Eye Shadow -Rimmel - Special Eyes Mono in 'Smoky Quartz'
Moondeva 11/4/2009 5:12:00 PM
Colouring: Cool (plum) undertoned Milk Chocolate Skinned DDD MAC NW43-45 / Revlon Colourstay 300 Caramel / Sleek Sepia and Hot Chocolate. I had to add my vote for this misunderstood beauty. I too found Smoky Quartz woefully unpigmented when I first purchased it many years ago. And, just like the reviewer below, I kept being drawn to it when shopping only to be frustrated and disappointed. Even up to 6 months ago my score would have been very low. I had two main problems: 1. The neutral midtone brown base of this elegant smoky taupe was too close to my own lid colour to show up properly on my lids. 2. My first problem was compounded by the fact that this formulation is so sheer. So even when packed onto my lids all that was clearly visible was a very subtle golden shimmer. But I have had a make up epiphany and this was thanks to the lovely youtube makeup blogger eyeXluvXmakeup. This lady emphasised the necessity of a good blending colour. The ideal colour will be close to your own skintone or just a smidge lighter, matte or satin textured, used to smooth and blend the edges of your other eyeshadows (on the browbone, under the highlight colour) in an eye look or as a base / all over wash on neutral, no make up days. Well for me, Rimmel Special Eyes Smoky Quartz is THE perfect colour / texture for this purpose. It blends / smoothes without adding 'colour' giving a nicely polished look. I am SO pleased I kept the ones I had purchased and ignored over the years. I wish I could find a matte (no gold shimmer) version for my all matte eye looks. For those of you seeking a pigmented version of this colour check out MAC Sable. It is virtually identical except it has a redder / ruddier undertone. I also find Elizabeth Arden Shimmer Cream Eyeshadow in Bronze Beauty is a wonderful pigmented twin to Smoky Quartz, again with a slightly redder undertone. I prefer Smoky Quartz though and will continue to repurchase until I find a cooltoned alternative.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -The Body Shop - Perfume Oil - Rose Musk
Moondeva 11/23/2007 8:25:00 AM
For years I have drooled over reviews describing TBS Rose Musk as a gorgeous deep, dark, velveteen (black) rose... Well I can now experience this dark, sultry beauty myself... only to find that it isn't dark / sultry at all! :c( It is a gorgeous classic powdery rose which reminds me of other old school rose musks like JC Brosseau Ombre Rose L'Original, Coty L'Aimant PdT, Lorenzo Villoresi Musk, Rochas Byzance and Guerlain Nahema. I suspect that, like Coty L'Aimant PdT, TBS Rose Musk can become quite sultry and seductive in summer heat but at this time of year in the unrelenting cold it is more about talc and comfort than sexiness. Still rather womanly though. I must balance this by saying that I really love deep, dark raunchy rose scents like L'Artisan Voleur de Roses, Ava Luxe Rasa Xtreme, Agent Provocateur by Agent Provocateur, Yves Rocher Rose Ispahan and Serge Lutens Rose de Nuit (especially at this time of year) so it is most likely that it will be a 'sultry' rose to those with less 'intense' tastes. When judged in its own right, without any tags, TBS Rose Musk is indeed a classic beauty and I shall enjoy wearing it in warmer weather. I think it will layer very well with my Coty L'Aimant PdT. It is such a shame that many beauties like this have been lost to us due to the TBS neglect of their great perfume oil products... Notes: Top: Musk, Tea Rose Heart: Musk, Rose, Violet Base: Musk, Jasmine, Rose, Iris, Amber, Patchouli, Vetiver, hints of Peach, Oakmoss, Vanilla
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Avon - Christian Lacroix - Rouge
Moondeva 10/2/2007 11:12:00 AM
This is another great example of how the advertising copy is wildly misleading as to the actual character of the scent. The adverts show dark brooding forests with a modern belle of the ball clad in a sensual, blood red gown, running to her secret assignation with the dark and debonair 'Noir'. The scent itself is all bright sunshine, soft florals and delicate musks perfect for warm summer evenings - not what you would expect for a midnight seduction! Christian Lacroix Rouge calls to mind scents like Worth Courtesan, Paul Smith London Woman, Christian Lacroix Bazar, Avon Extraordinary, Hugo Deep Red, Guerlain Purple Fantasy, Dior Addict 2 and Lanvin Eclat D'Arpege. I know some are quite different but the fresh fruity feminine flirty vibe is the same. This may wear 'heavier' on those of you who prefer light, clean, barely there scents, but I can't see this offending anyone. Even as yet another entrant to the generic fruity floral hold it is distinctive and will truly shine in summer. I find it very reminiscent of his, now discontinued, Bazar Femme which happens to be a summer staple of mine. If you like red berry, osmanthus dominated, sensual musk scents then this is for you! I love osmanthus in blends as I find it is a distinctive but subtle floral in a sea of smell alikes. Paco Rabanne Ultraviolet is my winter osmanthus scent but I find it too spicy / intense for summer wear. I have bought a bottle of Rouge ready for next summer (though it is great right now) and will definitely buy again if it wears as well as Bazar and my other osmanthus dominated blends. I already prefer it to Guerlain Purple Fantasy... 3/5 (though it may go up to 4 if it works in warmer weather like I think it will...)
