Mascara -Avon - One Great Mascara
kittyc 5/7/2013 6:50:00 PM
I fell for the marketing of this product hook, line and sinker. 'One great mascara'. No it is not. It needs prolonged application to give any sort of coverage. However, if you want an almost-natural look with your mascara, this may work. As a bonus, the product is very inexpensive. Not for me, but like the previous reviewer I may keep it for the brush.
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Cleansers -Burt's Bees - Orange Essence Facial Cleanser
kittyc 4/29/2013 5:13:00 AM
There seem to be three general issues with this product: firstly that it is fairly heavily fragranced; secondly that it can leave a oily residue; and thirdly that it is '100% natural'. Fragrance: the product is scented with orange oil, you either like that or you don't. I'm normally cautious about over-scented products because really, fragrance does not add to the product's performance and could actually be irritating. But I do enjoy the scent of this one and find it aromatherapeutic. At the end of a long day, it's nice take a few minutes to myself while I take my makeup off. Once I had an orange oil-scented shampoo and that was lovely too. Too oily?: the product contains glycerin, olive oil, lanolin, and other oils. So if that does not suit your skin type, keep away from this product. I'm quite fine with it, but I never use foaming cleansers because my skin is dry already, and I hate that taut feeling that foaming cleansers leave. This cleanser leaves my skin feeling comfortable and I almost don't need a moisturiser. 100% natural: take it or leave it. Natural substances can be irritating, perhaps toxic, so a product that is '100% natural' may not be as beneficial as it sounds.
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Fragrances -Narciso Rodriguez - Narciso Rodriguez for her
kittyc 4/10/2013 5:36:00 AM
Clearly NR for Her is not for everyone, but for those who do love it, it can be addictive. People talk about 'craving' it and I can understand that. Although I could not wear it every single day (I never do that with any fragrance) it fills me great pleasure every time I smell it afresh. I have a full bottle of the EDT and a decant of the EDP, which perhaps should be the other way around because I love the peach note in the EDP. Still, both are wonderful: warm, sensual, easy to wear without being bland or boring. I will say that for me the sillage and tenacity of both EDP and EDT are only moderate, but people's views on this vary a lot. Some find NR quite fleeting; others get hours. I think it may depend on how you perceive the musks. (A lot of people have trouble smelling some musks.) It is also possible that other people can smell the fragrance on you long after you have stopped noticing it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Annick Goutal - Eau de Camille
kittyc 4/10/2013 4:14:00 AM
I get very little honeysuckle but a lot of very soapy green. A previous reviewer also found the soapy note hard to tolerate, and I'm the same. I also find that Eau de Camille has, on me at least, low sillage and poor tenacity. A pity; I liked the idea of this one but it is not for me.
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Blush -Clinique - Blushwear Cream Stick Shy Blush
kittyc 3/26/2013 5:59:00 AM
Thrilled with this. A great, natural colour that seems to tone in with most of my makeup looks. I've never had a cream blush before and I'm still enjoying the novelty. I'm not sure why I like this better than a powder blush; perhaps it is easier to apply precisely than a powder blush. Anyway, I can't see myself going back now. Bonus: no worries about losing the brush!
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Fragrances -Bulgari - bvlgari femme
kittyc 3/24/2013 12:18:00 AM
Just to prove that anosmia is real, I cannot smell much in Bvlgari pour Femme. Other people smell it loud and strong, so obviously the problem lies with me. What I do smell I dislike. I detect an off-putting note that reminds me of green tea, which is not a favourite note for me. Other than that all I get is a dull, synthetic floral accord of no character or distinction. A pity, as I would like to like this one. So many people do; I feel left out! :)
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Fragrances -Courreges - Empreinte
kittyc 3/22/2013 11:08:00 PM
This is for the 2012 re-release (which I picked up from a discounter fro about $28). Empreinte is intriguing stuff. To my nose the moss and patchouli are apparent at first spritz, along side a big burst of citrus. This produces a weird clean/dirty effect a bit like stepping into someone else's bathroom. I know that sounds awful, but I love the way it scrambles my expectations. However, as is so often the case, the citrus does not last long and actually, the whole fragrance (for me) fails to deliver much after that wonderful first five minutes. Empreinte shrinks to the skin very fast leaving, well, very little imprint. Longevity is moderate and sillage is very low indeed. Spritz as much as I like, I cannot conjure much presence out of Empreinte. I worry that I am somehow anosmic to parts of it and that other people can smell it loud and strong. Anyway, it is very much worth a try, especially if you love other fragrances of this type: Chanel's Cristalle, Molyneux's Quartz, Eau de Givenchy. A previous reviewer mentions Choc de Cardin, which I have read about but not smelled, but it would be another. The bottle design for Empreinte is superb. I do unreservedly love the sight of it on my dressing table. Verdict: not exactly the bargain I had hoped for but I'm glad to own it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Bois des Iles
kittyc 3/10/2013 1:55:00 AM
No. Not for me. I can't smell it. Three big spritzes from a large decant on to freshly moisturised skin produce a faint burst of roughened wood and a fizz of cola. That dies in a couple of minutes, leaving almost no trace on my skin, and almost no sillage other than what I might expect if I had just showered with sandalwood soap. I wish I could be transported to bliss like so many other people are, but no.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Montale - Chypré-Fruité
kittyc 2/13/2013 3:20:00 AM
I wore this with enjoyment until one night, after my daughter had had a shower, I noticed that the shampoo and conditioner she had used reminded me strongly of Chypre Fruite. After that I felt faintly embarrassed to have spent top dollar (if only on a decant) to walk around smelling like Pantene Curls. Ages later - today - I got it out at random for another sniff. Lo! It really is very, very pretty. If this is shampoo, it is darn good shampoo! The fruit is sensual and satisfying but the mild chypre base prevents Chypre Fruite from turning into a sticky mess; prevents the perfume smelling like actual shampoo. Some people probably will never get around the resemblance to a functional product, but if you can smell your way through that, this perfume has rewards. A thinking man or woman's fruity fragrance!
