FiiLit – Parfum du Voyage

As we were discussing here at The Amazing Blog, perfumes are an expression of ourselves, they tell a story and reveal a few of our personality traits. We all love to smell enticing, wafting into a room with some delicious fragrance or other. In fact, some of us can’t leave home without a spritz of our favourite fragrance! We find particularly when flying, security can present a bit of a problem as we’re not able to take 100ml+ bottles in hand luggage. FiiLit has the answer, with their travel-friendly ‘Perfume Sample Set’. These are ideal for slipping into a pocket or small bag and can literally be taken everywhere. FiiLit perfumes are not only perfect for travelling but they will also take you on an olfactory journey around the world. Each fragrance is inspired by the country from where the natural ingredients are sourced.

FiiLiT, from the Anglicism ‘Feel It’ was founded by Regis and Eloi, who are two scent enthusiasts who have created a range of perfumes that remind them of their nomadic worldwide travels. Apart from creating fragrant memories from different cultures and communities, they also wanted these elixirs to be good for the skin and the planet. FiiLit perfumes are vegan and made with a range between 87% to 100% of only natural ingredients. They have partnered with Stéphane Piquart's company BeHave to source their base ingredients and essential oils. BeHave works with multiple NGOs to get the ideal balance between quality ingredients and giving back to the communities.

The FiiLiT’s ‘Perfume Sample Set’ has 9 different eco-friendly Eau de Parfum fragrances, each represents a country or region. So why not indulge your senses and take off on your travels with some of our favourites: TUMBAO - CUBA a zesty touch with lime, blue ginger, cardamom, tobacco and rum perfume; or dip your feet in Polynesian waters with TEHANI - POLYNESIE the aroma of santal tanzani, tiare, citrus cocoa, ylang-ylang and patchouli. Perhaps immerse yourself in the Amazonian jungle with SAUDADE - AMAZONIA while smelling passionflower and fruit, guaiac wood, cabreuva tonka and balsam of Peru. Or take the opportunity to relax with the aphrodisiac scent of ylang-ylang, marigold, ravintsara, geranium, vanilla, and cinnamon from the land of Madagascar with WAKA - MADAGASCAR.

Have we piqued your interest? Then do try the others in the Sample Set which are inspired by Bali, Japan, Cyclades, Provence or Babylonia. To get your FiiLiT ‘Perfume Sample Set’ see here for £8.10. Once you’ve found your fragrance, why not upgrade to the 50 or 100ml bottle starting from £53.10 here. Then once you have run out, simply buy your refills here. Perfect!

Mr Vanguard - Eau de Parfum

As expectations go, the grooming market for us boys was always going to be big, however exploding into the multi-billion dollar industry has thoroughly proved the doubters wrong. My colleagues at The Amazing Blog inform me that within that market, the growth of  male fragrances has been extraordinary - a glance along the shelves in any perfumier exemplifies the range available. The array of bottles and concoctions designed in a myriad of shapes, colours and textures which would not be out of place in an art gallery, scream out for our attention - and of course our hard earned cash.

So, it is something of a breath of freshly scented air that Mr Vanguard arrived in 2017 offering up a discreet, and yet highly individual fragrance to challenge the huge marketing budgets of the larger brands.  Founded by Emmanuel Omoyele he commented that he wanted to “Develop a new generation of fragrance, merging quality, innovation and style.” He was determined to create a debut scent that was distinctive and a brand that fed the psyche of the contemporary man. Thus, proving that success stems from the core certainty of a winning product, rather than the hype of a huge advertising campaign. And the groaning shelf of awards Mr Vanguard has been decorated with is proof positive that these guys have a true winner on their hands, being awarded Best New British Brand, in Pure Beauty Awards 2018.

The fragrance has top notes of bergamot, grapefruit and coconut, along with jasmine, lily of the valley and rose; we’re transported to the tropical climates of The Far East and The Caribbean, finishing with the base notes of amber, vanilla, cedar wood and patchouli. A complex mix, with several layers, but ultimately a fresh and clean scent that will not overpower. The bottle itself is a triumph of self-restraint - clean and clear glass, angular in shape, simple no nonsense masculinity. Currently only available online here and competitively priced at £64.99 for 50ml, this self-assured fragrance is fast garnering a wide and loyal following, with exciting plans to expand distribution and availability.

