TOP 5 LUXURY CANDLES THIS AUTUMN


One of the main things I look forward to during the Autumn season is the opportunity to indulge in a new candle! With the weather turning colder, there is no better excuse than to keep warm by snuggling up inside with a freshly lit candle. Candles have come a long way in recent years with many major brands now dipping their toes into the ‘candle pool’ so to speak, and as an avid lover of all things scented, here are my top 5 favourite candles for this Autumnal season!

20181009_105027663_iOS.jpg

————————————————————————————————————————

20181009_105401389_iOS.jpg

BYREDO - AMBRE JAPONAIS

Notes:

Top: Black Pepper, Coriander Seeds
Heart: Sandalwood
Base: Bourbon Vanilla, Sesame

My first purchase from Byredo was in fact the Bibliothéque candle which you can read the review in fragrance form here. As the wax began to burn out due to excessive use by myself (you can’t blame me when the scent is so stunning), I was on the lookout for another candle in replacement and came across Ambre Japonais! A sophisticated, rich and sensual scent that fills the room/space almost instantly. Perfect for the colder seasons as it gives off a warm, snug feeling. If you are a fan of oriental, spicy fragrances then this candle is definitely worth trying out!

To purchase, click here.

20181009_105321296_iOS.jpg

DIPTYQUE - BENJOIN

Notes: Patchouli, Indian Cypriol

Benjoin is my all time favourite candle by Diptyque! It is so creamy and powerful yet remains delicate.

A blend that sits just in between caramel and vanilla, this candle comes in the instantly recognisable Diptyque glass jar, a staple in any beauty bloggers photography!

If you like fragrances that are heavy and rich, then I would definitely consider Benjoin!

To purchase, click here.

20181009_105340629_iOS.jpg



JO MALONE - POMEGRANATE NOIR

Notes:

Top: Pomegranate
Heart: Casablanca Lily
Base: Guaiacwood

In my opinion Pomegranate Noir is what makes Jo Malone so special. A luxurious scent that fills the air with sophistication and class, I find that Pomegranate Noir can be burnt at any time of the year but smells crisp and fresh during the colder seasons!

If you have ever smelt Pomegranate Noir in fragrance form, then it is a given that you will thoroughly enjoy it in candle form.

To purchase, click here.

20181009_105252979_iOS.jpg


MAISON MARGIELA - JAZZ CLUB

Notes: Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Vetiver, Tobacco Leaves

One of the top selling fragrances by Maison Margiela, Jazz Club is inspired by an evening in a hazy bar with the undertones of leather coming through. This candle when lit has a slight boozy feel to it and unlike the others previously, is a lot softer.

That being said, when leaving the area and returning to it moments later, the scent hits you lightly without being too overpowering.

If you are a fan of woody, oriental and spicy fragrances then I would recommend trying out Jazz Club!

At the time of writing this post, the Jazz Club candle has sold out online, but is available to purchase in departments stores such as Selfridges, John Lewis and Harvey Nichols.

20181009_105421772_iOS.jpg

COMMODITY - LEATHER

Notes:

Top: Black Leather, Oregano Essence, Juniper Wood Essence
Heart: Cacao Bean Absolute, Myrrh Resinoid, Cade Essence, Akigalawood
Base: Styrax Resinoid, Cedarwood Essence, Haitian Vetiver Essence, Cistus Labdanum Essence from Concrete

A sultry and bold scent that imitates the texture of leather which lingers in the air long after burning! I find this candle to be rather similar to the Jazz Club in that it is a rather soft scent yet still has that spicy throw that fills up the room/area.

If you like leather fragrances (think Tom Ford - Tuscan Leather) then perhaps this candle will suit you!

To purchase, click here.

————————————————————————————————————————

Judging by my top 5 candles this year, I think it is safe to say that I like oriental, spicy and sensual scents! I hope you have enjoyed my choices and I would love to know which are your favourite candles! Don’t forget to click the ‘like’ button below, and do leave me a comment so I know which other candles I should look out for.


