The Luxe List
Get on the List

Jo Malone Basil & Neroli Cologne*

fullsizeoutput_9e5

When it comes to perfumes, Jo Malone tends to be my go-to. Their Orange Blossom cologne is one of my all-time favourites which I wear at least twice per week, so when I heard all about their brand new concoction, I was more than a little excited.

dsc_0419

The mix of Neroli and Basil feels like it was made for me! Basil is one of my all-time favourite scents. I just adore how green and clean it smells. I use it all the time in the kitchen and I always wonder why it’s not used in more perfumes. In fact, it’s the first time there’s been Basil in a Jo Malone product since their iconic Lime, Basil and Mandarin.

dsc_0438

Just as I had hoped, I fell absolutely in love with Basil & Neroli at first sniff. It’s one of those scents which makes you feel so fresh and clean to wear, and, more importantly, it smells like nothing else in my collection. At first, I get  a huge whoosh of green and basil. It has a gorgeous, almost unisex feel which feels incredibly elegant to wear.

fullsizeoutput_9e6

Then, as the cologne warms up, the notes of Neroli become stronger. Anyone who’s spent two minutes on this site knows I’m into white flowers, and Neroli is one of my absolute favourites. It’s both soft and clean, yet it is noticeable. The mix feels unusual enough to stand out from the crowd whilst still feeling beautifully classic. My only gripe is that it’s not the longest lasting perfume in the world, but Jo Malone’s purse-sized bottles means that mid-day touchups are no big deal! I’ve actually bought one of the big bottles as I’m just so enamoured with it!

Jo Malone Basil & Neroli starts at £43 and is available here.

Lacoste L.12.12 Energized*

DSC_0488_2

I feel like Lacoste are really killing the fragrance game these days. If, like me, your a fan of fragrances which smell clean and fresh, they’re definitely the brand for you! I love their male fragrances almost as much as their more feminine counterparts as they don’t feel too complicated to wear, not to mention that they fall squarely into ‘steal-from-your-boyfriend’ category of scents!

DSC_0496_2

The L.12.12 Energized is a new take on the brand’s classic L.12.12 fragrance, with the addition of mint and ginger, L.12.12 Energized feels like it was made for summertime wear. Not to mention the pumped-up Lacoste gator, which has been transformed into a patchwork of flags, making the bottle feel like it was made to be used during this month’s Olympics.

DSC_0535_2

Other than the supersized gator (and of course, the title, not much else has changed about the Lacoste packaging. It’s still a super chic white glass bottle, with the detailing on the side of the bottle as a nod to Lacoste’s iconic tennis shirts. Like the fragrance itself. the bottle is simple, fresh and clean, and really, what else do you need?

DSC_0523_2

On the skin, L.12.12 Energized Edition just feels like a shower in a bottle. The top notes of mint and ginger smell so cooling and fresh – just the thing you want to wear on hot, sticky summer days! The heart note of tuberose might sound surprising for a male-oriented scent, but it rounds off the sharpness of the ginger ad mint, and gives it an over-all soapy quality. The base of vetivert really grounds the fragrance and gives is a clean, green quality. It also means that it lasts on the skin, keeping you smelling amazing all day long!

Lacoste L.12.12 Energized edition is priced at £30.08 (it’s on offer) here

YSL Rouge Volupte 43*

YSL Rouge Volupte 43

I’m not sure that there is anything that feels quite so summery as a coral lip. I don’t really tend to wear them if I don’t have a bit of a tan, so YSL’s stunning Rouge Volupte in shade 43 feels absolutely perfect for summer!

YSL Rouge Volupte 43 2

Packaged in YSL’s signature glamorous golden bullet, the Rouge Volupte line are perfect if you want a slick of colour without the feel of a heavy lipstick. The formulas are full of lip nourishing oils which keep them feeling beautifully light and balmy, and give the lipsticks a perfect glossy sheen.

