Powder -Chanel - Mat Lumiere Extreme SPF 20/PA+++
chaoz 6/24/2009 2:48:00 AM
There's some confusion with Chanel's powder foundations between 3 specific products: The Teint Control Extreme; the original Mat Lumiere; and now the Mat Lumiere Extreme. I've spoken with the head at my local Chanel boutique and she has confirmed that (in Asia and presumably Europe), the Mat Lumiere Extreme is replacing the Teint Controle Extreme but it's different than the original Mat Lumiere. The individual counters will finish selling their stock of the Teint Controle Extreme and make the switch over to Mat Lumiere Extreme.
I tossed out all my other foundations after I bought this compact. It has even replaced my much trusted Colorstay! Okay, in truth, it's not as tenacious as Colorstay which on me can last an entire day without a single blot. I do blot once or twice with Mat Lumiere Extreme on a long, 10 hr day. I'm currently living in a very hot and humid country and some days I just dread putting on a liquid foundation like colorstay. This is where the convenience of this powder comes in. It goes on super smooth, super light, with fabulous coverage, and lasts through the whole day with no oily breakthroughs or slipping off. It's best suited for oily gals like myself, as dry spots on the face does have a tendency to be emphasized by the powder. Sometimes I finish off this powder with Evian spray if the effects are too matte. The great thing about this powder is that it transforms oil into a dewy sheen so my face doesn't look like a grease pan by the end of the day. The cincher? No breakouts either!
Color ranges in this line are adequate, 20 Beige Rose has more of a rosy tint (slightly more pink), others are quite neutral or yellow-based. Powder comes nestled in a large sleek black Chanel compact with a full-sized mirror and a large quality sponge. The powder slot itself can be taken out and replaced and Chanel readily sells replacements with just the powder itself.
I've been very very pleased with this powder, I know that Chanel counters have samples of this powder (complete in a cardboard compact with a sponge! :) so ask for a sample if you're unsure. Would I repurchase? Well, I already have and use it daily!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Estee Lauder - MagnaScopic Maximum Volume Mascara
chaoz 6/4/2009 9:57:00 AM
I have a sample size of this mascara and after I finish it I won't be committing to a full sized one. It's not too bad, but it's not too great either. First up the good point is that it darkens the lashes beautifully with a slightly glossy feel. However, the main issue (which might I add is quite annoying) I have with it is that the formula seems to be very wet and thus weighs down existing curls and resists further curls if you're curling again afterwards. I also see where the clumping issue might come in although it's not as big a problem for myself personally. The " Maximum Volume" selling point was a definite letdown! At this price, L'Oreal's Voluminous works loads better at giving volume. EL regularly offers GWP, if you're really looking into this mascara, try before you buy!
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Fragrances -Juicy Couture - Fragrance
chaoz 3/13/2009 12:08:00 AM
I received a sample of this recently from a great swapper. I've always admired the beautiful bottle and was itching to find out if the perfume itself is as elegant and playful as the exterior design. And true enough, Juicy Couture does smell like a very fun and sexy blend of white florals. My main beef about it is that the scent is very similar to Burberry London. There are some noticeable differences, in my opinion Burberry London is a lot more softer and well-blended, whereas Juicy Couture is more viceral without too much of a note progression from top to bottom. Without a doubt, Burberry London does smell more sophisticated but the two are comparable. I won't be purchasing this as Burberry London is among my top faves, but JC can be a pleasing scent for maybe a slightly younger crowd. Scent is good, lasting power is great, design is great, price for the product that it is... not so much! :(
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Fragrances -Coty - Harajuku Lovers by Gwen Stefani - G
chaoz 3/3/2009 8:44:00 AM
Out of the whole line of Harajuku Lovers perfume, G is by far the best in my opinion and the only one I actually like and would purchase. It's a luscious blend of coconut, vanilla, a little bit of cream. It however, smells almost exactly like JLo's Deseo to my nose. With that said, between the two, I choose G over Deseo, it's slightly more "pure" and less prone to being powdery. A very delicious fun scent and super collectible figurine bottle design! Gimmicky.. but what the heck! :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Russian Red
chaoz 12/22/2008 9:43:00 AM
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I've never been able, although I always wanted, to pull off the stunning red lips look. Up to this point I've pretty much stuck to neutral light pinks or nudes for the lips. That's partly because I wasn't truly bold enough and mostly because none of the reds I've tried over the years really "fit" my face, making me look clownish. But the desire to do the smoldering red hot lips look never died, and boy oh boy am I glad I read the reviews and got this lipstick!
The red in this is quite opaque but still can be layered carefully resulting to either a matte true red (no orange, pink, purple, or brown hues) to an ever-so-slightly vampy red. My favorite is to wear this in a light to medium layer with a black or dark winged eye, and keep the eyeshadows light, so it's neutral but still defined by the liner. The look is HOT and definitely gets one noticed! And with a name like Russian Red... what's not to love?! 5 lipsticks!
