Incensum Fragrance – Sanctifino Perfume Oil

These past few months, the COVID 19 pandemic has forced us all to reconsider our place on this earth. During the lock-down, nature began to take back this place that we call home: Plants were able to finally grow freely and animals started coming out fearlessly to live their happy and simple lives. And while each and every one of us at The Amazing Blog has had time to reflect about the endangered state of our planet Earth, a new fragrance that we’ve received from Incensum has helped to uplift our spirits, and reconnect us back with nature.

Sanctifino is a unisex perfume oil from the LA-based brand Incensum Fragrance, which is created by designer and founder of the brand Jeannine Clark. With its completely vegan, synthetic-free, and hand-crafted formulas, the brand celebrates the origins of perfumery by honouring the reverie that the ancestors avowed to nature. Through its all organic perfume oil, the brand aims to calm the senses, helping the wearer find peace and embark on a spiritual journey to commune with nature and the universe. When talking about their alchemy and olfactory process, they told us: “Both human and non-human creatures are known to communicate their emotional states through the scents they emit. A fragrance may complement or intensify one's own natural pheromones which can evoke subconscious effects.” Intriguing! This may only be their debut perfume oil, and if Sanctifino is anything to go by, we feel sure that their next one will be even more alluring! 

This perfume oil Sanctifino is supernatural – in every sense of the word – an elixir trapped in a luxurious hand-crafted bottle, that reflects the mystical and heavenly ambience that emanates from the bottle. It comes in two sizes 50ml and 5ml, we received the 5ml with a roll-on top, making it the perfect size to fit into even the smallest bag.  With strong top notes of incense and a piquant of very intense green scent from the galbanum green resin fighting for dominance, it oozes autumn.  We think it’s reminiscent of the wafting smoke from sweet autumn leaves left to smoulder. It gently caresses and with its oily finish makes for a longer-lasting scent release on the skin, unlike its cousin Eau de Parfum. When the organic jojoba base oil warms up, the middle notes become more apparent as they liberate softer aromatic and more comforting notes of clary sage, silver fir. The sweet orange here also lingers, helping to create a warmth and sense of wellbeing. If describing it as a smoky scent sound surprising for a fragrance, we want to point out that it is nonetheless deliciously original, and works well with the other essential oils, to create a perfect balance of a smoky-sweet-earthy scent. When we close our eyes and inhale, we can almost imagine being transported to an ancient temple, surrounded by wild plants, where the incense burn and the sunlight cast shadows on the gold-carved statues of gods. We recommend anointing the wrists, rub a little to warm the perfume oil, and then taking deep breaths; it helps to soothe the mind giving you your own little piece of calm throughout the day.  Again, they say that it is a: “Multidimensional experience as well as shedding light into the nature of reality by fusing the mind, body and spirit through aromatic essential oils.” And, we couldn’t have said it better! If we’ve managed to intrigue you with this Sanctifino Perfume Oil, you too can purchase their 5ml here for $35. 

Solid Cologne UK – All Black Collection Gift Set

Have you ever had that frustrating moment when you arrive at the airport, and forget that you’ve still got your favourite big bottle cologne in your hand luggage? Well, I have! This is where the Solid Cologne UK  has an interesting option, a highly concentrated, wax-based cologne that is portable. Yes, dear readers, we know that we’re still in lockdown but here at The Amazing Blog we like to plan ahead!   

Solid Cologne UK is a British brand that launched in 2016 and is a sister brand to The London Beard Company (where I previously wrote about their Eastern Spice Beard Oil here). The idea for the concept was inspired by travellers who had a common problem, like us, of transporting fragrance in hand luggage and then being over the liquid limit. They believed this needed a solution, and from there Solid Cologne UK was born. This solid perfume concept goes as far back as Egyptian times with the anointing of an ‘unguent’ a combination of animal fat, scented oils and resin. Since then, I’m happy to report the Solid Cologne UK has had a big update on this original formula! They’ve put their own unique twist on the idea, where their Solid Colognes are made with the highest quality of natural ingredients including beeswax, shea butter and jojoba oil. Quickly added, this is a far better for your skin compared to alcohol-based scents as they’re gentler, more moisturising and can be layered to get the right strength of your preferred ‘fragrance’.

