Polishes -Maybelline - Paint the Town
LastNameAvailable 1/5/2013 2:35:00 PM
While on the hunt for a nice, non-shimmery red, I came across Maybelline's Color Show in Paint the Town. It's a great medium, semi glossy neutral red. I wouldn't call this a vampy red, but I definitely noticed a difference between coats. The first day, the color was quite vibrant, but by the second it had mellowed into the bottle-color. I've never had a polish do that. The polish viscosity is nice, neither gloopy (Yes, a technical term...) nor running all over the place. It also proved easy to remove with little, if any, staining. I also really like the bottle design, which gives the polish a high end look. The price is quite good and I look forward to trying other shades in the range.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color- Save the Date
LastNameAvailable 1/5/2013 2:16:00 PM
Can't decide between burgandy and purple? Want a bit of shimmer without having your retinas seared out of your skull? Wanna go dark without becoming Elvira, Mistress of the Dark? (Or hey maybe you do?) Then try Save the Date from Sally Hansen's Diamond Strength line. Seriously. It's really lovely. And I know, because I'm an annonymous name from the Internet. How can I steer you wrong? For a good saturated color, I use two coats. (The formula is runnier than my SH Xtreme Wear colors, but not watery.) Drying time is respectable, even with my gnat-on-crack attention span, and the color is very true to the bottle. Even without a basecoat I have yet to have this color stain my nails.The lasting power is good, usually about week (Bear in mind I don't often use topcoats and by then there is a noticable growout line at my cuticle. Also, my nails are short, so there isn't much bending of the nail iteself to foster cracking, YMMV.) All in all, Save the Date is a keeper in my paint box. It dresses up well, looks rich and juicy and is a wonderful warm plummy/bordeaux that pairs particularly nicely with neutrals. Try it if you're needing a break from the bright shades!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Sally Hansen - Xtreme Wear Gunmetal
LastNameAvailable 1/5/2013 1:25:00 PM
As others have mentioned Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Gunmetal is a wonderful dark, modern silver. I have warm undertones and the blue hints in this color really seem to come out. The shimmer level is moderate, giving just the right amout of spark and depth without without wearing a disco ball on your nails. If you've wanted to go for edgy dark/black nails, but found a true black too much, this is a wonderful alternative. Surprisingly easy to wear, this can be both a fun casual or a vampy dress-up polish. Have fun with it. It's "smokey eyes" for your nails!
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Crystal Body Deodorant Stick
LastNameAvailable 2/13/2011 10:45:00 PM
Don't you just love finding holy grail products? This is one of those off beat things that I really could smack myself for not purchasing earlier. While it seems rather pricey from the get go don't let that dissuade you, this stick lasts and lasts! Other natural deodorants gave me rashes or just didn't seem to have much staying power. If you are a profuse sweater, this won't keep you dry, but you won't smell either. I sweat quite a bit, yet find myself sweating less after using the stone or the liquid roll on. This is a great and simple alternative for those wanting to "go green" with their grooming products.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shave Products -eos - Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream in Vanilla Bliss
LastNameAvailable 1/21/2011 10:50:00 PM
Let me start by saying I usually shave with oil, so I'm used to not having a foaming product. (I can see how this would be annoying if you like a thick lather.) I bought this on a whim since it was on sale at my local supermarket, and I must say it's pretty nice. My legs are very smooth, the scent is a fairly natural vanilla and there's enough shea butter in it that I can actually smell it. The thing to remember about a creme like this is it doesn't behave like a foam and shouldn't be applied as such. Lather this on wet skin until you have a slippery, milky surface. You should be able to see the hairs through the creme. Another thing that helps with this (As with oil) is to shave with small, short strokes, rinsing the razor frequently. I haven't experienced any razor burn with this product, even around the bikini area and that's a huge plus in my book. It is a bit more expensive than the regular foams, but it is also made with good ingredients, comes in a container that won't leave rust rings (And uses recycled plastic!), and goes on sale regularly. I'll probably still use oil as my main shaving medium, but this will be a great addition for sensitive areas and when extra moisturizing is needed.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Coco
LastNameAvailable 1/13/2011 8:40:00 PM
