L’Erbolario - Albero di Giada, Jade Plant Perfume Mignon

Fragrance is definitely our thing at The Amazing Blog. We always try to find new scents that excite! We were thrilled to try a perfume from a new discovery brand for us L’Erbolario, which is intriguingly made from the jade plant blossom.

L’Erbolario was started in 1978 in Lodi in Italy and  was founded by Franco Bergamaschi and his wife Daniela Vila. Over the years, L’Erbolario has not lost its unique and original philosophy of respect, and nod towards nature combined with the latest technology and knowledge. L’Erbolario has also implemented its zero impact project with energy savings, short production chains and vegan recipes.

They have recently launched a new face and body collection: Albero di Giada, which is made from jade plant flowers and this Jade Plant Perfume Mignon is among them. The Jade Plant Perfume comes in an elegantly designed, slender jade green packaging. The perfume is a feminine fragrance with a floral and citrus scent.  It is made up of jade plant flowers with notes of bergamot, yellow rose, white tea, exotic verbena and amber.

It is a super fresh fragrance and smells like a mix of wild flowers, and different green plants with a hint of zest and sweetness combined with well-brewed green-tea. Neither of the scents overpower each other giving a really refreshing green fragrance.  We recommend spritzing and then waiting for a few minutes, for that subtle and unique floral scent to sweep over you. This is an all-year-round fragrance with its intoxicating botanical mix.

L’Erbolario Jade plant perfume has no animal ingredients or animal testing. It has been tested for seven metals, (nickel, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony and chromium) ensuring that it suitable for use even on the most sensitive skin. It is GMO free with recyclable paper packaging. We also like the 15ml bottle because of its versatility and can fit in any bag. The Jade Plant perfume 15ml is £18.50 or 30ml for £33.50. Purchase your Jade Plant Perfume Mignon here.

Smith & Sinclair - Lick Your Sent

Anyone else has a bathroom drawer full of half used perfumes? At The Amazing Blog, we all came to the conclusion that it can take years of accumulating different scents (even layering them) before you find your true signature fragrance. However, we tracked down Smith & Sinclair who have given us the most fun fragrance of the season! Regular readers may remember that we featured the Smith & Sinclair Cocktail Pastilles, It would seem that Smith & Sinclair have endless creative ideas, bringing us the craziest innovations. This time is edible fragrance. Yes, you read it right; their line of products Lick Your Scent which certainly made our heads turn in the office.

Smith & Sinclair describe themselves as, “alcohol and confectionery innovators, or the Willy Wonka for grown-ups,” and we think they couldn’t have phrased it better. It all started with Mel and Emile, the founders of Smith & Sinclair. A while back, they hosted a series of single events and they noticed that instead of falling in love with each other, people were falling in love with the alcoholic confectionery they were offering. Bingo! Out of trying to bring people together for love, they created Smith & Sinclair, to bring people together through new ways of sharing.

Featured in the Sunday Times, You Magazine, and Cosmopolitan, among other outlets, Smith & Sinclair are revolutionising the beauty and beverage industry. Their edible fragrances are crafted to up your “cocktail” game. “Cocktail” in quotation marks because the Lick Your Scent range is not only designed to liven up your fragrance but tantalise the taste buds, as they are also lickable! Different, you might say…. You can pick from a range of flavours: Pear & Vanilla, Cherry Blossom & Mandarin, or Watermelon & Citrus.

We chose the Pear & Vanilla scent because it works perfectly for autumn. Fear not, even though it is edible, it’s not sticky, the formula is created to be suitable to spray it on your skin as well as flavouring your drinks. The main ingredients are: Vodka (30%), calvados (30%) - this means it is an adult’s fragrance, it can only be purchased if you are over the age of 18 - citric acid, glycerine and pear and vanilla natural flavouring, making it 100% vegan. The question is do you store it in the bathroom or the kitchen? With the fruity and flowery scent/taste and bright packaging, your bathroom drawer will certainly now have a new addition with a difference. Set the trend this autumn and purchase your 50ml edible fragrance here for only £10. Warning: Please lick responsibly.

Cally King London- Fragrances

For some young girls trying to navigate their way around the world of fragrance, can be really quite daunting. We at The Amazing Blog have heard this from various younger sisters, nieces and friends. So, where do they begin?  Step forward Cally King a welcome newcomer to the beauty world, who has created an original concept with a range of fragrances mainly aimed at the teen market.

