“As we looked at the research and technology that went into the creation of the Schick Hydro Power Select, we couldn’t think of a better place to introduce this product to the world than CES” – Patrick Kane, Senior Brand Manager, Schick Hydro at Energizer Personal Care

Features

• Comfort Control System: With a single button push, choose from three vibrations settings, Low, Medium or High, on a conveniently placed one-touch control button that allows users to seamlessly adjust throughout the shave to find the most comfortable level of vibration for their skin.
• Interactive Digital Interface: An easy-to-read LED screen communicates visually to clearly distinguish which vibration level is in use, another first in the razor category, allowing men to better choose the optimal power for each part of their faces. The screen also communicates the strength of the battery – green for optimal power, red when running low and in need of replacement, and flashing red when the battery is no longer able to power the razor.
• Design: Schick Hydro Power Select razor’s new high-tech features are reflected in its design, with a modern and masculine look and feel. The ergonomic handle houses 25 electronic components and has just enough heft to feel natural and sturdy in the hand.

Schick officials report that beyond these technological advancements, the Schick Hydro Power Select retains the innovations of the original Schick Hydro skin comfort system to refresh, renew and care for men’s skin, by helping to reduce irritation and providing hydration throughout each shave. The razors use proprietary technology to pack advanced lubrication into a Hydrating Gel Reservoir to effectively help reduce friction during repeat strokes, while five blades with innovative Skin Guards help control skin flow to reduce friction. A Flip Trimmer allows men to flip back the Hydrating Gel Reservoir so all five blades touch the skin for a precise trim, as opposed to the single edging blade on most razors.

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At home or abroad, having a fragrance on hand has become an essential aspect of every man’s grooming wardrobe.  For those who like to travel light however, having a bottle of your favourite juice on hand at all times can be a difficult task, especially if you don’t decant to a suitable travel-sized container. Fortunately, help is at hand from historic cologne manufacturers 4711, who have produced a discreet box of refreshing wipes coated with a measure of their classic cologne blend.

Applied to the neck and arms, the fragrance will refresh the senses and leave you smelling superb at any time of the day. Each box comes with 10 wipes, which fit effortlessly into wallets and pockets, and keep you travelling light as well as travelling fresh with a citrus scent suitable for all occasions.

4711 refreshing tissues are available at Boots and independent pharmacies and retail for £3.

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This year (2012) marks the 25^th anniversary of fabled Australian skin care range Aesop. Founded by Dennis Papthitis in 1987, last year saw Aesop significantly increase their physical presence with new stores opening in both the UK and the US. Aside from their aesthetically pleasing and effective natural skin care, Aesop is renown for their ethical design methods and innovative integration of their outlets with their location.

“A good product needs to begin from a sincere and authentic perspective” – Dennis Paphitis, Founder, Aesop

To celebrate the 25^th anniversary Aesop granted photographer Rene Vaile rare access to their Laboratories; the outcome was  minimalist images, reflective and reminiscent of the brand they represent.

The full interview with Aesop Senor Chemist Rebecca Watkinson can be read online at Nowness.

Photos: Rene Vaile, Melbourne

Source: Nowness

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Located in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, The Spare Room is a gaming parlor and cocktail lounge inspired by those found in the private homes of the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts in the 20s.  The bar is well known for its top-notch and inventive mixology, so co-owners Marc Rose and Med Abrous decided to team up with a local apothecary called The Motley to create a special gift for those who want take a part of The Spare Room home for the holidays.

The collaboration kit is comprised of a handcrafted, limited edition dopp bag created by Draught Dry Goods. Included in the durable canvas and leather carryall is a jar of relaxing and skin softening Gin Tonic bath salts, concocted from pure essential oils by Motley experts with the same care a Spare Room bartender would pour a G&T. A Motley-branded handmade Swiss comb, a bar of limited edition peppermint soap, and a Spare Room deck of cards complete the set.

The dopp kit is sold for $130, and the bath salts can also be purchased separately for $14 at The Motley.

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The world leading anti-dandruff brand head&shoulders has today announced that Michael Phelps, US swimmer, 3-time Olympian and 14-time Olympic Games Gold medalist, is to become the new global face of the brand. The partnership will be executed throughout the London 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.

Phelps will front the ‘Wash in Confidence’ campaign which will run across multiple marketing platforms. The initiative looks to capture the participatory nature of the Olympic Games by encouraging people to have the self-confidence to take part.

“I’m excited to join the P&G family and work with the head&shoulders brand as I prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s a hair care range that I’ve come to count on, with the amount of time I spend in the pool each week – chlorine and chemicals can give my hair and scalp a hard time. Doubts are the last thing any athlete needs when trying to focus and compete.” – Michael Phelps 

Michael Phelps will be the face of the international campaign and the activity will also be supported by several Olympic athletes who have been signed in multiple countries where head&shoulders is present.

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Almost two weeks have passed since I spent an evening in the company of MITCH, the new range of grooming products from hairdressers Paul Mitchell. More then just a grooming range, MITCH is also a concept composite of the multi-faceted men that the products cater for: the slicked style of the fresh-from-the-barber gent: the spiked sculptured quiff of the rocker: the tousled matte mop of the artist: MITCH represents them all.

The MITCH range was on show in the surrounds of the perfect MITCH Man’s pad, a gracefully minimal east-end apartment with a seven-figure price tag. A large wall adorned with classic and contemporary literature made a statement backdrop to the vivid primary colours and simple monochromatic palette of the ranges packaging, offset with vibrant accents of the logos signature yellow strategically located around the open-plan space.

