Category: Grooming (Page 15 of 29)

Product Review: D&Y Spring/Summer 2013 Hats for Men

March 2, 2013 / Paul Eide

There is nothing more polarizing on earth than a Fedora hat. You could wear a sign that proclaimed your stance on the death penalty, abortion and the afterlife all at once and you still wouldn’t be judged as harshly.

For every piece of positive feedback I received, I garnered five negative comments. It reminded me of the usual treatment I receive at the hands of my fully developed, blonde soul patch that I rock unabashedly in general, but in this particular instance, concurrently with the Fedora hat — double trouble, baby.

Why does the Fedora generate such angst? Because it’s an affront to weak dudes. And weak dudes are currently perpetuating their gutless shtick at record levels, passing themselves off as “real dudes” to chicks who are desperate for the genuine article but are forced to settle for a POS facsimile; like buying movies from the bootleg DVD guy in your neighborhood rather than spending a little more time and money to purchase the real deal. Do perceived needs motivate your actions? You’re already missing the point.

But what’s cool about the Fedora from D&Y is how it makes you feel. And how you feel on the inside has a large hand in generating the situations you attract on the outside.

To game test my Fedora, I took it with me while I covered this BMX session in Orlando, Florida. If any place on earth was going to be appreciative of the Fedora, the last bastion had to be by the pool at the Universal Studios hotel in Orlando. And it was, by two smoking hot babes who happened to be lounging nearby.

Both ladies were quick to complement not only the hat, but the man wearing it. They said the hat “spoke to them,” and that any guy who had the balls to wear it, and effectively pull it off, was a guy they wanted to be around. A guy they wouldn’t regret sleeping with. In short, a fucking man.

So what if a couple farmers from Dubuque, IA didn’t think much of my Fedora; I thought their Dekalb logo-emblazoned t-shirts were as preposterous as the way they interspersed the word “ain’t” throughout their cheap, low-level casual conversation.

If you want to look like a garden variety dumbass with nothing to offer the world, particularly the fairer sex, the new line of hats from D&Y isn’t for you. But if you’re a man who looks good,\ because he takes the time to look good, cares about his appearance, and has the intellectual wit to match the exterior, a hat from D&Y is the perfect accessory for a well-maintained, coordinated wardrobe.

You may have to wade through some negativity, but it’s only because you look good and that makes weak dudes nervous. And they should be.

Check out the full line of D&Y Spring/Summer 2013 hats for men here.

Gear, Grooming, Stuff to Buy

D&Y DAvid and Young Fedora Florida Universal Studios

Product Review: Schick Xtreme 3 Hawaiian Tropic Edition

February 18, 2013 / Paul Eide

Even if they don’t want us to believe it, women need to shave too. We already know that they never sweat, but rather “glow,” and they never fart or have to use the bathroom.

But even they have unwanted hair that grows on a regular basis and needs to be maintained, when they travel or leave home, just like us. The Schick Xtreme 3 Hawaiian Tropic disposable razor was made just for them.

Chicks like things that smell good — this is a fact. So what did the geniuses at Schick do? They made a razor that has the womanly scent of coconut built right in that never diminishes or goes away, unlike a man.

The Schick Hawaiian Tropic is a temporary/disposable razor, but works with the effectiveness and feel of any full-time blade.

It’s a disposable razor, but it’s a long way from what you normally expect from a disposable razor. The main thing I expect whenever I hear the term “disposable razor” is a certain overall level of cheapness — just a stiff piece of light-weight plastic with a shard of metal used to scrape the whiskers off your face when you’re in a hurry visiting the in-laws or on that business trip.

One of the first things I noticed was the handle, and not just because it smells like a tanned, oiled, hot Hawaiian babe (which it does), but because the way it is structured is perfect for the grip of the most feminine of hands. Bumps and ridges abounded, making it easy to adjust the blade and hit hard to reach areas with ease.

Located just above the triple blade setup is the “Comfort Strip.” The Comfort Strip delivers the ingredients Vitamin E, Aloe and Jojoba to your skin immediately after going over the area with the triple blades, which seriously reduces irritation.

