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Tag: Tried Tested

Tried & Tested New AW23 Eaux Triples Buly Fragrances

Officine Universelle Buly has added four new scents to its water based Eaux Triples collection. They include Madagascar Amber, Maltese Iris, Lebanese Cedar and Eritrean Myrrh. TheChicGeek says, “Buly is all about stepping back in time. The level of detail and volume of products – there are over 140 different types of combs and brushes – gives you the sense of tangible ancient history. You can just imagine Napoleon using the products in the latest blockbuster. The Eaux Triples range of fragrances are water based so they are very light. This is not for the lover of strong and overpowering. They are like colognes, so can be splashed lots and often. My favourite from the new range is Lebanese Cedar. It has a cedarwood note infused with verbena and vetiver. My...

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Tried & Tested Paul Smith Storyteller Candle

Paul Smith expands its growing home fragrance collection with a new wintery scent, Storyteller that recalls cosy nights in, open fires and Paul’s winter trips. Like the wider Paul Smith home fragrance collection – which launched in 2022 – Storyteller is based on Paul’s fond memories, in this case his inspiration trips to the Nottinghamshire countryside. With notes of Madagascan clove bud, intense woods, and patchouli, the scent is smoky, woody, and warming to evoke wintertime evenings by the fireside. The name, which follows the rest in the collection by being named for character traits, is also a nod to Paul’s personality and love of storytelling. Storyteller has been created by IFF perfumer Meabh McCurtin. They say: “Storyteller captures the warm feeling of sitting in front...

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Label To Know Side Story Fragrance

“When you pass someone in a hallway and get a whisper of their fragrance you have a window into their story. These moments happen serendipitously, but they can reveal so much about a person.” says Muj Rana, Founder of Side Story  Muj Rana, founder of new fragrance brand Side Story, recalls that scent played an integral role in his early experiences. His grandfather’s Indian sandalwood plantations were the source of the soft, balsamic wood which his childhood toys and trinkets were made from. Today, the woody scent still evokes memories of that distinctive time and place.  Each bottle of Side Story begins in Grasse, Provence, the only place where Muj felt the perfume oil could legitimately be crafted. The perfumers are Jacques Chabert, Valerie Bessone, Laurent Marrone...

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Label To Know Marc-Antoine Barrois Fragrance

The blue rabbit inside Marc-Antoine Barrois’ London store at 4 Piccadilly Arcade, and the reason the new candle is called No.4 Marc-Antoine Barrois is a French menswear couturier from a family of textile manufacturers in the North of France. He opened his first boutique in 2013 at 6, rue de Budapest in Paris and offers Parisian crafted collections of jewellery and accessories alongside his bespoke haute couture men’s clothing. After learning patterns, cutting, and sewing while studying textile engineering, he designed his first collection in Lille in 2006. This success then led Marc- Antoine Barrois to collaborate with Dominique Sirop, Jean-Paul Gaultier at Maison Hermes and Jean-Claude Jitrois before creating his own Maison de Couture for men. Offering men what women...

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Tried & Tested Ishga Hydra+ Marine Cream Moisturiser

Ishga – Hydra+ Marine Cream Ishga, the made-in-Scotland, certified organic skincare brand has introduced the latest addition to its award-winning skincare collection.  Developed from ten years of expertise in seaweed, science and skincare, Hydra+ Marine Cream is an advanced formula which features multiple molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to hydrate and nourish different skin layers. The formula includes Ishga’s unique Hebridean seaweed extract, rich in antioxidants and sourced from the purest Scottish waters, visibly rejuvenating skin. Prickly pear oil stimulates collagen, brightens, and provides an added boost of hydration. Lus Nan Laogh, an ancient Hebridean healing remedy, has been included for its anti-inflammatory and protective properties.  Nourishing...

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Tried & Tested Shakeup Age Def-Eye Instant Lifting Eye Cream

Shakeup has launched the new Age Def-Eye Instant Lifting Eye Cream. Combining caffeine, squalane, shea butter, and two revolutionary trademarked ingredients – Inst’Tight and Ipeptide, it instantly tightens, refreshes, and revives tired looking eyes and minimises puffy eye bags and dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet. The product is made in Britain, cruelty free, vegan friendly and PETA approved. TheChicGeek says, “Shakeup is reinvigorating the men’s beauty market. Its flagship product, a BB cream, is number one on Chinese mega online shop TMall, beating Lab Series, Kiehl’s, L’Oreal Men Expert and Boy de Chanel. This male beauty David was founded in 2020 by twin brothers Jake and Shane Carnell-Xu. As Chinese British (born in Beijing and grew up in...

