Interiors: Home Fragrance - White Company Noir, Bahoma Jasmine and Cristal Review

Having a beautifully-scented home is a bit of an obsession of mine. Whether it's the fresh, post-Saturday cleaning smell when sheets have been changed, floors mopped and wood polished, the aroma of a particularly beautiful bath oil wafting along the hall after a hot bath, or a deliciously rich casserole in the winter, there will never be a moment when I'm not aware of the smell of my home.

My flat is decorated entirely in warm neutrals with dark wood and lots of soft lighting, so I like to alter the scents from room to room to create different moods. Writing this down, it seems quite mad, but it's something that gives me huge pleasure and makes my home feel like a luxurious sanctuary. I vary my use of candles, oils and diffusers depending on the time of year (candles in summer often seem a bit pointless as their soft glow is wasted on light evenings) and the following are a few of my favourites:

Bahoma, Cristal 

Cristal is currently in my hallway and provides a beautifully rich, spicy, chypre scent. A very seductive, sophisticated fragrance and the diffuser lasts an amazing six months.

The White Company, Noir

I can't describe this scent any better than The White Company do on their website so I'll hand over to them:

The ultimate scent to relax and revitalise body and mind. Glamorous, sensual Noir combines exotic amber and fresh, fruity mandarin with sophisticated oriental white orchid. Combining all the benefits of revitalising ginseng and stimulating green tea, these wonderfully relaxing and restorative treats will re-energise body and mind to promote a deep sense of wellbeing.

I've never found it difficult to spend time in a candlelit bath but the combination of the Noir bath oil and candle make me feel like I've been transported to a luxurious spa, and hour long baths have become a nightly experience. Possibly one of my most favourite fragrances, and it is just as relaxing as they describe.

Bahoma, Jasmine

Jasmine was my first Bahoma fragrance and is still very much loved. Given that I have an open-plan sitting and dining room, it's important not to have a scent that dominates. This provides the perfect gentle floral that is so delicate, it just blends perfectly to create a wonderfully relaxing environment.

What are your favourite home fragrances?

Wear It At Work: Statement Shoes

I've set up a new board over on Pinterest of some of my favourite office looks and the one thing I'm noticing is the abundance of amazing court shoes that I seem to be coveting! I tend to wear some black velvet slipper-style flats from Zara for commuting and change into my favourite black Max Mara courts when I get in. It's starting to feel like shoe-Groundhog day!

Slightly edited image from here

We had the first flickers of sunlight in London today, and it's got me thinking about summer shoes, and with a Zara voucher burning a hole in my pocket, I'm definitely investing in these gorgeous things. 

I know, they're still black, but they're just so beautiful. It may be another few months before we venture outside together (cold toes just aren't chic), but come the summer, and with a gorgeous pedicure, I can't wait to step out in these.

Shoes available for £49.99 here.

Skincare: Luxtural Skin Care

Luxtural, Luxtural. Where do I begin?

I was lucky enough to attend an event with Luxtural's creator, Pnina Vilinsky, in autumn last year. After a one-to-one consultation with the former Sisley and Estee Lauder skincare maestro, I walked away with a bag containing the full Luxtural range and wearing a smile after Pnina guessed my age as 25 when I'm actually 30. Is there a better way to spend an hour after work?

Before I say anything else, the Luxtural range is expensive, the three products totaling £438. That said, I'm at the age where anti-ageing is at the top of my skincare concerns, and not being particularly pro-botox, any non-surgical option to hold back those first signs of ageing is something that I'm constantly on the look out for.

All that said, it's a lot of money, so my testing had to be rigorous. I started out using all three products - the Hydrating Rainy Mist, Silk Premonition moisturiser and Sophisticated Veil serum - and within a week, my skin felt like silk and was glowing. My morning skincare routine was transformed into a luxurious pampering session with the first spritz of the beautifully scented mist, and I love that the layering of these luxurious products has never felt like a routine activity but something to be savoured.

The products are so deeply hydrating, that after the first week and on Pnina's recommendation, I found that I didn't need to use them in the evening, so reverted to my usual night cream and just used Luxtural in the morning. After three weeks, I felt I finally had the beautiful skin I'd always wanted. At four weeks, I stopped using the products.

