My Fragrance Collection and Favourites!

As some of you wanted to see my fragrance collection I decided to do a blogpost and share some of my beloved perfumes. I love perfumes, and personally I think life would be dull and inexpressive without them. This collection took me years to put together. My oldest fragrance is the Chanel No5, it's probably about seven or eight years old. I use it really sparingly, it's a timeless and classic scent, which I probably wear only a few times a year, predominantly during winter. Generally I love sensual and strong fragrance, full of character and flirtation, with Jasmine and Patchouli notes. When I smell a fragrance I want to be picked up by a tantalising and decadent sensation. Sometimes I don't wear a fragrance for months and then suddenly I start craving it. If I had to pick top five fragrances that I love wearing most they would be:

Chanel Coco - I have almost finished this one, but I only wear it during winter!

Tom Ford Noir de Noir - the sexiest and also the most expensive in my collection.

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver - if a fragrance would be a man, this would be the love of my life. Click here for a full review!

Elie Saab Le Parfum - this is probably the most feminine and pretty smelling fragrance. Click here for a full review!

Reem Acra Reem Acra - Reem Acra is a designer of beautiful wedding dresses and this is her first fragrance, with a middle eastern accent to reflect her roots. Click here for a full review!

There is something about all of them that makes me feel very happy when I smell them on my skin, some sort of chemical reaction that gives me an endorphins rush... They all are Eau de Parfum, the only Eau de Toilette fragrance I own is the YSL Cinema [for a full review click here!], which I almost emptied within a month because Eau de Toilette doesn't last on me. It is a gorgeous and glamorous Hollywood inspired scent. It's a perfect summer scent, I actually purchased it last summer!

LOVE

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver - Unisex Fragrance!

This is another review I wanted to write for a while. I will start by saying that to me all of Tom Ford fragrances are unisex. I happily wear his fragrances for women as well as for men! Without going to deep I am just going to say that there is something about this fragrance that makes me feel very happy. It's comforting in a way. Like when a scent puts you in a happy place, somewhere you went, something you saw or felt with someone very special, a memory is usually what a fragrance evokes. But this fragrance puts me in a very happy place without reminding me of any specific time in my life or a specific person, which is really unusual when it comes to a fragrance. It may sound very strange but instead of the past, this fragrance puts me in a very happy future. Even on my toughest day, after I inhale the intoxicating fumes of Grey Vetiver I somehow know everything will be good.

When I went to purchase Grey Vetiver, the sales assistant was very confused [you know one of those that are rather off-putting than helpful, the common type] - she literally was trying to drag me away from this fragrance saying that it's for men... To me there is no such concept when it comes to a fragrance, fragrance doesn't have a sex, it has a feeling. And really it depends on how you wear the fragrance. I have tested on various occasions and no man detected a "masculine" fragrance, yet they really loved the Grey Vetiver on me. The dominant fresh vetiver [which is Indian grass] is accompanied by salty notes and sunny orange flower and grapefruit, and warm woody accords. It's incredibly irresistible, yet sophisticated, elegant and luxurious. In a way I find Grey Vetiver emancipating and empowering at the same time. If you are a single gal you need this!

LOVE

Gift Guide 2012: The Morning After Pick Me Up Look!

This look is for those morning-afters when you have a little bit too much to drink the night before... Which for me happened to be Friday night... On Saturday I woke up with a disastrous hangover, it literally was the worst of my entire life! Oh boy, it makes me feel terrible even thinking about it but lets face at least once in your lifetime you will have to wake up looking pretty scary, something like Samara, that girl from The Ring... And since over the festive time we all relax a little and let ourselves go, and you know, eat and drink more than we perhaps should - I though it might be a good idea to share what make-up I wear when I am not in my best shape but wouldn't want the entire world to know this by looking at me... 

To begin with, once you have managed to get back home and not be seen by anyone you know, lots of water and fresh air always help to flash out the toxins... I always take Berocca and try to sleep as much as possible... Get yourself very comfortable, have a nice long shower and put on your comfiest pair of pyjamas... Slowly you'll start regaining some energy, but I find hangovers completely drain your face of any life-associative colour and skin felt incredibly dehydrated... So today I made sure to apply Caudalie S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum and Nuxe Lip Moisturizing Stick after thoroughly cleansing my face... 

