It's all about the boy beautiful, writes Phyl Clarke.
Hey guys, how's it goin'? You're on my mind these days because a certain guy who's very close to my heart had a birthday recently. It gave me an excuse to give him another little nudge in the skincare department - wrapped up, of course, along with the serious biography, the book of deep historical analysis, and the terribly worthy piece of modern literature he gets as standard.
Although no metrosexual, my husband is not a stranger to moisture that's not water-based. I leave little items on his bedside table without a word and replace them from time to time. (Mind you, no one's going to make their fortune based on the rate he gets through the stuff.) My bedside table, since you ask, is a veritable treasure chest of lotions and potions - everything from detox foot patches to lavender spray (for my pillow), scented candles, the books I'm reading, eye and neck creams, nail oils, hand cream and eye masks. I don't know how he puts up with it all, but then, I sometimes don't know how he puts up with me.
Men's skincare has come a long way since a splash of Old Spice, and we know a lot more about it too - for instance, men's skin ages differently to women's and is more resilient to wrinkles. Is it a man's world or what? Obviously male skin is thicker, but console yourself with the fact that when the wrinkles do kick in, they are usually very deep set. Too many men are ignoring the importance of applying sunblock so skin cancer in males is escalating at an alarming rate.
Choosing a product for your man involves a bit of psychology as much as anything else. For instance, I love the mantra "long live men's skin" and the range is full of no-nonsense but effective products, and it's widely available. Similarly, having Clive Owen fronting the Lancôme campaign reinforces the image that not only do real men eat quiche, they eat it with moisturised skin.
Clinique products have a firm hold on the younger market who do not have the same hang-ups about skincare, check out the award-winning M shave Aloe Gel for €15.
Your local chemist has some excellent brands such as RoC: its MenCode Gradual Glow Post-Shave Moisturiser will give a gradual perk up to winter skin. La Roche Posey is often recommended by skin specialists, so you can get him to use it by describing it as a "prescription" cream. My pick is their Anthelios moisturiser. which has a high level of sun protection. It is also available with a tint. Vichy Homme's new masculine red and black packaging hits the spot and its Reti-Fill concentrate (€24) targets fine lines and offers protection for sensitive skin.
If you have an organic-minded man, the Korres homeopathic range from Greece is terrific value. Ruscus and chestnut form the base for its face and eye creams (€ 30 each from Harvey Nichols), and they also have the benefit of SPF. The German brand Lavera, which includes a comprehensive men's skin and haircare range, is also available from health food shops.
Finally, if you're an online shopper, has one of the biggest range of products you'll find in one place. Easy to navigate and informative, it's a sweet shop of hard-to-get brands and some great gift sets - all postagefree. The ranges are divided into personality categories. I find my man is a mixture of all four, now aren't I the lucky gal?