Looking after my health, like most people is very important to me. I am a big believer in the mantra "what you get out what you put in" meaning I like to know exactly what is going in and on my body so I get the best out of it. I read labels in supermarkets so I know what I'm eating and this also means I take care in looking at what has been put into cosmetics.

Saying that I'm not your stereotypical naturalist but I do prefer natural products when I know they do a good job. This leads me on to Korres, a greek cosmetic brand which originated from a homeopathic pharmacy. Their aim: "The brand’s simple philosophy is rooted in the use of natural and / or certified organic ingredients of the highest quality; skin- and environmentally-friendly products with clinically tested efficacy; and products that are affordable for everyday use yet of interesting aesthetics that can ‘inspire & make us happy."

So on my recent holiday to Santorini I made sure to pick up a few old favourite natural products, as well as some new Korres to try out. I am a big fan of the fragrances, and own the Pepper, Jasmine & Gaiac Wood, as well as Paeonia, Vanilla & Amber Pear. The first is probably more of a masculine scent, however I tend to prefer warm, spicy notes. In contrast the Paeonia one is light and fresh but not too sickly sweet which appeals to me too. The bottles are always dark glass, but they each have a slightly different tint, in this case dark green and purple. Korres as a whole has a really sense of brand identity through the graphics they use which also appeals to my inner designer.

I particularly like the description each fragrance or set of ingredients are given throughout the brand. Here's how the Paeonia frangrance is described: "Peony blossoms were believed to be the Olympian gods’ gift to Healers and were adored by mortals as a panacea. The concise aura of the peony scent unveils a yet to be tamed character, reminiscent of the high mountains where this beautiful flower grows" - How whimsical is that!?
 

The first items I headed for in the Korres boutique were showergels. They always smell exactly how they are described so it is easy to identify ones that you know you'll like. I for instance don't like citrus smells so I avoid Citrus. However one anomaly to this rule is Vanilla / Cinnamon which I used to love, however it smells really synthetic to me now and gives me an instant headache. My Mum loves it though so don't be put off by other people's preferences instore in in reviews as she is a bit advocate of natural smells! 

I purchased Mint Tea, Jasmine, Mango & the slightly more expensive shower gel version of the Iris, Lily of the Valley & Cotton perfume. For me this is a great way of figuring out whether I like the fragrance or not before investing in a bottle of the eau de toilette. I have also done this with the below soap in Saffron, Amber & Cardamom, as soaps are cheaper than fragrance too...especially if you buy them duty free in the airport (Athens for all you travel bugs) as I did.

The fragrance I did decide to purchase was a limited edition men's fragrance Tonka Brown which has notes of sandalwood, white cedar, orange, cardamom, pepper, rose, lemon, tonka bean. It is spicy and woody and is definitely a love/hate fragrance. I love it but I could see why other women might find it too heavy or masculine smelling. There is also Tonka Purple available which is aimed more at women.

Tonka beans are said "to bring luck in matters of love and making dreams a reality. In ancient times Tonka Beans 'starred' in rituals and spells... love, luck, wealth, courage was the goal. Dropping seven beans in a river or in other way just whispering a wish while holding the beans in your palm, was enough to make it come true. Beans 'dissolved' in brew of herbs can cure the soul, remove depression and confusion, and drive negative thoughts away."

I'm not sure how much of this I believe, but I do think it is a nice touch having this all printed on the inner sleeve of the perfume box, and if it does what it says on the tin, then bonus! I think we call all do with negative thoughts being draw away!

My final purchase was the Mango Lip Butter, which has a slight orange tint. I think orange looks great on olive toned skin, especially with a tan which is why I bought this on the way home from the sunshine, wishing to keep a bit of the exotic with me at work that week. Needless to say, every time I open this up the colour cheers me up and reminds me of the heat! It smells heavenly too!

Have you ever tried Korres? What are your favourite natural products? I'd love to try some new natural brands you can recommend.

 

As a girl working in men's fashion, I like to keep my eye on the women's wear market, by that I mean researching trends and shopping for clothes. I don't like to buy into trends often as they have a limited life cycle, however I am a big fan of colour and like buying simpler items in a trend-led colour that will then have a longer life. I make sure of this by wearing them with other pieces to create a completely different look compared to the trend they originally came from. The autumn trends are slowly filtering into high street stores ready for the cooler weather and I am getting excited to start layering up and snuggle into winter jumpers, scarves and coats.

Excitingly, I've noticed that a clear focus on the women's wear market is a tonal shift. A colour focus. Rather than neon brights of the summer, designers have softened their palettes to ice cream shades of blush, mint and pistachio. After reading every September issue magazine I can lay my hands on, it's has become clear that pink is a clear front runner for women's wear. Topshop pushed the colour in their AW13 collection for Topshop Unique, and the high street are close behind them.

Zara windows are full of varying layers of neutrals, creams and greys. Pink has been used here to highlight or be a statement piece of the look, for example a wool coats. Soft textured garments are also used highlight a ladylike, delicate feminine trend for autumn for which pink is basically the backbone. 

The September issue of Vogue has got behind this trend by featuring a pink and ladylike editorial using the model of the moment Cara Delevingne. Glamour magazine have also included a Pretty In Pink editorial in their September issue...and I'm sure there will be much more focus to come. Images above and below are my two favourite shots from the Vogue editorial Pink Lady, followed by my two favourites from Glamour's Pretty in Pink.

I have montaged some of my favourite editorial shots, products and images for this colour trend at the top and bottom of this post, with all credits and links below if you like the look of something!   

Column One, top to bottom:

Masion Martin Margiela Skort - netaporter.com, Court Shoes - zara.com, Outfit Idea - tumblr image, Colour Inspiration - tumblr image, Pink Suit - zara.com

Column Two, top to bottom:

Peonys - tumblr image, Retro inspired hair - tumblr image, Zoe Karssen T-Shirt - selfridges.com

Column Three, top to bottom:

Wool Coat - zara.com, Alexander McQueen Sequin Skull flats - selfridges.com , Bright Mornings - tumblr image, J Crew cotton jersey top - netaporter.com

Column Four, top to bottom:

Edge Paint Satchel - topshop.com, Ladylike - tumblr image, Charlotte Free for Numero Tokyo, Bow-Fronted Shorts - topshop.com, Pink Wedges Image - Michaela Tegg, Fashion Habitué, Pink Telephone - tumblr image

Are you already starting to think about your autumn or winter wardrobe? What have you been liking in stores so far this season?