Category: Grooming (Page 22 of 29)

Product Review: Pherlure Pheromone Cologne

February 27, 2012 / Paul Eide

In the words of Forrest Gump, “I am not a smart man, Jen-nay. But I know what love is.” Maybe I’m the last guy on earth who had never heard of pheromones or used them to woo some unsuspecting broads, but it made me think of that nerd on “The Simpsons” in a lab surrounded by beakers.

I was familiar with a hormone, thanks to my mom’s favorite joke that she’s been telling since I met her:

“How do you make a hormone, Paul?”

“I don’t know mom, how?”

“Step on her toe!”

But what the hell is a pheromone? According to Wikipedia: “A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species.”

Whoa! Same species? Ex-squeeze me, but keep your hands of my genus, man. Wait, never mind; women are part of our species even though it rarely feels like that.

To put this stuff to the test, I sprayed it onto my body prior to engaging in varying social situations where I knew women would be present: the strip club, the office, the dentist office and my daughter’s daycare. All in the name of science, gents.

Once I entered the confines of the Bottom’s Up Lounge, I knew some type of social response would be triggered. As ZZ Top’s “Lowdown in the Street” poured through the speakers, my cohort and I made a b-line for the front of the stage. For comparisons sake, I was fully loaded up with Pherlure while he was completely unscented.

As I sat there, I was approached by a young, hot stripper. The first thing she said to me after rubbing up against my chest/$15 faux fleece pullover from a nearby Wal-Mart was, “Wow, you smell great.” BOO-YAH. I bet she’s never said that to a dude before or since and actually meant it, like she did to me.

Dating, Grooming, Stuff to Buy

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Bullz-Eye reviews the Schick Hydro Power Select Razor

January 23, 2012 / Staff

Shaving has come a long way and it has gone even farther now with the new Schick Hydro Power Select Razor, which is the world’s first custom power wet shave razor! Bullz-Eye tested this new shaving system from Schick and came away impressed with a super close shave.

According to Schick, this custom power razor allows men to tailor their shave to power up and customize their morning grooming routine like never before. With 25 electronic parts, an interactive LED display on the handle, and blade cartridge technology featuring the Schick Hydro system that hydrates throughout each shave, the Schick Hydro Power Select allows men to interact with their razor in a brand new way. And from what we experienced, Schick is right on the money. With a switch, I was able to choose from three settings on a one-touch control button that allows users to adjust before or during a shave to see what works best for them. The easy to read LED screen communicates visually to clearly distinguish which vibration level is in use so you know exactly what fits your shaving needs.

Adding to the elements of the Schick Hydro Power Select is a unique water-activated hydrating gel reservoir and five Ultraglide blades with skindguards with flip trimmer for precision trimming. This cutting edge shaving technology is neatly packaged into a sleek design with an ergonomic handle that rounds out a strong new product for men today. The competition is tough out there in the men’s shaving world, but that’s part of the reason why we can purchase new and innovative products like the Schick Hydro Power Select; and my day starts out a little better now because of my superb shave! Head over to www.schickhydro.com to learn more.

Grooming

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Product Review: Minus 417

January 3, 2012 / Paul Eide

I wasn’t very impressed with the products from Minus 417, which symbolized everything that’s wrong with a lot of supposed “high end” men’s skin care products that are on the market. Just because it contains a litany of exotic sounding ingredients and is high priced ($98.00 for the kit), it doesn’t mean it’s good.

Hyped as a product that was enriched with “dead-sea minerals” and “vitamin A, vitamin E, sweet-almond oil, carrot-seed oil and olive oil,” it quickly devolved into a cacophony of ingredients. The dizzying array of natural substances that comprised the line, from what I could tell, was all hype. I can’t tell the difference between a dead-Sea mineral and carrot-seed oil once it’s on my skin, but if it’s a moisturizer, make it refresh my skin and keep it moist for an extended period of time. If it’s a shaving cream, make it easy to apply to my skin, shave and rinse off my blade.

The first sample I used from the Body Care Kit for Men was the Mineral Shave Cream. I could tell from the moment I put it in my hand, just by the texture, that it wasn’t very good. I squeezed a large amount from the tube into my hand and rubbed them together, but when I did that, instead of having the product expand like most shaving creams, it gradually dissipated thanks to the friction in my hands. So, I squeezed out even more and did the same thing, this time applying some water, but it didn’t help either. After a third squeeze, I got enough out to apply on my face, but it immediately began to sting. Not only that, but it felt like I was putting lotion on my face rather than a shaving cream. It got to the point where I was literally glopping it on my face to cover the entire area.

