Fragrances -Pacifica - Island Vanilla 
ShiverWithAntici 11/17/2012 5:32:00 PM
This opens with a bright, tropical, citrusy pineapple note, and a drizzling of honey and vanilla (almost what I imagine Pineapple Upside Down Cake would smell like). The jasmine is present, but way in the background. This stage dissipates almost as soon as you experience it, and the fragrance morphs into a warmer, beautiful, honey-sweetened vanilla tea. Then, it makes the transition to Angel Food Cake, then leaves its last few traces of foody vanilla before making a discreet exit. This fragrance is very sweet and ever so slightly boozy, but not sickening, and surprisingly wearable for even the warmer months. Much to my delight, I get about 10 hours on my skin, though it only seems to project for the first few. But it passed my "Spray it at night, still smell it the next morning" test, so I'm satisfied :) Overall, I am very impressed. This is so inexpensive, but doesn't smell cheap to me at all. The low price point and high quality are incentives enough to check out this line, but the company's ethos is just unbeatable. A very good blind buy, indeed!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - Fragrance Anthology L'Imperatrice
ShiverWithAntici 11/17/2012 5:27:00 PM
Surprisingly, I don't like this. It's mainly a kiwi and watermelon fragrance, but I don't find it especially watery. It's sweeter than I was expecting, with an unpleasant wine accord (perhaps given by the sharpness of the rhubarb mixed with the overripe fruit), which I'm surprised doesn't get mentioned in many of the reviews. I'm reminded of a wine cooler when I smell this, the kind of aroma you try to conceal in middle school. Instead of being a fresh fruit salad, this one has been sitting out in the heat a bit too long.
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Fragrances -Aquolina - Pink Sugar
ShiverWithAntici 11/7/2012 8:32:00 PM
Embarrassingly, Pink Sugar is the fragrance that took me a little bit of time to "get". After my not so stellar first impression, I sampled this again, and it really grew on me. The key is to not over-apply and not judge it based on the initial burnt quality (which I presume is due to the licorice note). This is now one of my favorites and one of the few fragrances that I crave! I suppose it's not unlike cotton candy itself - you know it's unhealthy, super sweet, and overindulgent, but its delicious, nostalgic aroma beckons you from several feet away and you simply can't resist. You must have a large, warm, freshly spun, fluffy, pink cloud of cotton candy for yourself. I think what hooked me is the radiance given off by this fragrance - the scent bubble is intoxicating, and in my opinion, smells even better than the way the fragrance smells directly on your skin. The cotton candy, vanilla, and caramel predominate, but surprisingly, I can detect every single note in the description, maybe with the exception of the Lily of the Valley. This is actually quite a remarkable fragrance and more complex than people give it credit for. It manages to evoke the smell of cotton candy, as well as its temperature, taste, texture, and even color. This might sound melodramatic and lovers of the classic Chanels and Guerlains will scoff, but this fragrance is truly a sensory masterpiece. The projection is outstanding, especially for an EDT (so go easy), and I love that I can still smell it on myself the next day. On a side note, I find it bothersome that many people (myself included) become irritated by the description, "smells like old lady," but some of those same people would likely have no problem calling this fragrance, "teenage", "for little girls", "immature", or "not to be taken seriously." Ageism is ageism, folks. We all like the fragrances we like. Age shouldn't factor into it.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Yves Rocher - Framboise (Raspberry) EDT
ShiverWithAntici 11/7/2012 6:16:00 PM
I have the Framboise EDT in the new packaging and it's a very tart, juicy, fun fragrance. It is quite sweet, but still fresh. It smells like every raspberry product I have ever eaten or used crammed into a bottle (not a bad thing). Yummy and lighthearted. I wish it lasted longer, though.
