Men’s grooming products: August ’09 reviews

So we got some really cool stuff. And because we’re nice guys, we shared it all out, gave it a bash and have written up reviews to let you know what we thought. Take a look...

Environ Men Daily Moisturiser, R320.00
Reviewer: Philip Langley, web designer

In ages past, men would sail to foreign lands for a chance at finding youth. Now however, thank God we can just drop by the store and get some Environ moisturizer. After what felt like using asbestos paste on my face for years, I can now say I have joined the modern era. Being a designer, the first thing I noticed is the classy green packaging-bold without going into cheesy, butch Brut territory. Then comes the scent. Rich sweet liquorice tickles your brain while the smooth and slightly tacky cream disappears into your skin in a flash. After taking a few days for my skin to get used to it, I was left looking like I had stepped out of a spa. Natural skin has a glowing sheen to it, a quality hard to achieve without many years of healthy living. Thank the Gods I can skip all that tedious exercise and cheat by using Environ...

Puma Urban Motion Eau de Toilette, R280.00 for 40ml
Reviewer: Joey Evans, 3rd year law student

I’ll be honest, I was very sceptical when I was first handed a Puma fragrance. I wasn’t convinced that sports gear manufacturers should dabble in all sorts of other products. Shouldn’t they stick to selling running shoes? Well, Puma’s Urban Motion has really changed my mind about that: it’s awesome! I’m a sporty person and the edgy, modern design of the bottle and the whole image around this product really works for me. The fragrance is fresh, fruity and slightly spicy, yet beautifully subtle. Best of all, it passed the all-important girlfriend test with flying colours. She adores it and thinks it’s really sexy. If you’re looking for a hip and happening smell to go with your trendy, city-living image, this is the one.

Boss Age Defense Skin Serum, R390.00
Reviewer: Bryan Porter, Manager, GoTravel24

With a brushed-steel look and gun-metal grey container, Boss Age Defense Skin Serum has simple, classic and very masculine packaging. The container is contoured for grip, with a pump action depressor, releasing just enough serum for each application. The product is smooth, almost pearl-like to the touch, opaque with a clean, slightly citrusy smell, but not too fragrant. It is easily absorbed by the skin, leaving no sticky residue and spreads smoothly over a shaved face. It immediately left my face feeling smooth, thoroughly moisturised and fresh for several hours after use. After two weeks’ application there are no miracles, although my pores appear smaller and my face is smooth without any blotchiness caused by winter dryness. I reckon it’s a good addition to any metro-man’s daily routine.

Revlon Man Radar Deodorant Body Spray, R18.99
Reviewer: Miles Hamilton, high school learner

I do a lot of sport, so I need a good deodorant that I can use. I’m quite fussy about the smell of deodorant, but I liked this one. Some deodorants are a bit overpowering, but this had a nice, clean and fresh smell that wasn’t too strong at all but still lasted for a long time. My only gripe is the bottle’s design. For such a mod-smelling scent, the packaging strikes me as a little outdated. Still, if you’re looking for a hard working, fresh-smelling deodorant that won’t break the bank, this is it.

Body Shop Maca Root Shave Cream, R80.00
Reviewer: Juann-Pierre Strauss, Health24 IT guru

I must confess that I usually don't care too much for the hype around ‘All New Shaving Creams’, but this time I was pleasantly surprised. Being a bit curious, I read up on this strange thing called the Maca Root and apparently it infused the soldiers of the Andes with so much zest that they had to be kept away from the women for days after eating it. So obviously this was going to do wonders for my skin. It didn't disappoint at all. The clean, organic aroma and refreshing chill one gets when applying this shaving cream really makes for a great start to your day and as a bonus it actually does what it says, i.e. moisturise your skin. It was great to not have a rash after shaving for once. My girlfriend loved it, and that's all the approval I need.

Mitchum Power Gel Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant, R36.99
Reviewer: Andreas Späth, freelance journalist

I’ve been using this for the past month and have been really impressed. The gel spreads smoothly and evenly and - perhaps a little surprisingly - it doesn’t leave you feeling all wet and sticky under your arms at all. It also doesn’t leave any of those nasty halos of dried residue on your clothes. The smell is pleasantly sharp and fresh with just-out-of-the-shower citrusy and fruity notes which last for hours. The active ingredient, aluminium sesquichlorohydrate, is a safe, tried and tested compound that has been shown to substantially reduce sweating. I’ll happily recommend this to any active guy who needs to be confident about smelling great and controlling perspiration all day long.

More men's grooming product reviews:
• December '09
• November '09
• October '09
• September '09