Category Archives: Fashion & Beauty

Makeup Revolution Mystery Bag Reveal

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I was ever so excited when I recently purchased from Makeup Revolution London, and they included a free mystery bag with my order. I decided that I would share this reveal with you all, because I have no idea what is inside, and I love a surprise especially when its free! It took me a moment to unroll the bubble wrap and I couldn’t believe how many items were neatly arranged inside…

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So the items that were included in my mystery bag are…

Item 1. Colour Chaos 18 Exclusive Eyeshadow Palette. The pigments in these colours are just incredible!

Item 2. Radiant Lights Glow

Item 3. The One Blush Stick – Malibu Shade – For Cheeks and/or Lips

Item 4. Amazing Sheer Lip Gloss – shade ‘Hey Girl’

Item 5. Vivid Blush Lacquer in shade ‘Desire’

Item 6. Single Mono Eyeshadow in shade ‘I Won’t Be Alone’

Item 7. Ultra Velour Lip Cream ‘Move your Mouth Forever’

Item 8. #LipHug Lipstick in shade ‘Let’s Raise the Bar’

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Wow! I am over the moon with my mystery bag! I am very much looking forward to using the eyeshadows and the lip gloss, and trying out the radiant lights glow too.
If I’m really impressed with any of the products I will of course do a review on them individually in the coming weeks.
Thanks to Makeup Revolution London for some great new products. Keep your eyes peeled for my makeup reviews soon.

Makeup Organiser Review

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Makeup and Desk Tidy Organiser Review

Plastic Makeup Organiser SW

I’m a big believer in keeping things tidy and organised. So when I had a major clear out of lots of old makeup and products at the start of this year I knew I needed to get things tidied. I wanted to purchase some clever storage items for the products I was keeping and use on a regular basis.

The purchase I made was this organiser and I’m very happy with it. I’m reviewing this plastic makeup storage piece because I think lots of people out there might be interested to know how much these things hold.

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As you can see in my photographs I’ve only put the products I use often in the unit, and there’s still a ton of space. This organiser is great if you own a lot of lipsticks, there are 12 spaces for them. A large square section on the left ideal for flat based items and two taller slots at the back of that. Finally a slot at the back on the right which I have used for eyeshadow palettes but it’s a very versatile space.

Overall I’m pleased with this purchase. It’s made my daily routine easier by having the products I use on show and easily removable. You can get a variety of items to fit, providing they are a standard size. As you can see in the picture below I have managed to fit square and round based lipsticks on the right. Nail Varnishes sadly don’t fit in the lipstick sections for anyone who wondered. Despite this I still have plenty of room for all my other types of daily products, and the organiser sits flush on my bedroom unit, keeping everything tidy. I only wish the back right part was a little deeper (look at the No7 eyeshadow palettes) so I could fit more in.

My Final Review is;

Quality 4/5
Value 4/5
Usefullness 5/5

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Thanks so much for reading this review. You can find these type of organisers in TKMaxx Homesense and on Amazon.

✩ Sabrina ✩

L’Oréal Paris Préférence Glam Bronde No5 Review

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Deciding to change your hair colour can be quite a daunting process, especially if you are very attached to your hair as I am. Not only do I have natural curls, but I have naturally auburn hair through my ancestry. This can mean that certain colours will always turn into a red tint, especially if I’m trying to go blonde, it just doesn’t work.

So what I wanted to do was highlight my hair for the springtime, a subtle change rather than a bold new look. When I saw the ‘Bronde’ boxes last summer I kept hoping to try one, and now was the right time for me to do so.

LorealParisHairDyeSWWith help from my husband (for the strokes at the back of my head) I decided to use this hair product. Being L’Oréal Paris Préférence I was expecting great things. The brush that is used to apply the mixed product to your hair is really great. It allows you to safely and precisely work with your hair, as you would when brushing it, putting the highlights in where you want them. I thought it was a genius piece of kit and I have kept it (thoroughly washed) for future hair dyeing escapades.