THE IDLE MAN LOOKBOOK


I had been contacted by The Idle Man with regards to selecting a few key items from their latest A/W ‘18 Collection! What I love about the brand is the simplicity of their clothing and how versatile each piece can be. I love Autumn and Winter, predominantly due to the clothing! I find that it is much more fun to dress up in the colder weather with sweaters, coats and different accessories to layer up, so shooting this LookBook was a lot of fun for me.

I had a wide variety of clothing to choose from and ended up choosing:

For this LookBook I wanted something a little darker compared to my previous shoots and I met up with the incredible Tom Hall in Northern Quarter in Manchester! We trailed around the streets for a good hour or so taking these photos and I couldn’t be more happier with the results. I hope you enjoy the images as much as we did taking them, and I would love to hear your thoughts on this so don’t forget to click the ‘like’ button below and leave me a comment!

To view more of Tom Hall’s photography, check out his website and Instagram!

© Photography: Tom Hall

20180923_134219770_iOS.jpg
20180923_134411060_iOS.jpg
20180923_134340380_iOS.jpg
20180923_134216420_iOS.jpg
20180923_132607790_iOS.jpg
20180923_131933620_iOS.jpg
IMG_7056-Edit.jpg
IMG_6940.jpg
IMG_6971.jpg
IMG_6977.jpg
IMG_7096-Edit.jpg
IMG_7103-Edit.jpg

ELEMIS: DAILY DEFENCE SHIELD SPF 30


Despite now officially being Autumn here in England and with a slight drop in the temperature, the Sun doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon!

With that being said, it is still important to protect your skin from the Sun’s harmful UV rays and over the past month or so I have been trialling out the Daily Defence Shield SPF 30 by Elemis.

ELEMIS - DAILY DEFENCE SHIELD SPF 30

20180927_163932066_iOS.jpg
  • Contains Enviro-Age Complex, Coconut and Jojoba

My skin is rather fair so I tend to use high SPF suncreams as I burn rather easily, so I liked that the Daily Defence Shield had a high factor.

Prior to applying the Daily Defence Shield, I used the Pro Collagen Marine Cream (which I have previously reviewed which can be read here) as my daily moisturiser and then applied the Daily Defence Shield on top.

I applied a small amount across my face and I found the texture of the suncream to be very lightweight and easy to apply with its applicator. That being said, if I was abroad or somewhere where I was constantly in the Sun, then I would apply and layer the suncream throughout the day accordingly!

One of the things I also enjoyed about using the Daily Defence Shield was that it didn’t have that greasy feel to it! It absorbed easily into my skin leaving it to feel hydrated.

To purchase Elemis - Daily Defence Shield SPF 30, click here!

Have you tried the Daily Defence Shield SPF 30 before? Have you tried any products by Elemis before? If so, which ones? How often do you use suncream? Do let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don’t forget to click that ‘like’ button below!


#ALLTHATSPARKLES - JO MALONE CHRISTMAS 2018


BRING ON THE BAUBLES

I had been invited down to the Jo Malone Townhouse in London yesterday for an exclusive look at the brands upcoming Christmas range, and having gone consecutively for the past three years/Christmases, there was no way I was going to be missing this years!

20180918_125254647_iOS.jpg

As I made my way up the stairs, there were two huge glitter balls and it gave off a relaxed yet fun vibe compared to the previous years. I walked into the room and immediately saw a huge ‘box’ filled with hanging decorations and Jo Malone goodies which looked absolutely stunning! We were all able to get inside of the box and create our very own gif with the decorations, I would post mine but I just looked awkward so I’ll keep this one private for now…

20180918_123955932_iOS.jpg
20180918_123906920_iOS.jpg

I walked through to the other room where there was a huge screen projecting ‘All That Sparkles’ Christmas Campaign, and sat beautifully in front of the screen were all of this years Christmas goodies which I’m sure you’re all wanting to know about…

————————————————————————————————————————————————

ALL THAT SPARKLES

(Available from October 2018)

20180918_125115799_iOS.jpg
  • Deluxe Candle Collection - Pomegranate Noir (£360)

  • Advent Calendar (£300)

