Men-ü Shave Crème

After that horrific shaving experience (no, I’m not talking man-scaping gone wrong) with Clarins Men Rasage Ideal Smooth Shave a few weeks ago and at least 24 hours of an itchy, blotchy face and neck the opportunity to try Men-ü Shave Crème was very welcome. 

Me being me I launched the packaging (read threw the packaging in the direction of the bin) and was just about to dive straight in until I realised that this usually leads to much swearing, stamping of my feet and generally being a grumpy git when I have to accept that I should read the directions. I’m glad I took the time to read them, as I got the chance to use my shaving brush again - even though it‘s as good just rubbing between your palms and applying using your hands (it’s the little, inane things in life that make me smile the most).

Beardage pre shave.....quite long and thick hair.....

The brush is back....boom boom....

This is what Men-ü say about the shave crème over at their website:

‘Takes you to a whole new level of shaving. Includes tea tree oil (a natural antiseptic and antibacterial) that helps protect from spots and shaving rash. Packed with lubricants including silicone and moisturisers, and provides optimum slip without drying the skin. Less resistance, less irritation and less nicks mean a longer lasting blade! 

With a fresh mint & menthol fragrance, can be used with or without a shaving brush. 

Many foams and gels generate too aerated a lather. What is in contact with skin & beard matters, all else is wasted! With men-ü shave crème you see where you have shaved and the crème breaks down upon contact with water, so will not clog multi blade razors.’

As directed, I washed my face off, wet the brush and used two squirts from the pump dispenser. It covered about half of my face. Yes, I have a big face (the first person to say I look like a horse gets punched) but two squirts of the crème was just not enough. Based upon the recommended amount you should be able to get 165 shaves out of this 100ml tube of the shave crème. In my experience, I had to pump four squirts to get proper coverage of the beardage as you can see from the photograph.

Even despite this, 80 shaves from a 100ml tube costing £10.95 from Mankind here to me doesn’t seem that expensive, especially when you consider that the massive costs for blokes when shaving lies with the cost of blades (you should check out Razor Brite and their blade cleaning kits if you want your cartridges to last longer).

So, the lather, it’s immense, not too thick and it explodes from the crème as soon as any pressure is applied. Personally I prefer using a shaving brush to distribute this across my face, it’s far more even and helps once shaving starts as you can see the bits that have been done.

Using the shave crème again this morning to get a better feel for it I have to say it wasn’t as great as the first time I used it. That said however, it still had lots of things going for it. While the lather did clog the blades in my razor (this in fairness could have been due to the fact that my beard was quite thick) the fragrance, ease of shave and finish on my skin were exceptional. 

You can really smell the mint and tea tree, two of my favourite scents and like all things, if it smells good you are going to continually be drawn to it. While strong, the fragrances don’t linger on the skin once any excess lather has been washed from the face. Like all good grooming products, you don’t want it to be too strong, so that it alters the fragrance of any aftershave or cologne.

Post shave and no irritation.....bonus!

The marketing claims that it provides optimum slip are spot on. A fresh blade glides across the face and even with a thick beard being removed it seems to come off effortlessly. No snags, no swearing and what’s that, no bleeding - result.

After washing off the excess lather and drying my face I was impressed. As directed I used the Skin Refresher gel (again from Men-ü) and let it soak in. Wow, hours after shaving and my face feels baby soft, no signs of irritation and no blotches, not a dot. At this point and if I lacked self respect I would probably dance a little jig.

It’s cost effective, it smells great and it does exactly what it says on the tin. You can’t ask for much more than that. The fact that I hate shaving and fear the break outs afterwards means that a product like this is fantastic, and a very welcome addition to my ever growing collection of shave crème. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Bleu De Chanel Eau de Parfum

It was quite by chance that I my love affair with Bleu De Chanel started. A poorly planned (read I thought the missus was packing my aftershave) visit to Manchester resulted in me rooting around the wardrobe of a friend in search of smellies before heading out to dinner. 

The bottle after a little filtering....

The bottle unfiltered....

Apart from the shock of realising that most (read normal) people have two or three bottles I didn’t have much to choose from and none that I had used myself personally. Bleu de Chanel was chosen after a cursory sniff of each bottle and then boom, a new favourite was found, and then received for Christmas. 

Bleu de Chanel was not an aftershave I had seen that much of prior to using it the first time, but after that it was being advertised everywhere - billboards outside my local pub, in the magazines I read and then finally every time I looked around for something new to try.

