Sunday, June 29, 2014

L'eau D'Issey by Issey Miyake

It’s an old favourite and one I hadn’t bought for years until I picked up a tester recently, under the microscope today is L'eau D'Issey, a fragrance although made in France is from the Japanese fashion/fragrance house Issey Miyake.

I was introduced to this fragrance by a friend of the family. Now don't get me wrong, I don't go around smelling people, this smell simply wafted my way whilst out one night. I was immediately hooked.

At £38 for a 125ml bottle it won’t break the bank and gives enough of the aftershave to leave you well and truly smelling like the gods. 

Metallic in its finish the box and actual shaping to the bottle are unique. The bottle, made out of thick frosted glass rather than being round is flat, about 3.5cm thick at the bottom and then it tapers to about 1cm thick at the top. It contains a lot of glass and is rather heavy! 

The frosted glass look and actual colour of the visible liquid reminded me of the Acqua De Gio bottle. It said to me, this is a cool, fresh, vibrant young smell (I‘d like to say just like me but I‘m not going to be teeing up jokes for everyone else today)


The notes to L'eau D'Issey build this fragrance up as being a fresh yet warm woody scent with spicy notes.

Released two years after the female version, the male fragrance has the same theme of water running through the smell. This fragrance is meant to excite the senses and make you feel more confident and self assured in the fact that you smell gorgeous. The ingredients include carnation, peony, white lily, nutmeg, saffron and coriander. Again, this fragrance has surprising ingredients.

On first application only four tiny sprays were needed and the bathroom began to fill with an extremely sweet, fruity fragrance. The carnation and lily were evident and my first impression were that of a sweet, light fragrance which seemed to fade fairly quickly. I swore (a regular occurrence for me, but not of the vulgar kind this time) I could smell a hint of lemon, but this isn't mentioned in the notes!

Although it seemed to fade, that first initial blast from the bottle seemed to give me that wake up call I needed. A pleasant assault on my nose.

While the smell was noticeable as I moved around, the smell became heavier, with the woody earthy undertones of nutmeg and cinnamon. The fragrance was still very subtle to me, but not to others around me and I was complimented by several people over the next seven hours of the smell.

After wearing the fragrance for around four hours the smell was no longer present as far as I could tell although when undressing, the fragrance still smelt beautiful on my shirt, although by this time it was a warm spicy smell. This was around 10 hours after those first four blasts with the atomiser.

Further applications were required later in the day, just to get that fresh feeling back, but on the whole I was very pleased with the staying power and the nice compliments. As this is a fresh, light, citrus fragrance I'd put it in the same league as Acqua De Gio and Joop. It's aimed at males from 20 to 65, and in all honesty, every time I've smelt this on another person it has smelt as lovely. It is one of those fragrances you can detect a hint of in a bar and know what it is - distinct is an understatement.

Bearing in mind only four blasts of the atomiser were required for good coverage, the 125ml bottle lasts for at least four/five months at a time, and at less than £40 a bottle, it's a bargain and a must have for any sensible bloke who likes to smell damn good. 

This fragrance will get you complimented in the office and noticed on a night out. It really is a wonder fragrance.

I personally don't have sensitive skin, and have never had a problem with using this aftershave, but my brother has, so prior to purchasing you may like to try a tester out just to make sure you don't come out in a nasty red rash. If you don't have a reaction, buy it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Post note: Without going into too much detail here. The female version of L'eau D'Issey is pretty much the same as the male version. The only difference is that the female version is a touch lighter and sweeter. This is also highly recommended.
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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Fudge Fat Hed

My stylist recommended Fudge Fat Hed to me after I complained that my hair grew too quickly and most gels or waxes wouldn’t hold the spikes in style for an entire day without reapplication.

Although he could have palmed a number of products off on me at an over-inflated price his recommendation was taken a touch more seriously because he wasn’t trying to sell me any!

A
t that time I walked out of the salon with the thought in mind and within 10 minutes completely forgot about it until I came across a website selling it.
Source

The price initially had reeling, just under £10 for a 75ml tub, some four times the cost of  Shockwaves gel. However, as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Originally a product released for the Australian market, Fudge have only really hit the mainstream in Europe over the past 10 years. 


The product itself can only be described as a paste, as it has neither the consistency of a gel or wax and comes in a very unique grey tub with bright orange lid. 


