Many men prefer to not use any face products whatsoever, beyond the obligatory aftershave. Shampoo, soap, and done. But there is a whole range of great products, from skin cleansers and exfoliants through to anti-aging serums and beard conditioners. Here, a few standouts.
Stoüt is a Canadian company, offering an environmentally-conscious, anti-aging, sun-protecting (SPF 15) moisturizer. A specialty product if there ever was one, Stoüt’s daily cream makes it real simple. And effective. It has a bracing, mild aroma suggestive of wintergreen, and it lasts forever, or 24 hours, whichever comes first.
From Montreal, Les Industries Groom, or Groom for short, focuses on the facial hair and the shave. You may have noticed that straight razors, leather strops, and whetstones have made a comeback of sorts, and Groom is all about that classical shave—something Clint Eastwood in High Plains Drifter would surely approve of. Shaving cream, shaving oil, aftershave balm, aftershave splash; don’t dare say you don’t have options. The balm, with its faint peppermint notes, forgives even the harshest cold-razor scrape. There is a trial kit available, so that would be an excellent place to start.
And then there is Anthony, named after its founder, Anthony Sosnick. Back in 2000, he saw an open spot in the market for high-quality men’s grooming products beyond the norm of shave, deodorant, and cleansing. The High Performance Vitamin C Facial Serum, with its mild, clean, lean odour, mitigates against lines around the corner of the eye in the most natural of ways—no injections! For the hirsutely gifted, there is a complete line of beard cleansers and conditioners, which work not only on the hair itself, but on the skin underneath. Especially enjoyable is the conditioning beard wash.
Finally, from the world of haute fragrance comes the new Dior Homme Sport. Sometimes a tantalizing, linger-in-the-hallway fragrance is just the ticket. To where, well, that is up to you. But this Dior is not just for a night out; it is specifically designed to be effective in the great outdoors. Thus there are accents of spice and a delicate but clear essence of citrus, more orange than lemon or lime, along with a hint of cedar-box humidor.
It is a fine time for men’s grooming products. Let’s just say even if you announced the incorrect film for Best Picture at the Oscars, you’d nonetheless look and smell great, and all that sweat would be wafted off by Anthony No Sweat Body Defense. Perfect.
