Eye Shadow -Coastal Scents - Hot Pot in S36 Copper Pot
Anda 7/24/2012 2:51:00 PM
Now renamed Copper Pot, S36 is a beautiful coppery-bronze and a very close dupe of MAC Amber Lights. The reviews below complaining about lack of pigmentation and fallout are most likely not talking about the metallic shadows which were added at a later point. Those in the ME (Metallic) range and many in the S (Shimmer) range are very smooth, buttery and highly-pigmented. Now that they've renamed the entire collection, it's a little harder to tell which shades are high-sheen (i.e. guaranteed good quality) and which are not. I'd still put my money on the high-sheen hot pots because they're a total steal at $1.99 each. If you're in the market for really good and cheap shadows (who isn't?) I highly suggest you pick up some of the shimmery/frosty shades from the Hot Pot range as the quality far exceeds that of their mattes. The only problem I can find with the S36 hot pot is that it can pull very orange on some skins, so if you've never had good experience with orange-based shades, I'd give this a miss and pick up other colors instead.
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Loose Powders -MAC - Iridescent Powder - Silver Dusk
Anda 7/18/2012 2:48:00 AM
Super-fine, dewy-soft dust with lots of silver flecks, that goes on predominantly white/pearl despite the faint pink hue in the jar; better for women with lighter skins as it can look ashy on tan to darker skins. I find this also works better an an all-over dusting powder (face, decollette, legs, arms, even hair!) due to the liberal amounts of silver pixie glitter. For face highlighting, do note this will migrate everywhere instead of staying just where you put it. - This is designed to give you some serious sparkle all over, and not so good for spotlighting areas of your face or creating a dewy, natural sheen, compared to many other products. - Pros: Silky-smooth, and great value for money if you use it all over your face and body because you get a huge jar. Cons:Without a base to stick to, this functions like a faintly-tinted version of MAC Prep + Prime powder (translucent, easily sheers out to nothing) with silver sparkles thrown in.
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Fragrances -Chanel - No.19
Anda 7/15/2012 2:03:00 AM
I love the description of Chanel No 19 as the woman who is so smart that you tend to forget how beautiful she is. It's complex as an intelligent woman should be, but fresh and cool enough to make her point without dissolving into self-indulgent melodrama. Ironically, I used to hate it whenever I smelt it on the testers at the Chanel counters (slightly-rancid leather and vetiver is not pleasant), but decided to give it a chance one day and sprayed it onto my skin. About 10 mins later, I walked right back to pick up a 3.4oz bottle of the EDP and have been wearing it everywhere since; work, play, bed. Chanel No 19 is not the type of insipid, pleasant and forgettable scent that tries too hard to please everyone. Neither is it the sugar-laden Venus fly-trap of a scent that tries too hard to be the life of every party. It opens sharp and cool, then rounds out into sweet, fresh-cut flowers laid on ice, accompanied by the soft simmer of loamy vetiver and sensual leather. Many people describe it as "cold" and masculine, but I respectfully disagree. Just because it isn't overtly sweet and girly does not mean it isn't womanly and alluring. To me, Chanel No 19 is that perfectly-tailored ivory suit with impeccably clean lines, cut to enhance the curve of the waist and the length of the leg, so you never forget it's a woman under it.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -L'Oreal - Color Riche Intense Fuchsia 288
Anda 1/27/2012 4:22:00 AM
Shade-wise, this is definitely what a Fuchsia is supposed to be: a bright, intense cross between pink and red. I’m a fan of MAC Girl About Town and Revlon’s Colorburst in Fuchsia, and L’oreal Intense Fuchsia looked like a similarly strong pink with a soft blue sheen on Gwen Stefani and Freida Pinto. Well, it’s not. (Don’t you hate it when shades get altered too much, courtesy of Photoshop?) In real life, worn on the lips, the color is much more of a strong red with magenta-pink tones, which is fine if not for the fact that the liquid colorants used in the formula stain your lips a deep dark red, so as the day wears on your lipstick will start to look redder and redder, until it ends up a cherry shade and no longer a fuchsia, because the lipstick is not opaque enough to hold up against the red stain on your lips. But ultimately, the thing I dislike most is the fact that it contains big, chunky, pointless flecks of fuchsia glitter that do not show up on the lips but make the lipstick feel slightly gritty and reminiscent of the cheap lipsticks a teenager might buy from a dollar store. Save your money and go for Revlon Fuchsia if you want an intense pink drugstore lipstick for grown-ups.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - Doll Pink #8
Anda 1/14/2012 1:26:00 PM
Nice, sheer, magenta creme gloss that every pink-lover should check out. --- Why I love it: 1. No shimmer or glitter 2. Non-sticky feel 3. No weird taste or smell (not to me anyway) 4. Extremely affordable 5. Beautiful blue-based pink to layer over shades like MAC Candy Yum Yum, Nars Schiap and Barry M Shocking Pink 6. Good for those who like cool electric pinks but are not quite brave enough to wear the opaque color yet 7. Flattering on most skin tones 8. Dupe for MAC's limited edition Lipglass in True Babe (but less sticky) 8. More pigmented than MAC Cremesheen Glass in Loud & Lovely 10. Did I mention extremely affordable?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Liners -MAC - Pro Longwear Lip Pencil - What A Blast!
