Malin + Goetz Vetiver Candle

This is my first Malin + Goetz product but it's a brand that's been on my radar for a while now.

I love the design of Malin + Goetz products and I love the idea that most if not all of them are unisex. There are lots of things that I've been wanting to try, the Tobacco candle, the Mojito Candle, the tonics, especially Rum and Lime varieties. Really there are lots of things there I've been fancying!

Anyway, I was sent the Vetiver Candle to try which was really nice actually as it's not something I would have chosen! Vetiver is a grass native to India and is used widely in perfumes. I've had to google it a bit but have learned that vetiver oil is described as deep, sweet, woody, smoky, earthy...which just shows you what I know because I've always thought  Vetiver was a more citrusy scent and had catalogued it in my mind somewhere with Bergamot. I don't know why. I've had a fair amount of experiences with essential oils since I was about 20 but this one seems to have entirely passed me by. I'm waffling, but the reason for all that is to tell you how Vetiver is supposed to smell!

So, my beliefs about what Vetiver is supposed to smell like were instantly reinforced by this candle as it's top notes are indeed fruit and citrus and then in the middle is clove leaf and the dry down scent is cedarwood and vetiver. It's strange combination of fresh and warm and aromatic. This is no bad thing, this candle is wonderful! The candles are big, 260g, and have a burn time of approximately 60 hours. These are £37 each and aren't too badly priced for the amount of hours you get. The fragrance quickly and fully fills my lounge and I find after an hour of burn, my entire downstairs is beautifully scented.

Another thing I really like is that there are 8 candles in the range and they are designed to work in pairs, so the Vetiver Candle specifically goes with the Otto Candle. Although at £74 for two candles you really have to love candles! I might ask for the Mojito candle (which pairs with the Rum Candle) for Christmas though...

A beautiful candle which in terms of luxury candles, gives you a huge amount of burn time for your money. Recommended.

*Disclosure - PR Sample*

Escentual Blog of the Week

Just a little post to let you know that I've been chosen as Blog of the Week over at the Escentual Blog.

For those who don't know, Escentual is a fantastic online retailer of all things fabulously beautifying. I'm currently eyeing up Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blushers and the Waterbrush, Diesel's Loverdose perfume which I ADORE, Guerlain Meteorites Pearls and the Clarins 3D Radiance Face Powder. Alas I'm too poor to buy anything right now.

Also worth a mention is that the people at Escentual were very kind not so long ago in helping me find some skincare and sent me a large amount of Nuxe sample sachets to try out which was VERY much appreciated.

So please head over and have a little look.

Thanks Escentual!

Ellis Faas Autumn Gift set 2011

Each season Ellis Faas selects three bestsellers from her range to create a set perfect for the season. Summer's offering was beautiful and Autumn's is stunning too, although definitely more daring!

 So included in this little set is the petrol coloured Milky Eyes E204, Black Mascara E401 and cherry Creamy Lips L102.

I won't go into detail about the mascara, its fab, can be seen here in action and you can see my thoughts on it here. It's a really nice mascara.

Ok so swatches of the eye colour and the lipstick.

 Nice no? A little look at the applicators?

 The applicators are much discussed for a variety of reasons my main gripe is simply that the product dries and clogs the applicators meaning you either have to wash when you've finished, wash before you use or poke holes in ;) I find the applicators a doddle to use though.

Milky Eyes E204 is a stunning colour, and is very easy to build up. This is relatively sheered out. The swatches above give you a good example of how deep you can make the colour.

And the lips first in natural light and secondly with flash. A gorgeous colour. Equally gorgeous blotted out to a berry stain (not shown - but what I did so I didn't look like mutton on the school run).

 And finally, all the products together? I am sorry about the picture. It's not a great one :S

The kit is £50 and available now from http://www.ellisfaas.com/. If you buy the set you're saving yourself £15 (if you bought the items individually). As always, these sets are brilliant bargains!

I've not seen the Autumn set anywhere other than the Ellis Faas site, but the range is available from Liberty and Space NK.

*Disclosure - PR Samples*

Boudoir Prive Box September 2011

G'day!

A couple of days ago I received the Boudoir Prive Box for September 2011. For those who don't know, Boudoir Prive is similar to the Glossybox which I reviewed a short while ago. Boudoir Prive is a samples service, you sign up and for £10 with free postage each month you receive a very gorgeous box containing 5-6 deluxe samples. You can opt out at any time and there are no catches you need to be aware of.

