Thursday, August 15, 2013

Eau de parfum? -Brief ratings based on personal taste.

My take on Scents

{{Sensual, Sweet, or Sassy?}}

I will Likely be continuing to update this list as time goes on, and new scents spring up in my mailbox. While I believe being objective is always important, choosing a perfume is a very personal choice, and personal taste will always be a ruling factor. That said, I will give each perfume the same treatment. They will be given a:
**Scent profile: This is my determination of the scents general fragrance.
**StrengthI will tell you where the scent falls by way of potency. (Or whether or not you can smell it across the room).
**Classification: My determination of whether the scent is Sensual, Sweet, or Sassy in feel. 
**Number rating: This is where the scent falls on my scale of personal preference, and is completely subjective.



[Sensual]
---Oo la la---



{{Endless Euphoria by Calvin klein}} 
     -Scent|| Strong floral, citrus, 
-Strength|| Subtle
-Rating|| 7


{{Femme by Vince Camuto}} 
     -Scent|| Spicy, citrussy, patchouli. A small hint of floral.
-Strength|| Strong.  
-Rating|| 5 Definitely not a favorite of mine. Femme may be a bit of a misnomer, as I find this scent to be borderline masculine. The slight floral is possibly the only thing keeping this from registering as a masculine scent with me. 

{{Flash by Jimmy Choo}} 
     -Scent|| Spicy, citrussy and a touch floral. A touch of strawberry.
-Strength|| Strong. Like its name, it definitely has an immediate impact on your nostrils. It isn't a favorite of mine.  
-Rating|| 6

{{Very irresistible by Givenchy}} 
     -Scent|| Strong hints of rose and peony, with middle notes of lemon and anise. Very slight ammoniac scent that comes with cassia. Pleasant.
-Strength|| Moderate. 
-Rating|| 7. Very pleasant

{{Ivanka Trump}} 
     -Scent|| It's got that vintage soapy smell. Not unpleasant
-Strength|| Strong. Possibly a bit too bold for the scent. 
-Rating|| 6.5. Not a favorite of mine, but shouldn't be discounted.



     -Scent|| It smells like a room full of fragrant orchids. It's and amazing combination, and incredibly pleasant. No unpleasant surprises in the base notes like I find in some perfumes. Patchouli and sandalwood never smelled so good.
-Strength|| Subtle, and delicate, but without sacrificing sophistication. 
-Rating|| 11. Just because I love it that much.


     -Scent|| Spicy, and citrussy, with slight floral notes. 
-Strength|| Strong. The strength was decent for the scent. Should be applied carefully as it has the potential to be overpowering. 
-Rating|| 6.


     -Scent|| Piney, and floral, with a slight citrusy spice. 
-Strength|| Bold.
-Rating|| 10. A long-standing favorite of mine. 


     -Scent|| Strong notes of vanilla and citrus with a bit of spice. 
-Strength|| Mid range. Perfectly balanced
-Rating|| 9. Fun and flirty scent. Overall very pleasant.


     -Scent|| Woody and green. Slightly floral and a clean scent I associate with bodywash.
-Strength|| Moderate. 
-Rating|| 7. I loved eternity, but I'm not fond of this redux. Smells too much like Degree mens deodorant infused with flowers. 

{{J'adore by Christian Dior}} 
     -Scent|| Floral and a touch powdery. There are underlying notes of fruit and musk. It became fruitier over the course of the day.
-Strength|| Moderate. 
-Rating|| 8. This scent is lovely and subtle. It meshes well with my own natural scent, and lasts several hours. 

[Sweet]

---Awwe--


{{Modern Muse by Estee Lauder}} 
     -Scent|| White floral and citrussy notes. A bit woody at a distance.
-Strength|| Subtle, and pleasant
-Rating|| 9


{{Honey by Marc Jacobs}} 
     -Scent|| Fruity (smells like honey dew and pear!), Citrussy, Floral. Very slight woodsy notes. Smells fresh and clean
-Strength|| Moderate and pleasant, though the initial scent can be a bit harsh
-Rating|| 8. I'd wear it!

{{Daisy by Marc Jacobs}} 
     -Scent|| Sweet and floral. Like walking into a garden full of flowers
-Strength|| Subtle, but just right for the scent
-Rating|| 10. I love subtle floral scents that remind me of actual flowers and not manufactured, old lady floral.


