Blush -Rimmel - Blush in Santa Rose
MoBo 8/5/2010 11:49:00 AM
I've used Rimmel lip glosses, mascara, and blush and I'm really liking their products so far. The glosses in particular are really nice and not too sticky. This is my favourite blush at the moment. I have been trying to find a good shade for awhile. I have very fair skin with some light freckles and I tend to like pinkish hues. I was using L'Oreal Bare Naturale in Pinched Pink but found it to be far too pink and the packaging was inconvenient. Then I moved on to NARS in Deep Throat, but found that to be too peach and too pigmented for my fair skin. It also has lots of sparkles and given that I have oily skin, I like to stay away from being too sparkly. So, I've concluded that for an everyday natural shade of blush what works best for me is a pinkish nude shade with little to no sparkle. I've been meaning to try NARS Orgasm (that is supposedly a pink/peach or pink/coral), but I live in a really rural part of Canada that doesn't offer much in the way of makeup selection. So it's hard for me to get different brands without resorting to Ebay, which can be risky. I also wasn't sure if that would be too pinky and sparkly for me. Anyway, being a bit obsessive about makeup I read somewhere that this is a good dupe of Orgasm so picked it up at Shoppers Drug Mart and...I really like it. I wear it pretty much every day that I wear makeup. It has very little sparkle and is in just the right shade of nude/pink that I want. It goes on light so it's easy to get the right amount of colour that I want. It matches pretty well with my natural colour when I'm flushed except it might be a bit more beige. In any case I'm liking it and the price was good. Good value! I'd purchase this again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Le Labo - Gaiac 10
MoBo 8/1/2010 2:25:00 PM
Dang I love this fragrance. Usually I don't have a problem with words...but I'm not sure how to describe this. I guess it's not surprising that I like this because I'm seeing that, as I try more and more different scents, I tend to gravitate towards more 'unisex' and possibly woodier scents (but not so spicy). For example, while an iris scent, I truly love l'Artisan Iris Pallida. I tried other irises, such as Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist and the Different Company Bois d'Iris, but nothing compares in terms of loveliness. I suspected that maybe it was the guaiac note and so I sought out other fragrances with that particular note to see if that's what I love. I don't really have refined olfactory senses at this point so I'm not sure if the guaiac is what makes Iris Pallida special, but I'm so glad I explored because I found this little gem. But now I would liken my state to the feeling of unrequited love because I fear I'll never own a full bottle (having never been to Japan let alone in possession of $400 in disposable income to spend on perfume! If only...). Anyway, yes, this is a woody fragrance. It's not 'loud', but lays close to the skin, as other reviewers have already mentioned. It's warm and clean-smelling. I guess it's masculine, but I'm a 30 year old girlie girl and this fragrance is about as close to holy grail as I've ever gotten. My husband doesn't really notice it, but I like this fragrance so much that I don't even care. If you have the money BUY IT (for me!). If not, get the largest decant you can. This is a great everyday fragrance, which is probably why I love it so much. Special occasions might call for something a little 'more'. Update: I've given this review some thought since writing it a few days ago and, while I still love this fragrance, I have to admit I'm somewhat uncomfortable with the policy of 'exclusivity' practiced by Le Labo in regards to their City Exclusive range. I'm kind of torn over this...while I like the idea of a fragrance as an homage to a place, and I like the idea of wearing a fragrance that isn't mainstream (is unique and so forth), I'm not sure I like that these city exclusives are only available in their respective namesake cities. But I guess making them readily available would make the whole concept 'city exclusive' redundant...At the same time, this concept seems elitist and exclusionary, which is not something I really like. I don't know if this negative connotation is something that's intentional on the part of the company...perhaps they've got a good conceptual/practical justification. I dunno...still thinking about this one.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Frederic Malle - Lys Mediterranee
MoBo 8/1/2010 12:31:00 PM
This a really beautiful fragrance, but not one that is an everyday sort of scent for me (for reasons that I'll try to make clear here) so it gets 4 lipsticks (for now anyway). The best way for me to articulate how I feel about this fragrance is to do as others have done here and compare it with Un Lys, another wonderful lily fragrance by Serge Lutens. First of all, I can't decide if I like Lys Mediterranee better than Serge Lutens Un Lys (which I think I gave a 5 previously, but will probably revise - much time has passed since that review!). I think there are certain aspects of Lys Mediterranee that are better than SL's Un Lys and others that aren't. My overall impression is that this is a really true lily scent, as is Un Lys (but I can't yet distinguish between types of lilies as others have here!). For some reason (and I haven't tried my Un Lys in awhile) I think this one is more intense than Un Lys, meaning that it's not for the shy woman. Perhaps this relates to the type of lily