*impulse

Maca Root, Brazil Nut Oil, Aloe Vera, Soya Oil, and Sesame Oil

Just some of the herblore keys in The Body Shop's For Men line.

Soya oil? That's just a fancy word for Crisco. Anyway, I am trying out the Wash Off Shave Oil, Shave Cream, and the Energetic Face Protector to see what they're about.

First impression: fragrance very incense-ey, but, this is The Body Shop, so no surprise here.

Second impression: I am much more of a fan of mineral oil than any botanical, so I was a tough sell on the shave oil, but it is pretty cool. Not too viscous, but not too watery either. I would make it a tiny measure thicker. Not bad, though I don't use shave oils often. I typically over-glob moisturizer and shave, leaving a very unclose shave, of course, but I telecommute (work from home), and my dreamy lover, though not crazy about it, kind of sees the cool in my perpetual facial scruff.

Third impression: I hope they come up with a cool marketing plan for the energetic face protector, like Nivea and L'Oreal and others have. Face energizers, all-in-one body washes, and after shave balms are the three vanguards most likely to penetrate the recalcitrant male grooming routine and permanently expand the traditional product range.

Final impression: routine complete. Products absorbed, fragrance processed, packaging fawned over, efficacy to be determined. If you prefer a decent male grooming product with an earthy crunchy vibe, then you cannot go wrong with The Body Shop's For Men range. It actually almost crosses over into an outdoor sports resonation, especially in the banner ad featuring, I think, James Brown, very Gillette-style, with showerhead water raining down, a look of defiance and triumph melded. Something very decathalon and cross country about it.

Perhaps we will soon sample the Balancing Face Protector and the Face Scrub, if they are gentle.

Are Hydrogels For Men The New Grooming Craze?

With their zero application time, made-to-specs for life in the fast lane, and their cool refreshing feeling while sneaking some moisture and a few other nutrients in under the radar to actually impart a positive long term benefit with regular use, further reinforcing perception of product efficacy, they may in fact be a hype fad:

A mini-men's grooming craze, perhaps giving Axe a run for the money.

Instant gratification.

Crisp, cool, watery, sporty, masculine, color scheme.

Two of the moment:

Nivea For Men Energizing Hydrogel
L'Oreal Hydra Energetic Turbo Booster

Giorgio Armani Skin Minerals For Men Grows On You After A While

At first, I admit, the site seemed wholly devoid of substance and rife with platitudes, but it is not style without substance entirely.

And, the trios are unlike other clean, correct and protect trios, though it appears that they all have to have trios, tercets, triangles, threes, as if two is not enough and four is too much. And, being an IT-wanna-be, use of the term 'matrix' impresses.

Trio One:

Strengthen the skin structure
Refine the skin texture
Unify the skin tone

The site is like a black panther in its power and beauty.

 

Trio two:

Primers
Boosters
Masters

Capturing the volcanic force, the lava rock's living essence, the tidal pool that spawned life. Iron, silicon, and other mercurial minerals: that is Volcanic Complex.

Rounding out the site are video tutorials on how to apply the products: the dos and the don'ts. Not bad.

 

All in all, a trip through the ads and spreads in GQ magazine, but with undercurrents of useful information and purpose that is more potent than the fall fashion lines.

The Vacant Barren Male Skin Care Kiosk At Macy's

Though the space be bare and barren, devoid of even an assistant, the de-bottled men's grooming genie is flourishing and cloudily swelling and helping itself to the swollen cumuli adjacent, gobbling them and growing like a cotton candy glob.

With fragrances and serums freely mingled, cleansers and manglers fashioning a bubbly smile, the smithy and steps swirled upwards like a floral vortex.

The procession marches on, spritefully watching the spangly precession, and reaches higher and higher heights, captures more and more share, though all deny its importance and the aisles and counters are curiously un-busy.

Brands present: Lab Series, Zirh, Calvin Klein.

Aww Yeah!

Keepin' it simple...and cool.

AXE Bullet.

Quick Post-Shave Primer

What to Do Post-Shave for Men -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Soak it up.

Careful...of the edge!

The proposition: "Most men dream of living their life on the edge, but ultimately few are able to move beyond the dream. Ikon is the fragrance for the few who choose to shape their dreams into realities. Designed to exhibit the character and spirit of the most noteworthy individual, this man isn't afraid to fail. He is an entrepreneur, he is driven to compete, but more importantly, he is a leader- a pioneer. More than an ordinary man, he is an Ikon."

A fragrance can engender these possibilities, as can a song, a scene, a soft drink and a poem. Remain skeptical until autumn plumps the hazel shell with a sweet kernel and the cool breeze hints notes of Ikon and then remember...but, be careful...of the edge.
[Can't help it. My beloved and I have been listening to one too many episodes of Nightfall]

Product: Zirh Ikon.

Transcendence With CK MAN

Nightfall's captivating tonality spews infinitely complex memes that disperse like particulate smog across vast valleys and galaxies and then are reabsorbed, reinterpreted and redistributed via Fabien Baron's ecstatic wild aeroscape.

Calvin Klein's MAN Fragrance.

Armani Vs. ZIRH

Giorgio Armani is attempting to capture a large portion of the male prestige skin care market with the new Skin Minerals For Men line, but the site is too content-weak, too much style, not enough substance: a typical problem for fashion types who drift into grooming products instead of fragrances, which are all about as little substance as possible.

A similar foray, ZIRH Platinum, has cooler marketing, is more expertise-ridden and lab-tormented, and thus will likely capture more of the elusive, hitherto unmeasured, male grooming prestige niche.

Grindhouse Evolves, Or Must Evolve

The Grindhouse branding theme in male grooming, eternized by Axe/Lynx, may be played out and nearly extinct, though a dozen more brands will likely kick it like a dead dog for several years to come.

Video is of 4 fake Grindhouse trailers.

Cleanliness Linked To Ancient Warrior Kings And Princes

Though not typically associated with cleanliness, it is the vigor and freshness felt on the battlefield and in the stony throne room that has been captured in the shower gels held in these containers.

The Warriors:

Ulysses

1. The Legendary Greek King of Ithaca
2. Persona: Witty and Cunning
3. Essence: Light Exotic Scent
4. Key Ingredient: Sesame Extract
5. Benefit: Moisturizer
6. Origin: Coastal Mediterranean Region

Cyrus

1. Persian Ruler
2. Persona: Benevolent and Kind
   
3. Essence: Sensual Smooth Scent
4. Key Ingredient: Carrot Extract
5. Benefit: Natural Moisturizer
6. Origin: Eastern Region of Persian Empire

Julius Caesar

1. Emperor of Rome
2. Persona: Ruthless and Ambitious
   
3. Essence: Refreshing Citrus Scent
4. Key Ingredient: Almond Extract
5. Benefit: Skin Softener
6. Origin: Southeast Region of the Roman Empire

Charlemagne the Great

1. King of the Franks
2. Persona: Practical and Intelligent
3. Essence: Cooling Icy Scent
4. Key Ingredient: Chestnut Seed Extract
5. Benefit: Natural Astringent
6. Origin: Northern Region of the Frankish Empire

ZIRH typically develops high quality men's grooming products, and the site is a really well done Flash site.

Fabric And Fragrance

Yeah, it's a sponsored link, but it's ex post facto!

Check it out.

Axe Bodysprays Make Girls Go Wild

Coke Zero, Axe, Nivea, BMW, Amp Relaunch, Iced Venti Soy Chai, the iPhone, and the ImmInst, together, accessorize the modern man, the daring lycan, and the media darling.