My Fragrance Collection

When it comes to perfumes and fragrances I tend to stick with what I know and like. I prefer lighter, sweet scents with base notes of vanilla compared to strong heady scents. I am also partial to musk which you will see in two of the fragrances mentioned in this post. You don’t always have to spend a lot of money to get a nice perfume. I like wearing lighter scents for work and have one or two scents I reserve for special occasions or days I feel like wearing them. I currently have six scents I classify as ‘perfume’ as well as some body mists/sprays which I haven’t included in this post.

1. Juicy Couture – Viva la Juicy

I wanted to kick things off with my favourite perfume! I loved the smell of Viva la Juicy long before I purchased it. I bought my first bottle in 2015 and I am still working my way through it. This is the perfume I love to wear the most but I also restrict it’s use because I don’t want to go through it too quickly. I picked up the 100ml bottle for $89 (NZD), which, for this perfume is a bargain. The scent is right up my street and lingers longer than my others. 4 sprays usually lasts all day and I might top up with 1 or 2 if I have plans in the evening.

2. Britney spears – Private show

I got this perfume for Christmas in 2016 from my mum and it is my second favourite after Viva la Juicy. I always get comments about how nice this smells when I wear it and it is my favourite of the Britney Spears perfumes I have owned. The bottle is really simple but beautiful. The hexagon pattern is unusual and super pretty. This perfume also lasts well on me throughout the day. I can still smell this on my clothes the following day.

3. The Body Shop Strawberry EDT

This scent is the one I take with me when I stay with my boyfriend. The small bottle is travel friendly and stands up straight in my bag so perfume can’t leak out. For me this is the perfect everyday scent, it’s fruity so it’s not overpowering and heavy. My boyfriend commented this smells nice too so I know he likes it! I have nearly finished this bottle and I will consider repurchasing it for the travel friendly factor.

4. The Body Shop Fragrance Mists

The Body Shop do some really nice fragrances and they are the ones I tend to reach for for work or casual, everyday wear. I had both perfume versions of these but the fragrance mists are far better value and an extra spray or two will give the same effect. 100ml lasts a lot longer than 30ml. I like the White Musk for it’s musk and light floral aroma and the Black Musk for it’s spicier notes.

5. Britney Spears – Curious – in Control

This is the oldest perfume in my collection. My aunt bought it as a present for me back in 2010! This perfume doesn’t seem to end. It has lasted me seven years and in that time the scent has stayed the same and never smelt any different. This is another one of my go to scents for work. I don’t find this lingers on me as long as some of the others featured in this post but it is still a lovely perfume. I love the bottle – it is very girly and using the applicator is fun!

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What’s your favourite fragrance?

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November Favourites 2016

November seems to have been calmer than the past few months. I think that’s down to me taking a step back from blogging and having a break to enjoy life and catch up on a few things I’ve been meaning to do for a while. I explained the reason for the break in this month’s Hey, It’s Okay…, I’ve recently entered into a relationship and I want that to be the main focus. I want us to be able to spend time together without distractions (not that blogging is a distraction but it can be time consuming). Overall, I am very happy and I still try and get on here as much as possible to comment and read all of your posts!

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Melbourne Cup – The Melbourne Cup is a famous Australian horse race run every year on the first Tuesday in November. Mum and I have a tradition where we each pick three horses and have a little competition to see how they do. We don’t bet any money but it’s a bit of fun and I really look forward to picking my horses and seeing who does better with their picks – neither of us did well this year though.

2. The Body Shop White Musk Body Lotion – I purchased this body lotion back in July but I’ve only properly been using it daily for the past month or so. I love using The Body Shop’s body lotions as a daily moisturiser and I concentrate mostly on my arms and chest. I don’t use this on my legs as that skin is really sensitive and I have a huge tub of cream especially for that. I love that the scent lingers on my skin throughout the day and I really like the scent of the White Musk lotion later in the day as opposed to when it is first applied, it still smells good but the scent gets better as time goes on. The Shea Body Whip is one of my absolute favourite products from The Body Shop but one negative about it is the pump as opposed to the squeeze bottle on this body lotion. After this is finished I’d quite like to try the Black Musk or Cocoa Butter scents.

3. Revlon Highlighting Palette – Rose Glow – I received this highlighting palette as part of a Revlon gift set from my old work colleagues. I reviewed the gift set a few months ago and my opinion of this product has changed slightly. I still wouldn’t go out and pay the $32.99 (NZD) this retails for but I have used it a handful of times this past month. This gives a subtle highlighted effect which is nice for daily wear and doesn’t make you look too made up. I like to swirl my Real Techniques Blush brush into all the colours and sweep the product over my cheekbones.

4. Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera – Pink – At the weekend I went out and bought one of these polaroid cameras for myself. I bought the beautiful pastel pink as pink is my favourite colour along with a 50 pack of film. The film is expensive but I want to make each shot count and I know it should last me a decent amount of time. I haven’t turned the camera on or used it yet but I’ve taken everything out of the box and had a look and I’m so excited to start snapping away!