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Fragrances -L'Aromarine - Vanille
ShiverWithAntici 10/21/2012 1:35:00 PM
Soft cotton candy and vanilla sugar cookies, with a touch of woodiness and musty cardboard. Keep in mind that I am a vanilla FIEND and love exorbitantly sweet fragrances that give some people headaches. I don't know what it is, but there is something really sickly and aversive about this fragrance. It is linear, but that's not the issue, as I was looking for a linear vanilla. I have sampled this several times and it always hits my nose the wrong way. I just don't like it. If you are looking for a sweet vanilla, give this a try. It's not my HG, but it may be yours. I'm really disappointed, especially since the longevity and sillage are excellent on me. The search for the perfect, true vanilla continues...
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Fragrances -Diptyque - Philosykos
ShiverWithAntici 10/18/2012 3:41:00 AM
What a gorgeous, fresh, green opening! It's like the smell of trees after the rain. The fragrance develops into a creamy, coconutty, slightly sweet, but still green fig, before drying down to a sensual, mellow cedar. It's remarkably natural smelling, beautifully uncomplicated, and perfectly unisex. I fall in love with it all over again every time I wear it. As with the other Diptyque fragrances I have tried, Philosykos has taught me the difference between longevity and sillage - the longevity with this is actually quite good on me (8+ hours), but sadly, the sillage is mild-moderate. Although, it must be said that very few figs project well, and this seems to project a lot better than Premier Figuier (which I also love). I can forgive it that, however, because it's my absolute favorite fragrance. HG worthy if I have ever seen it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Ed Hardy Perfume - Love Kills Slowly Women's EDT
ShiverWithAntici 10/7/2012 2:21:00 PM
I'm sorry, I can't partake in the love for this fragrance. It's just okay for me. Upon the initial application, I'm reminded distinctly of hairspray (good-smelling hairspray). I smell a chemically burst of citrus, tropical mango, prominent freesia, and vanilla. It's slightly powdery, sweet, with a cotton candy feel in the beginning. The freesia takes over as the top notes fade, and it becomes just a generic, clean floral. This fragrance is solidifying my long-held suspicion that I just can't do tonka-citrus pairings in perfume. I don't care for the combination on paper, nor on my skin. The sampling continues...
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Parlux - Jessica Simpson Fancy
ShiverWithAntici 10/7/2012 2:17:00 PM
One of the most synthetic, caustic, cheap-smelling fragrances I have yet to experience. Even with all of the congruent reviews, I still reprimanded myself for being a fragrance snob when I first smelled this, because I couldn't believe how harsh it was. I thought, "Maybe I've just smelled too many niche fragrances?" In case you haven't figured it out, I was a bit disappointed at first. Fancy has a sharp opening of tart red berries, pear, a wisp of apricot, and a touch of almond. The harshness dissipates, and the fragrance develops into a warm, comforting, rich, creamy, caramel vanilla, with subtle gardenia and jasmine. It reminds me of powdered jelly donuts covered with toasted almonds and drizzled with caramel. It exits the party leaving a faint aura of Play-Doh and powdered sugar. I concede that this fragrance is not particularly refined or delicately executed, and the notes seem to be compounded together, like a child's ice cream sundae after they've excitedly mixed all of the ingredients. But as a true gourmand lover, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this fragrance. When you need sweetness and coddling, you'll find it here. It really does grow on you. Longevity and sillage are excellent.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Diptyque - Tam Dao
ShiverWithAntici 10/7/2012 2:15:00 PM
This starts out with a sharp, green note, and shortly after dries down to a delicious, creamy sandalwood. It's a very pleasant, easy to wear, unisex fragrance, but has virtually no sillage. I have yet to find a Diptyque fragrance that projects well. Their longevity is decent, but most people won't notice the fragrance you're wearing unless they bury their faces in your neck ;)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Coconut Body Butter
ShiverWithAntici 4/24/2012 4:29:00 PM
This is a "What the f*ck!!!??" product for me. I have used this product three times; the first time, I didn't notice anything strange. The second time, I applied it, and a few minutes later, ran my hand over my arms only to feel these greasy clumps which felt like dead skin peeling off. I thought it was odd, as I am an exfoliating junkie and had deeply exfoliated my arms previously in the shower. I didn't think anything of it, but then I felt these weird clumps again the next time and realized that it was the product balling up. I have never experienced that before and it is a bit bizarre and rather gross (has anyone else had the same problem with this product? ). Also, the packaging is extremely unhygienic (I think LUSH got a cue from The Body Shop). I am a staunch environmentalist and all about minimal, simplistic packaging, but not to the point where it compromises the product. It's a shame because I enjoyed the consistency (it's the consistency of ACTUAL butter), and the smell (although it's not the best coconut fragrance). It also seemed to make my arms very smooth the first day I used it. Maybe it creates this film over your skin and needs sufficient time to soak in before you make contact with the area again? I'm not really sure. I, sadly, will not be repurchasing this, or any other body butter from The Body Shop.
