Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Imaginary Authors Memoirs of a Trespasser
rosarita 4/18/2013 11:24:00 AM
The Imaginary Authors concept is truly unique. Each fragrance is a title of a book written by an imaginary author, with descriptions to match. I have a few samples that I haven't gotten around to, but I've totally fallen in love with Memoirs of a Trespasser. The author's description and back story are very clever; more info on the website imaginary authors dot com (not affiliated, obviously.) Here's the notes: Madagascar Vanilla, Guaiacwood, Myrrh, Benzoin Resin, Ambrette Seeds & Oak Barrels. I smell a sweet, smoldering camp fire; wood smoke without birch tar or any bitterness, like the oak barrels listed have been set on fire and burned down to coals. The vanilla isn't too sweet, but it's dark gold an resin-y and present throughout. The drydown becomes a soft, sultry whisper of woods and myrrh. Despite the heavy sounding notes, this isn't especially heavy, but a warm presence full of curling tendrils of wood smoke wrapped around vanilla. Modest sillage and excellent longevity, totally addictive. Highly recommend!
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Gels/Soaps -Caress - Fine Fragrance Elixirs - Scarlet Blossom
rosarita 2/7/2013 6:48:00 AM
It's a plus for me if a soap scent doesn't linger. I want body wash to smell great while I'm using it but I don't want it to interfere with my perfume. Scarlett Blossom is perfect for that. It performs like a standard body wash but it smells fantastic and high end imho and it's a great cheap thrill.
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Fragrances -Prada - Candy EDP
rosarita 8/28/2012 11:20:00 PM
I have been wearing and enjoying Candy all summer. I'm not much of a gourmand lover but this has really won me over. There are caramel, toasted sugar and vanilla notes, but rendered with a light hand so that the overall effect is crisp, light and sophisticated. It's appropriate in any setting, lasts a decent amount of time and has got me lots of compliments. Everyone who smells it loves it.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Honey
rosarita 8/28/2012 11:04:00 PM
I like this one. My lips are really dry, so I use a clear balm about 20 minutes before applying the Revlon Balm Stain (I do this with all lip color.) The Revlon is easy to apply and the color is a nice pinky peachy neutral. I don't notice it changing much over time. I like that I can apply this in the morning and forget about it; I generally reapply after lunch. I also like that it fades evenly. Looking forward to trying more colors.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Maybelline - Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream
rosarita 7/19/2012 8:42:00 AM
I wanted an "all in one" type of product for summer and this is my favorite one that I've tried. The Asian BB creams seem to have better coverage but I haven't found one that's dark enough. I am using the Maybelline in medium. For my very dry skin, I still need another moisturizer underneath. Love that the sunscreen is included, doesn't feel heavy and that this is light enough to wear all over my face. I wear a mineral pressed powder over this for a little extra coverage. I agree that this is perfect for summer but may not provide enough moisture for my skin in winter. I think the Maybelline is a good value too, esp when you consider the cost of separate sunscreen.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Thierry Mugler - Angel Aqua Chic
rosarita 5/22/2012 10:02:00 PM
It took a long time before I came around to liking Angel, the original. The secret was to dab it, not spray it; then it became delicious. Still not a scent I want to reach for often, though. Enter Angel Aqua Chic, a light edt viersion of Angel. A freshness has been added and the scent is made up of 30% hydrosols, which is basically the water left from the steam distillation process of flowers (that's a very rough outline of the process; please see the blog CaFleureBon for a more thorough explanation.) I was afraid Aqua would mean marine notes, but it's not the case; the use of floral water lifts the notes of the original Angel into a lighter feel. The freshness isn't the ubiquitous laundry freshness of so many modern perfumes, but a feeling of transparency and radiance. The fruit/patchouli/vanilla structure of Angel remains but it is light enough to be sprayed with abandon. Lovely sillage, more like a presence that lasts all day, fading into pleasant muskiness. The bottle is the gorgeous blue & silver star, with the star appearing to have been dipped in sparkle (it imparts a nubby feel to the glass, not like something that will flake off.) Overall, a lovely perfume experience! I'll happily wear this all summer.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Revlon - ColorStay 16 Hour Eye Shadow