NB: For any NZ bloggers/readers, Instax are running a promotion until the 17th January 2017 where if you buy one of their cameras you can redeem a gift pack (including a scrapbook, stickers, photo corners, washi tape and a photo board) worth $45. Visit their website enter your details and a few details about your purchase and they’ll send it out to you!

5. Gone Girl – I watched Gone Girl a couple of weeks ago after hearing so much about it and I can honestly say it is the best film I have seen in a long time! It is based on a book by Gillian Flynn – I haven’t read it – and it lives up to the hype. I’m not going to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it but I do recommend you watch it if thrillers are your thing or you’ve been meaning to watch it. I haven’t seen many movies with Ben Affleck but there’s something about him in this which is really likeable and you can’t help not liking his character. There are talks of a potential sequel which would be very interesting and something I’d watch for sure!

November’s Spotify Playlist:

This playlist is a real mix. There’s R&B, country and of course my usual dose of pop. I say this a lot but this playlist is genuinely one of my favourites that I’ve made.

July Favourites 2016

July has been a stand out month music-wise and I have also had a few personal achievements. Early on in the month I sat my Learner Licence test and passed, I got 33/35. I feel so much better now that I’ve taken the first step and next it’s time to actually sit behind the wheel and drive a car – still slightly scared about that! Also this month, I made the decision to get new glasses. I wore my old pair for over seven years but they’ll still be kept as my backup pair. There hasn’t been as much emphasis on beauty products for me in July. I haven’t worn makeup as much as I normally would because I’m not at work and I’ve been overwhelmed and distracted listening to a ton of new music!

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Delta Goodrem – Wings of the Wild – Delta Goodrem released her highly anticipated fifth studio album this month (July 1st to be exact) and words can’t describe how amazing it is! I have been a Delta fan for a number of years and I’ve always loved her songwriting style and the way she words her lyrics. Wings of the Wild is a very empowering album, it makes you feel good when you listen to it but it’s also honest and raw. Delta has this incredible range and powerful voice which I don’t think she gets enough credit for. This album is definitely one of the best I’ve heard in a long time and will be one of my favourites for the whole of 2016. Standout Tracks: Feline, Wings, Just Call, In the Name of Love, Heavy and Hold On.

2. Rimmel London – Bestival Blue – I purchased this nail polish almost two months ago now and it further highlights my love for Rimmel. Firstly, the colour is a gorgeous periwinkle-cornflour blue and the formula of this particular shade is outstanding! It’s no fuss to apply and the colour lasted on my nails for nearly two weeks (using Maybelline’s Dr Rescue Top Coat over the top). I love the name of this shade and I urge you to check out if you’re looking for a new blue to try.

3. The Body Shop – White Musk EDT – I first mentioned this fragrance in my New In My Beauty Drawer post and I have been wearing it a lot in July. I love layering this with the White Musk Satin Body Lotion and I love that the scent lingers all day and doesn’t fade away or need to be reapplied. I would reapply if I was going out at night but for the day it’s fine. This scent smells lovely when first spritzed but it smells even better with wear time. Despite containing lily, iris and rose the florals aren’t overpowering and this is lovely everyday fragrance.

4. Bourjois – Frambourjoise – Until a couple of weeks ago I was a liquid lipstick and a Bourjois virgin. I had always been a bit unsure of the Bourjois stand in the past so I avoided it. I was aware however of the praise for Bourjois’ Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks. I stood at the stand swatching away and I was drawn towards Frambourjoise  – a stunning raspberry shade. The idea behind the Rouge Edition Velvets is every shade has a red undertone or an element of red to it. I have worn Frambourjoise a handful of times now and I can see why people rave about them. The formula is so easy to apply and comfortable to wear and doesn’t feel drying on the lips. The pigmentation is awesome and the wear time is even better!

5. Lawson – Perspective* – Lawson are a band I got into through The Saturdays (Mollie used to date Andy) and I love Lawson’s sound because it’s so cool. Lawson are predominantly pop/rock but they’re very listenable and radio friendly. It’s been four years since Lawson’s debut album was released but the follow up is just as good and is worth the wait. Chapman Square will always be a standout but with Perspective, Lawson have really grown musically. The album flows cohesively and by the time it’s over you want to listen to it again, that’s the sign of a good album. Standout Tracks: Money, Rio, When I’m Old, Only Water, Roads and Used To Be Us.

*I purchased Perspective on iTunes which is why it isn’t in the title image.

6. kikki.K Cup: Vänskap – I made a small kikki.K order at the end of June and this cup is my favourite item from it. I’d been looking for a cute cup that I could have especially for hot drinks. Water is mostly all I drink but I do have the occasional hot chocolate and I do like a cup of soup in winter time. The entire Vänskap collection features cats which is adorable and I instantly fell in love with this cup. On the inside of the cup there is a quote, “Life is better with friends” and cats line the outside of the cup. The cup came with it’s own cardboard box which I keep the cup in when I’m not using it.

