Fragrances -J. Lo - Deseo
bartamy 2/24/2008 12:56:00 PM
I tried this yesterday at Macy's, after reading the post on Now Smell This and reading the MUA reviews. I was disappointed; I truly expected more from the notes and the inspiration behind the fragrance. I've been to Caribbean gardens next to the ocean, and I fully expected to find similarities between the aquatic and floral. Instead, I got a pale, watery version of Sand & Sable (anyone remember this?), heightened by synthetic coconut. The coconut isn't 'sharp', but it is cloying and artificial. The 'sand' accord hints at dryness, but the water accord blurs it. I couldn't detect any of the floral notes; likely they are hidden under the coconut. The bottle looks cheap and is awkward to hold and set down. I tipped it over twice. What I DO like about this is it is a marked departure from the floral fruity concoctions, and it's not gourmand at all. But this is a big no for me... unwearable.
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Fragrances -Kenzo - Amour by Kenzo
bartamy 2/23/2008 7:45:00 PM
I was showing Amour to a customer, and as I was explaining the notes to her, I began to really like it. I'm not normally a fan of vanilla, but Amour has me hooked. There's something endearing about the scent; it is not provocative or sexy, and it doesn't need to be. It is warmly vanilla, but not generically so. I do not like powdery notes in perfume at all (probably because I associate it with diaper changes, and despite my love for my son, I don't want to smell it anymore!), and the powdery note is very subtle and not at all diaperish. I can easily pick out the warm rice steam and it is embraced by the other notes. I'm wearing a sample of it right now, and keep sniffing myself. I'm going to have to purchase this. Edited to add... Amour has amazing staying power. I put on the last bit of my sample last night, and I can still smell it this morning. Also, I can still detect the heliotrope, which is one of my favorite flowers. I'm giving it 5 lippies.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Chance Eau Fraiche
bartamy 2/17/2008 9:34:00 AM
Another vote for smelling like men's after shave. The crisp notes remind me of a bracing splash. Nothing feminine about this at all. Noooo.
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Fragrances -Laura Mercier - Almond Coconut Eau Gourmande
bartamy 2/17/2008 9:32:00 AM
Egads, I sprayed this yesterday and immediately felt ill. A customer came in requesting a perfume that smells of coconuts and the beach, and after we suggested a few others, we brought out the LM bottle and dutifully sprayed it for her. She immediately fell in love, and I struggled not to collapse. My God. I truly think it could make me vomit. Horrible.
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Fragrances -Hanae Mori - Hanae Mori Magical Moon
bartamy 2/16/2008 9:25:00 PM
OMG, I love this. I was reading about it last night, so today at work I wore it and kept smelling myself. The osmanthus really drew me in.... Magic Moon is subtle, poignant, creamy, deep....it's truly magical. I can totally envision a full moon on warm starry night... I actually sold 3 bottles of it today, and it's not a fragrance I'm even promoting! I tried the EDP and took home a sample of the Parfum... I'm going to have to purchase this one!
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Fragrances -Coty - Princess
bartamy 2/16/2008 12:02:00 AM
Nothing new or original here... this is all about marketing. Borrrrring.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - White Linen
bartamy 2/10/2008 9:10:00 AM
I remember the original ad campaign for this! ...gorgeous woman dressed in crisp white linen in a Hamptons-style garden yard... Anyway, I started wearing this when I was 15. Fell in love immediately. The crisp greens are perfectly harmonized with the other notes, and lasts forever on my skin. This instantly changes my mood when I apply it; I feel energized, purposeful, subttly sexy. Love it. EL came out with a limited edition solid lipstick-style version of this some years ago, and I was in love with the creamy texture and slight shimmer. I wore it down to the very end. I used Qtips and bobby pins to get to the last of it. I will forever replace this in EDP form, but may go months without wearing it. Love it.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bath and Body Works - sea island cotton
bartamy 2/10/2008 9:01:00 AM
I don't like to wear this scent, but I use the body spray as an air freshener in the bathroom, and love how it smells like clean laundry. I also use the wallflowers near the bedrooms.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Laura Biagiotti Venezia
bartamy 2/8/2008 9:23:00 AM
When my Mother and I went traipsing through Italy 11 years ago, we spent inordinate amounts of time in Perfumerias (sp) and beauty shops. It was a guilty, joyful pleasure for us to spend hours sniffing and sampling. We eschewed most of the tourist spots/areas in favor of this, lol. It was in Florence we discovered LB. My Mother fell in love with Venezia; I rather liked it. She purchased a large bottle and proclaimed herself in love. I think I spent under $10 US for the smaller, and picked up a lotion. When we returned to the US, I shelved them and only took them out once in a while. After a while, it lost its appeal for me, and I (gasp) tossed them in a cleaning one day. I almost forgot about this, until I ran across a dusty bottle of Roma the other night. Now I see the bottles on ebay for exorbitant amounts of money and am kicking myself in the rear for tossing them. I don't think it's worth the ebay going rate, but it was an unusual perfume and had great sillage. I do miss the lotion, now that I've been reminded of it. Would be great to wear again, but not at these prices.
