Practice English Speaking&Listening with: Our Favorite Grooming Products - Recommendations for Shaving, Hair & More

Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette! In today's video, we discuss our team's

favorite grooming products that we've used for years and this video is a

hundred percent not sponsored. We just like these products, we've used them, and

we pay for them with our own money. If you're at the drugstore, you can find tons

of grooming products, especially for men, and in recent years, more and more brands

have entered the market so testing out different things can be rather costly.

Because of that, Preston, Kyle, and I thought, why not share what we've been using and

testing over the years so you don't have to go out there and waste your money on

stuff that doesn't work. Of course, a lot comes down to personal preference but

you'll be the judge of that. Personally, I don't use a whole lot of grooming products

so you won't find me having 56 different facial lotions because it's just not me.

That also means that I don't have a favorite shampoo, for example, even though recently,

I've experimented with different things that contained tea tree oil and I

like the smell of that but overall, I'm a very low maintenance grooming product

kind of guy. Teresa, on the other hand, is big into skin care and so I picked up a

few things here or there. One of the products I've been using the longest is the got2b

spike glue and it's a bit embarrassing because it's a drugstore brand, I think,

initially, it cost anywhere from like three to five dollars. I've tried many

different things for my hair and if you check out this video, you can see what it

looks like without a product and this got2b glue is pretty much the only

thing that contain my hair and keep the look throughout the day. Other stuff like

pomade I put in my hair, it just creates some curls over the course of

the day. So with the got2b, I typically apply it after I wash and dry

my hair with a towel, then I use a comb and then I use a hair blow dryer to fix

it the way I like it. It's pretty hard that way and I can even

sleep on it, honestly. Frankly, I'd like to use a more high

quality product, I just haven't found anything with the same hold. People keep

recommending stuff to me and I try it and it just doesn't work. Now when it

comes to shaving products, I have a few more options here. I've been using

feather blades for years because they're the sharpest. I have very thick curly facial

hair, I've tried all the razors and so I have like a Oneblade, for example, it uses two

separate blades but typically, I use a double edge razor with feather blades.

Depending on how many you buy, they cost about 20 cents a piece which sounds like

a lot but typically, I get two to four shaves out of them which brings the cost

per shave way down. Compared to cartridge razors like in Gillette,

it's like night and day because this is actually sharp and cuts my hair. I don't

get skin irritation, it doesn't pull on my hair so if you want to learn more about

the 9 biggest shaving mistakes, please check out this video here. I typically

use those feather blades in combination with the Merkur slant razor, it's a

product from Germany, costs about 55 dollars. I've had mine for years, it's a

great product and because of the slant, it gives you a much more aggressive

cutting angle even if you pull straight down. Now, if you have very sensitive skin or

thin hair, you may not need that. I find for my hair, it works very well. I get a

super quick shave in a very short amount of time, adding an electric shaver. I have a few

electric shavers, they're waterproof, one is from Braun, one is from Philips. I

like the Philips more. I also have a bunch of shaving brushes and they

are really superior to anything else but when push comes to shove,

oftentimes, I just use my hand because I want to save time and I don't have it in

the morning. So instead of using a traditional shaving soap that needs to

be lathered up, I use a soft shaving cream from Truefitt and Hill which

is fragrance free and unscented. I like it because it's very gentle, it has a

high glycerin content so it protects my skin from the sharp blades and it's easy

to use and quick. In terms of body products, one of the things I've found in

recent years that I really like is jojoba oil. The winters here in Minnesota

can get really long and dry and that's hard on your skin so I typically

get very flaky skin, it almost looks like a crater or like death valley

and adding your jojoba oil really helps to moisturize my skin, not just a day off

but also the second day. Typically, I use it in combination with a lotion

because on its own, it can leave your skin quite greasy, especially after you

just applied it. The side effect of this oil is it really soaks up into my skin

and it leaves it moisturized, flexible, and just beautiful when I look at it.

Hands down, it's better at returning moisture than any other lotion I've ever

used. On top of that, it's naturally antimicrobial and it also helps prevent

acne so it doesn't clog your pores and is thus highly recommended. It also

helps with something called keratosis pilaris which is also known as chicken skin

which I suffer from when it gets really dry outside in the winter. You can buy

your jojoba oil online or your local co-op. It's widely available and pretty

affordable. If you're not sure about it, you can go to Target and can find small

bottles of two ounces for like three bucks. Of course, you can also buy the

larger bottles once you know you like it. When I travel, I usually don't bring oil

with me because if the bottle breaks, it's a huge mess so I typically bring

this First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream hydration lotion. I know it's a

long name but I found that it's actually a very nice lotion that's quite

moisturizing. If you want an all-in-one product, it's great because it contains

colloidal oatmeal which is great for red irritated or dry skin. Growing up, the

only kind of soap I used in the shower was a shower gel because that's what my

dad bought and it's just what we had. In recent years, I've really come to

appreciate bar soaps and I've thrown out any kind of shower gel and even if I

travel, I bring a little bar soap because I much prefer how they feel on my skin and

how they work. No, I'm not talking about Dove bar soaps

but quality triple milled soaps. By the way, what does that mean? Well, when soap

is made, you have soap and you have fragrances and other ingredients and

they go through a milling machine which is made out of stainless steel rollers

and while it primarily helps to distribute the ingredients in the soap evenly, it

also squeezes out water from the soap which means it will last longer when you

use it. Most quality soaps are called triple milled, maybe milled more often

but what matters is that the soap is not too dry and not too soft so it lasts for

a long time and keeps your skin moisturized and it's not drying it out.