As far as products like this go I quite like the packaging as the tub is very easy to grip thanks to the ridges in the sides and if I was looking for it in a supermarket or salon wholesalers it would be very easy indeed to spot amongst the other brands.


I was very keen to give the paste a try and so dutifully went and washed my hair, dried it and unscrewed the lid to the tub to be greeted with an absolutely delightful sickly sweet smell of caramel, an aroma I adore, so much so I spent 5 minutes with the tub to my nose inhaling deeply and imagining large vats of liquid fudge and caramel in a sweet factory. 


If I personally had to rate the smell in comparison to other haircare products it would get a 10 for being so original whilst other brands such as Shockwaves, L’Oreal and Brylcreem would score five or below as they all just tend to have clean and clinical fragrances. 


If you are not a big fan of the smell of caramel with faint hints of fudge, this product certainly is not for you.


After finally deciding it wasn’t right for a grown man to be sat around sniffing a haircare product I scooped the paste out of the tub using two fingers, only removing enough to cover both fingertips and massaged it between my palms before running my hands through my hair and gently working it into each strand. 


The consistency when removed from the tub is as I say like a paste but as soon as it is rubbed between the palms it seems to take on more of a gel like form making a little really go a long way. 


Application could not have been easier thanks to the change in consistency and it was simple to get even coverage and my fears that bits of the paste would be stuck to my hair were unfounded. 


Once it has been worked into dry hair it is just a case of styling and as a note of caution, don’t hang around to start doing this as it dries very quickly. For me, the fact that it completely dries within 4-5 minutes means that I don’t have to wait around to make sure that there has been no movement in the spikes I have styled. As soon as the paste is totally dry my hair is left with a textured feeling and looks remarkably shiny, something I hadn’t expected from a paste. I was expecting it to look similar to how wax leaves my hair but was impressed that it has more of a gel effect.


Once dried my hair felt rock solid and my hair didn’t move an inch, even if I jumped up and down. At that point in time the spikes in my hair were about 1.5 inches long but even with spikes up to 3.5 inches long there is still no movement once the paste has set and this for me is fantastic. 


I no longer get to work and look in the mirror to find my spikes have blown out of place or have just not set properly. As for longevity again I could not be more pleased. I have an annoying habit for messing with my hair which when using gels results in dry flakes of gel and the style wearing off quickly, a problem I no longer have. A style created at home at 8 in the morning is exactly the same at 8 at night. Fantastic.


When it comes to removing the paste from hair you will not experience any problems, something I have had issues with in the past with a number of waxes. A good massage of the hair under a warm shower and the paste is washed out completely. I say warm, as I’m sure most readers would be concerned by the fact that rain may wash this out, it doesn’t. It will damage the style and result in the need to restyle but it will set as soon as you are in a dry environment.


Overall I was a little upset by the price but find that as it lasts for at least 6 months, a period in which I would probably use 3-4 tubes of normal gel it isn’t that expensive and only works out at around £2 more expensive than the brands that I used to use. 


So, when you take the economics into account, the fact that it smells lovely and performs to such a high standard without leaving you self-conscious of those flakes from dried gel this is a product I would heartily recommend.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Sunday, June 08, 2014

Selfridges&Co Male Grooming Box

If you don’t fancy splashing the cash on an expensive gift this Fathers Day well don’t panic, a cheaper option for the dad who takes care of himself is available thanks to Selfridges&Co.

For a limited time only they have pulled together a range of male grooming products in one beauty box that is available for delivery for just £20 (excluding postage and packaging which is just £4.95)

I’m reliably informed that beauty boxes for men are as rare as rocking horse excrement so I was really pleased when the postman unexpectedly delivered this and I got to root around inside to see what products I already had, and what new products I could test for the blog over the coming weeks.