     -Scent|| Fruity and floral, with what culminates in my mind as a hint of pear. It reminds me of the way a good shampoo or bodywash lingers throughout the day. It's got the fresh out of the shower clean feeling.
-Strength|| Subtle. I would have liked it to be just a touch stronger. 
-Rating|| 8.5 I would not be adverse to using it. 



     -Scent|| Pleasantly floral and a touch citrussy, but is has a slightly soapy after smell.
-Strength|| Mid-range. About right for the scent.
-Rating||  8. Definitely pleasant and summery

[Sassy]
---Meow--


{{Aqva by Bvlgari}} 
     -Scent|| Spicy, woody, smells strongly of sandalwood and ginger. 
-Strength|| Moderate
-Rating|| 5. Honestly. While it was interesting initially as a scent, as it wears off it starts to smell like playdough. 



{{Marc Jacobs - Daisy, Eau so fresh}} 
     -Scent|| Fruity, white floral, and a bit citrussy  
-Strength|| Subtle
-Rating|| 10. Like its counterpart "daisy" which plays up the white floral a bit more, Eau so fresh is very pleasant, and would be great for a day out with friends. I may actually prefer it to Daisy which is one of my go-to scents.


{{Calvin Klein - Down Town}} 
     -Scent|| Cinnamon with floral notes, and citrussy notes. A touch fruity, and very fun 
-Strength|| Subtle
-Rating|| 10. I'm loving this scent. It super fun, and perfect for going out.

{{Fame by Lady Gaga}} 
     -Scent|| Fruity and tangy like candy.
-Strength|| Subtle. Not what I expected from Lady Gaga. I wish it were bolder, especially with it's fun tangy scent. 
-Rating|| 6. It wasn't unpleasant, but definitely not what I was hoping for.


{{Play for her by Givenchi}} 
     -Scent|| It almost smells a florally meringue pie, and I love it. 
-Strength|| Subtle. Super soft and pleasant, but still fun.
-Rating|| 6. Super fun, and not too bold. A nice addition to any collection.



     -Scent|| Super spicy, with pleasant floral/fruity notes. 
-Strength|| Super bold. Potential to be way overpowering. 
-Rating|| 7 Pleasant but too bold for the scent.


     -Scent|| Spicy and woody, with pleasant fruity notes.
-Strength|| Mid range. 
-Rating|| 8. Super pleasant, but not the type of scent I prefer to wear. 


     -Scent|| Spicy and woody. Slightly floral, and green. Pleasant campfire-esque base notes.
-Strength|| Mid range. 
-Rating|| 9


     -Scent|| Sweet and spicy with heavy vanilla tones, and very slight woody notes.
-Strength|| Very bold, can be overpowering. 
-Rating|| 8




[Perfumes I'd like to try]
---seriously--


{{Flowerbomb love me tight by victor&rolf for women}} 
{{Bright crystal by Versace}}    

* Reviews are not affiliated with any source other than the Make me up musings blog, and should not be taken as an official determination of the quality of a product. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Make up I have + Rating.

Eyeshadow

{{Naked basics}} 8.0 - Full Review
-Not bad. Lightest color, and two darkest shade are fairly pigmented, 
but the in between shades aren't as pigmented as I hoped. I use this frequently. 
-Middle of the road pigment wise, but super shimmery which somewhat makes up for it. I use this sometimes.
{{Bare minerals - Wearable pistachio light}} 8.0
-Pretty pigmented, and very shimmery. It's pretty long lasting as well. I use this sometimes. 
{{BH cosmetics 120 palette - 1st edition}} 8.0
{{BH cosmetics 120 palette - 2nd edition}} 8.0
-All the BH palettes I've tried have been great, but the pigmentation and quality of the different shadows varies pretty wildly. There are some colors that just don't quite match up to the others. I use these palettes frequently.


Mascara

{{Clump crusher}} 6.0
     -Keeps lashes from clumping during application fairly well, and is long lasting. No real thickening or lengthening effect, and not waterproof at all. It is a decent drugstore alternative, but probably won't do much to enhance your lashes.