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Scrubs -LUSH - Buffy the Backside Slayer
ShiverWithAntici 3/15/2012 2:05:00 PM
I was very reluctant to purchase this because the price is pretty steep. I can't say that I regret the purchase because I do like to try products for myself and this does what it claims to do. My problem is, it doesn't work well enough for me and the needs of my skin. I have moderate keratosis pilaris on my arms and the only thing that has kept it in check is deep exfoliation and moisturization on a regular basis. One of the few complaints that I have heard directed at this product is how abrasive it is. Well, I suppose if your skin is normal that might be an issue for you, but I NEED and enjoy the abrasion, and actually find the exfoliation too mild for me. And while it does moisturize your skin slightly, I still have to apply a body lotion or oil afterward. Of lesser importance is the smell. I'd be a bit more enthused about this product if it smelled really good, but it just has a more subtle, more tolerable Therapy massage bar fragrance (which I HATE). Overall, I can't echo the hype on this product. I could achieve much better results for a lot less money by making my own scrub by mixing essential oils, a carrier oil, and sea salt, which is exactly what I'm going to do.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Justin Bieber Someday
ShiverWithAntici 3/11/2012 1:48:00 AM
This fragrance reminds me quite a bit of Viva La Juicy, but it's not as nutty, floral, and and thick. It's not bad, just very generic. The longevity is surprisingly good, at least on me. I applied some of this to the back of my forearm very late last night and it's going on 24 hours and I can still clearly detect it when I sniff my arm. It's not strong at this point, but I'd still say that is rather impressive.
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Fragrances -Chloe - Chloe (EDP new)
ShiverWithAntici 2/29/2012 1:36:00 AM
Wow, maybe I just got lucky with body chemistry, but this is exquisite. The perfect, soft rose, the succulent sweetness of the lychee, and the rounder, richer sweetness of the honey. The honey note is very dominant to me (which is exactly what I was hoping for), with its natural floral quality being accented beautifully by the rose. The amber just warms it up and makes the fragrance really comforting. I don't find it to be a clean fragrance, as I have heard it described, but rich and buttery. Because it's well balanced and not super strong (it's almost more of an aura than a perfume), it's a million miles away from sickening, at least to me. My only regret is that I didn't purchase a larger size. I do wish it lasted longer, though.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Juliette has a Gun - Lady Vengeance
ShiverWithAntici 2/26/2012 12:13:00 AM
This fragrance is sensual, seductive, and mysterious, but with an ethereal quality - a dark, sweet, vanilla-kissed rose on a bed of warm, soft, musky, subtle patchouli, which becomes more personal as it wears. It conjures the image of a Renaissance woman in a red, satin corset awaiting her lover (or maybe that's merely my alter ego?). This is NOT my grandmother's rose, much to my delight.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Diptyque - Eau Duelle
ShiverWithAntici 2/25/2012 8:01:00 PM
This is beautiful, warm, and comforting, with the familiarity of vanilla, but the intrigue of all the unusual notes. This smells like vanilla, exotic, spiced hot chocolate, and freshly chopped wood. Sophisticated, yet edible. Delicious and surprising.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No