Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter - Cherry Tart
moonstar 2/16/2012 1:14:00 PM
Wow, I seriously think that this is the sheer red colour I've been searching for for years! It's my lippie soul mate! Beautiful pinky red, not too sheer but pigmented enough. Great moisturizing properties, dries to a natural red pigment on your lips. I think I need to stockpile this immediately.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Cherryblossomdiva - Moroccan Chergui
moonstar 12/12/2011 3:26:00 PM
Like many on the fragrance boards, this was my first exposure to the ubiquitous Chergui. I loved the dupe so much (my sister is also obsessed) that I had to get my hands on a mini of the original for comparison's sake. Initially, the original has more of the famous 'hay' accord, a bit drier and slightly more masculine. Minutes later, the real deal and the dupe are absolutely identical to my nose. I'd be more than happy if the original fell into my lap somehow, but otherwise, I'm very satisfied with Kathy's version. :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bulgari - Mon Jasmin Noir
moonstar 7/6/2011 4:21:00 PM
On a recent trip to the big city I was hankering to use up my SDM points on a couple of new fragrances. I had my heart set on Esprit d'Oscar, but was undecided on one more. Enter Mon Jasmin Noir, tester sitting prettily atop the backlit glass counter. I've been on a bit of a floral kick lately (jasmine and gardenia, in particular) so this one piqued my interest. It was oppressively hot last week when I sprayed this on my arm, so I was happy to have that momentary cool blast onto my skin. The scent captivated me instantly. It's hard to describe individual notes when that happens, it's more of an aura, a feeling that translates into perfection for me. The jasmine, co-mingled with the somewhat-masculine topnotes is absolutely magnificent to my nose. Very sophisticated. When I shared this gem with my mother, (she's the one who I got my affinity for all things fragrance from) inhaled deeply and exclaimed 'This is European! When I close my eyes, I think I'm in Europe!' I turned over the box to reveal the etching 'Made in Italy'. (Indeed, my little Eastern European mother knows all things European.:) I know how fleeting the fragrance world is these days, where flankers abound, but I'm hoping that this one sticks around. I will make sure that it will always be in my fragrance rotation.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Christian Dior - Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm
moonstar 6/30/2011 2:08:00 PM
I received this product free last year as part of SDM's Optimum point redemption program. I had seen Pixiwoo's youtube tutorial featuring this ages ago and was super curious to try. Of course, I love anything Dior so I couldn't resist. The packaging is tres chic, elicits comments whenever I use it. The product itself however is a bit of a letdown. It's a great, slightly rosy...lip balm. The scent is that waxy-floral, characteristic of most lipsticks. The colour payoff is very sheer. *Slightly* enhances my lip colour. Faint sheen, no gloss. I hate to say it, but it's a near dupe to Avon's Dew Kiss balm. The only major difference is the fact that you're paying 25x the price for lovely Dior packaging (and the comments elicited by those who happen to watch you pull it out of your bag and re-apply). Personally, if I had paid full price for this one, I'd be very disappointed. (Better off saving my pennies towards another vintage Dior tote...but I digress)
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Jennifer Aniston
moonstar 6/8/2011 10:36:00 AM
I was curious about sampling this one, since the notes seemed appealing to me and I wanted to try something a bit lighter for summer, with a more 'beachy' feel than my usual fragrance lineup. I decided to swap for a decant before attempting to track this down (not released in Canada...yet...) and I'm very glad I did. First spritz yielded exactly what I expected from the descriptions, a much lighter version of Child, some light musks added. It's fitting that Jen has her name attached to this scent, since the fragrance is much like her image. Pretty and safe. I have to agree with the other reviewers who stated that the staying power is extremely poor. Much more like a body spray than an EDT. Will pass on this one, might consider a FB purchase if I can find it via discounters.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Avon - Naturals Vanilla Body Spray
moonstar 12/16/2010 11:02:00 PM
If you're looking for a straight-up, true vanilla that is extremely affordable and has great sillage, this one is for you! I tried this one years ago, set it aside....had a renewed craving recently and was so excited to add it to my collection again. I absolutely crave this stuff, I can't get enough of it! It's my bedtime fragrance. It somehow always succeeds in lifting my spirits. Avon has constant promos on this stuff, (i.e. 5/$10) so layering is possible without breaking the bank! I'll be heartbroken if they ever discontinue...If this were re-bottled with a hefty pricetag, all of us perfume snobs would be clamouring to get it...
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Fragrances -Coty - sjp nyc
moonstar 5/5/2010 10:21:00 PM
Yes, I'll admit...when I first read the notes in this fragrance, I cringed. I didn't like the idea that they were going to produce this under SJP's name without any input from her personally. I am in love with her first 3 fragrances (Lovely, Liquid Satin, and Covet) and wanted another to add to my collection that was in the same vein: out of the ordinary, non-linear and interesting. NYC would be....none of the above. I'll admit, there's nothing ground-breaking about this scent, it's innocuous, a crowd-pleaser. Having said all that, it's one of my new favourites. Why? Quite simply because it makes me happy whenever I wear it. Call it olfactory therapy, call it what you will, but despite working 8+ hours a day in a job that I often fantasize about quitting on the spot, this 'fume gives my spirits a much-needed lift. So it just has to be a winner, for that reason only.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Moroccanoil - Moroccan Oil
moonstar 9/13/2009 10:02:00 PM
It's true, upon first glance, this product does have the usual silicones, etc...however...there is something magical about how these common ingredients are put together. I live in a climate that often has 100% humidity and nothing, absolutely nothing has helped tame the frizzies as much as Moroccan Oil. I have abundant, wavy, finely-textured, colour-treated hair that is mid-length. It's often hard to tame and comb through, but a nickel-sized amount when damp, and another when dry is all I need. I can even add more without fear of my hair becoming oily. It somehow moisturizes without weighing my hair down. I love this stuff and will gladly pay the $45 for a (very impractical glass) bottle, over and over again.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Cherryblossomdiva Ariana (Aria Culti Dupe)
moonstar 9/9/2009 4:43:00 PM
A glorious combination of fresh wildflowers. Reminds me very much of MAC's Naked Honey. Those who love Child (or the CBD dupe :) would likely enjoy this one too. Not familiar with the original, but it truly doesn't matter to me....wonderfully well-blended perfume oil with superb lasting power for such a reasonable price. I'm enjoying this beautiful floral today, seems so appropriate during the last days of summer....
