The deeper meaning behind Love Island's Chris' tear-infused water

'Yesterday everyone was shocked that I had literally bottled my emotions in a water bottle infused with my tears... yet this is what men across the UK are doing every single day.'

Words – Ava Welsing-Kitcher

From the editors of InStyle UK

Since the finale of Love Island back in July, we’ve seen many a collaboration, clothing line and #spon charcoal toothpaste post from each of the show’s illustrious contestants. The latest bit of Love Island glory, however, is something we never saw coming.

Chris Hughes, on-off boyfriend of Olivia Attwood, announced last night that he’s joining forces with Topman to launch his very first stand-alone product: a 'mineral water infused with a Chris Hughes tear', aptly labelled L’Eau de Chris.

The news broke with a brooding black & white campaign video, featuring Chris himself in some Topman tighty-whities, shedding a single tear which plinks into a bottle of L’Eau de Chris.

However, just 24 hours after the launch was announced, Chris revealed the entire campaign was created to draw attention to the fact that, according to YOUGOV, 84% of UK men say they bottle up their emotions, and to put CALM in the spotlight, the male suicide prevention charity of which Chris is now an ambassador.

Now, Chris is joining with CALM and Topman to launch the #Don'tBottleItUp campaign to shed light on men's mental health issues.

Speaking at this morning's launch event, Chris said: 'Yesterday everyone was shocked that I had literally bottled my emotions in a water bottle infused with my tears. And as the L’Eau de Chris name suggested, doing that would have been ludicrous; yet this is what men across the UK are doing every single day.

'What's really ludicrous is that suicide is still the single biggest killer of young men in the UK. We live in a culture that encourages men to "man up" and bottle things up. That’s why I’ve become an Ambassador for CALM and why together with TOPMAN we want to show men across the UK that it’s okay to open up instead of bottling it up.

'I’ve got personal experience of the benefits of opening up and expressing emotion, which is why I want to work with this incredible charity in its mission to making life less miserable for men across the UK. Our message to all guys is: however, you open up, just #DontBottleItUp.”