Lipstick -Revlon - Orange Flip
magdalene00 4/9/2011 1:32:00 AM
This spring, orange is the new red. Actually, I think it's better than red: playfully seductive, flattering, and it doesn't take itself so seriously. And, as Frank Sinatra said, "Orange is the happiest color" (orange was the Chairman's favorite). I have worn Revlon's Orange Flip off and on since the late 1970s. I had to grow into it. Once each decade, I'd experiment with it, always drawn to the color (and the fun name) -- the insouciance of it, the panache of it, the retro joie de vivre of it. Orange says, "I love color" like nothing else. And I do. This spring of the Orange Lip, with me being (finally) confident enough to "own" an orange lip, Orange Flip and I are star crossed. I am absolutely loving this classic Revlon beauty and its classic Revlon packaging and its reasonable Revlon price. BTW, I cannot -- but cannot -- wear red. Lord knows I've tried... and makeup artists galaxywide agree with me (embarrassing moments those were). But for some lovely reason, this bright, comely Orange Flip suits my pale skin to perfection. A bit of Revlon history: Revlon started out as a nail polish company in 1932, adding lipsticks in 1940. I read a 2011 post on another site that stated the poster's 88-year-old mother had worn Orange Flip since the age of 18... which would make delicious Orange Flip one of the original Revlon colors. This fits: Orange was indeed a popular lip color for both day and evening in the '40s (think of the song, "Tangerine," from that time). Take a walk on the wild side... you may just love it! Top it with a pale pink gloss for extra verve if the velvety matte look takes some easing into.
30 out of 31 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Yves Saint Laurent - Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils
magdalene00 3/5/2011 10:45:00 PM
I only want three things from mascara: 1) Darkens my lashes so that they appear longer/thicker 2) Has enough pigment so that it darkens my lashes 3) Doesn't come off my lashes onto my skin This mascara was "OK" on 1 and 2 and failed 3 so miserably that, after using it only one time, I am returning it whence it came. By "failed miserably," I mean that, on checking a mirror 1.5 hours into a date, this mascara had smeared top and bottom: gray all around my eyes. Yikes. Bye bye, little mascara, welcome back hard-earned money I spent for it. One consolation of not buying from drug stores.
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Lipstick -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Volupte #10 Provocative Pink
magdalene00 12/30/2010 1:21:00 AM
This IS a perfect fuchsia. Other lines that I checked purporting to have a fuchsia offered pinks with too much brown or yellow or red to qualify, or just didn't have the brightness that defines fuchsia. This vivid lipstick is not for the faint of heart and is a great night color. It does demand a polished look. YSL does have a liner (#3) that matches exactly and I recommend getting it.
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Hair Color -Unlisted Brand - hennaforhair.com Yemen Henna
magdalene00 3/9/2009 4:48:00 PM
I have been using henna consistently at least every 3 weeks since late 2003 to cover gray. Originally I just wanted to get away from the damaging salon dyes and from the frequent application of chemicals to my scalp, for health reasons. // I came across Henna for Hair while researching; I had already started using henna but the tips there helped me refine my technique and mixes. Catherine is one of the vendors I use. Yes, she can be prickly but she also ships quickly and is honest and reliable. // Yemen henna is one of my favorites for deep color and for covering gray. Using henna has been the best move I've ever made as far as hair care... I get complimented regularly on the shine and silkiness. Salon owners (I let them cut, no color anymore) are amazed at how glossy and healthy it is. Henna has not made my hair "hard" or "wooly" as claimed in another post. (Perhaps it's a mix issue... I mix mine with tea, effective but gentle.) Quite the contrary... my hair has never been healthier. // Another favorite is Jamila for consistent results and dark stain.
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Molinard - Les Senteurs Patchouli
magdalene00 5/6/2007 11:45:00 PM
I purchase Les Senteurs Patchouli 3 bottles ago, on the recommendation of a perfume fanatic and gardener who told me that this fragrance smells the closest to the fresh plant. Hence its green-ness, no "old dead tree" smell reminiscent of head shop patchouli.
