Fragrances -Etat Libre D'Orange - Rossy de Palma
micacat 1/6/2012 12:12:00 PM
Dirty, patchouli-tinged, spicy, very spicy rose. I love it, although it's difficult to wear and borders on headache-inducing for me w/the "bleach note" that Paschat describes in the post below. If that note was toned down a smidge, this perfume would get five stars and be perfect for me. Love the ginger/patchouli/rose combination, but then, anything w/ginger I usually like, such as Amouage Jubilation XXV and Serge Lutens Gingembre. Also, immediately upon wearing, I also get the similarity towards L'Artisan's Voleur de Roses, which I also have and love, probably my favorite patchouli-rose combination (although Montale's Black Aoud comes close.)
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Fragrances -Amouage - Reflection
micacat 11/23/2011 9:49:00 AM
The reviewer Rodelinda was right-this does smell somewhat like the old Salon Selectives with its really intense fruity accord overlayed by a strong cucumber note. Although I do use cucumber/melon shower gels, I just don't want my perfume to smell like this. As it dries down, the Salon Selectives vibe remains but the cucumber note lessens, and it becomes more wearable as a pale, slightly musky aquatic floral. Except for the strong opening and powerful cucumber note (definitely not as pleasing as the BBW light, musky cucumber scent,) the drydown is very nice, but my sample is enough for me.
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Fragrance -Amouage - Jubilation XXV by Amouage
micacat 11/20/2011 9:59:00 AM
I did not care for the women's version, Jubilation 25, which was all powder, cumin, and incense, but love XXV. Initial impression, I get the exact, "juicy, ginger incense" described by the poster below Emmagreen w/the ginger reminding me of two more favorites, Serge Lutens Five O'clock Au Gingembre and the new Molton Brown Iunu. This scent is rich, sweet and spicy upon initial application, but it doesn't take long before the incense and dry woods appear and then, the scent loses its sweet, heaviness becoming light and contemplative. The final impression, which I really have to lean in close as it stays close to my skin, is the church incense of Avignon w/an extremely light touch of oud. I wish the initial fruity ginger note would last longer, and overall this scent on my dry skin seems to disappear quickly, which is a real shame since I love it so much. A definite must try if you like spicy, warm orientals w/ginger and incense as the major notes.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Profumum Ambre Aurea
micacat 11/19/2011 11:56:00 AM
Although I am not an amber expert per se, I agree with the two other reviewers in that this is not a standout amber. I recently bought a bunch of amber and patchouli samples, but the only remarkable aspect about this perfume was the opening, deep and resinuous, reminding me of a home filled w/deep, rich wood, antiques, worn carpets and lingering fireplace smoke. This amber smells "antique or ancient," if that makes any sense. This is my favorite stage of this scent. Unfortunately, the drydown fades to simply very dry powder. If you love ambers, a definite "try before buy." Will not be purchasing a full bottle.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Profumum Ichnusa
micacat 11/19/2011 11:08:00 AM
My absolute favorite fig scent. The reviewer lisa_67 below pretty much nailed my reaction to this fragrance. If you are used to the mellow, vanilla like figs of Premier Figuier and Philosykos, you will be disappointed upon first application, which, as other reviewers have noted, is very sharp, green and tangy. Initially, I drew back after smelling this but, after several applications, I actually enjoy this sharp opening. And then just wait until the drydown. No powder but creamy, woodsy fig underscored by the tangy opening, which has calmed down but still retains enough green sweetness to really set this scent apart. I was very surprised to find that I like this scent so much as I usually go for warm, heavy orientals, but there is something about this very green, woody, sweet-tangy fig that makes this scent addicting. A must-try for fig, citrus, woods, green-fragrance lovers.
