Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne

Now that the sun has started to peek out from behind the clouds at long last, I'm wishing I had shared this winter delight with you sooner. The Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne ( £39 for 30ml), is a rich, almost festive winter fragrance, very much reminiscent of hot mulled wine and open fires, and has seen me happily through the colder months, so much so that I've been reaching for it every day without fail since it first dropped through my letterbox. It's often difficult to do a fragrance justice using the written word alone, but I think Jo has done a great job at summing this one up: 

'The sensuality of a daring red dress. Ruby-rich juices of pomegranate, raspberry and plum are spiked with pink pepper and laced with Casablanca lily and spicy woods. A dark and enigmatic fragrance'.

I'd still go with the mulled wine if you find it impossible to imagine such a complex combination - rich, purple fruit and spices  are very much the overall impression this one gives off. 

All in all, it's been an absolute pleasure, and this 30ml size is ideal for slinging in your handbag for top-ups on the go. However, if, like me, it's love at first spray, then you can always go for the 100ml version, at a slightly hefty £78. Personally, I can see myself making the investment come next October, but now that the sun is shining I'm hankering to switch this one up for one of Jo's more spring-like offerings - top of my list are both English Pear & Freesia and Wild Fig & Cassis.

What has your favourite fragrance been this winter, and have you got your eye on anything for the warmer months?

xx

February Beauty Wishlist: Groundhog Day

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch  //  Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia Cologne  // 

 Origins High Potency Night-a-Mins  //   Nars Sheer Glow Foundation  //  Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick  //  Ren Active 7 Eye Gel

There are some things which just keep popping up on my wish list, again and again, and for one reason or another they never quite make it into my shopping bag. It's certainly not because I lose interest in them, but more than likely because at times, there are just more pressing things to fork out for. High-end beauty products are a real treat, and lately I've really been limiting my spending on the unnecessary.

I'm always on the hunt for a fabulous primer, and for a while now a couple of offerings from Smashbox have been keeping me content (reviews to come), but as I'm nearing the end of my latest tube, I'm ready to give the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch a good go. I used to be happy to skip on a base product, imagining them to be nothing more than a costly gimmick, but having tried a couple of disappointing ones to begin with, I now couldn't live without a primer. They increase the longevity of my makeup no end, and I couldn't be happier to have finally cottoned on to what I had been choosing to ignore. I can't wait to pair this up with Nars Sheer Glow for a dewy yet flawless finish.

Next up, I cannot wait to get my hands on a bottle of the Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia Cologne. Having snapped myself up Pomegranate Noir for the winter months and fallen in love, my thoughts are already turning to Spring, and frankly I can't think of anything I'd rather smell of!

I'm always game for a new lip product, and these Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks have been on my mind for some time. Sadly, there aren't any stockists near me, and I'm quite fussy with makeup in that I like to see it in the flesh before taking the plunge. However, I'm off up to London next month, and these are high on my Space NK / Liberty's shopping list. I'm not one for lip gloss, but these dry to a highly pigmented, non-sticky finish, and last for hours. Win.

Last up, I've had my eye (!) on the Ren Active 7 Eye Gel ever since I finished up the free sample I picked up with a magazine some weeks back. Soothing and cooling, this is the perfect early morning pick-me-up, banishing puffiness and leaving my peepers looking a whole lot perkier. Check out the aliteration on that.

What's top of your beauty wishlist at the moment?

Is there anything that keeps popping up on yours?

xx