HOTEL CHOCOLAT - FATHER'S DAY SLEEKSTER

June 16, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Without fail every time I head back home from London, I always visit the Hotel Chocolat Boutique at King's Cross, and I go there each time because Hotel Chocolat is one of my favourite chocolatiers! My personal preference? The Dark Rum Truffles Selector, they are heavenly!

With Father's Day coming up, what better way to treat your Father, than to provide him with a wide array of delicious chocolates from Hotel Chocolat? All in the form of the Father's Day Sleekster!

From boozy nibbles, fruity truffles, white to dark to milk chocolate, to creamy caramels and pralines, this Sleekster offers up the perfect gift for this Father's Day.

Within the Father's Day Sleekster, there are 27 mouth-wateringly good bitesized chocolates such as;

Raspberry Smoothie - Pressed raspberries blended with cream, sealed in milk.
Caesar - Light-as-air praline mousse piped into a Supermilk cup.
Fudge Sundae - Rich, stick toffee, smooth hazelnut and mellow milk.
Carrot Cake - A national treasure, reinvented with real carrots and walnuts.
Cherry Deluxe - A kirsch-soaked cherry suspended in amaretto cream, double sealed.
Caramel Cheesecake - If you're going to do it, do it right. Sour cream tang with French butter caramel.
The Brownie - Dense, cocoa-rich and nibbly, all sealed within 50% milk.
Florentine Isabelle - The bite of Florentine over the melt of soft praline.
Peanut Butter - Nothing but smooth peanut butter in 50% milk.
Billionaire's Shortbread - Generous with caramel, abundant with cookies, and lavish with smooth hazelnut.
Eton Mess - Strawberry mousse, crisp meringue, and high-cocoa white.
Dizzy Praline 70% - Ultra-smooth, deeply satisfying signature praline, 70% dark.
Going Nuts - Hazelnut crunch, melting praline, double-sealed in Supermilk.
Mousse au Chocolat - The perfect balance of cocoa and cream.
Champagne - Uplifting cream truffle with a splash of Champagne.

Out of the chocolates featured within the Sleekster, the Billionaire's Shortbread, Eton Mess, Raspberry Smoothie and Cherry Deluxe are all my favourites!

You can purchase the Father's Day Sleekster here.

Have you eaten from Hotel Chocolat before? Which have you tried? Do you have any favourites from Hotel Chocolat? If so, which ones? Let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click that 'like' button!

FATHER'S DAY FRAGRANCES GIFT GUIDE

June 15, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

A staple gift for any Father figure in your life, is often considered to be a fragrance. With so many choices, and so many different scents, you could be forgiven for feeling slightly overwhelmed. However, with my help and guidance, I am hoping that these fragrances that I have chosen for this Gift Guide, will help put your mind at ease, and steer you into making the right decision for this Father's Day!

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RALPH LAUREN - POLO: RED EXTREME

**GUCCI** **GUILTY:** **PLATINUM EDITION**

*Top Notes: Lemon, Lavender*
*Middle Notes: Orange Blossom*
*Base Notes: Cedar, Patchouli*
Gucci are absolutely my go-to brand right now. Anything that they create, I instantly want, and the Guilty fragrance is no exception.
Inspired by the Creative Director; Alessandro Michele, the fragrance is a beautiful blend that is as equally citrusey as it is woody! The opening bursts with the Lemon note, instantly creating a fresh, vibrant feel which after a while, dries down into a spicy, more earthy fragrance.
The longevity of Guilty lasted for up to 6 hours upon my skin, and I would recommend wearing this both during the Summer days and nights. Versatile enough to be worn for any occasion!
You can purchase Guilty - Platinum Edition *here*.

**DAVIDOFF**
**HORIZON EXTREME**

*Top Notes: Grapefruit, Ginger, Rosemary*
*Middle Notes: Cypriol Oil, Cedar, Nutmeg, Leather*
*Base Notes: Amber, Sandalwood*
The opening of Horizon Extreme is a strong, powerful start that begins with a spicy yet fresh beginning. During the dry-down, the fragrance becomes more woody which comes with a rather a loud projection!
Possibly the heaviest fragrance out of my choices for this Gift Guide, with the leather and woody notes blending together. Perhaps this may be better suited to wear towards the end of Summer with the cooler weather beginning to change.
Horizon Extreme lasted for up to 7 hours upon my skin, and is available to purchase *here*.