Anda 1/13/2012 2:06:00 AM
I was looking for a strong, bright orange that would not be too red, too pink or too yellow, and this was the perfect one. The pigmentation is really good and the pencil is really soft, so you can easily fill in your lips for a really dramatic, opaque, matte finish, and it does not drag your lips going on or feel more dry than regular pencils. It goes with a gamut of other strong orange/coral lip shades such as MAC Morange, Barry M Sunset Lip Paint and Lime Crime My Beautiful Rocket (comparison swatches above). It's not as red as Lady Danger though. The lasting power is amazing for something this soft and pigmented; I'd actually swatched it on one day and then gone back and bought it when I discovered the swatches were still on the back of my hand a day later, after multiple washes and hard rubbing with tissue. The con is the price. You get a bit less product than regular MAC pencils, but pay more. Then again, you also don't have to touch up quite as much using these. Highly recommend this range of pencils, particularly if you like wearing strong lip shades and need a pencil that has enough pigmentation to define your mouth, and then stays put long enough to do so.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -TheBalm - Just This Once Jamie
Anda 1/12/2012 8:39:00 AM
Color and Formula: This is quite a nice and unique shade (a soft, smoky, medium mauve-taupe) but I don't find myself reaching for it much, mostly because of the formula. It is so soft that it feels and goes on like a loose powder shadow, and fades and blends out the same way. (If you try to buff or blend a bit more, the color will dust off and become really sheer.) A good primer is a must in order for it to adhere to your skin. Also, use a light hand as a lot more will come off on your finger or brush than you intend. Recommended if you like the soft crumbly texture of Stila shadows. --- Price-wise, it's not cheap. Of course, it's bigger than a MAC shadow, but then it's so soft that you always end up using more of it unintentionally. --- Conclusion: I will probably stick to MAC Shale for a grey-plum shadow, as it goes on more dimensional and allows more control and build up than this shadow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Russian Red
Anda 1/10/2012 3:30:00 AM
Rich crimson that is a few tones deeper than a true scarlet, so it assertively says "Look at me" instead of shouting it with a megaphone. It's definitely not blue-based, although that's how the MAC site describes it. It's just less yellow than a lot of other red formulas on the market, which might explain why it's described as blue-based. It's neither a cherry (cool) nor a tomato (warm). I'd initially bought it expecting it to be a blue-based red, so I was mildly disappointed that it is more of a red-red instead. That said, as deep "red-reds" go, this is definitely the best one I've found, and makes my NC25-30 skin glow. I have worn this with both a barely-done face, as well as full-on smoky black eye, and it works great both ways. Some people consider Revlon's matte lipstick Really Red to be a dupe of this (I own both and prefer the MAC despite the Revlon being cheaper), but though the base tones are similar, the Revlon is more sheer and will go on warmer/yellower than Russian Red on paler or less pigmented lips. Russian Red is also heavier feeling. You will not get the light-weight waxy-silicone feel of Revlon's Really Red, because this has a much higher level of pigmentation. It is VERY opaque and rich, and will stay true to tone, which is by far the more important thing for me, as I like a perfectly even-toned, intense lip, and prefer opaque formulas as a result. --- Note: As with all strong reds, this draws attention. Definitely try before you buy, so you can be sure it is flattering on your skin, instead of surprising yourself when it does not go on exactly the way you imagined.
