Giorgio Armani Fragrances for him and for her

We are huge fan of fragrances in this house, be it a perfume, aftershave, reed diffuser, wax melt or an essential oil - the latter all being me and not him!  

When it comes to personal fragrances, I am pretty good at choosing something we will both like, oddly the same fragrance notes usually appear in each one, but one brand I haven't really tried until now is Armani.  So today, having been kindly sent a 'his and hers' option, I am sharing Armani Code and Si.

Starting with Armani Code for Men, as a fragrance it sits in the Oriental Spicy family and whilst it was launched back in 2004, it is the first time we have given it a try. Presented in a sleek black bottle, this is a fragrance that looks luxe within any collection and it definitely stands out amongst my husbands ever growing collection.

It has top notes of both Lemon and Bergamot, so as it opens with it comes a fresh citrus blast that is sharp and punchy and definitely captures your attention. The middle notes of Star Anise, Olive Blossom and Guaiac Wood bring to life the more earthy notes which slightly mask the sharpness of those top notes. The base notes of Leather, Tonka Bean and Tobacco brings together a fragrance which is quite powdery and subtle, it’s an incredible fragrance for day or night wear.

The second fragrance is Armani Si, a fragrance which sits within the Chypre Fruity fragrance which launched in 2013 and despite being a favourite of many friends, it is one I had never tried, until now. 

It has top note of Cassis, so as it is spritzed, you get an immediate hit of black currant and lingering in the back is a hint of earthiness which I really liked. The heart notes are May Rose and Freesia bring together that hearty floral scent which mixes with the top notes to create quite the mix and I’d honestly be happy with it without the base notes. However the inclusion of Vanilla, Patchouli, Ambroxan and Woody notes to bring this fragrance together adds a sweetness, with the Vanilla being overpowered, thankfully by the Patchouli and the Ambroxan.

Both of these fragrances have quite the sillage for want of a better word and they are both fragrances which need just a few spritzes to let the entire day without the need to re-apply. It is unusual for me to choose a sweet fragrance and like it, but Si is just a beautiful fragrance which I can see absolutely suitable for any age group and for Armani Code, if you have a man who loves a fragrance which is powdery and elegant all in one, then this is the one to try!

These fragrances are on sale with The Perfume shop. Armani Code is available in a 50ml, 75ml and 200ml with prices rising between £53 to £94 and for the girls, Armani Si is also available in three sizes - 30ml, 50ml and 100ml and prices for Si range between £55 and £103.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page

Axis His and Her Fragrances

Axis fragrances are said to have been around since 2001 and until now, neither the husband or I have come across them. However, having been sent Glamour for her and Oud for him, we have given them a good try for the past few weeks.

Axis Glamour is described a being the fragrance for today’s highly sophisticated young women. The bottle itself is one I really like with its non-fussy glass bottle and silver lid. Sitting in the floral family, this is a fragrance that those who like a warm but light floral fragrance, nothing too heavy.

It opens with a bit of Bergamot which is really fresh and behind it there is peach and pink pepper to make up the top notes. As it settles the heart notes of Orange Blossom and Jasmine mixed with the sweet warmness of Oris come through before the base notes of Cedarwood, Brown Sugar and Vanilla take over and with them you get a warm powdery base which is subtle enough to allow the heart notes to still be noticeable. 

For me, the scent isn’t quite strong enough from the heart notes though it does last for a good four hours on the skin before it needs a re-application. It is currently priced at just £9.99 for 100ml it isn’t going to break the bank but it does make a lovely gift.

For the men we have Oud by Axis which was launched in 2015. Choosing an Oud fragrance is quite something because it is either amazing or, in my experience it can be a disaster. 

This one features top notes of Citrus, Bergamot, Lavender, Mandarin which gives it quite the fruity yet opening, the lavender in this very subtle, so if it isn’t a scent you like, this won’t be an issue for you. The heart notes of Orange Blossom, Patchouli and Rosemary work to compliment the top notes in so much as the Orange Blossom is absolutely stunning but with it are the earthy notes to settle everything down before the base notes of Incense, Leather, Agarwood (Oud) and Amber come into play and it is here the smokiness come through.

For me, this is a fragrance that works really well as an introduction to an Oud before you move on to the much stronger and more dominant fragrances. Priced currently at £9.99 for 100ml it is a bargain, it dries down to a subtle fragrance which has longevity of around 4 hours.