Liners

{{Bare minerals - Black leather liner shadow}} 9.0
-Very opaque, sparkly liner. easy to apply with an angled brush but it can get everywhere. I prefer to apply it wet. High enough quality that rubbing off on my upper lid is minimal though it still happens. Great liner. I use this sometimes.
-Very, very pigmented, and incredibly sparkly. Like the black leather is has a tendency to get everywhere when applied dry, but it fantastic applied wet. I use this rarely. 
-Can be tricky to apply, but it's super opaque. Has a tendency to rub off on the upper lid within a few hours of wear. I use this rarely.

Brows

-I'm all for trying drugstore brand products but this was crap. My first impression was that it was decent for a drugstore pencil, but then I found out when the original nib ran out that here is essentially no additional product beyond what you see. I've read that it is possible to advance the product by removing the brush end and forcing it through with a q-tip but the brush is near impossible to remove, and the entire process is altogether unnecessary. Only gets two stars for the decent application of the product itself. I use this rarely.

-A great little pencil that I use often. Easy to sharpen, and very pigmented, however, I do have difficulty feathering my brows with it. 

Primers

-Smooth application, and creamy without feeling oily. seems to promote long-lasting face makeup, but I didn't notice much of a difference in ease or quality of foundation application. I use this occasionally.
-Creamy, smooth application. This primer is a rockstar. I apply a thin coat of it and allow it to sit for a bit before applying shadow. This primer keeps my shadow in place all night with little wear and no need to retouch. I use this frequently.

Blush

{{Bare minerals - first class (Powder)}} 6.0
-Not very pigmented, and very subtle and shimmery. The color doesn't do much for me. It can be built up, but is otherwise very, very subtle. I use this frequently.

Lips

{{Cover girl - Golden Apricot}} 5.0
-This is not bad for a drug store brand. It's not terribly long lasting, but its got a decent amount of pigment to it. Does not apply quite as smoothly as it could, and feels a bit chalky. I could recommend applying it with a brush. Its could for quick, subtle, but pleasant color. I use this rarely.
{{Bare Minerals - Moxie, Live it up}} 10.0
-Very pigmented, and super bold and bright. It definitely makes a statement. Creamy, and it spreads evenly. It's not the most pigmented lipstick I've swatched, but Its more than pigmented enough to create a great bold lip. I use this frequently.
{{Bare Minerals - Moxie, Break Away}} 10.0
-Very pigmented and fun. Spreads evenly, and smoothly over your lips, and looks great full strength or blotted. This color is still strong, but not nearly as bold. I love it. I use this frequently.
{{Sugar Rose - Lip treatment}} 7.0
-Smells wonderful! Had a slight, fun tint to it. Super smooth and creamy, but not super long lasting. Also fragile, and the stick broke easily with regular use. Still lots of fun. I use this frequently.
-Also smells great, and goes on clear with a slight wet look. It makes a great substitute for chapstick, but as I've noticed with a lot of these silky smooth moisturizers, after about an hour a film builds up on my lips. Still fun, and my lips feel great. I use this frequently.
-Quality is right for the price. color is middle of the road pigmentation-wise, but it applies easily, and can be twisted to advance product easily. I use this frequently.

Face

{{Mineral veil}} 8.0
-I did notice that it didn't quite hold up to my oily skin, but overall it wasn't too bad. I do feel like it makes my skin appear softer. I use this rarely.
-The difference is pretty minimal, and it doesn't do a lot to mask redness, acne, or dark circles. My skin does have a somewhat healthier glow. I use this frequently.
-I'm not fond of the way I look tanned, That said, This was okay for contouring, but a bit on the warm side. Coverage was even, and its fairly pigmented. I use this occasionally.
-A bit darker then I like, but gives my face a wonderful glow when applied. I use this sometimes. 
-Decent coverage and light reflection that keeps my dark circles from showing up in photos. It is a touch too yellow for my skin tone, but it seems to help with distracting from the dark circles. I use this fequently.

Concealer

{{BB creamy concealer - Beige}} 6.0
-Very thick, and not as easy to manipulate and spread. Also not as opaque as I'd hoped. It does an okay job of covering my dark circles, but it quite noticeable and I usually have to pair it with another concealer. I use this frequently.
{{Erase paste - Medium }} 8.0
-Super smooth, and a lot softer and easier to spread than I expected. Very opaque as well. Some creasing over time, but over all very happy with the results. I use this frequently.
{{Stila perfecting concealer }} 6.0
-Smooth, and applies thin, but coverage is decent. I often pair it with another concealer, as it doesn't really build well, and is not very opaque. I use this frequently.