This patchouli does have that ubuquitous, powdery underpinning that nearly all Molinards have... the "Molinard accord." At first blast, this predominates but, as has been noted in another review, this phase passes and the damp, green, earthy patchouli benefits from a slight powderiness as it settles into the skin.
I usually have no problems buying testers, uncapped and sometimes unboxed, but I have found that for some reason this particular fragrance is far better capped and boxed. It's deeper, sweeter, and lasts much longer if kept well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Terra Nova - Rain Perfume Essence
magdalene00 2/15/2007 11:30:00 PM
I originally wore this in the early 80s, at the recommendation of a girlfriend who had worn it earlier than that. Repurchased this week b/c I had been searching for a lily of the valley fragrance that a) wouldn't break the bank and b) would last (unlike Diorissimo... both counts).
Terra Nova Rain is a wonderful muguet, soft, clean, and uncomplicated. No fruit, wood, or civet to distract from the purity of its scent. There is a soft underlying "couch" of musk, but not nearly as much as TN's China Lily (there is some serious musk and muguet!)
Please note: If you are avoiding Rain b/c of the unfortunate comparisons with J Lo Glow, I'd say give it a shot anyway. I like Rain much better, though it's easy to see some similarities. Rain is softer and richer than Glow, and without the artificial edge that Glow develops. As a fragrance, Rain hangs together better and melds with the skin more. It's sweet, soft, and flattering.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Trucco - Blood Red
magdalene00 1/25/2007 9:43:00 PM
I bought this at the local beauty supply store after reading about it here and elsewhere. I had not worn red in years and wanted to start experimenting with dark, bright, glamorous colors after years of neutrals and other subtle lip shades.
Wow.
First, the staying power is great. I don't have the problem with bleeding as long as I use lip liner and don't blot too firmly. Using a brush with this dark red helps, too.
The color is easy to wear and I suspect that many would wear this red well. It is a slightly cooler red, but not so blue that it's noticeable, as for instance, magenta and fuchsia -- these are noticeably blue.
This has a tiny bit of brown in it as well, which grounds it and gives it a "grown up" depth.
A great red for a great price, with good lasting power. Worth a spin.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Cover Girl Professional Mascara (washable)
magdalene00 12/25/2006 6:51:00 PM
Mascaras and I don't bond well... most of the time, they end up below my lower lids, casting unattractive shadows. This is true of products at any price range. I've learned to avoid the ones with waxes high on the list of ingredients (wax melts and migrates).
I tried CG Pro mascara in a desparate attempt to replace Max Factor 2000 Calorie, which I had used for years b/c it stays put. But they've also changed the formulation of that product, so that it gets thick, clumpy, and unusable within a month.
CG Pro was a pleasant surprise: it didn't leave me with 3 giant eyelashes like MF2KCal, and so far the tube continues to be useful. AND.... it stays on my eyelashes until I take it off.
I use the brown, to go with my auburn hair, and the color is perfect. Not too yellow, not too umber. Just a nice cocoa brown.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - MAUBOUSSIN
magdalene00 9/16/2006 7:35:00 PM
Thanks, ladies, for your comments... I have been fascinated by this one for a couple of years but could not find a bargain price on the EDP... then scored it on ebay, gently used (a few spritzes missing). I have yet to try the EDT, which can often be found online for a song.
Because the responses in this review list were so varied, and the opinions so strong, I had to try it. I agree to the "ashtray" comment previous... when I first opened my ebay package, I thought that this had come from a smoker's house. Later, when wearing, I thought, "who's smoking." Hah! Then I realized that the tobacco scent was coming from me.
The tobacco in Mauboussin is not a wet, leafy tobacco. It's an unabashed, party-going, Rat Pack kind of tobacco. Imagine how Shirley MacLaine might have smelled after spending an evening fixing snacks for the Boys during their all-night poker game. She'd smell like this: a rich, voluptuous feminine perfume, unapologetic, mixed with... smoke!
Oddly enough, I like it. There's also overripe fruit, woods, and a benzoin carmelly floor. Not for the shy. Plus, it's somewhat a shapeshifter as the hours go on.
