Polishes -E.L.F. - Nail Polish
swampbird 1/27/2013 10:42:00 PM
this is far and away the worst nail polish i've ever bought in my life. it takes FOREVER to dry. literally hours later it was still gummy to the touch. even worse, it started chipping the very next day. they have such a fantastic range of modern, cream-finish colors, it's really a shame the formula is so exceptionally bad!
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Moisturizers -Alpha Hydrox - 10% Enhanced Cream
swampbird 10/7/2011 2:10:00 PM
this is SO much nicer than the 12% "souffle" which is just greasy and gross. this is absolutely perfect - it does what it claims... it's cheap, unfragranced, moisturizing... i have zero complaints! the difference in my skin is remarkable - it clears pores and diminishes wrinkles and sun spots. i've gone through several jars of this which is really saying a lot considering how fickle i am with beauty products. wonderful stuff.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Diesel - Green
swampbird 8/17/2011 1:32:00 AM
i'll admit i don't understand the opening of this at all. there is a bizarre fruity lime / ginger (candy? floor cleaner?) blast for the first ~30 seconds, but if you can survive that, and it works with your chemistry, this has the most amazing drydown that lasts forever. seriously, this is the strongest EDT i've ever used. lingering notes of dry autumn leaves, dark church incense, the inside of a cedar chest, cinnamon bark, spicy carnations, and some very warm undertones of vanilla and cloves. something about this reminds me of the CdG Incense series. just close your eyes and ignore the fact that it's called "green" and has a kitschy bottle!
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Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - Megalast Nail Color - Bite the Bullet
swampbird 8/9/2011 2:26:00 PM
i absolutely love the grey-purple colors that have been everywhere the past few years. they're unique, but still flattering on most people. i've tried so many different brands (OPI, etc.) to find one that suits me and i think this is my favorite. it's the perfect balance of warm / cool tones - muted enough so it's not like electric barbie lavender, and pigmented enough so it's not like a pastel easter egg. love it. i have tons of these WnW Megalast polishes - they're excellent. love the flat wide brush. these and the new NYC are my favorites over OPI even. so many nice colors in creme finishes. yay! and by the way, i don't understand why people complain about nail polish chipping. my pedicures always last 3 weeks and my manicures 1 week, even with the cheapest nail polishes. what are y'all doing wrong?? use a good topcoat!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Olay - Total Effects Anti Aging Anti Blemish Cleanser
swampbird 4/25/2011 12:02:00 PM
absolutely hated this. so harsh, so heavily fragranced. it's not often that fragranced products bother me, but this one was really awful. kind of a marine / ocean / ozone scent. made my eyes water.
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Fragrances -Elizabeth Taylor - Gardenia
swampbird 7/12/2010 12:44:00 AM
had such high hopes for this... only $10 at TJ Maxx. the bottle is exquisitely understated. but my god was this an instant scrubber on me! "shrieky," cloying, chemical/artifical top note that just won't stop. hideous. it reminds me of the over-the-top fake floral scents of italian (and mexican?) household cleaning products. maybe it's just my body chemistry, but i would say sniff before you commit to this one. i can see how this could smell a bit like tuberose or sweet pea (a la Antonia's Flowers Floret which i LOVE or L.A.M.B. which is just okay), but to be honest, the top note is so offensive i can't even get close enough to my wrist to add any more insight to this review.
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Fragrances -Dolce & Gabbana - Rose The One
swampbird 2/15/2010 8:49:00 PM
this is yet another contender in the droves of fresh/fruity/floral perfumes (Juicy "couture," i'm looking at you!) aiming for mass market mall popularity. and just like the rest of them, it has this hideous, cloying, screaming fruity top note (at least on my skin) that just demands attention. it walks into the room before you, burning peoples' nose hairs along the way. it's so hard for me to believe that people actually LIKE smelling like this. no, no, no! tacky, awful no.
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Polishes -OPI - Red red rhine
swampbird 12/29/2009 3:17:00 PM
gorgeous, classic, elegant, somewhat muted dark brick red with brown/yellow undertones... no shimmer/frost, just a lovely cream finish. this is my go-to red. love it.
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Polishes -OPI - Vodka & Caviar
swampbird 12/29/2009 3:12:00 PM
i really can't stand looking at this color. on me, this is just classic, obnoxious, "look at me" streetwalker red. i much prefer a slightly darker, more muted red like Red, Red Rhine (brick red with slight brown/yellow undertones) or Malaga Wine (blue undertones). those seem much more elegant and intriguing, and not so trashy and obvious like Vodka & Caviar.
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Cleansers -Clean & Clear - Morning Burst Facial Cleanser
swampbird 12/6/2009 6:45:00 PM
horrible. just horrible. usually my skin is not at all sensitive, but this made it tight, dry, and irritated. unpleasant, strong fragrance as well. i feel sorry for the poor teenagers who get roped into buying this by all the advertising. ugh!
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Histoires de Parfums - 1828
swampbird 12/1/2009 3:18:00 AM
I was infatuated with the drydown of this that lingered for several weeks on a sample card from Selfridges... Unfortunately, on me, this only smells like a super-typical men's cologne... like the "ladies man" you don't want to get stuck in an elevator with. hideous. pungent, obnoxious, manly, wrong. :(
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Histoires de Parfums - 1873 Colette
swampbird 12/1/2009 3:15:00 AM
1873 is a light, bright, sparkling citrus that turns sharp, sour, and powdery... the dry down is uncannily similar to sweet tarts or smarties candy. Not really what I'm going for, but it might be your cup of tea?
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Histoires de parfums 1740 Marquis de Sade
swampbird 12/1/2009 3:11:00 AM
Oh my. After a sharp opening, this goes straight to tobacco on me... stale cigarettes... maybe an old ashtray... this definitely smells dirty on me, like the morning after a drunken escapade at the smokiest bar in town. It's dry, it's woody, and there's something about it that I imagine would be kind of rubbery and chewy like old beef jerky, if smell could have a texture. I usually go for oddball, masculine, heavy fragrances, but this clearly does not agree with my chemistry.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Histoires de Parfumes 1826
swampbird 12/1/2009 3:06:00 AM
I'm beginning to think there's something about this line that seriously disagrees with me. 1826 is a very powdery, feminine amber. It's somehow light and inoffensive -- not the dark, syrupy, intense tree-sap-amber I'm used to. It starts with a nice, fresh, herbal opening, but unfortunately it goes straight to an odd, candy-like root beer note on me that just doesn't stop. Maybe it's conversation hearts? Either way, this perfume hates me, and I think the feeling is mutual.
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Mega Shine Top Coat
swampbird 11/10/2009 2:55:00 PM
nothing short of holy grail status on this one. incredible patent leather shine - covers up any imperfections in the color coats of polish and turns it into one mirror finish shine. when i do my pedicures with this at home they look better than when i have them done at the salon. seriously. i put a coat of this on every week, and my pedicures last about 3 weeks. amazing!!
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