A 50ml bottle of this baby can set you back upwards of £50. You can buy it here for the cheapest I can find it at £47.50. 

So, apart from the flashy adverts, what do Chanel say about their aftershave in the marketing blurb (I warn you now, massive flowery blurb alert)?

‘A spectacular scenario. An unexpected masculine spirit. BLEU DE CHANEL embodies a tribute to masculine freedom. Composed by Jacques Polge, the Creator of CHANEL Fragrances, BLEU DE CHANEL reveals itself in three acts.

ACT 1 - Freshness: A spirited burst of freshness ripples across the skin. A sense of liberating well-being is released. 

Citrus accord, Vetiver, Pink pepper.

ACT 2 - Energy: A rush of explosive energy galvanises the senses. The taste for action is electrifying. A positive current of vitality takes over. 

Grapefruit, Dry Cedar notes, Labdanum.

ACT 3 - The senses: The body gains an untouchable confidence, embracing a masculinity that is enigmatic, irresistible, impenetrable.

Frankincense, Ginger, Sandalwood.

Its enigmatic blue defies definition. Too blue to be black, too black to be blue. A bottle of dense, solid glass which blends authority with elegance. One of a kind, unlike anything else.’

See what they did there?!? They broke down the head, heart and dry down notes into acts…..genius (sarcasm alert).

So, in a nutshell, freshness, energy and masculinity. Did it deliver? Well yes, and it delivered in bucket loads, so much so it gave my all time favourite aftershave, Bvlgari Pour Homme a real run for its money.

Immediately after spraying on to my neck it was clear that this had a deep body to it. Rather being light like a citrus this feels almost heavy on the skin and it certainly is invigorating, its like being punched in the nose by someone holding a bunch of flowers. The Vetiver gives it a floral aroma and the pepper ensures that there is no danger of this being mistaken for a floral perfume. That deep body straight away screams that Bleu de Chanel is a man’s aftershave.

As the dry down starts the grapefruit heart takes the edge off the floral scent, it does become lighter while retaining the sharpness of pepper. It’s lovely, each stage of the process is, and personally I like smelling it evolve.

The ginger and sandalwood dry down notes blend superbly with the grapefruit making the final scent as a rich citrus and spice aftershave which will have heads turning. A few sprays of this and it motors on, and on. It lasts for hours and is prominent on the skin and to those around you.

I have been sat in bars when women stop and come in for a sniff. It’s universally loved - I can’t get enough of Bleu de Chanel. It has everything that I love in an aftershave, but considering the price, unlike me I would recommend this for special or romantic occasions. Personally I wear this most of the time and hence why after three months my bottle is about half full. 

If you want to get noticed for smelling lovely gents then I highly recommend Bleu de Chanel. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
  
In the words of Alan Partridge, “kiss my face”.

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Men-ü Matt 'Skin Refresh' Gel

The last thing anyone wants is a face that shines either due to far too much moisture on the face, an overdose of moisturisers or the dreaded greasy skin - eurgh. It’s not a good look. In a hands up confession I have to say I suffer from none of these things (it’s a blessing and a curse to have this skin) but when the chance comes to give a new product a try  I’m not one to say no, so when the chance presented itself to try out Men-ü Matt Skin Refresh Gel on my face, and more pressingly on my crows feet I jumped at the chance. 

Winding its way through the snail mail a 100ml tube of the gel arrived and was put to one side to give it a good couple of weeks as part of my daily cleansing and moisturising routine.

A 100ml tube of the gel will set you back £14.45 (a weird price for anything) from Mankind here.

This is what Men-u say about the gel as part of their sales pitch:

‘An anti-shine, fragrance free gel with natural salicylic acid & witch hazel that leaves your visual frontline looking better for longer! For normal, combination and oily skin. Removes & controls excess oil that contributes to blocked pores & breakouts. Cleans pores from impurities, toning & tightening the skin. Soothes & calms – great after shaving & helps overcome ingrown hairs. 

Use on towel dried skin after shaving or washing and as required. Contains willow bark extract that has been used for centuries as a mild analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. If using a moisturiser, men-ü matt moisturiser recommended.’

Now I think I have normal skin, well as normal as the skin of a 36 year old smoker can be. Anything that can freshen my face up is welcome and as a long time user, and possibly abuser of the L’Oreal Men Expert range I couldn't wait to see what this could do for me.

