Lanvin 'Me' Eau De Parfum

Let's talk about this perfume. It's gorgeous. That's the first thing you need to know. The second thing you need to know is, as soon as I sprayed this, it was like Spring and Summer had arrived, and had brought with it this delicious scent of sweetness and blueberries than I cannot get enough of. Seriously, I keep sniffing myself, it smells that good. I do love a sweet scent, but I draw the line when it turns sickly and people start to recoil away from you, not that that's ever happened... *cough* anyway, this Lanvin Me* (£33, here) perfume is divine, and I'm going to tell you exactly why I love it.

First impressions first; the packaging. It's blue and gold, one of those classic combinations that reminds me of Marie Antoinette (the film, not the person) as it always looks so decadent and divine. It's elegant, and I would expect nothing less from Lanvin as after all, as a prominent French Fashion House has to keep up appearances, and this offering is completely Lanvin, in my opinion. This perfume is meant to personify the Lanvin woman; a woman, not pretentious, but confident and unique in herself. I was very excited to try it, so after carefully opening the box (anyone else have a fondness for pristine packaging? who can resist that gold ribbon exterior) I was delighted to find a very lovely little bottle. It's a beautiful bottle, very simple in its design, yet very effective, as it's size and adornment mean that it has that little something else, that je ne sais quoi, as the French would say. It could sit in the window of a Parfumerie and look quite at home next to the gilded bottles for far more expensive concoctions. 

Up next is the scent. This is something that's been on my mind since it first arrived and I promptly sprayed myself with it. It's a scent that I can't really describe; it's blueberry, sweet, fruity, floral and just addictive. It smells so good, that it's hard to find the words (useful, I know). The Top Notes are Blueberry and Mandarin. The Heart Notes are Tuberose and Rose Absolute. The Bottom Notes are Liquorice and Sandalwood.

Blueberry is a definite yes, as are sandalwood and some type of rose, but maybe my palette isn't sophisticated enough to pick up the base notes of liquorice and mandarin, or to distinguish which rose is which. All I can tell you is that this smells sweet and fresh, something that would make you smile as soon as you smelt it. It's fresh and whimsical, but delicate and not too overpowering if you're not a fan of strong perfumes - and i'm generally not. I like a good scent, but nothing too strong like YSL's Opium, which smells fabulous on other women, just not myself. It's just divine and I find myself spraying it, even when I'm just sitting in my room, because it just smells so wonderful, and I cannot get enough of it - the scent of blueberries is just intoxicating and sweet.

The more it lingers, it has a certain sensuality to it, a fruity but spicy background that makes those around you take notice and inquire as to what perfume you're wearing (this has happened to me several times in work). It's not something that I've smelt before, and that's something I love about the science of creating a perfume; how something so divine could be created, and it can trigger a scent memory, but still be completely new. 

Alber Elbaz, the Artistic Director of Lanvin, says that 'LANVIN ME is more than a fragrance. Its composition tells a story that expresses each separate shade. It resembles a partiture of feelings and a motions of a moment, like a fascinating melody of senses' and whilst I do agree with this, I think it should be emphasised that this is more than a fragrance; it's something special, it's a memory of summertime, fruity and floral. Fragrances smell different on different people, and this to me, once it settles on the skin and warms, smells like blueberry and sandalwood, with a dusky hint of rose, and this really works for me. It's soft and sensual, but spicy and understated, making it one of my predicted, go to perfumes for summer.

To learn more about Lanvin, here is a link to the Fashion House's page on the Harvey Nichols website, who graciously offered to send me the perfume for my review. Although this is indeed a product sample, I would never alter my opinion in order to improve my standing with a PR Company/Brand. This review has been a thoughtful reflection on what this perfume means to me, and I hope that this will encourage you to sample the perfume for yourself, as it really is divine for this time of year.

