Trends in men’s grooming, fashion and…motorbikes from Celebrity Hairstylist, Pearson Knight.

Many years ago men were known for  getting groomed, talking trash, and hanging out at Barber Shops whether urban or suburban. In more recent years, the metro-sexual movement and the boom in hair and fashion reality TV shows have given everyday men comfort and being drawn into salons world wide. This may have been a bit annoying for the ladies in their own temple of feminine freedom. I mean how are they supposed to talk about how their man screwed up AGAIN with the neighbor’s husband in the chair next to them? Not cool.

There is hope! A new trend we are seeing and will continue to see boom, is the return of barber shops. The reason for the movement to salons was the variety of style and education on new trends that most stylists were equipped with. The old school barber just wasn’t ready for David Beckham. The modern barber shop, from the ones I have gone on site to check out, are designed with style and masculinity. They are equipped with salon education as well as old school straight razor shaves, manicures, and grooming. I am very excited to see these launch and become a cultural influence once again. I am personally working on some training on the art of men’s hair and participating as a guest artist periodically on my travels at www.gentcg.com in MPLS. I have the luxury of splitting my men and women being a guest artist at lounge.smartandchicbeauty.com in MPLS, as well.

In regards to men’s hair, I am currently participating in the look of the high fashion man ranging from a sleek Mad Men to the untamed pompadour. The modern pompadour can be completely clean and groomed or have variation of texture and size. I think James Franco shows this well with the sides being a bit unruly and the top wavy in texture. I recently had the honor and excitement of being on the other side of the lens during a shoot with the talented Miami based photographer www.facebook.com/ALisaRaunerPhotography. The theme for the shoot was late 1960′s James Dean feel. We used a 1964 Lincoln Continental just like Drama’s from Entourage. It was so fresh, my favorite part was cranking it up and driving it a bit. Along with the movement of hair change, we are even taking long men’s hair and shorting it up a bit. This reminds me about facial hair. Not so much on the long beard and crazy handle bar mustache (although I participated in this for years!) We are taking it to a clean shave and groomed low cut mustache to a 5 o’clock shadow. We are still working that facial hair but just cleaned up all around.

Speaking of cleaning up, men’s fashion has been and will continue to be versions of the geek or nerd if you will. This means tucked in plaid shirts with mismatched pattern ties, sweater vests, leather belts and suspenders. Color schemes this fall are going to lean a little more towards lavender or hues of magenta and away from honeysuckle pink from spring etc. For more visual explanation this can be researched in any current Details or GQ magazine. The main interest this fall is boots, any boot. I am talking mid/low/high cut boot, motorcycle, Doc Martens you name it. As far as me personally, I have been inspired and will not be looking as put together and clean as most. I am totally inspired by Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars and Han Solo in Empire Strikes Back. I am wearing utilitarian style pants and shirts with a color scheme of desert tan, light brown, off-white cream, olive to army green, different light greys, and hints of orange. I will be topping it off with some Harrison Ford from Raiders of the Lost Ark. That means the more distressed and dirtier the better. I am pulling out all of my stained white undershirts full of motor grease and dirt. All of the pants that should have become a garage rag by now and flexing them like they’re fresh~!

Motor oil? Garage rags? That is an easy chance to mention this motor oil fans…put away your Super bikes and Harleys and get some fresh fall air on a new Cafe Racer. This can also be achieved by stripping down your sport bike and tossing on a straight bar if don’t want to part with your honey or add more to the entourage in the garage. I am seeing a ton of these race around my home based neighborhood in Miami. I almost thought I was in Europe or something. Some seemed to be tricked out and custom, some new, and some straight up real vintage. This is a ton of fun. I love helmets and going too fast~!!!

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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So, I pull up to the mansion to hob-nob with the Hollywood elite. I’m supposed to be dressed in “Hollywood Chic” but no real clue what that means, so I snub the powers-that-be and wear flip-flips with a suit. And I still look better than most people. Plus it was supposed to be a “look like you give a damn” event … and I don’t need to, because I’m just that hot and cute.

Nivea For Men launches in Los Angeles with this Golden Globes pre-party. It’s an interesting concept, but from all my reading I figured out the product launch (we can thank Old Spice and all their press and messaging): men don’t buy products, but their wives and girlfriends DO buy products at the drugstore and grocery store.

That’s Nivea For Men: products for women to buy their men. Nivea is a well-known name in the female grocery experience, so this is their brand extension to capture males (through females.)