I was pleased with the overall look of my hair, though after the full 45 minutes of developing time I would’ve expected a little bit lighter result. I even put extra product on just the ends of my hair in the hope that at least I would end up with an ombre effect even if the highlights weren’t very noticeable.

I took this selfie in natural light by a window and even though the colour difference is noticeable, you can also see that my natural colour has altered the final look. The product is designed for medium brown hair and although mine is a little darker than the woman shown on the box, I always take that with a pinch of salt; you don’t know how much processing has been done to the photographs. I would have hoped of a lighter highlight, even if it did go a hint of red with my hair colour, it’s still not how its advertised on the box.

Hair Sabrina MarchSo that is my new look for spring and the end of my review. The pros are that as far as applying the product goes, the brush makes it easy, and providing you’ve got lots of mirrors or someone to help you with the strands at the back, it’s easy to achieve. The con is that it really did stink, you need a much ventilated room, and I’m not sure how much lighter it has gone on other people but it didn’t do much on my hair.

Finally would I recommend this product?
Yes I would, but I would say the next one I would try might be the red shade of highlights rather than the ‘Bronde’, I might need to realise that this is as light as I can highlight with this shade without a progressive hair dyeing every few months.

If anyone has used this product and would like to leave me their thoughts in a comment I would love to hear others experiences.

Dorothy Perkins Gingham Check Pinny Dress Review

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One trend I liked the look of for SS16 (but have very little of in my own wardrobe) is the check/tartan designs. When I saw this dress from Dorothy Perkins I knew it was the right style for me. I ordered this in the hope that it would become my staple check piece.

I love layering, and this dress is perfect for that. Crop tops with no sleeves or t-shirts with full sleeves both look good underneath this pinny dress. I chose to show you a version of me wearing this dress with a crop top, because with any luck we’ll soon know better weather (in the UK) and can enjoy wearing less layers.

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I hope that this item will last me throughout the year, paired with boots and layers for the cooler days, and wearing the dress (with at least a crop top) as it is with flats in the warmer months. The quality of the material is good, it’s thick and seems durable.

Pro’s and Con’s for a dress this style depend upon your shape. I’m slim but not very tall, just above a petite, so I find I can get away with wearing petite clothes at times. This dress was available in both, a petite and a regular, but I chose to order the normal length.
A pro is that the actual dress as a whole is the perfect height for me, it ends at my knees and I wouldn’t want it much higher than that. The pattern is lovely and I think most people can wear this style without any problem.
A con though is that the straps and neckline hang quite low on my chest, which isn’t good, I would always choose to wear something underneath it, for both a modesty and a comfort aspect. The same goes for under the arms, as you can see in my photograph below, the dress hangs low at the sides, another reason to wear a thin top beneath it.
Another pro has to be the awesome large pockets on the front. Great for the summer months when you wouldn’t be carrying a coat with you, they can hold small items such as a lip balm, a packet of tissues and some change no problem.

Check Dress
Over all I think this dress is a nice piece that I would definitely wear throughout the year. I wouldn’t say that this style suits my figure entirely, but I can work around it by wearing a top underneath the dress and therefore boosting my confidence to wear it. It certainly isn’t my favourite purchase of this year so far, but it is a trend that I didn’t own, and now do. The dress is wearable, and comfortable but I only felt confident once I had made changes, such as the layering beneath it. Honestly it reminds me of when I had dungarees as a child, without the shorts part, they were so baggy you always had to a wear a t-shirt underneath. Ah the carefree memories…

My final review for this piece of clothing is:
4/5 for comfort
4/5 for durability and quality
3/5 for style and appearance
3/5 for value

Here is the link to the Dorothy Perkins website for this dress if you’re interested in looking at it any further.
http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/product/gingham-check-pinny-dress-5264298?bi=0&ps=20&Ntt=pinny

Clinique Super Primer and Beyond Perfection Foundation and Concealer Review

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Clinique have been giving away samples of their most recent foundation to be released. This Beyond Perfecting Foundation is both that and a concealer in one which allows for complete coverage.

