BEARDS: Iron Horse Beard Oil

In early December I wrapped up warm and headed down to the Gentleman’s Grooming Show 2016, held at Tobacco Dock in East London. It was a great opportunity to browse a plethora of male grooming goodies and talk to brands I hadn’t seen or heard of before. As soon as I passed the Oil Can Grooming stand I knew I had to pick up a can of their Iron Horse Beard Oil to expand my foray into the world of beard softening!

On the day, I ended up buying a 50ml can of the oil for £20, a slight discount on the usual £24 cost of the product. If you want to pick up a can, you can so from their website here.

So, who are Oil Can Grooming? This is what they say about themselves over at their website:

‘Born of the industrial revolution an Oil Can is an essential and robust tool. They keep machinery and moving parts in prime condition and running smoothly, something we want our products to do for you.’

Iron Horse Beard Oil has a fantastic fragrance to it, so much so that I often forget to put aftershave on when using it as inadvertently I can smell it and think I've already applied it. It was indeed the fragrance that directly resulted in me parting with the £20 I paid for this - one dab, one sniff and it had me hooked. The leather and raspberry, a strange concoction I thought at first blends beautifully - the stand out fragrance is the leather and it forms a great masculine base you would expect from a beard oil but every so often the raspberry comes forward as something of a nice surprise. Far from being fruity this blend is actually a real gem.

But does it tame the mane? Yes, yes it does, a little of the oil onto the palm in the morning, a quick rub to warm it up and then boom, it smooths onto the beard with ease and is absorbed fairly quickly giving ample time to style my beard from the dragged through a hedge look to something a little more groomed. 

I have been using this beard oil for the last three weeks and my stubble was softer, my beard seemed to grow a touch (just a touch) faster than normal and now that it is about an inch long I can happily say that I've had not one jot of irritation from the growth. Happy days indeed. 

My beard, if you exclude the many, many white hairs that are appearing looks healthier and to the touch my beard is super soft.

Personally I think £20 for a beard oil is a bit expensive, you can pick up other brands for under £10 that do exactly the same thing for your beard. I've recommended this because it did the trick and what it said it would do, it smells fantastic and the can looks so very, very cool. If price isn't a consideration you really should give this a try.

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Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum + GIVEAWAY

If I could only ever wear one aftershave ever again it would have to be Bvlgari Pour Homme, this aftershave and I have some serious history going back now nearly twenty, yes twenty years. 

Casting my impending old age to one side I’ve spent those heady years seeking out other fragrances from Bvlgari, some excellent while some have left me wondering what the hell they were thinking! Bvlgari Man is a fragrance that a former colleague called the “Stephen smell” as I wore it every day for a year but it may be under some serious competition now that I've had my sniffing tackle around Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum. I first smelt this my friend Alan at his recent birthday and was hooked yet didn’t go out and buy a bottle until recently. One question I’m asking myself constantly now is, why the hell did it take me so long to pick up a bottle for myself as it is lovely.

Before you think that’s it, if you read on not only will I give my thoughts on the fragrance, but being the oh so generous person I am, I bought two bottles so that I can share the fantastic nasal overload experience with one of my readers.

Bvlgari are a luxury fashion house, and their fragrances don’t normally come cheap - I remember paying well over £80 for my bottles of aftershave from the brand in the past but guess what, the price has come down quite a lot over the years. I paid £55 each for my 60ml bottles but you can pick them up online from places like Amazon for anywhere from £30-£45 so it really does pay to shop around. I opted to buy mine from The Perfume Shop as I received a Michael Kors bag for spending over £100, which will become my gym kit bag.

Having smelt this on my friend at his party and on a friend at work after recommending it to him I had a good idea of how the fragrance would evolve over time and what it would be like after finally drying down, but when peeking at the notes I was still surprised, particularly by the Tonka Bean as to me this fragrance doesn’t seem to have the sweetness that usually comes from such a note.