So you get your lovely pink box, that closes with a magnetic fasting which I LOVE. Magnetically closing boxes are luxurious. I don't know why, they just are!

Then there's a pink ribbon, lots of lovely black tissue paper and a leaflet and card. So you undo your ribbon, peel back the tissue paper and what you get is below.

Lots of things!

There is:

Tropic Skincare Body Smooth. A very very small sample.. I'm not sure there's enough to do a body, probably one of my bingo wings...smells divine and is from the range created and produced by Susanne Ma (The Apprentice). 
A Sample of the Agent Provocateur scent L'Agent. It's a beautiful perfume but as a deluxe sample I can't help but feel its a bit of a cop out. It's jut the size you'd get for free in Boots...so not what I'd call deluxe really.
Macadamia Hair Oil - this is a small sample but will last ages. Hair oils are fab, I love them and although it doesn't have the smell I love in the Moroccan Oil it does as good a job really so am especially happy with this sample (although it must be said I'm somewhat drowning in serums and oils!).
Colbert MD Nourish Eye Cream. Tiny pot. It's fine though, you use so little product when applying eye cream this would last me a decent amount of time. £15ml would set you back £90 so this is probably a good value pot of cream!
Zoya Polish. Marina from the Fall Smoke & Mirrors collection. It's not my colour it has to be said but I was excited to get this (not quite full size bottle) because I've been wanted to try Zoya's for ages and this will give me a great idea of formulas etc. So although not my colour, I was still pleased with this. Also included are swatches of the whole collection which I think is a great idea!
Cargo Boogie Nights Eye Pencil - a shimmery navy. Love it. Very pleased with this but again, a set of five of these is £13. Meaning each pencil is worth £2.60... and I'm not sure I'd count it as deluxe, but I'm nit picking really, it's a lovely pencil and gorgeous colour.
Finally there's a bronzing blotting powder sheet, I appreciate that this is a free thrown in sample but I won't ever use it.

So what do I think in general? Well I struggle to sum up what I think. I love the idea, and I love the samples generally speaking...but are they really any use to me? No, not really, the polish would have been amazing if it had been a colour I'd have used and the hair oil is lovely. The rest? No, my life isn't better for having them. BUT it is lovely having a box of samples dropping through your letter box to sniff and read about.

In a way I think these boxes are not great for Beauty Bloggers! I'd love to hear what someone who wasn't a blogger thought and see it from the perspective of someone who isn't already drowning in full size products.

It does feel like a treat getting these sample boxes and I think they'd make a lovely gift for someone special too (if you were feeling flush!). Boudoir Prive is certainly a nice mix of products and more suited to people in general than the Glossybox with it's Blonde Eyebrow Palette, Damaged Hair conditioners etc and for that reason alone, this one is my preferred box! If it takes your fancy you can sign up here.
*Disclosure - PR Sample*

A Thank You & Rouge Bunny Rouge Wishing For Wings

I've been so lucky since I've been blogging and reading blogs, in that I've entered and won a few giveaways. The most recent being a Rouge Bunny Rouge Fire Drops Loose Glitter Pigment in Wishing For Wings from the lovely Delicate Hummingbird. I think I found her blog via  the Rouge Bunny Rouge Facebook page and it quickly became a favourite. Lovely writing, beautiful swatches, beautiful products from a wide variety of (mostly) luxury brands...what's not to love. So I was thrilled to win her giveaway. What I received in the post was this:

The pigment, a sample of Thierry Mugler Alien (I'm definitely in the loves-Mugler camp), a teeny Bourjois lipgloss, a lovely note and two samples of products. It was truly a delight to receive. Thank you!

So the product itself. Well I've yearned for this for ages. I kept putting it in my Zuneta shopping basket, but never buying it. I'm not sure what was holding me back.

Anyway have a look. No idea why these pictures make the product inside the vial look a beige colour, it's not beige, it's a silvery lavender.

