All Rose Everything

Hi friends!

Well, slap a sweaty palm against a steaming car window and call me Jack because it’s getting all rose up in here (you like that?). Seriously, it just occurred to me that I have a bit of a tendency for this fragrance and wanted to share a couple of things that have been tickling my fancy recently. 

Maybe it’s because I am terrible at keeping flowers (not that it’s hard, it’s just that all of mine happen to die), but I do have a thing for florals in general. In summer, I pretty much live in a floral dress and my perfumes always err on the flowery-fragranced side. It’s a bit of thing. Rose, however, has always been more my mum’s bag (in fact, it’s half of her name) while I’ve favoured myself to be more of a lily kind of girl. Not that I would really know, because I’m terrible at keeping flowers, did I mention that?

Anyway, a few years ago Gavin bought me Bvlgari’s Rose Essentielle perfume and ever since then I’ve had more of a fondness for the classic British scent. Yes, it’s very distinct, yes, it’s not to everyone’s taste, but by golly, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?

Something about this fragrance harks back to a simpler time and makes me feel more… simple? No, I meant refined. Definitely refined.

So, with that in mind, let me introduce you to my three little rose wonders. First off, is L’Occitane’s Rose 4 Reines Shower Gel. I received this as a birthday present from my Korean co-teacher last year, and I tucked it away (with my millions of other beauty items), saving it for a “rainy day” or something. Well, as you know, I am trying to change my ways and declutter my life, and so I have started using up anything and everything that I can. I’m on a rampage, I tell you! So, this means that I have recently cracked open this amazing shower gel, and I am really glad I did because it is BEAUTIFUL.

The scent, oh, the scent. It doesn’t feel fake or forced; in fact, it’s a really subtle, genuine rose scent. Of course, you would expect this from L’Occitane, who provide high-end products for high-end prices. Still, that doesn’t guarantee that everything will be this good. It’s delicious and lathers well and did I mention it smells amazing?

I was also recently gifted L’Occitane’s Roses et Raines Facial Mist and Roses et Raines Hand and Nail Cream from the same (slightly modified?) Roses et Reines line, and I’m quietly chuffed about that. I love this scent so much, and although I am yet to open these, I have sniffed them in the store and they are of the same quality as the shower gel. To say I’m excited to use them is a rather large understatement!

Next up is su:m37’s Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick. I first read about this on The Wanderlust Project, and tried to order it online to no avail. It’s been selling out everywhere and it now is apparently discontinued, which makes my heart hurt. However, when I went to Thailand for the world’s most amazing holiday, I read The Beauty Wolf’s review of this product while at the airport. No joke, straight after reading I realised there was a duty-free shop with su:m37 directly opposite me, and I went straight over to buy this beauty. It happened pretty much instantly, and I am not ashamed.

I just recently opened this (again, saving it for a “special occasion”… when?) and oh my goodness, it is divine. It has ACTUAL ROSE PETALS in it and is really smooth and creamy even though it’s in a stick form. I don’t know how they did it, but they sure did it. You basically just wet your face and then roll this around, and then it lathers up into a gentle foam and cleans the skin really softly. My face feels really nourished afterward, which is definitely a good sign for sensitive skin like mine.

I don’t know if you can get this anymore but… if you can, it’s amazing <3

Lastly, have a look at that beautiful little Nuxe Rose Petal set. I bought this on a whim a while back (when I used to do such frivolous things!). This contained their Micellar Cleansing Water, Micellar Foam Cleanser, Rose Petal Floral Toner and Clarifying Cream Mask. Did I mention that all of these also include rose petals? It’s like all my Christmases have come at once! Again, I tested this in the store but have been holding onto it because I felt a bit too indulgent buying it (that’s sometimes the problem with splurging). Whether or not this stays with me or gets passed on to someone, it is a beautiful set and again… smells DIVINE.

So that concludes today’s rose-heavy offerings! What are your feelings on this classic British scent? If you couldn’t tell, I am a little bit too into it these days… and I’m bloomin’ proud (geddit?)!

Until next time,

Steph