Wild Olive Luxury Bath Melts

RRP: £14.95 for a box of six

--What does the promo say?--
"Deliciously delectable and sumptuously indulgent, these beautiful Bath Melts make a fantastic gift for anyone; or a luxurious treat for yourself after a long, hard day’s work. Decorated to look like yummy cupcakes and arriving in the sweetest pink egg box, this is a tub of treats nobody will be able to resist - and better still, no calories!

The gorgeous gift box contains 3 tranquil bath souffles and 3 soothing sundaes, all enriched with creamy cocoa butter creating super soft skin and a gorgeously indulgent bath.

Create a unique atmosphere with each Luxury Bath Melt, whether it’s natural and fresh or romantic and sensual; each bath melt is fragranced with a different essential oil to suit every mood."

--Packaging--

The pink egg box is original, pretty and eco-friendly, as well as protecting the melts securely, and while the papers are tricky to peel off the bath melts initially, they come off quickly once the melt has been immersed in your bath water for a couple of seconds. This wrapping, too, is recyclable, so the company's philosophy and innovation in packaging design is certainly to be applauded. The only minor gripe would be the proofreading errors on the packaging itself, which detracts slightly from the brand's professionalism.

--Usage--

Drop the melt into the bath and let it melt away. The paper case can be easily slipped off and discarded after a couple of seconds. Very easy.

--Appearance--

Beautifully decorated and designed to resemble cupcakes and fairy cakes, these bath melts catch the eye, and their natural origins are augmented by the decorations of dried flowers, which float in the bath once the melt has dissolved for an extra luxurious touch. Some bubbles of cocoa butter will float on the water's surface as well. Depending on which bath melt you drop in, the bath water can appear opaque, milky, glittery or translucent. No visible residue is left on the skin.

--Scent--

The melt perfumes the entire bathroom stunningly well, not just thanks to the essential oils used but also due to the dried flowers used to decorate. The scent is natural, too, rather than being overridden by artificial soap smells.

--Texture and consistency, and effects on the skin --

The bath water feels smooth and moisturising, and thanks to the melts' high concentration of cocoa butter and essential oils leaves your skin feeling wonderfully soft.

--Value for money--

The highly appropriate size of these bath melts (especially compared to Lush's, which some may consider oversized), along with the luxurious experience evoked by the scents, pretty styling, and the moisturising effect on the skin, make these of excellent value, and a wonderful gift at any time of year. I was sent mine for free by Prezzybox, but will definitely be buying as a present for relatives this Christmas.

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