used (ginger/spicy?), but I'm not sure. In any case, you definitely know you're wearing it, as do others. But it's gorgeous so that's ok. I like that it doesn't have the vanilla drydown that Un Lys has and instead has a musk base. I'm not a huge fan of vanilla. But the musk to me still smells kind of sweet and just a little overpowering. On the other hand, I think I might prefer the opening of Un Lys, which, to me is fresh and green (a good thing in my mind!). But overall, there is something about this fragrance that I might like better than Un Lys...perhaps it's the 'aquatic' note others have mentioned here, or maybe it's somehow a more rounded out composition. I don't know... On the other hand, I like that Un Lys feels lighter on me. In any case, Lys Mediterranee (well, both fragrances really) is a must try for a white floral lover and/or a lily lover. I'd own both if I had the money. Lys Mediterranee is great on a cool summer day or evening in my opinion. Lovely.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Iris Pallida
MoBo 2/18/2010 5:49:00 PM
Amazing. I know nothing about irises or iris perfumes, but I am in love with this fragrance. I'm embarrassed to say that when I first got a sample of this, I hated it. I thought it smelled like dry dirt. That was my impression - very dry. But this was when I was into fruitier scents. So I shelved it. For about a year. Then one winter day, I was thinking that I needed to try something new, so I revisited Iris Pallida. I was completely wrong to dismiss this fragrance. It is so beautiful. Like the previous reviewer, my bf also likes it and that never happens. It is so subtle and lasts the entire work day on me. I can't really even describe it except to say that it definitely smells from the earth but it a really amazing way. Not fruity, not sweet and not 'girly', but still beautiful and soft smelling with some earth and woods. A sophisticated scent I think. I have a full bottle of Chasse aux Papillon Ext., but now I'm wishing I'd just waited and gotten the big bottle of this beauty (at $295 I think I'll be waiting awhile). But I want it so bad!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Annick Goutal - Eau De Charlotte
MoBo 12/9/2009 12:10:00 AM
I really like this perfume. It's one of my favourites at the moment. Last summer I was really into Saffron James Nani, but now that it's winter I need something less light and in bloom. Eau de Charlotte has been in my sample collection for quite some time. I purchased a sample mostly for sentimental reasons - I liked the fact that Annick Goutal made it for her daughter Charlotte. That's a nice gesture. I think I didn't really connect with the fragrance when it first arrived (in the spring) in the way that I do now that there's snow. Like others have said here, however, Eau de Charlotte opens green. Then it dries down gourmand and becomes somewhat powdery and clean smelling. I like all of this, although I'm not usually into gourmand scents. Overall, though, this is an amazing scent - it makes me feel sweet and feminine and clean. I don't need to apply much - just a bit, or I'll get overwhelmed. I'll buy a full bottle once I get the money.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Saffron James - Nani
MoBo 7/18/2009 3:11:00 PM
This is a beautiful fragrance. I have a small 1mL sample and on first sniff from the vial I thought it was gorgeous. However, I'm new to fragrances and wasn't familiar with the smell of jasmine at the time I received this sample. So when I first applied nani I was put off by the slightly stinky scent that jasmine can have. As a result of that first experience, I shelved the vial until I became bored with other fragrances I own. I tried the fragrance again on a hot summer day and I was so surprised by how gorgeous it turned out to be when I actually gave it a real chance. For some reason, it doesn't smell the same when I sniff close to my skin, but I feel like it radiates outward and becomes more and more beautiful as it mingles with the air. I don't know anything about the composition of perfumes, but I think this one is really well made. It smells perfect to me - I feel beautiful when I wear it - and I'm going to buy it once I have the cash. **Edit: I wrote this review about a month ago and I can say that I'm still in love with this fragrance - even more so than before. It's now my favourite and I'm buying a bottle as soon as possible. Amazing!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Un Lys
MoBo 5/19/2009 6:21:00 PM
I love this. It smells like none of the 'mainstream' fragrances I've smelled in the past. Serge Lutens un Lys on first application smells just like the lilies my boyfriend gave me once. But he said it smells like potpourri. I guess I can kind of understand that. However, I think un Lys smells exactly like a lily...it even smells kind of green, damp and juicy to me. On the dry down I really get the vanilla and musk and it's so nice and comfortable. Even though this scent is expensive, I will try my best to buy a full size!! It's gorgeous and unique.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Boucheron - Miss Boucheron
MoBo 3/22/2009 9:07:00 PM
