How To Shave: GUIDE

Shaving is a staple of a man's life, but like many gentlemanly traditions it?s a skill that seems to have faded from modern life's curriculum. So here's all you need to know to get a close shave every time and keep your skin soft and healthy.

PREPARATION

The most important part of a proper shave is preparation, and sadly, it is the most overlooked. Proper preparation cleanses the skin, opens the pores and softens the hairs, and all it takes is a hot shower immediately before you shave. The hot water and steam will soften your beard (or stubble), remove any dirt from your face and naturally open your pores.

Next, apply a high quality, glycerine-based shave cream, like Triumph and Disaster?s Old Fashioned Shave Cream. Avoid creams that contain menthol, as these can close your pores and stiffen your skin, making shaving more difficult, less close and increasing the chance of razor burn. And for those with especially tough beards or particularly sensitive skin, a pre-shave oil may be applied to further soften hair and reduce razor drag. Then applying the cream with a badger brush in a circular motion, an action which produces a better lather, lifts whiskers and gently exfoliates skin.

THE SHAVE

One of the most common causes of ingrown hairs and razor burn is a dull razor, which a gentleman should never attempt to drag across his cheek. You're better off wearing Tom Ford?s stubble for a day whilst you restock your razors than damaging your skin with a blunt blade. I recommend a three-blade razor like a Gilette Mach3 Turbo, which is the intended set of blades for the Truefitt and Hill Edwardian Traditional Shaving Set.

The act of shaving itself is a skill to which you should apply focus and care. With your free hand, hold the area of skin to be shaved taut and gently glide the razor over your face. Avoid applying pressure, rinse your blade often and shave with the grain.

AFTERCARE

After you've finished shaving, make sure to close your pores with a rinse of cold water. Gently pat your face dry with a soft cloth and apply a good aftershave balm. Avoid products that contain alcohol, as these may dry the skin. A quality balm like Baxter of California?s After Shave Balm will moisturise your skin, protect against razor burn and renew cells.

There, simple. If you follow these steps and use quality products like those available from GALLANTORO.com - heralds of the return of the gentleman, every shave will further establish you as a man with an abundance of savoir vivre.

Fragrances That Drive Women Crazy

As guys we tend to shy away from talking about traditionally feminine items such as perfumes and fragrances. Although, I always feel more comfortable referring to perfumes and fragrances as 'colognes'; even if it isn't always technically correct, it certainly presents a more masculine feel. Regardless, we want to smell good, feel good and look good. Although there are plenty of elements which contribute to your overall appearance, great cologne can be a game changer and shows women you value how you look and good hygiene. 

I don't know about you guys, but when a woman says to me 'oh, you smell really nice' , it definitely gives me a little boost of confidence. Do you want a compliment like that? Reading the list below wouldn't be a bad place to start.

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Creed Aventus 

One of my personal favourites and the most popular fragrance ever created by the House of Creed, this fragrance is bold, spirited, confident and is perfect for a man of high tempo and action.  Buy It.

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Amouage - Reflection

With top notes of rosemary and red pepper berries and base notes of cedar wood and sandalwood, I guarantee this will turn heads. Buy It.

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Tom Ford - Oud Wood

It wouldn't be a list without featuring one of Tom Ford's private blends. Oud wood is one of the most rare, precious and expensive ingredients in a man's fragrance arsenal. Buy It.

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Dior - Sauvage 

Dior's in-house perfumer had a large presence in the creation  of this scent, and Johnny Depp was actually chosen to market it. With natural ingredients, the Savauge has top notes of Calabria Bergamot (An Italian Citrus) and Ambroxam (a naturally occuring compound) which gives creamy, musky scents and a hint of clean, woody facets. Makes sense though, as this Dior product was inspired by "wild, open spaces; blue sky that covers rocky landscapes, hot under the desert sun." Buy It.

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Creed - Himalaya

Oliver Creed created this masculine fragrance in remembrance of his Tibetan mountain climbing expedition. The scent features spicy, woody notes mixed with fresh citrus top notes. The flacon for the Himalaya is wrapped in full silver metallic to represent a mountain climber's canteen. Buy it.

