Welcome to my ‘Holiday Grooming Capsule!’
This gives you an idea of what I was going to take with me on my trip to Malta, and the pitfalls of customs and unclear signage!
Let’s start with fragrance…
2 x Givenchy Gentlemen only samples
1 x Pecksniff’s England. Men’s CLASSIC 10ml
Both of these made the full journey to the island of Malta with me. Ultimately I wanted to smell good and so these were a non negotiable! The Givenchy samples were great, maybe a little stronger than my usual preferred scents, but the stand out fragrance was definitely the Pecksniff’s fragrance ‘Classic’. Although it is classic in its ingredient list, it is a lighter and more modern version of that typical ‘English Gent scent’ I received a tester set of 10ml fragrances for Christmas, and my overall feeling for them is that they are classy and modern but based on the traditional pallet of fragrance. (A full review to follow soon of the complete set) but on the whole this was the most perfect light holiday scent that I could have chosen.
Next products for Hair:
1 x Lush dirty styling cream sample
Decanted Argan conditioner 80ml
Mission men earth and wind shampoo 80ml
Joe grooming grooming cream 50ml
American crew pomade travel size
Let’s start with the first victims of the customs officers at Gatwick Airport! I unfortunately (and unknowingly) was only able to take one clear plastic bag of liquids and so I needed to lose about a third of my products – so it was goodbye to the argan conditioner and the mission men shampoo ( reasoning being it would be cheap to replace and there was a good chance the hotel would provide these anyway). Mostly I used the joe grooming cream, which was a new @feelunique product and I have to say that I love it. You apply the cream onto wet/ towel dry hair and style it there and then. When it dries there is very little visible sign of product in the hair (hooray!) and yet it keeps the style in tact. A truly great product in my opinion.
I also took the American crew pomade and lush dirty styling cream which I used together for our nights out, where I was able to create some more texture through the style. I appreciate that three products for my hair is a little excessive, but as I used them all I don’t feel too guilty!
All of my Shower products I lost to the airport thieves in uniforms, as they were cheap to replace, but here is what was packed originally!
Calvin Klein Obsession for Men hair and body shampoo 30 ml
Decanted – original source lime shower gel 100ml
Soap and glory Soap’er Man hair and body wash 50ml
Now for Skincare! I should preface this section by saying that my skin goes mental in different climates! I literally never know how it will react sometimes it’s dryer/ oilier / greasier/more or less prone to spots, so I decided to take the whole shebang just in case!
Henri Lloyd Ocean mineral sun defence cream SPF 30 30ml
ELF zit zapper 6ml
Blistex medplus lip balm 7ml
Lush grease lightening spot treatment 45g
Montagne jeunesse for men peel off detox and degrease masque 10g
Montagne jeunesse for men Dead Sea mud tired skin reviving masque 25g
Now I have to say that I had to lose the Elf zit zapper 😦 it’s a lovely product and it works, for a pound though, it was cheap to replace (but replace it I will!) I have mentioned the montagne jeunesse masks before, but these were two new ones that I had yet to try… The clay mask was penetrating and zingy to the skin ( I would not recommend for anyone with really sensitive skin) but it is a man of a product that left my skin feeling rejuvenated and full of life. The peel off mask was great too, but I have to say that they never dry properly on the cheeks (I don’t know why???)
The lush lightening spot treAtment is as good as ever and probably the best £6 I have spent in recent months it dries the spot out and is has usually cleared the spot by morning. If you haven’t tried this, you must.
Blistex lip balm is a staple and will continue to be.
Henri Lloyd I love this product, this is an SPF 30 sun cream that I have used as a daily moisturiser. It is fit and I will be buying more of this range because you only hit on products like this rarely, this is a true man’s range with which I feel I am in safe hands. Henri Lloyd if you are reading this, if you need someone to test any future lines please contact me (no really, do!)
Deodorant/Hygiene products are:
Avon men roll on anti-perspirant 50ml
Soap and glory EAU man! Body spray 50ml
Bath and bodyworks pocketbac in Georgia bourbon peach 29ml
The final item that I lost was my avon roll on. I just felt my soap and glory spray was more useful overall ( my wife had to lose her deodorants too so the spray we could both use!) I would not have been without my pocket bac, its useful and small to carry around in its little holder, bourbon and peach flavour ( so lightly manly!) and my spray from sops and glory was good too. It’s on the heavier side with regards to fragrance but I like it none the less, I will be reviewing the full size soon but generally I have to say their range for men is quite strong.
And so that was a long post! But covers the ups and downs of my travel saga.
I finish by saying that better signage is needed on websites for travel – Stanstead and Gatwick airports have completely different rules and no where is it clearly underlined until it’s too late!
Rant over
TIB
ThatIsBeyond 