Current Favourites - Perfume

Perfume is a product I couldn't live without.. It's something I find myself reaching for on a daily basis & feel it really adds the finishing touch to any outfit. With this in mind (& whilst I sat pondering what to post about this week) I decided to share on Small & Blonde the three fragrances I find myself reaching for time & time again.

Yves Saint Lauren - Black Opium - £47.00 for 30ml
YSL's Black Opium has been a firm favourite since it's release back in 2014. With notes of black coffee, vanilla & white florals the sweet - yet sensual - scent is slightly "deeper" than the other fragrances in this post & is therefore perfect for evenings/nights out. The glam-rock style packaging - with hints of pink & glitter - also means this perfume looks gorgeous on any dressing table.

Viktor & Rolf - Flowerbomb - £50.00 for 30ml 
The next perfume I find myself reaching for regularly is Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb - another firm favourite within the beauty world. Smelling light & floral the notes of jasmine, mandarin & orchid create a very feminine scent that reminds me of a traditional British garden in the summer - perfect for daytime wear.

Kenzo - Flower - £44.00 for 30ml
As one of my Mum's favourite fragrances throughout my childhood, Flower by Kenzo will always hold a place close to my heart. With notes of white musk, vanilla & frankincense the perfume has a slightly more "mature" scent that my previous favourites, but is still a gorgeous perfume that can easily be worn from day-night.

I personally love each of these perfumes but am always on the look out for new products to try. 

Let me know your favourite perfumes in the comments. 

xxx

August Birchbox - Dive In

If there's one thing I look forward to at the beginning of each month, it's the arrival of my Birchbox. So when this months box (or rather, bag) "Dive In" arrived I was very excited to see what treats were inside.

Subscribers received one of four colourful designs which were all aptly named to fit their colour scheme; Coral Reef (orange), Blue Fin (Blue/Green), Yellow Fish (yellow) & Pink Pufferfish (Pink). Plus - instead of the usual box - subscribers were also treated to a a summer themed "Birch-bag". A scuba-material bag that is the perfect size to hold all those essential travel products that simply cannot be held in your suitcase.

Contents:

Anatomicals "The Buff Stuff" Body Scrub - £3.99 [x]
Merci Handy Cleansing Gel in "Black Vanilla"-  £2.90 [x]
Balance Me Face Mask - £18.00 [x]
Philip Kingsley "One More Day" Dry Shampoo - £14.50 [x]
Marcelle Eyeliner in shade "Expresso" - £10.50 [x]
"English Laundry" Perfume - £60.00 [x]

The first product that caught my eye this month is one that I love using on lazy days - dry shampoo. Whilst freshly washed hair feels amazing, we all know how much of a life saver dry shampoo can be. I've tested a few other products from the Philip Kinglsey brand which have always left my hair feeling lovely. So I can't wait to put this product to the test the next time my hair needs a little pick-me-up between washes. 

The next item that caught my eye is one that some subscribers may not be to excited to see in a beauty box. However Cleansing hand gel is one of those essentials that I honestly cannot live without - especially when travelling. Whilst they can be picked up relativity cheaply in most stores, one thing that stood out to me about the Merci Cleansing Gel has to be the gorgeous vanilla scent (with no hint of that alcohol-y smell from most gels). This already has a home in my hand-bag & I'm sure will quickly become a favourite. 

The third & final product that really stood out to me this month is the perfume sample from English Laundry. Described as the "essence of a country garden" the combination of notes including rose geranium & creamy white flowers make this the perfect scent for summer. Whilst £60.00 is a little on the pricey side, I can already tell from the sample that this is well worth the investment. 

I'm happy to say that the "Dive In" Birchbox has lived up to my expectations this month & I can't wait to add these products to my beauty routine. 

Have you ever used any of these products?
If so I'd love to know your thoughts.
xxx

April Favourites

Whilst flicking back through my recent blog posts, it dawned on me that I haven't actually written a monthly favourites post in nearly a year. So with April passing by in a flash (& in a bid to win back some blogging points) I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share a few of the items I've been loving this month.

The first item that I've been loving this month is the romantic novel by author Jojo Moyes; Me Before You. The story follows main character Lou Clark as she leaves her comfortable - & a little boring - life behind to work with Will Traynor, a successful businessman left with devastating injuries following a motorcycle accident. This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story that left me hanging on every word - however, be sure to keep the tissues near by.. it's definitely a tear jerker!

Throughout April I've also found myself taking a break from my usual perfume's & reaching for Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb. With notes of Mandarin, Jasmine & Freesia I've found that the floral scent make this a perfect perfume to wear as we head into Spring.

When it came to beauty throughout April I've found myself reaching for two items more than others. The first to make my favourites is the Real Techniques Powder Brush. With it's large, soft bristles & described as providing "smooth, high-definition results" I find this perfect for application of both  pressed & loose powders. The second beauty item that I've been loving this month is a cult favourite within the beauty world - Benefit's They're Real mascara. As someone who doesn't tend to wear false eyelashes, I genuinely find this to be the next best thing. Not only does it add curl & volume but it really does last throughout the day (perfect for day to night wear).

Last but not least is an item that I couldn't leave off my favourites list this month - the Invisibobble. Not only is this product gentle on the hair by helping to reduce split ends, it also eliminates the annoying "kink" that comes from using regular hair-bands. Something that is perfect for anyone who has long and/or thick hair like me.

I personally love reading monthly favourite posts, so hope you've enjoyed a little insight into a few of the items I've been loving throughout April. If there are any products that I've missed, be sure to let me know in the comments - I'm always on the look out for a new favourite item.

xxx

Yves Saint Laurent - Black Opium

For as long as I can remember I've always loved perfumes & experimenting with new fragrances. So when I noticed the buzz of beauty bloggers discussing Yves Saint Laurent's Black Opium I knew it was a product I needed to try.
In fact Black Opium made an appearance within one of my "wish list" posts back in January, but was just never a product I ever got around to purchasing for myself.. So you can imagine my delight when my lovely mum gifted me with a bottle following their recent trip abroad (yay for duty free!). 

With a gorgeous combination of Jasmine, Vanilla & Orange Blossom (to name a few) it's safe to say that this perfume was worth the wait. Plus - I know I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover - but how beautiful is the packaging? The hints of glitter & pink were almost enough for me to fall in love before even smelling the fragrance itself.
The 30ml bottle currently retails for around the £44.00 mark & can be purchased at many places on the high-street & online including; Boots, Debenhams & Feel Unique.. Since opening it's become my go-to perfume & I can't wait to wear this throughout the Autumn/Winter months. 

Have you tried Black Opium? What are your thoughts?