FAIIINT

For Strange Women

Beauty

FAIIINT x For Strange Women natural botanical perfume oil sample vials coyote, fossil and astral projection in still life with coyote skull, faux fur and candle.FAIIINT x For Strange Women natural botanical perfume oil sample vials coyote, fossil and astral projection in still life with coyote skull, faux fur and candle.

For Strange Women Natural Perfume Oil & Solid Perfume Samples

Scent is something that I’ve been growing more and more obsessed with lately, from perfumes to candles and aromatherapy room fragrances. I’ve gone from having one real signature scent to a whole collection that I can choose from depending on my mood. As I’ve been growing my collection I also started to seek out more independents in these areas, and there are so many wonderful ones out there. I think especially with something as personal as this it’s nice to have something more unique and special, that you’ll find far less people wearing.

For Strange Women has been on my radar for a little while now, I’d been meaning to order some samples to test out for the longest time but the problem was every single one sounded so good that I just couldn’t decide which to choose! I eventually emailed creator Jill asking for her advice to help my indecisive mind. I told her the types of scents I love (gourmand, woody florals, spicy, warm and unisex) and those I dislike (overly citrusy or clean), and asked her if she could choose me a selection she thought I’d like. She was so helpful and got it absolutely spot on too, I loved them all and each one is gorgeous in its own right. All of For Strange Women’s perfumes are also handmade made from only natural ingredients, using the finest quality botanical essences, they are ethically sourced and cruelty free too.

The thing I love most about these perfumes is that they are so much more than just a fragrance. As I opened each one up they evoked memories of seaside walks, crunching through leaves in damp autumn forests and winters by the fire. Scent is such a powerful tool for unlocking past memories and with many of these I felt transported, as if I was right back there at an oddly specific point in my past for a brief instant. The sounds, the sights and the conversations had, like I could almost taste the piping hot tea I was sipping back then and feel the salty sea wind and raindrops on my skin.

I wanted to test each of these out a few times to really see which ones I enjoyed most. As with good perfumes, each melds with your own body chemistry and so evolves into a fragrance that is truly unique to you as you wear it. My initial favourites were Coyote, Fossil and Astral Projection (I’ve been using this one to help me fall asleep as it’s so incredibly relaxing and it seems to give me highly vivid dreams too) but as I’ve worn each, Winter Kitty and November In The Temperate Deciduous Forest have become firm favourites too. Jill does a wonderful job of describing the scent of each, much better than I ever could, so check them out if you’re curious. Now I just need to decide which of those to buy first.

Enchant

Style

Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing H&M oversized fedora, Topshop suede cropped jacket, SheIn crochet lace dress, Boohoo maxi kimono, Kurt Geiger 'Saturn' lace up boots, Balenciaga city bag. All black everything dark street style outfit, goth witchy. Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing Topshop suede cropped jacket, SheIn black crochet lace dress. Outfit details. Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing Gemporia silver rings. Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing H&M oversized wide brim fedora. All black everything outfit details, goth witchy.

H&M Fedora / Topshop Suede Jacket / SheIn Lace Dress * / Boohoo Maxi Kimono / Gemporia Rings * / Kurt Geiger ‘Saturn’ Boots / Balenciaga City Bag

With the weather slowly starting to warm up and a little sun finally giving us a break from the non-stop grey days I can’t help but start to dream about dressing a bit more summery. For now I’ll have to make do with a little lace detailing to give me warm weather vibes though, as it’s still far too cold to venture out in anything less.

This dress instantly put me in a bit of a witchy mood as soon as I put it on, the lace is beautifully heavy and it reminds me of stained glass windows on old gothic cathedrals, so of course the fedora had to come out. I had been looking for a new one with a wider, more statement brim for a while and this one from H&M perfectly fit the bill. I still remember how self conscious I used to feel every time I wore my smaller, more classic one out, but even still it became pretty much permanently attached to my head and all I could think about was getting an even bigger one – Saint Laurent’s sharp, super wide version is still top of my lust list, the bigger the better!

These beautiful rings were my secret santa present from Gemporia and it’s so nice to see that my buyer clearly paid a lot of attention to my blog when picking them out to make sure I got something I’d love.

Brag

Style

Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing ASOS scarf, Todd Lyn x Topshop tux jacket, River Island drape blouse, Brag Vintage leather pencil skirt, Young Hearts quartz necklace, Kurt Geiger lace up Saturn boots, Bracher Emden bag. All black everything dark street style outfit. Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing ASOS scarf, Brag Vintage leather pencil skirt with asymmetric pocket. All black everything outfit details. Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing ASOS scarf, Todd Lyn x Topshop tux jacket, River Island drape blouse, Young Hearts mystic raw black quartz necklace in gold brass circle. Outfit details. Fashion blogger Stephanie of FAIIINT wearing ASOS scarf, Todd Lynn x Topshop tux jacket, River Island drape blouse, Brag Vintage leather pencil skirt, Young Hearts quartz necklace, Kurt Geiger lace up Saturn boots, Bracher Emden bag. All black everything dark street style outfit.

ASOS Scarf / Todd Lynn x Topshop Tux Jacket / River Island Drape Top / Brag Vintage Leather Skirt * /
Young Hearts Mystic Raw Quartz Necklace * / Kurt Geiger ‘Saturn’ Boots / Bracher Emden Bag

I seem to be living in pencil skirts and this fine knit scarf/shawl lately. The scarf has been permanently attached to my neck mainly for practical reasons, it’s so easy to throw on and I love how it quickly adds a nice drapey element to any outfit, plus it’s surprisingly huge too. I always feel so smug when I unfurl it and lay it over myself like a blanket on the bus during cold mornings and evenings, much to the envy of everyone else, it’s the next best thing to getting to stay under the duvet for a little longer!

This beautiful black quartz pendant from Young Hearts has been getting so much love every time I’ve worn it out. Like all of their pieces it’s simple, but eye catching and really let’s the raw materials, here a magical rainbow black quartz, take centre stage and shine. Their gold dipped quartz necklace is still one of my most worn and favourite pieces of jewellery, and I think this one will quickly be catching up to it.

My latest pencil skirt addition is from Brag Vintage, a perfectly aged, buttery leather with a single asymmetric pocket that adds just the right amount of detail to this great staple piece. Unusually for a skirt, it fits me perfectly and I can see this getting an awful lot of wear over these cold few months. I don’t own many vintage pieces myself, I’m not the type of shopper who enjoys browsing through rails and rails of random pieces hoping I may find one thing I love, I’m not even really the kind of shopper who enjoys shopping in person that much any more either if I’m honest. I’m an online shopper, I like the convenience and being able to click filter by colour: black. So it’s nice to see more vintage stores popping up online, giving lazy shoppers like me the chance to find beautiful pieces like this.