What perfumes have you been adoring recently? Let me know xx

Garnier Oil Beauty 'Oil-infused Nourishing Lotion'

I love this stuff. Let's just get that out in the open right away. Slathering this on after scrubbing is one of lives little pleasures, as there's nothing better than ridiculously soft skin, in my opinion, for feeling really good about yourself. My face may have a few blemishes, but if my skin is soft and glowy, then I am a happy bunny. Garnier's Oil Beauty Lotion (£3.33 here on offer) contains four oils to make the skin feel nourished and soft, including Argan, Macadamia, Almond and Rose - four products which I am a massive fan of for their beneficial properties. 

Lotions are always used to moisturise skin after washing, but a mixture of lotion and oil is genius, especially when combined with the pump, which undoubtedly makes this a very, very handy bottle to use and to take with you, if you're going away for a few days. I use this after every shower/bath and it makes my skin feel so soft - it's fast absorbing and non-greasy, two essentials if you need to shower, moisturise and leave. I'm never one to leave out the moisturiser, even if it's morning and I know I'm going to be running slightly late - I'll just throw a few makeup products into a bag, and complete my face whilst in work; there is no way I can get through the day with dry, tight feeling skin - it gives me the worst feeling, and i'm then miserable for most of the day. 

Back to the product though; this is really, really good in my opinion, and it doesn't smell too strongly of anything, just almonds and the sweet sound of angels singing about how wonderful it is. Okay... that's a lie, but it does smell like almonds, and I loooooooove almonds. The Body Shop's Almond Body Butter and I have a special relationship, but this may just over take that, as it has a pump. Which means you use just what you need, and it's not messy... all in all, I say this is a complete winner for me. It leaves my skin feeling so soft between showers/baths and it has that really subtle scent that clings to your skin for a few hours, which is always a plus in my opinion. 

Is this a product that you'd use? What are your favourite body moisturisers? 

Revlon Chrome Collection Nail Enamel in Super Powered

Prepare yourselves. Not only for Spiderman (which I have yet to see... *cough*someone take meeee *cough*) but for this amazing nail collection from Revlon. You know when Revlon is involved with something, it's going to be good, and with Emma Stone as one of the faces of the brand, it made total sense for Revlon to make her look film screen perfect (not that it would take much, you've seen Emma Stone, right?). This collection is called the 'Chrome Collection' (£6.49 here) and my choice pick, is this aaaamazing polish in Super Powered. Ugh. I have so much love for this colour. It's a sapphire blue, with a shot of chrome esc glitter running through it, which makes it ridiculously gorgeous anyway, but combined with Revlon's long lasting formulas, this polish has been on for four days and has very, very minimal tip wear - which is unheard of for me, as I work in retail (aka the destroyer of a good manicure) and a good polish will struggle past the third day, despite a coat or two of Seche Vite. 

Let's talk about the packaging. It's the typical style and shape bottle, but the gold webbing (oh the webbing) makes me so happy... because it's Spiderman related. I know these are inspired by the film, but I'm really glad that Revlon did something inventive with the packaging, and didn't just slap the name 'Spiderman' on the side of the bottle. I love the effect of the black traditional packaging, with the gold webbing - it just makes me feel like that is a Spiderman approved colour, which I know, sounds a bit silly, but I'm a bit of a Marvel nerd, and this excited me to no end. The whole collection excites me, and I for one, cannot wait to get my hands on 'Spidey Sense' and 'I'm Electro' - because who can resist those gorgeous colours that change whenever the light hits them differently? 

These nails are blue, but there's a shot of purple, that kind of colour change that you see out of the corner of your eye and it's gorgeous. The girls in work went crazy over this colour, so it's a definite winner, staying power wise, as well. I cannot say enough good things about this polish, and I can't wait to get a few more. Well done Revlon, you should definitely keep doing fabulous things like this. 

What are your favourite nail polish shades right now? Any ones that are rocking your world?

