Treatments -Kiehls - Deeply Restorative Smoothing Hair Oil Concentrate
soleil_kitty 1/10/2013 2:20:00 AM
I bought a bottle of this oil because I had a voucher and my beloved herbal shampoo was out. Looking back, I'm glad I did. This oil comes in a sturdy, orange bottle (yes, it's the bottle that's orange not the oil itself) with the trademark white label. Now, the first thing about my hair routine I had to let go, was using a conditioner after shampooing. The instructions on the oil bottle say to shampoo first and THEN apply the oil on damp hair. Hence, I left the conditioner aside and I think this is the only way to make it work without getting greasy hair. My hair is about shoulder blade length and rather thick so I apply the recommended 6 sprays before combing it through with my tangle teezer. The oil really does feel light weight and almost dry. It's difficult to describe. Only when my hair dries and I touch it, I can feel that I actually applied oil. It doesn't feel greasy, just well nourished, lush and very, very soft. Once completely dry, my hair looks incredibly shiny and has wonderful definition & volume. No frizz, no fly-aways. I also love to touch it because it feels really great but that could just be my fetish speaking. What I also noticed is less hair loss. I used to wash out quite an amount of hair each time and that's not the case anymore although I can't say why. It's not like I apply the oil on my scalp. The scent is exactly the same as Kiehl's Argan Oil Conditioner – very organic but not unpleasant and it lasts about a day or two. Now for a warning or two: I think it's absolutely possible to overdo & end up with really greasy hair. But that can happen with any hair oil and even though this is the lightest hair oil I ever had, it's STILL oil. So be careful and keep to the instructions. I also think that this is too heavy a treatment for those with fine hair. One bottle comes at the hefty price of 30 € in Europe (which is quite the scandal, considering the 25 $ price tag in the U.S.) and contains 4.0 fl oz / 118ml. I haven't even used up a noticable amount yet so a little goes a really long way which is why I can justify spending that much money on hair oil. The ingredients are also rather luxurious, I might add: Argan oil, Safflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil & Jojoba Oil. And it comes without silicones & parabens, yay! A rather accidental, unplanned purchase that turned out to be a blessing! I'm so very glad I got it and I will most definitely repurchase. Highly recommended!
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Fragrances -The Body Shop - Shea Body Mist
soleil_kitty 11/14/2012 3:00:00 AM
I remember raving about the Shea Beautifying Oil and how I wanted a perfume with that same scent that makes me come back for the entire Shea-series of The Body Shop again and again. Well, here's the next best thing: The Shea Body Mist. Naturally, it's not a perfume per se. The lasting power is quite ridiculous but when you take it at face value and keep in mind that it's meant to be a splash, it's quite a lovely product. If you want it to last the entire day, you best put it in your handbag and take it with you to re-apply. I've used it as an allover body spray several times and the skin conditioning quality isn't something worth mentioning. I really need my oils & creams. But the scent is simply something I've grown addicted to. I mostly use it like I would use a perfume, only a little more generous and several times a day and it makes me happy. Sometimes that's just enough, isn't it? You get quite a huge flask (100ml) for a decent 9 € and although I've been using it excessively, it's still almost full so I expect this to last some time. BUT: I will repurchase!
