Reviews by dbm82

dbm82 says "I don't get it!" about Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin Cologne

dbm82 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:47:15 GMT

Lime Basil and Mandarin, to my understanding, is the scent that launched the Jo Malone line, the one she first gave as a gift to her closest friends. Knowing this, I was eager to try it out. I had read it was unique, unisex and modern.

On my skin, it was, well...merely unique. I am a woman and this scent smelled downright masculine on me. Very woodsy and herby with a sharp citrus at the top. I found it very strong and headache-inducing (although many scents have this effect on me). I passed it on to my boyfriend and oddly enough it smelled a bit more feminine on him. This may be a case of the person's body chemistry figuring heavily into the smell because it was entirely different on him, warmer and lacking the sharp citrus. Still, it was clearly for neither of us. This is definitely one to try in the vial or at Neiman Marcus to make sure it will work with you. At $100 for the full-size bottle you will not want to take a chance on this one.

...

dbm82 says "Delightful...if too simple" about Jo Malone French Lime Blossom Cologne

dbm82 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:37:15 GMT

I bought a vial of this and many other Jo Malone perfumes while looking for my signature scent. At first whiff I really loved the fresh small of this fragrance. It is not lime, but rather lime blossom--a refreshing, green floral with a hint of powder. Unfortunately, twenty minutes in, this smell turns to green dish detergent on me--a simple, soapy scent.

I have, however, found that layered with another Jo Malone fragrance, Wild Fig and Cassis, this makes a lovely, crisp scent with enough depth to make it interesting (and not detergent smelling). Unfortunately, after wearing this combination for about a week, I started getting headaches from it, as I do from many fragrances. Not really a big loss though as a full 30 ml bottle of a Jo Malone costs fifty-five dollars and the 100 ml is one-hundred dollars. While I like this scent combination, I'm not quite ready to lay down $110-$200 for it, especially since it makes me sick.

...

dbm82 says "Soccer mom city" about Clinique Happy Perfume

dbm82 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:28:58 GMT

I feel a little bad giving a bad review to a fragrance so loved by so many, but well, let me start off by saying that I am very sensitive to perfumes--even ones I like will turn my stomach a little if I wear them more than a day in a row--but none provokes the nausea and headache quite like Happy. Oddly enough, Happy Heart doesn't really bother me that much.

As for the scent itself there is nothing offensive (must be something in the chemicals?). It is a very basic, bright, citrus-floral much like the box color suggests. To me, it doesn't smell interesting at all, but rather generic. When this came out, I remember feeling like anyone in a cardigan and khakis would be immediately drawn to it, very cute, very soccer mom. This wouldn't have been a bad thing except that during this time period darn near everyone seemed to be wearing it. Maybe it's a little too accessible, too crowd-pleasing? The result of having everyone wear a perfume, to me, is that it can't be you signature scent.

...

dbm82 says "warm and autumny" about Lancome Poeme Eue de Toilette

dbm82 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:16:59 GMT

Poeme by Lancome was my first "real" perfume. Every time I see a bottle I still think of the scented advertisement with beautiful Juliette Binoche (appropriately French) that provoked me to buy it.

Poeme might have been just a bit too sophisticated for me then though. It is a rich, womanly perfume, a strong, modern floral-oriental (or "floriental"), but to me it recalls vanilla and honey without directly smelling like either one as well as rich flowers. This perfume is perfect for late fall or winter, when you need a warm, inviting smell to comfort you from the cold. NOT a summer scent by any means.

For the money, this has amazing staying power. A little dab will really do ya. I have lasted entire half-years with the tiniest of sample bottles of this stuff. And speaking of bottles, the one for Poeme is really cute and trapezoid-shaped, although it looks a little dated (nineties) to me, but that may just be from having seen it for more than a decade now.

...

dbm82 says "Girly and floral" about Estee Lauder Pleasures

dbm82 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:09:31 GMT

I first remember smelling Estee Lauder Pleasures in a magazine scent strip more than a decade ago. The page was covered in a field of soft pink flowers, the perfect image for this soft floral fragrance. This perfume reminds me of an everywoman, though not quite in the same way that Clinique Happy does. The lady who wears this fragrance is just slightly more girly, a little bit dainty--a little bit more pearls and cardigans. Adjectives that come to mind regarding the smell itself include sweet, light, floral, and rich. It is a bit old for me, more of a "mom scent" (or maybe I just feel that way having first smelled it when I was still a teen) but one I like.

