MY FAVOURITE FRAGRANCES 2022 #TBT POST

Despite this post only being written 6 months ago I thought I

would include it in todays #TBT post, as it maybe of some help

to anyone looking to gift fragrance or treat yourself.

My current faves have remained constant now for several years

and as I say below it would take something exceptional to knock 

any of the below off their fragrance perch.

You can access the original full reviews via the Pink Links

~~~~~~

I currently have 4 fragrances on rotation in my "Fragrance Wardrobe" and

 as to which I choose, depends on my mood, the occasion and the weather.

I'm one of those people that loves to wear a fragrance daily and I

always have been, for as long as I can remember.

Fragrances have also been a huge part of my very long career in beauty,

 yet I have very few favourites and as one would expect they have 

changed over the years.

To be very honest I'm not one of those people that love all fragrances,

as I actually dislike way more than I like.

I generally enjoy the more citrusy-fresh genre, but even that has changed

slightly over the years.

Fragrance is very subjective and one fragrance doesn't suit all and it

can often take some time to find the ONE that has you lifting your

wrist to your nose often to just take in more of a beautiful scent.

My four current faves have remained constant now for several years

and it would take something exceptional to knock any of the below

off their fragrance perch.

CLEAN RESERVE

 CITROEN FIG

EDP

I love my Clean Reserve Citroen Fig and if I'm not mistaken I'm on

 my 3rd 100ml bottle. 

It really has become one of my all-time favourites, as I just love the

 top notes of fig, ginger, and lemon oil that will brings you an immediate 

burst of citrus, followed by the middle notes of cardamom, mint, 

copaiba, and mandarin, then the base notes of sandalwood, cedarwood,

 and musk will ensure that you have an exotic scent to last throughout the day.

I have reviewed 3 Clean Reserve fragrances and we now find ourselves being 

a Clean Reserve family, as I use the Citroen Fig, 

my hubby uses Warm Cotton and the youngest 'Kiddiewink" uses Rain

 and best of all we can create more fragrance options by layering with other

 fragrances in the Clean Reserve range and creating a unique fragrance.

To read my original reviews

~~~~~~

It took me several years to get onboard with the Jo Malone hype, simply

 because after trying so many of the fragrances, over so many years, 

I couldn't find one

that I was head over heels in love with.

After a slow start with Jo Malone I now have 2 JM fragrances included in my

"Fragrance Wardrobe" of four.

JO MALONE

EARL GREY & CUCUMBER 

COLOGNE

A fragrance with a burst of bergamot, the distinction of Earl Grey, and the

 coolness of crunchy cucumber, with a sweet base of beeswax, vanilla and musk. 

It's both reviving and refined and I adore it...

To read my original review

JO MALONE

WOOD SAGE & SEA SALT

COLOGNE

Complex Ingredients include ambrette seed, sea salt and sage, along with

 red algae and grapefruit. 

Sea air is mixed with salty and mineral texture of sand and stones and the 

scent of driftwood adds a natural and fresh sophistication.

Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne was created with the intention to evoke

 the feeling of pleasure, freedom and escape into nature, inspired by 

the unique character and quality of British beach. 

To read my original review

Both the Earl Grey & Cucumber and the Wood Sage & Sea Salt are lighter

Citrus/Woody/Aromatic fragrances and for me are ideal for daily Summer wear.

Both are unisex and my hubby also is partial to a spritz of

Wood Sage & Sea Salt...

~~~~~~

PENHALIGON'S

QUERCUS

COLOGNE

A cologne of some sophistication, named for the iconic English oak.

Basil and lemon as fresh as a mountain stream, sweet jasmine,

and a woody, mossy depth that brings one happily back to earth.

I fell in love with Quercus from the first spritz and was introduced to the

fragrance by my BFF in the UK, yet it wouldn't have been a fragrance that

I would have ever considered, however its become a firm favourite of mine

 to wear on those cooler days.

To read my original review

I also have written other fragrance posts that you may find useful :

Tips on How to Choose Fragrance Gifts for Women

Fragrance Evokes Memories

For The Love Of Fragrance Part 1

For The Love Of Fragrance Part 2

TIPS FOR MEN - HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT FRAGRANCE GIFT #TBT POST

This is a very early post I wrote for my blog way back in December 2012,

It did make me chuckle on re-reading,

so I thought I would re share, as the tips are still relevant today.

Enjoy!

