SHOWstudio: Fashion Flora

June 29, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Having attended the 'Moving Kate' exhibition at SHOWstudio a few months ago, I was delighted to have received another invite, this time to visit their latest exhibition; Fashion Flora!

Fashion Flora showcases the use of flowers within the Fashion Industry throughout the decades, and is shown by contemporary fashion illustrators. The exhibit consists of 40 original pieces of artwork, for the 'Belgravia in Bloom' as part of the 6 day floral festival that collated various floral installations to celebrate The Chelsea Flower Show.

Personally, I love flowers. In particular, white roses, and it would appear that I'm not the only one who loves flowers also.. Nick Knight (The owner of SHOWstudio and iconic fashion photographer) had this to say about the exhibit:

Nick Knight: "Flowers have always been a huge influence and inspiration in the art of fashion design as well as a recurring theme throughout my own work. So it is with great pleasure that I can announce the latest exhibition at the SHOWstudio Fashion Illustration gallery, 'Fashion Flora'. The exhibition presents an explorative look at the use of flowers as a motif in fashion throughout the decades, as seen by 40 of the world's preeminent contemporary fashion illustrators. Curated by Flora Starkey, who is one of the most exciting floral designers working today, the exhibition will also feature Flora’s beautiful flower arrangements."

As I made my way around the studio, I recognised a few of the fashion illustrators work from having visited the Moving Kate Exhibit. Each of the artwork was equally as distinctive as the next, and a couple of my favourites were:

'Fashion Flora' exhibition is free to the public to view and is currently showcasing from now until 21st July! If you are a fan of flowers and fashion, then be sure to head over to:

SHOWstudio
22D Ebury Street
Belgravia, London,
SW1W 0LU

P.S. the 'Moving Kate' exhibit is now being shown at The Mass in Tokyo!

Have you visited the Fashion Flora exhibit? Did you get a chance to visit the 'Moving Kate' exhibit earlier this year? Are you a fan of flowers? Do let me know your thoughts below, and don't forget to click that 'like' button!

JOHN FRIEDA LUXURIOUS VOLUME

June 27, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

I had been sent over a few products from John Frieda from their latest range; Luxurious Volume! John Frieda were a new brand to me prior to trying this range out, and I'll be honest.. I had never really considered them before, as I had always envisioned John Frieda as a brand that was heavily targeted towards women. Nevertheless I was still eager to trial out their products myself!

From the 'Luxurious Volume' range I received;

Luxurious Volume - Shampoo

My hair felt soft and clean after application of the shampoo. It also felt slightly thicker which allowed my hair to be easily styled which was great for me as I don't like spending too much time on styling!

Luxurious Volume - Conditioner

I applied the Conditioner twice weekly, and the conditioner left my hair feeling nourished and revitalised!

Luxurious Volume - Hairspray

The Hairspray was a little disappointing in terms of how long it lasted in my hair. I style my hair upwards into a quiff, and although it did add volume, it didn't stay upright for long.

Overall, I was really impressed with both the Shampoo & Conditioner and they certainly lived up to their namesake; Luxurious Volume! If you're after an added boost of volume, then this range from John Frieda is definitely one to check out. You can purchase them here.

Have you tried any of the Luxurious Volume products by John Frieda? If so, what are your thoughts? Have you tried anything by John Frieda? Do let me know as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click that like button below!

TOM FORD SOLE DI POSITANO

June 26, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

The latest offering from Tom Ford is the stunning fragrance; Sole Di Positano. A beautiful blend that is equally as floral as it is citrusy, simply ideal for wearing throughout the Summer months!

Top Notes: Mandarin Orange, Lemon, Calabrian Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Petitgrain
Heart Notes: Shiso, Orange Blossom, Neroli, Ylang-Ylang, Lily-Of-The-Valley, Jasmine
Base Notes: Moss

Inspired by the dreamy and beautiful Italian coastline of Positano, the fragrance begins with a fresh burst of the citrus notes which bounce off of my skin that feels rather smooth yet soft with the floral notes kicking in shortly afterwards.

I find Sole Di Positano to have a similar vibe to the Mandarino Di Amalfi with them both being rather soft, but they differ as Sole Di Positano is predominately much more floral.

In terms of the longevity, Sole Di Positano lasted for up to 4 hours upon my skin, which is to be expected with such a light and breezy fragrance and the sillage was very light, but noticeable enough to have gained several compliments from having worn it!

I would recommend wearing Sole Di Positano throughout the daytime, and you may be forgiven if you find yourself floating away to exotic locations with every spray... Tom Ford Sole Di Positano is available in 50ml, 100ml and 250ml and can be purchased here!

