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/

The Grooming Guy’s Christmas gift guide #1

Over the next couple of weeks I will adding products that are ideal gifts for blokes this Christmas.

First up – Tom Ford Extreme

It might not be cheap, a 50ml bottle will set you back £80, but personally I think it is well worth the investment.

It has a powerful, long-lasting scent, which is guaranteed to get you noticed. The mix of Sandalwood, Black Truffle, Italian Fig, Plum and Parma Violet will ignite the nostrils and senses of any woman. It also contains Vanilla which gives it a note of sweetness.

This is the type of scent you throw on and instantly want to go out and cause trouble.

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

Bathroom full of ladies stuff….

A couple of months ago I wrote about Radox’s new men’s range of shampoo and shower gels. Then today – I found this little gem. The Japanese inspired promotional video, which happens to be one of best/weirdest things I have seen for a while. Hooky hook, hooky hook….

Time to musk up

The male fragrance market is crowded by, quite frankly, unoriginal rubbish. But have no fear, The Grooming Guy has found four great masculine fragrances:

White woody oriental – Bulgari Man eau de toilette £56 for 100ml by Bulgari

BEST NEWCOMER: Woody  pepper – Bang eau de toilette £49 for 100ml by Marc Jacobs

BLOW THE BUDGET: Oriental woody pepper – Oud Wood eau de parfum £115 for 50ml by Tom Ford

EDITOR’S PICK: Woody amber – Hermes Terre D’Hermes parfum £70 for 75ml by Hermes

Pomade is back!

If you are a fan of the hit TV series Mad Men, then you will know Don Draper has become a style icon. Razor sharp suits, clean shaven, ‘businessman’ hair cut and ‘woody’ fragrances, complete the retro 60s look. And with the resurgence of retro hairstyles comes the resurrection of old school hairstyling products.

Pomade is making its way back, but with a ‘modern’ twist. Most Pomades are water based, so they wash out easily and there’s no more unwanted wax build-up. So, if you’re going for the retro look, then here are some products to help you create the ‘businessman’ hair-do:

If you want authentic, then reach for Baxter of California Pomade. This is the stuff they actually use on the set of Mad Men. It’s a blend of wax and oils, which gives hold and shine to hair without weighing it down. BoC’s grooming line was developed in Los Angeles back in the fast paced world of advertising in the mid 1960’s. http://www.baxterofcalifornia.com

Black and White Genuine Pluko Pomade is a barbers favourite. It is a firm but pliable dressing that allows you to mould and style, whilst giving strong hold. It’s lightly fragranced with coconut oil, so it smells great too. http://www.blackandwhitewax.com

Grant’s Golden Brand Pomade harks back to legendary old school pomades. The packaging looks like it’s just stepped out of a 1960s barber shop. It’s a medium weight, water based pomade that gives hair a high gloss with a very strong hold. http://www.grantsgoldenbrand.com

And of course, your retro styling armoury is not complete without a comb. Check out this handmade, fine toothed folding comb from Kent. Kent’s handmade combs are saw cut, and then hand polished and buffed to create soft rounded teeth that will not damage your hair or scalp. http://www.kentbrushes.com

Bulldog is running with the big dogs

Great news for British male grooming brand Bulldog, which has claimed a business accolade, coming 16th in Start Ups‘ list of the UK’s 100 best start-ups.

Bulldog launched their range of natural male grooming products in Sainsbury’s in 2007, and have landed deals with Waitrose, Tesco, Superdrug and Boots. The company has also hit the global market launching in Sweden in January of this year.

Bulldog prides itself on naturally and ethically sourced products, which are free of chemicals like parabens, sodium laureth sulfate and synthetic fragrances. Earlier this year Bulldog introduced the first Fairtrade grooming range for men in the UK, including an Eco-System Shave Gel and Bulldog Eco-System Moisturiser, featuring ethically-sourced ingredients from around the world.

Bulldog has also become the  first male grooming company to be recognised and approved by the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) under their Humane Cosmetics Standard. This is the only recognised scheme that enables consumers to identify products that have not been tested on animals.

For more info go to www.meetthebulldog.com