Alyaka Wishlist

Alyaka is the place to go to find brands such as Iles Formula, Evody, GRESSA, Mahalo, Siam Seas, In Fiore, Imaginary Authors and KOSA Beauty to name a few (much excitement).

I recently purchased Iles Formula Haute Performance Discovery Set (£25) which I can't wait to try! I love that every order comes with free samples (it's the little things).

And so... I decided I needed to do a wishlist..

Bois1920 Sensual Tuberose EdP (£149 - 100ml) which sounds totally gorgeous! The perfume has top notes of coriander, peach and tuberose, a heart of coconut, heliotrope, jasmine, mugane and orange blossom with a base of benzoin, orris, patchouli, sandalwood and white musk. 

EVODY Cuir Blanc EdP (£72 - 50ml) which is leathery and musky and has top notes of violet leaf, a heart of amber and iris and base notes of Russian leather and white musk.

Imaginary Authors Violet Disguise EdP (60ml - £70) which I first tried via my Bloom Perfumery Subscription way back in April 2017 and I loved it. It has notes of plum, violet, dried fruits, balsam, amber, evening air and the month of May.

GRESSA Lip Boost - Radiant (£29 - 7ml) a brand which has been on my wishlist for ages! This lip boost feels like a balm and looks like a gloss and gives the lips a pop of moisturising colour. 

Mahalo Sample Kit (£28) this clever kit contains samples sizes (one or two uses) and contains 5 samples - Petal Hydrating Mask (2ml), Rare Indigo Beauty Balm (2ml), Balm Moisturising Treatment (2ml), Bean Mask (2ml) and Unveil Cleansing Balm (2ml). The kit is redeemable against a full size skincare product. It's great to get a feel for the products before splashing out.

IN FIORE 4-2-4 Travel Set (3 x 25ml, 1 x 15ml - £220) this brand's been on the wishlist like forever too and this is a great try-me set. It contains Lustra Illuminating Cleansing Essence 25ml, a homeopathic oil-based cleanser which removes dirt, purifies, plumps and nourishes, Gentle Cleansing Emulsion 25ml which is ultra mild and addresses complexion imbalance, redness and irritation. Fleur Vibrante Healing Floral Essence 15ml a remedy-in-a-bottle which contains a potent cocktail of fortifying antioxidants, flavonoids and essential amino acids which penetrate into the skin to optimize cellular function and refine. The final item in the set is Vitale Toning Floral Essence 25ml which revitalises and protects.

What's on your Alyaka wishlist?

*my post contains a few affilate links

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: My To-Buys

My Bloom Perfumery perfume subscription finished in June and I decided not to re-subscribe (I'd had a subscription for two years at this point) and as well as being pricey (but lovely) I was beginning to get a few repeats (some which I loved, some not so).

I've decided to let you know my stand out favourites which are firmly on the want list (I loved a lot but realistically I'm only picking the ones I might buy at some point).

July 2015 - Summer Florals

My favourite was the beautiful TARDES by Carner EdP 50ml (£85) - see my review HERE.

September 2015 - Autumn Scents

I totally fell for the glorious Coeur de Noir by Beaufort EdP 50ml (£95) which is quite unlike anything in my collection. It's a beautiful blend of ginger, ink, rum, leather, paper, vanillin with a base of cedar, tobacco and birch tar.

November 2015 - Male sample pack

In November, Bloom Perfumery mixed the sample packs up and the girls got the guys one and vice versa! I was initially a bit surprised by found I absolutely adored Cuirs by Carner EdP 50ml (£85) which is a smokey oud with leather and woods.

March 2016 - Iris 

I totally fell for the gorgeous Boszporousz by Nishane Extrait de Parfum (which is no longer stocked by Bloom Perfumery). It has notes of cypress, galbanum, sage, seaweed, gardenia, jasmine, amber, musk, oakmoss and patchouli

April 2016 - Citrus Breeze

My top pick is Phaedon's Verveine Figuier EdT 100ml (£69) a stunning fig perfume with verbena notes which is perfect for summer.

May 2016 - Sea, Sand & Sun Lotion

I think Carner is a brand I love! My top pick for May '16 is Costarela EdP 50ml (£85) which captures a Mediterranean breeze. It has notes of bergamot, saffron, hot sand accord, sea spray accord, ambrozan and Virginia cedar.

July 2016 - Continental Roses

PG13 Brulure de Rose EdP 50ml (£81.50) portrays the life cycle of a rose - from the bud to full bloom. It has notes of rosewood, rose, amber, musk, raspberry and sandalwood.

October 2016 - Exploring Labdanum

My favourite is again from a perfume house I love Beaufort - Fathom V EdP 50ml (£95) which has top notes of  juniper berry, tangerine, blackcurrant, green leaf and earth, with a heart of thyme, lily, jasmine, ylang ylang, ginger, black pepper and mimosa with a base of patchouli, vetiver, moss, salt, frankincense, Atlas cedar and amber.

April 2017 - Violets

I absolutely adored Violet Disguise EdP by Imaginary Authors 50ml (£90) which is a bon-bon violet flower interpretation with notes of plum, violet, dried fruit, balsam and amber.

May 2016 - Fragrant Travel

I've got to have two picks this month! My first is Palo Santo EdP by Carner 50ml (£85) which is simply beautiful. A creamy and lush woody blend with rich notes. It has top notes of Indian davana and rum accord, a heart of warm milk, Paraguayan guaiac and Venezuelan tonka beans with a base of Moroccan cedarwood, vetyver from Haiti and Dominican Republican amyris.

My second pick is Melodie de L'Amour by Dusita Extrait de Parfum 50ml - £250 (gulp) with top notes of gardenia, honey and tuberose, a heart of broom, Indian jasmine, lily of the valley and peach with base notes of cedar and musk.

