Monday, March 8, 2010

Review of Brittney Spears Believe Perfume for Women

In the past I had never been all too fond of fragrances released by Brittney Spears. After trying her latest fragrance Circus though, my eyes were more keen to checking out her scents.


I liked Circus quite a lot, and when I came across Believe I figured I'd give it a try. I mean why not, a tester bottle was sitting right there on a shelf just waiting for me to pick it up.

I thought that Believe was a new fragrance, because I had never noticed it before. More recently though, stores have been displaying this one in more obvious 'look at me' ways. Maybe because Brittney is hot again?

At any rate, the bottle has a lime green hue to it. You are able to see through the bottle though which I like because it's an easy way to see when you need to buy a refill.

The bottle itself is also interesting. It has a really odd triangular shape to it, which I would likely keep once the perfume was gone. It's not collection worthy per say, but for younger girls I imagine it's a bottle they'd like to keep around.
The Scent:
Believe by Brittney Spears is actually not so bad. It starts off with a very nice and sweet fruity fragrance, which mellows out over time into a honey suckle floral, which then manages to fade out into a vanilla candy like scent.
For me, wearing Believe was like a 3 in 1 type of deal. It had 3 distinct scents that grabbed my attention as the scent faded.
The other thing I really enjoyed about Believe, was how long it lasted. Most of Brittney Spears' fragrances smelled decent, but they had such a short lifespan as far as the scent went. Believe on the other hand tickled my fancy with its long drawn out, ever changing fragrances.
Overall:

All in all, it was a damn good perfume for a celebrity fragrance. As far as recommending Believe, I'd have to say yes, go ahead and pick this one up. It's one in Brittney's collection that I'd actually recommend above and beyond all of her other scents.
It has the charming fruity flavors that younger girls would like, but then blends into a more sophisticated floral and vanilla fragrance that older women would appreciate. A nice scent for women of all ages, with a long lasting impressive kick. 5 out of 5 stars from me Ms. Spears!



Review of Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Carnation Color

Now I am not much of a lipstick wearer, however in colder winter months I apply gloss and balms in order to keep my lips from chapping. During winter months I also tend to buy lipstick here and there just to add a moisturizing layer of color to my lips.

Recently I came across a new lipstick from Revlon called ColorBurst. Due to the fact that I am such a huge fan of Revlon ColorStay products, I figured their ColorBurst lipsticks would impress me just as much as their foundations do.

I had quite a selection of colors to choose from, but I went with Carnation, which showed the color to be a matte pink. On the swatch it was a pink that did not look too dark, or too pink. A color that I felt would be suited best for me. Unfortunately though, I was not able to open the lipstick to see the real color. We all know swatches cannot be trusted as far as colors go.

ColorBurst came in a really cute black tube, with the lipsticks color on the top in plastic. I hoped the color matched it.

The lipsticks were being sold for $7.69 each, and luckily for me, just as I was about to leave the makeup isle, I noticed on the out isle they had these exact same lipsticks packed in packs of 2. So I got 2 for the price of 1 which was nice.

My Use:

I did not wait to get home to try this one out. In the car I opened one of the tubes and twisted the lipstick up in order to see it. I was happy that the color resembled what I was expecting. That rarely happens, so it was a plus.

However, the color was way, way darker and hot pink in color than it looked. As soon as I swiped the color onto my lips I was surprised at how deep and pink it looked. It was a little over the top, and reminded me of a hot pink color that my sister used to wear in the big 80's.

I know the 80's fashions are back, but seriously hot near neon colors were never really flattering on women.

The lipstick also does not stick all too well. I took a sip from a soda can about 5 minutes after applying it, and noticed a lot of it had gone from my lips, to the can. The color however did remain, it's almost as if the lipstick stains your lips a little. It's not necessarily a bad thing though, because as the BAM in your face color fades out, the lips are left lightly touched with color.

With Revlon ColorBurst lipstick I would recommend blotting after applying. I usually don't blot my lipstick, but with a color that screams as loudly as Carnation does, I would recommend it.

I'd also recommend skipping out on this color entirely if you have fair skin. It looks decent on those with medium skin tones, but on very pale skin the color would over rule your face, and it would just look silly.

Overall:

I don't hate it. I like how it feels on my lips, it's light and slightly moisturizing, I just wish the color was not so bright.

Rare Gold, Perfume for Women

I stumbled upon a bunch of new perfume bottles added to my mothers ever growing collection. She and I manage to pick up perfume for dirt cheap in old thrift stores and in Marshall's at prices that are so low it's incredible.

I noticed a plain little bottle, with a cute gold topper on it. After scooping it up and reading the small sticker at the bottom of the bottle, I learned that I was holding Rare Gold, a perfume made by Avon.

I have bought products from Avon years ago, and whenever I scooped up a bottle of their perfume, I never really liked it. It never smelled as the magazine described it. I assumed that Rare Gold would be another perfume of theirs I did not care for. Most of Avon's yellow colored perfumes were always harsh, smelled old, or overpowering to the point that it was unbearable.

I yanked off the top on the bottle and sprayed Rare Gold onto my wrist.

Immediately my senses were greeted with a lovely sugary musk scent, that reminded me of a freshly drawn bubble bath, and a powdery floral undertone that gave it an alluring and sweet sting.

I was surprised, I liked it. In fact I liked it a lot.