I started dragging the razor across my face and it came up pretty easily; I didn’t have to go over the same area multiple times. But getting the cream out of my razor was a pain, and a thin layer of it coated my sink when I was done. It was not a pleasant experience.

After I washed my face, I applied the Active Moisturizer After Shave. In addition to the scent being completely overbearing, I could tell from the minute I applied it I would have to keep putting it on, over and over, because one application dries your skin out rather than moisturizing. After I put it on, my skin was dry and flakey, worse than if I hadn’t applied anything.

Finally, I used the Body & Hair Shampoo for Men. It was akin to the free shampoo you get from a hotel when you forget yours; it just wasn’t very good.

I was not impressed with any facet of the Minus 417 Body Care Kit for Men. It reminded me of a cheap substitute attempting to masquerade as a high end product. You can put a pig in a dress, but at the end of the day, it’s a pig wearing a dress.

Check out the company’s official website for more information.

Grooming

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Product Review: RAW Men’s Skin Care

December 26, 2011 / Paul Eide

What do you get when combine organic and bio-tech ingredients with the skin pH and chemistry of the modern man? RAW Skin Care! This isn’t just a white bottle with the word “lotion” on it that you can mindlessly pick up at Wal-Mart — this is a complete facial cleansing system, specifically designed for men who know the difference.

First, I washed my face with the Blue Agave Wash. The cream itself was thick; I used a minimal amount but that wasn’t enough. Some products will foam up and expand, but the RAW did not — it had more of a balm-type texture and quality. Even when I added some water and worked it into my skin, it didn’t lather up too much; it was like a coating which reminded me of the deep cleanse that you get during a facial. After a few minutes of rubbing it in, I could feel my skin begin to open up. The scent was brisk and mentholated, and my skin felt open. I have never used a product with blue agave previously, but in addition to feeling the refreshing burn that menthol provides, this was more soothing and subtle than simple menthol.

When I rinsed it off, it didn’t come streaming off of my face, which is how I knew it was high quality. I had to use a significant amount of water to get it off, and in this regard it felt like a facial peel. Exfoliate is a popular term that gets thrown around pretty loosely, but it really did exfoliate my skin based on the feeling that began to settle in after I rinsed my face off. Initially, I didn’t feel any major difference. But about two minutes later, my skin felt tight and smooth. Not to sound redundant, but it was the feeling you get after a facial where you feel refreshed and wide open.

Grooming, Lifestyle, Stuff to Buy

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Product Review: Braun cruZer Series

December 19, 2011 / Paul Eide

Do you ever just pick something up because it looks cool? I couldn’t even tell you the last time I did, but when the cruZer products from Braun arrived in the mail, I had to play with them because they just looked cool.

The cruZer line is a series of shaving devices created to express the diverse personalities of the men who use them. Your facial hair and body style express your own personality and attitude, and the cruZer line was designed to “underline your personal style.” And how does Braun plan on doing that? Unparalleled versatility.

I received two electric shavers from Braun: the CruZer6 Face and the CruZer Beard & Head Trimmer.

The CruZer6 Face electric razor is marketed as a 3-in-1 shaver, styler and trimmer, and it really was each of those, not just slick marketing. Its primary function is to shave your face, but even if you rock a goatee or Fu Manchu, you could still use it to touch up existing facial hair. The Trimming Comb is a plastic sheath that fits over the head of the shaver that you can adjust to four different lengths, which makes it ideal to trim and maintain a beard or other type of facial hair.

Another feature that speaks to the versatility of the CruZer6 is the Twistable Trimmer on the back side. The trimmer has long been a staple of an electric shaver, but unfortunately, its lack of adjustability is also well known. Not only does the CruZer6 trimmer extend out from the base of the shaver to give you an additional couple inches to work with, it also has two different sizes of trimmer head — narrow and wide. Instead of adjusting your style to fit the function of the razor, the CruZer6 adjust to the needs of the user and provides additional flexibility that other electric razors don’t. In a pinch, you could even use the CruZer6 to shave and manscape or trim any other body hair because it is so versatile.

Grooming, Lifestyle, Stuff to Buy

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