Top 5 Summer Scents

This post is about my favourite scents for the summer, it appeared on the lovely Vicky of Lots of Love, Me blog as a guest post. I am a huge lover of perfume and my collection is slowly growing, there are one or two favourites that I could never be without - Bvlgari Pour Femme being one of them.  Every now and again though I like a change and often find my inspiration from some samples that I receive.  All of the perfumes which feature within this post have grown on me and have been purchased from samples.

So as you can see there us quite a few brands here and starting in the top left we have Bvlgari Rose which was released in 2006 and is a scent that I loved from a very first spritz. described as follows:

Rose Essentielle is the richest and most sophisticated fragrance in the Bvlgari pour Femme Collection. Since 2006, this scent has been the ultimate expression of luxury, it offers women who seek an extremely sensual floral signature the perfect evening complement.

The ingredients add a youthful and graceful touch to the original scent, reminiscent of a delicate Rose. The added fruity notes of Bergamot and Orange add a zesty sparkle to the richness of the precious Rose notes in the heart of the composition, making this fragrance refined, transparent and luminous.

The fact there are two rose scents make this perfume absolutely stunning and is something you should all try and sample if like me you love rose scented products.  It has a really good longevity about it once spritzed and is one of those fragrances which will last all day.

Next we have DKNY Be Delicious. This is the only perfume from the range that I currently own, I say currently because I am keen to add more of them to my collection. Again I loved this from the first spritz and is described as follows:

"A modern feast for the senses, this juicy fragrance combines the scent of apple with a sophisticated blend of exotic flowers and sensual woods"

It literally smells just like the description and is one of those scents that has a long lasting scent and I find that if I spray it on my way to work in a morning, I can still catch a sniff of it on my way home 8-9 hours later.

Givenchy Very Irresistible is next and I got a sample of this in a perfume sample subscription box and wore it everyday until the sample ran out and then bought a full sized version.  It is described as follows:

"Very Irresistable Givenchy eau de toilette was created, from a unique alliance of 5 roses, the queen of flowers, emblematic of Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn. The 5 roses are sublimated by their association with star anise, giving a bright, radiant, energetic and mouth-watering twist to the fragrance. The end result is a unique sensation of sheer seduction and luminous attraction".

Again for me it is that rose scent which catches my love and attention, there is something about it which works well with my skin and makes it last for a long time once it has been spritzed.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Sunshine was gifted to me by my work colleagues and at first I wasn't too sure that I liked it.  I persevered with it and now I absolutely love it, more so than the original Daisy.  It is described as a:

"Radiant and sparkling, the fragrance captivates with a mood-brightening infusion of juicy red fruits. The heart blooms with notes of vivid spring blossoms and tender lychee, then dries down to a velvety base of blushing apricot skin and musky woods".

Once you spritz it, the first scent you get is one of fruit and as the scent settles it does become less vibrant and in your face and more subtle and that is when I love it the most. Again it lasts a good 5-6 hours before you would need to re-apply it.

The final perfume is Miss Dior Cherie, a classic and another scent which took a while to grow on me, but once it did I loved it.  Described as follows:

"Romantic by nature, Miss Dior Chérie inspires an intense and playful love, for which she is also searching. She personifies the spontaneous joie de vivre of today's young women, representing a particular type of freedom and seduction. The fragrance is characterised by an instant and captivating charm".

Again this fragrance combines the use of Turkish Rose and Bulgarian Rose to give it one of its main scents so it is not a surprise that I like it, but it also includes Patchouli and Neroli which make up the fruity scent.  This perfume is one which needs just a slight spritzing as it is quite a powerful scent and another one which can and will last all day long, it takes a good 2-3 hours when on my skin to fade slightly and again I can still smell it on my skin 8-9 hours later.

So those are my favourite scents for the summer.  Do you change your perfume during each season?  Do you have a signature scent for the summer and is there anything you would recommend I try?

Balance Me Body Wash + Bon Voyage Competition

Balance Me are British run family company who have frequented the skincare market for around 9 years. They are one of the brands I absolutely love the products of and are infact the brand who managed to convince me that as someone with combination skin which leans towards the oily side, I could use a facial oil and not end up with greasier looking skin.

Over the past year I have tried a lot of Balance Me products and am yet to find one I don't like. The photographs below just some of the products I have tried:

So yes as you can see, I am a bit of a fan!

The latest releases from Balance Me introduces reformulated sulphate free body washes - Rose Otto, Super Moisturising and Super Toning have also had their packaging remodelled so it is now much sleeker and more hi-tech looking to compliment the reformulation.

So what does all that mean?  Essentially as the brand as Sian Jones the Balance Me Director and Aromatherapist states "We have improved the formulation to increase out natural surfactant to make then even more luxurious on the skin with a thick consistency and more naturally foaming"  so they are now more skin friendly.  Many cosmetic companies use sulphates in their products to help them create a lather, but the effects can be harsh on the skin and cause irritations such as a dryness and can strip the skin of its natural oils.  As part of the Balance Me philosophy, they try to omit any ingredient that they believe has question marks surrounding its composition and prefer instead to formulate products using natural alternatives.

