Changing perceptions of male grooming

I wrote a previous article on whether men really needed their own line of skincare products and I said I did not think so for various reasons set out in there.

However, when I investigated further online, I discovered that not only are there many lines of skincare for men, there is a whole website dedicated to men’s skincare in Mankind which is based in the UK and stocks men skincare lines like Lab Series and Dermalogica to name just two.

Men are clearly starting to take better care of themselves and groom themselves better by taking care of their skin. Age is something that affects everyone, not only women and I think men have realised that with women being more independent these days, men too have to keep up appearances.

I may not think much of men’s skincare lines, but I am a great advocate of men (and women) taking good care of the skin. To me, there is nothing effeminate about men using skincare and especially sunscreen, because I think the days of having leathery skin like the infamous Marlboro Man is past. Further, its unhealthy. I observed once to a friend that many top corporate figures seem to have pretty good skin and nicely manicured nails. I suppose at their level of success, it is not only important for them to be able to perform, but it is equally important to look good too for people do place credibility on looks, no matter what others say.

I can imagine that most men fear being labelled a “metrosexual” because its not “manly” to indulge in skincare or facial treatments. However, I think there are benefits to being a metrosexual without going overboard, of course. Men who look after their skin by using proper skincare products and going for regular facials, more often than not, attract more attention of the opposite sex. It might just be all to do with the changing perception of male beauty.

In Asia, the craze is now all about Korean tv and pop stars. Previously, it was all about Japanese stars. The common trend to be noted is that these Asian stars not only have smooth good skin, they endorse men’s skincare products too (and sometimes, even women’s). I suppose it makes it less of a stigma for the men who want to look after their skin, to look like their favourite celebrities.

The men around me have a skincare regime and use sunscreen religiously so maybe my perceptions on this issue could be a little biased. That said though, while I’m all for men using skincare, I draw the line at them taking up more dressing table space then I do. Some areas of the bedroom are still a woman’s domain eh?

What’s your take on this then?

Revlon Limited Edition collection

I was browsing around Guardian last week, trying to pick up some essentials, when I chanced upon Revlon’s limited edition collection, that had testers! I’d been seeing this collection for a while, but because many places did not have testers, I was loathe to get anything. Now, I could finally check out 3 items from this collection I’ve been wanting to for a long time.

Revlon Diamond Lust eyeshadow

This Diamond lust eyeshadow comes in a large domed pan in a clear lucite case. It actually looks very pretty because it sparkles. It reminded me of Bobbi Brown’s Diamond Dust eyeshadow collection. They have the same look about the eyeshadow.

However, they aren’t kidding when they call this a sheer eyeshadow. It really is very sheer. I tried swiping the colour and all I saw were sparkles. I suppose if you’d like to accent your existing eyeshadow with some sparkly glitter, it would do. But to use it just as your main eyeshadow might be too disappointing.

Revlon Golden Affair sculpting blush

Since I love blushes so much, I just had to check out Revlon’s Golden Affair sculpting blush. The blush is in a large pan in a clear lucite case. There is a lovely golden pattern all over the blush which was what attracted me to it.

However, I was quite disappointed to note that the gold is merely sprayed on. After a few uses, the golden swirls disappear, and all you are left with are 5 golden dots on a dark berry blush base. I reckon the blush would work better for darker skinned girls because I looked bruised when I tried it. Yes, it disappointed. Otherwise, the matt blush felt silky to the touch.

Revlon Midnight Swirl Lip Lustre

This one gets the most air time on television. The Midnight Swirl television adverts and the picture above make it look so glossy and sexy. So, I had to try it. First of all, after so many people have tested it, the pretty swirls were mixed up and lost so all the gloss looked like was just normal gloss in a tube.

The applicator is a brush which I think is awesome because brushes define better than wands, in my view. However, the berry colour in the picture just did not look that way. It was tacky and sticky and sheer. Not very attractive.

Conclusion

I only tried these 3 items because these were the 3 I was most interested in. I regret that I did not like them as much as I thought I would, especially the blush and the eyeshadow which I felt held the most promise. They are pretty, there’s no doubt about it. However, they just aren’t for me.

