If, like me, you suffer the effects of a common shave rash you’ll move hell and high water to find a solution to prevent this unsightly mis-hap. A good astringent is the first step to solving this mystery, followed by an intensive treatment cream which will hydrate and ‘lubricate’ the shaven area and hopefully prevent/reduce the onset of the red rash plague.

F.A.B. Ultra Repair Cream is a thick, ultra-concentrated formula which helps to treat dry skin, eczema and general skin related issues. As it worked a treat on my dry areas, I decided to apply it after my daily shave. I used my Skin Doctors Ingrow Go solution to prevent any ingrown hairs then slapped a bit of F.A.B. Ultra Repair Cream to see if it’s up to the job! The formula is smooth and easily applied, it doesn’t soothe on application but it does hydrate the neck area magnificently. Keeping the area moist is one of the most important steps to success on the ‘rash-free road.’

So, enough of my self absorbed approach to this review, would I recommend F.A.B’s Ultra Repair Balm? Absolutely. Not only is it great at beating a raging shaving rash, it cleared up the patch of dry skin on the back of my hand. My advice would be to keep this product on reserve for when you really require something potent to tackle your most troublesome areas.

Please note: It’s great to help clear Keratosis Polaris too. (Rough skin on the upper arms)

£8.00/56g  www.firstaidbeauty.com

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Review Scores:

Look the part this summer by starting from within. Clear skin, a lean torso, healthy immune system and a little fitness assistance will all pave the way into a successful summer, whatever your success maybe…?

We’ve selected some of the most critically acclaimed diet supplements to help get you looking summer savvy this year.

left – right

help: clear skin men – £9.99, www.workswithwater.co.uk

Packed with all the nutrients you need to achieve a flawless complexion this summer.

Trim by Anthony Inside – £40 www.anthony.com

Encourages the metabolism and reduces excess fat around the abdomen. Great results; drink plenty of water though, you’re mouth is sure to dry out.

Menscience Thermogenic Formula – £32.50 www.menscience.com

An exercise saviour. Thermogenic qualities will enhance performance and help maintain a more consistent fitness regime. Again, drink plenty of water, they can be quit dehydrating.

bee prepared by Un-bee-lievable health £17.35 www.unbeelievablehealth.co.uk

A potent pill packed with all the vital ingredients to bring your inner-self  back to health. Great for hangover cure too!

Dermalogica’s Ultracalming cleanser was the first step in cleansing I’d tried since the excitable children’s foamy face wash I had used for what felt like forever! The sophisticated gel was a welcome relief after all that over-zealous foaming from the kiddies stuff.

The cleanser felt soothing from the minute it was applied and massaged into my eczema prone skin. As my face often has flare-ups where the skin is red and inflamed, it loved the no-sting cooling feel of the cleanser. Personally I also loved the big size bottle that will last for months! Although to be fair, so many times when I pushed the lid down and squeezed the cylindrical tube, the product went flying out all over the bathroom! I don’t know if that was just my clumsiness or the bottle design but it did have me chuckling.

I did feel at times that my skin wasn’t clean because it didn’t foam at all but I think this was more psychological as I only had one spot in the whole month of using the range! This is a definite improvement as before I was getting a couple of spots twice a week.

The lavender, raspberry and Echinacea extracts definitely brought down the inflammation when I had a flare-up and the Ultracalming Serum Concentrate I applied after cleansing felt silky going on and didn’t dry out my already parched skin. Evening primrose, avocado and sunflower seed extracts all worked their magic to calm and take away any irritation I felt.

I only used the Ultracalming Relief Masque when my skin was really angry (around once a week) and I can definitely say it calmed the skin down. It must have been the active, soothing ingredients that included algae, mugwort and colloidal oatmeal extracts. I can’t say the range stopped my skin flaring up but it definitely took the burning sensation out of the inflammation and made my skin feel nurtured and cool. I love the fact that these products in particular are suitable for the most sensitised skin, which can’t even withstand water. I’ve definitely got a love affair with Dermalogica’s Ultracalming range as it stops my spots as well as putting out fire and cooling the irritation. The only thing now is mastery of that big bottle to avoid accidents!

