Poxrucker & Co. was founded by international makeup artist, Alicia Poxrucker, who found she was encountering more and more questions from her male clients about how they can improve the appearance of their skin and benefit from the power of skincare and grooming products. 

Finding a lack of products specifically geared towards men, even with her reach as a makeup artist, with almost two decades’ experience, Alicia decided the only way to keep her clients truly happy was to create her own premium range.

So, after extensive research and development, Gentleman’s Polish was born: a lightly tinted, mineral-based makeup with a smooth, sheer finish designed especially for men’s skin.

Above - Poxrucker & Co - Gentleman’s Polish - Mineral Sheer Tint - 30ml - £35 

www.poxruckerco.com

The multi-tasking formula helps reduce the dreaded man-shine and contains light diffusing pigments that help to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s perfect for the gentleman who wants a pick-me-up after a late night or a long winter, before a big date or job interview.

Gentleman’s Polish is oil and paraben free and hypoallergenic, so it’s suitable for all skin types, and it contains SPF 20+ for sun protection.

TheChicGeek says, “Sounding a bit like something you should be spreading on toast, this is the first men’s specific foundation I’ve encountered. I’ve tried BB and CC creams before, all which have a slight tint to the product to hide blemishes and even out the skin, but none has felt as light and as natural as this. 

This is you on your very best day. I don’t think I’d apply this everyday, but as the blurb says, this would be great for the morning-after-the-night-before, when trying to look less like death or possibly a date or job interview. There’s an SPF 20 in here, somewhere, even though it didn’t mention this on the sample I was sent. Whatever you do make sure you get the correct skin colour, I went for ‘light’. If in doubt go for a lighter shade.

My feedback would be that the branding and packaging doesn't do this justice. It needs a more serious approach. I like the name, it just needs better branding and nicer packaging for the £35 price tag."

“Mr. Burberry is our most significant men’s fragrance to date. Inspired by the iconic Burberry trench coat and by London, a city of great contrasts and contradictions. It is traditional yet irreverent, elegant without being pristine. It perfectly encapsulates a mood and an attitude that today’s Burberry man will recognise as his own.” says Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer, Burberry.

Left - Josh's Bottle! Burberry - Mr. Burberry Eau De Toilette - 100ml - £64

Inspired by Burberry’s iconic black trench coat and by London, the Mr. Burberry fragrance was created by Christopher Bailey, working in collaboration with renowned perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. A sensual herbal woody eau de toilette, the fragrance opens with notes of crisp zesty grapefruit, cut with a seductive base of earthy vetiver and smokey guaiac wood. 

Right - The full Mr Burberry range includes a beard oil

The Mr. Burberry campaign was shot in London by Oscar and Turner Prize-winning British director Steve McQueen in his first commercial film, and features British actor and musician Josh Whitehouse and British model and actress Amber Anderson. The soundtrack was created by British singer-songwriter Benjamin Clementine. 

TheChicGeek says, “This is a big deal for Burberry. After buying back their fragrance license they are now in full control of this side of the business and see this as one of their growth areas. They need this to be a hit.

They’re one of the few mega-brands in fashion with a creative director overseeing every little detail of the business and you can feel the consistency here.

As for the fragrance, it’s nice, but not distinctive. The refreshing grapefruit of the top soon gives way to a soft and warm wood. The main negative is that it doesn’t last. You’d be better off using this as a type of cologne and applying lots and often to keep it with you. There’s also a full range of products to go with this, including a beard oil, which, while not revolutionary, at least shows they’ve thought about the men’s market and offered some difference. 

I like the touch of gabardine, the original trench-coat fabric invented by Thomas Burberry, made in Burberry’s own factory in Yorkshire and tied around the neck of the bottle. This is as close as the majority of people will get to owning one of their expensive trench-coats. You can also have each bottle personalised with up to three initials. 

The campaign feels a bit more risqué than the average perfume commercial, think quite a bit of nudity, but you do wonder how much will be cut to please different markets and advertisers.” 

Below - Face of the fragrance, British actor & musician - Josh Whitehouse

This limited-edition fragrance from Givenchy's Gentlemen Only series is an aromatic blend of citrus and woody notes. Featuring lemon, Nepal mint, sage, Haiti vetiver and ambroxan with a scene of Paris’ River Seine on the bottle.

TheChicGeek says, “You’d be mistaken, from the bottle, for thinking this smelt like the Seine. Well, thank goodness, it doesn’t. I’ve been a fan of Givenchy’s Gentlemen Only series, and this, the fourth, is what I would class as a ‘Summer Edition’.

Its fresh, aquatic notes loses some of the warmth of the original though. It has a strong lemon top note uncut with a coolness from the mint. While nothing revolutionary, it does offer a summer freshness without tipping over into annoying marine”.

Left - Givenchy - Gentlemen Only Parisian Break - 100ml - £60.50

The PMD Personal Microderm for MEN is a skincare tool designed for men’s skin to help reduce enlarged pores, eliminate in-grown hairs and smooth rough skin, whilst stimulating skin regeneration to leave the complexion looking rejuvenated. The hand-held PMD Personal Microderm combines the power of deep exfoliation with vacuum suction to leave the skin looking brighter, smoother and more rejuvenated than ever.

PMD Personal Microderm uses the same aluminium oxide crystals as found in professional machines, which make up a flat, coarse disc that has a deeply exfoliating effect on the skin. The dead skin cells are instantly removed by the vacuum action of the device, which activates the innate skin healing mechanism that stimulates cell renewal and collagen production in the upper layers of the skin.

This hand-held device will reduce the appearance of fine lines, light scarring and wrinkles. It will also improve the overall skin tone by fading uneven pigmentation, sun damage, age spots, and skin blemishes. In addition, microdermabrasion also helps to reduce the formation of acne as it helps to clear out clogged pores and release trapped dirt and oil. Skincare products are more fully absorbed, maximising their effectiveness.

TheChicGeek says, “To be really basic and take this back to the fundamentals, it’s a bit like sanding your face, leaving a new and soft finish. 

This isn’t a gadget to be rushed or over-used. It is recommended you use it once a week for 5 minutes. Make sure your skin is clean and dry before use. The brand images are deceiving as it needs to be plugged in while using it, so ideally you’ll have a plug in the bathroom or near a mirror.

There are different heads, depending on which skin type you have. I would start with a sensitive head while you get a feel for the machine.

The heads for the face are quite small - the larger ones are for other areas -  and you don’t want to go over areas twice. You need to get a rhythm of holding it on the face, without pushing too hard, and moving it around. A vacuum sucks the dead skin into the machine. The more you use it, the easier it gets and the more confident you become.

Your skin is left feeling softer and other products, you may be using, are better absorbed and more effective. It does leave you feeling like you've had a 'treatment'. I think you could over use this machine, so be careful, don’t go over the 5 minutes and use only once a week. The heads need regular replacement, but the box comes with about 9 heads, all with varying degrees of abrasion”.

Above & Below - PMD Personal Microderm for MEN - £150 Harrods, www.personalmicroderm.co.uk, www.currentbody.com