Eye Shadow -Shiseido - Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio in Snow Shadow
ikura 2/27/2012 6:04:00 AM
Shiseido's eye color trio in Snow Shadow is one of at least 10 other color sets, but I chose this particular color combination based on the high contrasts and neutral-cool tones that I thought would suit my coloring well. There is a deep sparkling charcoal navy that I use as a liner, a smoky silver that I smudge out from the lash line, and a shimmering pearly white highlighter. The packaging is a simple black case with a tiny graphic embellishment. For me this trio is the palette to end all palettes and I could not be happier with my purchase. The formula is gorgeous and smooth, lasts all day on my oily lids, and the colors are stunning, even applied sparingly as I generally do. They can go from day to night, and the case includes a mirror, which is a must for me. The applicator is not really necessary, as these apply well with a finger, though I've used the applicator as a smudgy liner while on the road and caught without a liner brush. All in all this is the smartest makeup purchase I have made to date. The portability and beauty of the product are fabulous.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -LUSH - Breath of God
ikura 2/22/2012 5:23:00 AM
Quite a lovely, chameleon-like scent! When I first tried it on it morphed slowly from cool melon to a light smoky scent, ending sometime later in a gorgeous sweet incense fragrance that had me literally asking "what smells so good?!" The effect varies dramatically depending on weather, mood, skin chemistry, and probably your hormonal state. In one particular climate / geographic region I found it consistently too heavy and smoky, whereas in another it consistently blossomed into a gorgeous, addictive, spicy, slightly powdery (but not too dry) perfume- an "mmm, LUSH" scent. Definitely worth a few trial runs if you enjoy spicy, incensey, or smoky scents. I should note that I only tried the solid, and I love the blue color with this one. One star off for being a bit finicky.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -LUSH - King of Skin Body Conditioner
ikura 6/8/2010 3:30:00 PM
Brilliant product. In addition to moisturizing, it has a cooling, soothing effect on the skin (probably due to the avocado, oatmeal, bananas, and sandalwood). I got this during pregnancy and it was the ONLY thing that soothed my itchy belly (plain oils such as coconut did not help), and it was also a brilliant moisturizer. It lasted ages - through pregnancy and beyond - with regular use. Just don't use it under running water (it will quickly disappear), or use too much at a time. It melts quickly on contact with warm, wet, showered skin so you only need to get a little on your skin, and then you can smooth it over a larger area of your body. You can rinse off quickly and then towel dry, or skip the rinsing if you prefer. I like the newer crown shaped design, which is easier to grab onto and lasts longer than the square shape, because less product glides over your skin at a time and it's less fragile once worn thin. I think it smells fantastic - very lightly and pleasantly scented, almost edible. As with all LUSH products you should sniff before you buy if possible, they have a unique and interesting range of scents and ingredients, and some people are sensitive or averse to scents that others consider amazing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Laura Mercier - Lip Stain in Sugar Violet
ikura 6/30/2009 2:43:00 PM
Color: This is a rich plummy brown with a definite sheen to it. I swapped for it untested, and lucked out: it definitely complements my coloring. I cannot wear reds, and most pastels look god awful on me. Lasting power: It is superior to a lipstick, and since it has shimmer I don't feel the urge to wear a gloss on top. Doesn't come off when kissing. Texture: I don't find it drying, but it's not as comfortable as wearing a balm, it has sort of a dry texture, but doesn't dry my lips if that makes sense. I like the look worn over a balm too, so works if my lips are particularly dry. So I'm definitely happy with it, t has sparked interest in trying other "stains," and I might even repurchase if I ever ran out (seems unlikely). *UPDATE 2010* still really happy with this - and I wanted to note that it multitasks on cheeks and eyes, at least for my coloring. They should market it as a multi-use product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Tweezerman - Mini tweezers
ikura 6/26/2009 6:25:00 PM
Great tweezers! Easy to use and very precise. I have them in light aqua, and they are adorable. I store them in the plastic tube for protection. I mostly wanted to write a review for these because when I was trying to decide whether or not to purchase, I noticed the reviews were very divided. I finally realized that some people are confusing the Tweezerman mini tweezers with the Tweezerman tweezerette. THESE ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT!! The tweezerette is very blunt, similar to the average drugstore tweezer if not worse. It is hard to handle and barely grasps hairs. I received one as an extra in a swap and it was unusable. The mini tweezer, on the other hand, has the same sharpened tip as the full sized Tweezerman and works great, it's just smaller. If you are a tweezing junkie there is probably a noticeable difference + you probably want the big size for maximum comfort. But I have no problems handling the mini and would definitely repurchase if mine got lost. Just avoid the cheaper tweezerette, it is awful. Hope that helps! EDIT 2010: ok I'm giving this 4 stars, I find it easy to accidentally break off the hairs if I'm not careful. Wondering if it's the sharpness of the tweezer?
