Fragrances -Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Perfumes - Or des Indes
MyCuppaTea 6/14/2012 9:43:00 AM
I get why others are comparing this one to Guerlains. On me, Or Des Indes smells like a combination of Mitsouko and Shalimar with a touch more amber. It doesn't feel very original to me. I can understand its appeal to some, but it's not for me.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - IL Profumo - Patchouli Noir
MyCuppaTea 6/12/2012 1:26:00 PM
As soon as I smelled Patchouli Noir on my arm, I was put in mind of The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Specifically of Aragorn. I imagine him smelling like this. This scent develops somewhat like Aragorn’s character does. When the hobbits first meet him, at a shady inn called The Prancing Pony in Bree, he is a dark, brooding, mysterious stranger. He is travel-weary and smells of the earth on which he has slept. He appears cold and dank. He is dangerous and not one to be trifled with. The hobbits are afraid, unsure if they can trust him. But trust him they must. Along the journey, he begins to prove his worth. He is strong and sure of himself as he guides them. He fights to protect them. His prickly defenses (built up from a painful past) begin to thaw. They begin to see him as human, fleshy and warm. When the party arrive at Rivendell, the hobbits are astounded to see their strong, hardened hero in a passionate embrace with the lovely Arwen. He has revealed a sweet, intimate side, which endears him further to his travelling companions. He is both strong and soft; hardened, yet tender. This is how I view Patchouli Noir’s notes on my skin. Dark, dank, earthy, cold opening. Gradually warming to a creamy, somewhat sweeter but never cloying, still earthy but more human scent. I could not see myself wearing this out, at the mercy of others’ disdain. (For, like reading the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy - along with the Silmarillion and other companion novels - those who indulge and appreciate are probably in the minority.) I see myself curling up with this scent, as with an epic fantasy novel, enjoying each phase as it comes. Probably for patchouli lovers only.
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Fragrances -BCBG Fragrance - Max Azria
MyCuppaTea 6/2/2012 11:19:00 PM
I was walking through the mall today and a man was handing out samples of this fragrance. I'd never even heard of it. The bottle is a lovely, girly pink with a stopper that looks like an opening flower blossom. Very young and feminine looking. The perfume notes are: Top: wild strawberry, black cherry, and French Kir Royal cocktail (a cocktail of black currant liqueur and white wine) Middle: jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, and violet Base: iris root, creamy sandalwood, and musk The first thing I smell upon spraying is strawberry kool-aid. Or strawberry pop rocks. This scent to me remains pretty much throughout, but is most prominent on the opening. It is very sweet and fruity- more fruity than floral. Thankfully it's not a cloying, syrupy, headache-inducing sweet, which surprises me. It's a light, soda pop sweet. I'm still waiting for the bottom notes to make their appearance. It does get creamier as time goes on, but never gets sexy or mature. Also, it doesn't last long at all. It fades pretty quickly, I'd say within an hour or two on me, but I can still catch slight whiffs of berries if I sniff really hard. I don't find any depth or mystery to this perfume. Just a light, sweet, fruity, girly scent. This would be an ideal fragrance for a young teenager, I think. I wouldn't mind smelling it on a young girl, but I could never wear it.
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Fragrances -Burberry - Brit
MyCuppaTea 6/1/2012 2:19:00 PM
I think this is a lovely scent, and most seem to love it, but I found it way, way too sweet. If the sweetness were toned down a bit, I would really enjoy this fragrance.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Full 'N Soft Mascara 
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 3:42:00 PM
My HG mascara!! I used Great Lash off and on for years and years, but one day I found Full 'N Soft languishing on the bottom shelf and decided to try it. Wow, was I impressed! I am 40 years old and I have tried many different mascaras. This is the only time I have ever actually said "wow" in reference to one! It goes on so silky soft and smooth, with ZERO clumping! It is truly buildable and never gets stiff or "crunchy". I don't have trouble with smudging at all with this one. It does make my lashes look fuller, and I have no problem using a lash curler after applying this. I don't know why this one is not more prominent than Great Lash. Highly recommended!
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Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 3:32:00 PM
You know, this is a tough one to rate for me because while I will no longer use it for finding something better, I have used it off and on for many years. It is inexpensive and widely available, so that's good. It's not terrible, it's just...meh. It does tend to clump and smudge on me, but I put up with it years ago because I didn't want to spend money exploring other brands. Then later on when I did explore, I found some that I hated more, as well as some that I liked but were more expensive, so I always came back to this. But now that I've found my HG (Maybelline's Full 'N Soft), I don't plan on ever purchasing Great Lash again. I really don't get why so many magazines rate this one so highly.
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Lipstick -MAC - Frost Lipstick in O
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 3:26:00 PM
This was my very first MAC lipstick purchase ever, and I've worn it for about 10 years! I adore this lipstick, and while it's probably my HG (for evening wear), I need to repurchase soon. My current tube is down to almost nothing and I have to use a lip brush to dig some out and apply! This shade truly does look different on everybody. On my pigmented lips, it's a deep, mauvy/browny pink. I tend to stay away from Frost lipsticks because I think they can look dated, but this lipstick is not frosted in the way we're used to. It's more of a pearlescent sheen that looks lovely and youthful. This is my husband's favorite shade on me.