Nails

{{Sally hansen- Maximum growth }} NR


Skin Care

{{Nivea Creme }} NR

Brushes


Accessrories

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Wish list

Eyeshadow

{{Meet Matt(e)}} $35
{{Meet matt(e) nude}} $42
{{BB creme shadow stick - All colors}} $28
{{BB long wear eye pencil - All colors}} $24
{{Nude Tude }} $36
{{Overshadow - All}} $15
{{BM Peach eyeshadow }} $14
{{Ready eyeshadow 8.0 - September }} $32
{{Ready eyeshadow 8.0 - Star treatment}} $25
{{Mac Eyeshadow}} $15
     ~Gesso, Crystal Avalanche, Blanc, White Frost, Vanilla, Vapour, Phloof, Nylon, Orb, Ricepaper, Malt, Samoa Silk, Pink Freeze, Piggy pink, Free to be, Star violet, Sushi Flower, Swish, Passionate, Expensive pink, Blackberry, Folie, Cranberry, Sketch, Girlie, Brown script, Trax, Coppering, Rule, Red brick, Jest, Paradisco, Gorgeous gold, Goldmine, Sunny spot, Lucky green, Sumptuous olive, Greensmoke, Humid, Freshwater, Moon's reflection, Steamy, Tilt, Contrast, Plumage, Nehru, Shale, Vibrant grape, Fig. 1, Satellite dream, nocturnelle, Forgery, Digit, Crystal, Sweet lust, Seedy pearl, Gleam, Beautiful iris, Idol eyes, Creme de violet, Bamboo, Vex, Omega, Quarry, Satin taupe, Filament, Stars N' Rockets, Mythology, Retrospect, Soft brown, Honey lust, Amber lights, Tempting, Arena, Wedge, Woodwinked, Patina, Saddle, Swiss chocolate, Sable, Antiqued, Espresso, Bronze, Twinks, Embark, Handwritten, Club, Mystery, Electra, Silver ring, Scene, Corduroy, Knight Divine, Shadowy lady, Typographic, Print, Smut, Jete, Sparkly neely, sparkle!
{{Naked basics}} $27
{{Naked 2}} $50
{{Deluxe shadow box}} $16
{{Tako pressed eyeshadow}} $12
{{Frostbitten eyeshadow}} $30

Mascara

{{Clump crusher}} $7
{{Cheater}} $18
{{What's your type - Both}} $19
{{They're real!}} $23
{{Cannonball}} $20
{{Urban brow styling gel}} $20

Liners

{{Shwing - Eye}} $17
{{Bad girl - Eye }} $20
{{Round the clock waterproof 5pm- Eye }} $15
{{Round the clock waterproof noon- Eye }} $15
{{Heavy metal glitter - Eye }} $18
{{24/7 glide on pencil - Lips}} $19

Brows

Primers

Lips

Face

Concealer

{{BB creamy concealer - Beige}} $23
{{Erase paste - Fair}} $26
{{Time Balm spot concealer- Fair}} $20
{{Boi-ing- light}} $20
{{BM Correcting concealer - light 2}} $20

Nails

{{The Balm:}} $10
     ~Pale in comparison
     ~Sky Blue right past you
     ~Lets make a Teal
     ~Jade in the USA
     ~Coral Reef-ined
     ~All you ever do is Taupe
     ~Call me irredescent
     ~Silver Spoon me
     ~Candy apple a day
     ~You're so hot and gold
     ~ZZ Top coat
     ~Im Base and I came to get down (Base coat)
     ~Time for a quicky (Quick Dry)
     ~Lilac any sense
{{Showboat}} $12

Skin Care

{{It's potent - Eye cream}} $32
{{Ooh la lift - Eye cream}} $22

{{Take a picture, it lasts longer - body cream}} $28

Brushes

{{The Balm}} 
     ~Blend a hand - $27
     ~Give crease a chance - $27
     ~Eye Believe - $25
{{Benefit concealer brush}} $22
{{Benefit Hard angle brush}} $20
{{Benefit Powder shadow brush}} $22