A quick shake of the tube and I was surprised that the contents sounded like shaking fluid in a flask, if anything I was going to have to be careful, I didn’t want to dispense too much, particularly if it was going to be uber runny. With two pumps of the dispenser I had enough of the gel in my palm to cover my huge face and really work the gel into problem areas (at my hair and jaw lines in addition to around my eyes).

Yes, it isn’t strictly a gel, it has a consistency of a watered down hair product and without being careful if is likely to run off your hand. Be careful. 

In terms of fragrance this screams “I’m a product for blokes” with a very basic, yet masculine fragrance. Thankfully, the fragrance isn’t that synthetic, I like the subtle notes of bark that make this stand out as a little bit rugged, a little bit earthy. Spot on people, spot on.

The fragrance aside, after all, if it’s pants the fragrance is irrelevant, it’s the results that matter. The gel is absorbed really quickly and at the first time of using I actually re-applied and again, that was absorbed really quickly which suggested to me that my skin needed a bit of love. After about a minute on the skin I could feel a change in my face, not numb, but that sensation you get when extreme cold touches your skin and is then immediately removed. Weird, but actually a little bit enjoyable. If anything, it means that something is happening.

Once absorbed there is no shine on the skin, and the matt finish gives that natural look. There is no danger of looking like you have just stepped out of a make up artists chair.

On day one, I noticed that my skin felt tighter on my face, particularly around my forehead, eyes and cheeks. Nice one.

By day three the tingling sensation had stopped and only one application a day was needed first thing in the morning. Each time of using the results were the same, a lovely tightening sensation and visibly clearer skin. 

When making a comparison on day seven I was astounded by the results. The Gordon Ramsey trenches (also known as the stress lines on my forehead) and crows feet were less pronounced. They weren’t gone, but boy, they definitely were not as deep and noticeable as before and that readers is something on a par with a miracle considering the depth of them before using. 

I’m really glad I had the chance to try this out and will be looking to add more of their products to my daily cleansing and moisturising routine in the mornings. At the moment I am complementing this with The Bluebeards moisturiser but will be taking up the Men-u recommendation and trying their own matt moisturiser.  

The tingling, the fragrance and the results are to be blunt bloody brilliant and well worth the initial purchase price. At just shy of £15 for a tube this represents good value for money and will last for ages. After ten days of using I’m delighted with the results and have used around a tenth of the tube.

Banish impurities, unblock pores and let your face breath, Men-ü Matt Skin Refresh Gel is for the gent where performance matters.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Burt‘s Bees Natural Body Wash for Men

The bees, the bees, they’re everywhere……well, my bathroom is packed with things from Burt’s Bees, does that count? 

If you mentioned bees to one of my former colleagues he would slap his head and look as though a little bit of his own life force had been drained, hence why I have warped, yet funny flashbacks every time I use Burt‘s Bees Natural Body Wash for Men. 

This came to me along with a host of other products thanks to the lovely PR people for the company. When they said ‘samples’ I didn’t expect the 350ml bottle of the body wash that arrived. If you want to buy the same bottle you can do for £10 here.

Now £10 for a body wash will probably get Lynx users (Axe for my European readers) fainting in the aisles, but I think £10 for 350ml is actually not a bad price, and if it had that little goes a long way going for it then the initial purchase price shouldn’t turn into a factor when considering whether it represents good value for money. 

This is what Burt’s Bees say about the product over on their website:

‘Wake up with the invigorating buzz of Burt’s Bees Men Body Wash. Get an intense clean with this energizing and purifying body wash, containing lemon, orange and petitgrain oils it washes away dirt and odour, leaving your skin refreshed.

Burt’s Bees Men Body Wash uses natural and refreshing ingredients to invigorate your skin and your senses. Coconut, sunflower and citrus oils cleanse while cypress and fir oils energize for skin that looks, smells, and feels its natural best.’

Normally the first thing that strikes me about a product is the way it smells. It could be me, well hell, I know its me, but before I try anything, drinks, food or beauty products I give them a good sniff first (I say it’s because I can detect all major poisons so my family don’t try a random assassination - this is a joke for the avoidance of doubt). 

In this case it wasn’t the fragrance of the product but the texture that had me having my WTF moment. While in the bottle the liquid looks just that, quite runny, to the point that I made a mental note to be careful not to let too much be dispensed and subsequently flow off my hand. This is where it got a bit strange, as I poured some out it almost has the texture of washing up liquid in that as soon as it hit my hand it seemed to sticky and become a bit thicker. Run off my hand this will not (sorry, random Yoda moment). 