Don't forget to check out my other Tom Ford fragrance reviews on Soleil Blanc, Neroli Portofino Acqua, Noir De Noir, Tobacco Oud and Tobacco Vanille!

Have you smelt Sole Di Positano before? What are your thoughts on the fragrance? Which is your personal favourite from Tom Ford when it comes to fragrances? Do let me know your thoughts as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click that 'like' button below!

REKORDERLIG CIDER - #STARTTHESWEDISHWAY

June 24, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

As Summer Solstice has passed us, thus marking the official beginning of Summer, I cannot think of a better way to kickstart the season than to meet my friends in the glorious Sunshine, and to chill out with a Rekorderlig Cider! My preference? The Strawberry-Lime flavour of course.

Rekorderlig Cider is a family brewed cider brand that originates from Sweden. Made from the purest Swedish Spring-Water, Rekorderlig Cider comes in many flavours such as;

Strawberry-Lime
Wild Berries
Passionfruit
Mango-Raspberry

Saturday 24th June marks Midsummer's Day, which is a beautifully quaint celebration of the Summer season where families gather to dance around a maypole, where flowers and greenery have been adorned over houses and barns. Having lived in Yorkshire all my life, I have been very lucky to have been surrounded by the beautiful countryside, and when the Sun is shining, I can't imagine being anywhere else other than England!

Being a Northerner, I have to champion the nightlife. A good night out for me always starts with the getting ready process, and I will admit that sometimes I actually prefer the getting ready part than the night out itself... Anyone else feel the same? Anyway! I will begin the night out by applying my favourite Fake Tan for that fresh, healthy glow; Madame LALA - Gradual Tan, followed by piecing my outfit together (usually all black.) All the while accompanied by a rather loud playlist; Saturday Night Feels on Spotify. My friends will often come round just before we head into town to let our hair down, relaxing with an ice-cold Rekorderlig Cider to get us in the mood! Naturally, any good night out all depends on how you feel and how you present yourself, and the best way for me to feel good, is to cover myself head to toe with a captivating fragrance. Recently I have really been loving Merchant Of Venice; Venetian Blue. Guaranteed to get you compliments!

This post has been sponsored by Rekorderlig Cider, and I am ecstatic to announce that I will be hosting a Giveaway over on my Instagram page! You can win yourself a selection of Verso Skincare products simply by sharing an image of how you are going to start your Summer #TheSwedishWay! To be in with a chance, upload a photo, tag both myself and Rekorderlig Cider and state how and why you love Summer! Best of luck.

Have you tried Rekorderlig Cider before? If so, which is your favourite flavour? How do you like to start your Summer? Let me know your thoughts below, and don't forget to click the 'like' button!

LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS XL RANGE

June 18, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Having attended the launch of La Roche-Posay - Anthelios XL a month or so ago, I had been meaning to try out some of the products that came within the goody bag. However, this is England, and after a cold, long, dark, long, miserable, (did I mention long?) Winter, the weather has finally picked up which has allowed me to trial the goodies out!

Within my goody bag I received;

All of these products have a high protection against the harmful rays from the Sun, and being rather fair skinned and burning like a tomato at any given chance, I was relieved to see such a high SPF of 50 within each of the products.

The Non-perfumed cream designed for comfort felt incredibly soothing upon my skin, and was easily absorbed into my skins pores. The texture felt smooth, and the overall finish felt incredibly light! Compared to the Non-perfumed fluid designed to be Ultra Light, there isn't much that differs between the two, other than the fluid is slightly trickier to apply with it being much lighter in texture, and I would advise you to be rather quick when it comes to application as otherwise it will run everywhere!

The Non-perfumed dry touch gel-cream has been designed to create an anti-shine appearance, ideal for those who don't want to appear as though they have been lathered in too much suncream! In terms of the texture, again this was very light upon my skin, but didn't absorb too well onto my skin... Admittedly I have found that in the past I have steered clear from gels, as for some reason, they don't work for my skin type. Needless to say, that doesn't mean it won't work for you!

Onto my favourite product out of the Anthelios XL Range, the Invisible fresh mist! Without a doubt, the easiest to apply and despite being a mist and evaporating/absorbing almost instantly, I do forget sometimes I have any sun protection on with this! I also like the fact that it is rather unique and a first for me when it comes to sun protection as before, I mainly stuck to thick, gloopy creams!

Overall, a fantastic range from La Roche-Posay and with the weather here in the UK finally picking up, I know my skin will be well protected this Summer! To see the full range of the Anthelios XL, click here for more.

Have you tried any of the products from the Anthelios XL range? If so, which ones? Did you find that they protected your skin from the Sun? When it comes to keeping your skin safe in the Summer, what sort of product works best for you? Let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click that 'like' button!

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!