CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Words by Anthony Walker

Many bearded guys are not usually interested in conditioning their facial hair, and this could be due to a lack of knowledge about conditioners. For some others, it could be they don’t know the best products to use for beard grooming and care.

Whether you agree or not, there are no ​secrets to a healthy-looking beard​ aside from occasional grooming and care. And to spot the freshest looking facial hair, you would need to get the right products, and one of them is a beard conditioner. That said, below are the ways you can benefit from using a conditioner.

Protects the Cuticles

The cuticles are a sensitive part of the hair and need to stay hydrated and protected from daily exposure to sun and dirt. With the right conditioner, you could build a protective layer from the hair’s tip down to the roots. This can help to reduce damage during styling and also prevent loss of hair.

Balances pH Levels

The regular use of beard and skincare products could strip the hair of its moisture and nutrients, leading to reduced hair growth. It would help if you used​ a suitable beard conditioner weekly​ to lock in back minerals and moisture needed to support a healthy-looking beard.

Improves Sheen

One of the secrets to a shining looking facial hair is moisture, and with the regular use of beard oil, cream or balm, you can spot a radiant-looking man burns. In addition to a conditioner, you want to invest in some quality beard shampoo and moisturizer to ensure your hair stays hydrated throughout the day.

Improves Styling

Another advantage of hair conditioning is that it reduces tangling, making it easy to run a comb or brush through with ease. This will be useful, especially for men with tight facial hair who find it challenging to groom. You must include the best organic beard cream and oils, blades, scissors, combs, and brushes to achieve your perfect style.

Pleasant Fragrance

You also benefit from the natural fragrance that comes with beard oil, cream, and balms. You can find them available in a variety of sweet-smelling fragrances that last for hours after use. It is safer to stay clear of products with artificial perfumes as they could irritate the skin and cuticles.

Stimulates Hair Growth

It is no lie that most beard oils and balms are capable of ​stimulating the hair follicles and enhancing growth​, but you want to choose the best brands if you want excellent results. You must know that conditioners don’t lead to instant growth but usually show positive results when used regularly.

Choosing the Best Beard Conditioners

Remember, I said that for most guys, the challenge is finding the best option between a beard oil, cream, balm, and butter. The easiest way to find out is to try a few of them to see which one appeals to you best.

For most guys, oils seem to get the job done, but there is no harm in trying other options. The only rule is to avoid using harmful products or chemicals on your beards to prevent damage to your skin and cuticles.

With more and more of us having to spend more and time on our mobile phone device, whether we want to or not, it has become an essential part of our being often being referred to as an extension of ourselves and many of us feeling lost when we don’t/can’t have access to it.

Now whether this is healthy for us or not is highly debatable, however one thing that isn’t is our increasing reliance upon them and the many different ways we use them, away from their primary use as a telecommunications device. So we have scoured the Internet looking for some fun gadgets for you to maximise and get even more out of your mobile phone.

The Live Streaming Kit from Urban Outfitters Is a great gadget for youtubers and Tik Tok fans. Live stream with ease when you use this essential kit from Kikkerland. Includes a 2-in-1 universe phone holder and a USB-powered LED light with three brightness settings that can clamp to any table or desk!

The Dog Treat Selfie Clip from Fred Aldous Get that perfect pooch shot! Easy grip clips attach to your phone and to a dog treat. Fits all phones.

The Wide-Angle Lens Clip Lens from Urban Outfitters Perfect for capturing wide-angle shots of your favourite moments and people!

The Phone Telescope Lens from Urban Outfitters  Provides 8x magnification on your camera. Easily clips on any smartphone. Includes lens covers and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

The Mini Karaoke Microphone from IWOOT Bring the world of karaoke to your smartphone. Works with most karaoke and voice recording apps, the mini microphone can be used as a recording device and as microphone for phone calls.

Founded in France in 1972, the C17 brand offers a premium line of men’s clothing. The brand in the 80s gained huge notoriety due to the superior quality and the unique offer of looser fits adopted famously by the ’Terrace/Casuals’ Culture of Football.

By the early 90s, C17 was the UK’s 2nd largest denim brand, only outdone by Levis. The brand re-launches with its first AW19 collection nearly after 25 years of absence.

Not surprisingly the inspiration for this relaunch collection is taken from their Archive dating back to this iconic period. There is a focus on every day, wearable staples C17.

All the clothes from C17 are made for the everyday stylish, discerning Male consumer, meaning it’s built with quality, practicality with a touch of that stylish edge. C17 continues to draw on the heritage of the brand and has plenty to offer in the coming seasons.

Words by John Ellmore

Feeling anxious over one’s finances is common. Whether it’s short-term cash flow issues, or long-term financial planning, money worries never seem to be far from people’s minds.

Unfortunately, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic has made financial anxiety far more prevalent. It has caused hugeshockwaves in the UK jobs market, which in turn, has negativelyimpacted household income for millions of people.

The latest Government figures paint an ugly picture: 8.9 million workers were furloughed as of mid-June, while over 2.6 million self-employed people had applied to the Treasury for financial support. Sadly, British business executives believe worse will come, predicting that unemployment will leap to 3.5 million by the end of 2020.

Clearly people’s incomes are going to be impacted. Needless to say, this will create an inevitable surge in finance–related anxiety.

Indeed, research from KnowYourMoney.co.uk has revealed that almost a third (31%) of UK adults have seen their personal finances decrease as a result of the virus, with over a quarter (28%) of people saying they are worried about the financial situation.