July’s Spotify Playlist:

This is another 50-50 playlist of male and female artists. All of these songs have such a good beat and there’s even a New Zealand artist on the bill! As always, enjoy!

New In My Beauty Drawer!

Over the past week or two the weather has become increasingly gloomy and cold. In order to brighten up the days and my mood I have treated myself to a few bits and bobs. It goes without saying there’s beauty bits in the mix and I wanted to share these with you as well as giving you my initial thoughts and first impressions of each item. Let’s jump straight in!

1. The Body Shop White Musk Smooth Satin Body Lotion 250ml

I have been using The Body Shop’s Shea Body Whip for almost a year now and while I love the scent of it and class it as my favourite product from The Body Shop I felt like a change and wanted to give this White Musk body lotion a go. Unlike the Shea, this doesn’t have a pump which will be good to help minimise wastage. The bottle is also really pretty, the plastic has a purple and white shimmer to it to tie in with the colours used to market the White Musk range. The scent is lovely; floral and feminine.

I tried this out yesterday and I really like it! This seems to soak in even quicker than the Shea and the scent is not overpowering but still sticks around all day. The body lotion has a lovely, light texture and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.

2. Orly Silver 3D Glitter Nail Polish

I have been on the hunt for the perfect silver nail polish ever since my mini bottle of It’s Frosty Outside by OPI started to run out. What I like about It’s Frosty Outside so much are the chunks of hexagonal glitter and the rough liquid sand texture. A lot of silver polishes look like chrome and make the nails look like they’re covered in tinfoil. I imagine brush strokes would show up so easily as well. I’ve never tried a polish from Orly before but this looks like the closest match to It’s Frosty Outside so far.

I am wearing this polish on my nails this week and it is very similar if not the same as It’s Frosty Outside. It has the rougher, liquid sand texture and the hexagonal chunks of micro-glitter. It’s not as thick as It’s Frosty Outside but overall I am really pleased to have picked up this dupe.

3. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick – 02 Frambourjoise

For the past few months I have walked past the Bourjois stand because I’ve been a bit intimidated by it. I have heard a lot of good things about Bourjois, the Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks in particular. (Hot Pepper is a firm favourite of Vivianna Does Makeup’s). I swatched six out of the eight shades and was drawn to 02 Frambourjoise which is a gorgeous raspberry red with a hint of pink. This is my first foray into liquid lipsticks and while I don’t think I need any of the other shades as I have colours similar, I think I will be tempted back to the Bourjois stand in the near future!

On Tuesday I opted for a simple makeup look so I could wear this. I applied 2-3 coats and it doesn’t dry down straight away which gives you time to work with it and even out the coats to get your desired look. This didn’t apply patchy either so a BIG thumbs up! The colour came out red rather than red/pink as I applied more than one coat. The formula lasted well and it feels like you’ve got nothing on your lips, it’s very comfortable to wear.

Wearing the Orly polish and Frambourjoise

4. The Body Shop White Musk EDT 30ml

Originally I was in two minds about whether to get this or the Fragrance Mist but I opted for the EDT in the end as they contain less alcohol and the scent lasts longer. This will also be nice to layer with the body lotion to create a stronger scent. Just like Black Musk, the bottle and packaging of this fragrance is beautiful and the bottle has a purple ombre effect. Naturally the scent of the EDT is stronger than the body lotion and it has a light freshness to it as opposed to the warm, vanilla-based scents I usually go for.

I wore this on Monday for the first time and the scent lasted all day. When I first spritzed it the floral notes were more prominent but as the day went on the musk became more apparent. The scent is even lovelier than when I smelt it in the shop.

5. Lee Stafford Poker Straight Shampoo and Conditioner 75ml

I’m super excited about going up and staying with my brother I’m planning ahead already! Travel size items are so cute and are far easier to travel with than full size and faffing about decanting things into bottles. It wasn’t the easiest to find travel size shampoo and conditioner but I decided to give these ones from Lee Stafford a try. I’ve heard good things about other products of his from fellow bloggers and I hope the price tag also reflects the quality because these weren’t the cheapest but I bought them for their convenience. I won’t be able to say more on these until next month after my trip but I’ll let you know how I get on!

6. The Body Shop Strawberry Hand Cream (Not pictured)

There are a couple of other hand creams I plan on using up before I get to this one but I have been meaning to pick up this scent for a while. I’ve got a Strawberry lip butter and every time I apply it, I have to give it a whiff it’s that delicious! I can’t comment how this particular hand cream performs but if it’s as good as the others I’ve used from The Body Shop (Almond and Shea) I won’t be disappointed. I think I will wait until spring/summer to use this one because the fruity scent will tie in even better then.

I apologise for forgetting to include this in the photographs.

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Have you tried any of these products? What was the last beauty item you picked up?