Ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume: Winter 21

I've had my Ffern Winter 21 since the Solstice in December (21st) but hadn't got round to posting about it! I've been struggling to blog this year and I've found this lockdown really hard compared to the earlier one. Hopefully with spring around the corner I'll begin to buck up! (I also felt the need to post as the Equinox is approaching (20th March, and the delight of a new perfume). I've loved all the perfumes I've tried so far -  click the links for reviews - Winter 20, Spring 20, Summer 20 and Autumn 20.

Winter 21 is unisex, vegan, all natural, twice aged and bottled in Devon. Each bottle is numbered (mine's 265) and bears the names of the noses. As ever inside the box is a sample, try the sample if you love it, feel free to break the seal on the full size. So far, I've loved them all...

Winter 21 reflects on the Highlands in winter highlighting on the unique crisp air. Lemon, Eucalyptus, Peppermint & Lavender cool while herbaceous notes of Juniper, Black Pepper, Fir Balsam and Cedar give the evergreen edge. Oakmoss, Tarragon and Seaweed creates an earthy fresh aroma. Birch Tar gives the perfume a smokey peaty note. Spicy Cardamon, Clove Buds and a hint of Patchouli give the perfume a warmth.

"In the wilds of winter the mountain air sings"

The ingredients are blended in Italian grain vodka and water. With top notes of: Peppermint (Yakima Valley, Washington), Lemon Rind (Northern Sicily, Italy), Sweet Orange (Minas Gerais Orange Belt, Brazil), Bergamot Rind (Calabria, Italy), Clove Bud (NE Coast, Madagascar) and Blue Gum Eucalyptus (Yunnan Plateau, China). These notes are fresh, cooling and aromatic. With mid notes of: Cardamom (Alta Verapaz Cloud Forests, Guatemala), Lavender (Provence, France), Patchouli (Java, Indonesia), Vetiver Root (Les Cayes, Haiti), Balsam Fir (East of Calgary, Canada) and Red Cedar (Virginia, North America) which are spicy, woody and warming with a hint of evergreen. With base notes: Black Tang Seaweed (Brittany, France), Oakmoss (Samokov Hills, Macedonia), Tarragon Leaf (South, France), Red Juniper (Virginia, North America) and Birch Tar (North East, North America) which gives a distinctive smokey and spicy aroma.

As ever, it's a stunning interpretation which starts off fresh, citrus and light and develops as you wear it with the spicy and green notes quickly coming through before mellowing to aromatic peaty woods.  I love it! Are you on the ledger?

Top Products 2020: September to December

This year I broke up top beauty and books into little chunks. See my top beauty products January - April HERE and May - August HERE. If an item is marked * I was kindly gifted it for review. 

Here's what I loved and rated in September:

Discovering Scottish brand, Raven Botanicals. The girls very kindly sent me a few samples* to try and review. See HERE. It's a simply stunning range, carefully formulated and hard working as well as gorgeous.

A perfume which has been on the wishlist a while before I snapped it up is Rahua's gorgeous Palo Santo Oil Perfume. See my review HERE. Simply stunning.

So much love for beautiful Ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume. Autumn 20 is simply exquisite. See my review HERE. So much love for this co!

Rounding up September's top picks is John Master's Organics Maximum Moisturizer with Mandarin & Glycoproteins* which I received free of charge as a Love Lula Accredited Blogger for review. It's a fantastic hydrator and perfect for autumn and winter skin. See my review HERE.

In October, Naturisimo brought out a fantastic range of starter kits. I reviewed their Moisturisers one HERE they're great for beauty lovers and beginners alike!

I also had the pleasure of trying Charlie Miller award-winning Haircare & Styling products* which are absolutely fantastic. See my review HERE. 

I treated myself to Inika's Phytofuse Renew Resveratrol Serum after trying a sample. It makes my skin glow! Check out my review HERE.

As soon as it launched I had to have Kiss the Moon's Relaxing Eye Pillow with DREAM Aromatherapy Drops. The set's simply stunning. See my review HERE.

Coming into November there was more Raven Botanicals love when I tried their 24 Carat Oil to Milk Cleanser which takes cleansing to another level. Check out my review HERE.

I also loved ila spa's The Big Sleep Drops which really do what they say on the bottle! See my review HERE.

My skin loves NeuroSkinFeeds The MicroOil* which intensely rejuvenates the skin and senses. See my review HERE.

In December, I reviewed nknaturals full Autumn mini Seasonal Collection - see HERE and two items from the current Winter collection - see HERE. I just love these carefully formulated seasonal collections.

Rounding up my top picks for December is Skin Elixir's Magnificent Night Oil* which I reviewed HERE. 

Do we share any top picks for 2020?

Ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume: Autumn20

I've had my Ffern Autumn20 Organic Small Batch Perfume (£69 a quarter) since the Autumn Equinox on the 22 September and have enjoyed taking time to enjoy it rather than rush to review. See my thoughts on Summer20 HERE.