These two fragrances are definitely value for money and would make a great gift for a loved one, friend or family member given their price.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

'Safe Ways to Approach the Latest Skin Care Trends

Sometimes, you need to be willing to take risks if you want to achieve something new, interesting or exciting with your look. In terms of the latest trends, a lot of people will follow the latest skincare routines and products to see if there’s something that can uplift their look and revitalize their skin. New products get released extremely frequently, so it’s understandable that we need to dedicate a lot of time into following and researching these trends.

However, jumping onto a trend can be dangerous at times, especially if there’s no real science to back it up. Some products are clearly misleading and can cause issues with your skin, and others might show short-term benefits but cause long-term damage. This is especially true for DIY remedies that are propagated through social media. Some of these trends might even be started by malicious people, so it’s important not to trust everything that you see.

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/Pe9IXUuC6QU (CC0)

Always stick with trends from established companies with a positive reputation

If a new product comes out and it’s from a brand you’ve never heard of, then you should always be cautious about buying it. These days, amino acid-based skin care is becoming popular and there are a couple of well-established brands that make it. However, there are also lots of unknown companies offering it as well. These brands are usually easy to find on websites like Amazon where the marketplace is relatively free and often uncontrolled. Many of these products can be ineffective or even damaging to your skin.

So if you’re going to jump on a new skincare trend, always make sure you consider the brand and its reputation. If there’s a revolutionary new product from an unknown company that uses a special ingredient nobody else does, then it’s probably a little suspicious and you could approach with caution.

Be wary of DIY skincare trends–especially if they’re on social media

DIY skincare can be helpful in some cases, but we generally recommend that you try to avoid it as much as possible. This is because these routines might end up causing allergic reactions or even damage to your skin. Results can differ from person to person, but it’s important that you don’t attempt anything drastic with at-home ingredients.

Don’t immediately jump onto trends if you’re happy with your current routine

If you’re satisfied with the results you’re getting from your current skincare routine then we highly suggest that you stick with it for a while and wait for people to report back on how their skin reacts to new products and ingredients.

There are going to be many new skincare trends in 2021, especially considering the global pandemic that is affecting everyone. For instance, people might be concerned about acne breakouts due to wearing their masks for long periods of time. There will likely be skincare solutions geared around preventing or treating this. However, if you’re happy with how you currently deal with maskne, then we suggest waiting a while before investing in new products that might be more expensive and not as effective.

*this post contains PR samples a paid link and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Aquis Charmeuse 2 Layer Ruby Hair Turban Review

If there is one hair product that I could not be without, take away with me, have taken to a hair salon and use every single time I wash my hair - it is the AQUIS towel or turban.

I was first introduced to the Aquis Lisse towel back in 2016, here, and I haven’t used another towel on my hair since that has come even close to be as good as this brand! I have four of them in my collection in different patterns and the latest addition is the AQUIS Charmeuse 2 Layer Turbanin the colour Ruby Red - perfect for the month of February!

The AQUIS’ deluxe Double Layer Hair Turban, described as being a chic ruby hue and it features AQUIS’s proprietary AQUITIEXTM technology which is referred to as being a moisture-wicking fabric which is paired with a super sleek charmeuse outer layer. 

Your hair, if you didn’t know, is at its most vulnerable when it is wet, scientific evidence suggest it loses around 56%* of its strength due to keratin proteins absorbing all the water, so it is important to handle your hair with care and draw as much moisture out as quickly and effectively as possible. The innovative AQUITIEXTM fabric, within this turban, not only cuts drying time by up to 50%, but it also protects the natural integrity of your hair. This essentially means that it helps your hair to reach a damp state quicker where it can begin to regain its strength, ready to be styled as desired.

This silky multi-purpose charmeuse layer, which looks much better than your average bath towel also helps to protect your hair further whilst you sleep - How?, if you haven’t discovered the joys of a silk pillow yet, then this is a pretty good alternative! For dry hair, you can turn this turban inside out when you go to bed and it will help to reduce pillow friction which can cause frizz, breakage and the dreaded bed-head.

As a hair towel, it is incredibly easy to use and it does come with instructions if you have never used one before. It’s simply a case a ensuring the button sits at the nape of your neck, a little twisting and then fastening to loop to fix the turban in place. Then as you finish getting ready, or have other things to be getting on with, allow the towel to work it’s magic and remove once your hair is damp.

Why do I love these products so much? If you are someone to rubs your hair dry with a towel, you will no doubt notice that your hair becomes frizzy, there might be static and tangles and knots are a nightmare to comb through - none of this happens whilst I have used an Aquis Towel/turban. I do still have a few flyaways which tends to be newly grown hair, but there is definitely less breakage and snagging.

This particular product can be found via LookFantastic where it is currently on offer for just £30* and it’s worth every single penny!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.