Selfridges&Co Male Grooming Box

For just £20 the box contains:
  • A 50ml tube of Scaramouche and Fandango Hydrator, with anti-fatigue Chronodyn (that sounds made up to me) cell energiser and vitamin E; 
  • A 50ml tube of Scaramouche and Fandango Body Wash, with re-mineralising Brazilian Papaya and vitamin E complex;
  • A small 20ml tube of Scaramouche and Fandango Face Scrub with exfoliating prickly pear extract and once again that Chronodyn cell energiser. The combination of micro-beads and prickly pear extract I’m assured will remove grime and residue leaving firm and toned skin.
Selfridges&Co Male Grooming Box

  • A 130g bar of Triumph and Disaster Shearer's Soap. It has such a rich lavender smell, even through the wrapping that I can’t wait to see how it fairs with its claim of using poppy seeds to exfoliate the skin while remaining gentle. As a plus it contains no Parabens which again I’m reliably informed dry out your skin;
  • A 57g tub of GO 24/7 Texture Paste for my hair. I can’t wait to try this and it gives off a really clean smell as soon as the lid is removed. It’s like a cross between pledge polish and shake ‘n’ vac. Weird I know but I really like the smell, I just hope it holds hair as well! 
  • A 75ml bottle of Kiehl's Facial Fuel Cleanser. With menthol and caffeine this promises to remove dirt, surface oil and impurities with having a drying effect on my skin. We shall see…..

Selfridges&Co Male Grooming Box

  • A 100ml bottle of Molton Brown Black Pepper Body Wash. Wow, you really can feel the spice as soon as you give this a whiff. It’s strong, but that isn’t a bad thing. Personally I like my body washes to be strong and masculine and I can take a good guess that this will hit the spot;
  • A 50 ml canister of Clarins Smooth Shave foaming gel. A quick squirt of this onto my hand and a pea sized amount lathers up really well. It’s rich without the thickness of most gels;
  • A 9ml bottle of unisex fragrance Comme Des Garςons 2, which I confess to never of hearing of. A dash to Google and it appears to be one hell of an expensive fragrance that promises to be rich and exotic (hmmmm, where have I heard that before).  A blend of Sumi ink, incense, patchouli, cedarwood, angelic root, vetiver, labdanum, amber, magnolia, new aldehydes, cumin and cade oil I have no clue how this is going to smell until I cut it out of it‘s lovely packaging. 

Selfridges&Co Male Grooming Box

Looking at the overall retail price of the contents this strikes me as a bargain and I’d give it two thumbs up. 

It contains enough of each product to give a thorough try before you buy, particularly with the really expensive stuff and would make the perfect gift in the presentation box.

If you are interested you can buy the boxes for a limited time only here.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post, please do let me know if you decide to buy a box as I'd love to know what you think.


What products would you put in a male grooming box?
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Saturday, June 07, 2014

Fathers Day Fragrance Gift Ideas

Personally picking a gift for Father’s Day is a nightmare. More often than not I opt for the easy answer of a card and a promise of a gift at a later date. 

As the day (15 June people) fast approaches instead of leaving it to the last minute I’ve actually put some thought into potential gifts this year and while doing so thought I would categorise them and share possible ideas with my readers. 

As a bit of an aftershave freak I’ve narrowed down the type of dad to help me break this down and hopefully be a bit more helpful to potential consumers out there.  

Going back through the various reviews of aftershave I’ve done here and previously under a different guise for an opinion website here are my recommendations for gifts this Fathers Day. It's worth noting, these recommendations are good all year round for birthdays and Christmas.

The categories are: Trendy Dad, Earthy Dad and Sporty Dad (it‘s like a bastardised version of the Village People/Spice Girls).


Trendy Dad


The dad that doesn’t want to grow up (this is my dad, pushing 60 and still clinging onto the hope that he can behave like a 30 year old. He dresses in the latest trends, tries and fails to remain hip).

L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake

An extremely light, sweet and fruity fragrance. Carnation and lily are the top notes that fade fairly quickly. Personally I can detect a hint of lemon and citrus but the notes make no such mention of such an ingredient.

Although it seemed to fade, that first initial blast from the bottle always gives me a fresh feeling and is like a fragrant wake up call. It’s a pleasant assault on the senses.

Although the smell is light it is strong and starts to get heavier over the course of the day. With woody earthy undertones of nutmeg and cinnamon I find that over time it becomes so subtle that it doesn’t leave people around you gagging, in fact you’ll be surprised by the compliments. 

With longevity, a few squirts of this will last for well over 10 hours. 

At around £30 for a 75ml bottle you can’t go wrong.

My full review of L'Eau D'Issey can be found here.

Acqua Di Gio

One of my own personal favourites you can’t go wrong with this beautiful citrus explosion. This light fragrance on contact with skin changes dramatically. The light fresh smell of citrus is still evident, and a woody undertone starts to work its way through the top notes. The major thing for me is that as it sits on the skin the strength of the fragrance magnifies making it incredibly hardwearing.

