New Perfume Additions

I have a slight addiction to perfume. I think anyone with a shopping habit can admit that fragrances are some of the easiest things to splurge on. The bottles are pretty, they smell amazing and there's always a sale somewhere! I've acquired a few more fragrances recently, so instead of reviewing them individually and rambling on, I thought i'd do a quick (ish) round-up. It's really difficult to review a perfume because everyone's tastes are different, but i'll give it my best shot. Just so you know, the sizes of the bottles pictured do not necessarily reflect the prices i've mentioned. I've started with the lowest price for the smallest amount to give you a rough price bracket!

Calvin Klein Endless Euphoria Eau de Parfum* (From £37.50 for 40ml, The Fragrance Shop)

I absolutely loved the original Euphoria and I was slightly disappointed when I found that it didn't really resemble anything to do with the old fragrance at all. But that's not to say this isn't an amazing fragrance on its own. It has hints of cherry blossom, violet and bergamot, making this scent really refreshing and light. It's described as quite dream-like, and I totally agree. This would be a perfect scent to throw in a bag (Maybe not literally!) when you're going away, as it's perfect for both day and night. 

Victoria's Secret Sexy Little Things Noir Tease Scented Body Mist (£22 for 250ml, Victoria's Secret)

This is the only body mist out of the new additions and the reason for this if i'm totally honest is that I really wanted the proper bottle but didn't want to pay the £50 for the small Eau de Parfum! This scent is boidoir-inspired, with black vanilla and sandalwood bottom notes for warmth layered with top notes of red apple and lychee to keep it light. It's sexy, flirty and just the perfect combination of musky and fruity! I do think I will purchase the actual EDP after this is finished because the staying power isn't great (obviously) and i've heard amazing things about the EDP's leaving a strong scent for hours.

DKNY Be Delicious City Blossom Rooftop Peony Eau de Toilette* (£37 for 50ml)

This is probably my least favourite, purely because i've never been much of a fan of the DKNY perfumes. Containing mandarin, pink lady apple, raspberry and peony, this is just far too sweet for my liking. Whenever I smell it I can always smell the alcohol used to create it, which i'm definitely not a fan of. The bottle is pretty, but as it settles it just smells really powdery and floral; a little too wishy-washy for my taste.

Balenciaga Paris L'Edition Reflets Eau de Parfum* (£75 for 75ml, John Lewis)

Now this is a posh one! Containing violet and woody musk, this is something I would wear on a fancy night out or special date night. This is my second Balenciaga perfume and both of them always make me feel really confident and classy when I wear them. It's safe to say this is the most 'grown up' fragrance I own and i'd like to think its something that will grow on me in time.

Fantasy Stage Edition by Britney Spears* (From £29.50 for 50ml, Boots)
What I didn't realise when I was given this perfume was that it's the same Fantasy fragrance but in a new bottle? This scent reminds me so much of being a kid and being so excited to get hold of Britney's cupcake-inspired perfume. It also contains white chocolate, musk and kiwi, so its safe to say it's pretty sickly. I fear this one may be a little young for me, although I think it may be nice in the summer. Either way the bottle is really pretty and it's ideal if you want a distinctive scent that'll linger for a while!

Nina Ricci La Tentation de Nina Limited Edition Eau de Toilette (£34 for 50ml, Feel Unique)

One word to describe this perfume: YUM. Inspired by the smell and taste of a French macaroon, this little scent is bursting with almonds, raspberries and lemons to give you a combination of sweetness and elegance. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous too, with the neon pink really standing out against the rest on my fragrance shelf. 

Penhaligon's London Empressa Eau de Toilette* (£100 for 100ml, Penhaligon's)

I didn't photograph this because I only received a sample from a press event, but I literally cannot get enough of this perfume. Penhaligon's are a fragrance company that i've only just started to get to know, and I just love their elegant packaging, classic scents and general style. If you walk into a Penhaligon's shop you feel like you've been instantly transported to the early 1900's, and the bottles are so elegant and old fashioned I would keep them for decoration after i'd finished the actual product. Anyway, Empressa contains pink pepper, blood orange and vanilla with hints of patchouli, cocoa and sandalwood to give it a rich sweetness. The best way I can describe it, is that it smells almost exactly like Coco Chanel Mademoiselle, only a little bit richer slightly less floral. Unfortunately it's not something I would repurchase purely because of the price, but its definitely something i'd love to splash out on if I ever had the money spare!

