Palettes -Urban Decay - Naked Basics
deepa1026 2/3/2013 10:20:00 PM
I was looking for an easy, portable matte palette, and this ended up fitting the bill perfectly. I won't go through each shade individually, as many reviews for this product already do so, but I will say that the shadows are of excellent quality, and when I use some UDPP underneath, I can go 12+ hours crease-free. I use Foxy on the lid, Faint in the crease, Walk of Shame on the browbone and Venus as an inner eye highlight, and I get a subtle, matte, go-with-anything, daytime smokey look that is perfect for all occasions and circumstances. Paired with some winged eyeliner and a nude lip, this makes me feel very Brigitte Bardot. :) I can understand some of the complaints about not all of the colors showing up on not all skin tones. I'm an NC 35, and when I don't use a primer underneath, some of these colors are barely even visible on me. I think if I were just one or two skin shades darker, some of these would go on a touch ashy. It's not a high drama look that i get from this palette, but for my purposes, this works beautifully.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Kenzo - Flower
deepa1026 6/20/2012 7:07:00 PM
This sounded like it was right up my alley--a soft powdery floral with rose, violets, almond, oh my. And I loved it 98% of the way, but there was this irritating hint of something acquatic that kept resurfacing every now and again. (Cucumber? Melon? Am I crazy? It's in there, right?) Like the proverbial pea that pokes the princess from under the pillowy mattress, I found the acquatic note sharp and annoying where I was expecting only powdery softness. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the artistry and the concept of this scent. And to be fair, I'm pretty sensitive and hostile to acquatic notes.
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Fragrances -Philosophy - Amazing Grace Eau De Parfum
deepa1026 6/6/2012 9:52:00 PM
I know this runs counter to other people's experiences with this scent, but I found this scent to be quite harsh, which is often my experience with scents in this "clean / shower-fresh" genre. It smelled to me like strong, synthetic cleaning detergents.
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Blush -NYX - Dusty Rose
deepa1026 2/29/2012 11:17:00 PM
I haven't written an MUA review in years, but I had to come out of hiding to rave about this product. This was my first NYX blush, and to my pleasant surprise, it rivals the quality of my NARS blushes. At 1/4 the price, no less. It's highly pigmented and blends smoothly and easily. The color is a gorgeous, cool-toned, plummy pink--kind of the blush equivalent to NYX's Thalia lipstick, which I often pair it with. It's an unbeatable value for such a high quality product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NYX - Lipstick- #529 Thalia
deepa1026 2/13/2011 11:10:00 PM
This is a taupey, mauvey pink in the tube,but on my lips, it applies as a cool-toned nude pink. Very creamy texture. Looks lovely. I find myself reaching for it several times per week. For reference, I am an NC30, and with my yellow undertones, most pinks look too warm/red on me, but this actually looks like a true pink on my complexion. The quality of the lipstick is pretty good, although it wears off somewhat quickly due to its creamy consistency. The packaging is quite cheap as well. However, these drawbacks are not enough to justify taking off any lippies, especially at this price point.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Cover Girl - Cheekers Blush in Brick Rose
deepa1026 2/13/2011 10:56:00 PM
I have a collection of expensive, high-end blushes--mostly NARS--and yet, this is the blush I find myself reaching for more than anything else I own. The pigmentation is great, and the finish is perfect--not too matte, but not too shimmery, just the perfect amount of subtle glow. Also, as one or two other reviewers have noted, the cheap-looking brush that comes with the compact applies the product in a surprisingly even and beautiful fashion. As for the color, in the pan it is a cool-toned brownish pink, but on my skin it gives the perfect pink flush. For reference, I am an NC30 with olive/yellow undertones to my skin, and most pinks end up looking too warm or ruddy on me, but this is one of the few pink blushes that look like a true pink on my skin. And of course, the best part is the low price. Unbelievable value for the quality of this product. It definitely rivals any of my higher-end blushes that cost 4 to 5 times as much.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Cover FX - Cover Fx - Powder Fx
deepa1026 6/24/2010 10:22:00 PM
First off, I'm very impressed with the extensive range of shades this line carries. It really caters to women of all ethnicities and colors. As an East Indian woman with NC 30-35ish skin, I found M50 to be a good match in the summer, when I'm getting lots of sun. This powder foundation provides good coverage for my rosacea-prone skin. My only problem with this foundation is that it can be quite drying, and I wish the finish didn't look quite so flat and matte in person. However, it photographs beautifully, giving your skin a soft-focus, silky finish in pictures. I'll definitely be buying this one again. EDIT: I originally rated this as 4 lippies, but I'm taking off two lippies because within a few weeks this oxidized in the pan and is now a more orange shade than the one I originally purchased. Very disappointing after paying so much. Also, as mentioned in my original review, the product is simply too drying for my skin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrance -Gucci - Gucci Pour Homme
deepa1026 11/27/2009 12:33:00 AM
Oh my, this is lovely. It is dusty and dry, with spices, leather, a touch of amber, but mostly cedar, cedar, cedar, with a capital C!!! I sprayed this on at work, and someone walked into my office, stopped, inhaled, smiled and said, "Ohhh, it smells like one of those antique, cedar hope chests in here!" In the vein of other quiet, dry woody scents such as Tam Dao, Bois Farine and 10 Corso Como, I find this fragrance puts me in a very calm and meditative mood. It stays fairly close to the skin and is a versatile scent that would be appropriate in any setting. The best part is, you can get this at TJ Maxx or discounted fragrance shops online for a very reasonable price!