This stuff smells so good I have to remind myself not to smell my hands whenever I've used it at night. It's addictive!

This is an ideal gift and at £32 for a 50ml bottle it isn’t that expensive when you consider that it lasts, and lasts, and lasts some more. 

My full review of Acqua Di Gio can be found here.

Bvlgari Pour Homme

A massively biased entry here from me - bar Prada Luna Rossa this is my favourite fragrance of all time and at just under £30 for a 100ml bottle it represents not excellent value for money it is one of the freshest and lightest aftershaves ever.

A few sprays will fill your bathroom with the gorgeous aroma. 

On application it hits you that this is a light, citrus fragrance similar to CK One with hints of lemon and lavender. 

On dry down it continues to become lighter but much spicier on the nose.  It is such a delicate fragrance that after only a short you can’t tell that you are wearing it. 

Three tiny sprays of Pour Homme or one/two of the Extreme version cover me in a light citrus fragrance that became spicy with only the mildest of woody undertones for in excess of 10 hours. Now that is a result.

My full review of Bvlgari Pour Homme can be found here.


Fathers Day Fragrance Gift Ideas



Earthy


The dad that loves the outdoors, the man who is expert at DIY, loves to potter in the garden and is a general all round mans man.

Fahrenheit by Dior

Don’t be put off by the rather bland looking packaging to Fahrenheit, it is a hidden gem that really doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s reasonably priced at under £20 for a 50 ml bottle and the warm sensual fragrance with hints of hawthorn, honeysuckle, sandalwood, cedar and patchouli are to die for. 

As soon as it is applied you are struck by the warmth that this gives off on the nose and it has delightful woody overtones. On dry down you can detect hints of honeysuckle that take the edge off the warmth and stop this from being overly masculine. 

Although this is marketed as a sensual fragrance I wouldn't say that it's one of those aftershaves that will make heads turn (not unless you put too much on) in the street but it is very pleasant. 

This is a quality man's aftershave for daywear.

My full review of Fahrenheit can be found here.

Bvlgari Man Extreme

I’ve been using Bvlgari Man Extreme for just over a year and the people I work with share my view that it is one of the best hardwearing fragrances around. Unlike most of the male fragrances from Bvlgari this doesn’t have the light citrus tones, instead it plays up it’s warmth and woody blend of notes to create something completely unique.

When first applying it has the freshness of Bvlgari, light on the nose but quickly becomes heavier, warmer and with hints of spice it screams “I am man” without going too far.

60ml will set you back just over £40 but as this is the concentrate a little goes a very long way. I have found a 60ml bottle will last well over 6 months when using nearly on a daily basis.

Invictus

Invictus, an aftershave I’ve only had for around two months and bought solely on the notes advertised. It sounded great on paper and far exceeded my expectations. This is the must have for any dad who wants to be ever so unique, smell masculine while turning heads in the street. 

Not only does the bottle allow you to pretend you are lifting the Champions League trophy (yes, I can be that childish) it is an aftershave that will make you stand out in the crowd. 

The top notes of grapefruit zest provide a fresh and zesty intro to the fragrance as you prepare for the immediate dry down to warm amber and then patchouli.

50ml will cost just over £30 which can seem a touch on the expensive side but remember, when it comes to writing wills and dividing up assets, when he is torn between leaving you the house or his frankly poor collection of antique gardening tools, you’re going to get the house (please note this is gallows humour and not to be taken literally - there you can‘t sue me now)

My full review of Invictus can be found here.


Fathers Day Fragrance Gift Ideas



Sporty


The dad that hit’s the gym, likes to be fit and healthy while also trying his best to be trendy.

Ralph Lauren Polo Sport

My love affair with Polo Sport started in my late teens (sad to say nearly two decades ago now) when living with a cousin. 

The scent is strong, fresh yet very masculine. 

While the notes to Polo Sport state that this aftershave has a clean and invigorating scent that energises the skin with natural citrus extracts, soothing agents and protective emollients I don‘t find anything that stands out as soothing. 

This aside, it does have a hardwearing citrus zest that dries down to more earthy and woody undertones. Without looking at the actual ingredients, once blended I find that I can detect hints of moss and cedar wood which give it legs in the lasting power stakes.

