I never want to see another Turkey and stuffing sandwich again and don’t get me started on the the Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, no seriously don’t, plus if I drink another drop of alcohol I’ll be fermenting myself. Well it was Christmas but it’s over for another year and all that over doing it mixed with late nights and a lack of general, or any exercise, is really going to take its toll on you and the first place to start showing these telltale sign is your skin. So to not only help you guys, but myself aswell, we sort the advice of an Expert dermatologist and Skin technology expert Dr Paul Jarrod Frank. Dr Frank is the Skincare guru for the leading male Skincare range LAB SERIES, he’s a cosmetic dermatologist and industry expert, specialising in anti-aging skincare innovations and minimally invasive cosmetic surgery. His practice boasts over 50% male clientele and is dedicated to the very latest in groundbreaking services, procedures, machinery and technology, so in a word he knows what he’s talking about.

“With the excesses of the holiday season weighing us down, there is price to be paid on our skin as well. Alcohol, excess sugar, cooler temperatures and changes in humidity all effect our skin’s ability to function and look its best. On a physiologic level, the best way to battle these changes is to drink plenty of water and step up the aerobic exercise to increase the body metabolism to flush out toxins. In addition, the best thing you can do for the skin at a topical level is to “ultra hydrate.” For this I recommend AGE RESCUE+ Water-Charged Gel Cream by LAB SERIES. This gel cream gives skin a burst of hydration along with a surge of energising ginseng. Skin will look refreshed and hydrated – perfect to combat the negative effects of holiday imbibing.” – Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, LAB SERIES Skincare for Men Global Dermatologist and Skincare Technology Expert

I feel I need to start this post with a gentle health warning, whom ever the lady is who you are buying for this Christmas, whether that by Girlfriend, Mum, Sister, Auntie or Grandmother, please remember two things, spoil them and get it right fellas. A bottle of Tweed, a bunch of flowers from the Garage or Imperial Leather Talc just won’t cut it and let me assure you, you will be paying for it much more than fiscally right the way up to next Christmas if you do get it wrong. So for your sake please pay very close attention to the following gift suggestions and no there is no need to thank us come Christmas Morn, when you have followed our excellent advice and you are reaping the benefits.

There is no more iconic fragrance then Chanel No 5, the Fragrance of timeless femininity. An added bonus is the exceptional presentation of Chanel products, if you want to get any girl excited presented her with a Chanel Gift bag. No matter what the contents, whether it be a simple lipstick, bottle of Chanel No 5 or a something a little more pricey, it always achieves the desired effect, excitement.

Like the previous gift idea, TOM FORD, as a brand, has the packaging down to an art form, literally. This 2 piece Lip Colour and Nail Lacquer Gift Box comes in a personalised selection of two Tom Ford lip colours and two nail lacquers presented in this elegant, black and gold box. What a gift !

Currently filling every square inch of Chez McGrath with the scent of Christmas at the moment, I can’t sing the praises of this candle enough. Not feeling in the Festive spirit, this will completely cure that ailment immediately. The Acqua di Parma new Silver Gems Candle will create a warm elegance on the table, in the air and around the tree in a harmonious palette inspired by the traditions of this feast.

There’s no fillers here, every single gift idea is a killer and this is no exception. Elizabeth Arden has called on the service of the design duo of Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, of the highly sort after designer brand Preen, to create an exclusive gift. Using the RED Winter 14 collection print hot off the catwalks, they created this clutch bag to make sure Christmas is the most stylish yet!  So yeah, you can see the brownie points stacking up already.

If in doubt a Gift set is always a safe and popular opinion, also often offering great value for money. This is a wonderful example in the Marc Jacobs Daisy Gift Set, offering a 100ml Eau de Toilette, 150ml Body Lotion and a 4ml fragrance miniature. One thing though, do always check she likes the fragrance before you buy it, lets just say from experience this can come back and haunted you, just ask Mrs Mc.

Lastly, but by no means least we have this wonderful Cleansing Gift Set by Clinique. Yes ! I know we don’t, on the whole, as a gender Cleanse, but Ladies do and you, my friend, will score serious points for such a thoughtful and insightful gift, I promise it’ll work.

Without wanting to sound as sentimental as a Supermarket Christmas TV Ad, where has the year gone ? Christmas Gift Guides are upon us and as always we take the stress out of the Yuletide so you can relax and enjoy yours. This year we are offering you the 12 posts of Christmas, the indispensable, one stop gifting extravaganza covering everything you could possibly need between now and the big day itself. The first stop on this festive journey, calling at such favourites as, “What the heck to buy the man who has everything”, “Gift Ideas for the Lady in your life” and “What do I want for Christmas”, is that always tricky one, Grooming.