Dermalogica UltraCalming Range available May 2011

dermalogica.com

Keratosis Pilaris is caused by a build up of protein, Keratin, in the body which blocks hair follicles on the upper arms, backs of legs and for some, can appear on the face. The symptoms are, most commonly, rough bumps on the surface of the skin, usually the upper arms, and a red rash to accompany. Keratosis Pilaris is harmless and the signs generally decrease with age. Having said that, the condition is particularly unsightly and should be addressed to minimise its appearance.

How to deal with Keratosis Polaris…

One saving grace, this is incredibly easy to address- unlike many other skin conditions. For mild cases, a good body scrub and a plently of body lotion will, overtime, reduce the build up of the bumps. You must maintain this treatment to keep the condition at bay. Another approach is to source a product with Glycolic Acid (AHA) or Salicylic Acid (BHA) within it to try to work on the problem at its root. Salicylic acid, most commonly used in acne treatments, will also help to kill off any bacteria in the area thus preventing any infection.

Recommendations

Try Paula’s Choice, 8% Alpha Hydroxy Acid Body Wash (8% Glycolic Acid) £19.95/118ml, to exfoliate the skin without a scrub, paulaschoice.co.uk

Espa’s Invigorating Salt Scrub £7.15 2 x 50g sachets. One of the best exfoliants on the market. espaonline.com

Eyre Botanicals Fusion Hand & Body Moisturiser 150ml/£28 An incredibly intensive moisture treatment for dry and easily aggravated skin eyrebiobotanics.com

Words; Steven O’Neill

How to treat Keratosis Pilaris

Blackheads are caused by 3 major factors and can be found, most commonly, around the t-zone area of the face. The first issue is excess oil/sebum. This suffocates the skin, not allowing it to breath and settles in the pores. Second factor; Dilated pores. If you’re prone to having pores which are easily visible to the naked eye you’re going to get blackheads. Lastly; Bacteria. No matter how much we wash our faces, bacteria build up is inevitable.

So how do Blackheads form?

Taking on from the above, excess oil settles in dilated pores, bacteria thrive on the warmth thus make themselves comfortable within, start breeding like wildfire and the black appearance which you see on your face is a combination of grime picked up from the environment and deceased germs.

How to deal with Blackheads

Keep your face clean, use a good wash in the shower. If you have time quickly wash your face before bed to remove the day’s dirt. Use a good scrub. The exfoliant qualities will help to unblock dilated pores and reduce the appearance of the enemy. Use a good pore minimising serum before your moisturiser to reduce the exposure and prevent build up. A good oil control lotion will assist in drying out the surplus grease and, if you are suffering with severe build up try using an AHA/BHA solution to reduce the symptoms.

Anthony for Men Glycolic Facial Cleanser will become your best pal. The glycolic content (BHA) will help rid your stubborn “black build up.”

Elemis Energising Facial Scrub. One of the best scrubs around. The light yet course formula will reduce the appearance of blackheads by gently scratching the surface to remove the dirt.

Kyoku Pore Minimising Serum; use after cleansing, prior to moisturising to close the “gap” and reduce the exposure. It’s one of the most effective around

Try an oil control lotion to mop up the grease and prevent build up. Dermalogica’s Oil Control Lotion is great value for money and scores top marks for performance.

Still suffering? Try Peter Roth Thomas’ AHA/BHA Acne Clearing Gel. The acidic qualities within will declare war on the most severely affected skin and assist in reducing unsightly breakouts.