For just over £20 you can pick up 75ml of this beauty and you will be flavour of the month. 

My full review of Polo Sport can be found here.

Chanel Allure Homme Sport


A quick confession, I adore the female version of Chanel Allure. I can be stood on a train platform and detect it from 20 paces it is so lovely so when the male version was released I just had to have it.

The initial shock of how much it costs is blown away, as are the senses as soon as you smell it. It is awesome. It does actually do what it says on the tin (well, the bottle) and blends from a fresh fragrance down to a warm and spicy hardwearing aftershave.

After around an hour you can almost feel the warmth on your nose while hints of freshness remain. It is a sensory master class with a zest that dries down to an earthy yet light woody undertone. Slight hints of spice take the edge of this making it sportier.

A few sprays and hey presto, you have a good 10 hours of coverage that will turn heads for all the right reasons wherever the wearer goes. That you can’t argue with.

At nearly £50 for 50ml this is one of the most expensive aftershaves on my list but well worth a look if you want that dazzle as your dad opens this gift from you. Chanel oozes style and quality and Allure Homme Sport does this with ease.

Armani Code Sport


With heart notes of Spearmint and Peppermint you’d think that this would leave you smelling like a lump of chewing gum - you couldn’t be more wrong. The minty top notes blend wonderfully with the mandarin and lemon to create a light citrus that is both refreshing and light. 

While it dries down to become more sensual, the ginger and base notes of rosemary give it an edge that says yes I’m sporty, but I’m also a rugged manly fragrance. 

Personally I like the initial application and the smell that lingers in the air for well over an hour before it becomes warmer. A few liberal sprays of Code Sport will leave you with an air of confidence that you smell divine.

At £45 for 50 ml again this isn’t a cheap aftershave but as it lasts for well over 12 hours from just a few sprays it has longevity making it worth the initial outlay.


Fathers Day Fragrance Gift Ideas

As always, thank you for reading and I hope that I've given you some useful ideas for a gift for your dad.

What would you recommend for a trendy, earthy or sporty dad?

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Thursday, June 05, 2014

Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir

Any regular reader of the blog will know that I have a kind of love thang going on for fragrances from Bvlgari. They release an aftershave and I’m probably queuing up to buy it on the day of release.

In this case, when Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir was released I had to have a bottle and quickly. Oh how I wish I’d had impulse control!

With Bvlgari I could always rely on a few things, the first that they produce quality products, the second that I’d never smelt a fragrance produced by them that left me feeling cheated. 

The bottle is the classic Bvlgari Pour Homme design similar in looks to the female versions of the Bvlgari range. Instead of being rather flat the bottle is quite tall standing and the glass has a "pinched" effect at the top where the atomiser and lid meet the bottle. 



Bvlgari aftershaves normally don’t need fancy packaging - usually once you've tried or smelt it, you know that it is the quality that will keep you coming back. The only thing that sets the Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir apart in terms of looks from the regular Pour Homme is the word Soir in tiny lettering on the bottle.

The notes to Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir are outlined below and it is marketed as:

"A rich, elegant, woody scent aimed at charismatic men looking for a refined and sensuous evening fragrance. Profoundly vibrant and enveloping, Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir enriches the elegant and comfortable woody musk signature of Bvlgari Pour Homme with precious and rare raw materials, amber and the novel charm of papyrus wood, which add sophistication and sensuality to the note."


  • Head: Darjeeling tea, bergamot and rosewood;
  • Heart: Lavender, pepper and musk oils;
  • Base: Cedar wood, patchouli and papyrus amber.


Being concentrated means that only 3 squirts from the atomiser are needed to cover the face and neck with what is at first a really strong fragrance. 

As soon as it leaves the bottle it starts to fill the room. While being strong, it isn't overpowering and initial impressions are that it is almost light and airy with the ability to project the head notes without making me gag. 

The Darjeeling tea is not the note that really hits the nostrils, it is that of the bergamot orange and this gives the immediate lemon and orange citrus zing and thus the impression of being quite a light fragrance. At this stage so far, so good but that changed pretty dramatically. 

Initially I could tell no real difference between Pour Homme Soir and Pour Homme Extreme. They share identical head notes and I spent a good 20 minutes wondering how Bvlgari had gotten away with simply putting the same product in a different bottle and marketing it as new.

