Charlotte Rhys Luxury Fragrances Have Arrived In The UK

About a week ago I was kindly sent a package from Charlotte Rhys which contained a couple of products: their Hand and Body Lotion and one of their Eau de Toilettes. 

Charlotte Rhys is a premium fragrance brand that originated in South Africa and has just launched in the UK this summer. It is developed to be "Kind to you and kind to nature" with vegan friendly and cruelty free products created with sustainable practices such as biodegradable packaging. 

The products I received are the Oud Blanche Eau de Toilette and No. 17 Hand and Body Lotion. My first impressions on both products were very positive as the packaging looks very luxurious with the sleek monochrome design with silver accents.

The Oud Blanche Eau de Toilette comes in a 100 ml opaque glass bottle. The Oud Blanche fragrance is described as "Enigmatic and Seductive", the top notes consist of Saffron, Rose, Bergamot and Cistus Labdanum, with a heart of Cedarwood, Patchouli, Gaiac and Apple. Vanilla, Sandalwood, Labdanum and Musk create its base notes.

Oud Blanche is a very strong fragrance so it is not for the faint-hearted. I can definitely perceive the woody and fruit notes, as well as a warm vanilla base. I would describe this perfume as a grown up version of Guerlain's La Petite Robe Noire, perhaps. It has great staying power, however the strong notes seem a bit heavy for summer but I think it would make a great A/W fragrance.

The Hand & Body Lotion comes in a 300 ml white plastic bottle with an elegant, slim black pump. The No 17 fragrance is referred to as "Fresh with Woody Depth", it features top notes of Yuzu, Bergamot, Lemon and Tarragon, with Lily of the Valley, Nutmeg, Water Lily and Reseda as the heart. Cedar wood, Sandalwood, Vetiver and Musk create the base notes.

The lotion is very lightweight but nourishing thanks to the Glycerin, Coconut Oil and Baobab Seed Oil in the formula. The No 17 Hand & Body Lotion is fresher than the Oud Blanche, with a light but complex citrus fragrance that is very long lasting and is perceptible on the hands even after washing them. 

You can purchase Charlotte Rhys products in the UK here.

xo

Under The Cherry Blossoms

Herbae Par L'Occitane Eau De Parfum

Recently I received a free sample of the new Herbae Par L'Occitane Eau De Parfum, which is inspired by the wild grasses that grow in the heart of Provence. 

The perfume is described as "a remarkable green, fresh floral fragrance of wild grasses mingling with explosive notes of bramble, wild rose and white nettle."

The notes on Herbae Par L'Occitane Eau De Parfume are:

Top notes: Ambrette Seed, Vert de Bergamot Essence, Pink Peppercorn

Heart notes: White Nettle Flower Accord, Wild Rose Accord, Bramble Accord, Clary Sage Essence

Base notes: Wild Grass, Captive Musk, Cashmeran.

At first I wasn't keen on the fragrance but with time it grew on me.  This perfume has a very fresh scent that turns sweeter as it dries down on the skin, which I really like as I'm a big fan of sweet and floral perfumes. Another thing I really like is the botanical illustration on the card which can be found on the box packaging.

The fragrance of Herbae Par L'Occitane Eau De Parfum is not overpowering and sadly it is not very long lasting either, but found it lingers on clothes the following day, which I was surprised by given it did not last as long on my skin.

If you enjoy fresh, sweet and floral perfumes and are looking for a new fragrance to try this summer then I would recommend Herbae Par L'Occitane Eau De Parfum. If you liked Elie Saab L'eau Couture you will probably like Herbae as well.

Find Herbae Par L'Occitane Eau de Parfum at L'Occitane.

xo

Superdrug B. Vitalised Vitamin Facial Spritz

A while back I was gifted the B. Vegan Gift Box by Superdrug, which included many skincare and beauty goodies. I have previously reviewed the Clay face masks and the B. Pure micellar water from this set and now is the turn of the Vitamin Facial Spritz. 

This facial spritz is meant to instantly energise to awaken the skin and it is suitable for all skin types. It also mentions that it is a refreshing skin perk-me-up that is quick and easy to use to give a well-rested radiant look and is perfect for dull, lacklustre skin.

The Vitamin Facial Spritz features Caffeine, Vitamin C and Cucumber Juice to energise, and an uplifting fragrance to "revitalise and awaken the skin".

Other ingredients in the formula worth mentioning are hydrating Glycerin, exfoliating Urea and Citric Acid; soothing Panthenol, Allantoin and Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid and 2 forms of Vitamin C.

