All posts filed under: Face

Stoer Skincare for Men is modern, no-fuss and really works

Published by Mark Smith

Stoer Skincare for Men is a bit of a revelation. A simple, effective, modern range of skincare for men that’s no-fuss, straight forward and really works. Born in the wilds of the North of Scotland, the range has been created by Marianne Morrison who has an interesting background, having worked in the oil industry and prior to that as a skin therapist. Combining her knowledge of skin and working closely with lots of blokes, she got to know the concerns and attitudes of men to skincare. So all-in-all she gained some very valuable insights. Many years later and after much research and development she launched Stoer to market, firstly in Harvey Nichols and soon to spread its wings to other retailers. Its key premise is to protect and defend skin against the elements. Stoer Skincare for Men has been developed with signature Clima5 Technology – a unique blend of five skin-saving plant actives from around the world, from four very challenging climates. Clima5 has been encapsulated in cutting-edge ‘cosmetic drone’ technology which is said to …

FOREO Luna for Men

Published by Mark Smith

Gadgets and grooming go together. The razor is one of the most lucrative and innovative sectors and now beards as de rigour, there are swathes of tools and electrical items to preen and trim full follicled faces. A few years ago cleansing face gadgets swamped the women’s skincare sector and it was a natural progression for them to eventually target men too. And why not – everyone loves a clean face right? A deep thorough cleanse is fairly high on most men’s wish list, removing grim, dirt and blackheads. Gadgets do help and make the whole process quicker and easier. I’ve tried the quick action brushes and they work like a dream. Especially in the shower. For an even more high tech option, FOREO has launched FOREO LUNA for Men. It’s a cleansing device designed for a man’s skin and typically it comes in black. The press release hails it as the Ultimate Pre-Shaving Skincare Device for a Closer More Comfortable Shave after Just 1-Minute! Well I have to say I’ve used it as a …

nügg Face Masks

Published by Mark Smith

nügg Face Masks are rather dinky little travel-friendly face masks that are not only a great price (£3.29) they are an ideal pick-me-up for the face when its been a bit neglected. I decided to put them to the test on a break in Ibiza, knowing I would be out in the sun and swimming in the sea everyday. I knew my face would need an added boost of nourishing and hydrating ingredients and each mask in the range addresses a different concern – be it soothing, hydrating, cleansing, exfoliating, revitalizing and anti-ageing. nügg’s innovative facemasks are manufactured with what is said to be an innovative Natural Oil Dispersion Technology that uses physics instead of chemistry to blend oil and water which avoids the use of chemical emulsifiers that can impair the natural skin barrier function. Did they live up to the hype? So I tried out nügg Hydrating Face Mask and it does what it says on the tin. It felt cool on the skin, but not a menthol-style cool. It was probably just …

Best skincare for men: The Refinery Skincare Essentials

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Planning an escape in 2016? I have the perfect travel companion. I’ve said before that I’m a big fan of The Refinery range and have to highlight this great little travel kit. The blend of aromatherapy essential oils is spot on, it’s masculine without being over powering and the products hydrate and revive the skin in an instant. Great for travel, this skincare essentials offers some of the best skincare for men. The Refinery Skincare Essentials kit is a comprehensive collection of essentials, including the Refinery Revitalising Moisturiser, Refinery Eye Gel and Refinery Face Scrub formulated with carefully selected botanical extracts and essential oils with rejuvenating properties for skin that is clear, smooth and revitalised. Read more about the best men’s skincare shave products Best skincare for men: The Refinery Skincare Essentials contains: Refinery Revitalising Moisturiser 50ml: Enriched with anti-ageing ingredients, including creatine, vitamins C and E, plus essential oils of frankincense, sandalwood and vetivert, this powerful moisturiser penetrates deep into your skin to provide intensive hydration. Refinery Eye Gel 15ml: Lightweight and easily absorbed, …

Total refresh: LAB Series Multi-action Face Wash

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LAB Series Multi-action Face Wash is billed a dual action face wash – promising to cleanse and refresh the skin, dissolving excess oil, unclogging pores and removing dead skin cells. After trialling this for a couple of months, I can assure you it leaves the skin clean, fresh and feeling like it’s been resurfaced. It has a light creamy texture with little beads that ‘melt’ as you massage it into the skin. Fragrance-free it doesn’t overload your senses first thing in the morning and is packed with vitamins to nourish the skin too. Recommended for use morning and night, I added this to my skincare routine once a week, like a scrub. With thin skin on my cheeks I was once advised by a top facialist to exfoliate no more than once a week. But for most guys once a day would be perfect. Most importantly, a little goes a long way which makes it a cost effective purchase. £18.50 for 100ml. What else? It can be used as a pre-shave wash/exfoliate for lift the …