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Fragrances -Yves Saint Laurent - Elle
chaoz 4/25/2008 10:07:00 PM
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Top notes- citron, litchi, peony. Middle notes- freesia, jasmine, pink berries. Bottom notes- patchouli, bourbon vetiver, amberette.
Delicious fragrance!! Wow! I have to be honest and say I don't understand the low rating for this scent, it's very sexy in a juicy yet smoky way. Sounds contradictory yes, but that's why I see it as powerful, it's feminine, playful, and femme fatale in one. Quite the feat!
The opening of Elle is vibrant and bright, the litchi note very fresh and juicy. The middle to base notes are much more darker and give a smoky presence. I detect peppery ingredients but I bet it's the bourbon vetiver essences. Elle smells on me very much like the original Givenchy Hot Couture EDP in black, but is a lighter slightly juicier version which makes Elle all the more wearable as the former's dark smokiness may be slightly overwhelming for some.
Elle seems to be a scent for a very confident woman who is ambitious and powerful yet always remaining beautiful and sexy (and she knows it!).
It's taken me all of 2 seconds to be convinced that I needed a bottle of this EDP. It's become my one and only fragrance I've been wearing everyday. I have come to find that it can be worn in a variety of settings and more importantly that I don't get sick of smelling it. The only thing I'm really not satisfied about is the lasting power of the parfum. To my nose after about an hour the scent completely fades. Being an EDP it pains me to see such a great fragrance lasting for but such a short while, hence the reduced lipstick. Shame.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Yves Saint Laurent - Nuit Intense Night Cream
chaoz 4/12/2008 3:40:00 PM
My skin is combination and very prone to breakouts, and I've come to find that few moisturizers are suitable for me that is lightly textured, provides enough hydration, and doesn't make me break out. But alas, the YSL Nuit Intense creme feels like it's made for me. It's a lovely light texture almost watery and gel-like in a sense, and makes my face feel smooth and very soothed. The scent I feel, while strong, contributes to the soothing experience. It does not cause more oiliness either which is a big plus in my book. And perhaps best of all to someone who needs to be very picky about moisturizers causing breakouts, repeated use didn't lead to any adverse reactions! My face just feels more hydrated, supple, and smooth. The price is definitely higher than most but given how little is needed and the quality of the product, I feel it's definitely worth the price paid. I travel a lot and it's always a treat on longer trips to put this on my face before drifting off to sleep, it provides a shield between the face and the dry cabin air, and I can definitely feel a difference upon waking. This really is an excellent product and I reach for it all the time!
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Fragrances -Burberry - The Beat [DISCONTINUED]
chaoz 3/18/2008 4:09:00 AM
Burberry The Beat is a recently released scent from the design house that targets the slightly younger crowd; the scent itself as well as the bottle design and its feature model Agyness Deyn seem to reflect this focus on energy and movement.
The question of whether the fragrance smells good is easy: Yes it does! It's a fruity-floral concoction which morphs into a somewhat powdery drydown. I do detect traces of pepper in the initial impression as well although this does not seem to linger on for too long. I would commit to buying a bottle of this except for one reservation- the powdery feel. I love Burberry's scents in general, Brit and London being my favorites which seem to be more "cleaner" because of the lack of a powdery drydown. I imagine those who are sensitive to certain elements in scents may not appreciate this, especially in the summer months.
With this said however, I do feel like the scent fits a certain personality to a tee, someone who's unapologetically unpredictable, spontaneous and a little crazy. In this sense I can really see its attractiveness and sex appeal. The EDP has great lasting power, and I must say I love the bottle for its design and functionality!