The Last:

With a scent as delicious and likable as this, I was hoping that the scent would stick around for awhile. I wanted it to wrap it's sweet musky florals in and out of my nostrils like an ocean wave crashing on the shore. Sadly many perfumes that smell fantastic or have a similar bubbly scent never last longer than a few short minutes.

Rare Gold however withstood the test of time, and I was able to recognize the scent on me for up to 2 hours till I no longer smelled it.

Those around me though were still complimenting many hours later, so it apparently lasts longer than the wearer is able to detect it.

Overall:

Rare Gold from Avon surprised me. It's a lovely feminine scent that is perfect for everyday wear. The sweet musky florals are also perfect for spring or summer seasonal wear.

All in all I would stamp 5 out of 5 stars onto Rare Gold. It's a winner.

Where To Buy:

I am not sure if Rare Gold is still being sold in Avon magazines, but you can locate it through online vendors, or Amazon for low prices in the $7.00- $10.00 category.



Perfume Review: Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt

When I first spotted the retro looking ugly bottle of Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt I immediately thought I would hate it. It looked like a cheap ugly bottle of perfume that one would find in a dollar store back in the 1990's.

As it turned out the bottle was from the 80's, therefore it had an excuse for it's hideous appearance.

For those wondering, Vanderbilt comes in a round pancake shaped bottle, with a swan design embossed into the glass. On the top you have a standard gold lid. The glass itself is transparent, and you are able to see the piss yellow colored perfume.

Revulsion was my initial reaction. In fact, the bottle was so repulsive that I nearly skipped out on trying the perfume all together.

I figured that since there are so few reviews available online that had covered Vanderbilt, that I'd give the perfume a test and weigh in with my opinion.

I sprayed a small bit of the perfume onto my wrist and I was not too shocked when the air filled with the very old fashioned stink that I expected it to have. Vanderbilt was very strong, but it quickly subsided into something softer and fruity. Just as I was about to accept the old perfume, it transformed back into an extremely potent overbearing scent. The scent was so toxic that I feared even a shower would not be able to rinse the stink away.

It's hard to describe it really, but if you have ever had an old rich lady walk by you in the streets, this is what you would get. It's powerful, lingering, and dusty.

The initial scent I got from it was alcohol, rose, and ancient vanilla sticks. The scents in the perfume combined give it an unusual and unique scent, but at the same time not one you would want to wear daily...if at all.

I was left on the fence during the duration of the day, in love with the scent one minute, and then hating it another minute later. It's so wishy washy and I could not decide whether or not I liked it or not.

It has an addicting quality to it, but at the same time has such a powerful punch to it, that you regret ever spraying it on in the first place.

It reminded me a lot of certain foods, where one has to have an acquired taste to it. Over time I imagine I could fall in love with Vanderbilt, but I do not like having to acquire a taste, especially when it comes to scent. I came to the conclusion that if I ended up loving it, others around me would probably hate it. After all it's like an acquired scent... one you would have to get used to.

Where To Buy:

Although I have never seen Vanderbilt being sold in store, I have come across the bottle online at many perfume retail sites. They have newer bottles of Vanderbilt, and in some cases you can find the original on auction sites. If you already know you like Vanderbilt, and are looking for it do a google search, and you shall find it.

Fighting Dry Skin

I have used just about every moisturizing lotion available on the market. The one thing I can tell you about all of the available products is that some work, and some are wastes of money.

I have combination dry/oily skin. However during harsh winter months, areas on my face that are usually dry become ultra dry, which means I have to turbo charge my facial care routine. I never knew what to use before, or what I could do to fix the problem.

With a little bit of trial and error, I finally found that you can have oil free, and dry free skin with the daily consecutive use of 2 products. Although 1 of the products are a bit pricey, combined the two become gold for your skin. You will never again have to pick up skin care products, or masses of lotions to relieve yourself of dry skin. This do it yourself fix will keep your skin looking healthy, and glowing all year round. Besides fighting dry skin, you will also be combating oily skin, while keeping your skin wrinkle free.

The first product goes to Estee Lauder.

You will want to first apply to your face a layer of Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair.



This special formula is applied to the skin by an eye dropper. You then spread the tonic around your skin and allow it to absorb. It is a high performance anti aging formula that will repair the skin, and keep it wrinkle free now, and later. Consider it a drop from the fountain of youth.

After applying your Advanced Night Repair, you will not apply a nice layer of Cerave Moisturizing Cream. This cream will provide all day moisturization. It feels a little thick and dewy on the skin, and that is why I apply it at night before bed.




Cerave Moisturizing Cream is clinically proven to increase the skins hydration. Not only does Cerave moisturize the skin, but it is what keeps the skin free from oil. The number one misconception in skincare for those with oily skin, is that they have to dry out the skin. Drying the skin will actually cause even more oil to develop. Skin likes hydration, give it hydration and it thank you with beautiful, healthy, skin.

This routine is a simple 2 step process that you will want to do every night before bed. It's easy, and you will see results quickly. No longer will you be plagued with dry patches on your face, nor will you have to worry about shiny, oily spots on your nose or forehead.

In harsher dry winter months you can follow up in the morning with a very, very light application of Cervae Moisturizing Cream in order to add more moisturization to the skin to protect it from dryness.

So there you have it, you can throw out all of the other garbage that promised relief to dry skin. These 2 products are all you are going to need.