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Fragrances -Amouage - Jubilation 25 by Amouage
micacat 11/19/2011 8:24:00 AM
Spicy orientals are my favorite type of scent, so with the notes (rose, patchouli, amber, myrrh) sounding similar to something I would appreciate, I was eager to try this scent. However, I was unable to detect any of the individual notes except for the frankincense/amber combination. My skin pulls the powder and incense from beginning to drydown. This scent not does not develop through any stages, and that's pretty much all I get, powdery incense w/cumin. I enjoy both straight church incense scents like Avignon and the lighter, cleaner incense of Passage d'Enfer, and I also enjoy blended cumin scents, but these two together being so prominent along with the heavy dose of powder (and more powder) throughout is unappealing. I just tried the men's version, Amouage Jubilation XXV, and prefer that one so much better. XXV's incense is underscored by a fruity, gingery note that reminds me of Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre and Molton Brown's new Iunu, both of which I love. So, although I'll pass on the women's 25, XXV along with Lyric Women (w/notes of cardamom, ginger, rose, patchouli) are definite keepers. **EDIT: I'm now giving it only one lippie, the overwhelming sour powder note is too much.
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Fragrances -Le Labo - Rose 31
micacat 11/14/2011 11:22:00 AM
It looks like I'm in the minority here as this is definitely not a "dirty, woody, or vampy," rose--for that kind of rose, I have my L'Artisan Voleur De Roses and The Different Company Rose Poirvree. On my skin, the oud and cumin are sheer and mellow adding the "brightness" that Potionsandlotions also comments on, which makes this rose very soap/shampoo-like, although this is NOT a "soapy" rose per se like some of the Rosine ones I've tried, so if you are adverse to soapy scents like I am, you needn't worry. The cumin (and cedar) do slightly intensify in the drydown but nowhere near in terms of VDR and RP staying light throughout. Also, when I first applied this, it reminded me of something, took me awhile to remember but the original Herbal Essence shampoo with that green, herbally-clean impression, which is really enjoyable. I usually gravitate towards warm, rich, spicy Orientals, but I am enjoying branching out into different fragrance families and this is one of my favorite rose scents. I recommend trying a sample of this for rose and non-rose lovers alike.
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Treatments -Sexy Hair Concepts - Healthy Sexy Hair Reinvent Color Extend Treatment
micacat 1/8/2011 8:04:00 PM
I am always searching for the ultimate conditioner for my dry, semi-curly, frizz-prone, hilited hair and this product was not it. First off, the smell, unbelievably STRONG, musky/floral--it was so strong I felt like I had overdosed on perfume:( The texture is more liquidy/creamy, not thick like a masque but not runny like drugstore products. As for moisturizing my thirsty hair, unfortunately, not a lot, and my hair even felt rough after using it. Imo, this is basically the same quality as a drugstore conditioner. However, I am still lovin' my It's a 10 Hair masque and Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil masque. Also testing out the Pureology line, although that stuff is SO overpriced. Hope this helps!
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Skincare - Face -Ole Henriksen - Truth Serum
micacat 9/11/2010 9:34:00 AM
I honestly do not know if topically applied C serums help w/discoloration or "brighten," but I use them under my sunscreen for antioxidant protection. My favorite so far is the one by Skinceuticals w/phloretin. I tried Truth Serum just to change it up and did not like it in comparison. For anyone who has experience with C serums, they can be either watery or more of a liquid-gel texture--Truth serum is the latter, which I do not like. Also, I like my products unscented and this one has a strong citrus smell (obviously,) but it does disappear quickly. Also, the gel is absorbed nicely, but the product does seem to leave a sheen on my face that accents my pores. Therefore, I won't be repurchasing and would definitely recommend the Skinceuticals C serum over this one. Hope this helps!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Kiehls - Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Conditioner
micacat 8/28/2010 8:38:00 AM
I wanted to give this a higher rating, because the smell is fantastic, it's light, herbal, sweet and fruity whereas the Kiehl's Sunflower conditioner has a fresh, fruity fragrance, this one is warmer from the olive oil. For the record, I have very dry, wavy/curly, hilited hair that is VERY prone to frizz in the Florida humidity, so I need a med-heavy conditioner. This one is medium density, not overly thick, but not too runny. It does not slip as easily through my hair as the Sunflower conditioner, and my hair does not feel as moisturized after rinsing out but only marginally so. Reading other reviews, I think I would like the OIive Oil pak better. But, for the smell alone, I would buy this product again. I love the new conditioners Kiehl's has been coming out with, and, if need something with more moisture, I highly recommend the Sunflower conditioner for color-treated hair.