I'm currently on a Chanel binge, sampling them whenever I can as they're not easy found in my town. After the fond reviews here I tried Coco (Modern formulation, in EDT) and, wow. Where to start? It is so very different from my dear No. 5. The scent is mysterious, almost melancholic. I don't get sexy, or necessarily sophisticated, but the feel is like trying to remember a dream once one has awakened. Like with most Chanel fragrances, I have a hard time easily classifying the notes. The opening is strong. I was shocked at how masculine it smelled, and my first thought was how very "Chanel" it was. My nose can always find rose, and I get fleeting glimpses of jasmine, but most of what I smell is a complex dried spice/incense. The drydown is quite nice, and it mellows considerably. It wears a bit closer to the skin than No. 5, and feels a bit more like an aura than a perfume. I really think I like this, but I'm terribly on the fence as to whether or not I'll wear this. I will update when I've tried the EDP. As of now I keep getting flashes of my female relatives, even though I doubt any have worn this. Perhaps it was just too popular during my early years, but the overall feel I get from this is one of ageless, nurturing, almost maternal femininity. Not so much "old lady", more like "mother" in the primal female archetypes of "maiden, mother, and crone." It would take a special woman to tame and own this scent. Chanel Coco doesn't need to proclaim her sexuality to the world. The woman who wears her knows who she is.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - No 5 Sensual Elixir
LastNameAvailable 1/12/2011 8:19:00 PM
Shame on the sales associate who almost cost me the pleasure of acquiring this beauty! I've been a fan of the original No. 5 since I was in middle school. Growing up, everyone I met who smelled it on me instantly reminisced about this aunt or that mother or some ex girlfriend.who used to wear it . That was fine by me, it just meant I was part of a large group of ladies with good taste! ;) Enter, Sensual Elixir: It's everything I love about No. 5 and more! It's all there, sans the prickly aldehydes: the softness, the creamy florals, and the smooth powdery warmth. It's the olfactory equivalent to rolling naked down a hill of cashmere. Since I don't like to announce myself with perfume, I enjoy that this is more of a skin fragrance. I wear it on the back of my neck after I don my retail-sanctioned polo shirt and pants. If a perfume can make you feel sexy and elegant in polyester, go for it!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bath and Body Works - Aromatherapy Jasmine Vanilla sensual body esscence
LastNameAvailable 1/5/2011 10:07:00 PM
What a lovely body spray! I bought this alongside the Aromatherapy Ginger Orange body spray and I have to say the staying power of this is fantastic! Much longer than the ginger/orange (Which sadly, I really love.). One little spritz will do it. This is a fairly simple creamy jasmine and is perfectly suited for mysterious days and steamy nights. It seems like it is discontinued, which is unfortunate, but if you happen by it online it well worth a try.
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Fragrances -Chanel - Chanel No 5 - Velvet Body Cream
LastNameAvailable 1/2/2011 1:48:00 AM
Oh Chanel, how I love thee! My favorite teacher, who was probably only in her early or mid twenties at the time, would slip out a bottle each Friday afternoon at the end of the last class and dab a tiny bit on her neck after letting us out. She was so pretty and elegant, the perfume came to embody timeless feminine class. Finally many years later, after sampling the edt and edp in a department store I chose the body cream as it tempered the aldehydes a little while letting the body of the fragrance shine. A "good parts" No. 5, if you will. Also, with the creme you can get a more precise application. Do not be fooled that this is just a watery half hearted peripheral to the perfume-- this cream is potent! In terms of scent it most closely resembles the edp to my nose and I can't imagine actually using it as a lotion. Just once I made the mistake of smearing a little on my arms and legs after a shower to moisturize. Oh boy, I stunk up the room! Usually a little dab, judiciously applied, is more than enough. I've had my jar for about eight years and I've hardly made a dent. The color of the cream has morphed to a pale peach (It was white to begin with.) but the scent is still true. While I can't imagine ever needing to repurchase it because the jar is large and the scent strong, if the cream ever went bad I would. It is just that good. If you have shied away from No. 5 or Chanel in general, I really do suggest trying the creams. They cut back on some of the bite while still being true to the character of the perfumes.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Annick Goutal - Mandragore
LastNameAvailable 12/30/2010 11:31:00 PM
