Blooming marvellous

Flowers have been central to health and fashion from the very beginnings of beauty products, tinctures and accessories. Indian Ayurvedic medicine uses hibiscus to give thicker, fuller locks. Calendula has been deployed since Roman times for its anti-inflammatory properties. The bacteriologist Dr Edward Bach pioneered his eponymous - now famous - homeopathic system, which utilises such flowers as honeysuckle (for living in the past), rock rose (for terror and fright) and water violet (for isolation). And we all have memories of mashing up our own flowers and mixing them with water as children to create our very own 'perfume'.

Floral delivery company Bloom and Wild not only celebrates a range of flowers in their beautiful bouquets but has now gone a step further by evoking the power of flowers in art with its new Matisse collection, which includes such plants as alstroemeria, gerberas and chrysanthemums. Evoking different moods and cultural significance as well as sheer ornamentation, the company's new infographic (pictured right) enlightens us as to the use of different flowers by artists throughout the ages, from Botticelli to Jeff Koons.

The infographic also mentions the use of specific flowers that are still used in some of my favourite perfumes today. Anaïs Anaïs, by Cacharel, is a bit 1970s and has a slightly powdery tone to it, but has sentimental meaning for me. It doesn't just contain jasmine - mentioned by Bloom and Wild as having prominence in Indian art for its symbolism of love and fertility - but also orange blossom, hyacinth, rose, lily, and sandalwood - making for a sexy mix overall. My other choices, however, would be Jasmin Noir by Bulgari (a really top-quality fragrance that lasts), and Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf, for a sparklier setting.

This latter fragrance also contains lotus flower - another bloom highlighted as significant for its use in Egyptian and Asian art form. Representing life and creation, it adds real freshness to fragrances - as equally exemplified by another favourite of mine, Hermès' Jardin Sur Le Nil.

The final flower mentioned in the infographic is ivy, which was meaningful in Ancient Greek art for its links to the harvest and theatre. The iconic J'adore (by Dior) and Lolita Lempicka fragrances use this grounding ancient plant.

But I couldn't do a post without flowers without mentioning the new cult floral favourite in the world of beauty: Kailijumei's flower lipsticks, which are the latest hit from Hong Kong. The clear jelly lipsticks have dried flowers embedded in them, and thanks to the natural ingredients (such as cocoa butter, candelilla and lavender oil), lips are kept moisturised as well as slightly tinted. The flowers used include rose - which of course, being a classic, is included in Bloom and Wild's Marguerite bouquet - available now as part of the Matisse collection to further indulge our love of flowers.

Diptyque is in full bloom at Chelsea Flower Show

You already heard yesterday about BrandAlley and The Pretty Dress Company's celebratory collaboration at the Chelsea Flower Show, and the fashion and beauty presence there continues to abound thanks to fragrance and candle company Diptyque's partnership with ethical jewellery maker Pippa Small. This week, guests visiting Pippa's retreat will also be treated to a sample of a Diptyque fragrance formulated especially for the occasion. Floral tuberose works with heady lavender and cleansing mint to create a unique scent to remember this year's show by. Stay tuned for further info...

BrandAlley flash sale

Fashion-loving gardeners must be in raptures of delight at the news that BrandAlley has created a garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. However, even the least green-fingered of us can celebrate: BrandAlley has collaborated with favourite celebrity brand The Pretty Dress Company to create an exclusive range of dresses, emulating floral catwalk trends, that are available for this week only, while the flower show is on (May 20-27). The brand is favoured by such stars as Kelly Brook and The Saturdays, and you can have a piece of it this week for £44. Get it while it's hot!

And don't forget to check some of my past posts for some floral beauty advice.

Beauty Byte: Flower Girl

Flowers are definitely great birthday gifts. But for beauty-based floral gift ideas for women, there is certainly no shortage of ideas on the web or in department stores.

In my series on different perfumes, I looked at all aspects of the fragrance wheel, from fruity to fougère. I also naturally looked to floral scents for inspiration, naming such examples as Cacharel's Anaïs Anaïs, Yves St Laurent's Paris, and Daisy by Marc Jacobs, which utilise floral essences from all around the world, including rose, lily, jasmine and mimosa. All of these would make superb gifts at any time of year - the Cacharel classic in particular is one of my favourites.

But what if the person you're buying for isn't into perfume? (Believe me, it is possible. Some women see putting perfume on in the morning as being as much a part of their routine as brushing their teeth, while others barely think to put it on.) Molton Brown's Ziao Jao hair wash is floral and botanical without being sickly, while Logona is another brand famed for its use of herbal extracts and floral distillates in its makeup. Garnier's Vital Restore Daily Beauty Serum also smells beautifully of orchids - while other brands have not really capitalised on the orchid craze beyond their packaging, Garnier has really used it to its advantage.

Or why not combine the two concepts, building up thank you gifts into a cornucopia of fresh flowers, solid scents (such as Clinique's Aromatics Elixir Solid Perfume, which is convenient for travel, smells of camomile and rose, and has a beautiful floral design engraved on its compact lid), and other beauty products (body lotions and shower gels, such as those by Bath and Body Works, also offer a comprehensive range of flowery-smelling choices)? It's really easier than you think to create a gift that'll never be forgotten and thank someone with garden scents that they can use and enjoy all year round.

Anais Anais by Cacharel

RRP: £21.00/30ml of eau de toilette; £25.00/30ml of eau de parfum

--What does the promo say?--
"Since her birth 25 years ago, Anais Anais has expressed the spirit of youth and femininity. She has captured the hearts of millions of young girls and women with her unique fresh floral blend. Inspired by the lily, Anais Anais is a true modern classic. It combines a fresh burst of hyacinth, orange blossom and jasmine with the intense scent of Virginia cedarwood, Bourbon vetiver and musky sandalwood."

--Packaging--
The bottle is small, squat, and somewhat quaint with its white and silver colour combination. The flowers are shown in pink and the Cacharel logo is shown in white or black. The lid is a screw top lid and comes in silver. It's quite sweet and feminine, but in this modern age may not appeal to all women and girls. However, of those it does appeal to, it should appeal to all ages. The bottle is small enough to comply with new hand baggage regulations, though I'd say it's probably better to have the spray from a travel point of view. I've never taken my screw top Anais Anais on holiday with me and I'd be wary of doing so.

--Application--
Depends on the one you have. Either undo the screw top and dab a little directly onto your wrist, or pull off the lid and spray onto the desired area.

--Scent--
As I've said in one of my other reviews here, I don't know enough about botany to know whether it really does smell of all the things they say. However, I do know that the scent is just lovely. It's very light, not at all overbearing, and (so I've been told) very seductive...

--Longevity--
I haven't formally tested this one for longevity at the time of writing, but will edit when I have. I know for sure that it lasts for at least a whole morning without having to reapply, meaning you should only have to reapply once a day if at all.

--Value for money--
I didn't actually buy mine, so I feel pretty impartial on this, but as far as perfume prices go, I'd say this is a pretty reasonable price - especially for a classic that's sustained the public interest for at least 25 years. It seems to go about as far and last about as long as most other perfumes I own. However, I wouldn't pay as much as they ask for the deodorant equivalent.

--Other comments--
I actually have a lot of respect for the company for not capitalising on the public's clear love for this product by jacking up the price. There are many perfumes out there that are twice as expensive without being half as loved. The scent is inexplicably pretty and sexy. I will be buying this again.

perfect partners
Anais Anais Body Lotion, £19.50/200ml
Anais Anais Bath and Shower Gel, £17.00/200ml
Anais Anais Deodorant Body Spray, £14.50/150ml