Friday Favourites - Chocolate bars

With Easter fast approaching, we've noticed that shops have been stacking their shelves with loads of tempting egg-shaped sweeties. While sadly, the days of childhood egg-hunting are over for us here at The Amazing Blog, we still appreciate a good opportunity to enjoy a sweet treat or two... This Easter, we thought we'd find some alternatives to the eggs. So we've chosen to feature three different chocolate brands with some of their latest bars, which will make a great addition to your Easter celebrations!

For those of you who enjoy a little floral twist in their chocolates, Urban Village Chocolates has a Rose & Bergamot milk chocolate bar that we think you'll love. Urban Village Chocolates are an artisan chocolate company that produces hand-crafted luxury chocolates with their unique recipes. We've previously featured some of their other chocolate discs which are imprinted with pretty, modern designs, see here. We think this award-winning chocolate brand produces some of the prettiest chocolate bar designs we've seen to date. 

This Rose and Bergamot Chocolate Bar is made with steam-distilled pure organic rose and bergamot oils. To complement this scented combination of ingredients, the brand also adds cocoa solids, cocoa butter, vanilla flavouring and milk. The well-balanced mix of all these ingredients makes for a luxurious, moreish and irresistible chocolate bar. Apart from being handmade, each bar is hand-decorated with beautiful floral patterns making it almost too pretty to eat! Also, this chocolate bar contains 110g of chocolate making it the perfect size to share with your friends and family (or perhaps just keep it all to yourself!) You can purchase this delicious chocolate bar here for £5.50.

We also suggest trying out Rhythm108's range of Deeelicious Swiss Chocolate Bars. This Swiss brand used the expertise and craftsmanship of their chocolatiers to create organic bars that not only are innovative and healthy but also are gluten-free, vegan and handmade. Their products allow us to enjoy a treat without compromising our healthy lifestyles. Their chocolate bars are available in three different flavours including Hazelnut Praline, Sweet 'n' Salty Almond and Super Coconut.

Rhythm 108's chocolate bars are made with only natural and organic ingredients. The ingredients include nuts, cacao butter, oat flour, quinoa and coconut which makes them healthier and tastier than competitor brands. The mouth-watering Hazelnut Praline bar is the perfect bar for nut lovers and for anyone else that enjoys succulent and high-quality chocolates. The clever mix of smooth praline and nutty hazelnut is heavenly. The Sweet’n Salty Almond bar is filled with oat and almond butter which gives it a sweet and salty taste that instantly brightens your snacking time. Coconut and dark chocolate - what an amazing combination. At the blog, the Super Coconut bar is one of our all-time favourites (and we measure our words here). The bar is an explosion of coconut flavours; add to that a fine dark chocolate, and you have an intense and delightful snack. If you’re still hesitating about trying these bars, then you should know that they have 46% less sugar than other chocolate bars. Amazing isn’t it? Tasty and healthy, so you can enjoy them without feeling guilty. You can purchase the Hazelnut Praline Bar here for £1.65,  the Sweet 'n' Salty Almond Bar here for £1.65, and the Super Coconut Bar here for £1.65. 

Finally, we have found a vegan chocolate that tastes even better than a non-vegan chocolate, and think that it certainly deserves its own 15 minutes of fame here on this blog. In fact, we've written about some of their other cult chocolate bars here. Moo Free was started by husband and wife team Mike and Andrea Jessop in 2004, and has grown from strength to strength as an award-winning chocolate brand with a loyal fan base. Any vegans out there know the struggle of finding delicious and fruity chocolates that taste like regular chocolate. Moo Free Chocolates offers a wide array of organic, high-quality vegan, dairy free, lactose-free and gluten-free chocolates. We tried out their latest Crunchy Organic Banana Bar and think it makes an ideal springtime treat.

The Crunchy Organic Banana Bar is packed with organic ingredients including cacao, cacao butter, rice powder, banana chips, and coconut oil. Everyone knows that chocolate and banana taste great together. So the wonderful blend of these two-star ingredients makes a balanced bar that is sweet, comforting and fruity. This Crunchy Organic Banana Bar melts in your mouth when you eat it and left us wanting more. This chocolate brand it has become an iconic chocolate here on our blog, particularly with the vegans in the office. You can purchase the Moo Free Crunchy Banana Bar here for £2.99. Or you can find their products across the UK, in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Asda, to find your nearest stockist see here.