BB Cream -Christian Dior - Diorskin Nude BB Creme
Iphigeneia 3/13/2013 12:41:00 PM
This is the first and only BB cream I have tried. I consider it as close to the perfect foundation-type product as is humanly possible! I buy the lightest shade because I am relatively fair. It looks almost like white paint as you're applying it, but as soon as it dries--perfection. Light, matte, weightless coverage that is easily applied and blended with the fingers. I am a lazy person, and this has put foundation back into my daily beauty routine because it's so easy.
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Liquid -Laura Mercier - Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation 
Iphigeneia 1/29/2012 2:44:00 AM
Laura Mercier's foundations are the only ones that work for me (due to superior color-match), but each one has its own small flaw that makes it just short of perfect. The Oil-Free foundation provides the perfect medium level of coverage, but it took me years to find the right primer and method of application to avoid the thick, sticky, cakey look. The magic formula: Sephora's Ultra-Smoothing Primer, and then lightly dot foundation all over the face with fingertips, and then blend. The right primer was absolutely the key. It lasts all day, perfect, and feels utterly weightless. The only reason this doesn't get a 5 is that, without the right primer, this is very tough to work with.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Crème -Laura Mercier - Crème Smooth Foundation
Iphigeneia 11/29/2011 11:29:00 PM
This foundation DOESN'T WASH OFF! I was very excited to try it, and liked it very much...until I went to take my makeup off. I washed four times and used my exfoliator twice. My face felt raw, and yet when I rubbed my face on a white towel, foundation traces were still on my face. Returned it. The SA admitted that this is a common problem. A huge disappointment.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Lipstick Queen - Saint Wine
Iphigeneia 10/17/2009 10:48:00 PM
I'm rather pale and usually can't wear lipsticks that are this dark. However, in the summer with a tan, one coat of this has a lovely natural dark quality like Clinique's Black Honey. One problem with this formula is that my lips have to be perfectly soft and warm for it to apply smoothly. If I'm chapped at all, the color goes on in little clumps that only smooth out after the lipstick warms up on my lips. It's a problem I've had with other dark colors, though, and is not unique to Lipstick Queen products. I don't think I'll be buying this again, only because one tube will last me a long, long time.
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Lipstick -Lipstick Queen - Saint Rose Sheer Lipstick
Iphigeneia 10/17/2009 10:39:00 PM
The first impression I had of this on opening the tube was "whoa, hot pink!" But I put some on, and it was really quite attractive. It's a blue-based hot pink, perfect for my cool-toned complexion. One thing I love about Lipstick Queen lipsticks is how buildable the formula is. With one coat, this gives a more natural pink look; with additional coats, Saint Rose becomes more of a hot rose-pink statement. I love how this looks with 2-3 coats and then some nude lip gloss over top.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Lipstick Queen - in Saint Pink
Iphigeneia 7/4/2009 12:05:00 AM
This cool light pink shade is darker than ballet slippers, and goes on my lips as a pinky nude. (I'm pale.) It's pretty, but looks just a little too pink. It doesn't scream "I'm wearing light pink lipstick!", but it does raise its voice a bit. I prefer Saint Natural. Edited to add: I first tried this in the summer, when I had a slight tan. Now that I'm back to my usual pale self, I'm finding this to be a very useful, versatile, natural-looking pink lipstick that I actually prefer to Saint Natural, so I am adding one lippie to make it a 5.
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Tinted Moisturizer -Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 - Oil Free
Iphigeneia 7/3/2009 8:39:00 PM
I think this is the first time I have really, really disliked a Laura Mercier product, and I've tried almost everything. I was a fan of her regular tinted moisturizer in Nude but sometimes it is too moisturizing, so I gave the oil-free a try. Huge mistake! The color Nude looked the same as the regular version...but only until it dried. On the face, it became darker and more orange-y. Hideous! I will stick with the regular version of tinted moisturizer in the future.
