On your marks, get steady – GET CHARGED ! – LAB SERIES SKINCARE FOR MEN collaboration with Jawbone by Amanda Lewis

Screen Shot 2014-11-09 at 20.35.22LAB SERIES Skincare for Men have announced a collaboration with Jawbone, makers of the amazing UP wristband and app which helps people understand how they sleep, move and eat in order to live better. Well-being isn’t just about exercising and eating well, it also includes taking care of your skin to look in tip top condition. It allows you to track activity, sleep, and nutrition, and combine that with research insights provided by LAB SERIES to help them improve their skin’s appearance and lifestyle. So if you didn’t get enough sleep last night, the Insight Engine can illustrate how too little sleep affects your skin over time and make suggestions to help you to address that.

You can join in literally by taking the worldwide LAB SERIES X UP Challenge to learn how everyday choices from sleep to hydration can affect your overall well-being, including how your skin looks. From now till November 30, 2014, men around the world can join their countries in a quest to look and feel their best. Come on UK we’re a well groomed nation!  Sign up for the challenge at http://www.labseries.co.uk/age_rescue/jawbone.tmpl .

The collaboration is being announced in conjunction with a new launch for LAB SERIES. The brand is giving men an advanced way to “charge skin” with new AGE RESCUE+ Water-Charged Gel Cream PLUS GINSENG, a daily, age-fighting, skin-drenching treatment works to help combat the first signs of ageing on skin’s appearance. Yeast Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Creatine, Artemia Extract and Coleus Root Extract and of course Ginseng known for its energising and endurance-enhancing properties.

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It’s Spookily good for you – Snail Gel by Amanda Lewis

Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 08.56.23This is no Halloween tall tale, Dr Organics actually harvest snail slime to create a eco conscious beauty range that is amazing for your skin. Seriously though I have been wondering how you harvest snail slime, answers on a postcard please?

Snails make Helix Aspersa Muller, which enables them to regenerate its shell and skin if damaged.

Snail slime has long been known for its amazing healing and soothing properties, once the scientists got involved they discovered that it contains super high levels of allantoin, collagen and elastin all things that does your skin good.

So, time to try it out. First impressions were good, it’s rich, non-greasy and smells very botanical and fresh, not snaily whatsoever. Skin looked brighter and felt firmer.

As its organic it’s free from any nasty substances – such as petro chemicals, parabens and additives or snails! What more could you ask for !

Anti-aging for your Hair ? Whatever next – Julien Farel Haircare

Screen Shot 2014-10-06 at 17.36.32After far too long and following the recently launch of ‘JF MEN’ – a whole floor dedicated to men’s grooming at Julien Farel’s Restore Salon & Spa at Loews Regency Hotel in New York City, Julien Farel brings his grooming, how can I put this,  savoir faire to the UK with his newly launched haircare range available exclusively at Selfridges and Selfridges.com

The New York City born, French-American Julien Farel Group is driving innovation in the beauty industry not only through its transformative products, but also through its unique services. Masters in hairdressing, aesthetics, dermatology, body treatments and fitness, the multi-disciplinary approach to beauty has a refined focus on Anti-Aging techniques and technology, delivering age-defying hair, face, skin and body.

With salons in New York, Miami and Cabo San Lucas, The Julien Farel Group also includes JF Gymnastique, a private studio offering a holistic fitness and wellness experience. In April 2014, Farel relocated the Madison Avenue Flagship Salon to the iconic Loews Regency Hotel on Park Avenue, unveiling a new 10,000-square-foot beauty flagship, complete with a full-service Anti-Aging salon, spa, fitness studio, and the brand new JF Men, a full service men’s grooming salon. Farel has also been the Official Stylist of the US Open Tennis Tournament since 2007, giving world-class tennis players an aesthetic – and psychological – edge.

Leading the Anti-Ageing haircare arena, NYC-based Luxury Hairstylist Julien Farel unveils his first-of-its-kind, cleanse-treat-condition formula Julien Farel Anti-Aging Haircare Restore – the answer to every man’s grooming needs.Hallelujah !
Julien has applied the science of skincare to haircare to deliver powerful ingredients deep into the follicle, scalp and hair for intense hydration, targeted repair and vital protection. The result is an optimal environment for healthy hair growth.

But, thats not it, RESTORE, has a couple of other tricks up its sleeve;

It lets you cut down time in the shower, by using RESTORE in place of your shampoo and conditioner twice a week.

Also, you cut down styling time by using RESTORE makes hair more manageable and easier to style.

Plus,  you cut down on the grooming products you buy, by using RESTORE as an alternative to shave cream and beard conditioner. The key RESTORE ingredient Hyaluronic Acid is the ultimate multitasker for scalp, face and hair !!!!!

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Step into the Nuit – Nuit d’Issey by Issey Miyake

Screen Shot 2014-09-28 at 20.39.19Way back in 1994, some twenty years ago, a men’s fragrance burst onto the scene, which not only took it rock the industry, but has since become a real classic, in every sense of the word. L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme has become a hallmark of sophistication in the world of fragrances. It awakens the senses with its blend of citrus, precious woods and spices. The pure, energising, unmistakable scent is perfect for a modern, independent man.

Fast forward to 2014 and we see the launch of Nuit d’Issey inspired by the mysteries of the night, it’s an ode to wood, and evanescence of rich ingredients mingled with the opulence and potency of the night. The scent hits you with the bright top notes of zesty Citrus accords. Elegant masculine Bergamot blends with sharp grapefruit for an explosion of the scenes.

The fragrance then continues to take you on a mysterious trail where a health dose of leather, enhanced with spices and black pepper are laden down with wood and vetiver. The attraction of rich textured notes, black woods, patchouli and incense all combine with the sweetness of tonka bean.

With the strength of woods and the potency of sensual leathery notes underscore the intentionally very masculine character of Nuit d’Issey Issey.

Offering a feeling of all round wellbeing – The New Aveda Men’s Grooming Destination

Screen Shot 2014-09-15 at 16.51.21After teasing us for some time with pop up barber shops within their Aveda Salon in Covent Garden, Aveda have finally and with much anticipation launched their new and exclusive Aveda Men’s Grooming Destination at their Lifestyle salon and Spa. Promising to offer the best in men’s grooming, all from the comfort of one chair, ahhhh I’m relaxing with just the thought of it. This new Men’s offering boasts an array of services immersed in a unique approach to holistic wellbeing, grounded at the heart of all things Aveda.

Set in a dedicated and now permanent, sorry, am I getting a little overexcited ? ‘Men Only’ space, comes an urban yet rustic ambience. Led by barbering expert Stelios Nicolaou, who boasts over 20 years of experience. While enjoying your retreat from the stresses and strains of urban living, you can enjoy bespoke grooming treatments, with everything from a traditional barber’s shave, invigorating scalp massage or just a simple cut and style on-the-go tidy up and yes no need to move from your chair, ahhhhhh.

Additional to all this, gentlemen, you can experience the awarding winning Aveda Men produce range, hero products include the Aveda Men Grooming clay, Dual action aftershave and Pure Formance Shampoo and Conditioner. Offering something for every man, from express 15 minute groomed-to-go options, to the full barbering and maintenance works and while there you can buy time to create your own tailored treatments. So either the next time you are visiting London take a little time out to visit this haven or if you are a London resident, what are you waiting for ?

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