Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Un Lys
kerriki 1/23/2013 4:43:00 AM
I love this sweet airy fragrance! I had the strange experience of spraying it one morning in spring before going off to pick up some cattle fodder. When I got out of my truck at the farm, I was swarmed by a cloud of insects obviously mistaking me for a flower, which I took as a huge compliment! It is a very floaty lily, without the massive vanilla hit I have seen in many modern lilies even though its floralcy is probably enhanced by a dry vanilla. I would,have thought this one would have made it into the permanent exports because I see it as so light and 'pretty' compared to some of The Masters' big'uns.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Seville a l'Aube
kerriki 1/23/2013 4:28:00 AM
Yes yes yes! Delirious experience for us perfume geeks, to see this beautiful thing created! It is a woodsy oriental, with some of the same DNA to my nose as the stunning Nuit de Tubereuse. It is rich, luscious, modern, extremely skin friendly and enveloping with good persistence and sillage. To me this is a desert island scent, really sensual and rich, a pleasure.
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Tinted Moisturizer -NARS - Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
kerriki 1/23/2013 4:15:00 AM
I've probably been hiding under a rock with facial sunscreens whilst slathering on my occlusive blocks down here in Australia, but wow this product is simply superb! It gives a flattering smoothing tint, to my eye completely invisible, does not feel clingy and sweaty, and blocks brilliantly. I got 'Alaska' which is perfect for my light yellow easy tanning skin. I totally recommend this fabulous product.
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Polishes -Deborah Lippmann - Lara's Theme
kerriki 1/23/2013 4:07:00 AM
Wow this is a stunning colour! It is one of those hues which tread a thin line; it's so richly orange as to read almost red, yet still 'orange'. Not flouro, but strong! Pure luscious orange, and great quality in application and stick, with the fine flexible Lippmann brush...no doubt there are inexpensive dupes but I enjoy the cheap luxury of dear high quality polish!
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Sarrasins
kerriki 10/25/2012 7:49:00 AM
A powerful earthy apricot jasmine, yet paradoxically has a sweet airy quality that makes it quite an easy and optimistic wear for me (A La Nuit requires a little more commitment in my opinion). Absolutely unique, yet another master stroke from the Lutens - Sheldrake union...
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Bas de Soie
kerriki 10/25/2012 7:33:00 AM
The iris is sweet yet woody, somehow they have put a rich powdery oriental tonality to this that modernises the astringent effect of classics like Cristalle and stident iterations like hyacinth Bluebell. I often think nowadays that one should study consumer perfumery and then just buy all of Lutens. Gosh, I could have saved up for many trips to Paris!
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Muscs Koublai Khan
kerriki 10/25/2012 6:57:00 AM
This is very close to real wild musk pod which is unforgettably haunting and sweet, but from a passionate amateur perfumista's viewpoint it is pushed over from the musky animalic to the all too human homeless/unwashed/ dirty old MAN...I find it is intensely masculine, yes ball sweaty ; I end up in a sort of schizo-conflicted zone where I don't know what gender I am supposed to identify in the wearing of it... I want to attract the man, but not smell like him...yet I must have a little of this around, because it is so magically powerful.
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Fragrances -Serge Lutens - A La Nuit
kerriki 10/25/2012 6:31:00 AM
Gorgeous quintessential jasmine floral, completely intoxicating and divine...when too much humid floral is never enough...aah yeah...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Serge Lutens - Vitriol d'oeillet
kerriki 10/25/2012 6:19:00 AM
I find this strangely haunting and beautiful. It has a peppery lift that is more than reminiscent of the carnation,apparently the theme here. Here I consider that IFRA apparently banned all the aroma chemicals that make up the carnation note, and I can only surmise that the artist perfumers decided to have a go and stick s few carnation scents up the beaurocracy because this smells so like a carnation! There is a sweetly floral note riding like a highwayman with his cloak and guns, and black Bess in the coach knowing that her lover will be pulling alongside while the moonlight comes...