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Pressed Powders -Rouge Bunny Rouge - "Precious Velvet" Flawless Face Powder in "Piano Forte"
soleil_kitty 11/5/2012 10:13:00 AM
When I wanted to buy RBR's "Precious Velvet" Flawless Face Powder I looked for reviews everywhere and yet did not find the information I was seeking. Hence: I am NC15 at MAC and "Piano Forte" is a perfect match! There, I said it. RBR say about their powder: "Effortless radiance and sophistication in a pressed powder, with a texture so light it melds with your skin, making it naturally flawless. An advanced micronisation process guarantees a combination of a velvety and creamy texture for ultimate comfort, perfect adherence, smoothness and an even finish. Innovative ingredients include Papaya Fruit Extract as a natural “face lift” and skin softener, plus Hyssop Extract with soothing properties. Rice Powder imparts a perfectly natural, non-shiny finish. Compose your own concerto of impeccable loveliness." Now, as for the radiance & melting into the skin part: yes, it's true. This powder is so finely milled that you won't see it anymore after you applied it. I mean, none of it. It evens out the complexion, adds radiance, yet absorbs shine and leaves the skin looking its best – it's just that you don't see the powder anymore. It's ridiculous, really. I know all face powders are supposed to be invisible & still make your skin look picture perfect but only "Precious Velvet" delivers. After 15 years of buying and trying make-up this is the only face powder I ever came across that is invisible on your skin, no matter how much you put on – no matter the layers. I wish I had gotten my hands on this sooner – it would have saved me a lot of money & frustration. I apply this powder with my Body Shop Powder Brush. I wear it solo, mind you, not on make-up. I also don't use concealer underneath my eyes anymore. I simply use a very fine concealer brush, dab it into the powder and apply it instead. Works miracles. My skin behaves rather well, except for the occasional hormonal break-out I have no problems, so I cannot say how it would do on acne-prone skin. The coverage is medium so if your skin is not as good as mine it will most likely not be enough. But still, the only downside I can find is the fact that it doesn't absorb oil all that well. I have combination skin and my t-zone tends to get really oily around noon and that will show, unfortuntely. Anyway, I'm going to let that slide because I found no powder ever that could keep oil at bay for a whole day and I think I'd rather find unicorns one day. But then I also never had a face powder that became invisible on my skin the moment I applied it so who knows? Alas, this little miracle has its price: I paid a whopping 44 € for 12 grams(!!). For that you get a beautiful little black box, in which the powder compact is hidden and underneath it is a little white sponge applicator. The powder compact is solid & heavy, a pleasant, luxurious weight. And all of it, the black box, as well as the compact itself, are beautifully decorated with white flowers & rabbits & whatnot. A royal treat for any queen. So to sum it up: This has got to be the bestestestest face powder ever.
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Eye Shadow -Rouge Bunny Rouge - Long-Lasting Eyeshadow in Delicate Hummingbird
soleil_kitty 11/5/2012 9:29:00 AM
"Delicate Hummingbird" is one of my first two RBR products ever. In my book it's a classic solo artist. That's not to say you cannot use it in combination with other eyeshadows and/or to contour because I certainly do that too. But the divine effect of this e/s really only comes out if you wear it all by itself. The color is a rich, dark plum with brown undertones & silver/blue-ish shimmer. It's definitely a neutral colour, though on the cold side of things. I guess it would flatter every skin tone & eye color. My eyes are blue-green and this e/s makes them really stand out. In the pan one could compare the color to MAC's "Shale". Once applied, however, the difference is apparent. "Hummingbird" comes out richer and more complex/multilayered. The texture is divine. Silky, perfectly pigmented and yet there's no fallout whatsoever. Nothing. Lasting power is just as good. With an eyeshadow base it stays with me from my morning make-up routine to meeting a friend in the evening for drinks. Its really, really good. And as for the packaging: I have a lot of make-up in my stash, from MAC to Chanel & Benefit. None of these eyeshadows is packed in such a beautiful, heavy, solid case. It's the heaviest solo e/s I have. Shiny black & sturdy plastic. There's nothing left to wish for. I do realized this e/s comes at a hefty price but in my book it is worth every cent and I will definitely not only repurchase this one but buy others as well. RBR couldn't have given out a more impressive calling card. I'm hooked!
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Fragrances -Hermes - Un Jardin sur le Nil
soleil_kitty 10/26/2012 4:58:00 AM
I bought this on a whim at the airport on my way to Rome when I realized I had forgotten to pack a perfume. I tried several Hermes perfumes while I was at it but this was the one that totally stuck out. It's so unique, fresh, green (literally) and reminds me of spring: first green grass after a long winter, clean and cold air, sunlight. It's more herbal than fruity, with mayhaps a little reminder of flowers underneath. Well, that's what it smells like to me, anyway. My mom and my best friend fell in love with the scent on me and for me, this is my turn-to scent for the spring and early summer. Totally worth the money (and we're talking more than average in this case). Will definitely repurchase!
