YSL - MYSLF FRAGRANCE REVIEW

December 20, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

‘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

November 19, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

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

October 09, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

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

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.

YORKSHIRE BLOGGER AWARDS 2023

October 04, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

Earlier this year in June, I received an email from Yorkshire Blogger Awards notifying me that I had received a nomination in their ‘Disability/Mental Health’ category. The news of this completely took me by surprise as I’m the first to admit I hadn’t been as consistent with my blog or social media up until then.

Just a few days later, I received another email from Yorkshire Blogger Awards this time sharing the news that I was in fact shortlisted and up against 5 other influencers/bloggers in the ‘Disability/Mental Health’ category!

I remember at the time of receiving my email that I was shortlisted, thinking ‘Oh it’s all the way in September, I’ve got ages!’ And before I knew it, it was the night before the Awards. The Yorkshire Blogger Awards were held at Queen’s Hotel in Leeds City Centre on Saturday 30th September in the Queen’s Ballroom and the dress code was ‘Smart’ and I opted for a ‘Wine/Oxblood’ Velvet Blazer, a crisp white shirt, black trousers and black boots from Jeffery West.

I began getting ready for the evening at Park Plaza Hotel which was situated just across from Queen’s Hotel so in terms of location, it was ideal! The event then started around 7pm where we were shown to our tables and I was introduced to my BSL Interpreter who was available for me to translate the English spoken word into British Sign Language. I find that when I go to busy, noisy events that it is often overwhelming and can be too loud for me to follow what is being said, so having the BSL Interpreter there meant I could easily follow what the host and winners were saying which made this event accessible for me and any other deaf attendees. We were seated for a 3 course meal which was delicious from start to finish and after we had eaten, the categories and winners were then announced.

With each passing category, I could feel myself getting slightly nervous before my category was read out and then when it came to my category, it’s safe to say my palms were slightly sweaty! After each name was read out, it was down to the winner to be revealed and guess who won? Me.

It took me a moment to absorb what was happening and as I went up on stage, Chloe, the host, asked me why is it important for me to use my platform to raise deaf awareness and I froze having not had anything prepared because I genuinely did not think I would win let alone be given an award! I then made my way off stage for a quick photoshoot before resuming at my table to watch the other winners take their place. After the official Awards Ceremony, there was a live band and singer playing iconic songs which put everybody into good spirits and after a Monkey Shoulder (or 3), I then headed back to my room on a complete high. What an incredible experience and evening, and I am so grateful to have been nominated, shortlisted and also to have won the ‘Disability/Mental Health’ category.

The biggest thank you to the team at Yorkshire Blogger Awards for this incredible evening and for my award, and I look forward to seeing the event grow with each passing year!

K GOVIND MEDICAL AESTHETICS SKINCARE

September 10, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

Following on from my previous blog post where I spoke about my experience with jaw filler and how I had a ‘lump’ mysteriously stay within my jaw line for 5 years, I recently booked in with the amazing Katie from K Govind Medical Aesthetics based in Harrogate.

Katie, a nurse with 20 years experience at NHS and 7 years experience in aesthetics, dissolved this lump for me which turned out to be filler after all this time! (Crazy to think I was told filler would naturally dissolve in my body between 9-12 months…)

Anyway, I had very kindly been gifted two items from Katie’s skincare range which are all medically graded and work within the skin on a much deeper level.

K GOVIND SKINCARE - CLEASE

‘Infused with fruit extracts and fragrant sweet orange oil, it harnesses their natural skin cleansing and calming properties.’

I applied the Cleanse onto my face after showering where it was still slightly damp and I then massaged the cleanser on my skin thoroughly. I liked how the texture felt very lightweight and not too thick in comparison with other cleansers I have used previously. Once rinsed off after a couple of minutes, I immediately noticed that my skin appeared brighter and cleaner and felt soft to the touch removing any dead skin cells I had.

To find out more about Cleanse, click here.

K GOVIND SKINCARE - RADIANCE 20

‘This ultra-nourishing and anti-ageing moisturiser is enriched with peptides, known for their tightening and firming properties.’

After having used Cleanse, I then went in and used the Radiance 20 - A daily moisturiser with SPF 20. Straight off the bat, I enjoyed the fact that this already had SPF blended in with the moisturiser as I am now more conscious and aware of using SPF to protect my skin from sun damage.

I used a small amount in the palms of my hands and rubbed this moisturiser all over my face and neck area. Similar to the cleanser, I liked again how lightweight this felt and how easily it absorbed into my skin! I noticed quickly that my skin appeared dewy with a fresh glow and appeared nourished.

To find out more about Radiance 20, click here.

A big thank you once again to Katie for dissolving the filler for me and I can also share with you a discount code which will knock 10% off for you at checkout when using code: LUKE10

K GOVIND MEDICAL AESTHETICS

September 06, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

For those of you who have followed me for a while now, you may remember that back in 2018, I had jaw filler at a clinic in Leeds. It was at a time where I was after the ‘snatched’ jaw look, wanted more definition and for my jaw to look stronger both from my side profile and face on. Unfortunately, the treatment went wrong, and I was left with a lump in my jaw which I have just recently had dissolved. FIVE years on. (Yeah.)

