Curating a high-calibre grooming cabinet takes work. It involves trial and error – and more of the latter than you’d like. Which is why we’ve done the hard graft for you. These are the products guaranteed to make the right kind of impact, whatever your target or budget. Put your best face forwards.
(Above: Groom Party: These carefully chosen allies will have your back on your biggest days.)
The Anti-Aging All-Stars
Distilling years of research, development and clever, clever science, a good anti-ageing cream can be an invaluable addition to the mature (well, late-twenties-plus) man’s skincare routine. While you can’t stop the passage of time – unless you’re Keanu Reeves, apparently – you can apply a daily moisturiser specifically designed to combat fine lines and tired skin. Lab Series Daily Rescue Energizing Gel Cream will give your skin an instant upgrade after a hard night, while Mr.Skincare’s blend of Jojoba oil, Macadamia oil & Shea butter delivers lasting hydration for even the driest skin. A thicker formula designed to be applied at night, Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream aids in collagen production and speeds up skin-cell renewal to reveal a shiny new you.
1. Mr.Skincare Hydrating Moisturiser, $62, mrskincareformen.com
2. Horace Face Firming Gel, $39, horace.co
3. Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Ultra-Rich Hydrating Day Cream, $195, elemis.com
4. Clinique Super Energizer SPF40, $71, clinique.com.au
5. La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum, $71.95, laroche-posay.com.au
6. Aesop Blue Chamomile Hydrating Masque, $61, aesop.com
7. Murad Retinol Night Cream, $130, adorebeauty.com.au
8. Lab Series Daily Rescue Energising Gel Cream, $58, labseries.com
9. Bulldog Age Defence Eye Roll-on, au.iherb.com
10. Clarins Double Serum Eye, $120, myer.com.au
11. Kiehl’s Age Defender Gel Moisturiser, $76, kiehls.com.au
Smooth Moves: Robustly researched retinol can reduce dark spots and fine lines. Apply before moisturiser in your bedtime routine.
The Best Hair Thickeners
Unless you’ve got a flight to Istanbul booked or the follicular genes of Novak Djokovic, chances are you could use a bit of a hand in the hair thickness department. Rather than going down the full Greg Matthews route, a straightforward and unintimidating start to preserving your hair’s density is L’Oréal Volumetry Salicylic Acid Professional Shampoo, which uses salicylic acid to help dissolve dead cells that might be weighing down your barnet, leaving hair thoroughly clean and revitalised. For the next step in a thickening routine, Kérastase Genesis Homme Anti Hair-Fall Fortifying Serum is a daily serum with ginger root extract, which has a soothing effect on the scalp, along with Aminexil 1.5% and creatine to reinforce individual hair fibres.
1.Kérastase genesis homme Anti Hair-Fall Fortifying Serum, $70, kerastase.com.au
2. Murdock Sea Salt Spray, $39, asos.com
3. Aveda invati men Nourishing Exfoliating Shampoo, $55, aveda.com.au
4. L’Oréal volumetry Salicylic Acid Professional Shampoo, $29, chemistwarehouse.com.au
5. Monpure Follicle Boost Hair Density Serum, $164, monpure.com
6. American Crew Fiber Grooming Foam, $25, americancrew.com
7. Ruffians Hair Powder, $28, humanery.com
The Sharpest Clippers & Trimmers
A top-tier clipper and/or trimmer should be built like a tank and glide like a Testarossa. One of the first and most respected names in the trim-iverse, the Wahl Aqua Blade Trimmer comes with a lifetime blade guarantee and
16 combs to tackle every stage of beard and stubble. It’s designed for wet and dry conditions (rumour has it it can even ‘do it on a cold rainy night in Launceston’). If you’re looking for a fully loaded do-it-all solution, you can’t go wrong with Panasonic’s Beard, Hair & Body Trimmer. It features polished Japanese stainless steel blades set at a 45° angle for maximum performance, with 39 length settings to conquer any and every strand.