Top tip: Avoid products with alcoholic content

How to deal with/get rid of blackheads by Steven O’Neill

Dark circles, thread veins, fine lines…. the list is endless. Adverse skin complaints are something we’d all prefer to cover up. Until recently, the taboo surrounding the use of male make-up has influenced our grooming behaviour. I’m happy to say that this is becoming less and less of a problem and men worldwide are dipping into their counterparts’ make-up bags to address common issues. Read more →

Any sartorial male worth his salt will testify to that insanely unfortunate pre-date night predicament: there – in the centre of your rather handsome face – lies a blemish bad enough to put your opposite-half off her dinner.

And then hindsight reminds you that your behind will be staying only on the home sofa ce soir…

You should have prepared!

You should have kept clean!

Metique have thankfully gone and ensured that the little voice is banished forever – along with the blemishes. You see, Metique’s 100 % Tea Tree Oil and Hygienic Skin Wash are the perfect preparation you need for that week leading up to the weekend.

Tea Tree Oil is chemically known as Malalueca alternifolia and is known to treat troublesome skin and soothe tired feet. Metique prides itself on the fact that their Tea Tree Oil is sourced straight from farms that are organic and meet legal pharmaceutical standards.

So I’ve got a blemish and I’ve whipped-out the 100 % Tea Tree Oil.

The first thing I notice – and you surely will as well – is the smell: Tea Tree Oil smells delightful! And not in a perfume-y sense but in one of those smells-medical-but-I-love-it incenses.

Simply dab a small amount onto the problem skin and wait for the magic to work. Over time you’re problems – no matter how facially-obvious – should be subject to the magic of Malalueca alternifolia.

I had a small cut that I suffered at the wrath of the sink and it was clean and clear within a week. I never felt like the wound was dirty or oily either; TT Oil dries extremely quickly.

And for the rest of your body? Try some of Metique’s Hygienic Skin Wash with some added Vitamin E. Simply lather over the body and – if it gets that far – your body will be blemish-free… all over!

If you’re thinking about trying something else then you shouldn’t because Tea Tree Oil is the only known antiseptic that is safe for use daily, which of course means that in those days leading up to the date – use away!

But not your date; that’s just rude.

Overall: 9/10 –

Excellent products at an excellent rate – Metique have got date night right!

The staff here at Sartorial Male do love finding those fabulous femme beauty secrets otherwise reserved for the opposite sex…

VIE’s new Guardian Angel Skin Saving Balm is our latest discovery and it’s ideal for more masculine skin!

Whilst Sage, Rosemary and Cinnamon might seem a little more at home in the kitchen, VIE have decided to cook a little recipe of their own – a skin saving balm of essential oils that regenerates, restores and purifies the skin.

Add a pinch of Calendula, Evening Primrose Oil and Camomile and you’ve got the perfect mixture for dry skin that needs a good soothe. What’s more, with VIE your skin will not only be moisturized but replenished and protected with Vitamins A, C and E.

… So it’s full of natural goodness, that’s for sure.

I personally found the balm perfect for those tough and dry areas like the lips, hands and feet because – when it comes to skin balms – you really do have to splash out to splash on something of a really high quality.

VIE’s Guardian Angel Balm is a powerful little package that at first seems too thick and sticky to moisturize. However, work in the gooey gel for a few seconds and minutes later you’ll be feeling the effects: the skin will seem protected and feel soft and smooth

The only downside to the balm is the smell.

Some may like the natural aroma of herbs and spices but – for me – it seems too much like that smell you’ve got to wash off after cooking the Sunday roast.

Overall:

Performance: 8/10 –

The balm lives up to its impressive ingredient list: a smooth and soft finish.

Smell: 5/10 –

Too many kitchen herbs and not enough heavenly…

Price: 6/10 –

At £13.00 for 20 ml the price seems slightly steep, particularly for such a small pot.

Final Words:

Try the smell before you buy!

KY Jelly may already feature in your bathroom cabinet, or maybe in your bedside drawer. Whatever you may have used this lubricant for in the past isn’t relevant, I’m going to talk you through how this widely used sexual lubricant can help to combat spots and help moisturise dry skin. Read more →