Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Blue

First Instinct Blue is the beautiful new fragrance from Abercrombie & Fitch.

Launched back in July, this woody-fruit scent has been inspired by the adventure of the outdoors; blue morning skies, water and women who always follow their first instinct.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this fragrance as I’d never tried any scents from Abercrombie & Fitch and I have to be totally honest, when I first saw the packaging I thought it was a fragrance for men.

The blue of the packaging immediately made me think ‘man’ but once I’d seen the bottle and smelt the fragrance itself I realised how wrong my first impressions had been.

The bottle itself is fabulous and multi-sensorial thanks to its combination of soft sweeping curves, flat edges and its cool, logo plaque.

The pale blue glass hints at the fresh, light fragrance within and further reflects the concept of ‘the outdoors’ which the fragrance captures to perfection.

First Instinct Blue opens with a shimmering accord of refreshing salted sea air, crisp Bergamot and juicy Blackberries before heart notes of sweet Apricot Nectar, Peonies and Jasmine infuse a delicate floral warmth and sweetness.

Base notes of woody Patchouli, whipped Vanilla and creamy Sandalwood round off the fragrance creating an alluring, distinctive and beautiful scent that is the perfect balance of both masculine and woody as well as fruity and feminine. 

It’s a gorgeous blend.

If you know me you’ll know I’m a real sucker for a sweet scent so I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did.

I actually prefer the way it smells once it has had time to linger and warm on your skin. It exudes a soft, velvety warmth which I really enjoy.

Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Blue is available now and costs £68 for 100ml.

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Hollywood Liquid Lipstick Charms

 There are a great many things that Charlotte Tilbury do to perfection and Christmas Gifts are just another to add to the ever growing list.

My top pick for 2018 is their gorgeous Mini Hollywood Liquid Lipstick Charms (£20).

Packaged in the most exquisite mini rose gold styled clutch complete with an iconic satin red handle you’ll find two of the best-selling Hollywood Liquid Lipsticks.

This perfect stocking filler contains the shades Too Bad I’m Bad (a beautiful rose pink matte) and Show Girl (a warm, deep berry shade).

They are literally THE cutest lipsticks EVER. I think I actually prefer them in their cute, compact, mini sizes to their full sized counterparts as we all know I love a miniature!

Both shades comprise of the same matte yet nourishing weightless formula that offer superior pigmentation and longevity without drying your lips.

Beeswax provides nourishment and a comfortable feel on your lips, helping to stop them from feeling dry while Sea Lavender which contains Hylauronic Acid and Firming Agents helps to smooth the skin, slowing down the signs of ageing and offering a plumper looking pout.

The super soft applicator offers precision application thanks to its unique, crescent tip which mimics the natural curve of your lips creating a contour effect and the formula’s buildable nature allows you to create either a soft or bold look effortlessly.

I love a matte lip but I hate the battle that often results in me trying to keep my lips soft and looking plump while wearing one. 

You’ll find no such issues with these lipsticks as they genuinely are so comfortable to wear.

At £20 it is a brilliantly priced gift too as one full sized tube would set you back £24 yet you’re getting the pleasure of testing out two gorgeous shades for almost a fiver less!

I’m sure you’ll agree that the Charlotte Tilbury Mini Hollywood Liquid Lipstick Charms gift set is just sublime and lucky for you its available now so why not treat yourself!

Laura Mercier Mood Lights Face Illuminator Trio

Some gift sets are simply too beautiful to giveaway and Laura Mercier’s Mood Lights Face Illuminator Trio (£40) is one of those sets!

Housed within the most elegant and gorgeous rose gold compact you’ll find a trio of luxurious illuminators in three captivating shades.

Each multi-use, multidimensional highlighting powder brings customizable light to your face, eyes and décolletage, delivering long wearing formulas that won’t fade or shift.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how breathtakingly beautiful these powders are.

Created with sumptuous swirls, they resemble swathes of luxurious fabric, glimmering with their high pearl, prismatic pigments.

They look exquisite sat within the rose gold hue of the palette, their shades complimenting one another perfectly.

From left to right you’ve got the shades Fliration, Devotion and Indiscretion.

Flirtation is a bright, pearlescent hue with violet hints, perfect for paler complexions while Devotion offers a soft, cool pink highlight.

Indiscretion creates a warm, rose gold glow that would work well for bolder, statement looks as well as deeper skin tones.

All three powder are luxuriously soft and super finely milled meaning the glow and illumination is more of a sheen than a shimmer.

 

Non cakey they don’t flake or crumble, simply gliding onto your skin and sitting there as if they were always part of your complexion.

They are wonderfully versatile and by using different brushes you can easily build the level of illumination that you want and they are designed to be used on more than just your brow bones.

Sweep over your décolletage for an ethereal glow or complete your dazzling look by adding them to the corners of your eyes to really make them pop.

Dab a tiny amount on your cupids bow to create the illusion of a fuller pout or apply to your brow bones to define your bone structure.

Whichever way you choose to use the illuminating trio you will not be disappointed by the results.

The stunning Laura Mercier Mood Lights Face Illuminator Trio is available now from FeelUnique and costs £40.