Lip Gloss -Clinique - superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Lilac
hesterC 8/28/2009 4:23:00 AM
IMO, the BEST gloss around (outside of the lasts-forever-category). 'Lilac' is a bit of an odd name for it, I think. On me, it's a natural pinky-berry shade with the slightest hint of glimmer (not all the superbalm glosses have glimmery bits, but this one does). It stays on for quite a few hours, moisturises, comes in the perfect packaging. Now if only it had sunscreen - ok, so not quite perfect, but SO almost there! When my GWP runs out, I'm buying a full-sized one. I also have superbalms in, I think, Raspberry (the really bright reddy-pink one which goes on a nice sheer wash of pink) and a very sheer natural one, Apricot, which is basically colourless and a touch flat, but also great on the glossy front.
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Fragrances -Hermes - Kelly Caleche
hesterC 8/27/2009 3:34:00 AM
I've been trying out the EDP. Luckily for my wallet, I don't think it's quite for me, but I'm sad about it! I WANT to love this, I find it painfully stylish and chic. I pretty much only get soft leather from it, can't say I can isolate anything else I smell. I love that this was made, I love that it's popular, I just wish I could love it with my heart, not my head! The packaging is so lovely too, even the colour I find perfect... sigh.
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Fragrances -Van Cleef & Arpels - Van Cleef
hesterC 8/27/2009 3:20:00 AM
WOW, what a hideous bottle! But moving on: this is a funny one. It starts off with an aldehyde-galbanum (or what smells like it to my nose) burst, which disappears quick-like, and you are left with a refined yet youthful, cheerful sweetness, very strawberry-like (and it is indeed a listed note). I like it a lot, but do wish a tiny smidge of the startup smell would have remained to freshen proceedings. I want a bottle, but I'm not sure it would sustain my interest long. The heart notes are quite soft, nondescript and sweet, perhaps not so fascinating, and the promise of the topnotes aren't quite lived up to. If my ship comes in royally, I'll be buying the biggest (butt-ugly) bottle there is. Till then, I'll just enjoy the sniffing in store.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Lanvin - Rumeur 2
hesterC 8/19/2009 10:47:00 AM
Got this free. There's a strange mustiness that many modern perfumes have, I think some people find this refreshing, maybe I'm the only freak that does not. The topnotes are stridently pastel and fake-citrusy, rather nose-burning. Then a long spell of musky-mustiness (and I'm a musk fan, that's not the problem), then an hour or so in, a soft, gentle rose appears. Not horrible, good for a young girl, but not mature, not refreshing, not something I'll be wearing often. By three hours, I'm sure it's going to be all gone, and the Diva I dabbed on this morning is already having it for lunch, two hours in :) The bottle is charmingly hefty, and I like the box and lettering. Shame this isn't more characterful.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Alyssa Ashley - Musk
hesterC 8/17/2009 5:22:00 AM
I have only the Musk Oil. Lovely, lovely stuff. A floral musk, much less animalic than Jovan, cleaner - but that may be because this is the oil. Not powdery to me, maybe a touch soapy, and I can imagine this reminding people of shampoo. For days when you just want to smell newly showered and enticing in a girl next door-way. I can't wait to try the sillage-heavier (I imagine) EDT! The little oil-wand is tricky, and I'm always worried I'll drip oil on my clothes. I do love the fact that the oil comes in a tiny purse-ready tube. The packaging is dated, though, and could do with an update, but rather leave it all alone than change the formulation!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Rochas - Tocade
hesterC 8/17/2009 4:22:00 AM
Whoooo boy, what a suffocator! I just spritzed a tiny bit, thank goodness. This is a heavy-fluffy Turkish Delight-marshmallow bomb. Rose and vanilla, a suggestion of amber, that's it. I can certainly see that it is well done, and I get that to some it could be a comfort scent. NOT on me! Way too much. Cute bottle!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Dr. Hauschka - Hand Cream
hesterC 8/7/2009 7:45:00 AM
Pros: Sinks in quickly, though it amply moisturises. Only the very very slightest layer remains, just right. Smells fabulous, but mild. Lovely silky texture, a joy to use. Pretty, unusual yellow colour. Looks stylish. Cons: Ok, this is the most expensive handcream in the world, it must be! Fully DOUBLE the price of the heavenly (and quite a bit better) Clarins Hand and Nail treatment. The metal tube is annoying towards the end, or if someone were to squeeze the front. So, if you love the scent and feel, buy it as an expensive treat. If you need seriously good, somewhat more affordable hand care, choose Clarins every time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -The Body Shop - Almond Shower Gel
hesterC 7/30/2009 9:41:00 AM
This seems to be on clearance here in South Africa, as it's consistently marked way down. We've stocked up, as it's wonderfully sweet, like bathing in marzipan. And somehow refreshing, too! VERY nice.
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Fragrances -Blue-Q - dirty girl body mist
hesterC 7/30/2009 9:02:00 AM
I only have a mini, with a tiny bit left - would love to have full bottle! Perfect light, slightly 'common' lily scent to splash on when running errands or meeting someone you don't want to overwhelm with perfume. Very simple lily, and clean, like the body spray it is.
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Fragrances -Ungaro - Diva
hesterC 7/30/2009 7:56:00 AM
The love child of Knowing and Beautiful. Stunning deeply rosey chypre, too too lovely. Very eighties in aesthetic, not for girlies, probably. Stunningly lovely, STRONG fragrance for a self-aware woman.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Yves Saint Laurent - Yvresse (Champagne)
hesterC 7/30/2009 7:54:00 AM
Lovely lovely peach chypre, very much a 'cleaned-up' Rochas Femme to my nose. Peach bellini, yum!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Vera Wang - Vera Wang
hesterC 7/30/2009 7:52:00 AM
VILE over-floral mixup, really inches away from high-end toilet cleaner. Nothing to be said for it, except the charming bottle.
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Fragrances -Calvin Klein - Eternity for Women
hesterC 7/23/2009 8:36:00 AM
Wow, this is really Eau de Dentist's Rooms to me. WAY overclean and massively over-ozonic. Nasty. And what a strange fussily formal little bottle?!
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Fragrances -Guerlain - Insolence
hesterC 7/1/2009 9:20:00 AM
I have a mini, and I think that's a good thing because that may be the secret of Insolence: dab, don't spray. If this were sprayed on me abundantly, I'd run off gagging. BUT dabbed on delicately it's lovely and interesting and youthful. Very violet, quite plastic-ey, with a base of vanilla, almost purely vanilla to my nose, BUT throughout, especially right at first, there's a strong incense feel! I see this mentioned once or twice, but it seems so incongruous; I don't know what may be causing it, but my very first thought, before violet pastilles, was: Oriental Plaza! Strange and alluring, one of the few perfumes I've been stopped by a stranger for.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Black
hesterC 5/28/2009 3:21:00 AM
I am sad: I bought a mini as that's all I can find in South Africa. And it's lovely, very very nice, but where is the weird?! Is it missing because I can't spray and must dab on tiny bits?! I want the rubber and all that! On me, it's a soft soft, somewhat manly scent (which is fine, I don't need to smell of flowers), quite sexy and warm and powdery, but faint, too. I want an overdose of this, with rubber - THAT would be amazing! As it is, just very very nice. Probably better for men or mature women than young girls. EDIT: Nope, no more rubber with the full-sized bottle. I really like this, but am still sad that I get NO weirdness whatsoever, although my boyfriend did describe this (positively) as 'cream soda sprayed on cardboard'. Why can't I smell THAT, instead of soft, vanillic cleanliness?
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