No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blushes

Now, when I first saw these, I was like 'yes!'. These are the blush equivalent of the highlighter stick that I fell in love with around Christmastime last year, so with the fabulous spring/summer colours and armed with a No7 voucher or two, these Pop & Glow (£9.95 here) blushes had to be mine. With a creamy formula that goes from cream blush, to an almost velvety powder on the skin - these blushes give that subtle flush of colour without being too much. 

I have seen people applying this straight to their face from the bullet, and I thought 'why not?' but it's a big no-no from me, as it just stripped away my foundation (I blame the oily/combination skin). So I apply it by either swatching it on the back of my hand and then blending onto the cheeks, or rubbing my fingers on the product and then blending straight away; depending, really, on how much time I have to apply my makeup, or if I want a touch-up on the go. 

The packaging is gorgeous; i'm a huuuuge fan of metallics with that pop of colour (aptly named Pop & Glow, right?) and it's very sturdy, there's no need to worry about it falling apart in your makeup bag as you carry it around all day. The texture, as I mentioned above, is divine. It's so soft and creamy, but then it's velvet powder on the skin, so you know the staying power is going to be good. It provides all day colour, but with most makeup, a bit of touching up halfway through the day is always appreciated, as I wore Rose Blossom (the lighter pink) on a double shift (12 hours *shudders*) and although I touched it up in the middle of the day, it still held strong and made me look alive; something I always appreciate. 

They swatch really true to the colour of the packaging, but once blended, they become these subtle, extremely wearable, build able colours - and I for one, am a massive fan. Classic Rose (the darker pink) and Rose Blossom (the lighter) are my chosen pinks, and when combined with a pink stained lip and a flick of liquid liner, these are gorgeous. But I for one know that they will be glorious, regardless of skin colour/skin age, as I love them, and so does my mum. The swatches below are the best example of the colour pay off. From right to left, you have Classic Rose straight from the bullet, then blended with my fingers. Then you have Rose Blossom applied straight with no smudging, and then the blended swatch next to it. As you can see, the colours can be bright and summery, but also so subtle and romantic. These colours built up not only give greater pop's of pink, but they do have that glow about them, making these Pop & Glow blushes amazing products, and I cannot stop wearing them.

Have you tried these blushes? What are your favourite No7 Products?

This Works' Sleeping Partners

I'm a big fan of sleep, but then again, who isn't? There's nothing like slipping into bed and cuddling up, ready for a good night's sleep; more often than not, however, I still wake up tired and feeling like I could sleep for another few hours (or days). That's where This Works comes in. I always fancied the idea of these products, but never thought my sleeping was that bad. The thing is, the first night I used this (in my best friends house, on a mattress that felt like a cloud) I had one of the best nights sleep I have ever had, despite going to sleep at 3 or so am, and having one or two drinks. I woke up so refreshed and ready for the day, which only generally tends to happen when I go to bed early. 3am is not early... well, depending on how you look at it, really. 

It's not something that will make you sleep if you're suffering from problems in that sense, but the idea is to relax you to a point where you will just drift off to the land of nod. I think it's all due to the scent of lavender and camomile, which is just ugh, amazing; but if you're not a fan, then I think you should turn away right now, as this isn't going to be your thing. 

These came in two different sets, that I picked up after Christmas, in the January sales, but I couldn't not use the larger box (below) of the two, which housed; the Deep Sleep Night Oil (£25 here) and the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (£16 here). Whereas the smaller of the two sets contained the Sleep Balm (£12 here) and the Deep Sleep Dream Cream (£18 here). 

These products are quite interchangeable, despite coming in two separate sets and can be used based on what you fancy, rather than what you have. Like after a bath, I'd use the night oil and the pillow spray, completely forgoing the sleep balm as it would be completely counterproductive, as not only does the oil have a strong scent of lavender (some would think it quite overpowering if lavender isn't your thing), it permeates and relaxes you instantly, so much so, nothing else is needed. 