For added staying power, this layers well with the Pleasures lotion. Great deals can be found on this online or it can sometimes be received as a gift with purchase. Occasionally you can also find this fragrance in an easy-to-carry perfume pen that makes it easy to keep in your purse. For a twist on this fragrance, you might also be...

...

dbm82 says "Great for girls and boys!" about LEGO

dbm82 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:50:12 GMT

Who doesn't love LEGOs? Well my mother for one. Many were the times she was left nursing a hurting foot after stepping on one or eight of these suckers that had sunk down in to our 1980's plush carpeting. And yet, she somehow let all three of us kids play with our jar full of LEGO blocks for about nine years straight. I can only imagine this is because we loved our blocks so much she couldn't bear to take them away from us.

As a girl, I can say that I loved playing with my LEGOs just as much as my two brothers. While none of us grew up to be engineers, they definitely encouraged us to think in new ways. We never really got into the kits designed for building specific structures (planes, etc.). My personal recommendation would be one of the big, general buckets over the kits.

For younger children, these also come in larger sizes. Definitely recommended for the parent who doesn't want to be grasping their heel in pain every time they walk into a dark family room!

...

dbm82 says "Classic fun!" about Pressman Toys Let's Go Fishin' Game

dbm82 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:35:40 GMT

I recently encountered the Let's Go Fishin' game while looking for a gift for a friend's children. It immediately brought back tons of childhood memories of playing a very similar game in the mid-1980's. And honestly, it looks as if very little has changed since then--a good thing!

Don't underestimate the simple game's ability to keep small ones entertained! I remember playing this game for HOURS. The premise is simple, however: Use your fishing pole to "catch" one of 21 rotating fish. It's not as easy as you think! This new version also plays music, adding more fun to the game. The best part is, this can be played alone or with up to four players. Tallying up the winnings is also a great way to practice counting and colors.

Downsides are pretty obvious: Some of the small parts pose a choking hazard for small children. The game also requires two AA batteries, a precious commodity in any house with kids. I have also heard the fish are on the fragile side.

...

dbm82 says "It's working...I think" about Alcon Patanase

dbm82 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:25:06 GMT

I have been battling a strange, one-sided congestion in my left sinus for two years. After seeing an otolaryngologist last week, I was prescribed the nasal spray Patanase. I can honestly say I noticed a huge difference within one use. It feels as though there is finally a bit of "movement" going on up in that cavity. I had previously tried over-the-counter sinus and nose sprays which did absolutely nothing to relieve the blockage.

Using the product is very simple. You just remove the cap and spray the medicine into one nostril. The nasal device is very comfortable to use and the pump works fine with just one hand.

Now the downsides: As I imagine with any nasal spray, this stuff will eventually drain into your throat. Not a big deal except that it is really bitter and horrible tasting. I was also disturbed to read that "hole in nasal septum" is also listed as a potential side effect! (Simply spray toward the outside of your nostril to avoid this.) Finally, even though it has produced some...

...

dbm82 says "No complaints" about Canon CanoScan CS8800F Flatbed Scanner

dbm82 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:17:10 GMT

I bought the Canon 8800f scanner for use at work. We chose this model based on the price and our familiarity with the Canon line of scanners after our previous Canon scanner became uncompatible with our new operating system around its sixth year in use. I have been using this one for about eight months and have had consistently excellent experiences. I tend to use the scanner with Adobe Acrobat rather than the proprietary software that comes with it, but in the few times I have tried it it has seemed pretty intuitive and works just fine. There are also a series of buttons on the top of the scanner that allow you to copy, scan photos or film, or create a file for emailing with just one click.

Perhaps the most important feature of this scanner is its ability to scan film negatives. This is why we chose this model. While I have not personally used it for this purpose, I have heard positive stories from my coworkers.

On a final note, the scanner, while larger than many on the market now, appears...

...

dbm82 says "Works...so far" about Emerson Emerson .9 cu. ft. 900-Watt Microwave - Black

dbm82 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:04:19 GMT

I bought this microwave on clearance at Target this last weekend. It's been three days and I've used it twice. So far, everything seems to work correctly. The microwave heats food in the manner you would expect and does not appear to overheat. It also has an attractive, smooth black finish and sleek rectangular shape. It is very easy to clean. This was an upgrade from a turn-dial, .6 cubic food appliance and the little bit of extra room is definitely appreciated, as is the keyboard control. Furthermore, the glass turntable fit on to the inside of the microwave better than any other I have seen and the round, door-open feels very sturdy (I have had problems with these wearing out in the past).

All that having been said, I just went on the Target website and was shocked to find there are 34 one-star reviews out of a total of 36. According to these, the microwave tends to just stop working within a couple of months. This naturally has me a bit hesitant about my purchase and so I'm not sure...

