Treatments -OPI - Nail Envy
copperbat 5/15/2006 10:29:00 PM
Great product. I was surprised and delighted to find that OPI is unlike every other brand of nail polish I've used. I have thin, weak nails which are prone to peeling especially because my hands are in warm water frequently. For years, I've used other popular brands which I've found to be pretty much all very similar. With other brands, if I was very diligent about removing and reapplying nail polish at least every other day, not doing housework, etc., I could get my nails to grow an 1/8 of an inch or so before breaking off. So a couple months ago mom comes to visit. Mom has never had anything but super short nails, but when I saw her, she had gorgeous nails. I asked her secret and she told me it was OPI laquer she got from one of her girlfriends. Mom and I spent that week cleaning and painting my house, and her nails and polish stayed perfect the whole time. I ordered some OPI right away and tried it out. I loved it. It dries to a super-hard finish that can't be scratched, scraped, or peeled off. It must bond somehow to the nail, because even if I go for a week without re-applying, it still looks as perfect as the day it was applied. I no longer have to avoid soaking in the tub or doing housework if I want my nails to look nice for a special occasion. And for the first time ever, I have to actually trim and file my nails when they get longer than I like. Nail Envy and OPI Nail Laquer are very high quality products that work as advertised. The one minor drawback is that it yellows ever-so-slightly after a few days. I use the sheer laquers with a bit of white or pink tint so it's not noticeable. I haven't been brave enough to try any of the unique colors, but I recommend this brand!
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Scharffen Berger CACAO
copperbat 2/3/2006 6:57:00 AM
I purchased a sample of this scent recently, and while I didn't experience the poo odor, I wasn't at all impressed. It smelled a bit like Necco wafers to me. Stale and overly sweet, overpowered by a shrill citrus oil twang. Drydown never delivered anything remotely chocolatey, only a heavy vanilla. Borrring. Must everyone be so generous with the vanilla notes in food scents? In my search for chocolate perfume, I thought this one would be the one, since it was made from the real thing. Unfortunately, it doesn't deliver any chocolate. Darn.
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Powder -Bare Escentuals - #1 and #2
copperbat 1/31/2006 4:56:00 AM
Really, I don't get what all the hype is about. I purchased the starter and followed the instructions, but this product made me look awful. I tried it a few different times and a few different ways, but never liked the results. I guess if you're in your 20's with a bit of a tan, having a shiny-buffed face probably looks okay. But pale and 40ish? It just magnifies pores, wrinkles, shadows, and any texture problems. Mineral Veil tones that down a bit, but I actually prefer just plain Mineral Veil on my bare skin. Bare Escentuals is also a huge mess to work with. The fairest and pinkest shades of all their products are still much to dark and yellow for my skin, even when I only put the lightest hint of it on. Using #1 as a concealer you have to really load it on and it doesn't last as long as the claims. Other concealer brands work much better for me.
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Concealers -L'Oreal - AirWear - Brightener [DISCONTINUED]
copperbat 1/31/2006 4:32:00 AM
I hope L'Oreal doesn't discontinue this product. It is the only concealer I have ever found that is perfect for my ultra-pale skintone. It has really amazing coverage and lasts all day on me. It's my secret weapon.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Expert Eyes Head-to-Taupe
copperbat 1/31/2006 4:23:00 AM
This used to be my all time favorite eyeshadow. It was the perfect neutral. Not too dark, not too pale. Looks beautiful with all eye colors. My eyes are brown, my mom's are blue, and my sister's are green. We all wear it and it looks great. Unfortunately, when they changed their packaging (new case shape), they also changed the texture of the shadow. It's milled finer or or doesn't have as much mica as it used to, so it doesn't quite have the shimmer it used to have. It looks more dusty or powdery than shimmery. I used to love how it would look like glimmering silk on my skin, now I can barely tell I have anything on. I used to constantly get asked what shadow I wore. Now I never do. Ah well, nothing lasts forever. It was good while it lasted. I still have a few crumbs left of the old color, but they're for special occasions.