Now, I don’t think I’m their market. I’m metro, my shower is filled with Lush body gels (about 7 bottles), Lush shampoos plus other shampoos (10 – it’s about shampoo rotations), and I’m using my Clarisonic with Skinceuticals. Yep, I smell like cinnamon or grass or honey on a daily basis.

I took my baggie of goodies from the event, though, and tried a couple out: Post-Shave Balm for Sensitive Skin, as well as the biggie … Active3, an all-in-one shower, shampoo and shaving gel. 

Active3 is a pretty interesting concept, and seems like a good fit for the guy to take to the gym and have everything he needs to shower and shave at the gym. It has that manly “sports” smell that is de riguer in manly products (and one that always seems to bug my allergies.) But it does what it’s supposed to do: I used my shower sponge, lathered up my body and got that clean yet moisturizing feel. I tried it on my hair and it felt clean and conditioned. And I did try it out to shave – I used my Clarisonic to lather it up, and it did give me a nice, close shave. And then I used the post-shave balm and it covered me up and seemed to do what it’s supposed to do (to tell the truth, I have no idea what it is supposed to do – cool shave burn? I guess.)

The products do what they’re supposed to do – get you clean. And it is a good product for the wife/girlfriend to pick up at the store.

But, well, it’s not for me. That’s not the products fault – it’s a mainstream product, and I’m not a mainstream product type of guy. I can see the huge market for them – they just need to suck up to social media influencers with a video series with a nude guy in the bathroom, to get all that buzz.

Full disclosure: I was invited to the Nivea For Men Golden Globes Pre-Party, where I received the products as well as a computer bag. I currently use the bag while my backpack is being repaired. It has not changed my review in any way, however.

~Zeke

Zeke Samuels

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If  you’re anything like me, shaving is one of those beauty rituals (chores) that most of the time (every time) you wish you could skip…it’s just not that enjoyable (and doesn’t make much sense) to drag a sharp object across your skin in pursuit of smoother, softer skin.   It is, however, kind of a necessity if you plan on wearing anything shorter than ankle length…or if you’re not in THAT stage of the relationship, when if your someone special runs their hands across your legs and encounters a bit of stubble you’re not embarrassed and they don’t immediately remember that the have an early deadline tomorrow and have to head home to get some sleep (I thought you worked for the government, they have Sunday deadlines…go figure).  Nothing ruins a perfect, romantic Sunday morning faster than stretching seductively in bed and in the process revealing a not so sexy patch of underarm fuzz…and you even woke up with glowing skin, not so bad morning breath and sexy bed head…in which country is it again that women don’t tend to shave their armpits? 

One of the few things I loved about  Minnesota winters was not having to shave as often, to me that alone was worth the below zero temps, but this winter I moved to warm, sunny Florida.  I was excited by the prospect of taking a break from the cold and snow and thermal underwear (yup you actually do need them sometimes.)   While Florida has been exceptionally good to me there has been one teeny drawback…if I want to wear all those cute dresses (that I would store until summer in MN) year round, shaving on a regular basis would be required…also I’m not in THAT stage of the relationship as yet, so stubble is not cute!  Hence, any product that can make shaving seem like less of a chore is cause for excitement…enter eco-armour Shaving Foam.

This shaving foam promised that it would eliminate nicks and cuts, ingrown hairs, razor burns, red bumps and dull blades, plus the packaging is really cute and it is an eco-friendly product.  The ingredients in the foam are all natural and organic and are all derived from renewable resources, which means it has very little impact on the environment.  Needless to say I was actually looking forward to shaving on a Friday night.

However, I am sad to say my excitement level began to plummet after the first swipe of the razor.  While the foam smelled amazing (I used the laflora foam, I  have the pommango as well which also has a delicious scent ), after my first application it seemed to vanish after about five seconds on my skin.  Well, in order for it to “work it’s magic,” it is recommended that you apply one layer and let it sit for a minute then apply another (to your skin and razor) before you begin shaving. This is a bit time consuming unless you are taking a bath and don’t mind laying there and waiting for the foam to “work it’s magic.” I then applied a second layer of foam, but it also evaporated after a few seconds on my skin, so I kept re-applying and went through almost half the bottle.  After the shave my skin actually felt a bit drier than normal.  So I would not say I experienced/noticed an immediate improvement from using this product instead of my regular shaving foam.  I do think that it’s great that you can apply the foam to your razor head after shaving to extend the life of the blade.  Also, while I did not notice an immediate improvement, two days later I did notice that I had fewer razor bumps than normal.