Best Barber Shops In Sydney

Over the last couple of years we have seen barbers popping up left right and centre as male grooming and style seems to be on the rise. To give you the upper hand, we thought we would nail down the best for you to try.

Mister Chop Shop

Mister Chop Shop has only just recently opened it's male flagship shop on Bondi Junction's Oxford Street. The barbers are truly experienced, friendly and you can even have a beer while you relax in the comfy chairs on offer. One added extra about Mister Chop Shop is their attention to detail. Each visit, no matter what, you will get the full hairdressing experience with a thorough wash, cut & blow dry. 

Check them out here.

Barberhood 

"If my shop was a person it would be a gentlemen" pretty much sums up this place. Sit back and relax with a whisky while they cut your hair, trim your beard and charge your iPhone. Their finishes are immaculate and they always use the best equipment and products, all being some of Britain's finest.

Check them out here or at 1 O'Connell Street, Sydney.  

The Barber Shop

This barber sits in the heart of Sydney's city on York Street and is definitely a big player on this list even though they only have two chairs in their shop. Regardless, staff seem to create a pleasant and welcoming vibe in the shop, although this could be due to the fact they have a full bar out the back.

Check them out here or head to 89 York Street, Sydney.

The Happy Sailors Barber Shop

I haven't managed to try this place out yet but I've heard great reports and that they offer a very competitive price of $40 for a full cut and service. Its location in Surry Hills also has its benefits for being able to park easily. 

Check them out here.

Grand Royal Barbers

We certainly can't leave the Grand Royal guys off the list. With three locations around Sydney,  you'l always be able to get in for an emergency cut or at a time that suits. Renowned for their fades and modern cuts, Grand Royal barbers are easily one of the best.

Five Best Soaps for Men

Hygiene is one of the most important elements of a man's daily routine, and a quality soap is a certain step in the right direction. Here are five of the best to spice things up a little.

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Soap Bar

Indigenous ingredients of the Mediterrean imbue the bar with the essence of the Italian Riviera, including neroli, olive, grapeseed and date.

And like all things the American designer produces, it's delicate, extravagant and beautiful - perfect for the man who likes a subtly majestic aroma.

Triumph and Disaster Shearer's Soap Bar

Ritual, Character and Fate is the man's mantra etched into this soap bar by Triumph and Disaster, and they aren't words lightly spoken.

Safe for the environment, poppy seeds exfoliate as you wash and its high glycerin base makes it gentle on the skin. It's unique, natural fragrance reminds me of the antiseptic scent of an old-school tattoo parlour, and lingers nostalgically on the skin like ink beneath it.

Outlaw Hair of the Dog Whiskey and Coffee Soap

Formulated with an all-vegan combination of natural oils including coconut, olive, and castor, it cleans as it refreshes and washes away the effects of last night. Perfect for the man who likes his coffee strong and his whiskey stronger.

Czech & Speake No 88 Soap Set

A famed grooming experience, this three-soap set from luxury bathroom outfitter Czech & Speake provisions a man for utter luxury in the bathroom.  

Each bar is triple milled and fragranced with natural oils to the signature 'No 88' scent to create a non-drying lather that moisturises the skin and leaves it delicately fragranced. 

Duke Cannon Supply Co Big Ass Brick of Soap

This bar of soap is modelled after the rough-cut, brick-style soap used by American GIs in the Korean War, and it's manufactured in the same plant that sent soap to the troops for over 20 years. 

Three times bigger than the average bar, and weighing in at almost 300 grams, this really is a soap for hard-working men, and apparently smells like victory. 

And best of all, the Duke Cannon Supply Co donates a part of all sales to support veterans. Now, that's something we can get behind.