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Tried & Tested Thameen London Bravi Fragrance

Under the “artistic residency” of Christopher Chong, Thameen London is proud to announce the release of the third fragrance from The Britologne Collection, titled Bravi. It reimagines a Cologne Elixir with more faceted nuances layering over the classical structure of cologne. Bravi’s adventure begins at the opera house, which is the most iconic building in Covent Garden. Perfumer Bruno Jovanovic, says, “The final chapter of the Covent Garden trilogy is all about wannabe divos and a diva. We imagine the idea of creating a Queen of the Night flower fragrance that would be essential to the magic of the performance. “The fragrance has to be extremely sexy, perfect for the evening. Intoxicating tuberose is spiced up with an overdose of ginger and dramatised with a novel walnut milk...

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Tried & Tested Almora Botanica Face Oils

Founded in 2019 by Ravi Prasad, who has worked in Ayurvedic medicine and skincare for over three decades, Almora Botanica applies scientific research and clinical testing to carefully chosen Ayurvedic plants. Just launched at 14 Dover Street, Almora Botanica is a natural vegan skincare brand complete with 7 products created to either prevent or repair skin damage. The products use powerful adaptogenic ingredients in the formulas, helping the skin to rebalance and adapt to any individual’s needs. The high-impact formulations use the purest botanicals sourced from nature to deliver supple, nourished skin.  Special attention has been paid to adaptogenic ingredients – such as borage seed and centella asiatica leaf extract – which strengthen collagen networks, smooth skin...

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Tried & Tested Officine Universelle Buly Les Jardin Français

Officine Universelle Buly has taken a trip to the allotment, or jardin ouvrier in French, and been inspired to create six new fragrances. Each has been inspired by a collection of very old seeds and seedlings curated by 18th and 19th century botanists. Les Jardin Français brings to life an intoxicating and unique palette of garden fragrances all with vegetal ingredients, from oriental watercress to Afghan carrot and Iraqi beetroot. The fragrance include: Andes Verbena & Ulu Basil, Indian Cucumber & Syrian Mint, Oriental Watercress & Sardinian Parsley, Scandinavian Redcurrant & Peruvian Tomato, Iraqi Beetroot & Egyptian Rhubarb and Afghan Carrot & Caribbean Sweet Potato. Officine Universelle Buly – Les Jardin Français – 75ml – £145 TheChicGeek...

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Tried & Tested Ringana Fresh Sunscreen SPF 20

Ringana – Fresh Sunscreen SPF 20 – 125ml – £38.45 Founded in 1996, RINGANA is a pioneering Austrian company in the natural skin care and food supplements industry. The waterproof and nano-free formulation with SPF 20 relies on the natural mineral sun protection filter, zinc oxide. Zinc oxide acts as a natural shield against harmful UV rays, karanja oil supports sun protection in a natural way, curcuma extract regenerates the cells and protects against free radicals and bisabolol and coenzyme Q10 soothes and regenerates the skin. TheChicGeek says, “The ‘Fresh’ element of this, being made from active ingredients, means it has a shorter expiry date – it should last about 10 weeks.  It’s thick, but goes on easily. The size of the product and packaging...

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Tried & Tested Anokha Man Skincare

Anokha Skincare says men and women are different. Men’s skin tends to have more sebum as a result of testosterone production. They also shave (sometimes), which creates more sources of irritation and sensitivity. While unisex brands are a ‘thing’ right now, they don’t do justice to the differences in men’s skin types.  Anokha Man has launched with three products: Rice & Hinoki Facial Cleanser, White Tea & Lychee Toner and Sake & Sandalwood Facial Lotion, to be used day and night. Anokha Skincare was established in 2008 by New York-based, board-certified plastic surgeon Nina S. Naidu, MD FACS. Naidu witnessed an increasing number of significant reactions to standard topical preparations including Bacitracin and Neosporin (over the counter antibacterial...

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Tried & Tested Thameen London Bohemian Infusion Fragrance

Inspired by the stories of the Piazza at Covent Garden in the 19th and early 20th centuries when it was a playground for sinful and decadent pleasures, Thameen London, under the “artistic residency” of Christopher Chong, focuses on the lifestyles of the dandies and literati intoxicated with substances for hallucinatory carnal pleasures, immersing into a perversive playground at the cafés and pubs with other social underlings, like the thespians of the nearby Drury Lane and West End theatres. Remembering anecdotes and historical stories from his PhD research on Subversive Fashion, Sexuality and Semiotics, Chong reminisces, “I’ve always been drawn to the psychoanalytical angle of the subculture and underworld of the dandies and flâneur. I invited world renowned Master Perfumer, Maurice...

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