Perfume Review: lol ;-) by Lulu Castagnette

A few months ago I picked out a perfume named Les Petites Folies 00:10 by Lulu Castagnette. I liked it so much I recently got the "buddy" perfume Les Petites Folies 20:15 which is lovely too - gorgeous bottles!

I returned to try another Lulu Castagnette perfume however unfortunately the Sales Assistant could not find the tester. I didn't want to leave the store without testing SOMETHING so I asked to try the only other tester there which happened to be lol ;-).

I had seen this perfume in lists whilst browsing sites & had a small giggle. Who would buy a perfume with such a name unless it's for a novelty - which I'm not completely alien to. Certainly it's a teen perfume? I try not to judge scents like I have seen others do. However this is definitely one instance when I misjudged .


So the SA sprayed & handed the card to me. I sniffed & looked up at her in surprise. It was really nice! Pick me up off the floor!

How does it smell?
The top notes are a blast of Strawberry & Apple, which turns out to be a little like sherbet. The Florals (Rose & Iris) sneak in & soon after the Vanilla. Just when you think you have lol ;-) figured out, the Sandalwood & Patchouli join the crowd & turn it into a sophisticated gourmand (well I think so anyway).

I always test potential fragrances on my skin, so I asked the SA to spray my arm. After a while the scent turned from a fruity sherbet to a creamy delicious strawberry vanilla with just the right amount of sandalwood & patchouli to blend. It definitely grew on me as the afternoon progressed to evening & then morning. Morning?? Yes, it lasted on my skin, pillow & clothes. I got whiffs of it until I washed! It grew on me & I knew I wanted to lol ;-)

Sillage seems to be decent & it has approval from my SO (a very hard feat!!!).

PERFUME NOTES:
Top: Strawberry, Apple
Middle: Rose, Iris
Base: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Patchouli

What about the bottle?
The bottle seems to be a little Jean Paul Gaultier inspired with its curves. It's a cute pink & orange with an unusual "topless" pink see through lid. Can't say that it's extremely elegant looking, it reminds me a little of a deodorant, but it's nice to hold & easy to spray/distribute the perfume on your arm.

Would I recommend it?
Yes! .... but you'll need to like gourmand (foody) scents as it's very sweet & definitely smells like a fruity, creamy desert (with some sherbet thrown in). If this does not appeal to you - avoid it. If it does, try it out on your skin!


Verdict
Who would have thought a perfume called lol ;-) would be a really nice fragrance? Not me! But it is! I'm really happy with this scent & it will definitely be on my rotation. Although it seems to stand the heat, lol ;-) is probably a cooler weather fragrance. The Vanilla may be a little too much in the humidity.

Price
I bought a 100ml for $45 from The Perfume Connection. It's also available in 50ml for $22.95*

PS: A small heads up! If you're looking for this the "full" name is SMS lol ;-) but on the bottle it simply says lol ;-) - Lulu Castagnette seems to like to group fragrances into "headings" (?) such as SMS or Les Petite Folies which can be a little confusing if you're specifically looking for one of her fragrances on a listing or site without good search functions as this may be listed under S or L.

PPS: As of July 2011, you can pick up 100ml of SMS lol ;-) from The Perfume Connection, & The Perfume Shop for $14 a bottle. Apparently they're getting rid of the line & I definitely recommend you take advantage of that! :-) $14 for this perfume is a steal!

My Rating: 7 out of 10

*Edit July, 2011: Perfume Connection must be discontinuing the line, as I saw lol ;-) for $13 (50ml) grab a bottle as at this price, it's a steal!

UNII Palette

I finally received my UNII Palettes! I ordered a Pomegranate (Red/Pink) & Coal (Black - for a friend). Shipping time was quite good considering it was sent during the holiday season.

I won't give you a blow by blow review about the palette as there are plenty of those, but I will give you my thoughts.

First Impressions


I have to say my very first impression was, wow that's small. I saw other reviews mention this but didn't realise it was smaller than my palm to my finger tips.

The palette seems to be very well made however, & is quite sleek. As you probably know the UNII Palette has a clasp that keeps it closed & is easy to open. I haven't used it "on the road" yet, but it doesn't look like it could accidently open in your bag.

