Tried & Tested Boldking Razor
TheChicGeek says, “I went to a recent event that Kiehl’s had to celebrate Thanksgiving and they had a complimentary barber doing facials and wet shaves. We got to talking about which razors we used, I said I liked Gillette’s Flexball and he said he used a brand called ‘Boldking'. I hadn’t heard of them, I asked what was good, and he said that the razorblades were spaced far apart to stop them clogging, which is one of the biggest bugbears of shaving and razors in general.
I thought nothing of it and then, as what always happens, through the mystery of the internet and a greater power, an advert for Boldking came up on my Instagram feed. The conversation I had with the barber came back and I clicked through to their site and asked them to review one of the razors, which they kindly agreed to.
Boldking was founded in 2013 and is based in Amsterdam with the aim of making shaving enjoyable and affordable again.
Left - A Boldking Starter Set - £12
So, here goes. Firstly, the branding is really good. Gone are the muscles and steamed up mirrors: replaced by cute graphics and chatty instructions. This feels modern, it feels like there’s no pressure to be a certain type of man, it’s simply about shaving and doing a good job.
I think I got sent a deluxe box, but the basic ingredients are the same. A black rubber shaving handle that has a clever suction cup to stick the blade to the mirror or wall. Please note this other shaving brands, this is a great idea: you know where it is, plus the lube strips don’t stick to anything.
You then clip one of the four cartridges on and you can see the blades are visibly spaced further apart.
Did it clog less? Yes. Razors usually clog around the coarser and thicker areas around the chin and nose. This made shaving easier and faster. You simply shook the razor in the water and everything came out without any banging on the side of the sink.
The negatives. The plastic rubber handle does feel a bit disposable and cheap. The razor was a bit bouncy, again because it’s cheaper, but like all razors, once you got used to it, it was fine.
What do I like? The price is good. A ‘Starter Set; which has 4 cartridges and ‘Aftershave Cream’ is only £12 and that includes free shipping from Holland.
Secondly, it works. Shaving isn’t exactly enjoyable, but it is quicker and less annoying. Think less banging on the sink.
Thirdly, the brand feels cool. It feels contemporary. It also feels honest and caring: they offer a recycling service, but do you have to pay £1.50 for the envelope.
Overall, it’s thumbs up for a small company up against the Goliaths of shaving.
Boldking is only available online through their website www.boldking.com
Tried & Tested Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka
Jo Malone takes a trip to Namibia and uses the potent sap of the myrrh tree in the latest fragrance in their Cologne Intense range. This species of myrrh grows on mountains in the northern region of the country. In the dry season, the resin from the omumbiri myrrh tree is collected and left to cure in the African air for a few weeks. No tapping ever occurs in the region to ensure a sustainable wild population of these exotic myrrh trees.
TheChicGeek says, “This is very warm and gourmandy - that’s the almond and vanilla. It’s an oriental wood with the myrrh being the focus. It contains classic masculine fragrance ingredients too, such as lavender and tonka bean, but overall it’s the sticky warmth that resonates and tonka bean adds depth with a metallic edge. The myrrh isn’t distinctive, but like amber and oud, these tree resins have the warm depth people look for in modern fragrance”.
Left - Jo Malone - Myrrh & Tonka - 100ml - £105
Tried & Tested IDEO Parfumeurs Tarbouch Afandi
Beirut based, IDEO Parfumeurs, takes inspiration from 1930s Morocco and Egypt with their new fragrance, Tarbouch Afandi. The name refers to a traditional gentleman's hat - the 'Tarbouch' - while 'Afandi' means both mandarin - a central note in the fragrance - but also the respectful 'Sir'!
Notes include green mandarin, pine, peppermint, honeyed tobacco and Lebanese cedarwood.
TheChicGeek says, ”I’d not heard of IDEO before, but if this is anything to go by then they are using the best ingredients in an interesting way. What makes this stand out is the animalic notes. Parfumeurs often stay clear of these musky and sexual ingredients as they can often have that primitive reaction of warning you off.
What hits you first is wet violet leaves which quickly dries to form a warm animalic scent. It's a bit like smelling a fresh fur coat, you can smell the fur and the heat from the body of the animal, but with a freshness. the mandarin, that stops it from being too much. This goes as far as many want to go with this fragrance family, but if you want more and you're a fan of a sweaty arse crack then you’ll probably love this - here
It is perfect for this time of year: it stays with you, but doesn't become annoying or dirty. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the packaging. It’s a bit generic for something as interesting as this.”
Left - IDEO Parfumeurs - Tarbouch Afandi - 100ml - £140 Exclusive to Liberty of London
Tried & Tested Clinique Pep-Start HydroRush SPF 20 Moisturizer
Clinique says it’s taking skin protection to the next level with the new Pep-Start HydroRush SPF20 Moisturizer, formulated with antioxidants, anti-irritants and barrier strengthening ingredients to help provide multi-faceted environmental protection.
A daily moisturiser that provides oil control with an instant rush of hydration plus all- inclusive protection from the environment, leaving skin properly prepped for the day ahead.
TheChicGeek says, “From looking at the packaging this is a moisturiser for the Instagram age. It’s even in the curved square shape of the Instagram icon. It really pops and the bright plastic and its tactile nature makes this something that feels modern and young.
As for the inside, this feels and smells like a sun product. It’s very white and thick and while I’m all for sun protection, I think when you think about a moisturiser with SPF you want it to feel somewhat lighter and the focus on hydrating.