Today, we’re talking about their All Black Collection (Pack of 3) which includes the fragrances of Sikandar, Malcolm & Valentin Cologne. Let’s start with Valentin which is light and fresh – perfect for trans-seasonal wear now, with its clean scents of basil, sage and mint, this made it not only my favourite, but also a big hit with the girls in the office too.  Malcolm has top notes of citrus with a tang of fruit from blackcurrant, bergamot and apple. However, the base notes pack a woody punch with incense, jasmine, sandalwood and musk. The final fragrance of this trio is Sikandar which again has a heady citrus top note but with more spice with middle notes including geranium, cinnamon and cloves. This one for me would be to wear in the evenings or at a cooler time of year.

With over thirteen different colognes to choose from, you can certainly adapt (or even mix and match) these fragrances to your mood thus channeling your inner masculinity, without them being too overpowering. The packaging comes in a sleek, pocket-sized sliding black 18ml tin, perfect no matter how small your luggage is. The products are not tested on animals and are even handmade in London. They are easy to apply, making them ideal for those times when you are on the go. I found that the fragrances were long-lasting, as well as rather timeless and elegant. There is something rather special about carrying around one of these tins, which allows you to dab a bit here and there in order to freshen up anywhere.  We heartily recommend these solid colognes they are not just reserved for us boys – the girls seem to love them too! All the colognes can be bought individually or in packs. The All Black Collection (Pack of 3) gift set can be purchased here for £50.00. The individual cologne can be purchased from £17.99 here.

La Sultane de Saba - The Rose Facial Set & Pouch

La Sultane de Saba walks you through the timeless beauty secrets of women who have passed these down through generations of mothers and daughters. This French spa brand has been created around ancient and proven beauty rituals, thus creating the perfect alchemy between beauty, wellness and authenticity. Here at The Amazing Blog, we discovered the enchanting properties of this brand when we reviewed their popular trio of products in their  Hammam Ritual Kit last year. With their range of products, La Sultane de Saba takes you on a ‘journey’ harnessing rare and precious ingredients that are sourced from all over the world.

The founder, Vanessa Sitbon inherited these beauty secrets from the Hammam that belonged to her family at Fes, in Morocco. She has carefully curated her brand, where each of the ingredients used is based on its unique and magical authenticity. We love that this natural skincare brand delivers products with a multitude of scents, colours and ingredients. And that it has been a recipient of a number of awards including the reputed CosmetiqueMag Award, The Beauty Shortlist Awards and the H. Pierantoni Innovation Award. 

Today we are reviewing The Rose Facial Care Pouch it harnesses the subtle yet mesmerising essence of rose, with a collection of skincare that helps to plump, repair and intensely moisturise the complexion. It includes three beautiful products, the BB Rose Bride’s Day Cream, Rose Night Balm and Bride’s Elixir. The BB Rose Bride’s Day Cream works as both a beautifier and a concealer for all imperfections and promotes an all-day healthy glow. With ingredients such as shea butter to nourish and heal, the sweet almond oil feeds and softens the skin with the vitamins A, B & E, while the rose offers calming, soothing and toning. The Rose Night Balm blesses the skin with a comforting and rich yet silky texture with sunflower oil, sugar and Damas rose essential oil all revitalising and nourishing. This product penetrates through the skin easily leaving it feeling reinvigorated until the next morning. Last but not the least, the Bride Elixir is a spritz to promotes a clear and glowing complexion courtesy of its natural ingredients which include rose geranium for balancing, calming and acts as gentle astringent, while the orange blossom is refreshing, hydrating, toning, anti-inflammatory. The combination simultaneously leaves an enriching rose fragrance on the skin and can be sprayed directly onto the skin or on cotton wool then applied.