The pans & brush fit in perfectly. As you can see from the photo I've fit 8 x Inglot square eyeshadows in (2.7 grams each) & an EcoTools Eye Shadow brush in between. On the left bottom sideside is the powder half of my Smashbox BrowTech. The left top has a plastic thumb grip which you can move to whichever position you need. You don't have to use it if you don't have the room but it's a good idea as you have something to hold onto, rather than holding the palette precariously or accidently digging your nail(s) into an eyeshadow.

What I would use the UNII Palette for?

I wouldn't recommend the UNII Palette as a makeup storage solution as it's just too small, however it looks like it will be perfect for travel.

I can see that I will probably still need to use a separate makeup bag for brushes - unless I sacrifice some eyeshadows, which could probably happen if it is just an overnight trip.


Is it better than other small style palettes?

If you asked me a month ago, I would have said yes, but whilst waiting for the UNII Palette to arrive I bought a small Inglot Freedom palette (the older style) & started to use it to travel with makeup.

One thing that the small Inglot palette has over the UNII Palette is that it is smaller, thinner & lighter. It holds the same amount of Inglot shadows & also has a mirror. It doesn't have a clasp but it seems to close up tight.

The EcoTool brush you see above fits in the Inglot palette, but the thicker highlight EcoTool brush did not (the Inglot palette wouldn't close, but the UNII one did.

The other thing that the UNII Palette has over the Inglot palette is pizazz. What other palette comes in a pretty colour & looks like a little notebook? It's definitely adorable. :D

Also, if you're wondering, the UNII Palette is a LOT better than the SMH/ACW small magnetic palette - I wouldn't travel with that one. Too flimsy.

Please note: the bottom is not magnetised

One other thing I noticed is that the metal plate at the bottom is NOT magnetised.

UNII Cosmetics provides a square of magnet adhesive for you to cut & stick to the bottom of your pans. I don't want to stick the magnets under pans that are already magnetised, so I got around this by placing the supplied adhesive magnet sheet on the bottom - it's the exact dimensions of the palette. I placed my eyeshadow pans on that & voila. The magnets stick.

This seems to work but I'm a little apprehensive that the magnet square might move or fall out accidentally (remember I just sat it in the palette). If it falls out, it takes ALL of my shadows with it. I'm not game enough to hold it upside-down to test. I guess I'll have to see see how it goes.

Verdict


This verdict is only on first impressions as I haven't even had it for 24 hours, however I think the UNII Palette is really sleek & pretty. I really like the design & it will be my travel palette from now on. It looks like it will do a great job (as long as the "unstuck" magnet adhesive stays put).

I will do an update to let you know what I think once I've had more experience.

How To Make Your Fragrance Last Longer (& fix other complaints)

I love my perfume & perusing fragrance reviews is a strange pastime of mine (well my SO seems to think so anyway). One thing I come across quite often are complains about different perfumes such as:-

• This perfume only lasts 5 minutes on me! 
• I love the (Top/Middle/Base) notes but something turns strange 
• This doesn't smell the same on me as it does on my friend/mother/aunt

There will always be fragrances &/or notes that you like, or don't like - this is personal taste - but some of the common complaints are due to the way it is worn & is usually fixable. Let me show you how!

BACKGROUND

I started (seriously) collecting perfume bout 4 years ago when I ran out of my signature scent & decided to broaden my horizon. It wasn't that I didn't like it any more, I just wanted to try something new. That one "new" fragrance turned into 2, and then 3, and then 4.... well you get the picture.

BAD EXPERIENCE - STRANGE NOTE?

One of my first few fragrances in my collection all those years ago was Insolence by Guerlain. I found & tested this on my skin at the department store. It worked well & I loved it. I realised that I had to have it (as you do!). Those of you who have experienced Insolence you will know that it is LOUD. It's a love it or hate it scent. I find it extremely complicated, sweet yet creamy & luxurious.

I found Insolence at a great price & eagerly purchased it. After wearing my new favourite a few times I found that occasionally it would take on a very odd, sharp "washing powder" note* that would irritate my nose to the point that I disliked it. This strange note was not present all the time so I knew it wasn't normal, but because of this I didn't wear it as much anymore.

