BYREDO - MIXED EMOTIONS FRAGRANCE


“We’re bottling up emotions. I hope that people identify with that sentiment and then find something deeper to relate to.” - Ben Gorham, Founder

As a fan of the Byredo brand with many different fragrances in my collection such as Cuir Obscur, Bibliothéque and Baudelaire, I was pleasantly surprised when a sample of the newest drop; Mixed Emotions arrived at my door given that the scent seemed to ‘drop’ unexpectedly!

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BYREDO - MIXED EMOTIONS

  • Top Notes: Maté, Blackcurrant

  • Middle Notes: Ceylon Black Tea, Violet Leaves

  • Base Notes: Birch Wood, Papyrus

The opening of Mixed Emotions immediately hits you with the blackcurrant note that feels fruity, but that of a dense feel rather than a sweet one, which takes me back to my youth where I drunk gallons of it and as the dry-down begins to take place, it becomes a lot heavier, almost slightly leathery with a hint of musk throughout. For me, the performance is linear and stays close to my skin and lasted between 5-6 hours with a sillage of light to medium.

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Byredo Mixed Emotions.jpg

This feels rather different for Byredo in the sense that it feels quite smokey and spicy in comparison to some of the launches previously where the fragrances have felt quite light and floral such as Sundazed, Lil Fleur and Slow Dance so if you’re wanting something that’s a little fruity with a smokey undertone, then check out Mixed Emotions for more details.

To also check out more reviews with my experience of the Byredo brand, click here!

Have you smelt Mixed Emotions yet? If so, what are your thoughts? Do you have any favourites from Byredo? If so, which ones? I would love to hear from you so drop me a comment below to continue the conversation.


KMA STUDIO X SAVE THE CHILDREN


Following on from my recent YouTube video where I reviewed the hotly anticipated first drop from KMA Studio (Kate Moss Agency), it felt only natural to do a mini-review of the latest launch from the Butterfly Series in collaboration with Save The Children.

Within this collection, they have taken inspiration from ‘The Butterfly Effect - where small changes can make a large impact’ and enlisted wildlife photographer and conservationist, Finlay Pitt for the butterfly wing print on each garment.

KMA Studio Butterfly Series
KMA Studio Butterfly Series

There are just two items available this time around;

and when I initially saw the print it immediately gave me those fresh, Spring vibes! Bold, bright and colourful, I decided to opt for the t-shirt as I felt I would get more wear out of this throughout the upcoming warmer months. I ordered the t-shirt within minutes of the launch dropping (can you tell I’m keen?) and about a week or so later the item arrived in its compostable packaging.

KMA Studio Butterfly Series
KMA Studio Butterfly Series
KMA Studio Butterfly Series

The print and colours of the t-shirt themselves were a lot brighter than I had anticipated however, it wasn’t so bright that it felt garish or off-putting. The fabric itself is made from 100% organic cotton which has been responsibly produced in India and feels so soft! As I tried the t-shirt on, I loved how ‘oversized’ it appeared as I like my t-shirts to be quite loose and relaxed.

KMA Studio Butterfly Series

£5 from each sale of both garments will be donated to Save The Children where the charity aims to help young people reach their full potential and build a better future. To see the Butterfly Series, click here!

What do you think about the Butterfly Series by KMA Studio? Are you a fan of the print? Let me know your thoughts below or carry on this conversation over on my Instagram and Twitter!


BYREDO - SPACE RAGE TRAVX


I don’t think I can remember the last time the fragrance community were so split down the middle with what is now classed as a ‘controversial fragrance’ such as Space Rage by Byredo in collaboration with Travis Scott… Let’s start shall we?

BYREDO - SPACE RAGE TRAVX

  • Top Notes: Cosmic Dust, Antimatter Particles

  • Middle Notes: Starlight, The Scent Of Supernova

  • Base Notes: Atmospheric Vapour, Dark Nebulae

I was busy working when an email came through from Byredo with a brand new drop in collaboration with American rapper; Travis Scott in the form of fragrance - Space Rage. As soon as I saw the bottle, well, that was me sold! I went onto the website and I saw that the fragrance itself had sold out almost within minutes but, I saw the option of the Space Rage candle so I got my hopes up and thought it’s better than nothing right? That too, sold out.

