Pampering Products for Men

January 3, 2013 12:36 AM

Pampering Products For Dudes

Much to my surprise, my wash-with-rocks and brush-with-borax husband has turned out to be something of a product lover. i got him some clinique for men cleanser/moisturizer and it was like a kid in a room full of lollies.

i'd like to get him more things that give him that papmpery feeling (except cologne. he won't wear that no matter what.) i've been poking around sephora but i figured the hive mind would have ideas for things from etsy and other awesome places i don't know about.

thanks!

posted by unlucky.lisp to clothing, beauty, & fashion (27 answers total)

Does your husband have a beard, by any chance? Because I wholeheartedly endorse Bluebeards Original.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:47 AM on January 3 [2 favorites]

My product-rejecting partner is a fan of Rituals Face No. 3 facial lotion, Burt's Bees Milk and Honey body lotion, and Sabon Lemon Mint body scrub.

He also finds Paula's Choice Redness Relief Treatment and Two Percent BHA Lotion helpful for shaving-related issues, but they're both unscented, so they may feel a bit less indulgent.
posted by neushoorn at 12:51 AM on January 3

My husband loooooooves Aesop's body washes. We're currently using this geranium leaf body cleanser and even he thinks it's worth the ridiculous price tag.
posted by third word on a random page at 1:11 AM on January 3

Not a product, but a service, a long, full straight edge shave at a traditional barber ( the fussier the better) always leaves my skin feeling clean and moist and glowing. It's a very masculine excuse to get a facial.
posted by The Whelk at 1:36 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

Oh, and Kheil's grapefruit body wash and eye depuffer stick makes me feel , and smell, so damned good.
posted by The Whelk at 1:39 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

Man products from old London barber Geo F Trumper. The Extract of West Indian Limes range is good.

Ren's Tamanu High Glide Shaving Oil is very good. They also do a men's range.

You might also want to consult Shortlist's grooming guide.

I'd also really recommend a proper barbershop shave with a cutthroat blade. It is definitely a manly way to get a facial. But to set expectations - it is not as close shave as you get with a normal safety razor.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:41 AM on January 3

Kiehl's "Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap" is a proven man-pleaser. It may seem spendy, but it lasts forever (it doesn't go all gooey in the soap dish).

Kiehl's is also generous with samples. If you happen to have a retail store near you, you could have them whip up some trial-size potions for your dude.
posted by nacho fries at 1:45 AM on January 3

Seconding the Whelk - my girlfriend got me a straight razor shave in Paris, and it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. A trip that was, I emphasize, in Paris.

Also and related, for those days that he can't go out to a barber shop for a shave, you could try getting him a really nice double-edged safety razor and the attendant shave oils, soaps, and creams. The Art of Shaving has some nice starter kits, plus if they have a store in your area they do straight razor shaves. Merkur is a good brand to look for when buying the razor itself; I have an adjustable razor that I love (it's very like this one), but even one that is not adjustable can feel like a face massage when used correctly and with high-quality blades (Merkur blades are very good too, I'm told, though I've never used them).
posted by solotoro at 3:11 AM on January 3

Wet shaving is the best, but Art of Shaving stuff, imo, isn't great. Find an old Gillette Superspeed (I like the Red Tip, but the Flare & Blue Tip are ace too), a badger brush, and some shaving soap (great deal/great quality, my call is Mitchell's Wool Fat). For after shave, can't beat Thayer's witch hazel for price & results.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:52 AM on January 3 [2 favorites]

Mr. Marinara really enjoys using birchbox man as a way to try new products. Plus it's nice to get monthly mail.
posted by Marinara at 3:58 AM on January 3

L'occitaine for everything. they converted me into a product lover. specifically shave lotion, after shave lotion, shea butter hand cream, face scrub etc.
posted by chasles at 4:00 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

Shave oil! I got a sample of Shave Secret few years ago, and I don't shave with foam or lather anymore. Shave Secret appears to be only at Walmart, but the drugstores will usually have King of Shaves which is also good. Shaving with oil makes my shave so much less irritating and has been the best bang for the buck in my grooming routine.