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Parfums De Nicolai - Cococabana
ikura 9/21/2008 1:36:00 AM
Very interesting, but only for certain moods. The tropical flowers and coconut are saved from malibu barbie hell by the bitter orange, cedar, and palm (woods yes, tanning spray NO). This is possibly a "natural" scent for a place that I've never been to. It's a bit too sweet and ...greasy? to wear often. I wouldn't get another bottle, but a sample would be fun.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Parfums De Nicolai - Mimosaique
ikura 9/21/2008 1:25:00 AM
starts out a very round cold tropical fruit, maybe in the melon family. The green wet melon/starfruit/whatever it is starts to dry out and ripen in the sun. An intense sweetness arises, and the notes all blend together into a non-structured mimosa blossom scent, complete with those fuzzy fronds that make it so hard to tell where the scent is coming from exactly. The boundaries of sweet warmth and greenness are unclear as it has already begun its quick descent to the scent molecule afterlife. Not very long lasting!
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Fou d Absinthe
ikura 9/21/2008 1:13:00 AM
starts off wild and herbal (leaf, roots) booze. The alcohol evaporates, and a lighter, watery, almost metallic pine takes shape, very resinous and smooth. Heady aromatic herbs and trees cool off, warm and simmer into the skin, and then flash cool hits of green. Good for a wild, dirty mood.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Piment Brulant
ikura 9/21/2008 1:01:00 AM
mmm, a blast of icy hot pepper, like slicing through cool, refridgerated raw hot peppers; they're just like sweet bell peppers until you get too close!. Wet, creaminess with subtle (not too sweet) vanilla sweetness and cocoa underlies the scent, and nose tickling spices warn you: don't eat it!! The husband loves this one.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Safran Troublant
ikura 9/21/2008 12:48:00 AM
Wet on the skin I inhale saffron and raisins as rosewater is sprinkled on top. The whole dish fades and harmonizes as it dries, with the rose predominant over the saffron. Quite lovely but it disappears rapidly. Although I don't mind soft or musky scents that fade quickly, leaving a cozy warmth on the skin, this is far too quick to flee my chemistry to keep me cozy for any reasonable length of time. Still, would be worthy of a decant for further testing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - La Chasse aux Papillons
ikura 9/21/2008 12:40:00 AM
La Chasse began nicely enough, very fresh and light and full of promises, but ultimately it found only the papillons sitting on tuberoses, and the rest of the garden was ignored.
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Drole de Rose
ikura 9/21/2008 12:34:00 AM
A nice composition that evokes makeup and fading flowers, neither of which I find very uplifting or inspiring. Much too sweet and dry for my tastes. Although I still think this is pretty, I would never wear it.
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Deodorants -Kiss My Face - Active Enzyme Deodorant
ikura 9/14/2008 10:19:00 PM
I don't really have anything to add to what others have said. I should've read the reviews before buying, because this is worse than wearing nothing. The thin layer of goo (which remains wet/sticky on the skin) actually increases sweat and BO, and it comes in a hard concave form that is uncomfortable to apply. Too bad, because the scent was pretty (Summer). I guess this is going in the trash. So much for being green.
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Fragrances -Hermes - Eau des Merveilles
ikura 8/17/2006 6:43:00 PM
I like this! It's funny how scents work differently on different people. Patchouli? You're kidding, right? And I don't get citrus or spice, I get salt and a pinch of pepper, like washing with LUSH sea vegetable soap in a cool shower (which, granted, has citrus in it, but mostly smells like the ocean). My boyfriend took a sniff and said it smelled a little sweet, a little like flowers, but mostly just fresh. I want more!
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Lip Gloss -Too Faced - Gossip Gloss in Paparazzi
ikura 8/15/2006 1:08:00 PM
I was sooo glad I swapped for this ultra pearly / sparkly peachy pink gloss, it looked amazing on me! I layered it with everything or wore it alone. I nearly used it up, then ended up tossing it because of the packaging: cute, but eventually started to leak around the edges where the gloss would collect for some reason. if you know of a similar gloss that has not been discontinued please message me.
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