The notes to Bvlgari Man in Black are:

• Head: Rum & Luminous Spices
• Heart: Tuberose, Orris Root Absolute & Leather Accord
• Dry-down: Benzoin, Tonka Bean & Guauacwood

As soon as it left the atomiser I knew I was onto a winner - a strong blend of rum and spice that immediately started to fade down to a subtle hint of spice. I confess that within seconds I couldn’t detect any obvious hints of rum but the spice was warm and not too overpowering. Bliss. It started to evolve within minutes as it was absorbed by my skin and again, I couldn’t pick out the  all of the notes but the tuberose (it’s a flower used as a note in aftershaves and perfumes) combined with the spice and leather note was almost heavenly. This post in fact has taken much longer than normal to write as I’ve spent at least twenty minutes sitting back and continuously smelling the fragrance on my wrists. 

After around five minutes you have the final fragrance and this is how it smells for a good ten to fifteen hours after applying. It remains really subtle but as you walk or move around you will pick up hints of the floral spice that comes from the top notes. I cannot stress how much I really like this fragrance.

This is not too dissimilar to Black Orchid by Tom Ford (and much cheaper), it has hardwearing notes that make me want to continuously sniff away at myself. While with Bvlgari Pour Homme it dries down and I can’t smell it (yet everyone else can) I still get hints of this on my skin some ten hours later. It’s just quite possibly one of my favourites. It has a beautiful blend of notes that produces a masculine and spicy fragrance that will have people asking you what you are wearing and where they can get some from. It’s immense and well worth the purchase price. Only a little goes a very long way given it’s strength and I for one will not now be without a bottle of it in my collection, in fact, this may well indeed become the new “Stephen smell”. It’s not going to knock Pour Homme of it’s perch as my favourite but it is pulling at it’s ankles from second place.

Perfect for daywear, nights out or special occasions you really should put down what you are doing now and pick up a bottle for yourself or the man in your life. There are a few mandatory entries which must be completed, otherwise your entry will be null and void. Ensure that you are over 18 or have your parents permission because I will need your home address and finally owing to the prize on offer, this is a UK only giveaway.

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Myths Man by Amouage

I had seen the rather stylish bottles for various aftershave and perfume offerings from Amouage on Pinterest for some time. When I was asked if I would like to try the new fragrance, Myths Man by Amouage I actually expected a really small tester as this isn't by any stretch of the imagination a budget brand, it's expensive. When a 100ml bottle arrived oozing style I was not only grinning from ear to ear I was intrigued as to how the notes, which seem predominantly floral to me would play out on my skin.

Here is the sting, a 100ml bottle of Myths Man will set you back £195 (ouch) and is available from Selfridges here. This is what they say about the fragrance:

'Myths Man by Amouage is a Oriental fragrance for men. Myths Man was launched in 2016. Myths Man is a surreal mirage of oriental elements intoxicated with enigmatic tones of smoke and wood, creating a fusion of dream and ambivalence. 

Myths Man, represented by the celestial Chinese dragon, a symbol of enlightenment and honour, opens with the classical beauty of Chrysanthemum and Orris. The fragrance paves the way to an intoxicating heart defined by an interpretation of a thorny rose accord. The culmination is a base projecting both peace and calamity with Labdanum, Ashes, and Leather.'

Now my nervousness came after seeing the notes, as it seems jam packed with floral notes and I honestly couldn't see how this could blend to provide an oriental vibe on dry down. The published notes to Myths Man are:

• Top Notes - Chrysanthemum, Iris
• Heart Notes - Rum, Rose, Vetiver, Elemi
• Base notes - Labdanum, Ashes, Leather

The first blast from the atomiser is overly floral as you would expect yet has a warmth and almost immediately becomes heavier and spicier. This isn't for you if you like your fragrances light and airy, oh no, it gets heavier and warmer. It took about fifteen minutes of intense sniffing but eventually I could detect the vetiver but overwhelmingly the leather base note becomes the most prominent and remains the most prominent note until it eventually fades away.