After around 10 minutes the light and citrus fragrance totally disappeared. Not good, not good at all.  I couldn’t help but spray some onto the back of my hand so I could sniff away like a bloodhound to identify the fragrance. The citrus is indeed replaced by a warmer feeling of lavender blended with pepper. No offence intended Bvlgari but I found this to be, how can I put this, vile.

30 minutes in and the The Darjeeling tea starts to provide subtle undertones of spice that reminded me of an old wet tea bag. Not the aroma I‘m looking for personally! As all of the notes blended it became overly heavy and warm and this is completely at odds with my favourite aftershaves and fragrances.

The warm fragrance remained for well over 5 hours unfortunately and as it started to change again this was when it fell from grace. The fragrance seems to evolve over time and whilst initially it is far from a masculine fragrance with its light airy head and heart notes as the base filters through it becomes heavy in an understated way. The woods and papyrus amber retain the warm feeling yet it becomes refined yet rugged on the nose and the noses of those around the wearer. Not being a big fan of heavy woody fragrances this is where I came to the conclusion that whilst I liked the aftershave, ultimately it didn't retain enough of the citrus zing or light airy feeling.

A 50ml bottle will cost in the region of £40 on the high street making is a little bit too expensive. 

I still consider Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir to be a product that gives exceptional value for money as it is more of a concentrated fragrance. This means that a little really does go a long way as is the case with most Bvlgari aftershaves so it is likely to last well in excess of 6-9 months, possibly longer.

I usually wear Bvlgari for day and night wear, but with Soir it was consigned to purely for daywear while I emptied the bottle. 

Pour Homme Soir is a long lasting fragrance but it doesn’t do enough on the aroma front, is too warm and heavy for my personal tastes. If you like Fahrenheit by Dior or other aftershaves that have spicy or woody notes then you will love this. 

Personally I can’t recommend this but I would seriously suggest you try before you buy.

An extremely rare miss from Bvlgari.

NOT RECOMMENDED
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Tuesday, June 03, 2014

FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax

It is safe to say that I’m not a big fan of hair wax, I’ve never found a brand that has a texture I can stand in my hair, is easy to apply and can provide the level of hold I need.

I’ve tried most things, most recently the FatFish Pliable Hold Easy Sculpting Stick and was less than impressed. It was therefore a bit of a surprise when Fish Soho’s PR people asked if I could take a look at FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax


In the continuing quest to find something to give my hair some style I couldn’t wait to try the wax out. My hair is currently approaching three inches in length so from experience I would expect a wax to struggle with the sheer amount of hair and the density when styling. FishFix wax was going to be truly tested.



FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax

FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax

FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax


In a nutshell, to say that I was sceptical about how this was going to play out would be an understatement, in fact I set my hopes low, so low they were lower than the bar at the limbo world championships. 


Fish Salon market this as:


‘Tackle life head on (get it, head, hair, genius)! Combining the holding power of gel with the smoothing properties of wax. The wax should give controlled and defined style with the finish being neat with superior hold.’


As soon as the lid was off two things struck me immediately, it smells lovely, clean and fresh unlike most waxes that have a chemical aroma to them and it didn’t look to have the same texture. The wax in the pot looks almost like some form of cream rather than a wax. 


My curiosity about the texture couldn’t wait to style my hair and I plunged my fingertips straight in to see what it felt like. First of all it is incredibly soft wax so any amount of pressure and your finger slips straight to the bottom of the pot, this suggested that it would be easy to apply. 




FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax



FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax

After washing my hair and leaving it slightly damp I ran my fingertips over the top of the wax. The picture below shows how much I actually needed to style my hair - not much at all which when you consider this is a 100ml pot it’s likely to last me for well over a month when using daily.


Rubbing the wax into my hands I found the whole application process to be a breeze, it spreads onto the shaft of the hair and is really easy to massage from root to tip. Styling was so simple and within minutes my hair was covered, spiked and ready to go. 


Normally when applying wax, gels or cream I normally get sticky hands and have to wash them immediately, I didn‘t in this instance and was so impressed I kept touching my arms to see if it was a delayed stickiness, it wasn’t and I was amazed. 


I have a terrible habit of touching my hair which usually leads to a loss of hold and the build up of a sticky residue - with FishFix neither of these was an issue.


