Fragrances -Lavanila - Pure Vanilla
perie 10/21/2011 4:32:00 PM
I love vanilla, and have been sampling various fragrances lately. Unfortunately, however, I tried Van Cleef & Arpels and Creed's version of vanilla first, which permanently seem to have spoiled me. I am not a perfume snob, and I truly don't mean any disrespect to those who love this perfume, but I found LaVanila's version of vanilla incredibly synthetic compared to VCA and Creed. Instead of a soft and luxurious dry down, LaVanila was bordering on offensive due to it's fake and cheap smell. I had to scrub it off. Too bad, it actually smelled very good out of the bottle. Sigh, it's sad that VCA and Creed's vanilla are so expensive.
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Moisturizers -Aveeno - Ultra-Calming Night Cream
perie 12/28/2007 1:04:00 AM
Don't let the name deceive you. I bought this precisely because of the name "ultra-calming," but found it to be nothing but calming. My skin is not particularly sensitive, but it is dry and a bit irritated at times due to Retin-A use. I wanted a moisturizer that would soothe my skin, but when I apply this moisturizer, IT REALLY STINGS for a couple of minutes. It does nothing for my dry patches either. My skin is not very sensitive, just a bit irritated, but people with truly sensitive skin should stay away from this awful product.
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Treatments (Eye) -Shiseido - Benefiance Revitalizing Eye Cream [DISCONTINUED]
perie 12/22/2007 4:55:00 AM
Only after I stopped using this product, did I realize what a marvelous cream this is. It's definitely worth every penny. I switched to a cheaper eye treatment, and am very much regretting it, since the wrinkles under my eyes are prominently visible. When I was using Benefiance, the wrinkles were still there, but mush less visible. Since this cream is so rich, I only had to apply the tiniest dab, and a bottle lasted almost a year. I used it morning and night. It is very emollient and rich, but was perfectly fine under makeup. True, it did not completely get rid of the wrinkles, but definitely made them look less deep. After I've stopped using, I was dismayed to see that my wrinkles were more prominent than ever! I have to buy this again.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Clinique - All About Eyes Rich
perie 12/22/2007 4:49:00 AM
Previously, I was using a more emollient eye cream, but decided that I'll just grab this one during their bonus time. What a mistake. This does absolutely nothing in improving the appearance of the wrinkles under my eyes. It seems to moisturize minimally, but goes nowhere near the preformance of the previous eye cream I've been using. This is suitable for someone who's young without any wrinkles. It also doesn't do anything for the darkness under my eyes. I threw away the box, so i can't return, so I may just try to use it up as a face moisturizer instead.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Kenzo - Amour by Kenzo
perie 12/22/2007 4:35:00 AM
It's the perfect fragrance for the wet, cold, dreary winter days of the Rain City where I live at. It's warm, and slightly sweet without being overly foody or cloying. it's a very soothing and cozy fragrance, albeit nothing spectacularly original. This is definitely powdery, with a very faint touch of vanilla, and yes, I do smell the very comforting and mildly sweet rice steam. After testing it a few times, decided to grab the big bottle, which I think is very eye-catching. I wouldn't wear this during summer, though. This fragrance is also very lasting. I have very dry skin, so most perfumes disappear within two to three hours, but this one lasts over five hours, which for me, is a very long time. Two sprays should be more than enough. If oversprayed, it does give me a headache combined with a bit of nausea.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Vincent Longo - Baby Balm Lipstick
perie 12/22/2007 4:25:00 AM
I have extremely dry lips, so this is a good product. I expected the moisturizing quality to last a bit longer, but once the lipstick wears off, my lips are completely dry again. While it's on, however, my lips feel super smooth and moist. The wear is very short, and it doesn't stain my lips at all. For people who like very light sheer emollient, this is a good lipstick. I've read the previous review and agree that it would be very easy to snap off the lipstick at its base. They should manufacture it better so as to prevent this. If I could I would give this 3.5 stars.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - DiorSkin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Makeup SPF
perie 12/22/2007 4:18:00 AM
Great full coverage, but my face looked a bit too artificial. It definitely had a bit of that made-up foundation feel to it. It also slightly accentuated my dry flakes. I have semi-oily T-zone, but other areas of my face is dry from Retin-A use. Maybe I didn't moisturize my skin well-enough prior to applying. I still wouldn't recommend this for someone with very dry skin, or someone who prefers light natural coverage. Initially, it applied silky smooth, but somehow seemed to "dry" on your skin, and felt strangely unnatural. After a week of use, I returned it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Shiseido - The Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation SPF 17
perie 12/22/2007 4:09:00 AM
This foundation goes on so silky; it almost has a smooth buttery feel when applying. It tends to dry quickly, so I have to work fast. It's supposed to be semi-matte, but to me it looks a bit dewy under bright light, maybe I am applying too much. For my yellow Asian skin, the color match is absolutely perfect. It lasts a long time, even in extreme humidity. I would call it medium but easily layers on for full coverage. Though a pump would have been more convenient, not having it would allow me to use up every drop. I love that it has SPF. So far no break-outs, but I've only used it for a week. As long as it doesn't irritate my skin, I may consider repurchasing.