rosarita 2/25/2012 3:05:00 PM
I bought this palette in Brazen. The colors are warm and soft, very pretty. I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance and was pleasantly surprised at how pigmented the shadows are. They are all shimmery but not over the top sparkly, at least at first sight. I used the diagram on the back of the quad, blended it out and liked the look. However, after a few hours I looked in the mirror, and these shadows had migrated all over my face! What I had thought was mild shimmer was actually very fine microglitter, not bad on the eye but honestly, this stuff was in my eyebrows, on top of my cheekbones, even some flecks in my lipstick. The old 12 hour Colorstay quads didn't have this much pigment (not as much as is in the Brazen quad, anyway) but they stayed put way better than this. I won't purchase another.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Revlon - Photoready 3D Volume
rosarita 2/25/2012 1:54:00 PM
I like my lashes long, full and well defined and this delivers pretty well. The formula is wet enough to pull multiple coats through but not so wet that it smudges. The brush picks up too much product on the end so it has to be wiped off, but I like the bristles at the end as they help coat every lash. The tube has a lightly rubberized feel and it closes with kind of a click so you know it's screwed on tight. This isn't earth shattering or anything but it's a very decent everyday mascara.
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Pressed Powders -Nuance by Salma Hayek - Mineral Powder
rosarita 10/2/2011 4:35:00 PM
This is expensive for a drugstore product, which is especially irritating because it seems to be of such poor quality. It doesn't even include a sponge, for starters, and the powder felt rough on my face. After I applied it, my face immediately started to itch. The color was odd, and the compact is cheap and flimsy. I returned it to CVS the next day.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Prada - L'Eau Ambrée
rosarita 8/20/2011 1:04:00 PM
This is a wonderful scent, that rarest of creatures: a perfect summer oriental. Not that it's not great all year, but it opens with a gorgeous citrus that smells fresh and light. Then the amber drifts in slowly, but this never becomes too heavy or rich. There's a transparency to it. Elegant, office appropriate, can be dressed up or down. Love it.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fresh - Sugar EDP
rosarita 8/20/2011 12:59:00 PM
I received a bottle of this in a swap and have enjoyed wearing it all summer. No, it's not outstanding or complex, but I don't want to think when it's really hot outside. Sugar is light, lemony & pretty. It's suitable for every age and can be worn in lots of places where a heavy scent would be overpowering. Smells like lemonade.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent
rosarita 8/3/2011 9:11:00 AM
I wanted a beachy skin scent and this is absolutely perfect. It's my scent of this summer. I can't add anything to the other reviews except to say that I'm looking forward to wearing this next January, to remind me of summer. It's a classic.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - 8-pan Palette "Comfort Zone"
rosarita 7/16/2011 9:21:00 PM
I felt like this was a palette I had to have bcs of the gorgeous colors but I like the six pan Color Icon palettes better, just for the matte shadows. The Comfort Zone shadows are too shiny for me, even the lighter, coppery colors. I find them hard to blend too, just because they all have the same super-shimmery finish. If this palette had some mattes in with the shimmers, I'd probably wear it all the time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Cover Girl - Simply Ageless
rosarita 6/19/2011 11:53:00 PM
I have liked all the Simply Ageless products I've tried and the blush is no exception. I purchased Lush Berry and have found that a very small amount is plenty to dab on both cheeks and blend. It's so pigmented, in fact, that I think this container is a lifetime supply, honestly. I'd rather have a smaller amount for half the price, but that's not going to happen. It blends pretty well, has impressive lasting power (all day without fading) and gives a nice glow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Roberto Cavalli Oro EdP
rosarita 2/15/2011 8:36:00 PM
Oro is a unique and distinctive scent for very little money. On me, it opens with a sharp burst of pepper and settles into a creamy, vanilla & honey soft spice fragrance. The peppery opening reminds me of YSL Nu, but overall Oro smells like L'Artisan Poivre Piquant, so much so that it could be called a fragrance dupe.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No