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri
kerriki 10/25/2012 1:38:00 AM
I had to sing the praises of this! Only today I ended up with many layers doing the 'glitter sandwich' (I blame Orly Androgenie for that, so innocently purchased off eBay thinking it was just black....and now well and truly down the rabbit hole chasing the gorgeous indies)..anyway...where was I? Aha yes, too many layers, and probably an incompatible nail repair base coat , then an attempt to dry these six layers when a couple of hours later I realised it was still smearing/denting, with drying drops - all wrong - so I thought I'll try the inst a dri before I wipe it all off (that arduous process with glitter)...and yep, now it's all good, clean, shiny, hard. SH is a Coty company like OPI, and I generally feel their products are good quality even though my heart and wallet now tends to chase the more esoteric brands.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Unlisted Brand - Nfu Oh #51
kerriki 9/16/2012 4:29:00 AM
It seems I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole regarding nail polish! It has to be the best cheap thrill regarding cosmetics it is possible to have.... Now I have tried many brands, sending overseas for most of them and enjoying every minute. Consequently I have formed opinions regarding quality in just a few months, because not only do I do the usual girly household stuff (occasionally!) but I ride horses and have a farm. Polish is thus up against it. Opi is outstanding quality especially if you coordinate the basecoat. Orly excellent too, Nubar and China Glaze maybe a step down in durability. Essie is a constant disappointment but I don't have that brand base. Aaa ah but Nfu Oh! The colors are amazing, and being retired from the art field I absolutely LOVE how they have a full spectrum range in every nuance and hue...then the finishes including the gorgeous jellies which allow such subtle effects that even I feel comfortable in blue nails ( but a great side effect of getting older is that one can happily flaunt eccentricity)!And the flakes, I could rave all night. But the bottom line is this: these are noticeably the most durable polishes I have yet used.
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BB Cream -MISSHA - M Signature Real Complete B.B. Cream SPF 25 PA++
kerriki 6/2/2012 11:56:00 PM
I had to try this after seeing it discussed on MUA and the net. This one seemed to be designed to ble more emollient, once I got onto the buying sites, and I got it from Korea for a relative bargain for the good quality. Like most Australians of Anglo background I am sun damaged and dedicated to preventing,even reversing, it. My first thoughts were that it reminded me of the Clinique city block! There are a good proportion of physical blockers which givethewhitish effect but then coalesce into skin tone. It is moisturizing and effective, although not particularly weatherproof. Like most effective sunblocks it feels somewhat occlusive, and forms a great primer for powder.
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Pressed Powders -Maybelline - Fit Me
kerriki 6/2/2012 10:45:00 PM
Not too bad because of the color selection and clearly copying MAC; and in Australia this supermarket brand costs more than most of you pay for mac...but the big shock for me was the sparkle that showed after application! And it is sparkle rather than the low key sheen that you get in high end such as Guerlain Meteorites or Nars Nico. They seem to be putting this in a lot of products to give 'luminance'; I noticed it in a Revlon DNA foundation too. I've found that you have to really check either in direct sunlight or right under the halogen downlights usually near the displays.
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Polishes -Orly - Androgynie
kerriki 5/29/2012 1:43:00 AM
OMG ooo whaa SQEEEE!!!!! I bought this off ebay without really understanding about its flakies and glitter! Its amazing...makes me feel I just put on a Tiffany necklace or something! Granted, as a newbie I can see the application is a bit tricky, but with the mixing of materials to obtain the suspension and stick and the need for the right degree of transparency to allow the glitter to glow through I reckon they have done a super job! Only a year into full-blown nail polish fascination I am starting to think Orly is da bomb...the colours have a complex quality that lifts them out of the mundane. PS This is a black with awesome rainbow glitter, and flakes mainly in the blue green gold spectrum.
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Makeup Brushes -Unlisted Brand - bdellium green bamboo synthetic
kerriki 5/25/2012 9:25:00 AM
I bought the face brush set in Green Bamboo from ebay (Australia, will never see them in the stores here). Really impressed with the functionality and high quality; the *duet* fibre stippling brushes are just perfect, the highest quality in their class that I own. As I understand, this green bamboo line is synthetic and non-animal derived. It looks great, if very unusual and a bit confronting with the chartreuse green-stained bamboo handles...really recommend trying this brand!
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