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Calvin Klein - Euphoria Blossom
moonstar 9/5/2009 2:19:00 PM
Being a fan of the original Euphoria, I was excited to try this one a while back. I found that there were absolutely no similarities between this one and the original. And unfortunately for me, for whatever reason, I got a distinct BO note upon first spray. Needless to say, my decant went up for swap very soon afterwards...
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Fragrances -Cacharel - Scarlett edt
moonstar 8/23/2009 5:27:00 PM
This just arrived at my local SDM so I was extremely curious to test it today. This fragrance is a very fruity, super synthetic watered-down floral. Reminds me alot of Michael Kors' Hawaii. Overall, an inoffensive, mildly pleasant scent, but quite unremarkable. Beautiful packaging. It truly saddens me that Cacharel masterpieces (such as Gloria) have been discontinued in favour of this type of perfume, which really doesn't succeed in differentiating itself from the army of fruity florals out there.
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Dune EDT
moonstar 8/22/2009 7:58:00 PM
I used to steal spritzes of this from my roommate as a 21 year old college student and was recently seized by a fit of nostalgia so I bid on a bottle on evilbay. I hadn't smelled it in years and was so curious as to what impression it would make on me today, 13 plus years later. I wasn't sure what to expect, since my 21 year old self was hugely into aquatics (Acqua di Gio (still love) and Escape (urgh) were my faves) and my perfume tastes have changed markedly since then. Oh, how impressed I am with my 21 year old self! Even way back then, when my perfumista tendencies were in their infancy, I understood greatness! ;-) I'll have to repeat what others before me have said: Dune is the quintessential dry, sandalwoody oriental that evokes images of a hot, tropical summer day (with absolutely no sunscreen accord). An amazing 'fume that would suit any age group, IMHO. I hope to always have this as part of my scent rotation.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Sarah Jessica Parker - Twilight
moonstar 8/13/2009 1:27:00 PM
Out of SJP's newest trio, this one had me the most curious. As much as I wanted to love it...it just reminded me way too much of vanilla downy. And of course, after that thought crept into my head, it ruined the whole olfactory experience. Love her other scents, but her newest launches seem to be a complete miss for me. (Who knows though, like with her others, I just may revisit them years later (hopefully, when they're on deep discount) and develop pure love.)
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Fragrances -J. Lo - Sunkissed Glow
moonstar 7/15/2009 1:14:00 AM
I just received this in the mail two days ago and it's noticeable, the amount that has disappeared from the bottle. I'm admittedly a huge Glow fan, and based on the descriptions of this particular incarnate, I thought I might enjoy trying this one too. When I first sprayed it on, I was disappointed. I got a blast of fruit (must be the 'red grapefruit'...I'm not a fan of grapefruit in fragrances) which seemed initially cloying to me. Patience is a virtue however, and within minutes, the scent mellows, revealing the 'hot sand' and musk combination which I absolutely love. This is the perfect scent for those super hot days, which enhance the throw of any fragrance, no matter how faint. I can't get enough of this fragrance! So happy to have it as part of my rotation. From nowsmellthis: Perfumer Caroline Sabas developed Sunkissed Glow (she also did Miami Glow); and the notes are red grapefruit, pineapple juice, cassis sorbet, beach flower, orange blossom, water lily, passion flower, amber, hot sand, cashmere wood and skin musk.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Cindy Crawford Feminine
moonstar 7/11/2009 12:32:00 PM
I was curious these days, to sample something 'different'. Something that no one else seemed to appreciate. I knew that Cindy and Naomi launched their own perfumes, but was under the distinct impression that they weren't widely-distributed, or particularly popular in North America. Being the ebay junkie that I am, I looked around for fragrances by either supermodel, perused some other websites for reviews (gasp! I know. I had to! MUA didn't have any! ;-) I stumbled upon Cindy Crawford's 'Feminine' for a song and despite very few reviews out there for it, I took a risk and purchased anyhow. This is a very interesting scent that somehow succeeds in being heady and oriental, but fresh and (as the name suggests 'feminine') all at the same time. upon first spritz, one is blasted by sandalwood, bergamot and amber, drydown brings out creamy florals, pepper, a hint of green apple. I haven't actually worn this out yet, but I've left it on my coffee table and I've enjoyed spraying it on and noting its transformation. A surprising scent from (IMHO) an unlikely source. Bottle is very similar to J Lo's 'Glow', a curvy homage to the feminine form. Seems that this one is quite scarce but if you do get a chance to sample it, may be worth your while. From Fragrantica.com: Cindy Crawford Feminine by Cindy Crawford is a floral fragrance for women. Top notes are apple, water lily, bergamot and pepper; middle notes are gardenia, freesia and jasmine; base notes are amber, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, benzoin and mahogany.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No