As ever you receive a sample to try before slicing open the paper seal on the full size bottle. And you know, I thought I could never like summer more, but this season is a delight. As ever, you receive a numbered bottle with the names of the noses on the label. It's all these little attention to details which make my heart sing.

This season the Ffern team wanted to recreate how the air smells after the rain: Petrichor "air washed and heavy with new scents, holds within it something of the landscape. When it rains within a wood, the result is perhaps the most compelling of all". 

Following on from Autumn19 which was set in a Scottish pine forest. Autumn20 is set in "wilder woodland. Older, darker, richer. More alive. Here the sky hangs low and the woodland floor, dampened by fresh rain, is varied and intimate, with lush green shoots emerging from the shade of a once-great oak". 

The wood notes have been rebalanced and softened and oud has been added. Red cedar and guaiac blend with it to create smokey and sylvan notes. New growth is captured in Bay leaf and Davana.

Rose Absolute, Cognac oil and Oak Moss adds honeyish, floral tones capturing "the heady fullness of the air after the rain, we were missing the fresh, sweet burst that appears just as the rain has passed". That came in the form of Rosewater which enhances the rose note (and which makes me love this perfume so).

The Perfume is formulated with organic Italian grain vodka and Rosewater and:

Top: Davana - Karnataka, India, Bergamot Rind - Calabria, Italy, Nutmeg - Banda Islands, Indonesia

Mid: Rose - Isparta, SW Turkey, Olibanum - Gulf of Aden Somalia, Bay rum leaf - St Thomas, Caribbean, Patchouli - Java, Indonesia, Black Peppercorn - Malabar coast, India, Ceylon Cinnamon Bark - SW coast, Sri Lanka, Balsam Fir - East of Calgary, Canada

Base: Cognac oil - Transylvania, Romania, Vetiver root - Les Cayes, Haiti, Guaiacwood - Gran Chaco jungles, Paraguay, Boya Oud Tincture - Assam, India, Oakmoss - Samokov, Macedonia, Red Cedar - Virginia, North America

I simply adore Autumn20 it's woody and warm with ever lingering rose notes (it's pure perfection). 

That's me now had my first year - Winter20, Spring20 and Summer20. I'm planning a round-up post of all four. Are you on the ledger? If so, what are your thoughts?

September: Lately I've been loving

 So many September loves:

Going for lunch again to The White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar I just adore their Scotch Bonnet Smoked Salmon. I've enjoyed every small plate I've eaten here - there's also a decent wine list and the cocktails are fab.

My truly amazing subscription box from The Ghost Family Haunts - it really makes my heart sing - the attention to detail is incredible - amazing wax melts plus gorgeous art-work in the form of badges and prints. This is the wax sub to get!

I'm such a fan of Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I'd accumulated voucher codes and beauty circle ££ and so the Sunshine Sol Kit jumped into my bag at Feel Unique. See my review HERE.

My Autumn20 bottle of perfume from Ffern which truly is incredible. I'm really enjoying this one. Expect a review on the blog early in October. It's love!

What have you been loving in September?

Top Products 2020: May to August

Way back in April I posted my Top Products 2020 for the period January-April - see HERE. These are my top picks for May-August (marked * I've very generously been gifted for review):

I fell totally head-over-heels for Antipodes BAPTISE H20 Ultra-Hydrating Water Gel. See my review HERE.

nknaturals season specific skincare is just the best. I adored the couple of products I tried from their SPRING range and when founder and formulator, Nicola sent me the whole SUMMER collection* - I couldn't quite believe it. So, so generous and of course the range is stunning - see my review HERE. I'm looking forward to buying some of the AUTUMN range when it launches on the 22nd September for the autumn equinox. Check out the shop HERE.

I was invited to try a "my" skin specific range* of products from Typology in May which I absolutely adored. See my reviews HERE and HERE. 

I discovered DESAVERY as a Beauty Shortlist Judge and fell totally in love with the range, packaging, concept and scents (see my top picks for the 2020 Awards HERE). I was kindly sent two new-to-me products in May - see my review HERE. Absolutely love DESAVERY - they are first on my list (especially STELLAR Daily Serum) to replenish when my stash reduces a bit! 

I first tried Ecooking as a Latest in Beauty pick (REVIEW) and then as a Beauty Shortlist Judge - see HERE. In June I tried their Fragrance Free Cleansing Scrub* - REVIEW - in my post I said "this is one of the best scrubs I've ever used". I just love this brand! 

During lockdown I had scalp issues and this little bar of goodness totally cleared them up! I just love Earthkind's Shampoo Bar for Improved Scalp Health* see my review HERE (Latest in Beauty had this as a pick recently so I stocked up!)

I'm a huge, huge fan of the Micheline Arcier Aromatherapie range which really are the creme de la creme of aromatherapy products and are totally timeless. I've loved everything I've tried from them - the products are luxurious, aromatic, a pleasure to use as well as being therapeutic (and good for the soul). See my review of their Richesse D'Or Bath & Shower Crystals* and Body Oil* HERE.

I received Ooh! Oils of Heaven Organic Plum Conditioning Face Oil* in my June Love Lula Beauty Box*. I fell totally head-over-heels (and then some, for it). See my review HERE.