Because I had to infuse life back into my face I chose colours that instantly pick you up and make you look the opposite of what you feel, fresh and healthy! After I did my foundation I used a highlighter to make my skin look nice and glowy, I quite like my Bobbi Brown Face Highlighter Pen in Opal... Something simple yet chic for the eyes like Dior 3 Couleurs Glow in Nude Glow palette, just a wash of that natural colour all over the lid and the highlighter on the brow-bone... Estee Lauder Quick-Thick Eyeliner in Punker Black is my go-to fail-proof eyeliner!

The main actors in this play are Mr Tom Ford Blush and Miss Chanel Lip... I wore this lip combo to the Estee Lauder Christmas event, this is actually a lip look I have been most complimented on ... It is incredibly flattering, a beautiful orange red that gives you this very cute and chic mouth! First I lined and filled in the lips with Chanel  Precision Lip Definer in 56 Orange Intense, and then on top I applied Chanel Rouge Allure Lip Colour in 97 Incandescente... God I love this combo! The liner brings out the orange in the lipstick, and it ends up looking pretty matte and gorgeous! 

And as for the blush, of course I had to dig out the most lux product I could think of, Tom Ford's make-up range is just so glamorous and sexy, and that's exactly how it makes you feel... Tom Ford Cheek Color in 03 Flush is a fabulous bright peach that goes very well with an orange-red lip, both making your face look alive and delicious... And of course who wouldn't love to find a beautiful Tom Ford blush or lipstick or anything in their Christmas Stocking...

LOVE

LFW SS13 Rock Vault & West Wing Showrooms...

Lorico

Lorico

 Victim Fashion Street

Victim Fashion Street

Victim Fashion Street

Carla Fernandez

Carla Fernandez

Liora Lassalle

Liora Lassalle

Liora Lassalle

Joanna Cave

Joanna Cave

Joanna Cave

Joanna Cave

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Kat Maconie

Kat Maconie

Kat Maconie

Richard Braqo

Richard Braqo

Alejandro Ingelmo

Alejandro Ingelmo

Alejandro Ingelmo

[a stunner!!]

 

Tom Ford - Darling

[dresses inspired by old classic films...]

 Holly Fulton

  Holly Fulton

 Unfortunately I forgot to take down the designer's name for these beautiful headpieces..

They were created for the catwalk show, so they are quite dramatic..

 Modern Love

Vilshenko

[I couldn't not feel patriotic, 

when I saw Vilshenko blouse with an authentic Ukrainian ornament]

 Vilshenko

 Vilshenko

 Vilshenko

It was another wonderful day at the Somerset House LFW SS13 The Exhibition... Having done half of it the previous time, I dived into the West Wind this time... I particularly enjoyed Carla Frenandez pieces and the idea behind them... Both the garments and jewellery were created by Mexican tribes who used their handwoven hammock techniques for centuries... Joanna Cave jewellery stood out to me with it's delicate design, and the tassel detail gives a new approach to gold jewellery, which I love.. Yunus & Eliza were the designers of the chunky, dark pieces... Quite different to the previous jewellery, but just like in life one day you may feel delicate & fragile, and next day rough & strong... Their collection was filled with skulls, claws, faces, animals - and every piece felt strong and powerful... 

Vilshenko was a designer I was familiar with previously and was looking forward to see her new pieces... Olga Vilshenko is a Russian born designer with an Ukrainian name, go figure... But being half Ukrainian half Russian myself, sometimes things get mixed... Vilshenko's collections always stay true to her roots, Ukrainian/Russian folklore prints and patterns are always present on her garments... And when I went into Vilshenko's showroom the first piece I saw was the off white blouse with that authentic red+black embroidered ornament, I felt at home...

My favourite shoe of the entire LFW SS13 has to be the stunning teal snakeskin pump by Alejandro Ingelmo - it's iconic! The most iconic beautiful shoe to me is the Manolo Blahnik Something Blue, which I actually was very happy to see on a girl at Somerset House during LFW Day 4... And this one comes right after it... When you see that Alejandro Ingelmo pump in real life it's like all the other shoes in the room suddenly fall and die... It just stuns you and stays with you forever...

LOVE