Now, when the hype wore off a little and I first read the notes of Space Rage I was a little taken aback because I didn’t know if it was to be taken as a joke or if there were more details to come with the actual notes, but nothing. Anyway, I resigned myself to the fact I had missed out on Space Rage until… A month or so later and I received another email notifying that it was back in stock and honestly? I must’ve checked out and bought within seconds! Due to the current COVID-19 and Brexit restrictions, it did state that there was no specific delivery date when purchasing this, but I was happy to wait and happy that I had finally got my hands on Space Rage and was keen to see what the hype was all about.

Space Rage arrived around 3 weeks after the purchase and both the packaging and bottle were immediate winners. The handwriting font with the gradient of blue mixed with purple? Stunning. Anyway, I’m rambling and I appreciate that you’ve not come here to find out about the packaging! I sprayed Space Rage on my wrist and my first thought was ‘Omg, I’ve smelt this before!’ No, it wasn’t that other fragrance, it was ‘Carrousel’! Carrousel is a candle by Byredo and one of which I have purchased 4 times and it is my favourite Byredo candle by far so, when I smelt Space Rage, I was initially made up as this was essentially my favourite candle now in a ‘wearable’ fragrance form!

Later that day I was rummaging through my fragrance samples collection and came across a sample of Pulp. Now, for those of you who aren’t aware, many have complained and said that Space Rage is effectively a repackaged version of Pulp and as a Byredo fan myself, I didn’t read too much into it because you can’t always please everyone, but, I decided to see what the fuss was and I sprayed Pulp onto my other wrist and I have to say, I couldn’t tell them apart. With that being said, I will review Space Rage for what it is.

The opening of Space Rage is very fruity which initially feels quite light but as the dry-down begins, there’s a muskier, almost deeper twist on the fruit notes which reminds me of how the candle Carrousel burns. It has a punchiness of Earth undertones to it and I would imagine in the warmer, Spring/Summer weather that this will settle nicely on the skin. In terms of sillage, I’d class this as light to medium and its longevity was a little disappointing as this only lasted on my skin between 3-4 hours.

With that being said, perhaps I am a little biased as I do like Space Rage as for me, it’s a ‘wearable’ fragrance version of Carrousel! However, I almost feel a little cheated as this does feel very, very similar to Pulp. But hey, if this gets another restock then be quick to try it out for yourself as I imagine this will fly out again!

Have you smelt Space Rage yet? What did you think? Do you think it does smell like Pulp, or is this a standalone fragrance in itself? I would love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment below to carry on the conversation.


CHRISTMAS CALENDARS 2020


It may seem a little early to start thinking about Christmas however, here in the United Kingdom we are experiencing ‘Lockdown 2.0’ and it seems everybody has just decided that Christmas starts now! So, I’ve put together a little Guide for those looking for Christmas Calendars this year.

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kiehlschristmascalendar2020.jpg

‘GIVE JOY GIVE KIEHL’S’ / £89

For their iconic Holiday Calendar, Kiehl’s have partnered up with Lyon-based illustrator and graphic designer; Maïtè Franchi. Inspired by Art Deco, she combined geometric shapes with vibrant colours mixed with subtle textures creating that warm, cosy Christmas feel to Kiehl’s!

I absolutely adore this years design because it has a richness and warmth to it and feels more ‘traditional’ than previous years. Within this Advent Calendar you can begin the countdown to the 24th December and each day has been packaged into a little box that contains a little Kiehl’s favourite such as;

  • Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate

  • Creme De Corps

  • Ultra Facial Cream

  • Mr Bones (I’m not entirely sure myself what this is as I want to keep the element of surprise too!)

  • & many more.

Another great fact about this particular Advent Calendar is that the packaging and product cartons are made with 100% recyclable, FSC certified materials using zero plastics ensuring that everything that holds the Kiehl’s products is environmentally friendly.

As always is the case every year, Kiehl’s Limited Edition Holiday Advent Calendar has currently sold out online almost instantly however, once the shops reopen here in the U.K. on 4th December (as this currently stands), be quick to pop to your local Kiehl’s boutique as I’m sure they’ll have some in store! For more details, click here.

