Pencil in a bottle... [reviewing Escentric 01 edt, by Escentric Molecoles]

Wrap yourself in the radiant Winsor Violet of Escentric 01, the colour of star-stained dusk, the colour of touch - Geza Schoen [creator & brand founder]

Escentric Molecules owes its existence to an aroma-molecule that does not exist in nature. Iso E Super was created in a laboratory at IFF in 1973. It remained unknown outside the world of perfumery until the launch of Escentric Molecules, though its elusive presence hovers at relatively low concentrations in the background of many fragrances for both men and women. Among perfumers, it is prized for its velvety, cocooning effect.

Escentric 01 focuses on Iso E Super at 65% of the fragrance compound in an abbreviated formula designed to maximise the molecule's efflorescence. 

For most of the year I like to prepare myself for getting into a Christmassy mood by putting aside £5 here and £10 there, to be ready for the launch of the year's beauty advent calendars. Then I watch loads of unboxing videos on YouTube to help me decide which one (or two depending on how well I'd managed to save that year) will be helping me pamper myself ready for the big day.

Last year's winner [Harvey Nichols Beauty Advent Calendar 2023] 

presented me with a 30ml bottle of Escentric 01 on the first day of December and reading up on it I became very curious about the idea behind it and was keen to give it a fair chance to win me over... 

The Bookworm: Assistant To The Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 A #1 New York Times bestseller from the creator of a viral TikTok series about the sunshine assistant to the evil villain and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, level-headed assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things in General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in a job offer-naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don't find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she's getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat...and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain-and his entire nefarious empire-out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work... and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find....

All in the name? [reviewing Fame edp, by Paco Rabanne]

  Playful. Sensual. Empowered. 

Capturing the irresistible Parisian spirit of the Rabanne woman, FAME pays tribute to a new era of femininity.

The quintessence of avant-garde luxury, the fragrance is a blend of exceptionally pure jasmine, succulent mango and an addictively sensual creamy incense.

Fame is something that I've been repeatedly been testing since it was launched and whilst I liked it, a combination of other releases, new-to-me finds & revisits kept taking my focus away from it.

For Christmas 2023 I'd decided to pounce on the Fame giftsets at Boots or Superdrug as soon as they were slashed in price by a third when the NY sales started... and I got distracted by last-minute Christmas stuff and too slow for the start of the online sales, so they had sold out by the time I got around to looking. However I found the giftset on the UK Sephora site [with the same level of discount] after managing to somehow forget that they sell fragrances until boxing day 😅 

Anyway; Is Fame as good as I seem to recall, or have I gotten it mixed up with Fame Parfum & made a pricy error?  [I'm writing the intro before it arrives and I'm already doubting myself]

What makes a Lychee sparkle? [reviewing Eden Sparkling Lychee | 39 edp, by Kayali]

THE VIBE: Radiant, Cheerful, Confident. 

Prepare to be tempted! Eden Sparkling Lychee| 39 Eau de Parfum is a radiant and cheerful fruity floral fragrance featuring a beautiful blend of luscious lychee, tart blackcurrant and sweet candied violet.

In the spirit of the Eden Collection, Sparkling Lychee | 39 opens with a cocktail of mouthwatering fruity notes that instantly brighten your mood! At the heart, a bouquet of flirty florals adds a layer of confidence to this cheerful juice. As this sparkling juice dries down, warm notes of sugared amber, delicious vanilla and sensual musk create a long-lasting and alluring scent trail.

I'm a bit behind on Kayali; I skipped out on the limited edition duo [Wedding Silk Santal | 36 & Wedding Velvet Santal | 35], and I've been repeatedly visiting Selfridges to investigate the four releases in the Oudgasm collection [Café Oud | 19, Vanilla Oud | 36, Rose Oud | 16 & Tobacco Oud | 04] and I do like them to varying degrees, but I have not decided on which (if any) I'm going to buy - genuine oud is an expensive ingredient in fragrance, so that collection costs more money, plus it is intense enough scent-wise to make me wary of triggering migraines...

Anyway, back to today's subject; I was excited to learn that it looks like Eden is going to be the name of a fragrance collection, rather than the name for a single fragrance; summer '22 saw the release of Eden Juicy Apple | 01, a fun & flirty fruity/floral that was inspired by 1990s body splashes that were popular when the Kayali founder was in high school. Being a 90s teen myself I really enjoy the feeling of carefree & happy nostalgia when I wear it, so I couldn't wait to try out Sparkling Lychee when it was released a short while ago, to see if it has the same vibe since it is focused around some of the Juicy Apple supporting scent notes. I tested it in the festive lead-up and immediately liked it, but wanted to wait and try it a few more times at a later date, however... guess what a couple of friends clubbed together to get me for Christmas? 

Was it a one-hit wonder, or is this a contender for being one of my favourite Kayali releases? 

The Bookworm: Our Violent Ends, by Chloe Gong.

The heartstopping follow up to These Violent Delights, an imaginative, alluring retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step into usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang's heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall's death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it's his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he's determined to set things right - even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma's cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren't prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.