Cally King London was created by Kate Wright, whose inspiration came from wanting to give her teenage daughters a bearing in the over-populated and confusing world of perfume. Kate herself, recalls falling in love with different fragrances as a young girl. For her, it all started when seated in her grandmother’s bedroom watching her daily ritual of spritzing her favourite scent. She said “bottle after tantalising bottle was unstoppered for me to try, Guerlain, Chanel, Dior and I was quickly hooked. But confused!” Years later, curious to see how her own daughter would navigate her way in this world, Kate took her to a perfumery. They started trying all the different fragrances until they both became dizzy with choice and couldn’t tell one from the other. Kate added, “I realised we needed to get back to basics – to try some scents out at home, to find out what we really like. Which is how Cally King was born.”

Cally King is not only perfect for teenage girls, but for anyone who wants to experiment with fragrance. They have a handy selection on four scents which can used by mixing and matching at home. A perfect way to discover what kind of scents suit you, by smelling them individually or layering in any combination you choose. It also gives young perfume aficionado the chance to experiment on their own, without feeling pressurised by pushy sales assistants. The choice of these four eau de toilette fragrances helps to demystify perfume by offering four distinct aspects of the fragrance wheel - fresh, floral, exotic and woody. Their Gift Set presentation box containing all four is stylish, girly and elegantly designed and comes with an explanatory notebook and sample strips.

The first scent in the Gift Set that we tried was Aspen, which is a woody scent reminiscent of a forest after a heavy down pour. It smells of a combination of sandalwood/cedarwood and has a delicious chocolate and earthy finish to complete it. The second is Honor (named after Kate’s daughter), which has a fresh smell identifying to us as mainly citrus. Awakening the senses, it also has a hint of mint and fresh green leaves which adds another dimension to this zesty scent. On the other hand, Maya is a stronger more exotic and sophisticated fragrance with a moreish fruitiness of ripe apricots and spice. The final quartet in the Gift Set is Grace which is floral, feminine and light. Grace reminds us of English flower garden in full bloom, it’s the perfect fragrance to brighten up even the dullest days. Our favourite? Layering Aspen and Grace, to strengthen the floral top notes and tone down the woody base notes, it’s a great combination do try it.

To purchase Aspen, Honor, Maya and Grace see here. All fragrances are eau de toilette, 10ml and individually priced at £9.95. These scents are also available in roller balls at the same price. Cally King also offers a Gift Set here with the full quartet of scents at £30.

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.

KIERIN NYC – Santal Sky

Although The Amazing Blog loves London and we will likely never leave, New York City is one of our favourite cities in the world. Walking through the streets of Manhattan amidst the American hustle and bustle make you feel alive and young. Yet within the city that never sleeps, there are moments of ultimate peace and serenity. Flights to New York are expensive, but the next best option is to bring the atmosphere of the city to you with KIERIN NYC’s Santal Sky fragrance.

Inspired by the vibrant and metropolitan lifestyle of New Yorkers, KIERIN NYC has also embodied New York’s inclusive nature by creating perfumes that can appeal to all ages, genders, ethnicities, and nationalities. The company invites people ‘to be inspired, not defined or confined, by fragrance’. This ethos produced Santal Sky’s clean and unique scent designed for the modern urban individual. For this perfume, French perfumer Mathieu Nardin combined sandalwood, vetiver plant, and cardamom and saffron spices. The scent has a very strong earth and woodsy aroma from the sandalwood. However, what makes you think twice about Santal Sky are its spicy after notes. This fragrance is completely its own in this regard, and the spiciness leaves you mesmerised by the smell long after you’ve sprayed it. The overall ambience of Santal Sky is a sexy and mature scent that lasts all night while you’re getting fancy cocktails at a bar with the city lights behind you.

Despite this, it doesn’t smell too old to use in your 20’s and comes in a sturdy, stylish matte white bottle that is recyclable. KIERIN NYC has a ‘clean & conscious’ model for its brand, so all of its products are made with sustainable packaging and ethically sourced ingredients to help other communities as well as our own. Santal Sky is also cruelty-free, vegan, paraben and phthalate free, and hypoallergenic. This perfume not only has an eco-friendly mindset but smells exceptional and will bring some of the ‘New York State of Mind’ to London.

You can purchase Santal Sky (50ml) here for £65