New from the LAB

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LAB Series has delivered some new sizes for its new PRO LS ALL-IN-ONE FACE TREATMENT which is a great all-rounder in that it offers four essential skincare benefits in one simple step: Soothing Moisturising Repairing Mattifying There’s a handy little trial size in 15ml which is just £5, so you can give it a test run without making the big commitment. The 50 ml size is £22, but my money is on the big one. It’s only £28 for 100ml. A much better buy. And for those savvy shoppers, from 14th May 2014 (until stocks last) receive a free LAB Series toiletries bag with any LAB Series purchase at Boots nationwide. www.labseries.co.uk

New face scrubs

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Giving your face a good scrub once a week will keep it looking smooth, fresh and help to reduce blackheads, excess oil and ensure your face cream had a good surface to work on. Get scrubbing. Mazorin Wash Trade Face Scrub Mazorin’s a great brand, designed as a range for executive men. It’s exfoliation action comes from Bamboo and Maracuja powder to unclog pores and clean the face without drying it. It also contains Salicylic Acid, a gentle chemical exfoliation to really refresh the skin and make you look human again. £15 from www.nivenandjoshua.com and www.mankind.co.uk Scaramouche & Fandango Face Scrub With exfoliating Prickly Pear extract and little beads help to slough off dead skin cells, the addition of a new active ingredient, Chronodyn Cell Energiser, helps to firm and tone the skin fighting the signs of fatigue. It’s a gel-based formula, not too scartchy on the skin and has a nice fresh scent. Perfect in the morning. £8 and available from John Lewis, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges waitrose and other independent retailers. Rockface Face …

It must be Neville

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With a rich heritage (it comes from the people behind Cowshed) NEVILLE has been crafted for a city guy (mostly) and is loaded with natural ingredients that work hard to deliver results. Designed to act as a self-defence system against life’s natural aggressors: grime, pollution, weather and stress, all known to wreak havoc on skin and hair. It’s keen to promote its British credentials (great) and NEVILLE creates a premium feel, it’s very modern, you could say very Shoreditch, and naturally as it’s available at Shoreditch House. It’s all fairly no-nonsense, clear cut, straight forward and has a collection of 12 products that do what they say. I’ve picked out my favourites below. NEVILLE Face Reviver 50ml: RRP £25.00 Non-greasy daily use shield to protect skin against aggressive everyday elements. The blend of Vitamin A and E will help prevent inflammation repair damage, while Aloe Vera soothes, heals and hydrates thirsty skin. NEVILLE Shave Oil 50ml: RRP £20.00 Skin nourishing oil for a close shave. Natural essential Organic Olive and Jojoba Seed oils (packed full …

Molton Brown launches new men’s range

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Molton Brown has launched a new Men’s Grooming Collection based on three concepts: cleanse, shave and treat. Designed to deliver high performance results by caring for the skin pre- and post-shave, leaving it healthy and soft. It’s formulated with African whitewood extract for oil control and barley extract to replenish the skin’s protective barrier which also aids in the renewal of cell membranes. I’m due to give the products a trial run, but picked a couple to highlight in advance. Balancing Face Wash, £18/100ml Cleanse skin without affecting its natural PH balance with this gentle yet effective face wash. African whitewood extract combats excess shine and dirt whilst softening the beard bristles, ready for the perfect shave. Razor-glide Shaving Gel, £22/150ml A lightweight, soothing gel that gives a precise, cushion-soft shave. African whitewood extract combats shine and preps both bristles and the skin for the closet shave. www.moltonbrown.co.uk

Energize me

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Men’s skin creams, lotions and potions rarely talk of radiance or luminosity – it’s all about energy and performance. Fair enough – they basically do the same thing – but it’s how it appeals to the audience. Male grooming uses more straight talking language and note, just because a product says “For Men” doesn’t mean it’s any good. There are dozens of skincare ranges that aren’t specifically designed for men that are excellent and produce fantastic results. Recently I have put a couple of engergizing products to the test. These aren’t gender specific but focus squarely on the benefits to the skin. I was most impressed with Sothys Energizing Day Cream, it’s particularly good for winter skin. It has a rich, thick texture that cocoons and protects the skin and is great after shaving. It’s formulated with Siberian Ginseng extract to protect, Yeast extract + Rice peptides to stimulate and Lupine extract to regenerate. Then I turned my attention to a super serum. Serums are a little harder to judge in terms of efficacy as …