Another small thing I liked in particular was the razor cover. Most disposable blades I’ve encountered usually have a cheap plastic “slidey thing” (to use the technical term) to cover the blade when not in use. But the Xtreme3 had a cover that could only be removed if you pinched both ends at the same time; it was almost like a clamp, which is great if you’ve got this in the bottom of a loosely fitting gym bag, or if you have a curious four-year-old.

Valentine’s Day may be over, but there will soon be another holiday that woman think was made just for them, where you’ll be forced to present them with a gift to show your undying affection. Next time you’re in that predicament, pick up a four-pack of Schick Xtreme 3 Hawaiian Tropic razors “for her.” They serve a practical purpose and show that you are sensitive to their most sensitive needs and areas.

For more information, visit the website here.

Grooming, Stuff to Buy

Disposable Razors Product Review: Schick Xtreme 3 Hawaiian Tropic Edition Schick Schick Xtreme 3 Hawaiian Tropic Women's Razors

Product Review: Clear Men Scalp Therapy

February 7, 2013 / Paul Eide

Have you ever killed a man? According to Ed O’Neil in “Wayne’s World,” “If you stab a man in the dead of winter, steam will rise up from the wounds. Indians believed it was his soul escaping from his body.” Whether you have or not, you’ll need something to get all that dried blood and gunk out of your hair afterwards.

Even if you aren’t sophisticated, you don’t have to smell that way too. So what if you are a single guy and a bag of knock-off Fruit Loops (Tootie Fruities) is all you’ve had for dinner the last two evenings, sans milk? Or if your house is absolutely littered with so many toys and pink clothes it looks like a five-year-old girl exploded? Or that, for some reason, an empty can of chicken you ate for dinner on Monday is still idling on the stovetop, less than three feet from the trash can?

The key is that no one needs to know the real you — they just have to be familiar with the nicely dressed, good smelling dude that appears when you exit the threshold of your house and show up for work.

That’s where the new Clear Men Scalp Therapy can aid your quest for a dandruff-free life, and add a certain level of sophistication you may be lacking. It’s a 2-in-1 anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner that smells marvelous.

In fact, it smelled so good that when I first used it that I didn’t bother reading the packaging with important hints about what this product is or what it does; I just applied it to my body like a body wash. As I was using it I thought, “Does this make me cheap to use a shampoo as a body wash?” Little did I know that I was doing the exact inverse of that. And the answer is yes, I am cheap. I’m so cheap, I thought the website Groupon.com was an adult swingers site for two years and was even more aroused when I found out it helped me save money.

CMST contains 10 nutrients and botanical extracts including ginseng, tea tree and natural mint. Even if you knew nothing about extracts, you could tell just something was different about the shampoo because of the way it made you feel. Instead of feeling bogged down, or accumulating a soapy residue, I had a refreshing, energizing experience.

Not that it made any difference on the condition of my living room, kitchen or bathroom. Thanks to the Clear Men’s Scalp Therapy, I’m convinced the bathroom is the cleanest area of my house.

On this day, I didn’t kill a man. But I killed the shell of a boy masquerading as one. With a knife, just like Ray Lewis, and we both got away with it.

Want to make your scalp come to life? Check out the CMST Facebook page.

Grooming, Lifestyle

Clear Men Scalp Therapy dandruff shampoo Ed O'Neil Men's Haircare men's shampoo Product Review: Clear Men Scalp Therapy Ray lewis Wayne's World

Product Review: Schick Xtreme 3 Fitstyle Refresh

January 24, 2013 / Paul Eide

If Michael Jackson were to write a song about this razor, it would be called “Bad.” If this razor were a woman, it would be Roseanne Barr. If this razor were a space shuttle, it would be the Challenger. If this razor were a car, it would be a Ford Festiva. If this razor were a Band-Aid, it would be the kind that doesn’t have enough adhesive to stick.

The Xtreme3 is loaded with three blades as the name would suggest. It’s called the Fitstyle Refresh because it has a strip below the razor with both a mysterious “pre-shave oil” and Vitamin E, meant to coat your skin as you glide along the rest of your face. Though marketed as having a “new refreshing scented handle for an invigorating shave,” I didn’t find that to be the case.

While I was shaving with it, I didn’t notice any additional scent, so I placed it directly under my nose to take a whiff and still couldn’t detect a scent other than a plastic handle. I smelled all four razors in the package and none of them smelled like anything.