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Cleansers -Erno Laszlo - Sea Mud Soap
perie 12/17/2007 6:20:00 PM
If you have a slightly oily skin that's not sensitive, and in need of some exfoliation, this is a fantastic product. I have dry skin from retin-A use, and find this soap a bit too harsh and drying, so I can't use it everyday. It's great for T-zone, though, and may work out better for me during summer. My husband, however, has oily skin that tends to break out often. I talked him into trying this soap, and now he can't stop raving about it. He swears that since he started using this, his skin has cleared up significantly, and is a lot smoother. He's a no frills type of guy who used to use regular body soap for his face. Erno Laszlo markets this soap for normal/slightly oily/oily skin, but if you have normal skin, and like moisturizing soap for delicate skin, this is not for you. This pleasantly well-lathering and exfoliating soap gives you that squeaky clean feel but it is quite drying. It's on the expensive side, but for the right skin type it is totally worth it. I will continue buying this for my husband and for days when I need that extra clean feel.
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Lip Treatments -Blistex - lip revitalizer
perie 12/13/2007 5:55:00 AM
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This is better than expected. I love the way it continues working on your lips and doesn't just disappear after 30 minutes. It's very very moisturizing, and my forever chapped lips are soft again. When I use this every night, my lips feel very smooth, soft and even a bit plump (probably due to the moisturizing effect)! The price is dirt cheap, too. This will always stay at my bedside table so I could put it on every night. It does have that slightly minty-medicine smell to it. I don't like the smell, but it's not overly objectionable either. I should buy it for friends and family, too. I hope they never dicontinue this. I've used Kiehl's #1 lip balm, aquaphor, badgers, Burt's Bee, and a bunch of others. This is far superior to any of those. I hope they never discontinue this.
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Fragrances -Lolita Lempicka - L de Lolita Lempicka
perie 11/26/2007 3:21:00 AM
Based on the rave reviews on MUA, and I decided to try it a few times at Sephora. It really reminds of Angel. In fact, I might even call it a very salty Angel. I loved Angel for quite a few years, but have become tired of it. I feel the same with L. It's unique, and probably gourmand lovers would appreciate it, but it's definitely not something that I would buy. It's not a sophisticated and elegant fragrance. Too sweet, too salty, and too foody.
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Fragrances -Burberry - Weekend
perie 11/12/2007 4:38:00 AM
I wear this in the weekend. As the name implies, it is perfect for the weekend. It is an uplifting relaxed floral that dries down to a soft powdery scent. It would also be appropriate for work. It would be great for either summer or winter since it somehow manages to be both warm and fresh. It is comforting, floral, and mildly citrusy without being pungent. The yellow bottle reflects the cheery spirit of the fragrance. In my golden weekends, I spray this on, enjoy my morning cup of coffee, and it perfectly complements my happy relaxed mood.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bulgari - bvlgari femme
perie 11/12/2007 4:32:00 AM
It is a very elegant, sophisticated, and light floral. When I finally use up all the bottles of my perfume, I may consider buying. It would be very appropriate for work. Since it is so light and clean without smelling cheap, it would not overwhelm anyone.
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Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
perie 11/12/2007 2:51:00 AM
Despite the rave, this doesn't clean my face very well. I do wear makeup everyday, and don't want to bother with makeup remover prior to cleansing. I prefer facial cleansers that can remove my makeup and cleanse my face at the same time. Considering that most of my foundation is gone by the end of the day, this is not too much to ask from a facial cleanser. Cetaphil, however, even after two consecutive applications of apply and rinse, could not remove my light eye makeup. Geez, it's not even waterproof makeup. Therefore, I decided to never go back to it again. Yes, it's gentle on the skin, and yes, it is inexpensive, but I just want to feel that my face is squeaky clean and this just doesn't to it for me.
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Fragrances -Burberry - Brit Sheer
perie 11/12/2007 2:26:00 AM
Right away, I got a big splash of toned down grapefruit; was that the yuzu? I've never smelled yuzu, so to me, it smells like a very mellow grapefruit without its acidic punch. It dried down immediately, and my husband, who hates most perfumes, surprisingly told me that he doesn't object to it and that it is actually quite nice. His nose only approves of only the very natural, light, and ethereal fragrances. This is a pleasnant, fruity-floral drying down to youthful powdery elegance. Please note, it's not the cheap baby powder smell. I tested it at Nordstrom, but I have decided that I will get a bottle, very soon.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No