I decided to give this makeup a go, but having never used the clinique brand before I didn’t have much to compare it to. So I will be reviewing it as an individual product and will conclude with whether or not I would then purchase the full item.

Clinque1SWHaving made a specific journey into my local store to get the samples I had inquired about, I was a little disappointed that the shade I needed had all been given away. Luckily the dispenser had a slightly pinker sample than my tone, or a sample that was one shade darker than my natural complexion.

In the end she gave me both, so that I could blend the two together for a shade closer to my skintone. And she also gave me a lovely primer sample for my trouble.

When I used the primer it was actually great, lovely and light on the skin and once dried I wasn’t even aware that I had put any on.

I decided to mix the foundation samples in a small pot and then apply them with a cosmetic sponge. I did find that the application was smooth, however once it began to dry fully in places it caught on areas of my face. My eyebrows and edge of my nose looked especially bad, with small clumps of foundation. I made sure that I put it on sparingly because the product went a long way, and it blended well over all.

MeWithCliniqueAs you can see in this image the tone is slightly too dark for my skin tone, but I made it work. And this test was more to see how my usually sensitive skin reacted to a new foundation, rather than to match the shade completely. I have to be careful when I introduce new products to my body.

My skin didn’t react to the foundation at all, which is a relief when the clinique brand prides itself on being allergy tested. What I did find the next two days though, was that my skin felt oily, which is a rarity for me. I normally have dry skin or normal skin that can be prone to red patches and is easily irritated. But the day after this testing, I chose to put nothing on my skin because I woke up with an oily forehead.

I normally moisturise every day, but for a whole forty eight hours I didn’t put anything on my skin, and I needed to use my micellar water several times after this testing to remove excess oil.

The look of the foundation is good if you don’t get too close, and it was durable too because after nearly a whole day it took a decent amount of wipes to get it all off.
I found in certain areas it exaggerated my pores and that is a pet hate of mine when it comes to foundation. Look at my cheek and forehead in the image below, and you’ll see what I mean.
And like I described above I didn’t like the way my skin felt after I had used it either.

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So the question remains, would I purchase this foundation brand? The answer is no. I don’t think that this product is suitable for me. Obviously there will be those out there who love the brand, and it’s each to their own in cases like these. I love my Rimmel London products although nothing is perfect, I think when you find something that works for you, it’s hard to try other things. But I’m always open to giving new items a go, and I gave clinique my full attention for the day I tested it. I will continue to sample other foundations in the hope of ever finding my dream coverage, but sadly this foundation just isn’t it.

My final review for this makeup item is:
Effectiveness 3/5
Quality 3/5
Durability 4/5

Missguided Navy Bodycon Racer Dress Review

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Missguided are a forward thinking fashion brand who believe in people getting the latest trends for the best possible prices. I first began shopping with them in 2014, and I’ve been pleased with all of the purchases I have made from them.

Recently I needed to refresh the everyday looking dresses for my wardrobe. I tend to wear a lot of darker colours which include Navy, Red and Black. Although I began looking for something lighter when I was browsing I fell in love with the style of this particular dress. The Bodycon style Racer dress from Missguided comes in several colours, but I chose navy blue for myself. The dress wasn’t expensive at all, and I always have the quality of the material in the back of my mind when ordering clothes online that you cannot feel for yourself yet.

The dress I chose to buy is of Bodycon shape which hugs your curves and typically has narrow straps and a high neckline. I often choose this style for my body because it’s more flattering, and luckily this great dress looked good as soon as I tried it on.

MeInNavyRacerDressAs you can see in this image the dress is a lovely length, it ends just above my knees. The material is soft and is not too thin (I was worried about it being see-through) and it’s a flattering shape even on my thin frame. Even the cat liked it (she sat behind me and gave me a meow of approval).

I would happily wear this dress throughout the warmer months, I feel it can be a lovely summer dress when paired with flats or sandals. Or it could even be dressed up with some jewellery, accessories and a pair of high heels for a more glamorous look.