This is probably one of the most bizarre fragrances I've ever sampled and owned. It's strange and yet captivating; a perfume that stays close to the skin and whispers its secrets. Each time I spritz it on I find myself sneaking sniffs, trying to identify the various notes. On my skin Mandragore opens with soft citrus that slides into a long bergamot note. Somewhere around the middle, a ginger and woody note comes out, overlaid with something kind of sweet (Anise? I think?) While the silage isn't huge, the scent stays with me for about three hours, finally drifting away to a clean green scent. Mandragore would make a lovely and unexpected office or summer perfume. Definitely a scent you won't catch just anyone wearing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Sally Hansen - Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition
LastNameAvailable 11/14/2010 1:29:00 PM
This review is for the Nail Nutrition Green Tea and Olive Growth, since I couldn't find a listing for this product outright. I wasn't quite sure what to expect initially, or if this was a treatment or a polish. Ideally, I had wanted something to work as a barrier between my nail and polish that added strength to the nail (I work with and wash my hands a lot.) It functions nicely as a base coat, drying down to a shiny hard surface. My nails do feel harder, are less bendy and I've started to see a bit more growth. The bottle says to apply this every other day for a week for growth, but that seems a bit of overkill, unless it's the buildup of the product one needs. I imagine this would be great for someone whose nails are very brittle. I haven't noticed any cracks, or flaking of my nails, nor any stress cracks in the polish itself. In fact, it holds up better than my Sally Hansen Tough as nails clear and regular polish! The formula seems a but runnier than regular polish, and the brush is decently wide enough to allow for quick coverage. The polish dried very quickly. All in all, I'd recommend it and will definitely purchase this again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -DHC - Deep Cleansing Oil
LastNameAvailable 11/13/2010 11:46:00 PM
Talk about surprise HG! I didn't think I'd like the idea of smearing oil on my face, and the scent put me off at first, but now I'm in love. This is essentially a proprietary blend of oils and whatnot for use with the Oil Cleansing Method, and it is formulated to rinse clean. I've used jojoba oil, olive sweet oil, and coconut oil as substitutions, and while they do work nicely, none give the instant dewyness and easy rinsing that DHC's cleanser does. It's really wonderful if you have somewhat dry skin, and it's nice to have a daily facial massage too!. Unfortunately it is a bit more expensive that I usually like in a cleanser, and most folks may have to order it online unless they're lucky enough to be near a store, but it is worth the extra leg work to get it. I would definitely repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Arbonne - Awaken Sea Salt Scrub
LastNameAvailable 11/13/2010 10:19:00 PM
This is a wonderfully scented, nicely exfoliating, softly hydrating, horrifically overpriced scrub. Don't get me wrong, it's one of the loveliest scrubs I've used, but I got it as a gift. I wouldn't have purchased it on my own. It's also quite oily. I drained off about an inch of oil and used it as a shaving oil after the first couple of times I used this. Otherwise it left a slick and unsafe film in my shower stall. I store it tightly lidded and upside down so it mixes when I need to use it. Otherwise it separates quickly. If you are a scrub fiend, it makes a nice treat, but there are plenty of other wonderful scrubs out there.
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Scrubs -Origins - Ginger Incredible Spreadable Scrub
LastNameAvailable 11/13/2010 9:58:00 PM
Hands down my favorite scrub! The sugar particles are a little large, so you don't have to buff too hard to get a good exfoliation. My skin is kind of dry so I don't mind the film some people mention. It goes away as my skin dries. The fragrance is to die for, and since I've used up my supply I truly miss it. It smells so warm and even a bit citrus-like! It's the essence of summer and indulgence. The scrub is a little pricey and I do wish the tub was a bit larger, but if you catch it on sale, go for it!
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Loose Powders -Palladio - Rice Powder Loose Natural
LastNameAvailable 11/13/2010 9:23:00 PM
For the Translucent Rice Powder: This is a nice little powder. Finely milled and lightly scented, it works for me in my oily T one. I got it on impulse at Sally's Beauty Supply and haven't regretted it. It disappears easily into the skin if you take a light hand to it and keeps my forehead matte throughout my entire work day. I often forget I even have it on, it's so weightless. The puff is annoying and applies far too much product, but it's useful for helping to keep the powder from sifting through the holes in storage. While it isn't quite HG, it is very good.
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