Lip Gloss -MAC - Viva Glam V Lipglass
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 5:03:00 PM
Retails for $13.50. I can see why this is a favorite of all the Viva Glams collections. This one is a very wearable mauve-brown toned, very ylbb, with very slight shimmer but a lot of gloss and shine. I also learn that in order for l/s or l/g to be ylbb, it has to have a slight mauve undertone to it. Definitely a good buy, esp. if you like Lust but found it rather 'blah' or Song and Dance but couldn't get it soon enough.
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Fragrances -Aquolina - Pink Sugar
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:31:00 PM
After hearing so many raves about this on the board, I finally tried Pink Sugar on local Sephora (retails for $35, EDT spray 50 ml). But first, a nice MUAer sent me a small vial with the sample, and I tried it on at home by dabbing it on the wrist. It was a very sweet smell, but not too overwhelming, so I thought. The licorice note is prominent to my nose, along with some berries. It quickly dried down to a nice, sweet, burnt sugar note& vanilla.
Now, for the one in Sephora (from the atomizer). With only one spritz, my first impression was sickening, cloying, super sweet!! Supersweet that I have to rub my hands down with alcohol several times to get rid of the cloying smell. The licorice is definitely there, along with some sweet floral/berries rushing all at the same time, I hardly detect any orange or bergamot. After several hours, it dries down to a mellow burnt sugar and vanilla note, same as above.
It is definitely not a fragrance for me or anyone who cannot stand a cloyingly sweet fragrance. In fact, I'm still having headache from the experience (and it was perhaps 3-4 hours ago). But I can understand why some will find this scent irresistable, the vanilla and burnt sugar dry down can be very delicious.
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Bronzers -Fresh - Here Comes The Sun Bronzing Face Luster and Blush Powder Set
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:20:00 PM
Retails for $45. If you're on the market for a new bronzer, this one is quite a find. It comes in a palette of three shades: two bronzer of light and medium each, and a rosy pink highlighter/blush. The size of the pan is about the size of small MAC e/s, perhaps slightly larger. It comes in a sleek, albeit somewhat cheap looking, compact with large mirror. The top has a cute Japanese/Indian inspired orange pattern on it.
Both of the bronzer goes on very smoothly with slight shimmer particle that is very refined and not glittery. The lighter one is a beiged down version of gold shimmer and the darker one is more bronzy, which can look a tad orangy on certain skin tones. On my asian, yellow-toned skin (MAC NC25, Armani LSF 2/4, Stila B/C) it goes on very natural, no orange cast at all.
The highlighter double as blush, goes on warm rosy pink, very pretty esp. to highlight the cheekbones and works well with the bronzer.
Overall a nice little palette, the price is slightly prohibitive to warrant future repurchase, but it's a good quality product.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Giorgio Armani - Sheer Lipstick #14
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:13:00 PM
Retails for $22.50. This one is Armani's version for Stila lipstick in Olivia: light-medium nude peachy pink. The texture is silky smooth, it even has a slight glossy sheen to it. No shimmer that I could notice. I would probably start replacing all my existing lipstick with Armani's if only for the texture.
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Lipstick -Giorgio Armani - Mania #2
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:11:00 PM
Retails for $22.50. This one is your best bet for your save-shade in case you're wondering what to buy for the Mania series. On me and on the tube, it is light-medium brown-peach pink with warm undertone, as oppose to Mania #1 which has cool undertone. Reminds me a lot of BB Brown lipstick only slightly warmer/peachier, or think of ylbb brown pink but a tad peachier. No shimmer that I could notice. The texture is out of this world silky, smooth and moisturizing, just like any other Armani lipstick. In fact, I will probably start replacing my existing lipsticks with those from Armani, if only for the texture.
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Lipstick -Giorgio Armani - Lipstick Mania #1
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:08:00 PM
Retails for $22.50. This one is your best bet for your save-shade in case you're wondering what to buy for the Mania series. On me and on the tube, it is light-medium brown pink with cool undertone, very ylbb. Think of a browned down and lighter version of Stila Natalie. The texture is out of this world silky, smooth and moisturizing, just like any other Armani lipstick. In fact, I will probably start replacing my existing lipsticks with those from Armani, if only for the texture.
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Lipstick -Giorgio Armani - Lipstick Mania #14
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:05:00 PM
Retails for $22.50, the shade looks lovely on the tube, somewhat frosty pink but the frost is gold, instead of silver. On lips it's very etherial looking, again frosty light pink with gold-greenish shimmer. The shimmer is not glittery at all, somewhat reminds me of MAC Frost lipstick in terms of look. However, the texture is far more superior than MAC, this one goes on smooth, moisturizing and not drying at all. A very unique shade, but I don't think I will repurchase since this kind of look can get quite 'old'.
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Lipstick -Giorgio Armani - Sheer Lipstick #18
chopsticktoo 5/2/2004 4:01:00 PM
Retails for $22.50, this lipstick shade is very much underrated, I think. I'm asian, dark brown eyes and hair, LSF 4/2 (during winter) and this lipstick instantly brighten my face. I agree with the reviewers below, on the tube it's scary orange, but it goes on sheer, but bright peachy pink (not pinky peach, emphasize on the peach). If you like Armani Lip Shimmer #11 (apricot shade) I think you will like this one: it's just like the lip gloss but more pinky and brighter. Gorgreous! The texture is silky smooth, it even has a glossy sheen to it & very moisturizing on. Will definitely repurchase.