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Skincare - Body -The Body Shop - Shea Beautifying Oil
soleil_kitty 9/20/2012 3:59:00 AM
I bought it on a whim because I love oils in general, especially in autumn & winter. I don’t use them daily but about twice a week on my body for that little bit of extra moisture in between. I got this oil mainly because I’m in love with the Shea series by the Bodyshop. I love their body butter just as much as their shower cream. Thank goodness, the oil comes with the same, delicious scent that the entire series has. How I love that scent! I would even buy it as a perfume, it’s so good! As for the oil, it’s quite a little miracle in a bottle. I use it to moisturize my skin after a shower, granted, but I also use about one to two drops of it for my face. I have combination skin and especially during autumn & winter the dryer parts tend to get flaky. A little here and there helps to keep that at bay. After washing my hair I tend to work a little of it (5 to 6 drops) into the still moist ends and then brush it afterwards. It’s a lovely leave-in conditioner, too! It’s not weighing my hair down or making it greasy at all. So yes, if nothing else, this oil is definitely beautifying. And a little goes such a long way. I’ve been having this for about six weeks now and I’ve used up about 4/5 of it? If at all. So it’s totally worth the money (I got 100ml for 10 €). The bottle is sturdy plastic and dosing is absolutely exact! I’m so in love, I will totally buy again!
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Highlighters -MAC - Star Wonder
soleil_kitty 9/13/2012 4:26:00 AM
A friend of mine managed to pick that up for me because it was sold out everywhere I went. So bless her for that. It is my first MSF ever and I am so glad I got it. I’m really pale (NC15) with dark brown hair and blue-green eyes and although I got my Star Wonder with huge amounts of gold, it still works for me as soon as I swirl it all together. It’s a lovely pink-ish, glowing, healthy finish and perfect for summer & winter months alike, I guess. I would recommend applying it with one of MAC’s “skunk” brushes (#187, to be exact) because it needs a really careful hand! It’s very well pigmented and because it’s so shimmery, it could easily be overdone. I also never use it as a highlighter, only as a blush. Worth every cent and if it wasn’t LE, I would totally buy again
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Mineralized Eyeshadow - Pretty & Prim
soleil_kitty 9/13/2012 4:25:00 AM
I cannot believe nobody wrote a review for this e/s yet. Or can I? Anyway, "Pretty & Prim" is from the permanent mineralized eyeshadow line and consists of two colors: one bright pink side and one slightly darker, brown side. That's how it appears in the pan, at least. And here's why I'm torn: In the pan the brown-ish part of this eyeshadow really looks adorable: chocolate with a duochrome pink shimmer. The lighter side is a soft baby pink with shimmer. Would make a lovely combination, if colorfast. The pink side *is* is colorfast, the brown side isn’t. On the lid (I’m NC15, for reference) it turns out to be a very dark, warm pink that looks more on the reddish side than brown, really. Hard to describe. Now, for someone as pale as I am this is difficult to make work without looking like I bawled my eyes out the night before. I found that I can make it work with MAC’s “Sketch” e/s in the crease and on the lower waterline and that it sure does compliment my blue-green eyes. However, had I known that the color isn’t true, I would not have bought it. As for the pink side, it’s pretty, very natural, overall flattering and I combine it with MAC’s “Copperplate”. Any pink and “Copperplate” is my favorite combination, really ;) It wasn’t my luckiest purchase, as far as MAC is concerned and I will not buy again.
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Blush -MAC - Dame
soleil_kitty 9/13/2012 4:20:00 AM
Unf, new favourite blush! On the right side of „natural“, meaning: looks perfect, illuminating (satin finish!), never overdone, flatters my NC15 skin tone immensely. Perfect blush for any snow white gal out there. It provides an etheral elven look. Before that “Well dressed” was my turn-to blush whenever I was in a hurry or didn’t know what to combine with what. Out of my giant blush collection this is quickly becoming my favourite right now. “Dame” is a wee bit darker than “Well dressed”, more on the plum side, I’d say. Pigmentation is decent. It could be better but to me it’s perfect the way it is because this is exactly why it’s so easy to use. I don’t think it’s possible to overdo, really. Would totally repurchase!
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Scrubs -The Body Shop - Chocomania Body Scrub
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 5:27:00 AM
Now this scrub is even nicer in colour than the shower gel, since it's so dark, it reminds me of plain chocolate. The scrub grains are very small and not as noticable as they are in the cocoa scrub, for example. Also there's no real lather so spreading it on your body takes time and more product that it should. It's a decent scrub, but definitely not the best and wouldn't it be for the heavenly chocolate scent I'd consider it a failure. As it is, I'm happy about the scent, content with the scrubbing quality and, uh, I will not buy again. It's a little too expensive to repurchase a product you're not totally happy with. I guess I'll return to the cocoa scrub once I'm done with this.