  • Ultimate Christmas Cracker - Customisable

  • Luxury Cologne Collection (£370)

  • House Of Jo Malone London - (£115)

  • Cologne Collection Pomegranate Noir - (£70)

  • Cologne Intense Collection - (£88)

  • Pomegranate Noir Collection - (£83)

  • Miniature Candle Collection - (£66)

  • Body Créme Collection - (£63)

  • Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Black Cedarwood & Juniper Duo - (£109)

  • English Oak & Hazelnut and Basil & Neroli Duo - (£62)

  • Miniature Soap Collection - (£36)

  • Christmas Cracker - (£32)

  • Christmas Ornament - (£22)

  • White Moss & Snowdrop Deluxe Candle - (£126)

  • White Moss & Snowdrop Cologne 100ml - (£96)

  • Lime Basil & Mandarin Hand Wash 250ml - (£26)

  • Exclusive Limited Edition Pomegranate Noir Cologne 100ml - (£96)

  • Exclusive Limited Edition English Pear & Freesia Cologne 100ml - (£96)

  • Pine & Eucalyptus Luxury Candle - (£300)

  • Pine & Eucalyptus Home Candle - (£47)

  • Pine & Eucalyptus Diffuser - (£62)

  • Pine & Eucalyptus Room Spray - (£46)

  • Orange Bitters Cologne 100ml - (£96)

  • Orange Bitters Cologne 30ml - (£48)

  • Orange Bitters Home Candle - (£47)

  • Ginger Biscuit Cologne 100ml - (£96)

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Orange Bitters and Pine & Eucalyptus are both back! Two seasonal favourites of mine, and you may have noticed a new seasonal, limited edition fragrance listed: White Moss & Snowdrop. Having had the chance to smell this on my skin, I can reveal that it is incredibly long lasting (I sprayed this at around 2pm and could still smell this when I left London at 8pm!) Once my memory has been refreshed, I will do a full blog review of this when it releases.

20180918_124554777_iOS.jpg
20180918_125122281_iOS.jpg
20180918_125132434_iOS.jpg

The theme throughout most of the Christmas packaging this year is hologram and glitter, the hologram looks gorgeous when caught in the right light and the glitter sparkles brightly, and let’s just take a look at that stunning Limited Edition Pomegranate Noir bottle!? In my personal opinion this has been my most favourite Christmas packaging that Jo Malone have done to date due to taking the brand back to its simplicity and adding a fun element to it all!

20180918_124602074_iOS.jpg
20180918_125149958_iOS.jpg

All of the products listed will be released nationwide from 23rd October 2018 with the Advent Calendar being released exclusively to Harrods on 1st October 2018 and then nationwide from 1st November 2018. As always, these are expected to sell out almost instantly so be sure to dash to your nearest Jo Malone Boutique or keep refreshing their website! A huge thank you to the team at Jo Malone for inviting me down and bring on the baubles!

20180918_124139928_iOS.jpg
20180918_124532149_iOS.jpg
20180918_124457656_iOS.jpg

To read more of my reviews on Jo Malone see below:

FRAGRANCE: English Fields,  English Oak & RedcurrantTobacco & MandarinDark Amber & Ginger LilyMyrrh & Tonka

EVENTS: Christmas 2016, Christmas 2017, Poptastic, The Bloomsbury Set

SKINCARE: Geranium & Walnut Hand Cream, Myrrh & Tonka Shower Oil

Having seen the images and the product list, has it got you excited for Christmas? Which sounds most appealing to you? What do you think to the hologram packaging and the glitter? Do you have any personal favourites from Jo Malone? If so, which ones? Do let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don’t forget to click that ‘like’ button below!


BUCKING GOOD SHOES BY GOODWIN SMITH


I had been contacted by Goodwin Smith to select my very own pair to style for a LookBook.

As a fan of loafers, I selected their Liberty Tan loafers as I felt these were closest to my style as they looked slick and could match with anything! What I particularly liked about the loafers were the fringe and tassel detailing on them and felt comfortable to wear. These loafers are now in the sale reduced from £130 to £59.99! They also come in the colour ‘Jade Green’ and are Limited Edition so be sure to snap these up whilst you can.