Sothys seasonal facial

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To combat the effects of a harsh winter, Sothys has crafted a limited edition seasonal facial boosted with pear and grape extracts. Providing an intensive mineral boost, the Oxygenating Facial harnesses the anti-oxidant properties of grapes and the softening action of pears. Working together, the ingredients help restore the skins’ natural suppleness and radiance. This new spa treatment combines four tailored products, two of which are also available for home use. Activating cellular regeneration and stimulating cellular defences, it provides the first line of facial defence against the harsh winter weather and is a great spa treatment for men and women alike. The two new retail products to the Sothys spa range that are suitable for professional use include the 2 in 1 Mask Exfoliant. It’s a gentle and effective product that contains polyethylene particles for soft mechanical exfoliation to remove dead cells and impurities. Used as a mask, it acts as a source of oxygen for the skin and contains the additional benefits of pink clay which purifies, oxygenates, remineralizes and detoxifies. The second …

It’s all about the eyes

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Responding to the needs of ultra-sensitive skin, Dermalogica has developed UltraSmoothing Eye Serum for people with thin, easily irritated skin around the eyes. Utilising a powerful combination of ingredients to sooth, protect and hydrate the delicate skin tissue around the eyes, it gently works to target fine lines and wrinkles. Formulated with botanical extracts, Harpoon Weed, Golden Chamomileand Norwegian Kelp, to sooth and reduce puffiness, Hexapeptide—11 and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) work to improve skin tone and elasticity. The addition of Dermalogica’s UltraCalming Complex helps to reduce inflammation, redness and irritation making this perfect for sensitive skin. www.dermalogica.co.uk

New travel kit from The Refinery

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It’s new and it’s coming your way – The Refinery Skincare Essentials kit. This is a comprehensive collection of essentials, including the Refinery Revitalising Moisturiser, Refinery Eye Gel and Refinery Face Scrub. Formulated with carefully selected botanical extracts and essential oils with rejuvenating properties for skin that is clear, smooth and revitalised. THis really is my top pick for male grooming. I have said before, I am a big fan of The Refinery and this contains all the top products. REFINERY SKINCARE ESSENTIALS, £65.00 Available at Aromatherapy Associates Boutique & Treatment Rooms, 5 Montpelier Street, London, Liberty’s, Fortnum & Mason, Space NK and selected spas & salons nationwide.

New brand discovery: Homo Naturals

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THE STORY: Homo Naturals is a brand I discovered whilst on holiday near Barcelona in Spain this year. It’s based on a simple four step routine: cleanse, scrub, tone and hydrate – so all the basics, but nothing new in the regime. OK, the name may alienate some straight men from the outset. It’s not specifically designed for a gay audience. This is a Spanish brand so homo is indicative of men. It focuses on active ingredients, is formulated naturally and without synthetic chemicals. In particular it is free from: mineral oils, petrolatum, parane, silicones, vaseline, animal oils, trietanolamine, EDTA, PEG, PPG, BHT, BHA, parabens, phenoxyetanol, formaldehydes, synthetic perfumes. THE PRODUCT: I tried a sample of the Youth-Blend Anti-stress Moisturizer I was given whilst in Sitges. It’s a hydrating, anti-ageing moisturiser with shea butter, jojoba oil and avocado oil vitamin E and C and Organic Gingko Biloba extract. It’s based on aromatherapy and has a slightly woody scent but is not over powering. THE SCIENCE: Organic Gingko Biloba extract: great revitaliser and anti-ageing. Alantoin and …

Executive care for your skin

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Mazorin is a new skin range for men in the city. Designed specifically for city types and stressed office workers it tackles stress factors that cause problems for the skin like UV rays, pollution and air-conditioning. Combined with general stress and lack of sleep these can cause inflammation, excess sebum, visible signs of fatigue and accelerated ageing. It’s a problem most guys face who are desk bound or live in an urban area. I like this range as it’s compact – straight to the point and designed for simplicity and to offer a few solutions to pep up the skin in an instant. My two favourites are: Pre-meeting Face Revamp The name says it all and it promises to awaken any dull and fatigued complexion. Portable and discrete, it comes in tiny sachets you can keep in your desk or pocket for use in the office or on a plane, whenever you need to impress. Refreshes and invigorates Uplifts skin and diminishes signs of fatigue Stimulates cell renewal Apply to your face avoiding eye area …