I've been trying to learn about perfume more lately, as I really like certain scents but know next to nothing about the composition of perfume, nor what makes a good one. I bought a sample of Miss Boucheron from ebay after reading the reviews of it here at MUA. When I first smelled this perfume from the bottle it seemed to resemble some kind of household cleaner and I was hesitant to try it out. However, when I did eventually use Miss Boucheron, I found that the initial scent dried down to something much softer and more powdery. It's a really subtle scent; quite nice, but not extraordinary. My boyfriend likes it - he said it smelled 'womanly'. On the other hand, Miss Boucheron doesn't last long and it's a little expensive. I might buy it again when I finish my sample, but I want to explore a variety of perfumes first! It's going to be fun.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Garden of Wisdom - Lemongrass Cleanser
MoBo 3/22/2009 8:59:00 PM
This is an okay scrub. However, it's not my favourite. I like the way it smells and the fact that it's all natural and made by a small company. On the other hand, I think that the exfoliating particles are too big and they irritate my skin. I also think that this scrub is too drying for my skin - I feel like my face has been stripped after I use it. I experienced redness and more frequent breakouts in my troublesome places (chin, neck) as a result of using this product. I'd been using it as a cheaper alternative to Dr. Hauschka for about 3 months, but decided to stop and go back to the hauschka routine as it's less harsh. For the record, my skin is oily and acne prone around the chin, jawline and neck. I might buy this again (not sure yet) if I go back to using it once the weather changes and my face gets oilier.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -L'Oreal - Professional Tecni.Art Color Show Define Wax
MoBo 3/22/2009 8:47:00 PM
This is a great product. I use it to smooth my hair and add texture. I used to use it a lot more when my hair was much shorter, and I found it to be it amazing for keeping style and adding texture. This wax doesn't have that gross sticky, heavy feeling that many waxes have. In this way, it's great for fine hair as it doesn't way hair down. This product leaves hair soft to the touch and doesn't harden up like other waxes I've tried, and it's not greasy either. My hairstylist recommended it for my mom, who has a very short hair cut and very fine hair, but I stole it because I love it so much. Sorry Mom! Oh - and this wax smells good.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Loose Powder
MoBo 3/22/2009 8:41:00 PM
I like this product...I'm not used to using powders or foundations on my face, so I don't have much of a reference for this one, but it does what I want it to do. It evens out my skin tone and mattifies my shiny patches. The downfall I think is that it goes on a little dry and I think I'd also prefer a puff over a brush for application. Overall though, I like it and will probably purchase it again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Vichy - Dermablend Skin Concealer
MoBo 3/22/2009 8:00:00 PM
This concealer is awesome for undereye circles. Mine are slightly purple-ish so the yellow in this concealer balances that out. The best concealer I've used ever. It blends really well and covers wonderfully. Vichy doesn't feel cakey. I love it and will continue to buy it.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Dr. Hauschka - Normalizing Day Oil
MoBo 3/13/2009 12:38:00 PM
This product is expensive but lasts an eternity. It smells beautiful and feels amazing. Even my fingertips feel great after I apply this to my skin. I need very little mixed in with clarifying toner in order for this stuff to do its job and I prefer it to any moisturizing cream I've ever used. It doesn't clog, it doesn't feel greasy, it feels amazing and soothing and is just gorgeous and just right. I use it with cleansing cream and toner and it feels fantastic. After using this, I no longer hesitate to apply oil to oily skin and actually prefer it. I love it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Dr. Hauschka - Cleansing Cream
MoBo 3/13/2009 12:32:00 PM
I can see how this product would repel many people, but I think it's amazing. Despite its unusual scent, I've grown to really like it. Mostly I love how this product works. I don't think I've yet gotten used to the application technique after going through about 3 full size bottles of this stuff in the last 2 years, but I love that it doesn't strip my skin and that it cleanses and exfoliates without being drying or harsh. I love that it doesn't lather. Even though it's a relatively small bottle, it lasts quite a long time (even longer than the toner) and is almost worth every penny (it's way too expensive!). I use it in combination with the clarifying toner and also the normalizing day oil, which, I think, is the way that it works best. After I use all 3 of these products my face feels clean, fresh, calm and luxurious! I still break out occasionally as can be expected with my oily/combo skin, but these products together are the best that I've used on my face in probably forever. I love it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chloe - Innocence
MoBo 3/13/2009 12:22:00 PM
I don't know a thing about perfume (aside from what I learned recently from watching the crazy movie 'Perfume'), but I definitely know what I like and I REALLY like this. I discovered this perfume through my new-found love of chloe clothes and shoes (I can't afford them but love to look at them) and after reading reviews of this scent here. I bought a sample of this on ebay and then a full size because it is so beautiful. Even the box is beautiful. I can't describe it well because I don't know anything about perfume, but I can say that it smells so comfortable and feminine and subtle. I love it and I'm so sad it's discontinued.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No