All posts filed under: Men’s grooming

Shaver of your dreams: Bolin Webb

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It is one of life’s biggest mysteries. Most guys use shavers everyday. But so many of the handles are badly designed – plasticky, too light, slippery, weirdly angled – and the menfolk end up with a nick or two almost every morning. Set to do men’s faces right, Bolin Webb is an award-winning men’s grooming label famed for its ergonomic razor handles. Sleek and hefty, the handles are coated with elastomer skin on the underside; made for a firm grip, sharp turns, and a closer shave (hopefully, with zero bleeding).  To be used with the regular Gillette razors, the Bolin Webb handles come in a variety of luxe finishes, from chrome to 24-carat-gold. Now available at Maven, Takashimaya Department Store Level 3.

Got swag?: South Korea’s top men’s grooming label – Swagger

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Founded in 2011, Swagger is one men’s grooming label from the land of K-Pop to look out for. Featured in many magazine titles in South Korea, such as GQ, Dazed, Men’s Health, Esquire and Arena, Swagger offers a wide range of products that are all made without parabens. Most of the ingredients are also sourced from Australia. As with many K-beauty products, it is clear that the Swagger range is made with careful thought for men’s grooming needs. Like the Face Optimizer, a multi-purpose formula that is a toner, lotion and essence all-in-one. It is lightweight but promises to moisturise and repair skin. Or the Eyebrow Maker, a fuss-free brow powder pen for natural-looking manly brows. The Beauty Gazette’s other picks: Complemented by its Face Changer Sheet Masks that leaves skin supple, the Face Terminator is a tinted all-in-one BB cream that evens out the complexion subtly and offers SPF50+/PA+++. Lightweight and gives skin a matte finish. The Shot Caller Fragrance Shower Gel, bottled in a container shaped like a whiskey flacon. Pretty packaging aside, it …

Actor Yusuke Fukichi’s style pointers

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Before Nicola Formichetti was styling Lady Gaga for her hit music videos and directing Diesel’s fashion campaigns, he discovered Yusuke Fukuchi. “I was a literature undergrad who wanted to be a model. For my first gig, Nicola styled me in an abandoned love hotel in Kabukicho, Tokyo,” says the Japanese actor-model, now 32. The editorial spread was for the British magazine Another Man, and it had the moody, sexy patina of a Wong Kar Wai film. That shoot was the beginning of Fukuchi’s love affair with the camera. Today, he has starred in at least eight dramas (in Singapore, Japan, Taiwan), and seven films (Japan, China), with another one coming up in 2017. Fukuchi’s acting career was an indirect result of his three-year modelling stint in London where he was based in his early 20s. There, he had easy access to the classic stage plays around town. And the influence of the theatre seeped into his persona at work. “Every photographer I worked with told me how the image they captured of me reminds them …

Clarins men’s skincare

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When men decide it is time to give their skin some TLC, most don’t know where to start looking for skincare.  So they look in their wives’ or girlfriends’ beauty cabinets for an idea. Just like how my husband rummaged through mine and spotted Clarins.  And when he discovered that Clarins made skincare for men as well, he made a beeline for the counters.  This was 2005, and today, he is a skincare “expert”, and Clarins is still one of his favourite brands. Here are four new products to look out for:  1) Fresh Moisture Toner with Apple Vinegar: Formulated for Asian men, this toner is to be used right after cleansing and shaving. It contains apple vinegar to balance out skin that has been exposed to hard water. Skin is also softened and prepared for better absorption of skincare applied afterwards. 2) Line-Control Eye Balm: A lightweight eye cream that de-puffs eyebags, smoothen lines and firms the eye contour. Feels cool against the skin too. Apply on clean skin. 3) Line-Control Balm: A lightweight, non-greasy serum made …

Armani Code Profumo

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This new Pour Homme is made to be worn with a sleek tux. Giorgio Armani Parfums: “Alluring, powerful, fiery, the classic Code base of tonka bean has been amplified by a sensual woody-ambery accord and notes of burnt styrax wood.  …The green mandarin essence, crisp green apple and cardamom essence…the freshness continues with aromatic lavender notes and nutmeg essence coloured by … orange blossom at its heart…Warmed by tonka bean absolute with its accents of tobacco…enveloped in a suggestive woody-ambery accord. The supple leather of notes of the styrax essence meld … with praline sweetness.”    My thoughts: I did not get a single whiff of freshness. What hit me immediately is a heavy tonka bean, and ambery sweetness. With just the slightest hint of tobacco.  This eau de parfum is not made for the faint-hearted man; you would need enough confidence and sophistication to wear it. And for sure, it is made to be worn with at least a shirt and pants. This is not your T-shirt and jeans fragrance. And because this perfume …

Foreo Luna 2

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The key to a glowing complexion is simple: cleanse and exfoliate well.  Honestly, the best scrubs, cleansing oils and facial wash alone cannot clear clogged pores as the well as a vibrating sonic cleansing device. When I get congested pores around my chin and nose, I rely on the gadgets to cleanse them thoroughly. Sonic brushes with fine bristles do the job; but sometimes, they can be a little harsh on the skin, causing it to be more prone to sensitivity. This is where the Swedish Foreo comes in. Shaped ergonomically like a bar of soap, it has a curved egde with ridges on one side, and silicon bristles on the other.   I feel that the slippery bristles cleanse and exfoliate the skin with lesser friction than the brushes. The blue one pictured here is made for combination skin, with longer bristles at the edge for deep cleansing the corners of the nose and chin that turns greasy easily.  Flip the gadget to the other side and it can be used as an anti-ageing …

Penhaligon’s Endymion Cologne

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 Penhaligon’s: Head notes – Bergamot, mandarin, lavender, sage Heart notes – Geranium, coffee absolute  Base notes – Vetiver, nutmeg, black pepper, cardamom, musk, leather, sandalwood, incense, frankincense, myrrh My thoughts: Straight from the bottle; it is rich, smoky, bittersweet, musky, warm, cosy, enveloping. Stronger and more long-lasting than  the average cologne. Love it on my man.

Kose Seikisho Mask White

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   This mask is an all-time favourite.  Discovered it in 2010, while watching Taiwanese beauty guru Robin Niu demonstrate the wonders of it at a Kose event. It might be called “Mask white”, but squeeze the tube and you’ll find a thick, black liquid goodness oozing out. Made with vitamin C, Chinese barley pearl, angelica, and Japanese coptis extract amongst others, it brightens the skin while giving it a radiant glow. It apparently helps with re-balancing oily skin too. I’ve been using this for the past five years; it works. Apply a thick layer on a clean face, avoiding the brows, hairline (because the peel-off mask can rip them off), lips and eyes. The mask will eventually dry to form a tight, latex-like layer which grips onto most of the tiny hairs, gunk from blackheads and dry skin flakes on your face. Pull the mask off quickly (like you would when waxing hair on your legs) and all the stuff comes off with it. What’s left behind: shrunken pores, smoother and brighter skin. The product …