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Lipstick -Lipstick Queen - by Poppy -Saint Natural
Iphigeneia 11/21/2008 10:20:00 AM
This is a bright brownish pink. It does fall into the YLBB category, as it is an enhanced version of my own lip color. Natural is a pretty good name for this one. One of the best features of this lipstick is that the color is very buildable, more so than any other lipstick I've tried. This provides more control over how "made up" you look. With one coat, it looks very natural. With two or three coats, the look is more makeup-y.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Lipstick Queen - Medieval
Iphigeneia 11/21/2008 10:14:00 AM
This lipstick is terrific. It gives you glossy lips with the "bitten" light red look. It is also the most moisturizing lipstick or lip gloss I have ever used. Perfect for days when I am wearing little or no makeup!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Mary Kay - Night Solution
Iphigeneia 11/18/2008 5:16:00 AM
I have been using this for a month. It doesn't seem to do anything. I was using just moisturizer at night before I tried this, and the Night Solution doesn't seem to add any extra benefit. I think it sells mainly because it feels nice and cool to apply. Will not repurchase.
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Fragrances -Guerlain - Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune
Iphigeneia 2/7/2008 9:29:00 PM
This smells like an exact recreation of two things: fresh grapefruit, and unwashed armpits. The grapefruit part is so compelling that it gets two lippies, despite the fact that the B.O. aspect (which I think is deliberate) makes it unwearable.
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Fragrances -Creed - Baie de Genievre
Iphigeneia 1/25/2008 12:32:00 PM
This fragrance is billed as being for men, but I find it to be soft and light enough to be unisex. One of my very favorite fragrances. It is definitely one of Creed's most pleasant scents and it deserves to be better known. Warm, soft spice. The notes are as listed by Creed: juniper berry, cinnamon, and vetiver. I like it around the winter holidays.
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Fragrances -Guerlain - Vol de Nuit
Iphigeneia 1/23/2008 10:56:00 PM
Though I own many, many scents, this is my signature fragrance. It is soft without being powdery, spicy in a warm, unaggressive way, and yet also evokes a bit of melancholy. It is deeply feminine; it is the perfume of a woman who knows her own heart and mind. I have never found another fragrance that is so evocative. I wear the EDT and find that it does have moderate staying power. I do not think the parfum has the same depth, although I will occasionally wear a bit on my pulse points in combination with the EDT to increase the staying power.
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Candles -Pacifica - Pacifica SOY candles (various fragrances)
Iphigeneia 1/15/2008 2:47:00 PM
I own four of them so far. As earlier reviewers said, the scent "throw" of these candles varies wildly. Three out of four of mine were very good, though, with strong scent, so I will assume they are mostly high quality. I like the simple glass containers, and the colors of the candles are quite pretty. They burn with very little soot, but wiping the glass off is easy. They also burn very evenly. The boxes these candles come in are gorgeous with the art deco-style designs, and it feels like a crime to throw them away. For a 10 oz. candle, I paid $20, which is slightly less expensive than the other candles I like (Paddywax, 8 oz for $20, Henri Bendel, 10 oz for $25). I ordered mine from the Pacifica website after seeing some in a store. Orders over $60 got free shipping, and they were very carefully and neatly packaged in bubble wrap. I will definitely buy again. French Lilac: very good throw Egyptian Bergamot Rose: mild throw (but lovely scent) Persian Rose: good throw Wild English Clary Sage: very good throw
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Eye Shadow -Laura Mercier - Shy Violet quad
Iphigeneia 1/8/2008 2:47:00 AM
Shy Violet eye shadow quad is part of the Spring 2008 Seduction collection. It has four red-based violet eyeshadows: a very pale pink-violet, a pink-mauve, a maroon color, and a black plum. All shades are infused with an extremely beautiful, delicate, light shimmer. This can be worn very sheerly (for day) or the darker colors can be used to make a more dramatic, smoky eye for night. This is one of the most beautiful shadow palettes I've ever used. Pressed into the shadows is a bas-relief violet, which adds an extra touch of beauty. I purchased both the Shy Violet and Wild Violet (blue-based violet) shadow quads. I expected to like Shy Violet better, but I prefer the Wild Violet. The red-based colors of Shy Violet are harder to wear, and can make the eye look tired/sore. The blue-based violet shades of Wild Violet counteract these problems and provide drama. Shy Violet is still a nice palette, especially for daytime wear if you make sure to line the eye with a non-red-based product. However, if you are going to buy only one, pick the Wild Violet. Recommended. ETA: Docked a lippie because it is difficult to get real color payoff with these. They go on very sheerly and it is hard to build color, even with an Eye Basic.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No