Naturally, consumers are worried about multiple elements of their personal finances. For example, the survey uncovered that a fifth (21%) of UK adults felt guilty for not taking the time to properly assess their finances since the pandemic took hold. Meanwhile, 26% believe they could have saved more money during lockdown and slightly more (29%) admitted to excessive online shopping over recent months. 

Hope on the horizon

Despite understandable consumer concerns, there are reasons to be more optimistic. For one, Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s so-called Summer Budget on 8th July offered some breathing space to consumers who are suffering from the financial strain.

Firstly, Sunak announced a huge cut in VAT for hospitality and tourism sectors – from 20% to 5% – in a bid to simultaneously protect jobs and pass savings on to consumers.

Additionally, he announced the introduction of a restaurant voucher scheme, Eat Out to Help Out, which will subsidise people’s meals in restaurants. This move hoped to persuade consumers back into restaurants, thereby supporting local businesses but without the guilt of spending their money.

Importantly, the ‘kick-starter’ job scheme and incentives to employers to take back furloughed staff ought to go some way to tackling the high levels of unemployment in the months ahead.

While these are positive steps, people may remain reluctant to part with money while the threat of the virus remains very much at large. This is particularly true for any consumers whose income has been affected by the pandemic. The question, therefore, is what action can people take to feel more in control of their finances?

Taking control

Financial management may seem overwhelming, but on the contrary, it is a lot simpler than many people think.

While it may seem obvious, and excellent starting point is noting down incomings and outgoings. There are plenty of budgeting apps available, so consumers can conveniently track all spending habits on their mobile phone. Monitoring cashflow could expose any unnecessary and potentially problematic spending, which will in turn, help consumers eliminate it.

Comparison sites are also a useful tool when it comes to managing finances. Many consumers are unaware that they are overspending on certain products. Comparison websites are able to quickly search and compare prices for a range of products and services, from groceries to car insurance, so people can choose the best option for them. By taking the time to research various options, consumers could save themselves money and feel morein control of their bank balance.

Importantly, people should never feel as though they have to struggle through the financial maze by themselves. If the pressure becomes too great, debt charities such as StepChange could provide a vital lifeline. These charities are always on hand to listen to people’s financial worries and help them take steps to get their finances back on track.

We are living through extremely challenging times – and many consumers are being understandably cautious with their finances. There is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to financial management and for now everyone should manage their finances as they see best.

Ultimately, there is no easy way to tackle financial anxiety. However, by taking small steps, be it taking advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme or tracking spending habits, people will begin to feel more in control of their personal finances.

John Ellmore is Director for Know Your Money. Know Your Money is an independent financial comparison website, launched in 2004. Run by a dedicated team, Know Your Money’s goal is to provide clear, accurate and transparent comparisons for a wide range of financial products, such as business loans, mortgages and car insurance

Words by Emily Regan

Illustrations by Kami Whybrew

Most of you will recognise the plastic figure below in one form or another, however, do you understand how the be@rbrick became a major icon within the streetwear movement? 

The be@rbrick phenomenon began in 2001, created by Japan’s Medicom Toy, and handed out merely as a gift at the ‘World Character Convention 2012’ in Tokyo. 

The retailer really hit the nail on the head with this one, each bear is unique with designs relating to current trend-driven culture. Designs inspired by contemporary artist, Andy Warhol, and Marvel’s superheroes’ costumes to name a few.  

The plastic bear-shaped figurine has evolved to be one of the most popular and unique collectible pieces across generation z and alpha. The ‘hype beast’ generation has welcomed the ‘limited edition’ collectible bears with open arms.

The popularity of collecting plastic bears quickly progressed from a fad to a serious macro trend. As the awareness of these table-top bears grew, so did their exclusivity. 

Brands and celebrities began to endorse be@rbricks (predominately retail) jumping on the bandwagon and creating limited-edition collectibles. Pharrell Williams, (designer of multiple Adidas collaborations) is known to have a large collection, as well as rapper, DJ Khaled who also has a common obsession with limited edition ‘sneakers.

Retailers that have used the be@rbrick as PR content include the likes of streetwear brands ‘Bape’ and ‘Supreme’ alongside luxury designer ‘Chanel’.

The Coco Chanel be@rbrick most recently sold at auction for an astonishing $30,000, with the lowest asking price now at $61,497, this luxury-inspired be@rbrick is one of the most valuable on the market.

Although the generic shape of the be@rbrick rarely changes, as their appeal increased so did their size. The original bears show as ‘100%’ on the chart below. Some of the largest bears are 70cm (1000%) high for reference.  Just like the sneaker community, often limited edition bears will feature original materials too, examples include ‘glow in the dark’ paint, wood, and even felt features.

The be@rbrick has become iconic within the streetwear community and it’s not a shock as to why. The principles remain the same; from sneakers to the plastic figurines.

The hype-beast community thrives on the obsession to purchase limited-edition collectibles. This phenomenon has been driven by brands and celebrities across the globe and is arguably one of the most superficial trends to push through at such extreme measures.

In essence, the bear itself is an un-purposeful plastic toy, however the blank canvas it provides for creativity thrives within the streetwear community and now the value of a useless plastic bear often equates to more than a pair of collectible sneakers. Re-wired and re-designed by brands as a PR stunt to drive the hype community who, ironically, was first to push the popularity of the be@rbrick!