If I hadn't read the marketing blurb I would have placed this as more of a fragrance from the Middle East, it reminded me of a visit to a perfume store in Egypt some years ago. It certainly does evoke a strong reaction from me, and it can be quite polarising. My wife doesn't like it, she says it's too heavy yet everyone else who has smelt this on me says that it's actually incredibly lovely.   
If it was a little cheaper I'd probably be screaming that this is one you should always have (over the screams of my wife saying never to buy a bottle) in your aftershave collection. This last for well over fifteen hours so you have a very hardwearing, almost exotic fragrance that knocks the spots off a lot of other high end fragrances. Personally I'm a Creed man even if I have to re-mortgage the house to buy a bottle but this is a very close second and actually last much longer than any of the Creed fragrances in my collection.

If you see this stop and try it, and please do let me know what you think to it - I'm 90 per cent certain that people with a nose for all things manly scented will become addicted to it.

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David Hampton Leather Coat Wallet

No, I’m not breaking out into song, but……last Christmas (crap Wham reference there……)….I reviewed my current wallet as a possible gift idea for him - it was an expensive number (not as expensive as the Mont Blanc one I managed to lose) and one that has served me well. But, a certain little darling of a wallet has arrived courtesy of David Hampton - step forward stage left, the David Hampton Leather Coat Wallet in Malvern.

Well hello……

At £80 for a wallet this clearly is a luxury item but it does ooze class, and it gives off that reassuringly classy leather aroma. 

Now personally I’ve always been one for a rather chunky yet bulky wallets that fit neatly in the back pocket of a pair of jeans kind of guy but the chance to try out the longer wallet version was too good to pass up - so yes, this was a sample from the company, but I promise to be objective.

So, who are ya? Who are ya? This is what they say over on their website here:

'David Hampton, makers of superior leather goods since 1989: beautifully crafted wallets, purses, travel good and luxury leather gifts for men and women. David Hampton offers a selection of luxury ladies' purses, gentleman's wallets and business card holders, travel accessories and fine desk accessories created and available exclusively with a host of premium quality leather good to suit every taste.'

The wallet came gift wrapped, and as always, like a child I got giddy as I unwrapped the box and then removed the wallet from the dust sleeve (dust sleeve, yeah, a bit too classy for my blood). Loved it on first sight, but that just increased as I ran my hands over the outside before running my fingers across the lining, which is actually Champagne

With eight card slots, four pockets for cash (three of which will invariably be taken up by receipts) and a ticket pocket this can hold a mass of cards and cash. Had I not managed to lose all my cards on a recent trip up to Manchester (slow clap for Shawcross) the images would probably demonstrate this, but I’ve tried to show how many cards etc it can take using what I managed to retain while dodging protestors (and police), crawling from bar to bar or scaling a 6 foot (spiked) fence……

The neat David Hampton logo is embossed and incredibly discreet - I actually didn’t notice it at first.

I’m really pleased with my new wallet - it is perfect that use when out in a trench coat, blazer or lounge suit and has already drawn comments from friends (the only printable one is that it’s way too posh for me). At £80 I personally haven’t seen anything of this quality available which also has the functionality and looks to rival it. A perfect gift at any time, but now that Christmas is getting closer you could do so much worse than picking this up as a stocking filler for your fella.

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Bracelets for Men Wishlist

I recently picked up a bargain pair of Buckle Boots from ASOS for £35. Not wanting to waste the rest of the voucher I had another £15 to spend and made light work of spending it by picking up a bracelet to go with my watch and usually dark clothing. 

So, you can thank ASOS for this wishlist of bracelets for men, and ones I will be getting my hands on over the coming weeks as I prepare my wardrobe for the summer. If interested, I have a board on Pinterest here with hundreds of bands and bracelets for blokes that vary in cost from a couple of pounds to a small mortgage.

These are my five favourites for this year that sit firmly in the could afford bracket rather than the 'if I win the lottery' category:

Colana Double Wrap Onyx Bracelet

This baby looks the part and certainly has a price tag to match costing £137. For me it is the fact that is has quite an intricate design interspersed with Buddha heads while retaining a rather understated look. It oozes class in my view and is one I will be buying.

Alexander McQueen

To say I’m a huge fan of accessories from Alexander McQueen would be an understatement of epic proportions. The skull designs really appeal to me and go with large swathes of my casual wardrobe (I shop on the basis that if it has a skull on it I’ll wear it) but McQueen also have some amazing cufflinks and bracelets for blokes that you can pass off, even with formal wear. 