Myself and Matt McCormick wandered around Leeds and took these images which I am very pleased with given how dull and wet the weather was! I do hope you like the images, and I would love to know your thoughts down below!

Have you shopped with Goodwin Smith before? If so, what did you buy? Do you like the Liberty Tan loafers I selected? Let me know!

© Photography: Matt McCormick

20180826_114533000_iOS.jpg
20180826_114654460_iOS.jpg
20180826_114741800_iOS.jpg
20180826_114758070_iOS.jpg
20180826_120907610_iOS.jpg

WHAT I WORE:

Goodwin Smith | Liberty Tan Loafers *IN SALE*

Topman | Blue and Red Palm Springs Shirt

ASOS | Biker Jacket


MUGLER: ALIEN MAN FRAGRANCE


Woodsy, bold and masculine. The male equivalent to the iconic Mugler: Alien.

20180909_175423133_iOS.jpg

MUGLER: ALIEN MAN

  • Top Notes: Beech, Dill, Anise, Lavender, Lemon, Mint, Thyme
  • Middle Notes: Leather, Cashmere Wood, Osmanthus, Geranium, Pepper
  • Base Notes: White Amber, Cashmeran, Vanilla

When I had first heard of this release I was eager to try this out as most of my girlfriends wear the female 'Alien' fragrance which if you have smelt it before you will know how distinctive and powerful the scent is!

The opening of the fragrance began with a fresh and spicy burst that had a rather sweet feel on my skin which started off as rather loud and at times a little overwhelming, but after 15/20 minutes or so, it began to settle down into a more herbal, woody scent. As with any fragrance review, I will always be as honest as I can be with regards to my own personal experience with a scent, bearing in mind that different fragrances can perform differently on another person's skin!

With that being said, the projection of Alien Man was a little soft for me and didn't project as loudly as I had imagined it may have done given that it had a sharp, bold opening. Alien Man lasted for up to 1/2 hours on my skin before fading away which was disappointing in itself. However, I did gain a few compliments from wearing this and every so often I did get a rather warm hint of the scent to linger on my clothing! 

Overall, I was slightly disappointed with the fragrance as I don't personally feel it lived up to expectations. Perhaps that is my own fault due to holding the female Alien in such high regard with how distinctive and recognisable that fragrance is!

Mugler: Alien Man is available in 50ml, 100ml and is also available in a Body Spray and Hair and Body Shampoo, both of which are lightly scented and are the perfect addition to add another dimension to the fragrance. The Alien Man bottle is also refillable which allows you keep reusing!

To purchase Mugler: Alien Man fragrance, click here.

Have you tried Mugler: Alien Man before? Were you a fan of the fragrance? Have you tried the female version? Can you see the comparison/differences between the two? Or perhaps you were like me and felt a little disappointed? Let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you and don't forget to click the 'like' button!


3


It seems surreal to think that 3 years ago to this date I hit 'publish' on my blog for the very first time, yet I remember it as if it was yesterday. I remember feeling as equally blasé as I was nervous. 

20180903_174447677_iOS.jpg

'Omg I'm gunna click publish omg omg omg but what if nobody reads it??? What if it's a flop?? How embarrassing! I'd die if nobody read it!!' 'Oh who cares, nowt'll happen anyway.'

I hope this gives you a better insight as to where my head was at at that time...

I feel that being in my third year of blogging going into my fourth that I am more established as a blogger and I feel very proud to get to this point. Having said that however, now that I'm at this point, I want to go further than just being a 'blogger'.

I have become an ambassador for Phonak (a company who develop and make hearing aids), and never did I think that this would be an avenue I could go down simply through blogging! Raising awareness for the deaf community has become important to me and there are so many things I want to do and have planned so watch this space!

Thank you all so so much for all of your support, every 'like', 'comment', 'retweet', 'thumb up', 'thumb down', 'emails', 'direct message', just any form of communication has meant so so much to me and I thank you for this. 

Here's to year 4...