I received Absolution's Le Gommage Corps Body Scrub in Naturisimo's Summer Vibes Discovery Box - I can never resist their discovery boxes. This scrub is one of the nicest I've ever used. See my review HERE.

I've really enjoyed Terre Verdi's award winning NeroliPom Moisturiser*. See my review HERE. I'm a sucker for the luxe packaging as well as the beautifully scented, silky product within.

Of course, my Ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume just has to be there (I've just heard the notes within the Autumn batch - excitement much, it'll arrive in time for the autumn equinox) Summer20 was simply stunning - I totally fell in love with it. See my review HERE.

I love this de-stress duo from Sanctuary Spa - see my review HERE. I've found both the De-Stress Warming Body Balm and Calming CBD Oil very effective and I'd buy both again.

I was recently very generously sent EVOLVE Organic Beauty's 360 Smoothing Body Contour* which is absolutely dreamy. See my review HERE.

Magic Cocoa* from ZOJO Beauty Elixirs is absolutely fantastic. I very generously received it free of charge for review as a Love Lula Accredited Blogger. See my review HERE.

CiTY SURViVOR was another brand I discovered as a Beauty Shortlist Judge (I loved Immune Support and gave it top marks). Founder, Daisy very kindly sent me the trio* to try together. See my review HERE (I've since replenished NIGHT SUPPORT).

Just this month I reviewed Awake Organics new Natural Vegan Shampoo* which comes in powder form (and eco-friendly packaging). See my review HERE. 

Do any of my picks make your top products for 2020?

Ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume: Summer20

It's always a happy day when my new Ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume arrives! It costs £69 a quarter (32ml) and Summer20 is sublime (it arrives for the summer solstice (it arrived just slightly after). You can see my review of Spring20 HERE and Winter20 HERE. As you'll know the perfumes are created for the names on the ledger, which gives the perfume an edge of exclusivity - join the waiting list HERE.

As ever, the packaging makes my heart sing - it's a real joy to open a Ffern delivery. Inside the letterbox friendly box you'll find your full size vegan, natural EdP perfume and a sample - try the sample and if you fall instantly head-over-heels in love you're allowed to open the full size. If not, you can sent the full size back intact for a refund/the next quarter. Of course, I loved mine on very first sniff!

The sample bottle has changed to be a normal spray vial (I kind of liked the quirky little dabber bottle). As ever, there's a very informative leaflet listing the notes and story behind the scent. My bottle this time is numbered 169 and as ever the names of the noses are there too (which is a nice touch!) Thank you Elodie Durande & Francois Robert for another exquisite creation. 

"Baked earth. Midsummer heat. A heady Tuscan afternoon

An early evening walk through the orange grove
Scorched earth harbouring the heat of the day"

Top Notes: Sicilian Lemon rind, Somalian Olibanum, Iranian Ferula Gummosa root, Green Mandarin, Brazilian Bitter Orange, Sri Lankan Cinnamon Leaf, Key Lime rind from Peru

Mid Notes: Calabrian Bergamot rind, Indonesian Nutmeg, Russian Coriander seed, Nepalese Jasmine, Tunisian Neroli and Egyptian Basil

Base Notes: Haitian Vetiver root, Virginian Red Cedar and Benzoin Siam from Laos

It really is a stunning summer scent which evolves as you wear it. It's citrus with spice and herbal notes as well as being slightly floral too (I love that it contains my favourite neroli). Love it Ffern!

I'm also sharing a little pic of my collection (which brings me so much joy).

Are you on the Ledger? If so, do you love Summer20 as much as me?

April: Lately I've Been Loving

With everyone getting used to lockdown and not getting out and about as normal I've found simple things have rocked my world in April. I celebrated quarantine birthday which turned out just as enjoyable as drinks and dinner out..

Read on to see what I've been loving:

A walk by the sea during my daily exercise is truly lovely.

Blossom! I can never get enough of it! It makes me smile.

Birthday cards mean so much! Friends know me so well...

A new (from July) personalised planner from Papier brings me so much joy. See my review of my previous one HERE. I find it absolutely perfect for blog planning.

Food orders from Root to Market, the brainchild of head chef at fhior restaurant to support the local supply chain and independent businesses during the pandemic have cheered up our month - you can order on a weekly basis (the fillet steaks are the best I've ever tasted - thanks Henderson Meat).

Happiness is... three new birthday gins! Thanks Gillian, Nardin and David! 

A little stock up of Botanic Dew Hand & Body Wash from Bodhi & Birch - see my review HERE. A personalised note from founder, Elijah always makes me smile!

My ffern Organic Small Batch Perfume Spring 20 arriving (it arrived later than planned due to bottles/tops coming from Barcelona). It was worth the wait - it's simply stunning! See my review HERE.

I stupidly (duh!) gave up my allotment in January. I've been nurturing some herbs on the windowsill. I definitely want to pick up some more when I can!

And rounding it all up - a stunning Portobello sunset! What have you been loving in April?