The wax took around two to three minutes to completely dry in my hair (in the afternoon sun) and the spikes were rigid. They didn’t feel crunchy or solid as they do when using wax, instead it remained pliable and when a few strands slipped down they were really easy to re-style.





FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax

FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax


FishFix Hardcore Hold Controlling Wax

The hold lasted for a good six hours until I hit my bed. In the morning the spikes on the top of my head were still rigid and there were no signs of those pesky white flakes that come over time with hair styling products. 


If you are looking for a change in styling product, want something that provides a long lasting and defined hold this is for you. As with all Fish Soho products this will be available at Boots and is reasonably priced. When you take into account how little is needed each day then it represents a great product that delivers real value for money.


HIGHLY RECOMMENDED


What is your favourite hair styling product? Why not tell me in the comments section below.
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Monday, June 02, 2014

Lacoste Style in Play

Lacoste Style in Play was an aftershave that came into my collection purely by chance. A friend who shall remain nameless who works at a well known airport offered me a number of unboxed and unused testers. Naturally I jumped at the chance. 

In my early twenties I was a big fan of Lacoste Booster and had no hesitation in relieving her of this bottle after a quick whiff.

Launched in April 2004, Style in Play is a sporty fragrance that was marketed as an aftershave that contrasted purity and intoxication. 

Although I had seen adverts for this in most male lifestyle magazines at the time, I hadn't actually seen it in any shops and indeed when searching out a replacement bottle had to venture online as I couldn’t find it in any shops. Available in 75ml and 125ml bottles, a 125 ml bottle of Style in Play will set you back in the region of £30 (this is where I gloat and confess I paid £5 for a full bottle).

The first thing to strike you about this product is the unique design of the bottle. Not only does it look the business, it is extremely functional with moulded ridges within the sides of the bottle making it easy to grip and apply.



The notes to Style in Play are:


  • Head: Manzana verde, maclura fruits and frozen thuja;
  • Heart: Cedar leaf, jasmine and Siberian pine;
  • Dry Down: Patchouli, vetyver and musk oil.


From the notes I would have expected a fruity, tangy fragrance that was light on application drying down to a heavier warmer fragrance that retained elements of the fruity top notes however I was pleasantly surprised.




When first spraying this I found that the first three squirts produced no results whatsoever! Was I spraying myself in water?!? 

Four more squirts later and it was clear that the fragrance did not have base alcohol contained within it, instead this uses water making it extremely fresh and unlike most aftershaves it does not have an instant chemical aroma on first application. It also doesn’t have any burn at all after shaving thanks to the lack of alcohol. 

As the fragrance blends you start to detect hints of crisp green apples and are indeed the overriding fragrance, no other notes immediately come to the fore. 

Despite the very liberal application the fragrance is very light, and only just noticeable and it was an actual struggle for me to smell the fragrance on myself after around half an hour. 

The fragrance I had applied to my wrists (in the interests of research) changed considerably however it didn't at any stage get any heavier on my senses, if anything it seemed to get naturally sweeter. 

Cedar leaf was clear, but combined with the jasmine it was fresh and refreshing on par with the original Joop! Even the undertone of fresh pine did nothing to make this any heavier on the nose.

After around an hour there was very little difference in the fragrance, the patchouli and vetyver were nowhere to be smelt however the more refreshing vibe had gone, leaving a clean and refreshing essence that remained clear throughout. It was wonderful, fresh apples combined with jasmine and hints of musk oil to give it that masculine edge.

Although I struggled to notice the fragrance when wearing it I do get lots of compliments. The fragrance seems to linger and I'm reliably informed that it still can be smelt by all day long - result!

Style in Play is one of those fragrances that blurs the line between perfume and aftershave. It has musk oil that as I have stated earlier gives it that masculine edge, but if you are looking for a light fruity fragrance that is sweet on the nose and remains evident to those around you hour after hour then this is for you.

Personally I love Style in Play, and I find it suitable for daywear, casual wear and nights out and after my cheap sample I couldn't wait to purchase a larger bottle that has lasted for well over 6 months.

At £30 for a 125ml bottle this is a fragrance I would recommend to all as good value for money. If you like Joop, Acqua di Gio, CK One or CK Truth you will adore Style in Play. 

If your favourites include Fahrenheit, Old Spice, 1881 or Caroline Herrera EDT this is something that will not really appeal.

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