This is an artisan brand with natural and certified organic products, they assemble each product by hand, and wherever possible they are packaged in glass.  All products are free from parabens, silicones or microbeads and are cruelty-free.  La Sultane de Saba also prides itself on working primarily with fair trade co-operatives. We think that The Rose Facial Care Pouch is the perfect gift for this Christmas to give to a loved one, or even to yourself! Its magnificent effects will leave you feeling pampered and looking your very best this festive season. This is one of our favourite gift sets and can be purchased for £79 here or each of the products can be purchased singularly.

Mr Vanguard - Eau de Parfum

As expectations go, the grooming market for us boys was always going to be big, however exploding into the multi-billion dollar industry has thoroughly proved the doubters wrong. My colleagues at The Amazing Blog inform me that within that market, the growth of  male fragrances has been extraordinary - a glance along the shelves in any perfumier exemplifies the range available. The array of bottles and concoctions designed in a myriad of shapes, colours and textures which would not be out of place in an art gallery, scream out for our attention - and of course our hard earned cash.

So, it is something of a breath of freshly scented air that Mr Vanguard arrived in 2017 offering up a discreet, and yet highly individual fragrance to challenge the huge marketing budgets of the larger brands.  Founded by Emmanuel Omoyele he commented that he wanted to “Develop a new generation of fragrance, merging quality, innovation and style.” He was determined to create a debut scent that was distinctive and a brand that fed the psyche of the contemporary man. Thus, proving that success stems from the core certainty of a winning product, rather than the hype of a huge advertising campaign. And the groaning shelf of awards Mr Vanguard has been decorated with is proof positive that these guys have a true winner on their hands, being awarded Best New British Brand, in Pure Beauty Awards 2018.

The fragrance has top notes of bergamot, grapefruit and coconut, along with jasmine, lily of the valley and rose; we’re transported to the tropical climates of The Far East and The Caribbean, finishing with the base notes of amber, vanilla, cedar wood and patchouli. A complex mix, with several layers, but ultimately a fresh and clean scent that will not overpower. The bottle itself is a triumph of self-restraint - clean and clear glass, angular in shape, simple no nonsense masculinity. Currently only available online here and competitively priced at £64.99 for 50ml, this self-assured fragrance is fast garnering a wide and loyal following, with exciting plans to expand distribution and availability.

Charlotte Rhys Eau De Toilette - Victor

Everyone searches for their signature scent, you know the one that says it's you. There is nothing more annoying than your best girlfriend copping a sniff of your favourite fragrance, and then sneakily going out to buy the very same! We at The Amazing Blog are always keen on discovering new and unique fragrances to help us stand out in a sea of perfumes. This is why we were intrigued to receive the luxurious Eau De Toilette in Victor from Charlotte Rhys. This South African brand was founded in 1999 by Janet Rhys and Shaun McDermott. They have since established themselves as a leading luxury brand, recently launching here in the UK. What we love about this company is that their focus is on being environmentally friendly. Their ‘green policy’ is something that they are rightfully proud of, as they strive to ensure all their ingredients are ethically sourced and cruelty-free.

This brand has a fragrance for every personality, mood, or occasion and the one we can’t get enough of is the scent Victor. Each perfume in their Classic line is inspired by their hometown of Cape Town. This ‘aromatic and enticing’ perfume has top notes of Nutmeg, Baie Rose and Grapefruit to give you a sweet and sultry allure to carry along into every room you enter. The heart notes of Lavender, Geranium and Black Pepper gives a well-rounded aroma that lingers all day.  Despite being just an eau de toilette, we found that this scent had staying power; it was as subtly fragrant by the afternoon, as it was when we first spritzed it on in the morning. We think that this enigmatic scent is perfect year-round; ensuring to make you stand out from the crowd on a night out. Charlotte Rhys Eau De Toilette in Victor is available to purchase here for £39.00.