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loccitanechristmascalendar2020.jpg

‘A TALE FROM 'L’OCCITANE’ / £53

Countdown the days of Christmas by peeling back the doors with L’Occitane Advent Calendar this Christmas! Behind 24 doors lies many wonderful treats such as;

  • Cherry Blossom Hand Cream

  • Aqua Reotier Ultra Thirst-Quenching Cream

  • Overnight Reset Oil-In-Serum

  • Light Comforting Cream

  • & many more.

The design of the Advent Calendar gives me those classic, chic, cosy French vibes and makes me long for the day when I can travel to Paris again!

As with the Kiehl’s Advent Calendar, L’Occitane’s packaging is made up from 100% cardboard alongside the inserts which are all recyclable. Currently online, the ‘A TALE FROM L’OCCITANE’ is sold out however, if you’re a fan of L’Occitane and want to get your hands on something, their ‘Web Exclusive’ is available and all L’Occitane Advent Calendars can be found here!

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hotelchocolatchristmascalendar2020.jpg

‘THE ADVENT CALENDAR - DARK’ / £12.50

Now, as a huge lover of dark chocolate (it’s the best am I right?) I can’t not have an Advent Calendar this year without some chocolate to wake up to!

Hotel Chocolat’s dark chocolate has been made up from a minimum of 70% cocoa for that smooth, silky chocolate taste. As always with Hotel Chocolat, they produce the best tasting chocolatey treats and have a range of Advent Calendars this year such as;

  • Dark Chocolate

  • White Chocolate

  • Caramel Chocolate

  • 100% cocoa, zero-added sugar

  • The Grand Advent Calendar

  • The Everything Advent

  • The Advent Calendar For Two

All of which can be found here!

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Let me know which Christmas Calendar’s you’ll be treating yourselves to this year. Join me as I unbox each day over on my Instagram and Twitter channels from 1st December!


A/W FRAGRANCES 2020


Now that we have arrived into the colder, Autumnal months, I have put together a guide to help assist you when it comes to selecting your A/W Fragrance for 2020! A few of these fragrances are newly released so if you’re after something that perhaps not many know about just yet, then stick around… After all, who wants to smell exactly the same as everybody else?

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AUTUMN/WINTER FRAGRANCES 2020

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ATELIER COLOGNE - LOVE OSMANTHUS

  • Top Notes: Italian Lemon

  • Middle Notes: Chinese Osmanthus

  • Base Notes: Cedar

Love Osmanthus opens with a bold, citrusy burst that makes me long for those warm, Summer days again which is why I wanted to include this particular scent in this Autumn/Winter Guide.

I also love that Love Osmanthus has been created using 94% natural ingredients which does away with those ‘synthetic, cheap’ vibes.

The dry-down then begins to feel slightly fruity, almost ‘peach-like’ with the Cedar note then balancing things out making the fragrance feel a little dense.

Admittedly, the silage and projection of Love Osmanthus lasted for around 3-4 hours on my skin which was a little disappointing however, if you’re somebody that enjoys a light, fruity fragrance that brings back Summer memories, this is one definitely worth checking out here!

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SALVATORE FERRAGAMO - FERRAGAMO

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Sage

  • Middle Notes: Violet Leaf, Leather, Cedar

  • Base Notes: Oakmoss, Vetiver, Musk

Ferragamo is perhaps the fragrance within this Autumn/Winter that feels the most safe, reliable and the go-to scent when you’re looking for something that can be worn every day which isn’t too overpowering yet still interesting enough to garner a compliment or two!

The fragrance opens initially feeling citrusy that then rather quickly dries-down into a much more woodier scent that feels rather creamy.

Perfect for an Autumnal day! The sillage of Ferragamo is medium-heavy and lasted for an impressive 7-8 hours on my skin.

Read more about Salvatore Ferragamo - Ferragamo here.

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JEAN PAUL GAULTIER - “LE MALE” LE PARFUM INTENSE

  • Top Notes: Cardamom

  • Middle Notes: Lavender, Iris

  • Base Notes: Vanilla, Oriental Notes, Woody Notes

Out of the fragrances within this Guide, Jean Paul Gaultier - Le Male Le Parfum is my own personal favourite… The reason for this is because of how addictive this fragrance is!