A lovely, light citrus, with lemon being the order of the day is perfect for a body wash, and with slight hints of bergamot this packs a fragrant punch that will not just wake you up in the morning, but it will also leave your skin with a delightful lingering aroma that ensures that body odour is gone, and stays gone. Happy days.

Unlike other body washes where the fragrance explodes into life when it comes into contact with warm water this one remains the same. Understated would be a good way of describing the lovely aroma that comes with the overly rich lather that helps scrub away the dirt and grime that has built up over the course of a day or night. 

It takes a bit to work up the lather, but once the body wash has made its transition from thick liquid (I am yet to find something where so little results in such a large amount of lather) an amount the size of a fifty pence piece is all that is needed to bring on enough of the lather to wash a full grown man from head to toe.  

So, was the dreaded BO (body odour) banished? Hell yeah, it was kicked to the curb, taken out with the trash (insert another generic saying) lol. On a serious note, all that was left after showering and using this body wash was a very, and I mean very subtle hint of lemon.

While washing using this is initially like smearing yourself in honey, and while weird at first I simply couldn’t fault the final results. The subtle aroma, the way my skin was left so smooth I couldn’t help but poke my arm to feel how soft and supple it had become. 

Lush - there you go, this stuff is amazing. I have been using it on and off now since it arrived in December and I’ve used about a quarter of the bottle. On the value for money test it works for me, and is likely to stick around for at least an other six months before the bottle needs replacing. 

While this was a PR sample, the acid test is would I part with my own money for the product. Well yes, yes I would. Taking everything into account, including no a hint of dry skin anywhere on a my body or irritation then this is one that people should take a serious look at, I know I will be searching it out when I need to replace my bottle.

RECOMMENDED  

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Sanctum Soho Hotel - Fusing Fashion with Artistry

When the black envelope embossed with gold writing popped through the door I had no idea what to expect. As soon as I opened it I quietly mouthed the words “how freakin’ cool” (expletives have been substituted) as I read that I had been invited to a launch event at the Sanctum Soho Hotel.

So what was being launched? Well, first of all there was the limited edition Sanctum Soho fragrances for him and her along with a range of cosmetic/clutch/wash bags designed by world renown tattooist Dan Gold. 

How cool is that wallpaper?!?

Cosmetic/wash bags on display

As soon as I wandered into the hotel (the first time I had visited) I was blown away by the cool atmosphere - not only did I get to finally say hello to the lovely Sophie (the reason for my love of all things Fish Soho) from KMI Brands, but cool oozes out of every pore of this 30 bedroom hotel in the heart of Soho.

There are some pictures below of the products themselves. The limited edition fragrances (which retail at £195 here), developed by Domitille Bertier come in a stunningly cool box designed by Dan, using his revolutionary style of fusing tattoo art and graffiti. Personally I love the box design, and I want one! As for the fragrances I found myself moving through a range of emotions as I tried the male version. 

The top notes of pepper are really strong, and I mean, stupidly strong on first application but it dries down faster than anything I have ever smelt before, which means that the initial phew is replaced by a wow.….warm and spicy. Nice.

The female version reminded me of about three other female perfumes. It sort of started off like Bvlgari Pour Femme to me and dried down to smell like a lighter version of Jo Malone. Strange, but I did keep going back to sniff it more. Again, lovely stuff.

Now, for the Dan Gold designed wash bags - out of this world. With prices ranging from £12.50 to £26, so quite affordable and a perfect chance to own what are in effect multi-purpose bags with stunning designs on them. You can see the whole range here but personally I like the Rose Skull Comestic Purse, it would make a great gift and the male wash bags (that are large enough to be used as tablet cases) would be an excellent gift for men who like skulls, tattoos or edgy street art. 

I have this one and it is perfect as a wash bag or tablet case

Apart from playing the celebrity spotting game, sipping champagne and soaking up the edgy atmosphere I had a lovely evening, it’s one I won’t forget. 

Me trying not to be blinded by the flashes or projection!

Now I just need to save up enough for a bottle of the aftershave and a night in one of the suites at Sanctum Soho Hotel, everything about it oozes class and sophistication. Top notch evening and top of the range products. 

Thank you Sanctum and thank you KMI Brands.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

As an aside, you can see my footage of the cool presentation of the products on my Instagram page here (crank up the sound to hear the amazing soundtrack).

