Gillette Fusion ProGlide & Gillette Series Skincare

Most people’s theory’s when it comes to many things in life is that if it ain't broke, don’t fix it. This is especially true with men and grooming products - once they find something that they are comfortable with, they're content and continue to use the same product many times over and not look for alternatives.

Never mind that advancement in technology means newer, better products are always being put to the market, most of them just aren't interested or curious enough for the change.

Case in point is Big DD, the family patriarch.. For the past decade (has it been that long already?) I’ve always known him to use his Gillette Mach 3 razor. Sure he’ll replace the blades every month once they become blunt but he was never curious enough to try anything else different.

This all changed 3 weeks ago when  I handed over to him the newest razor technology from Gilette.

Gillette Fusion Proglide Razor - RRP A$13.99 | A$16.99 (Power model)

Fusion ProGlide Manual and Power Razor

A culmination of years of research and testing on over 30,000 men, the latest in Razor technology is the Gilette ProGlide.

• One the best innovation products of the year, 2.5 million razors were sold in the first 10 weeks of its release in America!
• Contains 5 re-engineered low cutting blades that are super thin to give the closest shave, helps to glide effortlessly across the face without drag or pull. 
• Blade stabiliser that flexes to adjust to the contours and plane of the face yet still maintain even spacing between blades. 
• Available in a manual or battery boosted Power version which vibrates to allow the microcomb strip to guide stubble to the blades. 
• Has a gel lubrastrip to lubricates the blade to ensure smooth and even shaving as the razor glides past, giving the most comfortable shave ever, a rubber snowplough channels to guide excess shaving product. 

Big DD tried out the Power razor and he agreed, it’s time to retire his Mach 3. He was so impressed that the latest razor not only gives him the closest, smoothest shave ever, but it’s comfortable to hold being ergonomically design, is lightweight and really doesn’t tug, drag or pull when gliding across the face. In fact he even commented that the power vibration makes the shave even more enjoyable and couldn’t nick himself even if he tried to.

Gillette Series Skincare
With the Latest fusion Proglide release are some complementing Gillette Series skinare products - the Thermal Facel Scrub, Hydra Shave Gel and Intense Cooling Balm. 

Thermal Facial scrub 100ml - RRP A$12.99

Goes on skin with a warming feel which is welcoming on these cold winter mornings. It contains fine particles to gentle scrub away oil, dirt and dead skin cells. Big DD comments that this was very pleasant to use and the same refreshing scent isn’t over-powering and left his face feeling smooth and soft. 

Hydra Gel for Sensitive Skin 73g - RRP A$6.99

Contains Aloe Vera and vitamin-E to lubricate and prep skin and help give a smooth gliding surface for the razor to glide over whilst reducing the experience of razor burns or irritations. Big DD likes how this blue gel lathers up so wells upon rubbing into skin and helps give friction-less shave whilst moisturising his skin and left his skin feeling very soft. He like the light refreshing scent which adds to the enjoyable experience.


Intense Cooling balm 100ml - RRP A$11.99

Instant cooling and hydrating to calm down any irritations from just-shaved skin to help you continue the comfortable shave experience. It then continues to provide hydration through the day to sooth and keep the skin soft and moisturised. Big DD likes to finish off his shave with this lightly scented gel lotion as he says “it’s light, cooling and refreshing and just helps soothes my skin”.

With the latest Gillette Fusion Proglide, I think Big DD is convinced to move on with technology and upgrade to this latest razor that doesn't nick skin and with the Gillette Series skin care, gives the most pleasant, smoothest and comfortable shave ever.

Gilette Fusion Proglide and skincare products are available now at supermarkets and selected pharmacies.

These products were sent for consideration and the review was brought to you by Big DD.

Olay Men Solutions Skincare

Men’s Skincare is becoming more prominent and given the number of times men have been caught "borrowing" their wives/girlfriends/sisters skincare products, it seems a natural evolution that they get a skincare range of their own that actually targets their specific needs.

