PartyLite Candles

If you read this blog regularly you will know that I am a massive fan of candles and now Summer has been and gone and Autumn is drawing ever closer, I will burn a lot of candles.  I usually get home from work, close the curtains to close out the outside world, park myself on the sofa after lighting some candles to relax.  For me this is what candles are all about.  So when I was given the chance to try some from PartyLite, a brand I knew nothing about, I jumped at the chance.

PartyLite are an online store which specialises in home fragrance and decor and they have a really large selection of home fragrance options for you to choose from such as candles, diffusers and wax melts. So I have spent the last few weeks burning these candles to see if they can compare to those well known brands when it comes to burn time and fragrance.

The first candle I tried was the Vanilla Citron Escential Jar by PartyLite which I expected to hate because I am not a Vanilla scent enthusiast, infact it usually gives me a headache.  To look at the candle isn't overly decorative and as soon as the box is open, there is an immediate scent of both vanilla and citrus, neither overpowering the other but both very much present and as soon as it is alight, that scent intensifies quite quickly and fills every room.

Then came the Discovery Trio, which again as soon as the box is opened, not only are you greeted with three lovely bright coloured candles, but the scent is really noticeable.

• Japanese Yuzu is bright orange and has blue fans nicely decorating the glass jar.  The scent is really citrusy, a cross between being an orange and a mandarin and it is an absolute delight on its own or as part of the trio.
• Costa Rican Fruta Dorada which is bright yellow and decorated with sunshine shapes.  As a scent it is much more fruity than the Japanese Yuzu and more like a fresh peach.
• The final candle is Hawaiian Hibiscus which is probably my favourite of the trio. A bright pink candle with a glass decorated with green leaves and flowers. I had expected the scent to be quite floral there is something quite tropical about the scent.  

Together as a trio they smell absolutely divine as you might expect, there is a lovely fresh floral and fruity fragrance which quickly fills whichever room you happen to have them in and even after you have distinguished them, the scent lingers for a good few hours afterwards.  

Overall, I really like these candles and they're definitely comparable to some of the higher end brands I've tried.

Michael Kors White Eau de Parfum

The only item I have ever owned by Michael Kors is some sunglasses which I got from TK Maxx for an absolute bargain.  It used to be all the rage to own rose gold watch and handbag but now, having seen more of the beauty range, there are quite a few products I fancy trying.

At Debenhams, my favourite store on Oxford Street, the Michael Kors beauty range consists of quite a few different Michael Kors fragrances, body products and there are some amazing sunglasses. I was kindly sent the Michael Kors White Eau de Parfum, which is available in three different sizes 30ml, 50ml and 100ml and naturally, the price differs for each size and costs between £39 and £79. Michael Kors White is one of the newer fragrances from the collection and it is my very first fragrance from the brand and I absolutely love it.  For me, this scent is one of those timeless classics and something to be worn on special occasions.

Firstly the bottle, as you would expect with something called White, it most certainly is.  It is huge, chunky and every bit luxurious.  The white bottle featuring the brand and name stands out among its peers with the silver mirrored top and button for spritzing.  It is like no other bottle I own and I like this a lot because it is plain, not too over dramatic and does what it needs too.

As the name suggests, this perfume is based on white flowers.  It has

• Top Notes – Violet Leaves, Freesia, Ylang Ylang and Aldehyde
• Heart Notes – Gardenia, Egyptian Jasmine, Tuberose and White Peony
• Base Notes – White Musk, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Amber and Cedarwood

With notes such as these, you have to expect a strong fragrance and that is exactly what you get.  One spritz is all you need because once it is on your skin it isn't going anywhere.  White is one of the most long lasting perfumes I have ever owned and it is one I absolutely love, think works well and smells amazing on my skin.  You can literally smell the scent all day long and even if you are out in the evening after work there is no need to re-apply and living in London and getting public transport that is no mean feat.  The scent is so fresh when first spritzed with the Freesia being quite dominant but as it settles and you can detect Gardenia, which is a really lovely scent, this perfume becomes for me all about the tuberose (which is a flower) which is a lovely floral, sweet buttery scent. 

If you like white floral scents, you’ll love this offering from Michael Kors because White is just stunning.

Have you ever tried a Michael Kors perfume?