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Five Guys Burger & Fries

On Thursday 26 February I was lucky enough to be invited by KMI Brands to the launch of a new cosmetic and wash bag range alongside that of a new perfume and aftershave at the Sanctum Soho Hotel. What promised to be a night of high end perfume and designer bags meant that I spent most of the day pondering (read worrying) about what to wear, and forgot to eat. 

By the time I had arrived at Oxford Circus to meet BeautyqueenUK I was so hungry I was considering nibbling on my own arm to keep me going. Instead, in a case of monkey see monkey want, I clocked the Five Guys Burger & Fries joint on Argyll Street and dragged the missus in to try it out.

I had seen mixed reviews of Five Guys through various forms of social media - the burgers always looked stunning and resulted in me craving one, but the main complaint from visitors was that £8 for a burger was a touch too expensive. I disagree after my visit and if you bear with this post, I’ll tell you for why (a nice Gavin & Stacey reference for St David’s Day). 

We wandered into the brightly lit red and white restaurant at about 5.45 p.m. and approached the serving counter. As soon as you walk in, thanks to the open cooking area packed with people all tasked with their part of making the dream work you can instantly smells the cooking patties. By the time I had walked the twenty yards to the counter I was drooling, my stomach was crying out and to be honest I could have ordered everything on the menu. 

You order at the counter, are given a number and then wander round and wait to be called. When ordering you pay for the type of burger or hot dog that you want and then get to choose from a range of free toppings to add. I opted for the £8 cheeseburger with lettuce, pickles, grilled onions, ketchup, mustard and relish, whereas the missus opted for a small cheeseburger burger with grilled onions. 

Considering that by now people stood next to me could hear my stomach churning I also decided on a portion of Cajun fries for £2.75.

You can see the full menu on the Five Guys website here.

The five minutes we waited for the burgers seemed to take an eternity, but while waiting I was intrigued to watch what appeared to be a well oiled machine pump out burger after burger to equally ravenous customers. 

Grabbing the bag and making a beeline for the nearest table I have to say that I was really impressed as I opened the bag. The burgers, wrapped in tin foil were larger than I had expected. When I think of gourmet burgers from places like Byron, Dirty Burger and Honest Burger (their burgers cost around the same) the offering from Five Guys was larger - cue a big drooling grin (not a pretty sight). The fries came in a cup but they had clearly thrown a load on top and considering it was a regular portion there were enough for both of us to munch away on after the burgers had been devoured.

So, my cheeseburger - heaven wrapped in tin foil as it shall now be known is shown below along with a few pictures of me motoring my way through it. Oh dear god, just thinking back to eating it now makes me want another. This is like burger crack they are so addictive.

The patties used in my large cheeseburger were hand-made and Five Guys pride themselves on the fact that everything is fresh and that their restaurants don’t have freezers. You could tell and I was greeted by a rich, meaty patty, full of flavour and no signs of dreaded grease. Even though there was no signs of grease the patty remained moist and juicy. I can hand on heart say I’ve not had a more flavoursome patty, ever.

Every topping had a distinctive taste - the grilled onions were plentiful and juicy, the pickles added a nice sharpness and the relish bonded it all together.

I think I may have found the perfect combination of toppings and bite after bite was a taste sensation. We actually waited for it to be cooked longer than it took me to demolish it. It was gone in sixty seconds. As I worked my way through it the missus literally just sat there in stunned silence.

Like everything in life perfection is rare, and while the blend of spices on the fries makes them tasty with a nice warm after burn there is just a bit too much for my liking. Between us we couldn’t finish off a regular portion. About thirty minutes later and boom, the fries started to repeat on me and at the event I had to keep popping outside to burp! 

When we arrived at Five Guys we didn’t have to wait long but as we were eating the queue grew, and grew and then grew some more to the point that it was nearly to the door. I would probably be miffed having to wait for the burger but it is testament to the following that Five Guys is building in the UK.

To summarise, the best burger I’ve had in years and I can’t wait for an excuse to wander up into central London again. This knocks the spots off Byron, Honest Burger and Dirty Burger. Sorry guys, Five Guys is the best.

FORGET THE REST, TRY THE BEST

What is your favourite burger experience?

To find your nearest Five Guys click here.

To read more about the launch of the limited edition Sanctum Soho fragrances (the male aftershave is out of this world) you can do by clicking here.

You can see and buy the stunning Dan Gold designed wash/clutch bags for him and her here.

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