 So what you get is a wand, with a sponge tip, that when you pull it out, already has the product in place for you to put where you want it. It's neat. I find it a little unwieldy though. You can see in the bottom picture there that in the background there's some product on the counter top... I found I lost a tiny bit in this way when I pulled the wand out.. It's no biggie.  Here's the obligatory swatch:

You see? Not beige, it's a lavender-y grey/silver and very very sparkly. It's very pretty. I've not played around with it loads yet but have chosen to wear it sheerly. Here it is with Mac White Gold pigment (love), I dabbed it onto the outer corner and in the crease and blended out with a brush. Very sheer, very natural, very pretty.

 Love. This is without primer but I do intend fully to pack it on over a dab of Paint Pot or some Urban Decay Primer Potion in the near future because I'm fairly sure you could create something pretty striking with it.

So thank you so much to Delicate Hummingbird, I love it. I've worn it rather a lot since I got it. The only problem is that now I want Night Wind Sailing (pewter with pink pearl) and Sleeping Under a Mandarin Tree (gold with pale mandarin). I'd best get saving then!

Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Body & Hand Wash.

I'm just going to start by showing you a couple of examples associated with the Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Collection because I think they are just stunning.

 I just find the images incredibly alluring and they REALLY make me want to try the products! Advertising at it's best I guess!

So I'd say that the delivery man bringing this to your door is incredibly exciting.

I'm really sorry about that stock image there, I thought I'd taken a photo of the bottle but I hadn't! oops. Anway. That right there is the Wild Bluebell Body and Hand Wash.

The top notes of the fragrance are bluebell and clove, the heart of the scent is lily of the valley, eglantine and jasmine and the base is white amber and musk. It just smells beautiful, and floral, but not in a traditional way. I'm not sure what it is that makes it not traditional, but traditionally (!) I really don't like floral scents. I do however, love this.

I have to confess to an embarrassing thing. When this turned up I ripped open the box and saw the words hand wash, fitted the (included) pump and rushed off to wash my hands. It was a good week later  I realised this was a hand and body wash and it's now in the shower. At £30 for 250ml this isn't a cheap product at all, and it seemed a little wasted as a hand wash, as a shower gel though, its glorious. I think this would make a lovely present for someone, a Mum, or sister, or really, any female!

Also in the range is of course a cologne, body cream and candle. I'd love to have a sniff of the cologne, but I'm still yearning for the Tea collection I missed out on. Not that I'm bitter. Much!

Anyway, well worth a sniff if florals are your thing, this is a slightly off-beat floral which makes it right up my street. Beautiful.

*Disclaimer - PR Sample*

Rachel’s Beauty Blogger’s Best Things!

Since starting Beauty Blogger’s Best Things, I’ve always maintained that it’s open to anyone to take part, big bloggers, small bloggers, hell, I don’t even really mind if you’re not a beauty blogger, the more the merrier. Anyway, this week I have the lovely Rachel from Twenty Something Beauty. A lovely, fairly new blog which I’m more than happy to promote. A nice mixture of high end and high street products and just an all round nice blog! So please, follow!

So lets get on with it!

Can you talk me through your daily skin care regime, which products you use and why?

I'm a  big fan of both the Elemis and Liz Earle skincare lines so usually my skin regime combines their products. For cleansing I'll use either the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish or the Elemis Pro Radiance cleanser as both are gentle on my sensitive skin and provide a thorough cleanse which leave my skin feeling fresh. I'll follow up with the Liz Earle Instant Skin Boost Tonic, which is the most gorgeous smelling toner, to make sure I've removed all my cleanser. Finally I'll use either the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser in Combination/Oily or the Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream depending on how dry my skin is feeling. Both keep my skin hydrated with causing it to over oily, which is a major problem I have with my skin. At night time I use the same routine but add in the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum for help with scarring and Origins Super Spot Remover if I have any blemishes.

What shampoo and conditioner are you devoted to?

I love the Herbal Essences line to death. I haven't found anything else that smells quite as good as all the different types in this ranges. Currently I'm using the one in the red packaging, which is for split ends, to help keep my overprocessed hair in tip top condition. I literally walk around smelling my hair all day long because it smells so good. I've not really found much difference between high end and low end shampoo and conditioners, so I'll buy low end to save money for make up!

What about your top three make up brands generally speaking?

It would have to be MAC, Chanel and L'Oreal. The quality of the product form these brands is generally amazing and they are definitely the ones I repurchase from the most.

What is your favourite foundation and why?

