Posted on 08/06/11, filed under Darren at Mankind | Written by: Darren at Mankind
Watch any news channel, such as Sky News, and cuts are now as much of a regular feature as the weather (and sometimes equally as grey). Households and businesses alike are trying to find savings, often by cutting expenditure on those non-essential items. This begs the question, how is it affecting our spend on male grooming?
I don’t know about you, but there are certain items which l definitely couldn’t cut back on as part of my grooming routine, for example, my Decleor Skin Energiser Fluid . I was also surprised to read an article from a well-respected market research agency, which found that in this economic climate, more men than ever are shunning the conditioner in its entirety or opting for cheaper brands.
This is quite bazar, as the shampoo and conditioner are a bit like the strawberries and cream l was eating yesterday. Both do different things, but both complement each other and are rather bland on their own! Of course, a high quality conditioner is rather like an investment for your hair, keeping it well-nourished and providing targeted solutions to keep your hair under control – keeping us looking and feeling good in the office or playing on the pitch.
It begs the question, what grooming product do you fly the flag for and just couldn’t live without? Hmmmmm…..
Darren | Mankind.co.uk
Posted on 15/03/11, filed under Mankind Grooming Editor | Written by: Lee - Mankind Grooming Editor
Three weeks ago a good friend of mine became a dad for the first time. Good news for him: bad news, unfortunately, for his looks! As the weeks have passed and the lack of sleep has caught up with him he’s had scores of people commenting on how exhausted he looks. Of course, plenty of men are in the same situation, so this week I thought I’d provide a few tips for new dads on how to tackle the main signs of all-out exhaustion…
DARK CIRCLES
What to do: Try necking a pint of water before bed each night to maintain hydration and make sure it’s at room temperature – our bodies find it harder to absorb the chilled stuff. If, after a week you still look like you’ve gone six rounds with David Haye, invest in an eye cream containing light-diffusing particles to reduce the appearance of the dark circles through a little optical trickery. I like Dermalogica’s Total Eye Care. Gently tap the cream around the socket and you’ll also help eliminate toxins from the eye area.
EYE BAGS
What to do: Whack something cold onto them to constrict the blood vessels and reduce the swelling (Menscience Eye Gel Mask is perfect). A good eye product will help too though remember that gels tend to be better for eye bags than creams as they’re lighter and more cooling. Ren’s Active 7 Eye Maintenance Gel is perfect as it also contains Vitamin P to combat the darkness itself.
GREY COMPLEXION
What to do: Remove dead skin cells with a facial scrub. This is the key to brightening up dull skin and is the best fix for tired skin there is. Simply exfoliate twice a week with a scrub like Zirh’s Face Reviver Scrub, applying with gentle circular motions and avoiding the delicate eye area.
SPOTS
What to do: Both a lack of sleep and stress can trigger outbreaks of spots so knock them out before they become a problem by upgrading to an anti-bacterial face wash at times of stress. Try Anthony Logistics Acne Cleanser, which contains Salicylic Acid to help prevent knock the dreaded zits on the head before they get chance to come to one!
Lee, Mankind Grooming Ed
Posted on 09/03/11, filed under Mankind Grooming Editor | Written by: Lee - Mankind Grooming Editor
Fans of Lab Series will have noticed that there is a brand new product in the new MAX LS premium skincare range designed to be used at night. The Overnight Renewal Serum is actually one of my favourite products from the new line up and for a number of reasons.
Firstly, I’m a great believer in doing anything to make grooming easier. And whilst I know it means adding another product to your regime what could be simpler than slapping on something that effectively improves your looks while you kip?
For those of you skeptical about the need for a night cream or serum let me point out that numerous studies have shown that the optimum time for the skin to repair itself is between 11pm and 3am and that the skin’s oxygen consumption and blood flow increase during the night as it effectively switches into repair and regenerate mode. No wonder then, that this is a good time to feed it the essential nutrients it needs for these processes. Since water-loss through the skin tends to be higher at night too it’s also a good time to hydrate and moisturise.
The Lab Series Overnight Renewal Serum is designed to trigger the renewal process, accelerate cell turnover and generally improve the look of your skin in time for the morning. Think of it as a nighttime support system for your skin and you get the picture. I like it too for its light, easily absorbed texture – important in a product you apply just before hitting the sack. As a serum it’s potent stuff so don’t overdo it (a small blob massaged in thoroughly with your fingertips is sufficient) but do give it a go. Sure, it’s an investment purchase but it’s one I reckon you certainly don’t need to, er, ‘sleep on’ before making.
Lee, Mankind Grooming Ed