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Fragrances -Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Perfumes - Sanguine Muskissime
chopsticktoo 4/12/2004 6:37:00 PM
I got a sample vial of this and read the description at aedes.com It is described as orange/citrusy fragrance which I love. However, the citrus last only a short burst, giving away to a dry sandalwood base which is a bit too heady for my taste. Definitely the sandalwood tone is dominant.
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Eyes -Stila - Convertible Lash and Line Copper
chopsticktoo 4/11/2004 1:39:00 PM
Retails for $20. Really like the concept of liquid liner and mascara in one. This copper is a new shade for Spring. First of all, the gel liner goes on copper-ish brown. The copper has no reddish tone, in fact it's somewhat look golden brown/dark blonde, more than penny copper shade. It is also a tad too light against my naturally dark-brown/black asian lashes, making it unnatural looking. I found this neither enhance nor diminish the eye look, but something's not quite right with this one. The mascara doesn't show up well on dark brown/black lashes either, which is practically useless.
If you are currious about this, you may want to try it before committing to one. However, it looks nice on the SA (she wears Stila C, green eyes and dark brown hair)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Stila - Smudge Pot in Brown
chopsticktoo 4/11/2004 1:30:00 PM
Retails for $16. I like the concept of this gel liner. Stila's is definitely easier to use for beginner like me, more so than BB gel liner, which dries to fast (at least to my taste). This is more of a consistency of cream liner, but still very hard to smudge. The best tool I found for smudging it is Q-Tips, a dense type, not the loose kind (and risking lints all over lashes). It is also very hard to come off, which may or may not be a good thing. Other than that, I'm pretty much satisfied with the product and it does not bother my sensitive eyes at all. A bit worry about the packaging as it's wide and will potentially trapped a lot of bacteria, dust, lints, etc.
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Bronzers -Stila - Sun Gel
chopsticktoo 4/11/2004 1:27:00 PM
Retails for $24. This gel broner is very nice in texture, non sticky and dries to a smooth silky texture. I agree that it looks awful dark on the tube but goes on sheer. However, somehow it clashes with my yellow-toned skin. Perhaps since my skin is already yellow, it goes on somewhat artificial yellow-ish brown, not the bronze/golden tanned look. For those of you who are currious, do check it out first before buying. Otherwise, it is a great bronzer (looks absolutely great on the Stila SA that I saw, she wears stila C, green eyes and dark brown hair).
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Stila - Bronze 4 pan compact Vintage Hankie
chopsticktoo 4/11/2004 1:22:00 PM
Retails for $28. This is the same setup as Stila Hankie, tiny quantity. Before you go out and buy this, check out your stash to see if you have Stila Holiday 6 pan collection that was released back in 1999 or 2000. The middle color may be the same color as Soleil e/s, the liner may be the same as Coco e/s and blush may be Persimmon.
With that said, the lightest color is very similar to Nude e/s with golden shimmer, however, it is so sheer that it is barely noticable even on my un-tanned skin (Stila B/C). The middle shade is a golden color, more golden than Oasis (most probably, again, it's Soleil e/s). Goes on sheer, but with high sheen and somewhat accentuates the creases/fine lines of my eye lids. The liner is a more golden version of Twig. Think of Twig with less reddish tone but with golden shimmer (again, could this be Coco e/s?). The blush is peachy pink that goes on very much like a toned down Stila CC in Gerbera (which makes me think that this is perhaps Persimmon blush). Overall a very nice, wearable palette, looks good on tanned and untanned skin alike.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Lip Gloss in Mimosa
chopsticktoo 4/4/2004 3:57:00 PM
Retails for $19 at local Neiman's. On the tube it looks frosty pinkish peach which reminds me of MAC Oyster Girl, but it goes on nothing like that at all. This one goes on pale peach with golden shimmer. Very pretty! It reminds me a lot of Armani Lip Shimmer #11 (the peach) although on the tube the look different. In fact, I think this lipgloss is more 'pigmented' than BB regular shimmer glosses;the color goes on true. Hate the brush, as always. Love the texture, which is similar to regular BB lipglosses textures with hint of vanilla scent.
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Lip Gloss -Bobbi Brown - Tangerine
chopsticktoo 4/4/2004 3:54:00 PM
Retails for $19 at local Neiman's. It looks bright orange on the tube but goes on much sheerer than that. However, the color is a little bit 'off' on me. Think of the color of orange, and the color of apricot (the fruits), this one is more bordering the color of orange, goes on true without any red or yellow (for e.g. Stila Tangerine or Orange lip glaze has red tone to it, this one isn't). However it turns into terracotta color on my naturally pigmented lips. Hate the brush, as always. Love the texture, which is similar to regular BB lipglosses textures with hint of vanilla scent.
If you're looking for a wearable juicy peach lip gloss, may I suggest Armani Lipshimmer #11 or BB Mimosa Shimmer Gloss instead.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No