HOOHAA ‘is a new shopping experience helping consumers who require a more current and inclusive approach to fragrance’. A monthly subscription service, HOOHAA offers a three (£39), six (£75), and twelve-month (£139) gift subscription. They also have full-sized bottles available to buy from their website from all the scents featured within their drops. 

They have three edits -

Easy Does It - A range of easily wearable yet interesting fragrances.

Buckle Up - Perfumes for those who don't shy away from the risk of gluing their own noses (or the noses of others) to their wrists.

Take Me To Mars - A selection for the truly adventurous and advanced fragrance fans.

Ryan Hall, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, says, “We aim to help our customers cut through the noise in fragrance. From curating the newest, most purpose-driven, high-quality brands with people that care behind them. To simplify perfume descriptions and busting some of the myths the industry has dined out on for many decades. And all wrapped up in a small but perfectly formed, aesthetically pleasing monthly vial of pleasure - delivered to you for a long-term test, without an army of snooty sales assistants forcing the latest release on you! We want to make an inaccessible market accessible to everyone that cares enough to try us out.”

Left - HOOHAA retails at £14.95 per month

TheChicGeek says, “The choice felt overwhelming so I just asked for a fragrance that summed up the HOOHAA brand best. I went for the 'Realist by Contradictions in ILK’ from the ‘Easy Does It’ sub-division, which didn’t feel like a simplification of fragrance?

An amber woody fragrance for women and men, the Realist was launched in 2020. Top notes are bergamot, lemon, yuzu and pepper; middle notes are petitgrain, sea notes, cedar, rose and black tea; base notes are vetiver, incense, amber, hinoki wood and immortelle.

It smells exactly like CK One, which is genius if the brand is targeting Young Gen X or older Millennials. CK One is a classic androgynous fragrance from the mid 90s and this is like a quality update. I hope it doesn’t represent the brand too much, because I like the concept, branding and language, and I think anybody subscribing or gifting something like this would want something more individual or contemporary.

It was definitely an easy-wearer.

HOOHAA are based in Prince Charles’ model town of Poundbury. I would have played around with that in the branding too. Modern classical?”

hoohaa.co.uk

Disclosure - A free sample by HOOHAA was provided for review

There are few holidays as exciting and dynamic as Halloween. For all ages, it’s a chance to dress up, get creative, and throw a killer bash with friends. Even so, despite the fact that Halloween has all the trappings for a great night, the festival has a certain reputation when it comes to costumes.

Some stick to the horror theme, creating frightening get-ups with cobwebs, fake blood, and spooky cloaks. Others opt for minimal coverage to show off their bodies, from black cats to risqué Wonder Women. The bold opt for costumes with social commentary and the witty for ‘deep cuts’ from pop culture; even more just try to find something to wear. 

But building a truly unforgettable Halloween costume is an art. It involves a cheeky idea and an ability to pull together a convincing costume—but an outfit’s success is also highly dependent on its audience and the event it will be worn at.

Consider the most famous Halloween party of all: Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween costume party. Celebrities of all stripes attend with seamless costumes that cover a range of themes, from horror to pop culture to glam. The lesson here? It doesn’t matter what you want to do—just go for it, and don’t look back. 

Ready to craft an incredible Halloween costume? Keep these three pointers in mind.

Create a Cohesive Idea

Those looking for inspiration will find more than a few interesting ideas in Vegas—and not just from those who pose for tourists along the Strip. Typically, pros are known for stoicism, but many have also embraced Halloween with great enthusiasm, opting to dress up for the cameras each year.

One pro, Phil Hellmuth, dressed as Thor at the 2018 World Series of Poker tournament. Another, Phil Laak, literally disappeared under a Hollywood-level aged face prosthetic at the 2008 World Series of Poker. As expected, Hellmuth’s Thor drew massive attention, while it took attendees hours to figure out who Laak was because of the quality of his mask and his dedication to walking and sitting like an elderly man.

Both pros show total dedication to their look. No matter what idea you’re tinkering with, make sure it’s hyper-specific, as this will inform other key details from accessories to body language.

Know Your Audience (and Location)

The costume-wearer won’t be spending the entire night staring at their own look, which means it’s important to cater the outfit for the crowd and location you’ll be attending. This is most relevant for horror looks; no one wants to stare at Alien if the party is Wes Anderson-themed. The same goes for gore-heavy bashes; no host wants to see a bunny in a leotard at their Last House on the Left party.

Another piece of advice is to always dress for the weather. Most parties are hosted partly inside and partly outside, which makes factoring layers an important part for many party-goers who live farther north.

Lastly, keep in mind where the party will be hosted. Some venues will be jam-packed, which makes heavy or larger costumes more complicated for yourself and those around you. This doesn’t mean you can’t dress like Ursula from The Little Mermaid… but maybe consider making some of her tentacles removable in case of space-saving emergencies.

Avoid Costume Stores

Never, ever head into a tacky costume store and expect anything positive to come of the experience. Instead, stick to cosplay stores. Most costume stores cater specifically to single-use getups made from latex and polyester, which look as cheap as they cost. Cosplay stores, on the other hand, tend to cater to a more refined demographic that relies heavily on costumes. 

Another pro tip is to skip out on costumes and cosplay pieces as much as possible, and instead purchase pieces that can be adapted to everyday outfits. Not only does this minimize waste, but it also leads to a few interesting accessories, in many cases. While not every look will allow for this, it’s a great philosophy to keep in mind when building a Halloween costume.

'Skincare for the ‘On’ generation', *calls Roger Federer!* Wake is the young beauty brand tailored to the skincare woes of a generation connected. Innovative products said to solve the problems of a non-stop lifestyle including long hours on screens emitting blue light, working out at the gym and the lacklustre, photo-aged skin that can result. Wake was born in 2018 from two smart Millennials - Anton Burton, 30 and Alex Mavor, 29 - noticing these issues in themselves, their families and friends .

The Wake story begins with just three essentials: an Eye Gel, a Face Cream and a Face Mask. All products are fragrance free and gender neutral or come with a natural scent. And all come housed in glass jars to reduce plastic consumption and recycled cardboard packaging which is also recyclable.

Left - Wake - Eye Gel - 30ml - £22.98, Face Cream - 50ml - £24.98, Face Mask - 50ml - £27.98

TheChicGeek says, “Not be confused with Waken, the hipster mouthcare brand, Wake, sticks to the simple formula of three products: face, eyes, mask.

I was actually surprised both founders were male, not really sure why - Anton and Alex, who met at University - maybe because the packaging is fairly neutral, but I would have lent towards the feminine.

The Face Mask is Millennial pink - Australian pink clay - and has a satisfying restful result. The Face Cream is light, non-greasy and nourishing and so too the eye cream. While not that memorable, fragrance free, these products feel reliable and the packaging says quality.

There could possibly do with putting the directions on the actual products, especially on the Face Mask, as you’re not using it everyday and we forget. And, like I always say, an SPF in the daily/daytime products.”

www.wakeskincare.com

As David Brent would say, "It's been a washout". The item you've probably spent the majority of time in this summer is your trusty waterproof or anorak. It never seems to stop raining. While great for the trees and ducks, it does dominate the summer wardrobe. So, it could be worth making an investment.

This minimal number from Nobis is made from technical taffeta nylon. The 'Huron' pullover anorak protects you from the rain and wind, with a sporty, half-zip. A drawstring hood provides added protection against the elements, while elasticised cuffs help keep warmth in and water out. Add a jumper layer underneath and it will take you well into Autumn.

Left - Nobis -  Huron - £425