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Treatments -Kiehls - Sunflower Color Preserving Deep Recovery Pak
micacat 8/14/2010 10:04:00 AM
Wavy/curly, dry, hilited hair that is thinning slightly and frizzes horribly. I am always looking for a great conditioner that moisturizes and keeps my color true and have tried everything from Kerastase to Davines to every brand that Trade Secret carries, and this conditioner is really nice. The fruity scent was pleasant, not over-powering, and the texture was rich and creamy. Not a fan of the tub and, based on another review of this product, will next try the plain sunflower conditioner from Kiehls, but this masque was pretty good at moisturizing, leaving my hair soft and maintaining my color.
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Conditioner -Moroccanoil - Moisture Repair Conditioner
micacat 8/13/2010 10:40:00 AM
For color-treated care, this is a very good conditioner. My caramel-hilites remained true and did not turn orange. Unfortunately, I did not like how it left my wavy/curly, dry hair. I am a fanatic about trying new hair products, specifically conditioner, and this seemed to coat my hair and not really moisturize it. I know that this product is being hyped as the "new best thing" for hair, but it just did not perform well for me. I also did not care for the Jovan musky-type smell. I like products with minimal or clean smells. My current conditioners that are working well for my hair are the Kiehl's Sunflower Hair masque and It's a 10 masque, while I also still favor Davines conditioners.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - DCL High Potency C Scape Serum 25
micacat 7/20/2010 6:54:00 AM
I use Vitamin C serums as part of my antioxidant/brightening routine, and I read rave reviews about this serum. I have tried loads of other Vitamin C serums and have noticed that the consistency of the product can either be like a toner (Skinceuticals) or a runny gel (Ole Henriksen Truth Serum.) This has the runny gel consistency, so I wasn't too thrilled w/that aspect. However, it's absorbed by the skin pretty easily, so you don't have to wait to put on your moisturizer or sunscreen that long. It also has a slight citrus smell, which is not off-putting in itself, but my Vitamin C products don't have to "smell" like Vitamin C. As far as brightening affects, I didn't really notice any improvement after 2-3 of using this, so I've switched back to my Skinceuticals phloretin cf serum.
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Shampoo -TiGi - Bedhead Foxy Curls Shampoo
micacat 2/27/2010 9:19:00 AM
I like sulfate-free products since they help preserving my hilites, but often times, they leave your hair feeling rough and not even moisturized. Unfortunately, this product produced those kind of results. My dry, wavy/curly hair was left feeling like straw or as if I had washed it with a clarifying/oily hair shampoo. If you are looking for sulfate-free products, I suggest the Sexy Hair Organics shampoo or the Moroccaoil shampoo, both leave my hair moisturized but have no sulfates. The only redeeming quality of this product is the smell, like vanilla cupcakes.
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Moisturizers -Philosophy - Hope in a Jar for Dry, Sensitive Skin
micacat 2/27/2010 9:11:00 AM
I gave this rating a 4 but it might be a 3, since I'm not really sure of the moisturizing properties although it seems to work better as a summer moisturizer. This product is very nice, rich, but sinks in and works well over my antioxidant serum and under makeup. The scent is definitely NOT perfumed, very slightly medicinal, but not offputting which is very important to me. Also, I have had absolutely no breakouts from this product, and I am very acne-prone, especially hormonal cystic acne (although a zinc supplement has helped that immensely--Thank You Skincare Board!) All in all, I really like this product, have purchased it several times, but, as my skin has gotten considerably drier, I am still looking for something with more moisturizing capabilities.
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