...

dbm82 says "Works and smells nice" about Lady Speed Stick Invisible Dry Wild Freesia Antiperspirant & Deodorant

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:55:55 GMT

Lady Speed Stick has been a trusted brand for me for years so when I saw Lady Speed Stick Invisible Dry Wild Freesia Antiperspirant & Deodorant at the dollar store one day, I picked it up to try. Little did I know it would end up becoming a favorite product.

For starters, I really like the smell. It is sweet and floral--a light purpley smell--yet light enough to go unnoticed most of the day. The packaging is sturdy and easy to use--no twist bottom control falling off this container. The product itself appears to be nothing more than an ordinary solid deodorant, so I was surprised to find that the product does leave very little white residue. It is not as effective as a clear gel, but pretty good for a white solid, which I prefer to gels by far.
I am admittedly not a terribly sweaty person but I have not had any problems with this fading away or not working as some users have mentioned, even through hot days of walking for hours. I also have found that I can apply this almost immediately...

...

dbm82 says "Mimics a popular Nars shade at 1/8 the price" about Milani Blush Compact - Luminous

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:44:33 GMT

I've read about Nars Org*sm, the peachy-pink, flatters-all skin tones blush of the stars, for years. I never really bought the hype until I tried it one day in Sephora. I loved it. Now, paying $25 for a blush has never really been my style, so I immediately started scouring beauty message boards for a lookalike. All signs pointed to Milani Luminous blush. Not a bad deal at $3.49.

When I got it home though, something just didn't seem right. It didn't pop like I could have sworn the blush at Sephora had. The next time I was back in the store, I tried out the Nars blush again. Could have sworn it was more natural looking, the best darn blush I'd ever tried, made my skin glow just right and so on. Ended up giving in and buying some.

When I got it home, I compared the two. The difference was so embarassingly slight I wanted to smack myself for falling for the lure of the big brand. Yes, the Nars blush is more pigmented, a little more poppy, and in my eyes, just the tiniest bit more pinky rather...

...

dbm82 says "Works fine--why pay more" about White Rain Extra body shampoo

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:06:25 GMT

You can usually pick this shampoo up for a dollar at Walgreen's. It smells good--light, fresh and clean. More importantly, it also gets my hair clean. I don't really notice any changes in my hair's body, but I have never found a shampoo that made a strong difference in this area. Other pros? No fancy, teardrop shaped bottle. This means the shampoo bottle actually stays upright in the shower. Many White Rain shampoos are also clear, meaning no unnecessary chemical dyes or colorings. My only complaint is that the click-top covering the opening can be kind of hard to open and seems a little bit flimsy and break-prone, but I suppose that's what a dollar gets you these days. Every so often I'll pick up a fancy brand to try out for a while, but I can never see any difference in my hair so I often come back to this old standby. It does the job cheap and as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

...

dbm82 says "Tasty enough but nothing special" about Kuma's Corner - Chicago, IL

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:54:41 GMT

So this place was on Check Please, I take it? The last time I was here, the crowd had gotten a little more diverse (more families) and way more...crowdier. I don't really get it, but then I try to stick to a vegetarian diet. And their veggie burgers are nothing special, which is no huge surprise or anything, but seriously: tastes like it's just a patty from a Morningstar box, but for $10 instead of 60 cents. I do always sneak a bite of my boyfriend's meat burger though to see how the assortment of metal band toppings du jour turned out on a patty they actually want you to eat and it's a whole other experience--but not $11 and a long wait good, even by his admission.

...

dbm82 says "Sharebuilder IT Outages=Money Down The Drain" about Sharebuilder

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:41:36 GMT

I wanted to love Sharebuilder but unfortunately this service ended up costing both me, my boyfriend, and who knows how many investors hundreds of dollars because the site apparently could not handle large volumes of activity that naturally occur during rallies and other times of high trading.

During two periods of major stock market activity, a few months ago, the site became completely inaccessible to both of us. We would try to log on over and over again to no luck. Online message boards filled with complaints as we watched the value of our investments fall and fall with no ability to sell. This was my first time investing outside of my retirement account and terrifying to watch.

Had this happened just once, this may have been forgivable but it had happened months earlier and happened AGAIN just a few days later. (Google "Sharebuilder outage" for more details.) Phone lines had impossibly long waits. In the end customer service offered virtually nothing in return.

I highly recommend...

