The 80 blade shave

I’m off to the UK launch of Gillette’s Fusion ProGlide razor tonight, which I’m excited about, as these events usually entail a lot of free drinks.

The ProGlide was launched in the US last year (February 2010) and inevitably it was going to reach our shores at some point. I haven’t tried it yet – but I have heard good things. It features re-engineered, finer blades, a unique Microcomb to guide hairs towards the blade, a larger Lubrastrip, improved precision trimmer and a streamlined ‘Snowplow’ Comfort Guard to help maintain optimum contact with the skin. Take a look at the picture.

However it now seems that the ProGlide might be scrapped all together after I received information today that Gillette was launching an 80 blade razor. Now my first thought was, yeah, I can see that. The next step after five blades has to be 80 – let’s see Wilkinson Sword and King of Shaves beat that! And then of course you realise it’s a marketing spoof, which I am quite sad about. Just picture yourself shaving with 80 blades! Magnificent – although you might need some industrial sized toilet roll to patch up any cuts.

Check out the spoof viral of the Gillette MagmaCore Extreme:

Got to Facebook.com/GilletteUK to check out the Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor.

Fuel for the face

Every day your skin goes 12 rounds with Rocky and takes a battering. Protect and rescue it with these three great products, road tested by The Grooming Guy:

Lab Series – Power Wash

This stuff cuts through dirt and grime with ease. It’s ideal for normal or oily skin types and is great for unblocking pores and reducing redness.

It comes in a foaming gel with enzymes that remove excess oil and the build up of grease and filth from pollution. It is also a nice product for prepping your beard before you shave. Use day and night.

£19.00 for 250ml http://www.mankind.co.uk

Bulldog – Original Moisturiser

Keeping your skin hydrated is vital – drink lots of water and use a good moisturiser.

Bulldog’s daily moisturiser will keep your skin fresh and smooth. It’s also free of chemical nasties like parabens, sodium laureth sulfate and synthetic fragrances. Bulldog prides itself on naturally and ethically sourced products.

Also comes in two variants – one for sensitive skin and one with anti ageing properties.

£5.99 for 100ml http://www.boots.com

Dr. Lewinns – MEN Day Moisturiser SPF 15 50m

As well as keeping your skin hydrated you need to protect it against harmful UV rays and other free radicals.

Dr. LeWinn’s Men Day Moisturiser SPF 15 is a non greasy day moisturiser which protects against the harsh environment.

Apparently it uses the natural Oceanic Repair System (ORS), based on natural Brown and Red Algae Extracts, known for their soothing properties to help repair and calm the skin.

£30.00 for 50ml http://www.poised.co.uk

The Grooming Guy becomes Poised.co.uk’s Online Grooming Editor

Over the next few months I will be writing a second blog for Poised.co.uk, a new online store dedicated to providing premium grooming, fitness and wellbeing supplies for men.

I will be offering tips and advice on what products can help you to look your best, protect you from the harsh weather, kick the signs of tiredness, beat the effects of ageing, defeat the hangovers and stay looking young.

You can read my first post here http://www.poised.co.uk/blog/news/our-new-grooming-guy/

Grooming big shot: Will King, Founder and CEO of King of Shaves

Fresh from signing a distribution deal with US grooming giant Remington, to launch his brand in America, The Grooming Guy caught up with the King of Shaves himself, Mr. Will King.

King of Shaves will launch a new system razor, co-branded with Remington, in the US next spring, while Remington’s parent company Spectrum, which supplies retailers across the US, will distribute King of Shaves branded men’s grooming products.

And he has a smile on his face. Mr King believes the expansion will grow the company’s revenues to £100m by 2013, representing around 5% of the US market.

The Grooming Guy spoke to him about breaking into the US, the future of the shaving market, his plans for 2011, and his favourite grooming products:

TGG: You have just signed a groundbreaking deal with Remington – why did you choose to partner with a competitor rather than go it alone?

WK: The US has been a graveyard for British brands in the past, so it was clear we needed a large American partner to even begin speaking to the big retailers like Walmart and Target. Spectrum has more than £1bn of sales going into Walmart alone. It’s vital that you take a lead from people who understand the market. I am confident we can deliver our King of Shaves wet shave expertise alongside the Remington position in electrical men’s grooming.

TGG: You have just taken on investment from Japanese firm Kai Industries, how will this help you to move forward in 2011?

WK: The investment will help to drive our global manufacturing, tooling and production capacity to help us serve the US market. Kai helped us to develop the Azor and bring a wealth of expertise in developing high-tech products.

TGG: What’s next in the pipeline that you can tell us about?

WK: If I told you, I would have to kill you. But I can tell you that with 2011 around the corner we’ll have a new Azor with the X Factor! Watch this space.

TGG: Your a bit of a social media mogul – a prolific blogger and tweeter – how important is this for communicating the KoS brand?

WK: I think it’s huge. It allows us to reach a global audience for free, while our competitors spend millions on traditional marketing. I am able to give KoS a personality, which the public can connect with, and it allows me to directly communicate with customers.

TGG: Can you tell us about the new KoS iPhone App?

WK: It’s going to be a commercial app and will be launching very soon. It will allow the customer to delve into the the KoS brand and choose the products that are right for them.

TGG: Describe KoS in one word.

WK: KING!