At a push, I’d get the eyeshadow. Yes, its sheer and yes its glittery but there are some days when all you want is a sheer shimmery wash of colour on your lids to help you look awake. This is then a great choice at a relatively decent price (if you catch Revlon at a discount).

Review: Skincare: Dr. Bragi Marine Enzyme

I was contacted by Paris (Yes that’s her name!) who offered me to review a revolutionary skincare by Dr. Bragi. The item is an age management enzyme that promises to rejuvenate, moisturise, and be anti-inflammatory. I was intrigued, so she kindly sent me some samples to try.

Each sample sachet came in a small little clear square plastic packet with a tiny bit of serum in it, about 1ml. Initially, I thought each sachet would last maybe 1 use. However, I was wrong.

This clear enzyme serume has no smell and no colour. It is very viscous and a teeny tiny bit is more than enough to cover the whole face. The directions are to use it both day and night, but I found that it was a tad too sticky for day, so I only used it at night. With just using it once a day, one little sachet lasts about 1 week. Amazing!

On the skin, the serum goes on slightly emollient. The skin will feel oily if you apply too much so care must be taken to apply only a very thin film on the skin. What I did was to squeeze out a drop and then dot it on the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin then slightly spread it and massage it into the skin. This way, the serum absorbed quickly into the skin and did not leave it feeling tacky.

When I was using this, I was also going through quite a bad breakout on my face. I had initially attributed it to this serum so when Paris contacted me, I told her about it. She said that very slight breakouts are not uncommon, but they usually clear up in about a day or two with constant use. I eventually isolated the cause (not this serum) and I must admit that subsequently, my skin has not been better.

I sleep in an air-conditioned room so the air gets dry during the night. However, with this serum, I found that my skin was moisturised when I woke up, and the texture of my skin was improved. It felt firmer and the skin on my cheeks actually felt smoother.

This penzyme (penetrating enzyme) was patented by Dr. Bragi from Iceland and he had developed this penzyme initially for healing wounds and arthritis. He found it so effective that it has now been developed for skincare. People who suffer from rosacea and sensitive skin have reported tremendous success in curing or alleviating their symptoms after using this marine enzyme. It is also supposed to help with acne sufferers and acne scars. I have some pitted scars on my face but I don’t think I’m using it long enough to notice much of an improvement in it. Also, I don’t have very bad eye bags or dark eye circles which this is also supposed to help with.

This Dr. Bragi serum isn’t available in Malaysia at this time, but is available online in the UK and USA. Boutique Unique London retails it for GBP120 (RM829.45) for 50ml and at Bliss Spa its US$240 (RM825.47) for 50ml. Very expensive. However because so very little is used at one time, I can imagine 50ml lasting nearly forever. Honestly, if I could afford it, this would be excellent stuff. But since I can’t, I’m hoarding the last sachet I have left!

Pros: Very little is used at one time, firms skin, keeps skin moisturised

Cons: Very expensive, not easily available

Rating:

Zara withdraws “Swastika bag” from stores

I came across two articles at Reuters and the Daily Mail while scouring the internet yesterday that talked about Spanish fashion brand Zara withdrawing a “swastika” bag from their stores. This piqued my interest, so I went to look up the bag in question.

Here is the picture of the GBP39 bag, and there on the side, is the swastika symbol in green.

Here in Asia where Hinduism and Buddhism are widely practiced, the swastika symbol is less controversial, because it is an ancient symbol that is present in both culture and religion. However, I can understand why it is causing an uproar in Europe which went through the Holocaust under Hitler, who had adopted the swastika as the symbol of the Nazis. There, it is a symbol of oppression and fear.

When Zara commissioned this bag, they were either oblivious to the symbol or had let it slip past unnoticed or maybe it was to court controversy. Who’s to know how the minds of these marketing moghuls work?

All that said, I don’t think I’d have paid much attention to this bag if I had seen it. I think its actually quite ugly and only the swastika has catapulted it into the eyes of fashion. Now don’t all jump on me for saying this!