Compared against the classic ‘Le Male’ this particular take differs a lot in the sense that it’s much more refined, elegant and darker. The fragrance feels oriental and sweet yet done in a way that isn’t sickly or too dense! The warmth of the Vanilla note leaves this fragrance feeling sensual and dark, ideal for this time of year and is a definite head turner.

Le Male Le Parfum’s sillage is heavy and its longevity lasted an incredible 9-10 hours! I could still smell this faintly on my skin the morning after having sprayed it. Absolute winner for me and you can find out more details here!

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LACOSTE - MATCH POINT

  • Top Notes: Basil, Pink Pepper, Grapefruit

  • Middle Notes: Gentiana, Clary Sage, Geranium

  • Base Notes: Vetiver, Cashmeran

A fresh yet spicy, powdery opening that slowly dries down into a warmer, woodier kind of fragrance. I found Match Point to be better suited to being worn throughout the day and is similar to the ‘Ferragamo’ fragrance in that it is a ‘safe’ fragrance to wear!

If you’re after something that can be worn easily throughout the day then perhaps Match Point is one to check out, you can find out more details here.

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ESCENTRIC MOLECULES - 05

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Orange, Fig Leaf, Fig, Laurels, Juniper, Basil, Rosemary

  • Middle Notes: Cypress, Hedione, Freesia, Iris, Jasmine

  • Base Notes: Cashmeran, Labdanum, Musk, Ambroxan, Mastic or Lentisque, Iso E Super

As a fan of the Escentric Molecules brand and having reviewed their fragrance ‘03’ before, I was keen to try out their latest scent ‘05’ and it certainly didn’t disappoint!

Similar to the Love Osmanthus fragrance as previously mentioned in the sense that this also opens with a fruity, citrusy, fresh burst however, this differs as 05 dries-down into a much more spicy, warm fragrance which lingers around on a cool, autumnal day.

Throughout the journey of 05, the fragrance then starts to feel much more ‘green' with a touch of the floral notes underlying in the background. Overall, 05 is better suited to those who enjoy complex fragrances that have a few twists and turns along the way and in terms of its sillage I’d class this as medium with its longevity lasting around 6-7 hours when sprayed upon my skin.

Find out more about Escentric Molecules here!

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COACH NEW YORK - BLUE

  • Top Notes: Lime, Absinthe

  • Middle Notes: Ozonic Notes, Black Pepper

  • Base Notes: Amber, Cedar

An incredibly fresh, watery opening of the Lime note blended perfectly with the woody, warm notes of Amber and Cedar during the dry-down lends itself to an interesting fragrance. I wore this on both during the day and evening and found that its performance was better in the evening as the spicy kick of Black Pepper stood out more which felt warm and creamy for this time of year!

Its sillage is light-medium and lasted between 5-6 hours on my skin. If you’re looking for a scent this Autumn/Winter that is refreshing and creamy, then Blue is a good scent to start with! Find out more about the fragrance here.

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VIKTOR & ROLF - SPICEBOMB NIGHT VISION EAU DE PARFUM

  • Top Notes: Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Chilli Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves

  • Middle Notes: Rosemary, Clary Sage, Coriander, Mastic or Lentisque, Lavender, Mint

  • Base Notes: Nutty Notes, Pistachio, Patchouli, Cedar, Olibanum, Peru Balsam, Balsam Fir, Benzoin, Labdanum

The release of ‘Spicebomb Night Vision Eau De Toilette’ was panned by the fragrance world due to its disappointing performance so when the news of the Night Vision was to be re-released but as a Eau De Parfum, I was intrigued to see how this would differ to the Eau De Toilette version and see if this version would make up for the original and guess what? It did.

It’s a much richer, sensual version and the spiciness really kicks through! Performance wise, its sillage is undoubtedly heavy verging on a little overpowering at times so minimal sprays only with this scent is needed and its longevity lasted between 7-8 hours on my skin.

You can find out more about Spicebomb Night Vision - Eau De Parfum here!

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I hope that you have enjoyed this Autumn/Winter Fragrance guide and that you’re feeling more inspired when it comes to selecting your fragrance! Let me know which one is your favourite, or perhaps one that you’re not so keen on. Are there any you would recommend that you feel I should try? Follow me on Instagram and Twitter and let’s carry on the conversation!