Fragrances -Diesel - Loverdose EDP
merde111 6/5/2012 9:14:00 PM
Sweet, warm and sexy. I bought this without having smelled it, based on the notes and reviews, and was a little worried that the licorice note would be too strong - but I found it did not overwhelm this scent at all. This reminds me a LOT of Armani Code - so much so that I sprayed a little of each on my arms to compare. Loverdose is softer, sweeter, and the jasmine note is not nearly as strong...it's the quieter, more modest sister to Code's daring, sexy siren. If you normally wear soft florals or crisp, clean soapy or citrus scents, this is probably not for you. But if you like stronger, sweeter scents (some favorites of mine are Hypnotic Poison, Armani Code, Fancy, Pink Sugar), you'll most likely enjoy Loverdose too - I did!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Iced Mocha
merde111 8/8/2011 4:35:00 PM
A gorgeous neutral! I have both this and MAC's Satin Taupe - lightly swatched, they look quite similar, but NYX Iced Mocha pulls a tiny bit cooler and greyer than Satin Taupe. I actually prefer that, since I have cooler-toned skin. As far as quality goes, I don't see a huge difference between them. If I had to choose between them, I'd choose Iced Mocha, just because it is slightly cooler toned so it looks better on me.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - NYX Caribbean Collection - I Dream of Jamaica
merde111 8/2/2011 4:21:00 AM
Just get it! Not only would I buy this product again, I'm buying at least two more as backups because I'm worried NYX will stop making it! This is an absolutely gorgeous, ultimate neutrals palette. As many others here have already said, you will find yourself reaching for it again and again for all occasions, work or play. I just took it on a long weekend where I had to prepare to do everything from hike in the mountains to attend a dinner at an upscale hotel restaurant--these colors are soft enough for day neutrals, but elegant enough for a night out. I love eyeshadow and buy everything ranging from Dior to Estee Lauder to Nars to MAC to Maybelline and NYX, and this is one of my go-to palettes of all time. The value can't be beat!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Waterproof
merde111 7/23/2011 5:46:00 PM
This mascara gave me wonderful length; better than many more expensive mascaras; I love the way it makes my lashes look. The only down side is that I have hooded eyes, and even this waterproof version ended up in a smudgy fan shape on my eyelids. I use eyeshadow primer and powder eyeshadow, so there shouldn't be a problem with this kind of smudging, especially with a waterproof mascara, but unfortunately it did. That's the reason I took off one lippie; others who don't have hooded eyes may not have the same problem.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Spectrum Face Advanced Sunblock Lotion SPF 100
merde111 4/13/2011 1:20:00 PM
Neutrogena products are usually great on my skin, but unfortunately this one broke me out, big time. I love the idea of such a high SPF, and it looked fine on...but after getting my third big cystic blemish in a week of using it, it has to go!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Estee Lauder - Daywear Cream SPF15
merde111 1/14/2011 2:32:00 PM
I wish the SPF were just a little higher, like SPF30, but other than that I love this cream. I buy the "for dry skin" version, which works better for my 35+ skin; if I were younger, I'd get the regular version. This is a nice cream and packed full of antioxidants. I might buy the lotion next time, since it has a pump bottle and you don't have to dig your finger into a cream jar (not so sanitary!), but overall this is a wonderful product, reasonably priced (especially when compared with similar products that are sold for twice as much or more!) and I have repurchased several times.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Elizabeth Arden - Ceramide Plump Perfect
merde111 1/14/2011 2:28:00 PM
This review is for the ceramide day cream with SPF30. I love Elizabeth Arden's ceramide capsules and a lot of the makeup, but unfortunately this cream makes me break out. I still use it on my neck and the driest areas of my face where I won't break out, but will not repurchase. Also, I cannot use it anywhere near my eyes, as it is very irritating to them.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Elizabeth Arden - Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules
merde111 1/14/2011 2:20:00 PM
This is one of my three holy grail skin products, worth spending money on (the other two are Kate Sommerville's Exfolikate and Skinceuticals Retinol 1.0 cream). If you're over 35, these capsules should make a big difference in your skin's radiance and tone. If you don't want to buy an entire container at first, do what I did - keep your eyes open for an Elizabeth Arden gift-with-purchase deal, since they often will give out 7-day samples of these capsules. 7 days should be enough time for you to see if it will make a difference for you - I could see and feel a positive difference in my skin after just 2-3 days of use. I love the packaging - each little capsule packs a powerful punch of skin-refining and healing ingredients. Originally, my skin had some hyperpigmentation, dullness and uneven tone, and I had been using a foundation with medium-heavy coverage to even things out. The foundation was really drying and started to feel harsh on my skin, so I tried these capsules--I'd use one after cleansing my face each night. After a few months, I had seen so much improvement in my skin's tone and radiance that I was able to switch to using a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Skinceuticals - Refining Night Cream With 1 % Pure Retinol
merde111 1/14/2011 12:53:00 PM