**MONT BLANC**
**LEGEND**

*Top Notes: Lavender, Bergamot, Lemon Verbena, Pineapple*
*Middle Notes: Coumarin, Oak Moss, Geranium, Rose, Red Apple, Dried Fruits*

*Base Notes: Sandalwood, Tonka Bean*

A sweet and fruity fragrance from Mont Blanc, that opens with the bold Pineapple note than quickly dries down into a cleaner, and spicy scent.
Longevity of Legend was slightly disappointing, and only lasted for up to 4 hours upon my skin and the projection was light to medium. I would recommend wearing Legend throughout the day!
You can purchase Mont Blanc - Legend *here*.

**BOTTEGA VENETA**
**POUR HOMME PARFUM**

*Top Notes: Calabrian Bergamot, Siberian Pine, Juniper*
*Middle Notes: Pimento, Canadian Fir, Clary Sage*
*Base Notes: Labdanum, Leather, Patchouli*
Sophisticated, bold and classic. The opening begins with a refreshing citrusy feel that very quickly dries down into a woody, earthier type of scent. The Juniper and Siberian Pine notes blend perfectly together and add a real masculine touch!
The longevity of Pour Homme lasted for up to 6 hours upon my skin and I feel is definitely worth wearing during a night time as it could be a little overpowering throughout the day. (A little side note, if you like Tom Ford's discontinued Italian Cypress, then you may like this one...)
Pour Homme is available to purchase *here*.

**JOOP - WOW!**

Top Notes: Bergamot, Cardamom, Violet Leaf
Middle Notes: Geranium, Balsam Fir, Vetiver
Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Cashmere Wood
Earlier this year I had the pleasure of attending the Launch of JOOP - WOW! which you can read *here* for more details on the Event and the fragrance itself.
I have included it in this Gift Guide as it is a personal favourite of mine! A loud projection with a sweet opening that takes a creamier direction throughout the dry-down.
You can purchase WOW! *here*.

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I hope that my Father's Day Fragrance Gift Guide has helped and given you more of an idea of what fragrance to choose for your Father this coming Sunday!

Do you have a favourite from this Gift Guide? If so, which one? Are there any that you have tried out yourself? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click that 'like' button!

FATHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY 2017

June 11, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Perhaps you're struggling with what to get your Father this year for Father's Day? Or perhaps you're wanting to do something a little bit more special this year? Well, with this Giveaway, you can be sure of making his day with some of these incredible gifts!

I have managed to team up with some amazing brands who have been kind enough to submit their products for this Giveaway, in which they include;

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BRAUN: Series 3 ProSkin

Close shave, smooth skin. A shaver that can be used wet or dry and has 45 minutes of cordless shaving time. 100% waterproof, and comes with a precision head making it easier to capture those hard to reach hairs. RRP £50

GILLETTE: Fusion Proshield Blades (Limited Edition Lions Pack)

Gillette's thinnest and finest blades with less tug and pull making for incredible comfort whilst shaving. Lubrication before and after the blades, and the razor comes has a FlexBall motion to it which responds to all facial contours. RRP £12

KIEHL'S: Midnight Recovery Concentrate

A personal favourite of mine! Apply at night for your skin to look and feel rejuvenated the following morning. RRP £38 for 30ml

BELOW THE BELT: Fresh & Dry Balls & Instant Clean Balls & Sports Lubricant

A rather tongue in cheek gift set for those who want to freshen up 'down there', but don't have enough time to catch a shower.. RRP £18

INFUSE MY COLOUR: Cobalt Wash & Gold Wash Vegan Shampoo's

Refreshes, revives and tones coloured hair. 100% Vegan Formula with 0% Sulphates, 0% Silicones and 0% Parabens! RRP £25

THE SOAP KITCHEN: Aftershave Moisturising Cream & Orange & Cedarwood Body Wash & Shaving Soap

Containing natural Essential Oils of Orange and Cedarwood, these products have a sweet, and slightly earthy scent to them, and all products are kind to the skin. RRP £18

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For your chance to win these incredible gifts, all you need to do is the following;

Follow me on my Twitter page here
Retweet my pinned Father's Day Giveaway tweet here

It's that simple! All entries will be checked on my Twitter page, and the winner of this bundle of treats will be announced live on my Instagram Story on Friday 16th June in time for Father's Day.