Hands down it would have to be Lancome Teint Miracle. I think Lancome have always won my heart when it comes to foundation, I was a big fan of Teint Idole for years. Teint Miracle gives me flawless medium coverage without looking cakey or to 'made up' I does not budge all day, even on my oily skin, and manage to give me the kind of glow that looks healthy and not like I'm just horrible and shiny. A big plus is the massive colour range, which also takes into account undertones, so I can easily find something for my super pale skin in winter and warm it up a few shades in summer. I'd happily recommend this to anyone.

What is your favourite mascara and why?

Lancome again! I love their Hypnose Drama. I love having long, thick lashes. I don't mind if it's the slightly clumpy, obvious look because I think my eyes are my best feature so accentuating them is always a must! This mascara doesn't dry out quickly (damn you YSL) and is the intense shade of black that makes your eyes look extremely defined. You won't end up with flakes under your eyes by the end of the day either, which is something I despise.

What one product do you think every cosmetic aficionado should have in their collection?

I've got to say a the Urban Decay Naked Palette. It's a cult product for a reason: portable and beautiful it takes you from day to night effortless. I've lost count of the number of looks I've created using the palette. The possibilities are endless!

I love finding new blogs so please before you go, please recommend three of your favourite bloggers.

http://pearlsandpoodles.blogspot.com/

http://www.beautyliciouslove.com/

http://www.fromgemwithlove.com/

All amazing blogs by very talented girls.

Thanks so much for taking part Rachel, I’ve enjoyed reading your blog!

And the time has come again where I’ve run out of willing volunteers for BBBT so please, if anyone wants to take part, please drop me a line to charlie@ladyofthelane.com. ALL welcome.

My Chanel Fall Spree

I've been putting off doing this post. I don't really know why! This will be fairly picture heavy, but then my posts often are so no surprises there. At first I bought just a couple of things, then I went back for a couple more. Naughty!  Anyway, lets start with my surprise favourite purchase from the collection.

The Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Ecrin. It's just gorgeous.  For some reason my swatch and photo's are coral toned but I find the blush to be most definitely pink. A pale, dusty sort of a pink. I never planned to get it but I had to have it. My blush collection is now completely out of control.

 And then I had to go and get eyeliner. Le Crayon Yeux. At first glance, distinctly underwhelming. It's very pale, a very pale Silver Khaki. That didn't put me off though as my other favourite liner is Illamasqua's Precision Ink in Glister, which is a nude shade. I'm loving the effect of a pale liner on my top lid at the moment. It helps that their paleness helps to hide my lack of skill in application... anyway. Here's a little look.

And then I bought three of the much-blogged-about Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Cream Eyeshadows. I bought Epatant, Illusoir and Mirifique. These are bizarre! And I don't mean that in a bad way. They are just completely unusual in finish. I've seen them described in so many different ways, but I'll go along with a mousse like cream shadow. There's a brush with each one, which is perfect for lining, but I'm not so sure it's great for applying the whole lid... I've not found a perfect way to do this yet...

Lets start with the Khaki/Gold, Epatante. If not my favourite of the three I got, certainly the most wearable. It's glittery, but classy glittery ;) These do crease on me, and my eyelids aren't very oily. Primer fixes that though.

 Then I got Mirifique, which is the black one. I've not managed to get a great application on my entire lid, but it makes a superb liner. The whole lid thing is just practice I think. In the bottom picture, I'm wearing the blush again and it looks a bit more colour accurate.

Finally, the one I wish I hadn't bought. Illusoir. I can't make it work at all. It doesn't seem to have the same levels of pigmentation of the other two. It also consistently applies patchy on me, and it doesn't really suit me all that well I don't think. I found even doing the swatch hard work with this one. Live and learn!

 It's not awful, it's just...meh on me.

Mirifique is absolutely my favourite, but needs more practice from me to perfect the application, but Epatant is far and away the most wearable for me.

So my top picks from this collection are the gorgeous blush and Epatant and if anyone wants Illusoire for £15 plus postage then give me a shout, it's only been used for the swatch and eye pic above, is still boxed with it's brush.

I nearly forgot to mention this, but you may have seen me tweet that my first lot were faulty. I had to send them back for replacements.... this is why...

See how they are all shrunken in their pots, compared to the above pots? It's a confirmed faulty batch, so if you've bought these, please do check them!