*I've since found that a few fragrances develop the sharp washing powder note if the perfume is not worn correctly (see below). It seems to be a floral trait but I haven't tracked it down to any particular note.

BAD EXPERIENCE - 5 MINUTE SCENT!

So, around the same time as my Insolence experience, Summer came & as Insolence is definitely a Winter fragrance (big on the vanilla which can be overbearing in hot weather) I went looking for a new Summery scent.

I ended up getting Dior Addict 2 by Dior, which is a pretty fruity perfume which has a gorgeous BLAST of sparkling grapefruit in the top notes. I totally love it, but unfortunately it didn't seem to last long on my skin.

After reading a few reviews the general consensus was that Dior Addict 2 is a scent that "doesn't last long" & I've found that this seems to be an attribute of fruity fragrances that don't have a heavy base (such as vanilla, sandalwood or amber). Well, I loved the new fragrance & I wasn't about to write off a Dior!

So here is my solution!

HOW TO DO IT:

1. Shower & cleanse your skin with the cleanser of your choice (whether that be liquid cleanser, shower gel, even soap).
2. After your shower pat your skin dry, however keep your wrists & upper neck area slightly damp
3. Before dressing smooth a NON-SCENTED moisturiser into your wrists & upper neck. Don't over do it!
4. Dress & continue your morning routine & give the moisturiser a chance to sink into your skin for about 5 minutes
5. Spray your chosen fragrance on your wrists & neck.
6. That's it!

WHY DOES IT WORK?

Perfumes MUST HAVE a clean canvas for the true notes to come out - exactly as they are meant to smell.

Natural oils or dirt present on the skin will change the notes. This is why a fragrance might smell different on one person to the next.

Moisturiser (funnily enough) keeps the moisture in the skin which makes your perfume last longer.

MY PERFUME RULES

• You MUST MUST MUST exfoliate your skin (wrists, neck, inner elbows, declorage) at least once every fortnight. Dead skin cells will hinder the true notes of the perfume coming out.
• Only put your perfume on CLEAN skin. After your shower is ideal. If you won't be showering make it a point to wash your skin with your favourite non-scented cleanser in the sink.
• Remember: if you can't smell your fragrance, it doesn't mean that other people don't smell it. Your nose may have become used to it. If you think your scent is disappearing ask a friend if they can still smell it. 9 times out of 10 they will be able to.
• DONT OVER SPRAY! Get to know which of your fragrances are strong & only need ONE full spray, or TWO small sprays (eg Insolence, Flowerbomb, Hypnotic Poison, Dior Addict) and which lighter perfumes may need full coverage (wrists, neck, declorage. Spraying more doesn't mean it will last longer, you'll just end up walking around smelling like you've marinated yourself in it. NEVER nice for others, even if it's the best fragrance ever.
• You DON'T have to buy the perfume lines moisturiser/mousse/oil/body shampoo/powder etc to "layer" the scent. If you're on a budget (or don't like throwing money away) just find an unscented moisturiser & cleanser. Personally I would rather spend the extra money on another fragrance!
• If you have a choice, purchase the EDP over the EDT. It is better quality. The only exception to this rule is if you prefer the smell of the EDT then that's what you'll be choosing. 99% of the time the EDP smells better than the EDT anyway.
• Before you buy - even if it's a great price - always test a potential new fragrance on your skin. Spray it using a store tester, continue your shopping & if you still like it after an hour (and you can't wait) go get it!

So, before you write off that purchase or gift as a dud, try this! If you still don't like the way it smells, it's not for you!

Aussie Retailers VS Aussie Shoppers - ONLINE SHOPPING BATTLE

The last couple of days has seen an interesting debate on news websites & news shows started by Australian retail store giants such as Myer, Harvey Norman, Target & David Jones.

They're stating that "jobs will be at risk" if the Australian Government does not impose a GST on overseas internet purchases. It seems that as Aussie shoppers take their purchases overseas they are creating an "uneven playing field".

It seems that the Internet has caused "problems" for retailers. It seems to me that it's given us more options & loosened the hold that our retail stores have on us.