I've even mixed up my own from a recipe I found online. Equal parts of olive oil and castor oil, with a few drops of an essential oil for scent.
posted by wrnealis at 4:31 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

Another recommendation for if your man has facial hair: this Man's Face Stuff was well received at Christmas, and I can vouch for the Stiff Breeze and the Gin and Tonic scents smelling fantastic. It seems to hold well without leaving a visible residue.
posted by fiercecupcake at 5:11 AM on January 3

Lush brand shampoo and conditioner smells and works great.
posted by backwards guitar at 5:27 AM on January 3

I got some sandalwood shave cream (and matching after-shave balm) from Art of Shaving for Christmas, and they are both really, really nice stuff.
posted by jquinby at 5:39 AM on January 3

Grooming Lounge. If it is an upscale men's grooming product (or a razor on a stick) this folks will likely carry it.
posted by Loto at 6:09 AM on January 3

Birchbox now does a monthly subscription for men. Every month you are sent samples of fancy grooming products. There's also some sort of points-accumulation system that allows you to buy full size products at discount.
posted by apparently at 6:29 AM on January 3

Seconding the Geo. F. Trumper, and a safety razor.

Back before my beard, they were simply marvellous. The Trumper shaving soap, while expensive, lasts for years. The safety razor was a revolutionary change -- so much easier, better, and cheaper on blades. If I ever were to get rid of the beard, it'd be to use a safety razor again.

Also -- bamboo charcoal soap (here, but plenty of other places). I've never felt so clean as after using it. No residue, no stripping, just clean.
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:14 AM on January 3

Proraso Italy-made shave cream and a heavy metal razor with a killer sharp blade.
posted by Kruger5 at 7:32 AM on January 3

90% of both the brands and their products are marketing hype, especially... L'Occitane

i disagree, that was a personal account. no scent, like the packaging, no additives. decent fair-trade company... i first received it as a gift when i was still using lava soap as body soap in the shower... did wonders for me.
posted by chasles at 7:32 AM on January 3

My husband loves Lab Series shave cream . He says that it makes his face slightly tingle after shaving. Unfortunately, I have never seen it on sale for less than $25.00, so it is more of a birthday/ Christmas treat.
posted by JennyJupiter at 7:45 AM on January 3

My husband is a fan of the preshave oil, shaving cream, and aftershave from Nancy Boy, made in San Francisco. They have lots of trial/travel size products; he likes the signature scent, which is somewhat minty. (I like their bath salts and night cream.)
posted by purpleclover at 8:02 AM on January 3

Want to make him feel really pampered? Get him some white undershirts made of Supima Cotton. Most of the higher end name brands use Supima cotton. The men in my family prefer Brooks Brothers and it looks like they have a great sale running that ends today.

My younger brother swears the female population has been holding out on him, buying him Hanes, etc. After receiving some as a gift several years ago, he threw out all of his underclothes and will now only wear items made of Supima cotton.

Supima cotton is an American product. I am not a shill for any of the above mentioned companies. Just a broke student that loves nice underwear.
posted by JujuB at 8:41 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

If he shaves a really nice safety razor that takes the old fashioned razor blades. It takes a bit of getting used to but with a nice shaving oil or whatever he finds he likes he'll feel pampered every time he shaves.
posted by wwax at 9:03 AM on January 3

Nthing a safety razor, mug, brush, and good shaving soap. I have heard multiple raves about Truefitt and Hill's shaving soap, but haven't taken the plunge yet myself.

Does the no-cologne rule include aftershave? Unlike cologne, which can too often be stomach-turningly strong and follow you around like a miasma even in tiny quantities, I find that most aftershaves go on strong but fade quickly to a much more reasonable level. Mentioned just in case: Dominica Bay Rum and Pineaud Clubman (Clubman is the quintessential old-school barber shop stuff; if he's ever gotten a shave at a local barber, even just the nape of the neck, this is probably what they put on after. It is surprisingly nice for such a cheap and ubiquitous product.)
posted by usonian at 9:25 AM on January 3

Find an old Gillette Superspeed [...] I like the Red Tip

Razor choice is a pretty personal thing. The Gillette red tip is heavy and its blade angle gives a fairly close/aggressive shave. This doesn't make it better or worse than the blue tip (which is the "light" model, in that its aluminum handle makes it physically lighter and doesn't shave as closely), but it's a matter of preference. I have a dense and curly beard, and if I shave with a red tip, it invariably produces ingrown hairs in a certain spot under my lower lip. The blue tip doesn't do this unless I'm careless, but I don't love the less-close shave.

If your husband is new to using a safety razor, you should be prepared for him to go through one or two before he loves the shave. In fact, if you're thinking about getting him a razor, finding more than one of these Gillettes might be a good idea (the "regular" model mentioned in that ad might have a black or flared plain metal tip, I've never used one)--depending on condition they're available for $15-35 on eBay and provide an interesting contrast to each other.
posted by pullayup at 12:30 PM on January 3

The good doctor is tremendously fond of Malin + Goetz's products.
posted by evoque at 1:04 PM on January 3 [1 favorite]