Sillage, it has. Lasting power galore. A fun but not "girly" fragrance. This is a full-blown scent.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Tutti Dolci - Mango Sorbetto Souffle
magdalene00 6/11/2006 10:00:00 AM
Love the packaging, love the formulation, love the scent in the jar... just not on my body after an hour. I don't know if smelling like a peachmango just gets to me after a while... possibly... but also, it does seem to morph into "peach air freshener." I use it on my feet at night now, with socks, just to get through the jar. It's a great foot moisturizer, softens wonderfully and feels good going on. And I guess fake mango is not a bad way for feet to smell. ///Note: I'd like to try the lemon scent next.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Rice Flower and Shea Body Lotion
magdalene00 6/11/2006 9:48:00 AM
I also purchased this at BBW's semiannual sale recently. I had not tried the RF&S scent before but had heard it highly recommended and so took the plunge... I was not disappointed. The formulation is very comfortable and moisturizing, and gives the skin a nice sheen and feel... I have dry skin and so moisturize religiously. The scent provides a wonderful cushion for many of my favorite vanilla or patchouli-based fragrances, or is just wonderful on its own. Yummy.
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Blush -Clinique - gel blush
magdalene00 6/11/2006 9:43:00 AM
What I love about this little gel blush in a tube (not in any order of preference): 1. Ease of application. 2. A little goes a long way. 3. Sanitation of packaging. 4. Portability. 5. Natural glow. 6. The color --I use Black Honey, which goes with any of my warm or cool lip colors. /// This one will be a staple in my little makeup bag.
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Brows -Shiseido - Eyebrow & Eyeliner Compact - Light Brown BL3
magdalene00 6/11/2006 9:33:00 AM
I love having 2-in-1 products, which this compact is. In addition to doing double duty, the cake is also sized generously enough that I could justify the price. /// I line my eyes using a wet brush in cake, and finding a cake liner that 1) is pigment rich enough, 2) uptakes and imparts with ease, and 3) won't over time crack, fall apart, or become compressed from the effects of repeatedly coming in contact with a wet brush is quite a challenge. /// I've used Shiseido cake liners for years and this new formulation is a great improvement. The old ones eventually crumbled so I never got through a full pan. I believe this one will hold up. There are also more colors available... and this light brown/chocolate combo is relatively new to Shiseido (they did not used to have this option) and offers lots of color flexibility. /// I also love this as a brow powder, very fine and stays put. Highly recommend over any other out there, and I've tried all cake liners.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chopard - Wish
magdalene00 6/11/2006 9:17:00 AM
This is one of my favorites, in warm *or* cool weather. In summer, the patchouli is more noticeable and really blooms against the cushioney deep vanilla backdrop... and in winter, the delicious warm soft sweetness is very lush and pampering. /// Wish is a sophisticated gourmand sure to intrigue those who don't as a rule go for "foody" scents. Softer than Angel, wearable across many moods and occasions, Wish offers a versatile addition to your perfume wardrobe. Great deals on testers can be found online. I originally got the smaller size *with* the cap, and now I restock with the larger size testers, and transer my cap to those./// Edited on Oct 07 2009 to add: I have just ordered my 4th bottle of this. It has become one I return to again and again. I get compliments on this, always... and the funny thing is, different people pick up on different aspects of this fragrance: the many-faceted bottle seems to strike a metaphor for its contents. Floral, vanilla, woods... it's different things to different people. I appreciate all of Wish's moods.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Terra Nova - Red Tea and Cocoa Blossom
magdalene00 6/11/2006 8:53:00 AM
I bought this on the strength of reviews here. Why not? I've loved TerraNova scents ever since I discovered them in the 80s.
This one really intrigues me. I'm not a fan of smelling like a Hershey bar, but this one pleases me because it does not have that effect.
Very orange at first blast, it morphs for me into a close-to-the skin cloud that I can only describe as "human cocoa" --Not like a candy bar or a cup of chocolate, but skin and cocoa fused into a pleasing and naturally sweet, earthy, delicious scent.
Of course, pricing can't be beat and the packaging is beautifully simple and sleek. Lasting power is very good; at any rate, price and portability make refreshing not a problem. Mid-day annointing can be so calming.
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