The three main ingredients here are Avobenzone, a chemical sunscreen that absorbs the sun’s rays and offers the broadest protection against UVA, Octisalate, a UVB absorber that helps to protect the skin against sunburn causing UV rays and Polyester-8, which when combined with other two sunscreen agents, helps to boost UVA protection. The sunscreen ingredients are suspended in a floating matrix, which helps prevent the sunscreen from penetrating into the skin, safeguarding against any potential sensitivity or irritation and the reason why you should spend more money on sun protection products. There are other typical moisturising ingredients, but it feels like the above dominate.
I would take this moisturiser on holiday and use as a face protector throughout the day. An SPF of 20 is pretty healthy if you apply often enough. As a regular, day-to-day moisturiser I’m less convinced”.
Above - Clinique - Pep-Start HydroRush SPF 20 Moisturizer - £24
Tried & Tested Korres Wild Rose Advanced Repair Sleeping Facial
This overnight facial-in-a-jar is said to be a breakthrough in beauty sleep. More than a mask, more than a night cream, it contains the Korres ‘Phos Compound’, a proprietary blend including a brightening agent and stabilised vitamin C. Uneven tone and dark spots will continuously improve.
Wild rose oil is a natural source of vitamin C, which demonstrates significant repairing activity to fine lines and skin colour disorders, while adding brightness and radiance to the skin.
TheChicGeek says, “I like a brand with confidence in their products. Greek brand, Korres, said to review this after one application. I’ve done three, but I did notice something after the first night, I just wanted to make sure!
My skin did look more hydrated and nourished. I didn’t realise at first this had a ‘brightness’ element, which means the discolourations in your skin are lightened and, hopefully, you’ll have a more even skin tone. This is a bonus element.
The rose fragrance did have me thinking I’d be going to bed smelling like Barbara Cartland minus the bed jacket, but it’s more a natural and lighter rose smell, which is really nice.
I’ve been encouraging men to use night creams for a while now. We joke about 'beauty sleep', but as this is the time your skin gets to repair, it’s good to help with this process. I really like this”.
Left - Korres - Wild Rose Advanced Repair Sleeping Facial - £26
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Tried & Tested L’Officine Universelle Buly Shaving Cream Crème Pogonotomienne
If Gucci did grooming, this is what it would look like. I first heard/saw of Buly - full name L’Officine Universelle Buly - a few months ago when they were just about to open a counter in the new Dover Street Market. It has just gone onto MR PORTER, as a global online exclusive, so is much more widely available.
Here’s a bit of background. It was originally founded in 1803 in Paris and was rediscovered by owners, Mr Ramdane Touhami and Ms Victoire de Taillac, who reinvented the brand in 2014 and has since become highly-regarded for its naturally sourced products and handmade grooming accessories.
They sell over 700 products including tens of different types of combs and interior fragrance products.
Left - Buly - Crème Pogonotomienne - £33 from MRPORTER.COM
TheChicGeek says, “For something that looks so old, Buly is surprisingly refreshing. It is part of the trend for richly decorated products which give the impression of ancient manuscripts and knowledgable elders. These products look like something da Vinci or Michelangelo would have used and feel like a discovery. I've wanted to try some since I first saw it.
I tried the Crème Pogonotomienne (shaving cream). It's a mouthful and means to cut the beard in Greek. Buly is anti-plastic so all products come in metal tubes or glass packaging. This is a metal tube with a metal top and adds to the historical feeling. The reason, Mr Touhami says, is that plastic packaging, as you squeeze it, lets air into the product and therefore bacteria.
This is a light, white shaving cream containing burnt hinoki wood and goes on and washes off easily. The smell is strong. I think it smells like burnt marzipan and when I look at the ingredients it does contain sweet almond oil.
It’s often hard to review a shaving product as it’s usually as good or as sharp as your razor. Unless you have a reaction or breakouts, they are usually all pretty passable. That said, the smell of this makes shaving something different. You’re transported to the world of Buly; dusty mahogany drawers and stone floors making ancient magic. It’s not cheap, but it sure looks nice next to the sink, but, there is substance underneath all that beautiful packaging”.
Tried & Tested L’Envol de Cartier
A new men’s scent from French jewellery house, Cartier, the name ‘L’Envol' means ‘take flight’, and plays around with the idea of the Cartier timepieces developed for the first aviators.
An oriental woody fragrance, it contains musk blended with the powerful and masculine gaiac wood with honey notes and balmy facets.
TheChicGeek says, “Tell me, who doesn’t like the smell of honey? But, would you want to smell of it?
This smells like a jar of clear honey - maybe it’s the colour of the juice - made from white flowers. Close your my eyes, lie back and think of all those busy bees buzzing around jasmine and orange blossoms and you basically have L”Envol.
Left - The fragrance bottle is a refillable glass bulb inside a plastic sleeve
This is a very feminine ‘masculine’ fragrance and one I’m sure woman will wear just as much as men. It smells of honey, but without the stickiness you often get with cheaper fragrance ingredients and has a dash of patchouli while drying to a warm, comforting wood.
The bottle is interesting, it’s a glass bulb surrounded by a plastic case (*I've been corrected, the outer case is also glass) with a metal stopper that twists to reveal the opening. The glass bulb looks fairly delicate, so not one for the bathroom floor, and reminds me of one of those fancy oil/vinegar bottles.
It’s refillable, which does reduce the cost, but at £97 for 100ml, it’s really pushing that psychological £100 barrier. The £100 fragrance market is a tough one to crack, especially if this is sitting on a shelf next to cheaper fragrances. I understand that Cartier is a luxury brand, but if they’re going to introduce themselves to a younger, newer audience it still needs to be accessible.
The ingredients do smell of quality though and it’s certainly different.