Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Kate Walsh - Boyfriend
MikiKaneohe 4/6/2011 8:54:00 PM
I received this as a sample at Sephora. I am not a big fan of Kate Walsh or anything, but I have been dying to try this, so when I saw the samples at Sephora I snapped one up. I have heard Kate Walsh describing the perfume, and I was impressed because it sounded like she knew what she was talking about. Like she put a lot of effort and care into this because perfume is sort of a passion with her. Well. I think her hard work paid off because there is definitely a nice complexity to this. I think this is a perfume where you either love it or you hate it. It has a strong aroma of musky tobacco, but not as clean and sweet as Prada perfume. When I first put this on I thought it was a dupe of Prada which I love! But then it turned a little more vanilla-y and lightly sandlewood-y. I dont smell floral at all in this, and that is what she claims you will smell when first applied. And yes, it does smell like sweat after a while, not BO, mind you, but warm sweat (but in a good way). I can see how people would think it smells like a gym, or like Mass complete with incense and (scented)candles, and I agree with them. But to me it works! I have a habit of layering 'masculine' scents under clean florals. I like to get samples of men's cologne and dab a bit on my arms and then go to town with one of my (women's) perfumes that has a lot of rose and jasmine, a heady straight-up floral. I love the effect, and not smelling like anyone else! Kate Walsh explained that Boyfriend is something you can layer with perfumes you already have, so you can work this into your "scent wardrobe." I really like that idea, and I believe I will purchase my own bottle of Boyfriend to layer under Tocca Bianca, or Chloe, or Chloe Rose Edition. This perfume makes me feel like I just hugged a man and some of the scent rubbed off on me, so I think it served its purpose there. I really like this, not because I love the smell of it alone, but because it creates a nice effect on my skin with a scent that is complex and calming. My advice: give it a whiff and see if you can work it into your perfume rotation.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - S by Shakira
MikiKaneohe 3/31/2011 7:13:00 PM
I bought this perfume simply because I am a big fan of Shakira. It was really cheap at WalMart, so I figured I'd get it. Definitely not a perfume I would buy on its own for the scent. It doesnt smell bad, but I like deep floral fragrances such as Tocca Bianca and EL Beyond Paradise (2 of my all-time favorites). S is a little more vanilla-y then I would like, and has just a slight floral scent that reminds me of a really nice smelling shampoo. That is the best way to describe this, like a scent added to some other product to keep it form smelling plain, or like the chemicals that go into it. Its just sort of generic smelling to me...There is a hint of something spicy too, like sage or thyme. Not a fresh herbal scent (a la Aveda), but like a jar of some spice from the kitchen although I cant put my finger on it. I wore this to class one day and was sitting in a small classroom and one of my classmates came in and announced that it smelled like sausage in there. I was sitting next to a guy that smelled like cigarette smoke and I think the mixture of that and S combined to make a sweet, woody, smoky smell in the room. I dont hate this, but it is not my cup of tea...Sorry Shakira, hopefully you put out another perfume,one that smells like Ferragamo's Incanto Dream. I would soooo buy that !
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -BeneFit Cosmetics - The Porefessional
MikiKaneohe 3/24/2011 4:21:00 PM
I have used so many different primers over the years, and I have finally settled on this one. I think it holds makeup fairly well, but what I really like is the fact that I can tell the difference in my skin the second I put this on! And this effect last all working-day, which is really all I ask of my makeup. My skin is rough and uneven and I am prone to acne and oiliness, but when I apply this stuff, my skin looks so soft. It evens out the skintone, helps with texture as much as possible, erases my pores ( I also have really big pores on my cheeks & nose) and just makes me look so much better. I compare this to Dr. Brandts Pores No More, but that stuff gave me a wierd ashy cast to any crease in my face, like sides of my nose and chin and around mouth, but it did erase pores. POREfessional does the same thing but without adding darkness to my face. To me this is better than Smashbox, MUFE HD primer, Laura Mercier because there is a visible difference in your skin when you use this. A little goes a long way. One tube will last me over 6 months.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -RoC - Retinol correxion eye cream
MikiKaneohe 3/21/2011 12:33:00 PM
I picked this up at a local walgreens. I was encouraged because it said it helped crows feet & dark circles, both a which I have problems with. Usually I can see a decent change immediately when I apply an eye cream. I like that effect and it may go away, but at least I feel like it has taken effect. This product did not do that at all. I might as well have just put water on my eye area to moisten it. I thought maybe it took a few days to take effect, but after using it for several weeks, I still couldnt see any improvement. The product just feels really thin and runny, and doesnt really do anything for me. I like DS brands like Aveeno & Olay for eyes creams so I will just stick to them for now. This tube of eye cream was really expensive for what it does. Also the tube is metal and it creased and broke open on the side. Should have used the $20USD towards a Korres or philosophy eye cream!