I wish you the best of luck!

JO MALONE POPTASTIC

June 07, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Whenever an 'e-vite' comes into my inbox from Jo Malone regarding one of their events, I'm already planning my journey and outfit before I've even RSVP'd. Jo Malone host the best events, and their latest event for their newest launch in collaboration with Poppy Delevingne, was no exception!

Poppy Delevingne is this Summer's Jo Malone 'London Girl' and to celebrate this, she has collaborated with the brand for her debut collection - POPTASTIC!

POPTASTIC is a limited edition pairing of Poppy Delevingne's two fragrances chosen through the 'Fragrance Combining' experience that Jo Malone offer as a service. From her findings, Poppy found that she's a little bit floral, and a little bit devilish...

The two fragrances from POPTASTIC are;

Orange Blossom
Tuberose Angelica

The event was held at the Jo Malone Townhouse in London, and as I walked into the room, there was confetti everywhere! The table had been set out beautifully with the iconic Jo Malone packaging, all customised with unique artwork emblazoned across the boxes and bags which had all been created by hand by an artist who was there to offer the personal touches! I began to learn more about the two fragrances, all whilst sipping a cocktail of course.

Out of the two fragrances, Orange Blossom was my personal favourite, as I found it to be sweet, fruity and uplifting! Ideal for the warmer seasons. I will be doing a full fragrance review on both of the POPTASTIC fragrances which will be coming very soon, so be sure to come back for those.

Orange Blossom & Tuberose Angelica are designed to be layered with one another, and each bottle is designed in a bright and colourful confetti-inspired bottles. Available from June exclusively at Selfridges, Jo Malone Boutique on Regent Street in London, and online! You can purchase the POPTASTIC collection here.

*Since posting, please note that this collection has unsurprisingly sold out online.. Sorry everyone! Keep checking however, and if you are local in the London area, then go visit the Jo Malone Boutique on Regent Street.

Don't forget to check out the other Jo Malone events that I have attended such as their Merry Mischief Event, and the launch of The Bloomsbury Set! You can also read countless reviews on some of their stunning fragrances such as Tobacco & Mandarin, Myrrh & Tonka, Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and many more here!

Have you smelt Orange Blossom or Tuberose Angelica before? If so, what are your thoughts? Which is your favourite out of the two? What do you think to the gorgeous packaging? Do let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you and don't forget to click the 'like' button!

CLINIQUE FOR MEN - 2 IN 1 SKIN HYDRATOR + BEARD CONDITIONER

June 05, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

During the warmer seasons, my beard tends to get a little dry and brittle! Whether that is down to lack of moisture, or perhaps not giving my beard the TLC that it deserves, I am unsure. Nevertheless, with Clinique sending out their '2 in 1 skin hydrator + beard conditioner', I was keen to try this out in the hopes of giving my beard a well needed boost of hydration!

I applied this first thing in the morning, just to give my skin a boost of moisture ready for my day's activities. I massaged the multi-benefit lotion into my skin, and found that application of the hydrator + beard conditioner to be relatively quick in terms of how well it absorbed! Admittedly, I didn't treat this lotion as a moisturiser, as I mainly focused on my dry areas that needed more moisture, and around my chin/beard area.

The texture of the lotion is smooth, and felt rather light upon my skin. I will admit, that with any new product that it does take a couple of days to notice a difference, and the same goes for this. I began to notice a real difference after 4 days with my beard feeling softer, more nourished and not as brittle as before!

Once again, another great product by Clinique For Men, and you can purchase the 2 in 1 skin hydrator + beard conditioner here. You can also read up on my other reviews by Clinique For Men on their Maximum Hydrator, and their new Fresh Pressed 7 Day System!

Have you tried the 2 in 1 skin hydrator + beard conditioner? If so, what did you think? Did it work for you? Have you tried any products from Clinique before? Which one? Let me know your thoughts below, and don't forget to hit that 'like' button!