According to the packaging the razor came in, the Fitstyle Refresh is the “#1 flexible blade disposable razor.” But I wouldn’t agree it all; I don’t even think it’s the #1 disposable razor in its own family, sort of like Emilio Estevez. There is no way it is better than the Schick Xtreme3 (Martin Sheen) or the Schick Hydro 5 Power Select (Charlie Sheen).

Compared to several of Schick’s other offerings, I wasn’t very impressed with the Xtreme3 Fitstyle Refresh. I found it to be incredibly stiff, like Newt Gingrich at a Wham reunion concert, because it didn’t move with the contours of my face at all. I know it’s a disposable razor, but there was no weight to it whatsoever, which I think was a problem in terms of effectiveness.

Several times during the shave, I had to re-shave an area more than once, particularly the area where my mustache would be if I could grow one. Which is pretty bad, because if you can grow a mustache, plan on shaving that area about five times. And getting way more chicks than me; congrats. Somehow, it took more skin off of my face than hair.

I was extremely disappointed with the lack of effectiveness exhibited by the Fitstyle Refresh. Ff you want a good disposable razor from Schick, check out the Schick Xtreme3 or the Schick Hydro 5 Power Select instead.

Grooming

Charlie Sheen Emelio Estevez Martin Sheen Product Review: Schick Xtreme 3 Fitstyle Refresh Schick Schick Hydro 5 Power Select Schick Xtreme 3 Fitstyle Refresh Schick Xtreme3

Product Review: Hanz de Fuko Hair Products

January 1, 2013 / Paul Eide

You don’t even have to know anything about men’s hair care products to know that Hans de Fuko is something you want to use. From the names of the products, to the graphic design employed on the packaging, it just feels good to use. You feel hip, contemporary and like you finally have your hair game under control. And even if you don’t, Hans de Fuko has the product to look like you don’t have it under control either.

All six styling agents I tried are listed below, along with a notable person who exemplifies this particular hairstyle.

Hybridized Wax – Reminded me of a classic pomade look and feel, but felt and functioned more like a gel. Because it seemed more gelish, I assumed I would have to use a lot to get the style I wanted. But it had a surprisingly strong hold and gave my hair more of a shiny look. Think James Franco.

Modify Pomade – This was the stickiest, most responsive pomade I have ever used. While some pomade takes seemingly endless doses to get the look you’re trying to achieve, this took one application and I was done. It was very shiny in classic pomade style, but held very well, lending itself to thicker than normal hair. Think a young John Travolta.

Sponge Wax – This was probably my favorite thanks to the sponge-like quality of the product. It literally felt lighter than air and had the texture of some type of plastic rather than a hair gel. It just felt cool to put on my hands and run through my hair. It wasn’t flashy like a pomade, but was as effective. Think Robert Pattinson.

Quicksand – Perfect name for the feel and function of this hair styling cream. It’s gritty and rough like your mother-in-law, and very thick. It’s meant to hold firmly and cuts down on gloss or shine. It literally felt like it had little bits of sand in it to add to the matte look and added the appearance of volume to my hair. Think Simon Baker.

Scheme Cream – The Scheme Cream struck me as the perfect product for general use if you just wanted something to give your hair a moderate style, and nothing too extreme. Or if your look is looking like you don’t do anything at all. Think Xavier Dolan.

Gel Triq – This is the first gel I’ve ever squeezed out of a tube that wasn’t all watered down and was suitable to use. This stuff works. Definitely best for dramatic hairstyles heavy on spikes or mohawks, it lasted all through the first night and into the next morning. Unreal holding power, but still flexible if you want to change your look at some point during the day or night. Think Cristiano Ronaldo.

The line of products from Hans de Fuko gives you the chance to be an artist when it comes to your personal appearance. Each individual cream/paste or pomade accentuates a different feature of your hair style, bringing your look to life, and also giving you the ability to experiment with other looks and feels.

And at just between $15-$17.50 per product, it’s worth trying out. Visit the website here.

Grooming, Stuff to Buy

Hair Styles Hanz de Fuko Hair Products men's hair care Men's Hair Style Men's Styling Products Product Review: Hanz de Fuko Hair Products