During the rounds of martinis and champagne, models were repeatedly styled with products from the range, demonstrating to great effect the versatility on offer from each of the products, available from Paul Mitchell signature salons from January. Some standouts from the range include the Reformer Matte Finish Texturizer, Construction Paste Mesh Styler and Barber’s Classic High Shine Pomade.

For men looking to keep MITCH close to hand at all times there’s the extensive Men’s Grooming Kit, including a number of firm, medium and light hold products, as well as MITCH’s Double-Hitter Sulfate Free Shampoo & Conditioner and an exclusive MITCH trimmer for last-minute adjustments to your look. Housed in a sturdy wash-bag it offers everything you need to create and maintain a range of fashion-forward hairstyles.

No matter what sort of man you are, if you’re looking for a new wingman to keep your look in check, then look no further. MITCH is your man.

For more information on MITCH visit his website at www.mitchtheman.com

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It’s said that the devil’s in the detail, and nowhere is that phrase more appropriate in male grooming then when it’s applied to a man’s haircut. You might argue that for the price salons charge now it’s not worth opting to have your hair cut in a more fashionable environment; for around £10 you can visit any independent barber shop for a quick snip at an easily affordable price. What then is it that lures countless men to book their haircuts at upmarket establishments? The answer is simple: attention to detail.

When you pay for a haircut, you expect a certain degree of care to come from your stylist. That brief chat before the cut commences is a good example of where you can establish the standard of a salon. After experiencing the service in the Covent Garden salon of legendary hairdresser Trevor Sorbie, I’m convinced that a man should look at his haircut as an opportunity to invest in himself and not as a last minute bargain.

For over 40 years Trevor Sorbie has excelled in the field of hairdressing, not only has he won the British Hairdresser of the Year title an impressive 4 times but he has also introduced one of the most successful lines of hair products onto the high-street. These products are all on offer in his salons along with expert staff that have spent years honing their skills before being let loose on clients.

My hair was cut by Petros, a creative stylist who explained that at Trevor Sorbie each client is allocated an entire hour for their cut. In this hour I received a full consultation about the cut before my wash. During this time it was clear that he wasn’t just agreeing with what I wanted, but was offering advice on my face shape, hair type as well as considering how the cut would grow back in the following weeks.

After my hair had been washed and head thoroughly massaged, Petros commenced with the cut. Taking great care with his scissors, he avoided using the usual electric clippers that so commonly come into play during a male cut. Carefully graduating my hair into a close style with the scissors he then adjusted my fringe to suit my thick hair structure. At most low price barbers they don’t risk taking much off the front if you’ve not requested a short-all-over style and my fringe had grown into an unstructured mound on my forehead that was in dire need of thinning.

It was clear throughout my cut that Petros was ensuring each aspect he was shaping was done so with great care, impeccable high standards that he honed through the numerous test cuts he was required to perform before being offered a job at the salon. Haircut over, styled and swept of hairs I step out onto Floral Street feeling confident of the new cut atop my head. For once, the temptation to find the nearest reflective surface to frantically adjust my hair was gone and, over the following weeks I found the style grew out better then any I’d had before.

Spending more money on a haircut may still be a questionable purchase to some, but for those willing to invest in their image, the rewards will pay for themselves.

A Cut & Blow Dry at Trevor Sorbie Covent Garden starts from £59 with a range of other services available.

www.trevorsorbie.com

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With the growing of the skin care industry – particularly pertaining to men’s grooming – new brands face a struggle to break into the market and establish a sustainable presence.  It’s very rare to come across a brand that manages to combine both innovative product design, with a top quality product to ‘back it up’ – this is most certainly the case with Sir Terence Conran’s new line, Conran Bath & Body.

Given Conran’s background in design, the fact that the range will be well designed is almost a given. That said, in the skin care industry, it’s rare to see so much precision and detail go into the design of each product. Sir Terence Conran explains “I am very selective about what I keep in my bathroom and wanted to create something I would be proud to have on display, so Studio Conran designed the bottles from scratch – a rarity these days.”

He continues, “Orange detailing represents the Kilner jar’s vibrant flash of bright rubber and the rubber stoppers in apothecary bottles, while the tactile frosted body and smooth white base are reminiscent of ceramics and enamel. Bottles are finished with touches of aluminium for a smart, crisply finished look.”

While the bottles are elegant and contemporary, so is the product itself is by enlarge owing to the combination of classic yet modern ingredients in their chosen scents.  Developed by Kokomo the two fragrances, Conran 1 and Conran 2, are based on Terence’s favourite scents – old-fashioned cologne and fresh citrus; evocative of warm days in the south of France.

Conran 1

Conran 1 is a rich and intoxicatingly oudh wood fragrance with notes of fresh pepper, spicy nutmeg and sweet, aromatic cardamom. The Conran 1 range consists of a hand wash, hand lotion, shower gel, bath wash, body lotion, body scrub, hand cream and Conran 1 gift sets.

“Fragrances are represented by numbers to simplify information to the absolute essentials, while the idiosyncratic typography gives a touch of quirky personality.” – Sir Terence Conran

Conran 2

Conran 2 is fresh and cooling with top notes of lemon, fresh cut grass stems and a hint of mandarin. The Conran 2 range consists of a hand wash, hand lotion, shower gel, bath wash, body lotion, body scrub, hand cream and Conran 2 gift sets.

Arriving in time for Christmas, the Conran range is a small indulgence that bring’s a touch of Conran style to any contemporary bathroom. Beautifully fragranced formulations and generously sized bottles combine to create a range that is simple, pleasing to the eye and useful – the epitome of Conran style.

Conran Bath & Body 1 and 2 is available now online at The Conran Shop and Niven & Joshua and in store at Heals, John Lewis and Conran.

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