The Sleep Balm is one of my favourites, as not only can you rub some on your pulse points, but can also be used to solve the problem of dry cuticles. It's a subtle scent; something that can be worn at any time of day, not necessarily at night (it's just divine and soft and I love it). Due to it's small packaging, it can be carried around with you easily, especially when travelling, as the small pot is definitely not going to weigh down your skincare or makeup bag. 

One of the things I love about these products, is that although the scent may be strong as first, it however softens and becomes the most divine scent. The Night Oil and Dream Cream are both easily absorbed into the skin, making them easy to apply before slipping straight into bed for a good nights sleep, especially when combined with the Pillow Spray which only takes one or two light mists on the pillow/duvet to cocoon you in a blissful lavender heaven.

The only thing that really turns me off about these products, is the price. Yes, I got them on sale, but individually, full price is a bit steep for me. So I would recommend, but not unless they're on offer, or on sale. That is unless you're totally comfortable paying full price for them; in that case, each to their own (you go girl/boy!). Have you tried any products from This Works?

The Soap & Glory Face

I'm a big Soap & Glory fan (can you tell from the amount of products that I have?) as not only are their body products my go-to for showers and baths... general bathing has got S&G written all over it, but today, so has my face. Aside from a few key products that I have yet to cover (brow product, mascara, primer and concealer) everything else is totally retro-ed up (gotta love that packaging). It's safe to assume that all of the face products are in the palest possible shades, whilst the powders are translucent and the lip products (wow) are a delicious berry colour that I cannot get enough of. 

For the base, I primed my skin using Revlon's Photofinish Primer and allowed that to skink into the skin for about 30 seconds, before applying Show Good Face in 'Fairest of them all' (£11 here). Now, as far as foundation names go, it's pretty much the bee's knees. Now after applying this with my Real Techniques buffing brush, I used my concealer of choice, and lately, that has been Seventeen's Phwoarr Paint (I love it so much, it's ridiculous). So, after everything that needs hiding has been concealed, I went onto the brows (in which I used my MUA Brow Palette), then the eyes.

I'm a huuuuge fan of Black Liquid Eyeliner, so Supercat Eyeliner Pen Carbon Black Extreme (£6 here) was right up my street, and it's sooo black. I usually start, eyeliner wise, in the middle of the eye, and draw a thin line, close to the lashes; this helps me determine what kind of look I want for the day. It usually depends on how dramatic I want the liner to look, and this makeup was about a very thick cat-eye with a subtle flick at the end; I like mixing it up with a thick line and a small flick, or a thin line and a dramatic flick. It's all about the mood for the day. The pen is so easy to use and can be built up for a subtle or dramatic look - whichever i'm favouring at that moment. It lasts pretty much all day, in my experience, and if it can survive an 8 - 8 shift, then this is something to definitely consider looking at. I didn't add anything eye to the eye except my old faithful mascara, L'oreal's Telescopic in waterproof black after curling my lashes with my Shu Umuera curlers and Avon's Supershock Eyeliner on the inside of the eye, to make things a bit brighter. 

Back to the skin; to get that glow I used Glow all Out Luminizing face Powder (£11 here) as a highlighter on the cheekbones and blended into the hairline, and just where I thought a bit of colour would be appreciated. Mainly because I'm so pale, I tend to use it in certain places, and not as an all over powder, but it can be used for that; with it's Luminospheres pigment pearls, it's a sublet but very effective powder that provides a very dewy glow, perfect for pale skin, as well as darker skin tones. 