1.Panasonic Multishape Modular Personal Care System, $240, panasonic.com
2. Braun Series 9 Electric Shaver, $699, myer.com.au
3. Wahl Aqua Blade Wet Dry Stubble & Beard Trimmer, $178, shavershop.com.au
4. Remington T-Series Style & Detail Kit, $130, shavershop.com.au
5. Babyliss Super-X Metal Series Cordless Hair Clipper, $240, lookfantastic.com.au
6. Panasonic ER-GB80 Beard, Hair & Body Trimmer, $159, panasonic.com
Smooth Moves: Robustly researched retinol can reduce dark spots and fine lines. Apply before moisturiser in your bedtime routine.
The Freshest Men’s Fragrances
The best men’s scents are complex beasts. They unfurl slowly, rather than whack you on the nose with one overwhelming top note of ‘pure chemical’. One of the last fragrances concocted by Chanel’s master perfumer Jacques Polge, Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum is a true classic, combining science with sensuality. Local newcomer Albie Tabac al Oudh features tobacco infused Southeast Asian agar tree (oudh) mixed with jasmine, patchouli and a hint of masculinity. Our favourite distiller of la dolce vita, Giorgio Armani has released Acqua di Parma Lily of the Valley, which mixes its signature citrus expertise – grapefruit, petitgrain and Italian bergamot with a drop of blackcurrant – with lily of the valley, a woodland flower with a delicate, sweet scent. The result: a crisp spring-meets-summer fragrance with a hint of earthy complexity. Bene!
1. Murdock London Vetiver, $183, endclothing.com
2. Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, $223, myer.com.au
3. Louis Vuitton Au Hasard, $215, fragrantica.com
4. Chanel Bleu de Chanel, $184, myer.com.au
5. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò, $215, myer.com.au
6. Terre d’Hermès Eau Givrée, $185, myer.com.au
7. Byredo Eyes Closed, $193, selfridges.com
8. Prada Luna Rossa Ocean, $160, myer.com.au
9. Acqua di Parma Lily of the Valley, $294, myer.com.au
10. Versace Eros, $155, chemistwarehouse.com.au
11. Albie Tabac al Oudh, $49.99, albieshop.com
The Beard-Care Heroes
An oft forgotten – or at least less-considered – aspect of a man’s haircare regimen, beards need some TLC, too. They’re prone to dryness and flaking, so take care of your stubble and it will take care of you – or at least look a bit nicer. A perennial favourite for good reason, Bulldog Original Beard Oil is packed with softening ingredients such as aloe, camelina, green tea and borage and jojoba oils. And you don’t need a lot to maintain well-conditioned facial hair either. Ideal for city dwellers, Murdock Beard Shampoo will strip invisible pollutants out of your beard without eradicating its natural oils. Sulphate-free and pH-balanced, it’s naturally formulated to keep both beard and stubble in check.
1. Kiehl’s Nourishing Beard Grooming Oil, $50, kiehls.com.au
2. Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave, $30
3. murdock Beard Shampoo, $39, getjackblack.com
4. lab Series The Grooming Oil, $55, myer.com.au
5. elemis Smooth Result Shave & Beard Oil, $54, elemis.com
6. horace patchouli & Cedar Beard Oil, $25, horace.co
7. Bulldog Original Beard Oil, $13.50, bulldogskincare.com
The Finishing Touches
Just as important as finding a great moisturiser and a signature fragrance, small details in skincare can make an outsized difference. While make-up for men can still suffer from some stigma, a subtle concealer is nothing to shy away from. Ideal for patching up blemishes and levelling out tone, Tom Ford For Men Concealer is available in several shades and can act as a pocket-sized Swiss army knife to patch up irritations or imperfections. Want to cover all bases? War Paint For Men Foundation offers a subtle amount of coverage that will even out your skin tone with a natural-looking finish. It comes in five different shades, from fair to dark, along with a helpful online guide to help you select the one best suited to you.
1. Clarins Everlasting Concealer, $44, adorebeauty.com.au
2. Murad Environmental Shield Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector, $115, adorebeauty.com.au
3. Tom Ford For Men Concealer, $79, myer.com.au
4. War Paint for Men Foundation, $34, myer.com.au
5. Charlotte Tilbury Unisex Healthy Glow All-Year Hydrating Summer Tint Moisturiser, $56, charlottetilbury.com
6. Shiseido Men Targeted Pencil Concealer, $39, perfumesclub.com