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Liquid -Maybelline - Fit Me Foundation
MikiKaneohe 3/9/2011 11:27:00 AM
I have to say that I really like this foundation. I have very oily skin and plenty of imperfections, and the coverage from this is pretty good. I really like the soft flower scent too. The color choice for my olive-y skin tone isnt terribly great, but I can mix shades to get a good match. I dont mind doing this because I can buy 3 of these foundations for less money than 1 bottle of any of my other foundations from Bobbi Brown, MUFE and Korres. I dont get really greasy from this either. My skin is so oily that even MUFE Mat Velvet doesnt hold it at bay very much, but this stuff doesnt make my situation worse. Also, I feel like when I first put this on, my skin looks like it has makeup on it, and then 5 minutes later my skin looks really nice and natural and smoother and somehow perfected. Its as if it takes a few minutes to adjust to your skin and actually "fit" your complexion. I use my SIgma flat top synthetic kabuki brush to apply.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cargo - Lash Activator
MikiKaneohe 3/9/2011 11:14:00 AM
I didnt see any great difference in my lashes with this product. That is the main reason I wouldnt buy it again. I didnt have much smudging (unlike BadGal), but I was cutting onions for dinner and I started crying. All the mascara came right off! My tears worked better on removing this stuff than Sonia Kashuk eye makeup remover. I was really amazed because my tears dont take off other makeup that well. So as long as you dont cry, you should be fine with this mascara. However, I dont think it is anything special and I would spend my money on something else.
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Lipstick -Revlon - Pink in the Afternoon
MikiKaneohe 12/14/2010 8:44:00 PM
I really like the look of soft pink lipsticks, but its a little tricky with my olive-tanned complexion. This lipstick is a wonderful surprise! The pink looks really natural on my pigmented lips, but doesnt wash me out at all. For the price, this is a great lipstick. And the quality- just as good as Nars or Benefit for sure!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Revlon - Nail Enamel
MikiKaneohe 10/12/2010 5:10:00 PM
I just wanted to let everyone out there know that this cheap, DS brand is one of the best nail polishes I have EVER used! I cannot believe the quality of this product! Bourjois, Essie, China Glaze, OPI (Sephora and otherwise), Sally Hansen all wish they were this polish. I have minimal chipping when I use this, and the finish just gets better to me as I wear it. I can go a week with no touchups!!!! The colors arent terribly streaky, and the color variety is decent. I was truly surprised at how well this wore, given all the other brands I have tried. This feels worth the money you pay, and I rarely feel that way about NP's-thats I why I usually go after the Sinful polishes at Walgreens which are just cheap & fun after realizing that everything chips and looks crappy after a week. Revlon should be proud of itself for making a great NP!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
MikiKaneohe 7/9/2010 1:06:00 PM
I really love this foundation! It cover everything, but you only need a small amount. I feel that you are best off using only a drop or so at a time and applying quickly with a stippling brush to get an even application. For my pretty oily skin, this really cuts shine and looks fresh even in the evening. I have olive skin with golden undertones and I have to mix 65 and 55 together to get a decent shade. I used the darker shade alone (65) and found that it really does oxidize as the day wears on. I looked super-tanned at about 3:30pm. So I mixed a lighter shade in to make it a tad paler than my true skin color to start out with, but by mid-afternoon I dont feel like I look "toasty", just like I have makeup on that really compliments my skin. That is my only complaint, but I figured out how to get around it, so it is not really a problem. 4 Lippies for that and how expensive it is, although it REALLY LASTS!! When I wear this, my BF cant even tell that I have makeup on, and to me this is heavy, full-coverage makeup.
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