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So overall I’m happy with my most recent purchase from Missguided and I would buy from them again. A good experience is worth so much, even more so if the items are better than what you expected.

My final review for this piece of clothing is:
5/5 for comfort
4/5 for durability and quality
5/5 for style and appearance
5/5 for value

Here is the link to the Missguided website if you’re interested in looking at this dress or anything similar.

https://www.missguided.co.uk/jersey-racer-bodycon-dress-navy-black

 

BooHoo Feather Lace Overlay Skater Dress Review

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boohoofeatherdressWhen it came to picking an outfit for the 2015 Christmas festivities I was underwhelmed by what I had in my wardrobe. I just wanted some new and of good quality material so I wouldn’t have to layer up if it was cold.

I searched through the internet in my lunch break at work and came across this dress from BooHoo. Even though I wasn’t looking to wear black, it had stunning detail on the piece of material from the waist up. The model looked great in their pictures and I just thought, that looks like the dress for me. I like skater dresses because of my figure, and hoped it would be as flattering on me as it was her.

BooHooFeatherDressDetailSWWhen the dress arrived I was so pleased with the quality of the fabric. Not only that but the feathers were so intricately sown on it looked far more expensive than its price tag. As you can see from my photograph, this dress has a lot of pretty sewn on white feathers, which almost look three dimensional from a distance. The dress itself was a thick material, especially the skirt part which started from the waist underneath where the mesh/lace with the feathers ended.

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The dress was both comfortable to wear and warm as well. I paired it with knee high boots and a black shrug and I was more than content in this outfit. I received lots of nice compliments about it and felt I had made the right style decision for my figure.

After I had worn the dress I obviously washed it and thankfully I lost none of the detail. (Make sure you always wash items like this inside out to stop any detail snagging). I would happily wear this dress again at any time of the year.

Overall I am ecstatic with my purchase from BooHoo and I can recommend their dresses, this is not the first one I have purchased.
My final review for this piece of clothing is:
5/5 for comfort
5/5 for durability and quality
5/5 for style and appearance
5/5 for value

This dress is still available from www.boohoo.com but only in limited sizes. I am adding the link for you here if you’re interested in looking at it further.
http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/dresses/kenna-feather-lace-overlay-skater-dress/invt/dzz96348

The Products I Use In My Daily Make-up Routine

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Women often get asked what their daily routine consists of, so today I have arranged and photographed the contents of my makeup bag for you beauty enthusiasts to have a nose at!

All of the products that I use on an almost daily basis are outlined below. I am going to explain why it is that I use these items and what my honest opinion about them is.

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No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm with SPF15
I received this little BB Balm in a set at Christmastime and I was surprised what a lovely shade of pink it turned out to be. I wear this if I want a little bit of colour on my lips but I don’t want to wear a full on lipstick. It’s ideal for shopping and work, a subtle shade and it will protect lips from the sun. I hope the next time I get a No7 gift set there will be one of these inside.

Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow Palette Iconic 3
This is by far one of my favourite palettes. I’m a brunette and have hazel eyes, so the brown, gold and pink shades work perfectly with my complexion and eye colour. This eye shadow is good quality and are not expensive to buy. Unless I need a specific shade to match an outfit, I usually wear the range of colours in this palette. I can recommend both the brand and the size of these eye shadows, they last a good while and the palette is thin enough to pop into most decent sized make-up bags. Makeup Revolution London does a range of them, and they bring out new ones often too.

Rimmel London Soft Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black
I have being using Rimmel London eyeliners since I was a teenager. I find the quality to be good and they go far. Black is the colour that I normally use to make my eyes stand out more. Not as an everyday look but if I were going out on date night or out in the evening. I would create this look with the pencil and smoky eye shadow to compliment the outfit.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer
This little bottle of concealer goes a long way and hides blemishes and dark circles in a matter of seconds. It blends well and I find it to be a staple piece to use when applying my make-up. (I did a review of this and the foundation, see my beauty section).