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Fragrances -Gucci - Gucci
bartamy 2/7/2008 6:07:00 PM
Wow, this is extremely strong on first spray, but don't let it turn you off. Other reviewers mentioned the strength of the Patchouli, but what I get is big, bold, crisp, juicy pear. This is not the delicate, sheer pear of Victoria's Secret Pear Glace line; this one hits you in the face and is heightened by the Patchouli. After a few minutes, the top notes dry down and then Gucci really opens up and mellows out. Honestly, the first time I sprayed it I was unimpressed. It was so strong that I wanted to wash my nose out. But then someone else was talking about how gorgeous it is, and I decided to give it another go. This time I really paid attention and boy, did that Pear hook me. I was totally intrigued at the ability to bring that pear note to life. And then Gucci became gorgeous, deep, complex and mellow for me. If you are at all interested in trying it, be patient; give it a few minutes and wait for the fireworks to subside. Above all else, this is not a 'spray and run' fragrance. It's very likely you will topple small animals and helpless men in your sillage path if you attempt this. Take a few minutes before you present yourself after spraying. Oh, and I love the bottle. It makes me want to put on a hot dress and wear disco hair.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Issey Miyake - L'Eau d'Issey
bartamy 2/4/2008 8:51:00 PM
This is my staple for dead-of-winter; it is sparkling, oceanic, very calming. I love how the top and heart notes play against the musk. The musk fully anchors the scent and keeps it from smelling cheap. This is definitely one I purchase over and over. *Edited to add, I splurged on the lotion. The top notes of the lotion are heavily carnation, but don't let it dissuade you. It dries down to a soft, light replica of the EDP and smells fabulous. I'm tossing my other lotions to the back of the closet until this gem is gone. I have tried so many lotions to match the perfume, and this one comes closest. And it leaves a smooth, silky feeling on my skin, not greasy at all.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Burberry - The Beat [DISCONTINUED]
bartamy 2/1/2008 4:42:00 PM
I just got this today, and I think it will be another popular addition to the Burberry line of fragrances for women. The notes are (incomplete list, bear with me) Ceylon Tea, iris, bluebell, pink pepper, vetiver, bergamot, cedarwood, and white musk. The pink pepper note is pronounced and has a similar piquancy as Givenchy's Hot Couture. I wore it for half the day, hoping the pink pepper would dry down, but it has great staying power and continued through the dry down. If you liked Hot Couture, this is one to try. As much as I wanted to love it, I didn't. Still, it's a refreshing change to the fruity florals that are seemingly tumbling after one another onto the shelves. ***Edited*** I've been wearing this for a few days, and the Pink Pepper is growing on me. It's not as crisp as Hot Couture; there is a real warmth that layers nicely with a mandarin note (forgot about that one earlier). I really like how it developed on my skin. And I agree with the next reviewer who felt it wouldn't work as an evening scent; this is good for daywear.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Nina Ricci - L'Air du Temps
bartamy 1/27/2008 6:40:00 PM
Some of my fondest memories are tied into L'Air Du Temps... my mother wore it and she was the epitome of feminine elegance. When she wore it, it would waft from her skin and form a fragrant halo around her. I won't bother breaking it down by note, but this is a timeless fragrance and is as relevant today as when it first launched. It's considered one of the Top 5, and for very good reason. Feminine, elegant, classic.
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Blush -Rimmel - Blush in Sienna
bartamy 1/27/2008 4:28:00 PM
The name is terribly misleading. Sienna (to me anyway) is a burnt orangey color, and there is NO orange in this blush. Sienna is a soft, muted pinkish color that goes great with my light, yellow undertoned skin. This is perfect for winter, and really highlights my fairness without being muddy or unnatural looking. I need very little for daytime, just a quick stipple across my cheeks and I'm done. Very natural looking. I took one lippie off for the packaging; you have be careful opening and closing the lid because it can break or crack. Otherwise, this is a great product and a fabulous value for the money.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Wet 'n' Wild - kohl/ eyeliner/ brow
bartamy 1/27/2008 4:15:00 PM
Wow, finally found the right pencil in Taupe. This is perfect to blend in with my brows, not orangey or too dark at all. I have medium brown brows and used sparingly, it's a great look for me. Thanks for all the great reviews on this item - you saved me money... for .99 cents, it can't be beat!
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