~~~~~~

This will be the first time in 18 years that I will not be working on Christmas Eve,
however after saying this, I will miss all the fun that working on that day brings.

Over the years I have seen this same scene many, many times over and

 it's always a source of great amusement....

Typical Fragrance Department

All to often the unprepared male enters the cosmetic department on Christmas Eve hoping to quickly rush in and pick up a bottle of perfume for his partner or wife as a gift. 

Invariably he enters with a smile on his face, until he is met with a department full of products, bottles, colours, shoppers, assistants and aromas and the look soon changes from one of Christmas cheer to "horror" and "dread" as the realisation of the task ahead seems to have well and truly slapped him in the face. 

It isn't long before he is spotted by an eager consultant as "easy prey" in they swoops with a few standard probing questions:

Consultant "Hello Sir how can we help you today"?

Customer "I am looking for a perfume for my wife"

Consultant "What does she normally like to wear"?

Customer "I'm not sure, but it smells of flowers"

Consultant "That makes it rather difficult Sir, but can I show you some of the latest

 fragrances, as she most probably won't have any of these, 

as they have only just been launched"?

Costumer "I'm sure I'll recognise the bottle of her favourite fragrance"

Consultant "No problem Sir lets walk along the department and see if you recognise

 a name, bottle or the colour of the packaging.

Consultant "Any luck Sir"?

Customer "No! what were those new perfumes you spoke of"

Let me tell you, this method of "elimination" buying can vary in time depending on

the patience of the purchaser...

a few minutes - if he realises that this is way beyond his realm of detective capabilities

 or easily an hour - if he believes he is Inspector Clouseau and won't be beaten 

by thousands 

of fragrances glistening back at him from the shelves....

Not all men are like the example above and many do know exactly what their partner

 wears and the type of fragrance she enjoys.....

so guys if YOU are the customer in my story, then do yourself a favour and investigate 

before hand!

Here are few tips to hopefully help you navigate the daunting fragrance 

department at Christmas time!

1. Be prepared and take notice of what fragrance she has on her dressing table or in the bathroom.
2. Many women wear several fragrances , so write down all the names of the fragrances she uses or better still take a quick pic on your cell phone.
3. Often the one that has been used the most is the one that she likes the best.
4. If this doesn't help then you can always ask her sister or friend for advice.
5. Don't expect to just rush in and choose a fragrance in 10 minutes, so give yourself time to shop.
6. Do not leave the buying of the gift until Christmas Eve, as the best offers and gift sets have already been sold and you could end up "panic buying" which can end up costing you more.
7. Understand that casual staff  are sent in by the individual companies to spray and promote fragrances and are therefore pushing a particular brand, so don't be easily swayed if you have had definite instructions on what to buy and what not to buy.
8. If you require more in depth fragrance knowledge and more neutral advice, then ask to speak to the permanent generic fragrance consultant and not the temporary staff.
9. Firstly ask to see any gift sets that maybe available in the particular fragrance you decide on, some brands bring out beautiful Christmas sets filled with the fragrance and the matching body products and can work out to be better value.
10. If you want to surprise her with something new then try and keep to the same classification of fragrance. In other words if she loves Opium by Yves Saint Laurent then the chances are that she will not like Ck one by Calvin Klein, as the one is a spicy and heavy and the other is a fresher more lighter wearing type of fragrance. A good fragrance consultant will be able to advise you on this.
11. Do not test the fragrances on yourself  or the consultant, as it will not smell the same on your partner.Fragrance is very personal and develops differently on everyone.
12. Make use of the spray blotters (strips of blotting paper that you spray the fragrance onto) that all stores have.This enables you to get an idea of what the fragrance smells like without using every inch of your body to test.
13. If you are buying for someone and have no idea of their "likes" or "dislikes" then ask for a sample of the fragrance that you have decided on and gift it at the same time. This means she can try the sample rather than open and use the gift fragrance, thus allowing it to be returned and exchanged if necessary.
14. Always ask for a gift receipt, so she can do an easy exchange if you get it wrong (as long as the cellophane or seal is intact)
15. Make life easier for yourself and get the store to beautifully gift wrap ,which is generally free of charge.