Have you bought any perfumes recently? What are your favourites? Let me know, as i'm always on the hunt for more!

Urban Decay Black Magic - 24/7 Glide-On Double-Ended Eye Pencil Set

Hands up anyone who loves a good old-fashioned kohl liner?! I know I certainly do! Ever since I started wearing make-up I always loved to run a black kohl liner on my waterline (back when I thought I was super edgy!) and I love using one to create a soft feline flick or make my lashes appear thicker and darker my smudging a small amount into the lashline. Being a massive fan of black liner and Urban Decay, you can imagine my excitement when I was able to take home their new Black Magic 24/7 Glide-On Double-Ended Eye Pencil Set* to try.

From a company that is just as obsessed with black liner as I am, Urban Decay have released a set of four double-ended pencils for Christmas, with one of their signature black shades on one end a colourful shade on the other. It's no secret that their eyeliners are super pigmented, creamy and long-lasting, so I was just stupidly excited to get my hands on some new colours! The set also includes two shades, Black Market and Eggplant, which have recently returned after becoming temporarily discontinued, as well as Black Velvet, which contains their new 24/7 Velvet Glide-On formula. 

I apologise for the crappy quality of the photos - I took these when I was in the midst of moving out and I was rushing/stressed, so these are definitely not my best! Anyway as you can see, it has the gorgeous multi-coloured smokey packaging, which is absolutely beautiful. Each pencil's barrel is also perfectly matched with the shade of the liner, making it perfect for when you need to grab one on the go! 

The set contains:
Black Velvet - Rich, smokey black matte
Smoke - Deepest grey matte
Black Market - Charcoal black satin
Tornado - Dark eggplant pearl
Perversion - Blackest black matte
LSD - Navy shimmer with bright turquoise micro-sparkle
Zero - Zealous black cream
Demolition - Deep brown matte

I can't believe that there are so many different versions of black liner! My favourite by far is Perversion - it's pigmented, creamy and industrial strength black. I love the subtlety of Demolition, but i'm excited to use Tornado as purple tones compliment blue eyes really well. These would make a great Christmas gift for a Urban Decay junkie, or a good taster set for someone who wants to try out some of their products. What I will say though, is that once it dries it really dries. My usual make-up remover didn't take it off, so I had to resort to a specific eye make-up remover. Slightly annoying, but it is exactly what you want in a liner. Basically, this set is awesome. Coloured liner is a perfect way to put on a fun twist on your regular make-up routine, and I can't wait to get playing with these!

You can get your hands on the Urban Decay Black Magic set for around £25 online or at your local Urban Decay store later this month! :) 

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in 115 Delight

Oh hello!

I hope you're enjoying your week...

I've not tried many D&G cosmetics as i've never really been drawn to the packaging (Let's face it, pretty packaging helps!) and there hasn't been anything that's really made me want to rush out and buy it right there and then, so I thought i'd start off slow and try out this Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in 115 Delight*. Once again, quite a safe colour choice, but I always tend to start off well within my comfort zone when I try a new brand.

It's a nude shade with a hint of coral and is designed to be moisturising whilst delivering really strong pigmentation. I'm becoming a massive fan of creamy lipsticks recently, so I thought this one would be ideal. It comes in a shiny gold case and is fragranced with the iconic D&G dusty rose, which I think is a really lovely touch - there are too many cosmetic brands that have their products smelling like chemicals.

I'm really not a fan of the colour. I'd imagine it would look great on someone with darker skin, but its just too light for me and I hate that I have a faint outline of my lips around it - I know this could be corrected with a lipliner but it's just irritating when this is supposed to be a low-key colour. It definitely has a strong colour pay-off and it's certainly creamy. It's meant to be long-lasting, but I found it's quite average and came off completely after i'd had a drink.

Overall this is an alright lipstick, but definitely not one i'd run out and repurchase for £24 - that's ridiculously steep for a standard lipstick. However, it does come in 46 colours - so if you're a fan of D&G and want something with high pigmentation this could be the one for you. However, I have a feeling this will end up buried at the back of my lipstick drawer. Shame! :(

On a more personal note, i've recently started my new job and moved to Tunbridge Wells with Rob. It's all very new and quite a lot of things are still in boxes, making blogging quite hard. I can't wait to sort things and get back into it again! So this will be the start of me getting back into blogging properly now I can get into a routine again. I'm so excited! 

You can purchase the Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick range for £24 each at your local counter or online here.