CULTURE & FASHION
The Amsterdam based and globally known jeanmaker, Englishman Jason Denham, is always a personal favourite here at The Gentleman Select. Always re-knowned for a simple, not to busy yet consistently exciting classic approach to clothing, this Denham 2015 Fall/Winter Collection is no different.
We’ve finally made it. 2018 is here and if getting fit and doing a little more exercise is part of your new years resolution then I have the perfect clothing accompaniment to go with it. The stylish and functional items of British Vintage Boxing. Rarely does a brand come along which instantly grabs my attention here at The Gentleman Select. One which captures an essence of classic Britain and ruggedness.
Sunglasses are an item that we can wear all year round. Be it the blazing hot summers or the piercingly low winter sun, shades are an item we always carry with us wherever we go.
Wether you are prepping yourself for winter, or perhaps looking to get a head start on your christmas shopping, the online destination at the top of your list has to be Mens Make-Up UK. The grooming store has the widest range of mens products in the UK including a vast range of make up, from concealers to bronzers and brow gel, perfect for anything you are looking for gifting or otherwise.
Keeping your body, as well as your grooming regime up to a high standard is a must for the man of today, that can however unfortunately mean a little bit of shopping around, picking up the odd razor, moisturiser and face wash as you go. What if you were so busy to shop around however, as many of us are now a days, that you just didn’t have the time. This is were The Personal Barber comes in, a mens monthly subscription grooming box, ready to ease your woes and keep you looking at the top of your game with the highest quality products.
The Personal Barber was created with the idea of making your shaving routine a joyous pleasure instead of a chore. By selecting the best products available in the market and compiling them into a neat little box, they deliver straight to your door, ready to break out and integrate into your grooming regime.
Here at The Gentleman Select I was lucky enough to try a selected range sent by The Personal Barber in which I have decided to go through each product individually. This is of course another brilliant trait of the company, to keep this interesting and varied, once you start your subscription each month you will receive different soaps, aftershave balms, oils and scrubs, something I personally think is wonderful.
To start off I washed my face with some warm water to really open the pores up, in which to fully prepare my skin before shaving I broke out the lovely Scrub Up Detox from #Rehab London. The result of two years research into what men really wanted from their grooming products, it contains volcanic sand from Tahiti and bamboo medula granules, it is gritty and hugely effective at getting deep into the pores of your face for an invigorating pre shave clean.
With my face preped and ready to go I removed the weighty, comfortable solid metal razor from the box and affixed its blade. Specifically in my box these blades were of the Personna Platinum Chrome version, these Israeli made blades, also known as “Israeli Reds”have a sharp, fine edge, perfect for the job in hand. Quite so there is something truly manly about this whole process, taking you away from using a plasticly disposable version out a cellophane packet. With a little bit of practise I was ready to go and began by lathering up with my TWA Burds Soap. This bay rum and tequila scented artisan soap is hand produced in Scotland and smells absolutely incredible, fresh and zesty, it is perfect for shaving with.
After generously applying it on I was ready to go and I must say, very excited by the whole process. I have never actually used a razor before where I have attached the blade. Straight away I felt the strokes made with the razor were slick, smooth and effective. In particular I used it for tidying up the hairs both around my neck area and on my cheeks, brilliant for getting an accurate, defined lines.
After a little bit of time and a throughly enjoyable process, I rinsed the soapy lather from my face with some cold water in order to close my pores, before patting my face dry with a fresh towel. This then left me with the final stage of the process and for this, I reached for the thistle and black pepper moisturiser from the Scottish Fine Soaps Company. Based in Stirlingshire, this family run business has been making incredible skincare products for over 40 years using all natural products. Personally I love this product, it is wonderfully soothing on the skin after shaving in which the rich milk thistle is perfect for keeping the skin hydrated.
For me The Personal Barber Grooming Kit is a fantastic choice for someone who is looking to put the gentlemanly touch on their shaving regime and also try a variety of product along the way. It is an aspect I love, sort of like a male grooming product lottery as to what you are going to find when your next subscription comes through. Whats better still the guys at The Personal Barber are extremely flexible so if for example, you are traveling for an extended time period, then you can cancel the order until you return. My recommendation is head over to the site now and sign yourself up for an absolutely fantastic grooming service.
It’s crazy to think we are in the month of September already and unfortunately, given most of us live here in the U.K, that means the end of the lovely hot weather and blissful sunshine. Now annoying as this may be, don’t consider packing away the sunglasses just yet as with the incoming crisp, Autumn and winter months also brings with it that low piercing sun, something beautiful but tricky, especially during that morning commute. With this in mind, it is the perfect time to consider a new pair of sunglasses in which recently, I caught up with the folks at Black & Lizars to check out their amazing range and pick out something really sharp.
When we talk about about handkerchiefs, it is something that usually makes us think of Saville Row and good old Great Britain. The well refined gent tucking one into his breast pocket as he ventures out for the evening. Refreshingly however there is a new handkerchief brand on the scene, all the way from sunny California who have put out a slightly more modern take on this age old accessory. Step forth CHIEF MADE.
For me candles are something which gentleman out there still need to explore much more. Online and in high street shops, there is a good range to choose from, all hailing from various countries in mainland Europe. It is extra special however to have a brand much closer to home, one which offers an incredible varied range of scents guaranteed to warm your home and reinvigorate your senses. I’am of course talking about Timeless Candles.
We all know the backpack is a very popular accessory just now with statement pieces from high end brands such as Fendi, Valentino and Givenchy visible everywhere we go. Recently however I decided to check out a brand, fresh to the shores of the U.K and drawing inspiration from those vintage alpinist’s and explorers. I’am of course talking about Doughnut Bags.
In this day and age we can get bespoke services in so many items. Mostly it tends to be in shirts, suits and luggage, not so much shoes which is crazy considering the amount of time we spend on our poor old feet throughout the day. Enter then the chaps from BrokenBird Bookmakers, here to take us and our feet into the world of 3D scanned bespoke footwear.