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara (Waterproof) in Black
Another staple product that I always reach for is my Max Factor mascara. Not only do I normally wear waterproof to save myself looking like a panda after a long day at work, but I also choose this brand because of the items consistent good quality. I find that this mascara lasts me a long time, because you don’t need to apply a lot of it to get a nice result.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue Foundation
This foundation is fantastic because it not only blends brilliantly, it covers so well. Dark circles and red patches disappear as you smooth this lightweight foundation over your skin. Now I’m not someone who uses a foundation every day, especially if I’m not leaving the house. And I have found that this one doesn’t make my pores feel clogged after using it. (See my individual review for more on this product). It is my current favourite to use when I am in need of applying an overall coverage to my face.

No7 Protect and Perfect Day Cream
This lightweight cream is perfect for a daily moisturiser and gives SPF15 protection to the skin. I use this every morning unless I’m planning a mask or a cleanse. This product works well for my skin, which can sometimes be sensitive, and allows me to use it in confidence. These are the smaller versions I have that go in my handbag and travel bag. My main creams are large tubs that live in the bathroom. It’s great that No7 have these products in a range of sizes, very convenient.

No7 Protect and Perfect Night Cream
I will be completely honest with you, I don’t always apply my night cream, and that is because I don’t like to overload my skin. Moisturising is very important, but you don’t want to make your skin oily because you mess with it too much. With my skin being sensitive, I normally only moisturise at night, two to four times a week. Normally on nights that I haven’t had to get a lot of make-up off my skin first.

Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder
Would you believe me if I told you I had been using this product for ten years? Well I have been. I adore this powder, it’s not only quick and easy to apply, but it gives a nice coverage so if I have any breakouts or any red patches, they quickly get blended away. I use it most days, and it’s the one thing that I do apply to my skin after moisturising so that I have more colour in my skin tone.

Other products that I use that are not shown on my photograph are:

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I use this wonderful water to remove dirt and makeup from my skin, and use it every day to generally clean any impurities off my face and neck. I haven’t tried any other Micellar water related brands because I’m so happy with Garnier, it suits my skin (because it is designed with sensitive in mind).

Nivea Daily Essentials Light Moisturising Day Cream For Dry & Sensitive Skin SPF15
I normally use Nivea face and hand creams in the colder months, because I can suffer from dry skin. While moisturising daily this is reduced to only a handful of days out of the season, and occurs especially if I have spent time outside in a cold biting wind. When I notice the start of any dry skin patches, I reach for this cream, and within a few days my skin is back to its normal behaviour and I am free to use my No7 products again. But Nivea is a brand that I trust, and I have used them since I was a teenager, for face and hand creams as well as body lotions.

Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm
This little lip balm lives on my bedside table, and I put it on my lips every night to keep them soft. I use it all year around and I always have one in my handbag as well, for when I want to protect my lips but I don’t need any colour on them.

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I hope you have enjoyed reading about the products that I use. There are so many choices out there, and I think we all know when we have found a favourite, we tend to stick with it. Well I do anyway! I’ve been buying some of the same products for ten years, and I have no shame. The companies must be doing something right if we are all going back for more.

New Mascara Comparison and Review

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I have decided to purchase two new mascaras this month. I would always buy Max Factor False Lash Effect, and have done for about seven years or so. It really works for me, but there comes a time when something new catches your eye and you think, I just have to give that a go…

Deciding upon which two new mascara’s I was going to try out was tricky because I have seen some fantastic adverts lately. I wanted to give Max Factor a go because of the loyalty I have to them for the number of years I have purchased their products. So my first choice became their new Voluptuous False Lash Effect Mascara. This latest product sees a new style of brush which is meant to lift your lashes and add a dual application, all in a single stroke. The bristles are supposed to separate lashes while the fins grip them to add more volume.

My second choice comes down to the fact that I use their foundation and other products on an almost daily basis. Rimmel London has recently released the Supercurler Mascara which not only claims to be 24 hour wear, but also builds dramatic curl with a unique brush. The eye-shaped brush of this mascara is a perfect shape for the eye which allows for mistake free application. It has a formula that pushes the lashes up into a curve that is meant to last the whole day.