While I can’t say that this shaving foam made me dread shaving any less, I do think that perhaps after a few weeks of using it I might notice less ingrown hair and red bumps.  However, as it stands right now, this foam requires more work than I would like to incorporate into my shaving routine.  So until I decide to move back to MN or start laser removal treatments, I will continue to scour the earth…or nearby drugstores in search of that shaving foam/gel/cream that might inspire a hum instead of grumble at the prospect of shaving.

~Gail

Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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Here’s another review from Neal’s Yard Remedies line of skincare products for men! You can find it at www.nealsyardremedies.com. And check out my prior review on Neal’s Yard Remedies Invigorating Body Wash.

~ Nando

Nando

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Happy 2011! Hopefully you are ringing in the new year with a positive attitude that this year will be even better than 2010! Have you made any skin care resolutions? I know I have…especially as I realize that I am not getting any younger.

Just in case you missed any of these posts, I’ve put together my list of the best beauty products reviewed in 2010 by A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Was your favorite listed?

1. Skin Care:

Renée Rouleau Vitamin C & E Complex

2. Bath & Body:

Silky Cosmetics Body Creme & Whipped Sugar Body Polish

3. Hair Care: 

LiQWD Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner

4. Nail Care:

Zoya Nail Polish Color Lock System (Reviewed in 2009, but nothing has yet to compare!)

5. Makeup:

Youngblood Cosmetics Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder

6. Men’s Grooming:

AXE Deodorant Body Spray (See all of Nando’s reviews of men’s grooming)

7. Best Spa Treatment:

Spa Pedicure at The French Manor Inn & Spa

8. Best Makeover Moment of 2010:

Makeover with Davide Torchio and Roberto Morelli

Here’s to another year (our 6th!) of more great beauty reviews!

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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Check out my latest men’s hair care review of AXE’s newest product AXE Heat Igniting Citrus 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner. The citrus scent is invigorating and I love how it made my hair feel.

You can find AXE hair and body products at your local drugstore and super market.

You can find more of my AXE reviews on A Girl’s Gotta Spa! YouTube channel.

And don’t forget to Like A Girl’s Gotta Spa! on Facebook!

Nando

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Guy’s, do you love natural and organic skin care products? Well check out my review of Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Invigorating Body Wash.

You can find it at www.nealsyardremedies.com.

Nando

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It’s summer and there is nothing worse than riding the Q train only to take in all of the smells of the city. In my ongoing review of AXE products, I was sent AXE Deodorant Bodyspray to try out. I gave this product my highest rating yet! Check out the video to see what I thought. Have you tried it? Leave a comment!

Other AXE reviews worth looking at on A Girl’s Gotta Spa! (sm):

• AXE Leather Collection
• AXE Itch Relief Cooling 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo + Conditioner
• AXE Smooth and Sophisticated Shine Pomade
• AXE Hair Care

*Disclosure

Nando

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You demanded more AXE Hair Care reviews in my men’s grooming tips, so I decided to review AXE Smooth and Sophisticated Look Shine Pomade. Have you used it? Check out my video to hear what I thought about it.

Other AXE reviews worth looking at on A Girl’s Gotta Spa! (sm):

AXE Leather Collection
AXE Itch Relief Cooling 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo + Conditioner

*Disclosure

Nando

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Father’s Day is fast approaching and Truman’s Gentlemen’s Groomers in NYC is conducting their first annual Father’s Day MAN UP! Competition where NYer’s are invited to nominate a dad – most deserving of a grooming overhaul – for a chance to win a Truman’s membership (value: $600).  So if you know a dad in need of a makeover, you might want to nominate him on his behalf!

Here’s what you have to do no later than June 15th: 

Submit a photo and explain in 50 words or less why their dad, husband, brother, uncle or best friend needs to MAN UP! to: manup @ trumans-nyc (dot) com

On June 8, Truman’s will select four runners-up to receive a Total Package – which includes a haircut, shave, 60-minute massage, Handshake Maintenance and a professional shoe shine. After-photos of the 4 will then be posted on Facebook, and fans will be asked to vote. The dad with the most votes will win the grand prize – a membership to Truman’s!

Head over to www.Trumans-NYC.com for complete details and be sure you become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/TrumansNYC. Good luck!

Shannon Nelson

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