I was very kindly sent the Super Moisturising Body Wash** which is this amazing bright yellow coloured tube, it definitely catches your attention in the morning when your half asleep and in the shower!

The body wash is described as being:

Perfect for: Soothing, smoothing and protecting parched or sensitive skin.

Key benefits: We’ve used four natural active skin enhancers to guarantee long-lasting softness and suppleness. Softening benzoin, calming yarrow and patchouli, plus essential fatty acid and vitamin-rich shea butter work together to gently soften and protect skin.

This body wash is most definitely as it is described - super moisturising, it lathers exceptionally well onto my beloved natural sea sponge and as soon as it comes into contact with water it begins to lather.  The scent is also amazing, it wakes you up, alerts your senses and lingers on your skin all day with the patchouli being the dominant scent, it smells very luxurious.

‘Beauty Voyage’ Balance Me Competition

But bloggers how would you like the chance to win youself a Balance Me Product? Well the lovely people over at Balance Me are  inviting you to take snaps of your favourite Balance Me products and submit them with the #balancemehome or #balancemeaway hashtag! The competition is running over July & August and the best images picked each week to win Balance Me prizes.  You can find more information on Twitter and Facebook.

Have you tried anything from Balance Me?  
What is your favourite product?

Bee Good Vanilla & Honey Lip Balm

The reason I am blogging about this product today is that it is #DontStepOnABeeDay which you can read more about at the bottom of this post!

I am a bit of a lip balm addict, there I have admitted it, I cannot help myself. When asked if I would like to try the Bee Good deeply nourishing and seductively sweet Vanilla and Honey Lip Balm, I immediately said yes. Add to that I am also a big fan of bees and always plant bee friendly flowers in my garden and on my allotment.

For those of you who have't heard of them, Bee Good is an independent British skincare company based in rural Hampshire, who have harnessed the centuries-old healing powers of British honey, propolis and beeswax in an innovative skincare range, designed to make a real difference without the use of parabens, synthetic colour, mineral oil, silicone or SLS/SLES.  Each and every one of their products are described as being packed with hard-working intensively soothing ingredients, there is nothing better to care for your lips than this nourishing and protective treatment delivered from the flower, to the bee, to you. 

The Lip Balm is described as follows:

Deeply nourishing, our Vanilla & Honey Lip Balm softens, protects and moisturises to bring welcome relief and rescue to dry or chapped lips. Packed with  hard-working intensive and soothing ingredients, your lips will be left perfectly conditioned and kissably soft and the delicious scent is truly addictive!

The first thing I love about the Bee Good range is the outer packaging, not something I would usually get excited about, but when something like this pops through your door, it is bound to prick your interest. Packaged inside a plain corrugated cardboard pillow pack, which is then secured with a bee patterned cotton ribbon, there is a label which is called a 'seeded paper label' and you can plant it into your compost and wait for the flowers to grow - How amazing is that?  I was totally blown away.

Back to the lip balm, packaged inside a yellow squeezy coloured plastic tube which features some lovely bumblebees and the Union Jack to remind you the product was made using British Bees!  When using the lip balm, it has an angled tip so you can apply directly onto your lips if you prefer, personally, I always tend to squeeze some onto the end of my fingertip and apply, unless I am in a rush or on the tube and haven't time to wash my hands afterwards.

This lip balm smells incredible.  I am not a fan of vanilla scented things, it gives me a headache, but just imagine the scent of fresh honey and for me that is exactly what this is, not so much of the vanilla.  So why does it smell so good? Well the ingredients include protective British beeswax, naturally sourced vitamin E, British Borage Oil and British Echium Oil which are moisturising, nourishing and replenishing ingredients to help soften, smooth, protect and moisturise your lips, more so if they are dry and chapped.

After applying the balm, which is a fairly thin texture, it slowly absorbs into my lips rather than immediatly disappears which I don't mind at all because rather than sit on the surface looking all shiney and not doing alot, I feel it is working its way through each layer of skin giving it some TLC.  As it does sit on the lips it is neither tacky nor sticky but you know it is there, so it works better over lipstick than under it.

This lip balms costs just £4.75, and it is perfect for keeping in your handbag.

Don’t Step on a Bee Day

This Don’t Step on a Bee Day, we urge you to help spread the message! Please find an image attached for use across your social media channels - we would love it if you could share our message with your audience and tag @BeeGood_UK or use #DontStepOnABeeDay to help raise awareness! Please see below for our Top 5 Bee Care Tips to give you inspiration for Don’t Step on a Bee Day:

1.       Don’t step on a bee! (Of course)

2.       Support your local bee keeper! The majority of our honey here in the UK is imported, but with the wealth of bee keepers on our doorstep there is really no need. Support your local bee keeper by visiting a near-by farm shop or deli and enjoy their precious produce for breakfast on some warm buttered toast - yum!