One of my three "holy grail" skin products! Over time, regular use of this cream has knocked at least 10 years off of my face and neck area; nobody believes my age. I started using it several years ago, in a search for something to help with sunspots/hyperpigmentation I'd noticed beginning around my eyes and upper cheek area. I usually apply a thin layer of this product 2 or 3 times a week, and then apply my gentle night cream about half an hour later. Had some peeling/redness in the beginning months, but my skin got used to it in time. Looking back, I should have started with the .5 cream first, and then moved up to the 1.0; that's what I'd recommend for those just starting out. Be sure to use sunscreen religiously when you use a retinol product! Also, give it time to work - there were definitely some immediate results when I first started using this, but the true benefits were most noticable after a year or more of consistent and moderate use.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kate Somerville - Exfolikate
merde111 1/14/2011 12:34:00 PM
Wonderful product - great for the skin, gives you an immediate glow, and over time it really has helped improve the tone and texture of my skin. This is one of three skin care products that I have continued to use after trying it out - and I have tried everything! I hate how expensive it is, but it works better than any other exfoliator I've tried. I wouldn't have continued using it if I were in my 20s or early 30s, because my skin tended to naturally have that glow and I didn't need it; but now that I'm at an age when the skin tends to get dull and is prone to hyperpigmentation/age spotting, this is worth it's weight in gold.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Rimmel - Eyebrow Pencil
merde111 1/14/2011 12:26:00 PM
Like another user wrote, this is one of my staples. I buy them in bulk! I feel naked without my brows done, but like a lot of women, it is hard for me to find a brow color that looks natural. My natural hair color is black-coffee brown, just a shade lighter than black. Black pencils are too dark, while dark brown pencils are too light - with both those shades, you can tell I'm wearing something and it looks unnatural. Rimmel's "black brown" (#004) color is a perfect match for my natural brow color! It's like a unicorn--I couldn't believe it existed when I found it! I love that they have a wider variety of shades than most companies make for brows. The fact that they are inexpensive and have a brush attached to the cap make them absolutely perfect in--and on--my eyes!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Clinique - Blushing Blush Powder Blush - Iced Lotus
merde111 1/14/2011 12:14:00 PM
One of my favorite blushes. Like all Clinique blushes/shadows, it's soft and natural looking and hard to mess it up when you put it on (which is good because I'm usually in a rush in the morning!) I received this as a GWP - otherwise, I'd never have chosen this color since it looked kind of mauvey and dull in the pan. But on the cheek, it's a different story! A soft, cool pink with subtle shimmer that really wakes your face up and gives it a glow. I love this color for a pinker/cooler color, and Precious Posy for a more peachy/red color - they both give a beautiful natural looking bright flush to the skin - you almost don't need any other makeup. The texture is soft, creamy and easy to blend.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Clinique - Color Surge Eyeshadow Quad Choco Latte
merde111 1/14/2011 12:06:00 PM
Just want to add to the raves - I love all these quads. I tend to use them on a daily basis, since they're soft and very easy to apply and wear. The colors work together for different looks, and blending is simple. Some people complain that Clinique shadows lack pigmentation, but I think it's just that they are intentionally made to give a natural-looking, buildable and sheer finish, rather than a powerful pop of solid color. If you're like me and in a rush most mornings, you can apply Clinique eyeshadows in less than a minute, run over them with a blending brush, line your eyes, and you'll look as polished and softly pretty as though you took half an hour on your makeup. The Coco-Latte colors are all soft, basic neutrals; you just can't go wrong with thie quad!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Clinique - Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Raspberry
merde111 1/14/2011 11:49:00 AM
I like the superbalms in general. They're very sheer, so don't expect much color from them. They don't smell. They feel good on the lips - the texture is my favorite thing about them. It's not sticky or heavy or goopy. My superbalm tubes look clean and neat compared to any other lipgloss tubes I have. Overall, this is a clean, sheer, minimally glossy, basic lip protector/enhancer that I can wear at night or during the day - maybe not the most exciting product, but definitely a basic that I use all the time.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Clinique - Colour Surge Eye Shadow Soft Shimmer in Frosted Blossom
merde111 1/14/2011 11:43:00 AM
This is my go-to all-over color - blend a soft wash of Frosted Blossom from the crease to the brow bone, with any dark lid color (my favorite is Clinique's Stay Matte in Night Plum), and I've got an easy beautiful eye that lasts all day. The light pink really opens up the eye; I usually extend it down to the inner corner of my eyes and it makes them look wide-awake and refreshed. I have cool-toned, light olive skin, and the cool pink works better than a white or peach highlighter for me (white is too brassy and pale; peach is too yellow). If you have similar skin, definitely try this one out!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No