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Prince Noir
Anda 1/10/2012 1:53:00 AM
This is a Pro shade which I managed to pick up in the 2011 MAC Me Over collection. It's a dark blackened-plum lipstick in a rich, velvet finish. Similar to Diva lipstick, but less red and more vampy. Totally in line with the whole "film noir" feel it is named for. Since it's a matte formula, the lasting power is great and it does not feather even without a lip liner. That said, it is not hard to apply and does not drag unduly on my lips or make them chapped, as this is not a retro-matte like Ruby Woo. The lipstick stays true to the shade it is in the tube. Also stands up well to having gloss applied over it, since it's a pigmented matte texture. It may seem over the top but I love it most paired with dark smoky eyes for a glamorous 20's inspired look. One word of caution if you drink, talk or eat throughout the day; Like all lipsticks, the color at the center of your lips will transfer and fade away over time, and that will be instantly more noticeable with a dark shade like this, so some touch ups will be in order to retain that perfectly-painted look.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Faux (satin)
Anda 1/9/2012 8:28:00 PM
One of the staple lip colors for my moderately-pigmented lips on NC25-30 skin. The texture of the satin lipsticks is my favorite of all the MAC lipstick finishes. I love the rich, opaque coverage as it completely evens out my lip tone (the border of my lips is darker and more brown than the center), and Faux is a muted mauve-beige with a slight putty undertone, slightly paler than my actual lip color so it gives me a "healthy-nude" lip which complements a dark eye but doesn't make me look washed out when I'm going for a more natural look. Along with Pink Nouveau (for days when I'm feeling friskier), this is one of the first and only MAC lipsticks that I actually use down to the stub. --- Would I repurchase? I already have!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Lime Crime - Chinchilla
Anda 12/23/2011 10:53:00 PM
This is a muted lavender, the way real lavender looks; a dusty, smoky, creamy pale purple with gray tones. The lip swatch and the campaign visuals on Lime Crime make it look more gray than it actually is, so keep that in mind before you buy. Texture-wise, I have no complaints. It has the comforting vanillin scent most people find pleasant in MAC lipsticks, and it IS opaque enough to cover your lip color. It's a creme formula; no shimmers or glitters, and I find it quite moist going on. I'd say it's similar to MAC Amplified Cremes in texture. Longevity-wise, it lasts quite well since the formula has a sheen but isn't overly slippery like a NYX lipstick. It's pigmented enough that after a couple of hours when your lips have absorbed most of the emollients and sheen, the color pigments still remain. But this is not a low-maintenance color because any fading or unevenness, when it occurs, will be more apparent than most regular lipstick shades, unless you have pale lips. Price-wise, I can't complain because I ship this to Asia and it costs less than MAC and even some drugstore lipsticks here. I would take one lipstick off for the fact that it's not the most wearable lipstick around unless you have extremely even skin, and I don't really reach for it much because while it makes the makeup collector, the edgy makeup artist, and the anti-establishment beauty salivate, most other people just won't really appreciate the look of lavender grey lips in real life. I could also do without the purple unicorn packaging (a little too little-girl for me) for a more vintage look and feel in keeping with the fact that this is a "Lip Noir" lipstick, but that's just me. But PLEASE don't let this stop you if you're looking for just such a shade! The quality is good, and it is unique and hard to substitute as far as the COMBINATION of color, pigmentation and texture goes. Tips to wearing it better: 1. Covering up the natural red tones of your lips with a lipstick that is less warm/red than your skin will bring out all the un-evenness and red blotches on your face visually. Make sure you even out your skin adequately first. 2. Wear a lip concealer around the edges of your lip. Grey-purple tones are less red/warm than most skins except the uber-pale, so the skin immediately surrounding the rim of your lips will stand out as being more red/ruddy as it is darker than the surrounding skin.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Occitane - Amber (EDT and Perfume)
Anda 5/21/2004 11:02:00 PM