'Why?', you're probably wondering. Well, here I was, skin radiant with the kind of glow I don't think I'd ever seen, and I wanted to make darn sure that it was down to these products. If I'm going to face a lifetime of this kind of investment, I needed to be certain they were responsible! Sure enough, over the course of the next two weeks, I watched my skin get duller as that luminosity ebbed away. At the end of my self-imposed Luxtural ban, I leapt out of bed and made for the products. As soon as I breathed in the scent of the Rainy Mist, I knew the glow wasn't far away.

Pnina advised that some of her clients use just one or two of the products, but for me, using all three together has provided the best results. Beyond the quality of the products, the packaging looks and feels luxurious which is absolutely what you'd expect from the price point (and what some more expensive ranges don't deliver). I can't deny that it's a huge amount of money, but for those of you who are reaching that age and are thinking about making a serious investment in skincare, I can't recommend this more highly. Rather than botox and corrective treatments, treating your skin to deep hydration will keep it looking young and healthy and for me, will always be a much better investment. I know not everyone will be able to spend this kind of money, but if you are thinking about dabbling in the high end skincare market, this is an absolutely incredible place to start. I don't say this lightly, but this range has completely changed my skin, and I can't look back from here.

Luxtural is available from Fenwicks.

For my policy on declaring PR samples, click here.

Style: Topshop Studded Bag

My one and only sale purchase this year is this gorgeous studded suede and leather bag from Topshop. Even better, it was only £20! If only all sale shopping ended this happily.

Interiors: Reading Nook

Having rearranged my sitting room, I now have a cute little recess that will serve as a perfect reading nook. All that's stopping my Kobo and I from moving in is the current lack of an armchair big enough for snuggling up in and losing myself for hours. My Pinterest board has a range of inspirations so all that's left to decide is....

Do I go calm and cosy?

Cool and modern?

Or sleek and retro?

Wear It At Work: H&M workwear

While we may not be too excited about returning to work, the prospect of the new collections hitting the stores is something that definitely adds a bit of sparkle to the post-festive period. Updating my winter wardrobe with those first spring pieces is something that never fails to transport me to the time when the evenings are mild and light enough for post-work drinks by the river. A little way off, I know!

H&M have once again hit the perfect note with their tailoring: sharp and sophisticated with a bit of an edge. I'll be wearing this selection for the office with some chunky jewellery and a soft, smokey eye. For the weekends, the courts will be swapped out for ankle boots and the leather skirt paired with some soft, luxe knitwear. 

Clockwise from top left:

1. Dress, £19.99

2. Blouse, £19.99

3. Court shoes, £29.99

4. Jacket, £24.99

5. Leather skirt, £59.99

6. Black clutch, £12.99

The Beauty Lite: what's in my makeup bag that I *love*

*disgruntled noise*

I can blame poor planning, indecision and hastiness (who knew they came together?), a peculiar life view on 'what's right for me' and a lack of technical savvy, but all bring us to the same point: I have been without the internet for three weeks, and look set to extend this for numerous weeks to come.

*frustrated noise*

So, I must embrace the Blogger app. On the train.

*fear of effort spent and wasted following potential failure of app, the possibility of which seems likely given the proliferation of average Blogger app reviews noise* (whatever that sounds like)

Anyway. I need to post and it needs to be now, so it's falls to writing about what's on me that I love.

1. Maxfactor Lipfinity lip tint in 01

This is the exact shade my lips should be and gets around the fact that all I've ever sought in life (lip-wise, at least) is a natural looking lip that's just a bloody great colour. Great for pale girls and anyone seeking a rosy pink pout. Will repurchase!

2. Nars American Dream eye shadow palette

L.O.V.E. This was a gift and I would *never* have picked a palette with a bluey-grey, brown, gold and pink yet I can't get enough of it. Maria V knows me better than I know myself! Get it!

3. Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes mascara

If it's mascara and it's not Maybelline, I'm sceptical. For me, nobody does it better, and each new release is better than the last. Happy to admit I'll be selling out to the next brush/formulation but there's no maybe about it: it'll definitely be Maybelline!

4. Molton Brown Cheek Bloom in Peach

Another Maria V gift and love the natural glow. I don't even know if they still make this, but as I'm running out, it may be a good time to check!

And I called the 'The Beauty Lite'? *aching typing thumb noise*