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Fragrances -Chanel - No 5 Bath Soap (Savon Pour Le Bain)
kittyc 1/26/2013 3:25:00 AM
Very pleasant indeed. I agree with other reviewers that the soapy aspects of No 5 translate well into a bar soap. It lasts well, lathers beautifully and leaves a subtle scent. The bar does split a little, so one lippie off for that. A great gift for the No 5 lover in your life!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Jean Desprez Bal a Versailles
kittyc 1/13/2013 3:53:00 AM
What an intriguing bunch of reviews is generated by this fragrance! I have a small decant of the EDT, described as 'vintage' by the decant service. At first sniff I thought it had turned, and was almost going to send them a polite note to say that their vintage bottle really was not wearable. Subsequent wearings have evoked different responses. One day it smelled fine but old fashioned: powdery and dowdy. Another day it smelled of hot, hot sex. Good grief. It's going to take a while to form a proper judgement on this one. No wonder people are fascinated by it!
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Fragrances -Hermes - 24 Faubourg
kittyc 1/4/2013 6:09:00 AM
Despite its richness, there is an austerity about 24 Faubourg that I appreciate very much. To me it is a dark orange blossom fragrance on a bed of amber; it exudes warmth without too much sweetness. It's hard for me to pick out the other notes. Often I detect a certain roughness iin the early to middle stages (patchouli, I guess) which reminds me of linen or raw silk. There is strength and structure here. Imagine a woman with fabulous bone structure in her face. She looks beautiful at any age and is as impressive in well cut jeans and a linen shirt as she is in a brocade evening gown. Strength and intelligence are what I notice about her more than wealth and glamour.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Olympic Orchids Perfumes - A Midsummer Day's Dream
kittyc 12/31/2012 3:28:00 AM
I have a full bottle of this and wear it every summer. What I love is the contrasts at the heart of the fragrance. It opens with tart notes of blackcurrant and slightly unripe fig, and there is a roughness there that some people may not like but it reminds me of sunshiny dry earth and the scratchiness of fig leaves. Fairly soon a very smooth, creamy and sweet note emerges: the amber. The amber wraps itself around the green notes but never suffocates them. The contrasts - tart/sweet and rough/smooth - are fabulous. Sillage and longevity are moderate. If I could change anything, I'd increase them both. As a fig fragrance, a Midsummer Day's Dream is in exalted company, led by the Diptyque classic Philosykos. I prefer the Dream. Philosykos is fascinating for its photorealistic depiction of a grove of figs, but I find it linear and, ultimately, a little dull. What you get at the end is the same as you had at the beginning, more or less. The Dream keeps me intrigued all the way through. I particularly enjoy the impression of sunshine that emerges out of its wonderful balance of notes. It is more than the sum of its parts, whereas Philosykos, to me, never is. The Dream can be had for about half the price.
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Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Moringa Body Butter
kittyc 12/29/2012 2:44:00 AM
A rich tropical scent fair leaps out of the jar as you open it. It is certainly strong at first. While some people say they can smell it for hours, I find it settles quickly and fades after about 30 minutes at most. If you are planning to wear perfume though, it might be best either to wait, or use a tropical or white floral, something that would layer well with the moringa. A lingering scent is left in the bathroom, which I enjoy. Texture is thick and a little waxy but I find it has no trouble absorbing into the skin. I love to soften it a bit by rubbing some between my palms for a few seconds. Just lovely!
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Lotions/ Creams -Nuxe - Huile Prodigieuse (Multipurpose dry oil)
kittyc 12/3/2012 4:47:00 AM
I apply this to my legs after shaving and find it moisturises well without leaving an oily residue. I like the ritual of it. Other than that I use HP mainly for the scent, which is terrific: soothing, summery and relaxing. Great as a bedtime scent in the summer, unless it is a really hot night (in which case you probably won't want anything). Wonderful!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No