Valentine's Gift Review: Illamasqua Freak Coffret

If you're anywhere close to being as simple as me you'll also have to Google define "coffret." Luckily I've already done it and can tell you it's a very pretty French word for gift set. I love Illamasqua. I lust after everything they make and Freak was no exception. I've whet my appetite in the sales before but this was a dream! I love getting perfumes for Valentines Day and Anniversaries. There's something very personal and sensual about a fragrance and I think it takes someone who really knows you (or at least has access to your wishlist) to buy them.

It was literally impossible to get a good photo of the box, it's so shiny and for once it was actually extremely bright outside so all I got was a mottled photo of me in the plastic. I'd love to know how they get those stock photos so clear. But you get the idea! It's a small, neat box with a pretty purple and black design and silver detailing.

The set contains a 30ml bottle of Freak perfume, a full size Baptiste Nail Varnish and a S.O.P.H.I.E Medium Pencil.

The star of the show here is of course Freak. I'll admit that I was sad that this size bottle didn't come with the happy little snail climbing up the side but I'm going to overlook it because of how much I adore this scent.

Freak is a deep, woody scent layered with night-blooming florals. It's a unique but vintage smell that I don't think will ever age. There's something about Freak which I find familiar and comforting. It's been a very long time since I've smelt the bottle of YSL Opium that had been sitting on my mothers dressing table since the 80's but I'm almost certain that they resemble each other. The nostalgia was an unintended perk but I love that this reminds me of her. Freak lasts for ages and softens beautifully over time, I only noticed that it had disappeared after I woke up the next day. It's a strong fragrance but not at all overwhelming. A true winner that I'll be wearing for a long time.

Baptiste is just breathtakingly beautiful. I took me forever to get a photo that came close to doing it justice. It's a deep purple with heavy purple shimmer that shines slightly pink (as you can see above.) Application was really easy and the brush was a nice size and shape to coat the nails in three strokes. This is my third Illamasqua polish and it's has been my favourite formula so far. It took two coats to become opaque and dried very quickly. I can really see why this is such a well-loved shade! It looks like a galaxy in the bottle, absolutely mesmerising.

The Illamasqua medium pencils can be used all over the body including on the lips. Sophie is completely black and matte. Being the lip fanatic I am, I immediately started painting away onto my lips. It's certainly not a look for the faint hearted but my teeth were gleaming! I haven't included a photo because I made an absolute mess around my lip line (note to self, practice using lip liners) but I can say that it was very warm, smooth, creamy and easy to blend. It didn't even feel all that drying. Once it's set however, it's fairly difficult to budge, so it makes a great liner to use with smokey eyes on nights out.

Overall I think this is a gorgeous set and the items included are very well thought out and work together beautifully. It's certainly more of an "alternative" gift for Valentines day which is usually overrun with pink and cuddly toys clutching hearts, but I know which one I'd prefer. I don't think it's overpriced at all for what you get and I know for a fact that I've spent more on single perfumes in the past, so it's nice to get a cute little group like this! There are still lots of Valentines Gifts available on Very.co.uk so it may be the time to jump on and treat the most important person in your life. (It's you, by the way.)

Illamasqua Freak Coffret* very.co.uk £47

Have you tried Freak? Did you get a perfume today?

Lauren