...

dbm82 says "Four blades means faster shaving" about Gillette Venus Razor For Women

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:29:54 GMT

I've been using Venus razors so long, it's hard to remember what shaving was like before them. I still remember my college roommate coming in after her first round with one, demanding I feel how smooth her leg was. I ended up getting one too. What impressed me wasn't the closeness of the shave, but how much faster it went with the Venus. The wide head just covered so much more surface area and rarely left any stubble to go over. Every time I go back to two- and even three-blade razors, I'm amazed at how tedious shaving seems and how long it takes.

Since then, I've tried a number of other four-(or more)blade razors. I just keep coming back to the Venus (although if it were cheaper, I'd just as soon use the male-marketed Mach 3 equivalent). The size of the head and feel of the handle just work for me. And even though blades are a little pricey, they really seem to stay sharp much longer than smaller ones.

...

dbm82 says "Affordable OTC Retinol Cream" about Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream Original Formula SPF 15

dbm82 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:22:38 GMT

I bought this cream because I read that it contains a high concentration of good-quality retinol for an over-the-counter treatment. I have only been using it several days, so I can't yet comment on the long-term effects. I will say though that it is light and non-greasy and has not caused me to break out or look too shiny. It only takes a pea-sized amount, applied over the face, and I'm done for today. I usually use it at night, but it has SPF 15 for daytime as well.

The product comes in a small, metal-like tube with a sealed opening, ensuring freshbess. The packaging is also easy-to-use (the hardest part may be puncturing the seal with the cap on the first use) and I have not had any problems with the product irritating my skin with daily use (although my skin is not very sensitive in general--if you do experience this the general advice is to just slow use to every other day). So far so good. And just $14.

...

dbm82 says "Nothing works like the pink stuff" about Pepto Bismol Upset Stomach Reliever/Antidiarrheal Original Chewable Tablets 48 Chewable Tablets

dbm82 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:16:04 GMT

As a child, I would sometimes fake a stomach ache just because I liked the taste of Pepto Bismol Upset Stomach Reliever/Antidiarrheal Original Chewable Tablets 48 Chewable Tablets. As a teenager, I would take half of one before I had to give a speech or choral performance to keep my nervous tummy in line. As an adult, this is still my go-to solution for various stomach troubles.

The liquid form of Pepto Bismol works just fine too, but I'm especially fond of the chewable tablets because they fit easily and discreetly in my purse and desk at work. They work fast, easing my stomach in about 10 minutes. It might just be my childhood associations, but this does the job on just about every gastric issue for me from aches and indigestion to diarrhea. One or two pills always seems to do the trick, while Immodium and other medicines send me a bit overboard unless I'm seriously sick. This is a great thing to have on hand for normal digestive troubles.

The only downside? Black tongue (and, well...other...

...

dbm82 says "On par with expensive creams for men or women" about kiss my face shave creams

dbm82 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:04:16 GMT

As a present, I bought my boyfriend an old school shave kit including a boar's head brush and fancy, non-aerosol shave cream (the kind you whip up into a latherwith said brush). While I was researching these products, I came across a number of positive reviews for Kiss My Face Moisture Shave. According to the men(!) raving about them, they ranked right up there with barbershop classics like Proraso, the one I ended up giving to my boyfriend.

Several weeks later I found these very creams at Whole Foods and decided to give it my own try. Each one had a lovely smell -- I was particularly fond of Peaches and Cream and Mint, buying the former.

After trying it, I will never go back to aerosol creams again (the product that makes these aerosol also dries out skin). A dime-sized drop of this stuff easily foams up into enough to do a whole shin (or face). Admittedly, it works especially well when whipped up with a brush, but I've had great results applying this directly to skin without creating...

...

dbm82 says "Clumpy Lashes, Just Don't Get It" about Maybelline Lash Stylist Washable Mascara

dbm82 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:54:03 GMT

I first tried Maybelline Lash Stylist Washable Mascara after reading endless raves about it on various beauty forums. Maybe I got a dud tube, but I just couldn't get this to work for me. Although the brush appeared to be an innovation in mascara application--just a sliver of a short-toothed comb, I ended up with gobs of black on my lashes every time. Even when I would wipe 95 percent of the product off the brush, I ended up with fake-looking, clumpy eyelashes at best. No separation, no natural thickness. Just three to five trashy spikes. Even when I would quickly grab an eyelash comb to separate, my lashes would find their way back to each other as the day progressed to form a unilash. To make matters worse, this stuff is not easy to wash off.

After a few weeks I ended up tossing the tube and keeping the comb. Back to Great Lash and Voluminous for me! I've yet to try it with another mascara, but I'm curious to see if the fault lie in the formula or the applicator.

...