Now, don’t get me wrong, I know some of you may read this and question why I left it for so long before having done something about it but, I had seeked assistance and advice from other beauticians, doctors, and I even had it X-Rayed just to work out exactly what this lump was as I was told that this particular filler would naturally dissolve in my body between 9-12 months, so for me to be left with a lump in my jaw for over five years, yeah. There was definitely something wrong. Luckily, the X-Ray and tests proved that it was nothing sinister yet left professionals baffled as to what this lump was!

Because the other side of my jaw went back to its original form around the 5-6 month mark, much sooner than I was originally told, many presumed that the lump couldn’t have been filler because why would only one side of my jaw dissolve naturally, but the other side wouldn’t? Anyway, I finally took the plunge and visited Katie, a nurse with 20 years experience at NHS and 7 years experience in aesthetics at her clinic based in Harrogate - K Govid, Medical Aesthetics where I booked a consultation. I explained the whole ordeal about my experience with jaw filler and queried on whether or not this was something that could be fixed because for 5 years, this really did affect my self esteem and it was always something I was extremely conscious and paranoid of.

Katie was very honest with me from the start and stated that because nobody knew what this lump was in my jaw, that she didn’t know if it was filler or if it was just something my body had produced and if the filler/treatment that I had years ago somehow triggered this, but she suggested that we try dissolve the jaw area, where the lump was, just to see if it works and if it did, then it was filler all along and I was just a rare case in which the filler stayed within the body for a very long time but, if went ahead with the dissolver and nothing happened yet, if the lump was still there, then there were ways we could have explored to try disguise it better.

One of my main worries that I explained to Katie was sagging of the skin around my jaw area because this lump had been sat in my jaw for five years (I know I keep mentioning how long ago it was but I’m just trying to stress this!) and I was worried if I’d end up with saggy looking jowls that might flap about in the wind when I’m out and about but Katie reassured me and said that because I’m still young(ish), my skin’s elasticity would just snap back and go to its original state. After the consultation, I felt secure and confident with the advice given and made an appointment to go ahead with Hyalase (a filler dissolver) just for my peace of mind. Prior to the appointment I was slightly nervous but also in the headspace of ‘let’s just get it done’. Katie applied a bit of numbing cream to the jaw area where the lump was, fed the needle in and to my surprise, I felt nothing and after around 4/5 pricks, I took a look in the mirror and guess what?

It worked.

I saw the results almost instantly and I just felt a huge sense of relief that after all this time, the lump was no longer! I was told to allow for up to 14 days for any swelling or bruising that may appear as a side effect from the Hyalase and told to apply ice to the area as and when needed and luckily, the side effects were very minimal and with each passing day, the jaw area started to return to its original state, pre-filler.

I am so, so grateful to Katie for reassuring me and for giving me my confidence back, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted and I no longer feel paranoid or conscious of this lump in my jaw! For more on Katie and her clinic, click here. Katie also very kindly gifted me some products from her Medically-Graded skincare range which I will be reviewing on Sunday so be sure to come back then for my full review! Use discount code: LUKE10 to knock 10% off any skincare products, expires 15th October.

Side note - I just want to make it clear this blog post isn’t me trying to promote the use of filler or any dissolving treatments or procedures. This blog post is purely based on my own personal experience with jaw filler and the whole journey from when the application took place back in 2018 to having it dissolved now in 2023.

AESOP - GLOAM FRAGRANCE REVIEW

June 14, 2023 by Mr Luke Christian

‘Aboard a floral tapestry’

Sink into folds of Mimosa, Saffron and Iris supplied by Aesop’s latest fragrance; Gloam Eau De Parfum. This sumptuous blend of florals and spice was inspired by the introspective turn that is facilitated by the day bed or divan.

AESOP - GLOAM

Fragrance Notes: Mimosa, Saffron and Iris.

The opening of Gloam begins with a soft, powdery touch with an undertone of spice and as a fan of spicy scents, I was excited to see how the dry-down would play out.

For me personally, I tend to steer away from fragrances that feel powdery or too floral, as I tend to find them overpowering at times however, the silage of Gloam felt quite intimate and one that felt more like a ‘skin’ scent, one that could only be smelt when up close to the person wearing it.

Because of this, I would say that Gloam is quite a ‘safe’ fragrance.

One that doesn’t command too much attention or fill up an entire room so if you’re a lover of fragrances that are quite understated, I would definitely try out Aesop - Gloam.

In terms of the performance, I have to say, I was disappointed with its longevity as it faded quite quickly after only having lasted on my skin for just over 1 hour. Having said that, it was a pleasant fragrance to wear and I would say this is classed as ‘unisex’ and is better suited for daytime. To find out more about Aesop - Gloam, click here.

Have you smelt Gloam before? If so, what were your thoughts? Let me know below and you can check out my other fragrance review of Aesop - Eidesis here!