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Avon - Christian Lacroix - Rouge
Moondeva 10/2/2007 10:45:00 AM
This is another great example of how the advertising copy is wildly misleading as to the actual character of the scent. The adverts show dark brooding forests with a modern belle of the ball clad in a sensual, blood red gown, running to her secret assignation with the dark and debonair 'Noir'. The scent itself is all bright sunshine, soft florals and delicate musks perfect for warm summer evenings - not what you would expect for a midnight seduction! Christian Lacroix Rouge calls to mind scents like Worth Courtesan, Paul Smith London Woman, Christian Lacroix Bazar, Avon Extraordinary, Hugo Deep Red, Guerlain Purple Fantasy, Dior Addict 2 and Lanvin Eclat D'Arpege. I know some are quite different but the fresh fruity feminine flirty vibe is the same. This may wear 'heavier' on those of you who prefer light, clean, barely there scents, but I can't see this offending anyone. Even as yet another entrant to the generic fruity floral hold it is distinctive and will truly shine in summer. I find it very reminiscent of his, now discontinued, Bazar Femme which happens to be a summer staple of mine. If you like red berry, osmanthus dominated, sensual musk scents then this is for you! I love osmanthus in blends as I find it is a distinctive but subtle floral in a sea of smell alikes. Paco Rabanne Ultraviolet is my winter osmanthus scent but I find it too spicy / intense for summer wear. I have bought a bottle of Rouge ready for next summer (though it is great right now) and will definitely buy again if it wears as well as Bazar and my other osmanthus dominated blends. I already prefer it to Guerlain Purple Fantasy... 3/5 (though it may go up to 4 if it works in warmer weather like I think it will...)
20 out of 21 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Caron - L'Anarchiste
Moondeva 9/24/2007 12:20:00 PM
L'Anarchiste - this is less overtly masculine than the infamous Yatagan but is just as unique, original and frightening. LOL! The note pyramid looks innocent enough: Top Notes: Orange Blossom, Mandarin, (Mint) Middle Notes: Cedar Leaves, Sandal, Vetiver, Cedarwood Base Notes: Musk, (Spice) But this scent is much more than its (listed) parts! It opens with an amazing metallic orange juice and blood accord - like a blood streaked scimitar being used to slice open a blood orange. That phospherous, metallic edge lingers until the deep dry down when the gore and thunder depart and you are left with a soft, sensual warm orange and spice tinged 'skin-but-better' musk. If you can handle scents like Issey Miyake Le Feu D'Issey, Gucci Rush, and most scents from Comme des Garcons, then L'Anarchiste is for you. I ♥ L'Anarchiste! 4 / 5
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Jo Malone - White Jasmine & Mint
Moondeva 9/7/2007 11:02:00 AM
(Not released in the UK until October - will add the official note pyramid when it is available) When I hear a scent has white or green jasmine in it I am not expecting a sultry, full bosomed character but something cool green and lean with a freshness that recalls the outdoors. So I was expecting something cool, green and fresh but rounded in character with a certain zest (as provided by the mint). Disappointingly, what I am getting is faint classic eau de cologne. I had to look again at my sample had morphed mid-spray into Guerlain Eau de Cologne du Coq. Though not actually orange blossom the 'white jasmine' in this could easily be mistaken for it, and on me the mint is completely MIA (Missing In Action). This could have been an original, intriguing blend perfect for summer heat. Why are they releasing it in autumn??? I would like to try this in the bath oil to get a better sense of it as the cologne is so faint on me. I must point out that it is delicately tenacious and if used with the complimentary body products (shower gel, body lotion, etc) it would easily last the day with plenty of presence. A nice delicate feminine eau de cologne for steamy hot weather is my current thought. Stash it away for next summer and be ready for it to become another Jo Malone classic. But for an original intepretation of a combination of White Jasmin & Mint in a blend - don't look here. 3 out of 5 07/09/2007
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Givenchy - Ange ou Demon
Moondeva 8/20/2007 5:59:00 PM