One such range recently released by is the Olay Men Solutions Collection

Designed to fight three types of male skin issues roughness, oiliness, and dullness with their toner and moisturisers and help men look more confident by providing fuss free one-stop solution to address their skin concerns

Olay Men Solutions collection comes in 2 ranges:
Multi Solution Range - Suitable for Dry to Normal Skin

• Smooth Cream Foaming Cleanser – RRP A$12.99
• Revitalising Cream – RRP A$19.99
• Refreshing Toner – RRP A$19.99
• Eye Gel – RRP A$19.99

Refreshing Energy Range - Suitable for Normal to Oily Skin

• Gel Foaming Cleanser – RRP A$12.99
• Gel Moisturiser – RRP A$19.99

Uniquely formulated and features star ingredients Niacinamide, Vitamin Pro B5, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C and multiple botanical and mineral essences for men’s skin including Ginseng, Green tea, Witch Hazel & Cucumber. Niacinamide helps to increase hydration, improve skin texture, minimize pores and reduce sebum production. Vitamin’s E & C are great oxidants to help skin to resist damage from free radicals, and Vitamin Pro B5 is a proven skin smoother that helps to strengthen skin’s moisture barrier.


Big DD, the patriarch of the family and a non-believer of skincare (I had to insist he give these a go) put some of these products to the test and here are his verdict.

Eye Gel

Not used to putting products around my eye and it felt slightly sticky, it doesn’t smell (has only a light fragrance) and is otherwise a nice gel. The skin around my eyes felt softer after use and maybe it helped with the dark circles but it didn't help much for my puffiness. 

Smooth Cream Foaming Cleanser

A very nice product – I like the smell of it and leaves my face soft, not too oily but not too dry either and I feel refreshed afterwards. 

Revitalising Cream

Smells good like the cleanser, moisturises, quite watery (translation: it's light and fluidy in texture) and not sticky which I like. Keeps my skin soft and smooth. 

Post Shave Toner

This is like splashing perfumed water on my face after shaving. It is cooling and soothes my skin irritations. It doesn’t sting on areas where I cut myself and makes me feel very refreshed. 

Big DD has high expectations and he gives this range an overall thumbs up with his favourite product being the cream cleanser and the post shave toner. He did mention that he wanted to see more anti-aging results from his skincare range (bear in mind he is hitting the big 6-0 this year).

Next time you visit the skincare care aisle of the supermarket or the chemist and you want your guy to look after his skin (or move him away from borrowing your products), why not suggest this range to him? It’s affordable and will keep his skin looking as smooth as a baby’s bum.

Olay Men Solutions is now available in supermarkets, Priceline and selected pharmacies.

These products were sent for consideration.

Review: Mr. Firming Eye Gel, Facial Scrubs and Cleansers

Do you know how hard it is to get some males to use skincare products?
They tend to think that their skin will take care of itself and they shouldn't mess with nature. Other than the perfunctory shaving creams and hair styling products, skincare is not a word the men in my household understand. In fact, it's so foreign to them it's almost akin to asking them to wear lipstick or paint their nails.

But men's skin like any other skin type, have different and specific needs. Men’s skin is generally thicker than women’s skin. They have larger pores that are more prone to clogging as they are a lot more oiler than women (15% more so in some instances) and as they are often shaving their face so are frequently disrupting the skin natural barrier in these facial area, they need skin care solutions that take all these factors into account.

So when I received some very masculine skincare products recently, I passed this over to male members of the family with the stern order that they are to use it every day - all for the purpose of research of course. Putting that scientific spin to it seemed to do the job and they were more diligent with trialling the products than I've seen ever seen them use any lotion or creams.

Mr. Skincare
I've previously mentioned this newish Aussie brand back in November and the guys were kind enough to organise a few products to be sent for trail. Made from all indigenous Australian products, the entire Mr range is designed to help men tackle today’s lifestyle. After 3 weeks of use, here are the verdicts from the boys.

Mr. Firming Eye Gel  - 15ml RRP A$52

• Impressive packaging - this comes in a sleek silver pump style bottle with a cap top that you see with many high end products. It definitely impresses and I suspect the packaging alone will quickly win over any unconvinced user to try the product.
• Clear gel with a light scent (I took a sniff and to me it seems to have a light rose scent). It was not offensive to the boys' nostrils at all. In fact, I suspect they like the scent very much as I caught my dad sniffing at it the other day when he was about to use it. 
• Is light and non-greasy which that is a big plus with males. It was slightly tacky immediately after use that the boys didn't quite like but it disappeared within 5 minutes.   
• Although light, it isn't too fluidy and finger patting it into skin is recommended to get the product to absorb into the under-eye area - a method that took some demonstration to the boys before they learnt this new way of applying the product (their usual modus operandi is to slap it on and rub it in like crazy - a big no-no in  delicate eye areas).
• Contains seaweed, centella, and Echinacea  to soothe and restore moisture to skin and works well in de-puffing eyes in mornings and gave the eye area an immediate awaken look.
• There was a slight brightening associated with this gel but no real difference was seen for prominent eye bags or deep wrinkles after 3 weeks use but I'm not sure if there would be visible difference on mature and neglected skin such as my dad's who's almost 60. On younger skin, I expect results to be more noticable/effective. 