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Fragrances -Thierry Mugler - Angel
copperbat 1/19/2006 11:35:00 PM
I had heard all the raves. When I purchased Angel, I had a feeling I would hate it. Just uncapping it made my eyes burn with an overpowering patchoulli odor. Still, desperate for that mellow sweet fragrance I had heard so much about, I tried it on anyway. Nothing but patchouli drowing out some sickeningly syrupy aroma. I waited for it to mature on my skin. Soon, I started getting a horrible headache and having flashbacks of unhygienic, sweaty hippies drenched in patchouli. The syrupy odor faded, but the patchouli got stronger and stronger until I felt waves of nausea. By then it was way too late, and it wouldn't wash off. I threw it away and took the trash out. Yech. If you're considering this fragrance, be aware that it smells horrible on some people. Try a sampler first!
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Fragrances -Aquolina - Pink Sugar
copperbat 1/19/2006 7:04:00 PM
Make an appointment with your dentist. This is the sweetest fragrance yet. But surprisingly, it works. The name says it all. It's burnt sugar, caramel, and vanilla. There are plenty of other sugary food fragrances out there and I've tried them all. But this one is the only one I have found that does not have any synthetic odors. No artificial fruity notes. No flat fake vanilla. This smells bright and silly just like cotton candy when you first put it on, but soon dries to a delicious sugar cookie-like fragrance on me. Warm vanilla and caramelized sugar. I am embarrassed to admit I wear this one frequently, especially when I want to brighten my mood. I wear a wee tiny bit just for my own nose, because not everyone appreciates sweet perfume. But I still get compliments if someone catches a whiff, even from men. Lasts moderately long. Excellent scent concentration for the money - you only need a small spritz!
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Fragrances -L'Aromarine - Mure Musc
copperbat 1/19/2006 6:40:00 PM
A very delicate and sweet "food scent". The sweetness is a fresh fruit smell, not overly syrupy. There isn't much complexity to this scent, but I like that on occasion. It's smells like fresh berries which makes it a wonderful summer/fall fragrance. Lasts longer than you'd expect, and warms to an earthy blackberry/mulberry with a hind of wood. Of all my fragrances cheap to fancy, this inexpensive gem is one of my all time favorites.
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Fragrances -L'Aromarine - Coco Extrait de Parfum
copperbat 1/19/2006 6:30:00 PM
This fragrance is in the "food scent" category. In my worldwide search for a nice chocolate fragrance, I decided to try L'Aromarine Coco. Apparently, Coco means coconut in French, not cocoa. At first, there's a delicious fresh citrus and bourbon vanilla high note that smells vaguely tropical. Once it dries though, the unmistakable smell of coconut begins to warm up and take over. It's not subtle, either. We're talking Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil coconut. There's a slight hint of some other synthetic odor (I'll call it the Pla-doh base note) that never fades, even after the citrus and vanilla are gone. Really one of the worst fragrances I've ever worn. Not sure if even coconut lovers would like this one. This was the only time I've ever gotten "yuck" comments from other people regarding a fragrance I'm wearing.
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Fragrances -Serendipity 3 - Serendipitous
copperbat 1/18/2006 6:06:00 PM
I was looking so forward to receiving this fragrance after hearing all the wonderful reviews. Boy was I disappointed. The chocolate smells very artificial. To call this scent subtle is an extreme understatement. Watered down would be much more accurate. I had to drench my wrists and chest to the point of dripping to even catch the slightest hint of any fragrance at all. After warming, the orange and vanilla blossomed and toned down the artificial chocolate odor a bit, but on dry down the synthetic odor lingered and never settled into that rich chocolate fragrance I had heard so many raves about. While it wasn't completely unpleasant (I liked the vanilla notes and I didn't find myself scrubbing my skin to get it off, like I did with Angel), I thought it lacked depth, smelled cheap and artificial, and was overpriced for the quality.
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