Summer Empties

Fresh and Fruity: Yves Rocher Moment de Bonheur

Way back in the day my perfume of choice was DKNY's Be Delicious, which many of you may well be familiar with - the strong, fruity scent of freshly pressed apples. To me, Yves Rocher's new Eau de Toilette Moment de Bonheur* smells like a sophisticated update to my familiar apple fragrance. Moment de Bonheur is based in the scent of Rose de Grasse enhanced with sweet apple, all layered over a woody base of Virginia cedar essence. Together, these different fragrances merge into something fresh and fruity that, thanks to the woody base, is rich and multi-dimensional. This is a new release from Yves Rocher and I'd definitely recommend it for the spring and summertime - you can find it on the Yves Rocher Website for £38* (link here).

What's your favourite summer scent?

Review: Marlenha Blossom Elixir (Argan Oil and Rose Hip)

Marlenha's Argan Oil and Roship infused Blossom Elixir £44.00*/ 50ml.

Marlenha is an Italian skincare brand that pride themselves on producing hand crafted skincare that isn't tested on animals and doesn't contain parabens, petroleum, paraffin  chemical preservatives, alcohol, nickel, SLS or synthetic colorants. Almost all the ingredients in their skincare products are natural or derived naturally. Marlenha is an artisan skincare boutique, offering high quality products made from high quality ingredients.

I was very kindly sent the Blossom Elixir to trial for review. I've been using it for about one month now and I have to admit that I am incredibly impressed with the formula of this moisturiser. The parcel arrived in secure packaging that would ensure the product's safe arrival. The Blossom Elixir itself came packaged in a high quality, textured cardboard box (which is recyclable, fitting the brand's ethos of using sustainable materials and ingredients) that, although simple, has an appealing minimalistic design that makes it suitable for any age and doesn't market it specifically toward either gender. The packaging of the Blossom Elixir itself is heavy glass which feels appropriate given the product's luxury price tag. On first glimpse, I think it would make a very appealing gift for anyone "into" skincare, especially those who like subtle rose scents - because this Blossom Elixir is has a gorgeous delicate rose fragrance. 

The Blossom Elixir is a real pleasure to use and I was so pleased that it didn't irritate my skin. The formula is light and gel-like in consistency which is surprising because it contains a plethora of highly nourishing ingredients - argan oil, jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil - along with rose hip which offers redness reducing properties. Despite this array of oils, the moisturiser sinks into the skin quickly leaving it visibly plump and nourished but without any residue. This makes the Blossom Elixir perfect for use in the morning as you can happily apply this before foundation with no problems. I've also used this as part of my evening routine, applying this in place of my usual facial oil/serum before then going on to apply a heavier moisturiser. Either way, I've found that it works well alone or incorporated as one step in a routine. I feel that it has made a great difference to the look and feel of my skin - I think it has been smoother, softer and more even and, overall, much more hydrated.

Marlenha make five different products with the Blossom Elixir being the most suitable skincare option for younger skin (for reference, I'm twenty-one) and for anyone interesting in a similar product that is more suitable for mature skin types or those interested in anti-ageing properties then I'd point you towards their Bloom Anti-Age or Fourish Moisturiser. Marlenha's products come with luxury price tags but I have seen first hand that the quality of their skincare is on-point making them well worth the investment. 

You can browse Marlenha's webiste here - and you can also find them on Twitter (link) and Facebook (link).

Do you know of any similar skincare products that are light in texture but really hydrate and plump skin?

Review: Baker Days Dairy Free Sponge Cake

 BakerDays.com cake £14.99* available on their website http://www.bakerdays.com/

A little while ago the lovely people at Baker Days offered to send me one of their letterbox cakes to try out and review. Not one to turn down free cake, I opted for a dairy free sponge cake adorned with a topless Ryan Gosling (because if we're going to do this we should definitely do it right).

 Baker Days' letterbox cakes are small enough to fit through a post box and come in sturdy enough packaging to survive the journey - they are housed in a very cute tin which is then securely packaged in a chic white cardboard box. Inside the box there is also a card, balloons and candles, basically everything you need to celebrate a special occasion. These cakes are a fantastic option for anyone living away from family or friends - I always miss family birthdays because I'm stuck up at University and knowing I could send a personalised cake home gives me a new present option. 

There are so many different design options (take a look here) which you can further personalise, giving you the perfect choice of cake for any occasion. There are also different flavour options; sponge, dairy free sponge, gluten free sponge,  fruit cake and chocolate chip sponge. I found the dairy free sponge to be moist and the jam to be flavoursome, and the icing to cake ratio was good, any more icing and I would have found the cake sickly. 

Baker Days' letterbox cakes are quite small, especially if you're intending to share them around. They only give three reasonably sized slices. I do, however, think they are a novel idea and I love that I can send a cake to a loved one whenever and wherever I might be, without having to worry about it arriving damaged or inedible (which has happened when I've tried to post food in the past). All in all, I'd definitely choose to use Baker Days in the future and I think their letterbox cakes are worth bearing in mind!

What are your thoughts on Baker Days' "letterbox friendly" cake service?