I hope these tips help you

 Happy Shopping!

CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF EYE MAKE-UP REMOVER #TBT REVIEW

I wrote this post 3 years ago and I still haven't tried anything else

from CLINIQUE.

Despite really enjoying this eye-make-up remover I haven't re-purchased and that's

down to the fact that I had simply forgotten about it, so maybe its

time to re-purchase when my current eye make-up remover has finished.

I have updated the prices below.

~~~~~~

There's a good reason why this product from 

CLINIQUE

is one of their Best Sellers and that's because it's good at what it's formulated to do.

Take The Day Off
Makeup Remover

for Lids,Lashes & Lips

is a multi-tasking remover that instantly dissolves and lifts away make-up whether its

on your lids, lashes, or lips.

Their "tug less" formula ensures that there is no unnecessary harsh movements required

to remove eye make-up or mascara and it even removes waterproof mascara 

quite effortlessly.
This bi-phase product does need to be shaken well and as always the dampened cotton
pad must be left over the eye lids or lips for a minute or so to ensure full removal.
Post removal it is advisable to wipe over the area with a water dampened cotton pad 
to remove any oily residue that can be left behind on the skin.

If you are a wearer of heavy eye make-up or matte type lipsticks then this
product is a "must have" to use for removal.

This product is Non-irritating, non-stinging. Ophthalmologist Tested and

appropriate for contact lens wearers.

Clinique is a brand that I have never used anything from before, so it would seem that 
I chose well for my first product to try...

CLINIQUE

Take The Day Off
Makeup Remover

for Lids,Lashes & Lips

125mls

R
320

365


£
18.00

19.00


€
26

 24 

$
19.50

21.00

FRIDAY FOLLOW-UP {SEPTEMBER 2019} #TBT POST

A throwback to a Friday Follow-Up post I wrote back in September

2019 regarding products that I managed to take off my

UK Shopping List.

UK travel or any overseas travel ground to a halt, over the 2 years

of the COVID Pandemic and for us here in South Africa the UK is still

out of bounds to us, which is very frustrating.

Not knowing when I can get back to see my family has also meant that

my ongoing UK Shopping List has not been added to, but you can be

assured that when we are allowed to travel, without the 10 days

of quarantine, I will have my list updated and ready.

I have added a couple of new update notes for today 29/09/2021

 in Pink...

~~~~~~ 

27/09/2019

Below is the post I wrote several weeks ago about what was on my 

UK Shopping List, so I thought I would do a follow up post to let you 

know which of the products I did actually purchase and which

 I didn't and why.