Ange ou Démon Fragrance Notes Top Notes: White thyme, Mandarin from Calabria and Essence of Saffron Middle Notes: Maxillaria orchid, Lily, Ylang ylang Base Notes: Tonka bean, Vanilla, Rosewood, Oak wood absolute Sniffed from the vial I felt pretty sure that this would be another 'must buy' for me. And judging initially from the listed notes this should have been a HG scent for me. But sadly it was not meant to be... Sniffed from the vial the delicious lily, mandarin, and saffron dance lightly over warm woods promising elegant seduction. But on the skin my 'on again / off again' nemeses (orchid and tonka bean) conspired and managed to destroy the dream. This scent manages to be both sheer (weak) and cloying at the same time. If I had not seen the scent pyramid I would have sworn blind that this scent contained tuberose (and may be it does!!). On the skin begins it cool and elegantly floral but very soon sweetens to a synthetic buttery creaminess that is like taking a teaspoonful of margarine in your mouth. Urggh. On me Ange ou Demon turns into something very reminiscent of Dior Pure Poison worn on too warm a day. At least Pure Poison is enjoyable / wearable on cooler spring / summer days! Yesterday was a cold grey rainy day here and Ange ou Demon still sailed dangerously close to cloying. Even my S.O, who likes to smell sweeter, almost gourmandy scents noted that it could quickly overwhelm and offend. I do not hate this scent but it is severly lacking compared to other lily dominated scents such as Anais Anais, D&G Feminine and Penhaligons Lily & Spice. It is also too similar to Dior Pure Poison (which I already have) to warrant seeking out a bottle. Another lemming bites the dust! ☺
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Fifi Chachnil
Moondeva 8/18/2007 9:19:00 PM
I am breathing a big sigh of relief that I have finally tested Fifi Chachnil and I don't *need* it. Sniffed from the vial it is very reminiscent of quite a few other woody ambery vanilla orientals: TBS Altaro, Fendi Theorama, Rochas Absolu, Moschino Couture!... But you really have to try this on the skin for it to reveal its seductive banality. From the hype and myriad descriptions of this scent I had guessed that this would play out like Moschino by Moschino on the skin. And larks above, I was right!! *faints* Fifi Chachnil on my skin is a pale smudged carbon copy of the much underrated scent love child of Guerlain Shalimar and Must de Cartier, Moschino by Moschino. Less 'rosey' in the heart notes and much more civilised with less femme fatale musk and amber in the base notes, Fifi Chachnil is definitely placing her feet firmly in Moschino's more daring original footsteps. A wonderful sexy scent Fifi needs to be worn and experienced but having long hung out with the true bad girls (Must de Cartier parfum, Guerlain Shalimar parfum, Moschino by Moschino - all with much more, depth, character and longevity) I shall have to send this flaky young upstart running along... next!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Michael Kors - Michael
Moondeva 5/12/2007 3:17:00 AM
Top Notes: Bergamot, Elemi, Cardamom, Tarragon, Star Anise, Thyme, Coriander Middle Notes: Pipe Tobacco, Suede, Incense Base Notes: Patchouli, Dark Plum, Sandalwood, Dried Fruits At first this scent is all plummy and smokey with tobacco and incense, at least for the first 1/2 hour - 45 minutes, but in the end this scent is all about sueded musks and patchouli...lots of patchouli! Personally, I adore it! At least for that first 1/2 hour, but then it becomes much drier (less sweet), smokier and patchouli dominated, which I still find great but not as knicker-wetting sexy as the opening. Discreet application is best and I find that this works best in cool winter weather or (a tiny 'decant & dab' application) in heatwaves. I am actually quite shocked by how wantonly I respond to this brew and currently it is the sexiest scent I have ever smelled on a man. :blush: See it as a patchouli scent, rather than tobacco, and apply accordingly - you will be happier for it. And even though it may not blow your socks off it is probably playing havoc with the undies of the women around you...trust me! NB: I love very deep, smokey oriental scents like this for myself, and when in the mood I do wear it- with great success! I love the initial plumminess so tend to layer it with Ava Luxe Wild Black Fig, Ava Luxe Forbidden Fruits, Yves Rocher Rose Ispahan and Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir. However, for me, this is much better on my darling fiance than myself!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - Light Blue
Moondeva 3/19/2007 1:54:00 PM
I loved it the first few times I wore it (best for me in spring) but soon the killer combo of 'fresh green apple + loads of cedar' struck! Now, even if I enjoy the first hour or so, it begins to pee me off because it turns into 'sweaty man musk' on my chemistry. It is way too popular and that oddly stale musky dry down are too off putting for me to even try to start loving it. If you can wear Serge Lutens Gris Clair and Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely well, then this just may be for you. You definitely need the right chemistry for this. Top Notes: Granny Smith Apple, Sicilian Cedar, Bluebells Middle Notes: Jasmine, White Rose, Bamboo Base Notes: Cedarwood, Amber, Musks
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Fragrances -The Body Shop - Chypre perfume oil
Moondeva 3/7/2007 8:43:00 AM
The previous review summed it all up beautifully. I do wish that they would reintroduce this but I understand that it may not be popular enough with current Body Shop customers. A limited edition would have me purchasing a lifetime's supply. This is a chypre in the true, original Chypre de Coty, hazy summer days and elegance way. My vintage bottle smells divine, though the natural oakmoss has darkened with age. I definitely recommend for true classic chypre lovers.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Ava Luxe - Rasa
Moondeva 2/7/2007 9:48:00 AM
It is Serge Lutens Musc Koublai Khan in a pretty dress... no, I'm wrong.... It is SL MKK's sweetheart and she is beautiful! SL MKK's sweetheart is freshly oiled and anointed with the most costly Rose Attar. She is passionate, womanly and incredibly sensual. The rose here is not 'clean', 'fresh' or powdery but is very, very real - lush and velvety soft, textured like a petal of the bloom. Any one who knows and loves the beauty of MKK cannot fail to love this beauty. But remember to ask for the old / extreme formulation - not the current one... "A sexy and provocative blend of musks infused with spicy red rose. A very womanly fragrance." Notes: Indian Musk, Kenya Musk, Skin Musk, Egyptian Musk, Peruvian Balsam, Ambergris, Civet,Orris Root - (IRIS PALLIDA), Russian Rose - (ROSA DAMASCENA)
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Christian Dior - Hypnotic Poison
Moondeva 11/2/2006 11:00:00 AM
Top: Bitter Almond, Caraway Heart: Sambac Jasmine, Moss Base: Jacarander Wood, Vanilla, Musk Resampling Dior Hypnotic Poison on this bright but chilly day and am rather surprised at what I am smelling here. Instead of the cloying woody gourmand floral mess I remember from past samplings, I am getting a rather pleasant, unremarkable watered down sweet men's cologne!!! Reminds me a bit of Givenchy Pi (nowhere near as toothachingly sweet), JPG Le Male, YSL Body Kouros and the final drydown of Bulgari Black. Where is the suffocating sambac Jasmine and the sickly gourmand almond over headache inducing, cheap sickly vanilla musk?? There is none of that here only the softly sensual scent of a sweet man's cologne at the end of the day. A pleasant revisiting but (on my chemistry at least) still not worth the hype.
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - A La Nuit
Moondeva 9/21/2006 2:48:00 PM
Oh. My. Gosh! And quel surprise! exclaimed the stunned perfume sniffee. High notes of bleach,and sour cat's pee - A la Nuit is NOT for me.
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Fragrances -Donna Karan - Labdanum
Moondeva 8/8/2006 12:51:00 PM
Where's the animalic warm edge? Where's the sultry resiny depths? If raw Cistus Labdanum (Rock rose) is a creature of the wild, then DK is its pampered, ne'er do well, born in captivity cousin. I sampled Le Labo Cistus 18 recently and even that is an out of control tear away compared to this pale imitation of life! Insipid, powdery, a kid's paddling pool has darker depths then this high priced froth. Also DK Labdanum is gone in 60 seconds. No I take that back - it just wears very close to the skin, with little sillage. It is not often that I am so vitriolic about a scent - there is much to commend in most scents I experience. But for this money, from this 'house' I would expect a scent with a lot more 'presence'and longevity. I am really disappointed. Donna Karan Labdanum is 'pure pish' as we say here in Glasgow... To find something good to say about it: Labdanum is not an offensive scent - in fact I think you would be hard pushed to find anyone who took real offence at the scent itself. It is such a safe, well-bred, polished nonentity. Maybe, like Guerlain classics Chant D'Aromes, Parure and Terracotta Voile D'Ete, DK Labdanum needs heat, and bright humid sunny days to really shine. Who knows - I won't be holding my breath to find out. Less maybe more, but in this case Less adds up to almost nothing at all. (will update with full apology if DK Labdanum manages to redeem itself in the future. I recommend that you don't hold your breath).
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No