L'Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de Toilette

L'Occitane is a brand I am really enjoying the discovery of. It is a brand I have come across and only used (and loved) the hand-creams of, so to try other products has been an absolute dream.

So let me introduce you to Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de toilette, a perfume which I have worn a lot since it came into my possession and one that I have had many compliments on and people wanting to know what it is that I am wearing that leaves a trail behind me.  Now I don't bathe in this perfume, I spritz my pressure points, as I would do any other perfume and I am done.  

It uses extracts of blue Iris from Grasse, which is a small town in the South of France, with it comes the blend of white iris from the Mediterranean which is said to bring about an unexpected but intense fragrance. 

Inside this stunning packaging, which comprises of a gold and purple box is an even more stunning bottle which is designed in the same way and being made of recyclable glass, it is everything you would want to see from L'Occitane.

The description of this perfume is:

"La Collection de Grasse celebrates the fragrant know-how of this French Provençal town by bringing together precious raw materials from close and distant lands".

For me, this scent is like nothing else I own, it is quite fruity and floral whilst at the same time managing to be quite what I can best describe as being smokey. It uses the fresh fruity top notes of citruses and blackcurrant alongside a powdery floral heart of iris and ylang-ylang. Then finally we have white musk and dry accents cedar which is where that smokiness comes from and for me, it is a scent that is just pretty.

Available now, Iris Blue & Iris Blanc retails at £52 for a 75ml bottle and again, if you are looking for something a little bit special for that female in your life, L'Occitane does not disappoint.

Shoes Glorious Shoes!

The Fit Flop is quite possibly the comfiest shoe I have ever owned.  I never imagined I would be saying that about what is essentially a flip flop and my hatred of feet, but I absolutely love the pair I have had for the last 6 years, now they have totally worn away and I am in need of something new or a simple replacement. For those of you who have never heard of them, I have done a post about mine HERE.  

So I did a Google search and was not surprised to find that many brands have released what is essentially their own version of the 'Fit Flop', can you tell the difference between them?

The Flip Flops shown above come from Fit Flop, F&F at Tesco and the other from Sketchers and looking at them, they all have similarities in common.

The top option is the Bijou Fit Flop from Fit Flop in Patent Leather and what I love about this shoe is the jewel in the middle which makes them totally different to any other show I own and perfect for every outfit. They retail at £60.

The Second option is from Sketchers and what I love about this shoe is the criss cross strap and cut-out wedge heel which gives it a little different look and they cost just £39 which makes them a real bargain.

So the final option are from Tesco, the F&F Active range. At a cost of £12 they are the cheapest of the bunch. They feature a memory foam insock for better fit, support and comfort.

So now I am left with a quandary, do I buy another pair of Fit Flops because I know what I am getting and love my old ones so much, or, do I try something new?

Titanbet - Could it be Your name Called?

One of my first ever jobs while still studying was calling Bingo every weekend at Gala. It was one of the best jobs ever, I even had my own music, to let regular players at the Bingo hall know that I was coming up to call the numbers. It was almost infectious watching the look of joy on the faces of people who had won, and sometimes won big. Bingo loving runs in my family, my Grandma played right up until the day she died, like me, loving the thrill of the game. She claimed it kept her mentally alert and was always obsessed with numbers and before the invention of electronic bingo, would be able to do 12 tickets at any one time using just a biro.

Years and years passed and then recently my friend and I started to play regularly, however due to her own childcare commitments we can’t go and play as often as we would like to, so when I get bored, every now and again I’ll have a bit of a play online, nothing quite like a Bingo Party. Now there are lots of sites around where you can play bingo online but personally I have registered with Titanbet Bingo, mainly because of the excellent new player offer of depositing £10 and receiving a £40 bonus (£20 bonus to play on bingo and £20 on the huge range of other games they have available) to boost my account balance.

With a great welcome bonus for new players I was really excited about trying out the site - it’s additional appeal was how clean and clear the website is. Looking at competitors it can be confusing what to click, where to play and what is on offer. With the Titanbet website everything is explained in plain English, the terms and conditions of offers could not be clearer and finding a bingo room to play in just could not be easier.  My Favourite room to play in is the Rainbow Riches room, anyone who has a flutter on fruit machines will have no doubt heard the cheery tones of the Leprechaun can hear him calling the numbers and announcing the winners which also makes me chuckle, one day he will hopefully be calling my name!

While I have had lots of luck playing bingo in person at a bingo hall, my experience of playing online is pretty much the same. I still get the shaky hand when getting close to winning, my heart beats that little bit faster and there is certainly a surge in adrenaline. Thankfully playing at home, it means you don’t have to shout ‘House’ and a room full of people turn to look at you, it is much more dignified, though I do still shout.

Would I recommend Titanbet? Of course, if bingo is your thing then you should take a peek at the Titanbet website. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Gambling can be addictive, and if you think your own gambling is getting out of control or it just isn’t fun for you any longer and you can’t stop then you should visit Gamble Aware, where you can be pointed in the right direction for help.

*sp

She Who Dares Perfume

I am a huge fan of perfume and whenever I am asked if I would like to try something new, I always jump at the chance. She Who Dares, very kindly sent me two of their fragrances Eminence and Dalliance.

Who are She Who Dares? She Who Dares has a vision is to see women of every age being recognised, acknowledged and celebrated for doing great things. The She Who Dares range offers the perfect gift for mums, sisters, grandmothers, friends, aunties, nieces, girlfriends, daughters and wives. Inspirational women deserve to be honoured, and at She Who Dares they aspire to do just that. Their goal is to become a brand where recognition blossoms, and one that is timeless throughout the ages. In 2009 Rachel Lowe (developer and creator) was awarded an MBE from the Queen for her services to business. This achievement ultimately inspired her luxury brand that would celebrate remarkable women: She Who Dares. The brand ethos – ‘Never give up, nothing is impossible’, is a symbolic statement for everything she has accomplished.

The first thing I love about these perfumes is the bottle, both similar in style, an almost teardrop shade with a lid that most definitely captures your attention, the one on Dalliance being white and Eminence being Red.

Eminence is described as being a scent that "will capture your confidence and your femininity, a beautiful fresh floral scent with a seductive base that is soft and sensuous, perfect for every-day wear". As a scent it is most definitely a fresh floral note that captures your attention and is one favoured by those who asked to choose between the two.  Using top notes of bergamot and pink peppercorn, at the heart sits a glamorous bouquet with rose, peony, forget me not and lily of the valley and a base of sandalwood, soft musk and sensuous patchouli, it makes for a really lovely scent.

Dalliance on the other hand was my personal favourite of the two.  Described as being a scent which is "Timeless, elegant and bold, dalliance is a sexy and dynamic evening scent, helping celebrate the most special moments in life". From the two scents, for me, this one if more feminine and possibly because it uses a mix of both fruit and floral to capture your attention. Using the tropical white flower notes of jasmine, tuberose and magnolia which are then entwined with luscious ripe pears before resting on a sensual musky base.

So whilst I prefer Dalliance, it is Eminence that lasted longer as the scent on my skin for 7 hours, pretty much the whole day at work.  Eminence was a good 5-6 hours but most definitely needed to be re-applied before leaving to go home.

Overall both are really lovely scents and costing around £32 for 50ml they are more than reasonably priced and definitely something to look out for.