GIORGIO ARMANI - #FOLLOWYOURCODE

May 29, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Being a fan of the Armani Code; Profumo, and having reviewed that previously before in my last years Summer 'Fragrance Battle', perhaps you can only imagine how bowled over I was by receiving a bundle of the Giorgio Armani Code fragrances! Also with Father's Day slowly creeping up on us, perhaps these fragrances will give you a few ideas?

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WHICH CODE ARE YOU?

CODE COLONIA

*Top Notes: Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Pink Pepper*
*Middle Notes: Orange Blossom, Clary Sage, Amyl Salicylate*
*Base Notes: Amberwood, Tonka Bean, Heliotrope*
The latest addition to the Armani Fragrances; Code Colonia is a fresh, clean smelling take on the original Code fragrance, which begins with a sharp burst of the Bergamot note blending with the Pink Pepper note, which adds a spicy touch to a rather citrusy fragrance!
The longevity of Code Colonia lasted between 5-6 hours upon my skin, and gained me a couple of compliments which is always a plus!
The sillage is rather light, and is better worn during the daytime.
You can purchase Code Colonia here.

ARMANI CODE

*Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon*
*Middle Notes: Star Anise, Olive Blossom, Guaiac Wood*
*Base Notes: Leather, Tobacco, Tonka Bean*
Launched in 2004, the original Code fragrance has an Oriental Spicy feel to it, and is better suited for those cool Summer nights. I found Code to be incredibly sophisticated without coming off too overpowering, yet is not one for blending into the background..
The opening of Code begins with a sweet citrusy burst that soon settles into a deeper, more sexier scent with the Leather and Tobacco notes remaining prominent during its dry-down.
In terms of longevity, unfortunately I found this to be rather disappointing with it only lasting for up to 4 hours upon my skin. However, the sillage was medium-heavy and out of the three, this fragrance is my personal favourite!
You can purchase Code here.

CODE PROFUMO

*Top Notes: Green Mandarin, Green Apple, Cardamom*
*Middle Notes: Orange Blossom, Lavender, Nutmeg*
*Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Amber, Leather*
Without running the risk of repeating myself, as I mentioned earlier, I have previously reviewed the Code Profumo in my last year's 'Fragrance Battle' which you can read here!
Rich, luxurious and animalistic. A fragrance that is an instant winner!
You can purchase Code Profumo here.

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Now that I have given you my experiences with each of the 'Codes', the original 'Code' is my personal preference due to the sophistication of the scent and the different, intriguing notes featured within each layer! All of the Armani Codes are now available to purchase both online, and in your local Boots store!

Which Code sounds better suited to you? Have you tried any of these out before? If so, which ones? Which is your favourite? Do let me know your comments down below as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click that 'like' button!

KIEHL'S GROOMING SOLUTIONS LAUNCH

May 21, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

**EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE NEW KIEHL'S RANGE FOR MEN**

I had recently been invited by Kiehl's to go along to an intimate gathering with some fellow male bloggers at the ultra chic bar; Disrepute hidden away in London just outside of Kingly Court. A bar that can only be described as 1920's Gatsby, with a modern exclusive feel to it!

The purpose of the launch was to be introduced to their new 'Grooming Solutions' range for men. Grooming Solutions offers a full grooming experience, from the preparation stages, right down to the finishing touches.

The products featured within the Grooming Solutions range are;

Nourishing Shampoo + Conditioner
Texturizing Clay
Creative Cream Wax
Clean Styling Gel
Nourishing Beard Grooming Oil
Exfoliating Body Soap

We got to sample a few of the products, and what I found was a great touch and rounded the collection off nicely, was that each of the products all smelt the same! A blend of the Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Eucalyptus essential oils. One which I am rather intrigued and keen to try out, is the Texturizing Clay which offers a 'matte finish', which is precisely what I look for when it comes to hair products!

Kiehl's Grooming Solutions will be launching nationwide on May 24th, both online and in your Kiehl's Boutiques. As I have not yet had the chance to trial out each product fully myself, do check out for full reviews on each of the Grooming Solutions products mentioned soon, here on my blog!

Don't forget to check out my other Kiehl's reviews such as their;

Will you be trying out any of their Grooming Solutions products mentioned? Which sounds most appealing to you? Have you ever used any of Kiehl's products before? If so, which ones have you tried? Do let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click the like button!