Uomo by Valentino

Uomo by Valentino is the final purchase made on holiday this year and was a fragrance I had been dying to get my hands on since receiving a small tester earlier in the year. 

While the tester was quite bland from a visual perspective the same cannot be said of the fragrance that to me comes across as completely unique - both in terms of the fragrance but also the blingtastic look of the bottle that is soooo cool.

At £91 for 100ml and £46 for a 50ml bottle this has to be put into the luxury aftershave category in my book. Had I seen the price before becoming completely hooked on the fragrance I probably would have backed away from it in the shop. Instead I just had to pick up a 50ml bottle and I haven't regretted it since.

My only previous experience of Valentino was forking out £200 for a shirt back in 1996 - yes, that long ago, wearing it once, loving it and then proceeding to spill kebab juice down it after a night out thoroughly ruining it forevermore.

Everything about the bottle oozes class, in fact put it in sunlight and you can marvel as it’s glass ridges reflect and refract light making it shine like some form of heavenly gift. OK, ok, a bit over the top but it is probably the best description you are going to get out of me!

Valentino market this with the stylish waffle you would expect from a leading fashion house, a sophisticated fragrance that is suppose to evoke thoughts of family lunch (what no beef and Yorkshire pudding notes) on the terrace of a Roman Palazzo with a series of notes that come from the dishes on the table. Hmmmm…..

The official notes to Uomo are:

• Head: Bergamot, Myrtle Liquor
• Heart: Crema Di Gianduia, Coffee
• Dry-down: White Leather, Cedar Wood

After removing the atomiser protector and giving this a few squirts the strength and sweetness are unleashed with aplomb. After a squirt there is no hiding from the fragrance and for me this is a good thing as it is instantly addictive.

While you can detect hints of bergamot, the liquor makes this incredibly sweet on the nose. The sweetness stays around for about 30 minutes steadily getting warmer and heavier as it starts to dry down. It actually becomes a little bit floral I find until it settles. I’d be lying if I said I knew what Crema Di Gianduia is or should smell like but it is obvious to my nose that this blended with the coffee provides depth to what could be a rival for Joop in the sweetness stakes.

It takes around an hour for the fragrance to really settle on the skin to a point where it doesn’t alter any further and boy you will be surprised by the results. It retains some sweetness but it stays subtle, the warmth really comes to the fore and the leather and cedar wood provide an earthy body and base to this wonderful fragrance that you will catch as you go about your day to day business.

While Uomo has a price tag to make you weep a little goes a long way and the strength makes this a fragrance where only a few squirts are needed to leave you smelling awesome all day long. I’ve had my bottle for two months and after fairly frequent use I am yet to have used a third of the bottle.

Perfect for daywear thanks to the hardwearing nature of the fragrance this is one that ticks every possible occasion be it special occasions, romantic nights out, nights down the pub or office wear. You can’t go wrong if you like strong yet sweet fragrances. Still being evident after 10 hours you would be foolish to dismiss Uomo and negligent not to give it at least a good solid sniff at the aftershave counter.

Try it, you will like it.

FORGET THE REST, TRY THE BEST

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Aqua Zinger by Zing Anything

To say that I'm not a fan of drinking water is an understatement - back in my teens I was hospitalised a few times with severe dehydration simply because I couldn't bring myself to drink water unless infused with super strength coffee or in the form of a 2 litre bottle of Coca Cola.

This was not good, actually pretty life threatening and while I have got better and cut out the Coca Cola and started to drink at least one litre of water a day, the Aqua Zinger has been a god send.

Available for under £20, the Aqua Zinger fell into my possession thanks to a competition run by Zing Anything and Chloe at Clo's Beauty Spot blog.

This is what the Zing Anything website has to say about the product:

'As most of us know, we need to drink more water, but even in concept it can come off as a chore. The Aqua Zinger offers a fun new way to enjoy drinking water and reduce food cravings.
With the Aqua Zinger you can drink significantly more water and still satisfy your palate, as well as your body’s need for hydration and energy.

The Aqua Zinger water bottle works by subtly infusing water with flavours. From cucumber to lemon and lime, to blackberries, kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, peach, ginger, or even mint and basil – your Aqua Zinger can infuse them all.

Mix and match and get creative; the flavours and ingredients are only limited by your imagination.
The Aqua Zinger has the unique ability to create all-natural beverage options that are light and refreshing.'

So easy to use is the Aqua Zinger that a simpleton like myself can manage to infuse fruit into water which with anything remotely technical is a hurdle that has to be overcome. I first of all tried infusing lemon, and duly added half a fair sized lemon to the bottom and left for an hour.

After unscrewing the lid and pouring out some of the water it was obvious that thee fruit juice had mixed with the water - I could see little bits of lemon floating around in the water. More importantly I could taste the lemon but it was a subtle infusion, not too bitter and certainly not overpowering. It also tasted a lot better than the flavoured water you can buy in the shops.

I've tried lots of different flavours since receiving the Aqua Zinger and none have left me thinking I needed the flavour to be stronger. Personally, my favourite is orange and lemon, it blends brilliantly and the flavours linger on the tongue. It's also an excellent way of taking on board some much needed vitamin C.

Each grind of the fruit section should deliver two drinks that are free from artificial sugars and ingredients and that to me makes this a great little gadget that has got me drinking even more water on a daily basis - so fear of dehydration reduced (bonus) and vitamins pumped into my body (bonus). 

While this isn't something I would ever have thought to buy I wouldn't be without it now. It fills up a bottle of flavoured water for me to take onto the underground in the morning. Usually I spend around £3 a day on bottled water while travelling to and from work - even if I spend £1 a day on fruit to infuse I'm making a clear saving, not using up so many plastic bottles and have tastier drinks. 

On a value for money test this pays for itself in just weeks and would be ideal for someone like me who detests drinking plain water, someone (not me) who treats their body like a temple or will appeal to people who just like fruit flavoured water. Winner!

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