At first I wasn't a fan of the fragrance as I found it too strong and soapy-like but it has grown on me and I quite enjoy using it now. 

It is very refreshing to use on a warm summer day, but it can also be used as a toner before applying any serums and creams, so I think it is a versatile and fun product to have. I also like the inclusion of the different soothing and hydrating ingredients.

As any mist, it will leave skin hydrated and more dewy looking, however I'm not sure if it can actually brighten the skin given the vitamin C is very low on the ingredients list.

I would recommend this face mist if you are looking for a refreshing spritz with soothing and brightening properties.

Find the B. Vitalised Vitamin Facial Spritz in Superdrug.

xo

Micro Lilac Bag

This micro lilac bag was gifted to me by Dot last week as it was my birthday. It is too cute so it needed its own photoshoot, I used flowers from the bouquet that Dot got me for my birthday as well.

This tiny bag has a crossbody silver chain which is hidden within for the picture, a top handle and magnetic closure. It doesn't fit many things inside but it is a great way to add a pop of colour to any summer outfit.

xo

New In: July 2021

MAC Magic Extension Mascara

As mentioned in my recent post on how to Get £5 off the MAC Magic Extension Mascara, MAC has recently launched a new mascara!

The Magic Extension Mascara promises to help achieve OTT exaggerated volume and make lashes look longer, fuller and lifted thanks to the use of 5mm fibres for surreal volume and length. It is enriched with colour-amplifying crystal elixir powder and the tapered brush creates root-to-tip curl.

I have tried the free sample I received a few times since that post and can now comment on the claims of the MAC Magic Extension Mascara. The fibres do help add a lot of volume to the lashes very easily, but the formula seems a bit dry to begin with, which can result in some clumping and unfortunately for me that is not an ideal look. 

Another thing I didn't love about this mascara (and pretty much any mascara) is that it is not very easy to remove, this is again due to the fibres, which detach from the lashes as you apply makeup remover and end up all over the surrounding skin, and once on the skin they seem to stick onto it, so multiple swipes with remover are needed. 

As I applied the mascara without curling my lashes, which are quite straight, I can't comment on how well it would hold curled lashes, but it did help lift mine slightly. It is also very black so will help darken light lashes, thicken them and make them look slightly longer.

I expected to have a lot of fallout as this is a fibre mascara, however it was minimal so no complaints from me on this matter. I also really liked the smell and it reminded me of The Body Shop Super Volume Mascara's scent. 

All in all it is a good mascara if you like drier formulas that help thicken and give a clumpier look to the lashes. 

You can find the MAC Magic Extension Mascara on Boots and it's coming soon to the MAC website.

Have you tried this mascara?

xo

Stationery Haul Video

New video of a stationery haul with things I got in the last couple of weeks, including lots of mini notebooks, pens and more!

Where to buy:
❤ Floral Notebooks
❤ More Wild Roses design stationery
❤ Hedgehog Notepad
❤ More Sara Miller stationery
❤ Liquid Paper
❤ Fine Point Inkjoy Pens
❤ Alice In Wonderland Notebooks
❤ Mini Inkjoy Pens

xo

Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator

A few months back I purchased the Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator as I was in need of a new exfoliating toner. 

The Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator contains Glycolic, Lactic, Citric, Malic and Salicylic acids, plus Pumpkin and Papaya enzymes to lightly exfoliate the skin. This toner is formulated to a pH suitable for blemish prone skin. 

The instructions mention to apply it to the face and neck morning and night after cleansing, and the name implies that it can be used every day, however since my recent over-exfoliating disaster I am too scared to use it daily so have been using it for the extreme amount of... once a week.

As retinol is also in my routine a couple of nights a week and don't want to over-exfoliate ever again, I've been using this once a week and right now it feels like just the right amount. 

Even though the Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator contains 5 different types of exfoliating acids, plus 2 fruit enzymes it does not dry out my skin thanks to glycerin, which is the second ingredient in the formulation.

The toner does not contain any added fragrance, and it also features soothing Aloe leaf juice to prevent irritation, so I think it would be suitable for dry and even sensitive skin.

As mentioned, I've only been using it once a week, however I can always feel a difference the next day: my skin feels much softer and smoother, and the best part is that any imperfections get significantly reduced to the point of being almost gone by the morning.

I would definitely recommend the Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator if you are looking for a gentle but effective chemical exfoliant that is non-drying.

Find the Botanical Lab Pumpkin & Papaya Enzyme Daily Exfoliator in Lloyds Pharmacy, Superdrug and Ocado.

xo