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So here are my two mascara’s and also a picture of my lashes with no products on them (before I show you my ‘after applying’ them photographs) and both of them are the generic black colour.

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Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect had a brush that certainly had enough product on to coat my lashes; I didn’t need to refill the applicator while I was combing it through my lashes. It was able to get across my lashes well, and then I used the end of the wand to get into the lashes in the corner. The overall look was good although I didn’t feel like it pulled my lashes up as much as the original False Lash Effect had done. As for wear, it has stayed on all day and is only just starting to flake (12 hours).

Rimmel London’s Supercurler Mascara had the unique eye brush which was great to use, it really did fit into my lashes and pull them up gently. The brush coated well and lifted as I did this, getting right into the corners of my eye with ease. It didn’t coat my lashes as well as the Max Factor mascara had done, but the application itself was smooth and clump free due to the brushes design. It was much easier to apply and I found it to keep my lashes curled up all day (approximately 12 hours).

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I have labelled this next photograph so you can see which eye I have used which mascara on. As you look at my eyes the right has Max Factor on my lashes and the left eye has Rimmel London on my lashes. By comparing the two you can see that the Max Factor has coated my lashes better, they are darker and defined in a bolder manner, a tiny amount of clumps. The Rimmel London mascara has curled my lashes up high and achieved a curl throughout and they are also defined with no clumps.

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Overall I like both of these products for different reasons. If I wanted to go for a glamorous look I would use the Supercurler mascara because I believe it gives me a wider and brighter eyed look. However the Max Factor mascara gives me a darker lash and a bolder look, which can look great with a smoky eye shadow, when paired with a dark outfit. Here are my ratings for the main aspects of the products.

Rimmel London Supercurler Mascara
Value for Money 5/5
Effectiveness 5/5
Quality 5/5

Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect Mascara
Value for Money 4/5
Effectiveness 4/5
Quality 5/5

Which mascara should you try? Well that is up to you, I’m just giving my opinion on two of the many great mascara’s available to us here in the UK. We are all different, and we all want different things from our make-up. I will definitely use both of these great products over the next few months, and then I will decide which I prefer to be an everyday item. I hope you have enjoyed seeing this comparison.

National Fragrance Day

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In honour of National Fragrance Day I thought I would show you what my 3 favourite perfumes are and why I love them.

The first is the wonderful and delicate Emporio Armani Diamonds which I normally wear on date night. I did a little research today to find out why it could be that I loved this scent so much. Well it turns out the top notes of this particular perfume are Lychee and Raspberry (I love to eat raspberries). The flower scents include Lily of the Valley, Roses and Freesia. Even though this perfume was launched in 2007 I didn’t add it to my collection until 2012, and it’s still very popular it seems.

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My second go-to scent for days out is the gorgeous Giorgio Armani ‘Acqua di Gioia’. This is a perfume that as soon as I had smelt it I wanted it. Sometimes a scent just suits you, well this is mine. Launched in 2010 I bought this scent that same year after sampling it in a local store. The top notes of this scent include Mint leaves (crushed) as well as Jasmine, and it has an aquatic heart note too.

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And my final perfume that I normally where on a night out is Dolce & Gabbana ‘The One’. I have always adored the original, which came out in 2006. My (now husband) partner had bought it for me, I think for a birthday, and as soon as I opened it I was smitten with the scent. This perfume has top notes that include Bergamot, Lychee and Peach. As well as these it’s heart notes of Madonna lily, exotic fruits, Jasmine and Plum, and base notes of Vanilla and Musk. Over all a very complex perfume compared to my other favourites it seems.

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So it we can see from my favourites that a pattern emerges. I like perfumes that smell of Roses and Lily’s and whose top notes often include Jasmine and Raspberries. It is very interesting when you dissect the items from your routines, and perhaps something to think about when it’s time to try a new perfume.

Happy National Fragrance Day every one.