As I was going for quite a natural, glowy look, I only used an additional touch of contour through the hollows of my cheeks (Sleek's Face Contour Kit), and then moved onto the powders. I do love a good powder, and the offerings from Soap & Glory are definitely some of my favourites. First applied is Kick Ass Instant Retouch Powder (£12 here), all over the face with a fluffy face brush, and this gives the most flawless finish, setting the foundation and concealing any shine or blemishes missed. This powder is translucent, and just gives a gorgeous 'finished look' to the face, making everything look fabulous, but still not concealing the glow we worked so hard (well, not really, it was easy) to achieve. The last of the powder products, is One Heck of a Blot and this is dusted very lightly over the T-zone, to eliminate shine; shine and glow are completely different things, but my mum thinks I look good either way, so win-win?

Finally, on to the lips! First layer of colour goodness goes to Super Colour Fabulipstick Powdercoat (which is a rather long name, if you ask me) in the shade Pom Pom (£9 here). It's hailed as a 'traffic-stopping pomegranate pink' which I quite agree with (except for the traffic-stopping... that happen to anyone?) as it's a gorgeous colour, with a matte finish and collagen boosting formula to tone and plump the lips. Now, my lips are quite full, so plumping isn't necessarily an issue, but I really did enjoy the way this felt on the lips, as not only did it glide across the surface, but held it's colour for a good amount of time before touching up was needed (three hours or so). However, in the pictures taken, I've slicked a bit of gloss on top, Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick (£8 here) to be exact. It's in the shade Plum Jam and looks glorious on top of Pom Pom (a perfect match, if I do say so myself) - I'm not a gloss person. At all. They always feel too sticky and your hair gets caught in them... it's a bit no-no from me. But! (you knew there was a but coming, right?) this is different! It doesn't really feel sticky at all, and it glides across the lips, giving a kick of colour to bare/or lips that already have product on. The stick allows for easy application for touchups on the go, and like all of their products, have darling packaging.

I'm a sucker for all things retro, and they don't come better than Soap & Glory. So, this was a little product focus, despite interjecting a few non S&G items and this is the first proper appearance of my face in a blog post. I know. Ah well, go big, or go home, right? (Kinda silly really, because the picture of my face is huge.. and i'm home already...) any who! Let me know which Soap & Glory products you use on your face, and why I need to have them (gotta expand on my collection *winkwink*).

Weekly Favourites, 6th - 13th of April

At the start of a new week, it seems fitting to post what I've been loving the week before. So alas! Here they are! Let's do the 'yeah you know i'm loving it' obvious choices first, which would be Nuxe's Reve De Miel which is ohmygod so good, Seventeen's Phwoarr Paint and Soap & Glory's Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder which are both... ugh, I'm just adoring them both so much right now. Remember Phwoarr Paint from my monthly favourites? Yep, it was there too. 

Next, we have Collection's Nude Eye Palette, MUA's Colour Blast Eyeshadow Stick, Sleek's Face Contour Kit and L'oreal's Telescopic Mascara. The first two products are ones that I've been using together quite a lot; the stick first, to give that quick flush of colour, and then the shadow palette on top, just to give a better depth and intensity to the eyes. These two together are a winning combination, and one I definitely recommend you trying. Ugh, the Contour Kit has currently taken the place of my go-to contour product, which is a cream blush from Dainty Doll, and I've been using it in the hollows of my cheeks and under my jawline, just to give some definition - and it's the bee's knees. My top tip for using contour products of any kind, is start light and gradually add more - don't just get in there and get all the product on the brush, because if you're anything like me, being pale skinned, it's jus going to look odd. 

The Mascara is an old faithful, and one of the best I've tried, regardless of price. It's waterproof and very black - my two mascara essentials. I use this after curling my eyelashes and it holds the curl so well. It's gorgeous, although I think they've changed the formula now. Needs to be repurchased, just to make sure it's still good for me. 

Two non beauty choices, are my rediscovered watch and a song that I cannot stop listening to. It's 'Oh Hark! by Lisa Mitchell and I adore it. It's definitely becoming one of my most played songs, and you can listen to it here. The watch, is a past purchase from Next and is just so cute! It's got a thin, teeny strap and it says 'J'adore' on it's face. Sold! What products/items have you been loving this month?