Bronzing the safe way

Fake tan for men is dodgy ground. If the fear of being ribbed down the pub by your mates isn’t bad enough, you could potentially end up looking like the tangoed cast of The Only Way is Essex or the illuminous Gavin Henson.

But if you can’t get away for some winter sun and your face is looking grey and as pale as the cast of Twilight, then there is a product which can help.

Anthony Logistics for Men Anti Aging Self Tanner is a natural tanning formula, which doesn’t contain any chemical nasties. It is non-greasy and is easily applied to the skin. It can be used daily or every other day depending on how deep and dark you wish to tan. It also contains anti-ageing peptides and smells great too. The key thing about this product is that it won’t leave you with streaky lines or orange patches.

Apply to face and neck after washing and just remember to wash your hands, otherwise you will end up with orange mitts. RRP £20 for 70ml www.poised.co.uk

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/

Fight the 9 to 5 grind while you sleep

This night cream is by far one of the best purchases you will ever make, but it does come with a hefty price tag. Slap it on before bed and it is guaranteed to  give you noticeable results in a short space of time, leaving skin looking smooth and toned.

The peak detoxing times for the body are between 12am and 12pm, so the skin’s regeneration process is at its optimum during the hours of sleep. This cream is designed to replenish oxygen (by up to 41%) lost during the day as a direct result of the sun and harsh winter weather.

This stuff has great anti-agening propeties too, which helps to fight off those dark circles and fine lines caused by nights out on the town and slaving away at your nine to five  job.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream 50ml – RRP £90.00 www.johnlewis.com

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

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….

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.

Never fly solo

As an avid fan of Top Gun, anything which relates to naval aviation camaraderie gets a tick in my box. That’s why a new company called WINGMAN has caught my eye.

They have created a brand new male deodorising wipe that has been engineered for men on the go. The wipes are designed to effectively remove dirt, oil and bacteria that accumulate on the skin’s surface during the day. They come in man-sized packs and each wipe is loaded with a mixture of soothing aloe vera, fresh peppermint oil and invigorating ginseng, which actively cools the skin.

WINGMAN wipes come in two variants :

– An on the go pack of two (RRP £1.19) for quick hygiene fixes on the train, lunch time gym sessions and nights out.
– And a ration pack of eight (RRP £3.49) for the office, the car or weekends away.

WINGMAN hits the shelves on October 6, exclusively to Boots. http://www.iamwingman.com

WINGMAN’s rise to success will feature as part of a new BBC Two TV series presented by Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis, airing in early 2011.

I’m also a big fan of the strapline: “So wherever you go and wherever you are, Never Fly Solo, make sure your WINGMAN is at your side”.

Wilkinson Sword launch Hydro range

Last night I found myself flying down the Thames in a power boat courtesy of Wilkinson Sword to the launch of their new Hydro range, which they say, actually “cares for your skin as you shave”.

Billed as a world first in shaving performance and comfort, I was excited to see what they had spent the last six years and “tens of millions of dollars” on developing.

And the flagship product for this new range….yes, you have guessed it….A razor with five blades! But Wilkinson has also developed three new technologies for their new Hydro razor.

It features, a unique ‘Hydrating Gel Reservoir’ filled with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to hydrate the skin, built-in ‘Skin Guards’ to smooth the skin’s surface, and a new ‘Flip Trimmer’ which can be pulled back with the thumb, so the top of the blade head can be used to edge and trim.

The initial feedback from both industry journalists and professional barbers/stylists was  positive. However in the US there have been complaints about slimy residue from the ‘Hydrating Gel Reservoir’ being left on the skin post-shave.

At the launch event I was lucky enough to be shaved by Simon Cowell’s grooming assistant. The shave felt good; it was close to the skin and the lubricating pad kept my face feeling wet, allowing for smooth blade strokes. I did notice root hairs still on my face, but all-in-all, a good shave. The Grooming Guy is going to spend a couple of weeks with this razor and will report back in comparison to the Gillette Fusion and King of Shaves Azor M.

The Hyrdo 5 (five blades) is the premium model, retailing at £7.99, and the lower range Hydro 3 (three blades) will be retailing at £5.99. The range also features a shave cream, two shave gels, a shave foam and an after shave balm.

The products will be launching in Boots and Tesco on the 4th of October.