TGG: What kind of technology will we be using to shave with in the year 2030?

WK: Nano technology will play a huge role. We won’t be shaving with four or five blades, but 200,000,000 self sharpening individual stubble slicers cutting away the hair follicles.

TGG: The Grooming Guy recently invented a new cocktail to encapsulate the brand (The Gsquared). What drink would best reflect the KoS brand?

WK: Ha. Erm, something smooth, easy to drink and modern. I would go with a mix of Belvedere Vodka and a Dirty Martini.

READERS’ QUESTIONS

TGG: Best shaving tip for guys?

WK: In the shower with a fog free mirror.

TGG: What three grooming products could you not live without?

WK: 1. Commes des Incense Kyoto 2.Kings Flawless Hold Hair Gel 3. Colgate toothpaste

TGG: If R&D led innovation is the key to developing shaving technology that provide consumers with closer, more comfortable shaves, how does this relate to your business strategy ‘ the Aspiration of Fair’ that will effectively move the brand towards less technologically advanced products?

WK: The Fair I’m talking about is delivering a close, comfortable and long lasting shave to a consumer, at a Fair, not artificially, monopolistically, over-inflated price. Fair is about looking at ways to make a razor cartridge last longer, deliver more value, not wear out so quickly. Take our Azor handle for example, which is made of only one part, rather than some competitor handles, which are made of 16 or more parts. We are delivering high-tech innovation, but not over-charging our customers for embracing it. Better technology shouldn’t equate to extortionate prices.

Follow Will King’s blog: http://blogs.shave.com/king/ and follow him on Twitter @KingofShaves

Grow a Mo for Movember

It’s that time of year again when it is acceptable to grow a handlebar, a Dali or an English moustache. Why? Because it’s Movember and all in aid of prostate cancer.

Movember is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The Movember participants, known as Mo Bros, have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their Mo, raising money for prostate cancer. You can register as an individual or as a team.

The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The plan was simple – to bring the moustache back and do something for men’s health. But behind the fun there is a serious message – 36,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year.

The initiative has grown globally with official campaigns running this year in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, Finland, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Australia. Over 253,000 participants raised more than £25.9 million for Movember’s global beneficiary partners in 2009.

Bedford Blues rugby star Sacha Harding, the face of leading shaving brand The Bluebeards Revenge, is an official ambassador for Movember. He told The Grooming Guy:

“It’s that time of year again where I grow a big thick hairy Mo to help raise awareness and funds to help fight prostate cancer,” said Sacha, officially Britain’s manliest man.

“My aim is to raise £10,000 this year and with the help of my team-mates and supporters at Bedford Blues and Bluebeards all over the world, I really think I can meet this target.”

So, grow a Mo for Movemeber – you and your mates can register at http://uk.movember.com Twitter – @MovemberUK

Greed is good…..

With the release of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Gordon Gekko is back on the scene.  The Grooming Guy takes a look at his grooming routine.

Remember…“lunch is for wimps”.

SHAVE

The Gekko probably uses a cut throat razor with a splash of lime juice for lubrication. The Grooming Guy recommends using a double-edge safety razor – check out this handmade razor from The Art of Shaving ($65) http://www.theartofshaving.com

You’ll also need a badger brush ($55 from The Art of Shaving) and a good shaving cream like Truefitt & Hill http://www.truefittandhill.com

FRAGRANCE

If you ask Gordon what fragrance he wears he would probably look you straight in the eye and tell you, “that sweet scent you’re smelling, is the smell of success”. The Grooming Guy recommends capturing the 80s with Antaeus by Chanel (1981), Versace l’Homme by Versace (1984), Trussardi Uomo by Turssardi (1983) and Portos by Aramis (1985).

HAIR

As much as braces were a key component of 80s power dressing, so was an unflappable hair do. Check out Lost Stock & Barrel’s The Daddy Classic Wax (£7.20) http://www.groomingmen.com

SKIN

Mr. Gekko probably uses sandpaper or a cheese grater to exfoliate with and he more than likely moisturises with a mix of Caviar and Dodo juice. The Grooming Guy recommends Jack Black Face Buff Energising Scrub (£16.50) www.getjackblack.com and Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Moisturiser (£30.50) http://www.kiehls.co.uk to keep your skin looking sharp.

Keep your beard in check

If you’re planning to grow your whiskers or sport the five o’clock shadow, then keeping your facial fuzz in shape is a must.

A good beard needs to be carefully maintained and looked after with a beard trimmer.

BaByliss for Men has developed the i-stubble, packed full of cutting edge design to keep your beard trim, like a unique flexing head which tracks the contours of the face, 15 pre-set lengths (0.4mm – 5mm) adjusting in 0.2mm increments for shorter cutting, an LCD screen display and electrochemically sharpened blades.

It also features a five minute quick charge function for a single stubble shave.

The i-stubble is priced at £60.00. For more information go to www.babyliss.co.uk/men.html

The Grooming Guy is giving away one i-stubble to a lucky reader. All you have to do, to be in with a chance to win, is send your name and email address to thegroomingguy@gmail.com, to be entered into our draw.

Also check out this helpful how-to video:

T&Cs – One entry per person. Open to UK residents only. Competition closes at midnight on 31st October. Judges decision is final. Winner must respond within 24hrs of being contacted or another winner will be chosen.
*This is a sponsored post*