ELEMIS EAU DE PARFUM

As a freelance beauty journalist I am sent lots of delicious beauty products to try and test, which I really appreciate and after 10 years my heart still skips a beat when I see great products.

However, over the years you do get to love and trust (I have had my face ravaged over the years by dodgy, harsh skincare) certain brands and I love Elemis. Both their skincare and bodycare is really exceptional and that's rare, it’s like a girl who is really pretty with a banging body- doesn’t happen often, it's usually one or the other, right? Whenever I am feeling achy or need a bit of an at home spa day I reach for Elemis. After I pulled an all nighter writing a while ago, for the first time I actually did my back in (I must be getting old) and I turned to the Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak, which smells all medicinal and like someone is giving you a hug. Energising and warming juniper, clove, lavender, sea salt and birch soothed my sore muscles as it’s like bathing in warm deep heat – lovely.

I also love the Exotic Frangipani Monoi Bath & Shower Cream as it’s free from skin drying sodium laureth sulphate, parabens and smells of holidays in the sun. The Monoi Moisture Melt is also a favourite with it’s rich coconut coprah oil , which is brilliant in afro hair as a leave in conditioner, as it softens and nourishes frazzled hair.

As an Elemis devotee I am really excited that they have developed a new fragrance, which embodies all the Elemis ethos of luxury, high quality ingredients and mind tingling aromatics with their Elemis Eau de Parfum, £35 for 28 ml, www.elemis.com. Created in Grasse the home of fragrance with Noella Gabriel, Director of Product and Treatment Development for Elemis and her French perfumer the fragrance is modern, sophisticated yet comforting. Zesty Elemi develops into a rich vertiver and refreshing marine accord with warm base notes of patchouli, gaiacwood and oak moss.

I am really glad Elemis have not gone down the ‘me too’ gimmick route with this fragrance but have created something in keeping with who they are, which is pure class and integrity. The fragrance is not one size fits all but really develops well on the skin and smelt different over time on all the other journalists at the launch, which I like as it’s like a fine bottle of wine that lives and breathes rather than being a synthetic bland uniform affair.

The bottle also screams Elemis as the lines are clean and elegant, it reminds me of something which would be on found on a 1930s Hollywood starlet’s dressing table. For a touch of Elemis you can wear all day, do try this new fragrance and remember to stop and breathe (that’s very Elemis too).