I'm fine with the simple L'occitane packaging. Wld rather not pay so much for the receptacles when it's the juice I love. And HOW I LOVE THIS!!! Rich, sweet, spicy, smoky and both elegant and sexy at the same time. I quite like the vanille range but ended up getting this cos I knew the overly-foody vanilla would bore me in awhile and make me sick. This one is a darker, more complex blend when combined with the incense, amber and woods. In fact, this smells like Shalimar EDP after drydown (the best part for me) at literally half the price for double the amt. If the ambery aspect of Shalimar is what u love and the citrusy bergamot and leather clashes rather than complements the body for u, Amber is the one to check out! I own this in the EDT and the Solid perfume. EDT is softer and slightly spicier than the solid but warms up on the skin over 10mins or so. Don't test this on paper as it sweetens up with warmth and body chemistry. The solid perfume presents a richer, more decadent and creamy-sweet aspect of the scent where amber and vanilla take the driver's seat. I love either, but get the best of both worlds by layering for the perfect in-between! UPDATE: wore it out one time and the next time i went out w/ the same guy, he admitted he liked it so much he was trying to smell it on me the whole night (but I was wearing something else!)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Boucheron - boucheron
Anda 5/3/2004 11:39:00 AM
I bought this unsmelt, and sprayed it on the way home. I wasn't immediately blown away, but pleasantly surprised no doubt. I got the creamy tuberose and jasmine first of all, skipping the citrus opening somehow. Not that I mind. For the first hour or so, it is a tuberose-centered scent. I was mildly disappointed cos while I like it I already owned Michael and Blonde. This is however a softer and subtler tuberose than Blonde, 3-D and interwoven with lacy wisps of jasmine and ylang ylang, but not overtaken by them as Michael almost is. The drydown is surprising, as this is one of those scents that really takes its time to 'arrive'. only 3-4hrs later do I realize the tuberose is gone and an almost completely new scent is sitting on my skin, powdery-sweet and almost fresh as the tonka/vanilla/sandalwood shows itself. I wore another EDT with this to compare, and while the other scent was stronger at the start and Boucheron quietly took the backseat, it held on and on over the hrs while the other faded to nothing! I usually go for slightly more simplistic scents as the old-style classic floral-orientals tend to be too bottom heavy and complicated for me. I've tried and tried, but scents like Opium and Shalimar seem to have so many points to make that it all comes out a garbled mess in the end. Boucheron, I'm delighted to discover, also has several points to make, but manages to somehow better delineate and define them into stages IMO. This is olfactoric poetry in a bottle. (That said, I know the bottle probably looked cool way back, but an oversized cheap-looking plastic blue ring ain't too chic at the moment.)
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Nina Ricci - Les Belles du Ricci, yellow version "Delices d'Epices"
Anda 5/3/2004 6:00:00 AM
Found the 100ml at a discount store for about US$33. What a find!! This is such a wonderful and delicious scent! Like many others, I smell pineapple. A lovely sweet, juicy bowl of pineapple cubes complete with the acidic bite, drenched in warm honey and topped with a dash of sweet cream. Over time, it dries down into a soft pineapple-chunks-in-vanilla-cream kinda base held in check by a smooth subtle wooded finish that prevents it from getting too foody or cloying. In my opinion, this beats other tropical/fruity/sweet scents like Escada's recent papaya-mango-slush offering hands down. It isn't strong enough to give you a headache on a hot day, and neither will it reach out to punch your neighbor in the face. You catch gentle whiffs of it as you move about. If I want it to last longer or be a little stronger, I spray this over a touch of hazelnut and coconut cream oil! Yummy.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Boucheron - Initial
Anda 4/22/2004 6:15:00 AM
I'd give this a 3.5 rating becos it's not my fave scent, but I DO like it well enuf. It's smoky and peppery, almost warm up the nose, and the honey and almonds give it a smooth amber tone that's rich and sweet but not as creamy as vanilla. This is not a foody fragrance despite the notes. More of a dusky (not powdery) floral oriental. I have this in the EDP sample miniature, so I can't make a comparison with the EDT or Parfum concentrations. My guess is that the sweet notes wld be stronger in the Parfum version, and the pepper/patchouli more pronounced in EDT. As far as the EDP alone goes, the whole composition is a pretty good balance between equal parts soft blooms, spice, and amber-sweetness. Neither of the 3 aspects stand out more than the other. I wouldn't give this a full 4 because while it's pleasant enough to me and the pepper isn't overpowering (a ala Rouge) to the extent of obscuring the other notes, it's just an overall nice, feminine fragrance. It doesn't smell generic, but it's also not the type of scent that gives me any sorta rush when I smell it. If you want a floral oriental but something that's a subtle departure from the usual vanillic-ambers around, give this a try.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No