So there you have it! My to-buy over my 2 year subscription (11) are any of these in your collection or on your wishlist?

Bloom Perfumery Yearly Sample Pack: May 2017: Fragrant Travel

My May Bloom Perfumery Sample Pack arrived on Thursday and last month's picks were Fragrant Travel.

The theme for May is "fragrant travel and the pack is showcasing rare natural materials sometimes used only in one formula among the ranges we stock and which come from a very specific location (e.g. sausage tree extract, for instance) or a material which has become part of identity of a place".

Gaiac Wood & Paraguay:

The first one to jump right out at me was from favourite perfumer Carner Barcelona - Palo Santo EdP (50ml - £85, 1ml - £2) is a creamy lush woody blend with rich buttery notes. It has top notes of Indian davana and rum accord, a heart of warm milk, Paraguayan guaiac and Venezuelan tonka beans with a base of Moroccan cedarwood, vetyver from Haiti and Dominican Republic amyris. Simply adore & full size is going on the to buy list!

Rose de Mai & Provence:

The next one I couldn't wait to try was Dusita Melodie De L'Amour which has just landed (just my luck it's super expensive!) Extrait de Parfum (50ml - £250, 1ml - £5) and it's stunning! It has top notes of heady gardenia, honey and tuberose, a heart of broom, Indian jasmine, lily of the valley and peach with base notes of cedar and musk. Bloom Perfumery say "A towering sultry floral with a jasmine heart surrounded by myriads of white floral shades".

The third one I can honestly say I want to buy is New In: You or something Like you EdP (50ml - £82, 1ml - £2) by Etat Libre d'Orange is a mouthwatering fresh blend of molecules one might find in mint, shiso, violets and citruses but designed in a lab and not corresponding to any particular plant. It's light and fresh and perfect for summer. With notes of eucalyptus, green leaves, shiso, violet leaf, white mint, spearmint and garden mint. LOVE!

Pine & Canada:

From Imaginary Authors is Cape Heartache EdP (50ml - £90, 1ml - £2) "the formula has authentic raw material to take you to the quietude of a boreal forest". With notes of douglas fir, pine resin, western hemlock, vanilla leaf, strawberry, old growth and mountain fog.

Sausage Tree & Central Africa:

Naiviris by Huitième Art EdP (50ml - £88, 1ml - £2) which is woody and green. It has notes of red iris and zebrano wood. I'm not so keen on this one. 

Wild Vanilla & Mexico:

Anima Dulcis by Arquiste EdP (100ml - £135, 1ml £2) which is a powerful blend of wild vanilla, chilli and cloves. With top notes of sesame seed, cinnamon bark and oregano, a heart of clove bud, cumin, night blooming jasmine and chilli infusion with a base of Mexican vanilla, cocoa bean absolute and oriental-chypre accord.

What do you think of this month's choices?

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack April 2017: Violets

I was very happy indeed to receive my Bloom Perfumery sample pack for April. (I loved last month's Green scents and February's Vanilla picks). This month's theme is violets.

Bloom Perfumery are "showcasing the use of violet leaf absolute, a natural material derived from the plant, as well as violet flower aroma interpretations: from bon-bon candied petals to aroma derived through the 18th century enfleurage technique".

There is one perfume we've had before in the pack from last June - Bendelirious EdP (50ml - £82) (violet leaf absolute) from Etat Libre d'Orange where two roots (iris and violet) are used to create the sweetest of leathers. With notes of champagne, cherry, cherry lollipop, grapefruit, iris absolu, iris butter, leather, musk, tonka beans, vetiver and violet leaf absolute.

I simply love the very gorgeous Violet Disguise EdP from Imaginary Authors (50ml - £90, 1ml - £2) (bon-bon violet flower interpretation) which is the scent of "violet flowers aroma as we know it from candied purple sweets and violet petal jam". "This is a versatile fragrance which will remind you of the simpler joys in life". With notes of plum, violet, dried fruits, balsam and amber.

From Zoologist there is Nightingale EdP (60ml - £135, 1ml - £3) (violets bouquet aroma) a "subtle linear floral beading sweet flowers one by one: violets, plum blossom and rose and stitching them onto a sensual sandalwood-ambegis canvas". With top notes of bergamot, lemon and saffron, a heart of japanese plum blossom, red rose and violet with a base of oud, patchouli, sandalwood, moss, frankincense, white musk, labdanum and ambergris.

Aleksandr EdP by Arquiste EdP (100ml - £135, 1ml - £2) (violet leaf absolute) "a witty reference to 19th century formula when dandies would use violet water to moisturize the skin. Violet leaf absolute smells green, leathery and a touch earthy on its own but in a formula can provide a perfect lasting deep background for lighter notes". With top notes of neroli, aldehydes, iced vodka accord and birch leaves, a heart of violet leaf, orris, cognac and leather with a base of fir balsam, birch tar, moss and animalic musk accord.

Sideshow by Gri Gri is New In EdP (can't see it online right now) and the "perfumes are inspired by some tattoo technique. Sideshow is based on the 'old-shool' anchors and mermaids, romantic, colourful and a bit kitch". The initial scent is surprisingly bubblegum (really!) with a heart of cotton candy and candy apple. Base notes are hyraceum, tolu balsam and leather.

The final scent this month is Queen of Spades by Brocard EdP (100ml - £21, 50ml - £17.50, 1ml - £2) (violet petals jam aroma) "sweet like violet petals jam, the fragrance has a plump floral core of magnolia, jasmin, lily-of-the-valley, violet and orchid" along with musk and woods.