I will be writing a detailed review on each of the products that I bought.

~~~~~~

The excitement is mounting, as I'm off to the UK and Dubai later this week 

and as always I have a long beauty shopping list.

I did write a post a couple of weeks ago as to what is on my Repurchase Shopping List

To read that post

but this post will comprise of premium products that are a mix of new launches 
or just products new to me.

Sadly these products are not readily available in South Africa and if they are,

 then you're paying a premium, as its often through a pricey third retailer.

Having either read or heard nothing but good reports about these products I've added

 them to my list.

These are the products that I want to investigate further, which could maybe 

lead to a purchase or two, but I'll have to choose carefully, as they're all 
premium products with premium prices.

1.

BYTERRY

Baume de Rose

29/09/2021

I'm still loving this product and have since bought many more

 BYTERRY

products including the Baume de Rose Crayon.

To read my review

27/09/2019

I finally purchase one and so far I'm really enjoying and a full review 

will be 

up early in October.

to read all my reviews on BYTERRY

This has been on my list, for what seems like ages, and I always put it on the

"back beauty burner" in lieu of other purchases, but on this trip I'm determined

to purchase one and then I can finally strike it off my list once and for all.

BYTERRY is a French Luxury brand and their best seller

Baume de Rose is considered the 'Rolls-Royce' of lip balms and is a cult favourite

 around the world and being a Lip Balm junkie I have to try this at some point.

2.

Summer Fridays

Jet Lag Mask

29/09/2021

Well I can finally report that I managed to buy this product earlier in 2021

here in South Africa and I love it and it certainly didn't disappoint.

To read my review

27/09/2019

This was a difficult product to track down, as so many cosmetic 

departments and stores didn't stock, in fact most hadn't even 

heard of it, but I finally found it in 

Selfridges however it was a hefty £42, so I decided to leave it 

on the shelf and its remained on my UK Shopping List for next time, 

so I didn't get to put it to the test on the return flights, 

as previously hoped...

I love a good mask and this multi-purpose offering from Summer Fridays appeals to me,

 so I want to investigate a little further into this relative unknown brand, 

unknown to me at least.

This mask is perhaps their most famous product, thanks to Kim Kardashian, so I'm 

curious to know what all the hype is about and if I do buy one I will get to put 

it to the test 

on my 2 long haul return flights back to SA.

3.

VITA LIBERATA

Beauty Blur

29/09/2021

Again I finally managed to get my hands on a small size via a 

beauty box some months after writing the update below

and "Oh My Goodness" it's divine and a replacement is on the cards.

To read my review

27/09/2019

Oh my goodness this product was literally sold out everywhere I went and 

trust me I went everywhere Harrods,Selfridges,

Harvey Nichols, SpaceNK, Boots and Marks & Spencer, 

so this remains on my list...

VITA LIBERATA is the "crème de la crème" range when it comes to all things

 "Self Tan" related and following the hugely popular creation of their Body Blur

we now have skin tone optimiser which will enhance and perfect the look of 

your complexion. 

Beauty Blur combines all the skin finishing benefits of best-selling Body Blur 

with a skin tone optimiser, HD primer and effective Advoganic skincare for your 

most radiant glow.

I'm keen to test their 4 shade options and hopefully I will find the correct shade 

and buy one in readiness for our SA summer.

4.

LUMENE

Invisible Illumination Instant Glow 

Fresh Skin Tint

29/09/2021

This products still illusive and remains on my list.

27/09/2019

Another illusive product sadly, so I may have to order 

online and guess my shade, so its another that remains on my list...

This product from the award winning Finnish skincare brand LUMENE may well be 

a slight overlap with the previous product,

so I doubt very much that I will purchase both, but it's for sure one that I want 

to look at, after hearing several goods reports about.

6.

Omorovicza
Queen of Hungary Mist

29/09/2021

I also received a 2nd spray in a Beauty Advent Calendar in 2019 and

whilst I like the product I have used a couple of similar, that I prefer more.

To read my review

 

27/09/2019

I picked up a 30ml size at SpaceNK, so I'm

looking forward to comparing it with other similar

products that I've tried...

Again another rather obscure brand here in South Africa, but this Hungarian brand
has beauty bloggers and beauty editors globally raving about this Hungarian Mist.
Being a sucker for facial sprays and mists this again has been some time on my shopping list,

 but always got pushed back down to the bottom due to its price, so it may
well end up suffering the same fate on this trip, but lets see what happens.

I also want to test 2 new fragrances whilst I'm over in the UK, the one brand 

we don't get in SA and the other we do, but its just not launched yet.

27/09/2019

The packaging is stunning and my first impressions were

great, as it has top notes of fresh citrus, which I love,

but sadly on the dry down it turned quite bitter on me...

Limone Di Sicilia from AERIN is on my list to test as I adore fresh, citrusy florals 

and this sounds like a fragrance I would really enjoy.

The packaging is simply stunning and no doubt its way out of my budget, 

but I'm checking the range out regardless.

27/09/2019

Whilst the packaging is stunning and the bottle is so tactile,

 it disappointingly  

wasn't my type of fragrance.

Another new fragrance launch is IDÔLE by LANCÔME

I'm sure this will be launched very soon into South Africa, but whilst I'm over in the UK

I will be sure a have a sniff.

As always I will post my product reviews once I've put any of these purchases to the test.

Please let me know  in the comments below, if you have tried any of the above and

 what your thoughts were, as I would hate to waste my money.