Jo Malone Basil & Neroli Cologne*

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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*

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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!

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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.

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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?

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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

Burberry Full Kisses – Blush Nude*

Burberry Full Kisses

So for me, there’s nothing quite like a nude lip. It’s definitely my comfort zone, but on Monday mornings, the possibility of me picking a more daring colour are definitely about zero. But don’t get me wrong, choosing the perfect shade of nude is a serious task – I want something that will give my face a bit of colour, keep me looking polished but not look too try hard.

Burberry Full Kisses review

I’ve already talked about how much I love the formula of Burberry’s new Full Kisses formula here, but if you’ve never tried them before, you’re really missing out. First off, the packaging is all sorts of chic. The sleek gunmetal grey tube is etched with a subtle Burberry check, and it slots nicely into my makeup bag. The formulas are just as dreamy. They feel rich and moisturising on the lips, but not too heavy or sticky. They just glide on, and stay there for a good four hours or so.

Burberry Full Kisses Nude Blush swatch

I’m just obsessed with the chi sled shape of the lipstick bullet. It makes applying it on-the-go so easy, and you don’t need to have to faff around with a lip brush. Blush Nude is a beautiful my-lips-but-better shade, that’s just perfect if you’re looking for something that’s both low key but chic. It’s the perfect pairing to a dramatic smoky eye, but I’ve been wearing it to complement my more subtle everyday looks.

Burberry Full Kisses in Nude Blush is priced at £24.00 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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

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