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Lipstick -MAC - Lustre in Hug Me
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 3:16:00 PM
This is one of my go-to, everyday lipsticks, along with Syrup. Hug Me is a little more brown, and is close to my natural, pigmented lip color. I like to wear Hug Me when I wear brown colors, especially a leather jacket. It has a very creamy texture, but can still be drying (like most MAC lipsticks, I've found), so I apply lip balm underneath. It doesn't last all day, but I don't mind reapplying when I need to. I will definitely buy again, though my MAC lipsticks last a long time.
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Lipstick -MAC - Lustre in Syrup
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 3:11:00 PM
I love Syrup! This is a wonderful neutral shade for everyday wear. It's a classic pink with brown. I'm NW20 and this shade is very close to my natural, pigmented lip color. It has a very creamy texture, but still can be drying, much like most MAC lipsticks are, I've found. I use lip balm underneath to help with that. I usually wear this as is, but sometimes add clear gloss on top for a different look. And, as with all MAC's lip products, it has the lovely vanilla scent. I will definitely buy again, though my MAC lipsticks tend to last a long time.
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Liquid -MAC - Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 3:04:00 PM
This was the first MAC foundation I ever tried. I told the MAC SA that I needed something with medium coverage for my dry, NW 20 skin, and this is the one she chose for me. I took it home and tried it out for about a week and ended up returning it. It did feel dewy, but was too sparkly for my taste. The coverage was much lighter than I had hoped for, and though it claims to be buildable, putting more on did nothing for me but make me shinier. This would probably be perfect for summertime use for dry-skin types with no skin imperfections. But it's just not for me.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Wedge Eyeshadow
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 2:40:00 PM
This is a lovely, matte color that I turn to often. It's the perfect brown shade for my NW20 skin. For day to day wear, I usually apply the Painterly Paint Pot on my eyelid all the way up to my eyebrow. I then use Naked Lunch on my lid and then Wedge in the crease. This creates a nice, neutral look for daytime. Sometimes I highlight the inner corners and browbone with the browbone color from Wet n Wild's Walking On Eggshells palette. Quick, easy, and lovely on just about anyone. Unfortunately, MAC's shadow prices are a bit high, so I probably won't repurchase. Especially since I've found some great dupes in Wet n Wild and a few other brands. Still, this is a lovely eyeshadow and will probably last me forever!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Naked Lunch
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 2:37:00 PM
This is a beautiful eyeshadow that almost anyone can wear. I am NW20, and this color looks lovely on my lids. For day to day wear, I usually apply the Painterly Paint Pot on my eyelid all the way up to my eyebrow. I then use Naked Lunch on my lid and then Wedge in the crease. This creates a nice, neutral look for daytime. Sometimes I highlight the inner corners and browbone with the browbone color from Wet n Wild's Walking On Eggshells palette. Quick, easy, and lovely on just about anyone. Unfortunately, MAC's shadow prices are a bit high, so I probably won't repurchase. Especially since I've found some great dupes in Wet n Wild and a few other brands. Still, this is a lovely eyeshadow!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Paint Pot in Painterly
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 2:30:00 PM
I adore Painterly! I am NW20 and this color is perfect for me as an all over shadow base. I never get creasing with this, but I don't know if it's due to the Paniterly or my application methods. I always start out moisturizing my eyelids along with my face. Then I apply primer to my face and eyelids. I usually use E.L.F. eyelid primer as well (HG!), and then apply the Painterly on my eyelid all the way up to my eyebrow. For day to day wear, I then use MAC's Naked Lunch on my lid and then Wedge in the crease. This creates a nice, neutral look for daytime. Sometimes I highlight the inner corners and browbone with the browbone color from Wet n Wild's Walking On Eggshells palette. Quick, easy, and lovely on just about anyone. Highly recommend!
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Eyeliner -Unlisted Brand - Starry Eyeliner Gel
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 2:19:00 PM
I had never heard of Starry brand before, but I bought this on a whim at Ross in the clearance bin for about $1.00 - because I figured anything that cheap was worth a try. I have been using it ever since! The color I have is Black Asphalt. I use it with my flat eyeliner brush (which is like MAC's 212 brush, only I've had mine so long I don't remember where I got it and there's no name on it). I use it to "push" the eyeliner on, much like Wayne Goss explains in his eyeliner tutorial on YouTube. This works much better for me because I have deep-set eyes. This gel does not smudge or smear, and it looks perfect all day. It comes off very easily with my regular eye makeup remover. I'm sure this jar will last me forever because I've barely made a dent, but I will keep looking for it at that price so I can stock up! I don't know how it compares to higher priced gels, but if you can find this one for a steal, snatch it up!
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Lips -Unlisted Brand - Terra Firma Terra Firma "Longevity" Lip Stain
MyCuppaTea 5/17/2012 10:03:00 AM
I bought this sight unseen along with several samples from Terra Firma. I ordered Primrose, which is a pretty, natural-looking browny-pink. (My profile picture shows me wearing this lip stain.) I do like the color on me. It's nearly the same shade as my natural lip color, but gives a pretty sheen. I do find it a tad drying, so I use lip balm before applying. Most of the time I don't put anything on top of it and I like the pearly effect (which is not too "glittery" for me as a 40 year old), but sometimes I'll put a clear gloss over it for a different look. I would probably not buy it again unless the price were reduced by at least half. To me, $15 is too much to pay for this product.
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