Men's grooming products: January 2010

Here's the low-down on the latest grooming goodies just for guys from our team of brave product reviewers:

Garnier Pure Active Blackhead Scrub, R77.99

Reviewer: Wimpie Engelbrecht, construction project manager

I've used this product for three weeks. I was very impressed with the results - no more blackheads for the first time! It has a soft and creamy consistency, but contains lots of tiny exfoliating microbeads, which, in combination with an active ingredient called salicyclic acid, are really effective in combating spots and blackheads. The cooling sensation when you apply this product to your face is an amazing feeling. And what's more, you can use it daily without drying out the skin. I also loved the smell.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Body Wash, R70.00 for 250ml

Reviewer: George Stegmann, accountant

This body wash has the distinct smell of tea tree oil, which at first can seem strong but you soon come to love the clean, fresh smell of the body wash. Tea tree is antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, and it also stimulates the immune system. This makes the product perfect for removing all impurities and leaving you with a clear skin. Furthermore the product is infused with tamanu oil which promotes the growth of healthy skin. Before I started using the product my skin was often dry, especially during the current summer months. Since using the Tea Tree Body Wash I do not have any problems with dry skin, which is great news for me! 

Dominate Waxx Super Hold Hair Styling Wax, R59.99 for 85g

Reviewer: Glen Embers, student

I’m not really much of a hair styler. Well, I haven’t been up until now! But I really love this product. I love the funky fire-engine-red tub it comes in and I love what it allows me to do with my hair. I’ve taken to styling my hair depending on my moods – what fun! With this wax just about any style is possible and it lasts all day. All you need is a bit of imagination and you too can look like a male model or a movie star. The product is made from pure New Zealand beeswax. What particularly impressed me was that it didn’t leave my hair dry and straw-like and it didn’t create a nasty build-up of sticky gunk on it either. Dominate products are sold exclusively at Clicks.

Meadowsweet Lemongrass Soap on a Rope, R46.00

Reviewer: Yazeed Rawood, pharmacist

“Isn’t that a bit 70s?” I thought when I was handed soap on a rope to review. Well, if it is, I’m advocating an all out 70s revival. I’ve discovered that soap on a rope is brilliant in the shower: it’s always at hand and you can say goodbye to gooey leftovers in messy soap dishes. The Meadowsweet Lemongrass Soap on a Rope is one of a range of excellent handcrafted soaps lovingly made by this local South African company. It has a lovely, fresh scent and leaves your skin soft and clean. Meadowsweet pride themselves on using only the best natural and organic ingredients in their products, which I really appreciate. This soap, which is 100 percent biodegradable, is made from pure vegetable glycerine and high quality pure essential oil. This is a great product and I recommend it highly. Meadowsweet products are available for purchase on their website: www.meadowsweet.co.za.

Vo5 Extreme Style mattClay, R38.99 for 85g

Reviewer: Oliver Dunn, engineer

As far as hair clay goes, Vo5 Extreme Style mattClay is an excellent product in its price range. It's great for styling and moulding any rad hairstyle, holds for hours and doesn't leave you hair looking or feeling oily (as some other hair styling products do). In fact, it has not dried out or negatively affected my hair at all after nearly a month's use. The product spreads easily and you really only need to use a tiny amount at a time – so the tub lasts for months. It’s easy to use, too: all you do is rub a tiny amount between your fingers, apply it to your dry hair and style away. Another bonus is that it washes out of your hair really easily without any sticky fuss.

Everysun Aquasport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30, R78.50 for 125ml

Reviewer: Will Stone, sales person

The Everysun Aquasport Sunscreen Lotion SPF30 passed all of the tests I threw at it with flying colours. I wore it to the beach on a 30^oC Cape Town day and came back without even a little sunburn. This was despite hectic swimming and even a little surfing – which will rinse off most other sun lotions. The lotion rubs right into the skin, doesn’t leave white lines or marks and isn’t sticky at all. This water and sweat resistant sun cream contains anti-oxidants for a healthy looking skin as well as added UVA filters to protect you against the suns more harmful rays. A great and essential product for anyone who spends a lot of time in the water.