I'm not a financial expert by any means but if Aussies can get the same product from overseas for a better price why wouldn't we?

I'm a girl who loves to buy local, & support my local economy, but if I can get the exact same product for $50 rather than paying $90 - INCLUDING postage - I'm going to buy overseas!

One of the big arguments I've heard is that, for example, some of the products we're looking at buying online are imported by the USA, UK & Australia - from Asia -  however the prices are sometimes double or more in Australia. Why is this? The goods have further to go? Aren't we closer to Asia than the USA? (The word Australasia comes to mind).

PERFECT EXAMPLE - COSMETICS


The perfect example for overpricing that we all know too well is Cosmetics & Fragrances.

Let's put two leading Australian & American makeup boutiques head to head:

meccacosmetica.com.au Too Faced Liquif-Eye Eye Transformer = $32.95 AU
sephora.com Too Faced Liquif-Eye Eye Transformer = $18 US



meccacosmetica.com.au Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer = $52.95 AU
sephora.com Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer = $36.95 US

meccacosmetica.com.au NARS Firming Foundation = $115 AU
sephora.com NARS Firming Foundation = $50 US

Sephora is not known as the cheapest cosmetics store in the USA so I'm sure you could find  these products even cheaper in the if you searched, but this alone shows how ramped up our prices are.

Okay maybe there are other costs that I as a consumer do not know about, but until Retailers lay all their cards on the table & tell us how they come to their prices (we all know that's not going to happen) what on earth we are meant to think? Either way I don't think the cost of importing the same product would be that much higher.

COME ON AUSSIE RETAILERS!

Wake up & smell the coffee. Times have changed. Not only are shoppers getting smarter.... Overseas retailers are cleverly AIMING their promotions toward us & enticing us to buy from them. Instead of winging about it, how about doing something about it & become competitive. Entice us back!

Give us a reason NOT to purchase overseas, because I'm sure you will find that we'd go directly to your store if the prices were not so obviously created out of greed & profit.

• YOU'RE the ones who need to create the "even playing field" & adapt to the retail climate.
• YOU'VE been on easy street for years now, how about rising to the challenge??????

Last but not least DON'T THREATEN US ABOUT AUSTRALIANS LOSING JOBS. YOUR profits are enormous & that's all you are concerned about. NOT JOBS.


That's my rant. :-)

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had (or has if you're across the pond) a lovely Christmas & enjoyed spending time with family or friends!

Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance Policy Palette

I've been wanting to try Too Faced Shadow Insurance (aka TFSI) for a while so I went to Kit Cosmetics to buy a tube. I noticed they had a palette pack called Eye Shadow Insurance Policy which has 6 pressed eyeshadows & a full tube of TFSI for $49.95AU.

The palette has the following colours:

• Full Frontal
• Glamazon
• Socialite
• Boy Toy
• Skinny Dip &
• Lucky Charms

Considering a full tube of TFSI is $34.95 by itself, I figured that for an extra $15, it was worth getting the palette too.

I haven't used either since I bought it, and am considering whether or not I will keep the eyeshadow palette for myself or gift it to family (my Niece would love it!).

I didn't see many packs left in my local Kit Cosmetics, so if you're looking at getting TFSI, consider buying the set!

Edit: Well I happened to go to www.kitcosmetics.com.au & found the same set for $24.95 plus postage at $10, which still makes the set $20 cheaper. Don't you hate finding things at a cheaper price after you've bought them???? Oh well that happens.... however I've also looked at the eyeshadows & found that a couple of them actually looked like they've been swatched. Really disapointing. It feels like I've bought a secondhand product :( It leaves me with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Inglot Haul

I went Xmas shopping yesterday & ended up at Inglot (how on earth did that happen?). I needed Brush Cleanser & ended up with the following:

• Brush Cleanser
• Magnalash Mascara
• Lip Duo #13
• Metal Mixing Palette
• 1 x 6 Square Eyeshadow Palette (only $25!!!) &
• Various eyeshadow samples & a foundation sample!

I was also given an Inglot 10% Off voucher for January which I look forward to using!

Can't wait to use the products & will review them here.

I really should stop buying things so I can concentrate on reviews shouldn't I? :D