Essential Skincare For Men

The Morning Routine

Paul starts each day with his morning routine. First up is a cleanse with MANKiND Everyday Face Wash, a gentle and foaming facewash perfect for his normal-to-oily skin type. He shaves with MANKiND Smooth Shave Cream, before applying a Vitamin B Serum and Vitamin C Serum from Aspect. The Vitamin B helps to regulate the oil flow in his T-Zone, the Vitamin C helps prevents premature ageing of his skin by blocking free radicals like sun damage and pollution, and both help to strengthen his skin.

The final step of the morning routine is moisturising with Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 50, chosen for being lightweight, non-greasy and not leaving a white sheen on the face. And having a sun protection factor (SPF), it protects Paul from the sun. 

In fact, Paul's strongest recommendation for skincare is sun protection. Skin cancer is rife in Australia, and makes up 80% of all newly discovered cancer down under. Looking after your skin will literally keep you alive, and that makes it your highest grooming priority. 

Plus, sun damage is a key factor in ageing's effects on the skin, causing skin pigmentation and dehydration, lines and wrinkles. To combat it, use a good moisturiser with SPF that isn't greasy and doesn't create skin congestion, and use it daily.

Before Bed

But skincare once a day isn't enough for healthy skin - a night routine is essential to counter the effects of the day and help cells rejuvenate overnight. A cleanse begins Paul's routine, using Purastat 5 Aspect, followed by the lactic exfoliant Exfol L Aspect, both being more active products to help rid the day's grime.

Vitamin A from Aspect then follows. A wonder serum, Vitamin A is an anti-ageing agent and great at managing acne and eczema. It must be used at night, though, as your skin will be sensitive to the sun's rays after its use. And to finish, he uses the lightweight moisturiser MANKiND Essential Moisture, and an eyecream by Eye Doctor Results RX.

If you think this sounds like too much effort, you'll thank yourself when you hit 45 and your skin isn't red, potch-marked and pigmented. Trust us on this, and the experts themselves at MANKiND. 

Exercise clothes for everyday use

A huge trend that has taken over nowadays is wearing exercise clothes for everyday activities. This ranges from going to the gym, to going to the shops. This look is very easily achieved whether it be wearing runners with any outfit, exercise pants or even a sporty crop top or jacket in order to give your outfit a more casual look. There are many popular brands that are known for this clothing style, Nike and Adidas being some of the most popular. This trend and these brands are very popular with celebrities as it such an effortless look to recreate. Because of this, celebrity endorsements for popular sporting clothing brands have too further encouraged this trend to take off.

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Genders and clothing

When wearing clothes nowadays, the labels women’s clothes and men’s clothes aren’t always taken so seriously. I know when I am looking for clothes majority of the time I much rather prefer to look on the men’s rack for a big comfy jumper or hoodie. There are many men’s clothes in which can be worn by both genders weather this be a jumper, a T-shirt, jacket or even accessories like hats. Not only can women wear men’s clothes, but also celebrities, such as Jayden Smith in recent times have been seen wearing women’s clothing. This demonstrates that nowadays gender labels in clothing don’t matter, what matters in fact is wearing what ever you feel comfortable in.

Trackpants - Socially Comfortable or Social Pariah

Track pants have been for as long as I can remember an essential part of my winter closet.
I sport the long crotched, for lack of a better term, tight ankled trackies, making them almost acceptable to be worn outside.

Though I have been caught to wear them on the midnight Maccas run, or quick stop at Woolies, I have for the most part refrained from enjoying the comfort of such pants outside of my own bedroom. I wonder why they cannot be a universally accepted outer wear whilst maintaining their elusive comfort that all other pants just seem to lack. How I long for a day where I can rock up to MacUni in my trackies and Parka and just enjoy the comfort as I sit through my hour long lectures.

Now, some people have been brave enough to wear these in public, and I truly respect them for caring more for there comfort than their social status because whenever I am caught in these bad boys I seem to cop the social punishment for enjoying the comfort of non-casual pants outside my own bedroom. How audacious I must be to enjoy these during my tutorials.

Perhaps one day they will be the societal norm for comfort, warmth and social status. But alas, for now they remain the comfort option that only the bold dare attempt.