*ADDENDUM*: To my great surprise the powdery note I was hesitant about initially completely disappears in the height of Summer! I've been consistently using this since I've moved to a tropical area, this scent is excellent in hot climates! Who would've thought! Bumping up to 5 lipsticks, it has in fact become one of my HGs! :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -MAC - Fafi eyes 2 quad
chaoz 2/13/2008 4:29:00 PM
This is the more colorful e/s quad of the 2 from the Fafi collection. All the colors are LE and are only available in this quad form, although arguably they may be duped. The 2 top row colors are "Bold as Gold" (lustre formula)- a champaign hue shot through with light gold shimmers; "Shockwave" (velux formula)- a shimmery peachy coral color. The 2 bottom colors are "You're Fresh" (lustre formula)- a sheer spring mint with high shimmer; "Prankster" (satin formula)- a smooth dark gray blue. Both "Bold as Gold" and "You're Fresh" are significantly more sheer than "Shockwave" and "Prankster", maybe due to their lustre formulas, but I can see how they can be layered to impart more color, the high shimmers in these 2 colors make them a beautiful wash or brow bone highlighters. The quad is jet black with Fafi signature characters on the front, it's a very standout design and is very adorable! :) I actually really enjoyed pairing the colors in this quad with each other and with other different colors, it's not as neutral as Fafi eyes 1, but the hues are beautiful and gives the eyes that pop of color. The quality overall is okay, the 2 velux and satin formulas are somewhat more smooth and pigmented than the lustres, I feel like the low pigmentation overall in this palette is the culprit, and MAC can certainly do better in this area. In the mean time however, I try to solve the problem by using my fingers for all the colors and in using the patting method rather than blending.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -DuWop - duet - Delilah
chaoz 2/1/2008 12:03:00 PM
Delilah's a limited edition duet e/s of medium-bright shades of spring green and pink. It's a gorgeous pair both encased and on eyes. I had the chance of using each shades separately as well as together and both ways, it really brings out my eyes! The texture of the shadows is beautiful, smooth and pigmented, I was so surprised DuWop shadows are of such high quality at a relatively cheap price! I also love the fact that the colors are dense and bright but wearable and versatile, I've grown tired of using muted shades that might look beautiful but are watered-down and fades to nothingness at the end of the day. Not these e/s! I really enjoy using this fun duo and definitely need to get more!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Occitane - Ruban Orange EDT
chaoz 11/30/2007 10:57:00 AM
A delicious scent that is, surprisingly with a name such as "orange ribbon", quite complex! Orange notes are definitely detectable but not quite the typical citrusy "just peeled" kind, it's nestled into the scent and surrounded by spicey and maybe even slightly musky notes. L'Occitane describes the fruit as "bitter orange" ; it's not a linear sunny citrus. The complexity of the scent makes it very versatile and I've been complimented on the very first time I wore this. I see this as a year-round fragrance, the full-sized 100ml bottle is very pretty and in my opinion very appropriately priced as well.
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Liquid -MAC - Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
chaoz 2/14/2007 5:34:00 AM
Pretty divided reviews on this foundation so far! I have combination to very oily skin in the summer, and honestly, when I put this on + blot powder on top it looked flawless, smooth, and beautiful... for all of less than an hour! I wore it out for a whole day only to come home and be horrified to see that it completely slid off my oily nose! There I was in my red nose and I didn't even know it... *embarrassing*!!! I turned to this from my usual SFF because it was making me break out, but personally there's no comparison between the two (except Satinfinish hasn't made me break out so far). It has very fine microshimmers infused through it if you look very carefully, and it initially went on slightly sticky, although the result was really natural. With powder on top it took away most of the shimmer, but combination/oily gals pleaseee get a sample before buying it! I can't imagine wearing this in the summer at all! I waited almost a week to review this foundation but having it completely slip off my face was the last straw, good grief! I'm taking my Satinfinish straight back to MAC!
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Fragrances -Victoria's Secret - Give Me the Thrills all-over fragrance rollette
chaoz 10/25/2006 2:41:00 AM
This is the roll-on version of the new Sexy Little Things perfume from VS Sexy Little Things collection. Cute 15ml bottle, functional roll-on design for $22. The fragrance is supposed to match the full sized perfume exactly, but I actually find it a bit deeper because of the oil base. The bottled EDP version has a more distinct apple opening, whereas this roll-on is somewhat more sweeter. It reminds me of Ralph by Ralph Lauren, but slightly more mature and less sweet and candylike. The lasting power is better in this version than the full-sized EDP. I'm a sucker for purse form roll-ons because of their portability, so I would consider buying this again, but I also want to get the actual EDP, both smell delicious!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Estee Lauder - AeroMatte Ultralucent Pressed Powder
chaoz 9/19/2006 12:45:00 PM
I have tossed all other powders, blotters, etc. in favor of this. In fact, my mom and I both use this powder! lol... I really only have fantastic things to say about it. The finish is soft and it really seems to blur the little imperfections like stated on the EL website. On my combo skin, the oil control factor is also very very good. I used to use MAC's blot powder, and while I felt like it trumped the majority of other powders, it didn't measure up to AeroMatte, and it certainly looked a lot more chalky and unnatural compared to this! Besides the wonderful performance of the powder itself, it's also encased in an elegant square compact with gold accents. It shuts with a magnet and not the traditional click closures. LOVE the packaging! Colors are good and hasn't oxidized on me. As far as I'm concerned, it's got everything I can ever ask for in a powder, natural looking, oil-controlling, and light-diffusing. I really have fun using this everyday and I'd most definitely buy it again!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -The Body Shop - Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash
chaoz 12/18/2005 9:24:00 PM
This face wash makes my skin feel good. I typically have a lot of redness in my face, but after using this cleanser for just a mere few days, I have definitely noticed that it toned down the redness. In addition, it has also noticeably cut down on my oiliness. My face feels very smooth and not dry after washing with this cleanser. I normally do not like my face washes to be scented, but the scent in this is light and floral-marine like, which I actually enjoy, the smell refreshes me. You cannot work up a foam lather with this face wash, but it's a very nice gel-like liquid texture when it goes on your face. The price seems to be fairly high for what seems like such a tiny 100ml tube, but you really don't need so much product for cleaning the whole face. And I really enjoy the flip-lid tube too, it's convenient for travels and looks good.
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