Mr. Facial Cleansing Scrub - 80ml RRP A$37

• Contains micro-fine crushed limestone and sandstone from Central Australia to exfoliate without scratching or harming skin during daily use. 
• Easily removes, dirt, oil, dust and skin cell build ups and has a soothing base made with rose and tea tree oil to soothe and repair skin from any scraps or razor nicks. 
• Left face cleansed, refresh and softened without being too drying. 
• No-fuss and easy to use, this got the boys tick of approval within the first day of use. 

Mr. Facial Cleanser - 80ml RRP A$35

• Comes in the signature sliver pump style bottle that is sleek and functional, this is well packaged and looks good in the bathroom stand or in the sport bag at the gym (yes boys, you should wash your face after a big sweaty workout).
  
• Gel based cleanser that is soothing and gentle whilst at the same time powerful enough to provide a deep clean to remove the daily grime that accumulates on skin after a long day out at work. 
• This non lathering product with aloe extract has great skin softening powers and is soothing to use after shaving - it was an instant hit with the brother.
• Also contains chamomile essence and witch hazel extract - all of which are known for their soothing and calming properties which is why this is great for sensitised skin, especially after suffering from razor burns.

Next time you are stuck for ideas on how you can get your man to start taking good care of their skin, try looking for products that are simple and fuss-free to use and not only will make them feel better in their skin but isn't too fancy by appealing to their masculine sense of style with metallic designs and muted neutral packaging. Mr.'s collection is certainly one to look out for to tempt him into developing his own skincare regime or prevent him from borrowing/stealing your favourite skincare products.

The Mr. Range is available online or exclusively at shaver shops and selected salons.  Note online prices are quoted ex-GST, which is added in when processing the sales order.
The above products were sent for consideration.

Men's Skincare

For me, buying skincare for men is one of the hardest thing to do.

There is a limited range of items that cater for them and as they tend to have thicker and oiler skin, typical female skincare products may not be suited for men's needs. I'm not saying that they can't or won't use some women's skincare products, but I find the pink packaging and floral scents with some of the best lotions and creams will generally scare them away not to mention make it highly unlikely for them to throw into their gym bag and carry it around for use.

That is why I'm always curious when I hear about new products launches that are marketed to men.
Here are 2 recent ones that caught my eyes this week.

Mr. - www.mressentials.com 

• This is an Aussie brand created by George Cupac in 2008 for all the discerning men who have to tolerate the harsh Australian outdoor conditions and today's hectic lifestyles.
• The Mr. range are made with native Australian plant extracts like tea tree oil, lemon mytle and jojoba oils.
• Their product range caters for men's face, body, grooming and hair removal and also have a comprehensive  41 salon treatment professional  products.

Mr. Firming Eye Gel  RRP A$52 - 15ml

Mr. travel kit RRP A$105 - facial cleanser, moisturiser & shaving cream

I'm liking what I see in the range and their travel kit or firming eye gel could perhaps be a splurge for your discerning man?

Mr. Range is available online or exclusively at shaver shops and selected salons.  

Every Man Jack (EMJ) - www.everymanjack.com.au

• US based brand that believes in bringing quaility men's grooming stuff that doesn't cost arms and legs - sounds like any man's kind of product really.
• EMJ believes in keeping this simple and honest and provides straight forward products to cater for skin, hair, body, shaving and kits for travel (and gym bags).

I'm currently debating whether to add their travel kit to Mr. Yoyo Xmas present list; seeing that the last face cream I bought him has been neglected for over a month, I'm hoping I will have more success with this kit if I do purchase it.

Grooming Cube A$29.95 - contains shampoo, facewash, shave cream and facial lotion

Every Man Jack is available exclusively at David Jones.