This post is as much for us as it is for significant male in our lives, as we don’t want to end up with something that smells like a cross between wet dog, Hai Karate and a Turkish Kebab Shop on a Saturday night. So listen up, try and have a bit of empathy and start dropping hints like, well it’s going out of Fashion.

This brilliant Foreo toothbrush is amazing ! It’s 100% Silicone which means no bacteria can grow on it therefor they are so much better for your all important gums.

No matter what man you’re buying for, including yourself, this is a classic of a Christmas Present. Fifty years after its original launch Aramis commemorates this landmark anniversary with Aramis anniversary Edition.

For new or not so new Dad’s who are feeling the effects of sleep deprivation, this “Daddy Wake up Set” from Babes with Babies is Perfect. It includes An invigorating shower power melt packed full of essential oils. An all-natural pick-me-up. Gently exfoliating, with an amazing scent to revitalise and wake-up even the sleepiest daddy. A 50 ml bottle of Shaving Oil (made from 100% pure essential oils of Lavender, Chamomile and Peppermint). Rub two or three drops of the shaving oil straight into damp skin for an amazingly smooth and gentle shave and a Soothing Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Lime aftershave gel. (60g)

If you’re after something a little more bespoke from your scents, look no further then Creed Fragrances. Its latest edition is Aventus. a blend of Blackcurrants, Bergamot, Birch, Oak moss and Ambergris. Ensuring you leave an impression for all the right reasons.

Go on spoil yourself, or someone very lucky, with these sensational Bottega Veneta Art of Shaving products. An Exfoliating Wash to prepare the skin, Shaving Cream and an After Shave splash, will have you looking a million dollar over the Yuletide.

Continuing on the shaving vibe, who could resist this beautiful fusion of traditional and contemporary in the D R Harris four piece shaving set. Evening if you never use this, not only will it add a touch of class to any washroom but it borders on a piece of art in shaving form.

Christmas can well and truly take its toll on you and the first place to show the tell tale signs of stress and over exertion is your skin. This wonderful Great Skin for Him gift set from Clinique includes a Face Scrub, 100ml, Aloe Shave Gel, 125ml and Post Shave Smoother Anti-Age Moisturizer, 30ml.

Ohhhh Christmas is all but a month away and the weather is truly awful, plus Christmas Party planning is in full swing and I know you wanna turn up looking your best and making sure your look isn’t that resembling a drowned rat but a Love Cat. Ensuring your Do stays in place and making sure that Do doesn’t become a Don’t. So to assist you in looking as splendid as God intended, today we are looking at 6 of the best hair waxes on the market –

Lets start with an all round great product, SuperFish Fishfix Controlling Wax. This tackles life head on with powerful control. It combines the hold of a gel with the smoothing properties of a wax to keep your style controlled and defined.

Next we have the Daddy of hair waxes, the Texturizer by Philip Kingsley. Yes, it is a little pricey for a hair wax but it offers UV Protection to protect your hair from irretrievable hair damage. Not only does its application give the hair shape, definition but also boosts shine and general appearance of your hair plus via the properties of Caprylyl Glycol, it helps hair to retain moisture. And if that wasn’t enough the pliable texture of the wax provides excellent hold.

This great soft wax from GO24.7 offers strong hold to your chosen style. It has been formulated as part of a comprehensive Modern Men’s haircare range to fit into his lifestyle and offers a no fuss time saving solutions.This innovative product provides texture and hold which can be used in conjunction with other products within the range to achieve contemporary styles with minimal effort, which at the end of the day we all want.

If such a thing as an artisan hair wax exists then this is it, the Wax Pomade from Mr Natty. This Product has been formulated, design and generally created here in the UK. It offers a truly British eccentricity to its packages but there is a no nonsense, common sense approach to its ability. This is simply a great product, from its clean, masculine scent to the ease in which it can be applied to finally the results it achieves, it offers great hold but all with a very simple appearance and in doing so your hair appears natural and health.

Now we have Rocker Wax from Fudge Urban. In all honesty all of the waxes within this range are great at giving great hold to your chosen style, hence why they are the product of choice from LC:M to One Direction. Now the important point to remember is what are you looking for from the product, they offer such snappy names as Surfer Wax, Texture Junk and of course Rocker Wax. The main reason I’ve selected this particular wax is for its re-workable, re-mouldable properties, it gives flexibility and in doing so versatility, therefore a day style can simply become a most suitable night style with ease.

Finally, we have Aveda Men Pure-formance pomade helps mold and style short to medium length hair into any maintainable shape. It has a built-in style-control agent that provides strong hold with lasting shine. As you’d expect from Aveda, a company which strives to create products that are botanically based and manufactured through environmentally friendly processes.It smells good enough to eat, offering an aroma that is rich, but never over powering, spicy and refreshing with kunzea, citrus and certified organic essential oils of spearmint, vetiver, and lavender.