The metal skull and woven bracelet is £185, but the weave and solid look appeal to me and my inner Goth. 

Men's Spiritual Evil Eye Protection

While my first two choices are on the expensive side in my opinion and rest within the luxury category of accessories this bracelet not only looks cool, it is made with a number of semi precious stones such as Tiger's Eye, Green Imperial Jasper, Bone, Lava, Amber Murano. The evil eye charm is made from copper and finishes off the look really well. 

This one is available here at the moment for just £29.95.

Rosary Bracelet for Men

While not overly religious (I only seek divine intervention after a heavy night out), I do like religious iconography and this hand-made bracelet jumped out at me. Made with black onyx gemstones, stainless steel wire, a magnetic clasp, bronze medals and brass spacer beads it is affordable (£18.64) and looks the business. 

It would make a perfect little gift and won‘t break the bank. In fact, the seller of this bracelet has a number of other equally awesome offerings and is worth checking out. 

Black Leather and Silver tone Cuff Double Skull 

Last, but not least and by far one of the cheapest and coolest bracelets from one of my favourite online retailers, Skull Clothing. This weave of leather with silver skulls would go perfectly with my watch and my usual all black clothing. 

Currently on sale for $16.95 this is affordable, looks awesome and is one that will be in my collection by the end of the month! 

I hope you liked my choices - do you think men can pull off bracelets or is it just a step too far?

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Polo by Ralph Lauren

Confession time, I stink. Yes, I do, today I’m mainly trailing the sweet smell of Polo by Ralph Lauren and will be giving my worldly-wise opinion on it.

Having already established that I’m a big fan of all fragrances by Ralph Lauren I thought today would be an appropriate time to review the first ever Polo fragrance that entered by collection. 

Personally, I picked up my bottles of Polo from a friend who works in duty free, which means a substantial reduction in price for me - circa £15 for a 59ml bottle. In the shops, you can expect to pay pushing £40 for the same bottle. 

The packaging to Polo is styled in a very minimalist way and is a very pale green with a darker green stripe across the front. Although very basic, it looks damn good sat on the counter and even better in the bathroom alongside all of the other bottles in my collection. 

On opening the packaging you are greeted with a lovely Emerald bottle - it looks cool and for some reason I always tend to start humming ‘ten green bottles’. 

The marketing blurb states that Polo has been created to celebrate the tradition of the sporting lifestyle, blended with notes of wood, leather and tobacco to create a lasting, subtle smell that will have an enduring appeal.

Well, the bit you’ve been waiting for! What’s it like?

After shaving I took the glass bottle in hand and then proceeded to struggle with the lid, as my hands were still wet. I dried my hands and had another go. On removing the lid I was presented with a mixed aroma that was heavy, woody and very overpowering. There was a distinct leather smell, which didn’t do much for me at the time!

As the smell was noticeable when just removing the lid I only applied a tiny amount of the aftershave. As soon as it had hit my skin the smell changed quite dramatically. The overpowering heavy smell disappeared and softer woody tones could be smelt. The revolting smell of leather became more and more subdued the longer I wore the aftershave.

Unlike the Polo Sport, Polo does not have a sweet citrus smell and that’s the only reason I do not wear this fragrance when I go out in the evenings. 

It is similar in nature and in some ways smell to Fahrenheit. It will get you noticed in the street, but in a club or bar, this isn’t the aftershave that will have the ladies flocking to sniff your neck! Don’t get me wrong, this aftershave has a distinctive, lovely smell, but it is more for daytime wear and meals with the “in-laws” in my opinion. Not a "pulling" fragrance and for this the aftershave is going to lose points for that!

Would I buy it again?

Yes and I would recommend this aftershave to all who require it. It isn’t too expensive, it has a large bottle, it’s long lasting and the smell is still evident after 10 hours.

My only gripe about Polo is the actual design of the bottle. It does look amazing, but it is a bitch to keep hold of if your hands are wet and I frequently find myself dropping it!

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