3.       Plant your Bee Good labels! Our little tags that accompany your Bee Good products are impregnated with special wildflower seeds that bees simply can’t get enough of! Just soak the label for an hour and plant under an inch of soil and watch your wild meadow grow! 

4.       Download the Great British Bee Count app. This wonderful app created by Friends of the Earth allows you to log the bees you spot out and about. This builds a picture of bee health and activity in the UK to secure a thriving future for our buzzing bees! You can find out more about the app here.

5.       Build a bee hotel! Did you know that bees need somewhere to rest when they venture out on their pollen mission? Get the kids involved and get building! You can find a step-by-step guide here.

You can find out more about Bee Good and all of the great work they do by visiting their website

Kosmea Daily Skincare

I love being introduced to new brands, one of the best things about being a blogger is the introduction to brands you might never have heard of, thought of using or have put off using.  Kosmea is an Australian skincare brand which has recently become available in the UK and when I was offered the opportunity to put some of their products to the test I jumped at the chance.  Why? well I liked their ethos for a start which is "skincare as nature intended" which for me intrigued me enough to want to find out more. 

The products are based around the certified healing properties of organic Rosehip Oil which is packed full of essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants making it ideal for ideal for dry, scarred, sensitive and sun-damaged skin.  Kosmea products also contain no SLS, mineral oils, petrochemicals and artificial colours or fragrances.

The two products I was sent to try was the replenishing moisturising cream and radiance 24/7 youth boost.

Replenishing Moisture Cream 50ml - £28.95

Described as being "Like a multi-vitamin pill for the skin and the perfect base for make-up" it is suitable for all skin types and contains: Rosehip Oil, Carrot Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Rose Flower Water, Jojoba Seed Oil, horsetail, nettle and Green Tea just to name a few!

When I first went to use this cream I was surprised to find that it wasn't that perfect white colour I had been so used to using with other moisturising creams, instead it has a slightly yellow tone to it.  The formula is fairly thick in texture and you need just the smallest amount to cover your entire face and neck.  When using this cream you are advised to apply after cleansing and then massage it into your face and neck.

Once applied to the skin, the first thing you notice is the lovely scent.  The kind of scent you find in a spa during a facial, that lovely clean essential oil scent that is really relaxing and leaves you safe in the knowledge the ingredients are doing something nice to your skin, which, in this case they are. The Organic rose hip oil helps to nurture your skin because it hosts skin-protecting antioxidants and essential fatty acids. The carrot oil provides a natural source of Vitamin A which then helps to improve elasticity. Horsetail and nettle extract, for me the two most intriguing ingredients are said to aid in the rebuilding of collagen, helping to plump out those fine lines and wrinkles. Green tea extract, which is an antioxidant protects against the signs of ageing.

So this cream is definitely hydrating.  With all this change in the weather, one minute it is warm, then very warm then raining, my skin becomes a bit of a nightmare and needs a bit of TLC and this cream has been absolutely amazing at keeping my face hydrated.  I am lucky that I am yet to find those fine lines or wrinkles, but what it has done is ease the puffiness under my eyes due to lack of sleep and it has left my skin looking much healthier, much more plumper and my complexion that bit brighter, meaning as one of my colleagues says "OOh you are positively glowing today, what make-up or cream are you slapping on"!

Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost - 20ml £29.95

Described as being a product which "Boost your skins radiance 24/7 with this powerhouse combination of antioxidant rich berry oils". it arrives in this little 20ml glass bottle and excitingly has a pipette to help with distribution. It uses the active ingredients of rose hip oil, seabuckthorn oil, apricot oil, pomegranate oil and camelia oil.

As someone with combination skin which leads towards the oily side, I was always afraid of using facial oils, I assumed quite wrongly that I would be left with an even shinier looking face, when in actual fact, every oil I have tried has done the exact opposite.

Firstly the oil is a bright orange colour, almost the colour of carrots and it has quite a fruity scent to it.  Naturally because this is an oil, its consistency is obviously very runny, but once it is on the skin, it does absorb very well into the skin, and it doesn't leave any oily residue behind.  I have found that just three drops of the oil is plenty to ensure my face has been covered.  So using the pipette, I drop the oil into the palm of my hands, rub them together and apply to my face, as with any cream, massaging the oil into the skin.  

When it comes to using this oil, the instructions advise you to apply 2-3 drops to clean, damp skin morning and night, I have been using this two or three times a week in an evening after I have double cleansed rather than in a morning and once it is on the skin, there is a definitely softness and when I wake up the following morning, my skin is so soft and smooth, I almost don't feel the need to add a moisturiser to my face (but of course I do).

I have become a huge fan of these two products, whenever I feel my skin is in need of a boost and some TLC, these products are the ones I would go too without question. 

Have you tried any products from Kosmea?