YSL Rouge Volupte 43 1

Shade 43 is a stunning orange-toned coral, which is shot through with the subtlest of golden shimmer. A quick slick, straight from the bullet gives lips a subtle coral sheen, but it’s easily built up to an opaque, glossy finish.

YSL Rouge Volupte 43 swatch

Thanks to the oil base of the formula, the YSL Rouge Volupte are not the longest wearing lipsticks I own. I get a decent three hours from an application, but the bullets are just so pretty, and the formula so comfortable, I don’t mind reapplying at all!

YSL Rouge Volupte in 43 is priced at £26.00 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

YSL Opium Nuit Blanche Eau de Parfum*

YSL Opium Nuit Blanche

Happy Tuesday,  I hope you’ve been enjoying a gorgeous Bank Holiday weekend, so, in something of a celebration, I thought I would share a rather lovely perfume which I’ve been saving for rather special evenings – YSL’s Opium Nuit Blanch Eau de Parfum.

YSL Opium Nuit Blanche 2

I’d never tried a fragrance from the brand before, so when the glittering bottle arrived, you can imagine how excited I was! A ‘rock’n’roll’ take on the original Opium fragrance (I think we all remember those Sophie Dahl adverts!), Nuit Blanche mixes notes like Bourbon, Vanilla and Orange Blossom to create a perfume which feels darkly sophisticated.

YSL Opium Nuit Blanche 1

I’ve been saving the perfume for evenings out, and I can’t tell you how many people have commented on how the love the fragrance! At first, the top notes of vanilla and coffee bean give the perfume an almost gourmand tone. Then, as the perfume heats up, the heart notes of white musk and orange blossom give the parfum  super sexy feel. It’s definitely not a scent for the faint hearted, so I love keeping it for special evenings out – it just feels right to wear it after dark!

YSL Opium Nuit Blanche 3

YSL Black Opium is priced at £64.00 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

Harvey Nichols Edinburgh – Menswear for Father’s Day*

DSC_0617

I always think buying presents for  men is super hard – and Father’s Day might just be trickiest. Thankfully though, Harvey Nichols has come to our rescue with their relaunched Menswear Department.

DSC_0622

Designed after the flagship Knightsbridge store, The menswear department is definitely the chicest spot to shop for Dad anywhere outside the capital, and to celebrate, the store held a super-fun weekend filled with special services for the discerning shopper. As you arrived up the elevators, you were met with the cutest little bars serving up Arbikie – an incredible Scottish Gin and Vodka distillery.

DSC_0644

DSC_0630

As if that wasn’t enough, you could personalise the most luxurious of items – Grenson let you make up your ideal shoes, picking every detail from leathers to laces.

DSC_0639DSC_0643

They could be as subtle or crazy as you could imagine, and the example shoes were absolutely breathtaking.

DSC_0593

My favourite part of the whole event though, was the Etch’d stand, which, with an in-store purchase meant that you could get specially laser-personalised.

DSC_0582

Even though I was expecting just initials, Etch’d can personalise basically anything with a flat surface, and I can’t tell you how awesome their pieces looked! Considering the chaps come from a graphic-design background, their designs were insane!

 

DSC_0578

Based in Tollcross, you can even get phones and laptops laser etched, and I am seriously considering getting my laptop done. It’s just the coolest!

DSC_0600

It’s not just electronics and perfume bottles which got the special treatment though, even shoes and sneakers were etched.

DSC_0598

Since I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by, I popped down to the beauty department to find something etch-able, so treated myself to Omorovicza’s Perfecting Lip Balm. It’s something I’ve been wanting since my facial (here) and the flat lid was perfect for the laser.

DSC_0613

I couldn’t be happier with my rather special balm, and I would seriously recommend heading up to Harvey Nichols’ first floor. The menswear section couldn’t be better, and it’s absolutely packed with awesome Father’s Day gift ideas!

Omorovicza Perfecting Lip Balm is priced at £32.00 (I did receive a discount on mine) and is available in-store. You can find Omorovicza here.

 

 

Close Me
Looking for Something?
Search:
Post Categories: