MR LUKE CHRISTIAN BY CHARLIE SWINBOURNE

I was recently contacted by Charlie Swinbourne, a deaf photographer, asking if I would be open to being photographed by him. Of course, the answer was yes! I have been interviewed several times for his blog; The Limping Chicken which is the world’s most popular deaf blog and I have known Charlie for a few years now. We met at Valley Gardens in Harrogate during ‘Golden Hour’ and the photos turned out amazing, I’m so happy with them!

Let me know what you think and take a look at Charlie’s photography work here too!

© Photography: Charlie Swinbourne

MR LUKE CHRISTIAN - MEN'S SPRING 2024 LOOKBOOK

It has been a while since I created a LookBook and I have been meaning to ever since I chopped my hair off last September but life kept getting in the way but after several years, I teamed up with the amazing Sophia Carey who always manages to make me look better than I actually do in this ‘Men’s Spring 2024’ themed LookBook!

The striped blazer and trousers are separates although I was pretty pleased to have found a near perfect match. The blazer was from Moss Bros in 2017 and the trousers from ASOS in 2019. The cream blazer was from Topman back in 2016 and the cream, smart trousers again, from ASOS in 2023 and the white slim-fit shirt from Next in 2024. Let me know your thoughts below on what you think as I’d love to hear from you!

© Photography: Sophia Carey

AESOP - KARST FRAGRANCE REVIEW

Karst by Aesop is a breath of fresh air away from the typical citrusy fragrances known by the brand.

Top Notes: Juniper, Pink Pepper, Bergamot

Middle Notes: Rosemary, Sage, Cumin

Base Notes: Vetiver, Sandalwood, Cedar

Karst by Aesop evokes a childhood memory of mine walking along the seafront in Mallorca with the sea-breeze gently blowing the salty, marine notes mixed with the heady scent of tobacco. Now, this doesn’t have tobacco notes within it, nor is it supposed to replicate tobacco as such but, it’s the opening of Karst that begins aquatic and fresh giving that marine feel and it’s only during the dry down of Karst where the earthier, more woody and ‘heavy’ notes come to play which evoked that particular memory of mine.

I will be honest however, as much as I loved the scent, the projection and sillage were very light almost to the point where I forgot I was wearing it which was a shame as I loved the scent! I’d perhaps say that Karst is more of a ‘skin’ scent and is better suited for those who want something quite light on the skin. 

Gorgeous scent, disappointing performance.

For more details on Karst by Aesop, click here and you can find my other reviews on Aesop here also -

Gloam Fragrance Review / Eidesis Fragrance Review

Have you smelt Karst before? If so, what are your thoughts? Did you find the performance better than I did? Let me know in the comments below as I would love to hear from you! 

PRADA - PARADOXE INTENSE FRAGRANCE REVIEW

Unsure of what to get for that special lady in your life for Christmas? Perhaps the latest offering by Prada may win her over with their new - Paradoxe Intense fragrance!

‘Prada Paradoxe Intense embodies an exuberant celebration of the unexpected, harmoniously balancing of strength with graceful delicacy.’

  • Top Notes: Pear, Neroli, Bergamot

  • Middle Notes: Moss, Jasmine, Neroli Essence

  • Base Notes: Bourbon Vanilla, Vanilla, Ambrofix, Amber, Serenolide

The opening of Paradoxe Intense begins with a fruity and creamy burst of the citrusy notes that then dries down into a richer, deeper and sensual scent with the Vanilla notes really shining through but with the Moss adding an earthy twist.

I would recommend Prada - Paradoxe Intense to the woman who is strong, fearless and isn’t afraid of fragrances that will turn heads. In terms of its longevity, this lasted upon skin between 4-6 hours and its sillage is strong, certainly packing a punch!

For more details on Prada - Paradoxe Intense, click here.

Have you smelt Prada - Paradoxe Intense before? If so, what are your thoughts? Let me know below in the comments!

YSL - MYSLF FRAGRANCE REVIEW

‘A statement of modern masculinity to celebrate your true self.’

Being a huge fan of the YSL brand, I was keen to try out their latest Men’s fragrance - MYSLF and I had kindly been gifted this as a sample for review. Prior to the first spray, I must say that I enjoyed the aesthetic of the bottle itself, a jet black glass bottle with the iconic YSL monogram also raised in black giving a sleek, sharp finish which naturally is in keeping with the YSL brand.

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Calabrian Bergamot

  • Middle Notes: Tunisian Orange Blossom

  • Base Notes: Ambrofix™, Patchouli

The opening of MYSLF began with a bright and bold burst of the Bergamot notes leaning towards more of a citrusy fragrance yet as the dry-down begins, the fragrance then started to feel slightly woodier and spicier which made for an interesting fragrance journey. I particularly liked how smooth and well-rounded this fragrance felt tapping into the sleek and stylish aesthetic of the YSL brand.

In my opinion, MYSLF is the ideal fragrance for those looking for something with a complex fragrance journey and for those who enjoy a spicy, citrusy fragrance! I would add that MYSLF could be worn on an evening when it’s a little darker and I have found myself on the end of a few compliments too from having worn this.

MYSLF is available in 60ml, 100ml Eau de Parfum and their refillable bottle is available in size of 150ml Eau de Parfum. To find out more, click here.

Have you smelt MYSLF before? If so, what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy the fragrance? Let me know below in the comments section!

JO MALONE CHRISTMAS 2023

I had recently been invited to the Jo Malone boutique in Harrogate, to take a look at this years Christmas range and as a big fan of Jo Malone already having reviewed many items across the brand before, I wasn’t going to turn this down! Plus, with seasonal cocktails provided by Slingsby Gin, this didn’t exactly make it too difficult to pass up…

I arrived with my friend and caught up with other bloggers there that I knew, and I immediately made a beeline for their fragrance Myrrh and Tonka which I have previously reviewed here. I forgot how stunning this scent was as admittedly it had been a while since I last smelt this, and a sales assistant suggested I spritz the ‘Orange Bitters’ fragrance on top of Myrrh and Tonka and well, what a dream!

A new addition to this years Christmas line-up is their fragrance - Ginger Biscuit.

  • Top Note: Ginger

  • Middle Note: Roasted Hazelnut

  • Base Note: Tonka Bean

which is available in

Sadly, I am not a huge fan of ginger as it is so this fragrance wasn’t for me, but I did appreciate how well-rounded the fragrance was and its projection I found felt quite light and soft, so perhaps this scent would better suited for those who like their fragrances closer to the skin and not so overpowering.

Christmas for me isn’t complete without their Pine and Eucalyptus candle which I treat myself to every year as I love how the scent captures the cold, frosty pine notes and its throw is powerful too! I also treat myself to Orange Bitters 30ml every Christmas as well, and this year was no exception.

Orange Bitters is one of my most complimented fragrances each time I wear this and if you haven’t had a chance to smell this yet, now is your chance! However, I was told during the event it sells out quite quickly so don’t hang around for too long… Thank you to the team at Jo Malone for inviting me along, I had a wonderful time and the cocktails provided by Slingsby Gin certainly went down a treat too!

Have you smelt Ginger Biscuit before? If so, what are your thoughts? Have you tried Orange Bitters or Pine and Eucalyptus? Let me know down below in the comments section as I would love to hear from you!

TOM FORD: TOBACCO OUD

In my own personal opinion, Tom Ford's Tobacco Oud has to be the most divisive fragrance he has ever launched.

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Tom Ford released Tobacco Oud in 2013 and is a unisex fragrance. This fragrance features the notes Oud, Tobacco, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Spicy notes and Whiskey. The notes which are featured within this fragrance, on paper all create a very strong, masculine fragrance. 

I remember falling in love with Tom Ford's Black Orchid and that fragrance led me to fall deeply in love with Tom Ford himself, and his brand. I started to do my research on all of his fragrances and Tobacco Oud was one that screamed out to me simply because of how split everybody's opinions on this fragrance were. This fragrance is not one to sit on the fence. 

I visited the Tom Ford counter in Selfridges in Manchester as my friend and I were, and still are besotted with his products and I was desperate to smell Tobacco Oud just so I could see what all of the hype was about and immediately, all of the fuss over this smell was deserved. On the initial spray I must admit, I felt I needed a good, deep clean to scrub this dirty smell off of my skin. It is very powerful and the Tobacco note definitely shone through.

I felt slightly disappointed with this as I always champion the underdog but it was just too dirty to wear on my skin. Yet, for some bizarre, perplexing reason.. I couldn't get enough of it. With every sample I had ordered to determine whether or not to buy it, I was forever fighting with myself. On the one hand how could I justify spending my money on something that smelt dirty? Yet on the other hand, how could I not purchase something that smelt stunning? 

I loved how strong this fragrance was and I loved how it split opinions. The fragrance lingers in the air and can leave a heavy trail behind it.  This fragrance is definitely not for the meek person and I'd be prepared for the odd "Goodness, what is that smell?" comment. This fragrance started off with me loathing it yet has now become a solid, winter favourite for me and I will definitely wear this in the cold, harsh weather.

If you're looking for a bold, daring scent this Autumn/Winter then this is one you should definitely try out. 

Have you smelt Tom Ford Tobacco Oud before? If so, get in touch and let me know what you think! I would love to hear your opinions. 

Tom Ford Tobacco Oud is available to order here and comes in 50ml & 250ml.