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Lipstick -MAC - Our Pick
deepa1026 9/22/2009 5:08:00 PM
Years ago MAC had a lipstick color called "Aura" that came out as part of their Earth Goddess collection. It was a deep, grey, plummy-toned taupe that looked cool and edgy, and I loved it so much I almost cried when it was discontinued. I had really hoped "Our Pick" would be a close replacement. It is described as a "cement grey taupe," but that is not how it applies on my olive NC 35-37 skin. I would describe it as more of a chocolate milk-ish nude, very similar to "Fresh Brew," but with a more matte, opaque finish. It is quite cool-toned, so I can see why some would have the impression of grey undertones, but this is not the straight-up grey lipstick that I was looking for. (I know it sounds weird and makes a lot of people look corpse-like, but grey-ish lipsticks really suit me!) Nevertheless, it is quite beautiful and I will use it often for a nude-lipped look.
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Lip Gloss -L'Oreal - HIP Shine Struck Liquid Lipcolor Arresting
deepa1026 6/24/2009 12:00:00 PM
Love this. I didn't think I could wear pinks before trying this. Dabbed on and blotted, it leaves a very pretty medium deep pink stain. Applied more liberally, it's looks like a bright fuschia with blue / violet tones and brilliant shine. It's a bit runny and has a tendency to get all over everything, as others have noted. I love layering MAC Funtabulous Dazzleglass over it for the most breathtaking magenta I have ever seen. I also love wearing it blotted as a stain. In addition to Arresting, I have Shine Struck glosses in Turbulent (bright red) and Distinct (chocolate brown with hints of maroon). Overall, I've been very pleased with these. They have the deep pigmentation and color density of lipstick, but the shine and texture of lip gloss. I reach for them often.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Carol's Daughter - Almond Cookie Eau de Toilette Spray
deepa1026 5/28/2009 12:17:00 PM
The name suggests that this fragrance would be a super-sweet, simple, foody scent along the lines of Pink Sugar or some such perfume, appropriate perhaps for teenagers. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a light, sophisticated comfort fragrance. The initial sharp cherry-almond blast is off-putting, but that only lasts for a minute. Then the scent settles almost immediately into a soft, powdery, dry almond with lots of smooth sandalwood that becomes increasingly prominent in the drydown. It stays fairly close to the skin; in fact, I wish it had more sillage, but I tend to like big, dramatic fragrances. Stay away if you don't like powdery scents, but if you're a sandalwood whore like me, this is definitely one to add to your fragrance wardrobe. Very soft, feminine and pretty.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -MAC - Dazzleglass in Funtabulous
deepa1026 5/28/2009 11:26:00 AM
This is a beautiful lip gloss. Applied by itself, on me it comes on as a sheer, cool-toned pink. Layered over other colors, it lends a purplish tinge. The blue microglitter is not at all chunky--the individual glitter particles are not perceptible. For reference, I am South Asian, with very olive skin. One lippie off because it is quite sticky and goopy, and comes off on my teeth. Also, as others have noted, it's definitely pricey for the small amount of lip gloss that comes in the package. EDIT: I have reduced this rating to just two lippies because I have realized that this gloss is too sheer and goopy to be of much use to me. I rarely reach for it. It's so pretty in the tube, but needs more opacity and pigment.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Bubble Bath
deepa1026 5/11/2009 8:42:00 PM
I'd like to give this 3.5 stars. It's pretty in the bottle, but upon application it is quite sheer. I mean almost transparent. I've applied three coats now and I'm nowhere near opacity. One or two coats comes on as clear nail polish with the softest hint of milky color. It's a clean, delicate look. Application can be a bit streaky, as others have noted.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Omnia
deepa1026 3/13/2009 9:02:00 PM
Sigh. I'm tired of being teased and disappointed by fragrances that purport to contain all these spicy, delicious-sounding notes, only to be applied to the skin and to smell like mild, pleasant, but barely noticeable...soap. It seems like anything created post-1990 isn't even real perfume, just weak, "clean," insipid body splash-strength fragrance that fades within minutes and isn't even detectable unless you're practically sitting in someone's lap. What happened to the glamourous perfumes of yesteryear? Perfumes that actually made a statement? When I wear this, every so often, if I really strain, I can catch little glimpses of the smooth, complex wonderful scent this could be, if it weren't quite so thin and anemic.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Mechant Loup
deepa1026 3/8/2007 9:40:00 PM
When I initially applied this, I thought to myself, this is what manhood smells like. I loved all the nutty, woody, handsome, musky goodness of this. 10 minutes later, all I could detect, as whataworld put it, was "a ghost of a 'fume." It evaporated almost completely, and by the time half an hour had passed, I couldn't even tell that I had put anything on. A wolf of a scent? Hardly. More like a softly whimpering pup, runt of the litter. It's such a shame because this is a beautiful, innovative scent, but like most L'Artisans, it smells so faint and diluted that a full bottle just doesn't seem worth it. It's a perpetually vexing problem with this entire line.
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