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Gels/Soaps -The Body Shop - Chocomania Shower Gel
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 5:27:00 AM
Being the choc-aholic I am it goes without saying that I needed to have this shower gel and gosh, do I love it! It smells so heavenly like chocolate that showering becomes a favourite past-time. Although the gel itself is brown like chocolate, the lather turns white after a short while. It feels silky & smooth on the skin and a little goes a long way. Can't say that the scent sticks afterwards (that's what the body butter & lotion would be for, I guess) but the skin sure feels soft. I can't skip my moisturizing routine afterwards, however. This gel is imho simply a little bit of luxury with average product features. Since I don't know any other shower product with such a smell, I'm gonna repurchase, though. Especially during the cold and dark winter months this supplies certain pamper-yourself moments, more on the emotional side than the physical but that's okay for me. I just love it.
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Lip Treatments -The Body Shop - Chocomania Lip Butter
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 4:53:00 AM
UNF! I got this lip butter for free because I bought Chocomania products for over 35 € and it came as a package deal. It smells divine, once applied it provides a glossy nude finish and it survives drinking & eating for about an hour. In terms of moisture this is not the best of products but sometimes you just have to have that little bit of pointless luxury in your life, right? This is definitely it. I love applying this lip butter after lunch because it calms down my desire for something sweet afterwards. The smell is just heavenly - chocolate of course, but then something else as well: vanilla & almond maybe? It's smells more like chocolate candy. Totally divine. If this was just about the moisture I'd say it's a failure but to me it's a product to pamper yourself with.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Chubby Stick - Super Strawberry
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 4:51:00 AM
I got myself one of these chubby sticks after reading all the raving reviews online. Now, it looks lovely, very natural and never over-the-top but it's not as moisturizing as people say it is. Not in my book, anyway. I do need to apply an additionial moisturizer (usually Kiehl's) during very cold days outside. For the summer months the chubby sticks might be enough, however. I do like the product but not enough to repurchase. I didn't find the holy grail like so many others did. I have a lot of cheaper lip treatments that serve the purpose just as fine. Also, it's coming off rather quickly if you drink a lot of water & coffee throughout the day like I do so it constantly needs to be re-applied. Overall conclusion: Don't believe the hype.
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Treatments -The Body Shop - Rainforest Radiance Hair Butter
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 4:50:00 AM
I got myself a sample size of this hair butter on a whim while I was madly shopping for the Chocomania products at The Body Shop. I usually do fine without a hair mask but an unusually cold and long winter took its toll on my dyed and BSL-hair. The hair butter is exactly what the name says: its texture is surprisingly firm, although still smooth. But it's absolutely nothing like your average drug store hair mask. It goes on easily and can be worked into the wet hair without problems. Instructions say to leave it in for about five minutes, then foam it up with a little water. Now I can't make this work. No matter how much or how little water I use, there's no foam. Dunno if this would make a difference, anyway. Afterwards rinse thoroughly. I can't say much about my hair shining more than it usually does but it sure feels nourished & supple and a little bit as if I had treated it with oil instead of a hair mask. I really like the feeling. It's a pretty good hair mask for me, however, I do have rather uncomplicated hair. Although I'm dying it every four to six weeks and blow-dry it after washing, it's very healthy. For people who are less lucky, this is probably not the right treatment. Like I mentioned above, The Body Shop offers sample sizes, which is great for a trial. I do think about buying again. I'm happy with the outcome, I do like the smell (very fruity!), it's sans silicones & parabens and my hair seems to like it just fine.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Copperplate
soleil_kitty 9/20/2011 8:21:00 AM
This in combination with MAC's "Seedy Pearl" is my new holy grail eyeshadow. Copperplate is the most universal flattering, cool, taupe-ish brown I ever came across. My blue-green eyes never looked so appealing, bright & great. Copperplate, where were you all my life? The texture is divine: soft, perfectly pigmented & matte. Application and blending is a no-brainer and virtually happens on its own. Seriously: If you have had no MAC eyeshadow before, start with this! Will keep buying & buying.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No