or show up most likely.
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Bronzers -Laura Geller - Bronze-N-Brighten
jd-jd 11/30/2006 7:21:00 AM
Used correctly, this is a nice bronzer. Mine came in a duo with Balance n Brighten, the foundation version. The streaks of color in this swirled-style dome are dark. If you DON'T somehow mix this on your brush, you will get dark nasty streaks. In the half-and-half version, not much room to swirl a brush, so it's even harder. I swirl it on my hand (back of hand, well washed) before I apply and it looks GREAT. If I just apply with the little Kabuki brush that comes with and don't do this, I get dirty streaks on my face. And it's darkish, so if you are wicked pale, this may not work for you. Nice things; no shimmer, just a bit of glow. So if you like Benefit Hula, this is a good alternative. Also, you CAN pick up the darker bits on an eyeshadow brush and it makes a very light, natural taupe-bronze eyeshadow. So for a summer, tiny clutch, go anywhere single makeup, this works well as it does blush or bronze and eye makeup in one (and if you have the duo with Balance n Brighten, you have it all in one place.) It is also dry, so if you are mature skin or dry skin, you need to put a moisturized base underneath so the powder doesn't dry you out further.With these reservations, and using a light hand, I give this product a thumbs-up.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Laura Geller - Balance-n-Brighten
jd-jd 11/30/2006 7:15:00 AM
I was looking for a mineral-type foundation, but one I can carry while I work and move around all day. Something I'd be likely to use because loose powders don't work as well for me for touch-ups at my desk. I was lured in by QVC's very convincing demonstration on television. What shows up is a compact with a mix of colors from ocher to pink and beige, and mine is the duo with Bronze-n-Brighten so the other half of the dome is a bronzy version. There is a small, adorable Kabuki brush in it's own case that comes with. When I first put the BnB on, it was dry looking. Worse yet, the bronzer (reviewed elsewhere) did look dirty. Lesson: swirl that brush or get streaks. And it looked dry. But, being a novice to mineral makeup, I decided to moisturize more thoroughly and put Smashbox primer underneath. BINGO! A very nice look, glowy but natural. Took about 10 years off my face. Now admittedly, at 55 I have few wrinkles and my skin is good, but it's getting drier. So I think if you are my age and want a light look with glow, you have to moisturize before application and some sort of primer, whether fnd primer or a light layer of light foundation such as DHC watery foundation or a sheer layer would help this the rest of the day. Touch ups at my office were easy and I went home looking a bit nicer for the DH. Considering the size, the convenience, I'd buy it again. If used correctly, a very nice product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Smashbox - Mascara
jd-jd 10/22/2006 7:31:00 PM
I wouldn't run out and plunk down 18 bucks for this mascara, but it usually shows up with the kits on QVC. With the lash primer, it thickens nicely but not dramatically. It does lengthen. The brush is the skinny type with open bristles. It doesn't clump and it doesn't leave raccoon rings like my Voluminous from L'Oreal. I am glad to get refills in the kits but I never never pay $18 for a mascara.
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Lipstick -MAC - Viva Glam VI
jd-jd 9/30/2006 9:14:00 PM
At $14, MAC lipsticks did not even give my conservative Mom a sticker shock. Yay, MAC. This is a rosy, bronzy plum, very nice and moderately sheer--almost a your-lips-but-better. It is nice paired with the lipglass, which is cooler in tone, so you can vary it from warm to cool. It needs a reddish or plumish lipliner; spice or neutral doesn't work well with it, imho. I love the soothing texture. The case has red metal inside, showing it's from the VG line. I only wish my 2005 VG palette had a space for this!
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Viva Glam VI Lipglass
jd-jd 9/30/2006 9:11:00 PM
I was all prepared to resist this latest lipglass in the VG series, but when I tried it on, I had to have it. It is a sparkly rosy plum, but the sparkles are not big or obvious on lips. The texture seems slightly less thick than older lipglasses. I wear it a lot, love it over the VGVI lipstick. It's a very flattering color that almost anyone could wear.
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Toners -DHC - Rose Water
jd-jd 9/14/2006 8:27:00 PM
Rose garden. This versatile rose water mist toner helps soothe and balance sensitive and overly dry skin with a burst of natural hydration. Made from the petals of centifolia roses before they bloom to capture them at their peak fragrance, DHC Rose Water is extracted using steam distillation. This is a fine spray in a kind of tacky-looking rose topped pink can. Spray it on and it feels like Evian water or any other face mister. Nice on hot days and refreshes foundation.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No