Compared to shower gels and body wash, bar soap is better in so many ways.

Basically, body wash is just a liquid soap so you pay for the addition of

water. In essence, bar soap is better for your skin, it lasts much longer and it's

a lot cheaper. If you have sensitive skin, get something that has fragrance free

because unscented is, in fact, sometimes, a scent just makes it smell like there's

no scent in it. I like natural scents such as verbena which has a bit of a

flavor of lemongrass. Some of my favorite brands include Pre de Provence or

L'occitane but frankly, I try any kind of quality bar soap that is hard and has

a good amount of fat. I always try to stay clear of any kind of parabens and

Phtalates which are typically in body washes or shower gels but not in bar

soaps. So that's it for my list, let's float over to Preston and see what he

uses on a regular basis. Similarly to Raphael, I also don't use a large number

of grooming products. Rather when the need arises, I will do a lot of initial

research first to make sure that I'm making an informed decision. If I find

that a chosen product isn't giving me my desired results, I'll make a change but

all of the products that I'm listing here today have either been part of my

repertoire for a long while or I've been using them recently and have been very

pleased with the results I'm seeing. First, we'll cover hair products. As I've

mentioned in a number of other videos, my hair product of choice for a long time

now has been Groom & Clean by Suave which is in turn, a division of Unilever.

I appreciate that it gives my hair a high amount of shine in line with my

1930s hair style and a moderate amount of hold but more on that in my

next product. Equally important to me, however, is the fact that this product

washes out in the shower with a standard amount of shampoo and just one rinse.

Stronger oil or wax based products can sometimes take more

aggressive cleaning to get out of the hair. The fragrance of the product is

certainly unique and I think it's a bit reminiscent of something like pumpkin

spice. It may be an irritant to some people according to the Environmental

Working Group's cosmetics database but I've had no issues with it and I've been

using Groom & Clean for about seven years now. On a similar note, Groom & Clean

gets its hold and shine properties principally from mineral oil and lanolin

which is a natural compound secreted by sheep to strengthen their wool.

This can be an allergen for some people so do a bit of research to see if

Groom & Clean is right for you or not. You should be able to find it at most

chain drugstores although my local Walgreens no longer carries it and it

usually sells for about five to six dollars a tube. As I mentioned, the one

aspect of Groom & Clean that isn't 100% ideal for me is that I do wish its hold

could be a bit stronger. At the same time, a stronger hold would probably

correspond with the product being harder to wash out. As such, I supplement my hair

routine by using a little bit of hairspray. The product I've chosen for a

number of years now is Consort for men. The product is marketed as being

unscented, however, it will still smell a bit like any standard hairspray when

first applied though this will dissipate after a minute or two. Consort is

available in both aerosol and non-aerosol styles. While I've been using

the brand for about six years, I've been using the non aerosol pump style for the

better part of about three years now as I find that it allows me to better

target specific areas of my hair and that the container lasts longer overall.

The company offers multiple hold strengths but I've found extra hold to

be the most commonly available, you can typically pick it up for about five to

six dollars per unit. Moving on now to shaving products, if you've seen our

video on shaving mistakes, you know that using a high fat shaving cream and one

that doesn't come from an aerosol can is critical to achieving a smooth and close

shave. My shaving cream of choice for about six years now has

been from the Italian brand, Proraso. While I've tried their white formulation

for sensitive skin, in fact, that's the tube I'm working my way through right

now, I've found that their original green formulation with eucalyptus oil and

menthol is the one that leaves me feeling the most smooth and fresh. As

such, after I finish this current white tube, I'll be switching back to the Green

Line. Proraso also offers a red line for coarse hair and a blue line with a

particular emphasis on moisturization. Most of these lines include pre shave

products, shaving soaps, and creams, and after shaves. I've only ever tried these

shaving creams from a tube but I may experiment with their other offerings in

the future. When whipped up with a brush in a mug, the Proraso cream lathers

easily and applies smoothly, doing a good job of lifting the hairs and

invigorating the skin. A 5.2 ounce tube is available online for around $10 and

typically lasts me for about a year, keeping in mind that I only shave about

one to three times per week, currently. Like Raphael, I also use a traditional

safety razor to shave along with an electric shaver from Philips Norelco and

also like Raphael, my favorite model is from Merkur. Specifically, I use the

Futur MK23 C which has a longer handle for greater precision. This one cost me

around $40 and it's been going strong for six years and counting with no

issues. Because my skin is more sensitive than Raphael's and because my hair isn't

as coarse, feather razor blades would probably be too aggressive for my needs.

As such, I use another brand, Astra which we've previously covered as a good pick

for men who want a sharp but not aggressive blade, good for sensitive skin.

I bought a box of 100 platinum blades, in other words, 20 smaller boxes of 5 blades

each in 2014 and I still haven't worked my way through all of the blades yet. A

single blade can sometimes last me up to five shaves and

while the occasional nick does occur, I do like, overall, the results that these

blades give me. Speaking of nicks, my product to treat them since I began

shaving traditionally has been a styptic pencil from Pinaud Clubman. A styptic is

designed to constrict tissues and blood vessels and to promote coagulation in

order to stop bleeding. The active ingredient in most styptic pencils,

including Clubman's is anhydrous aluminum sulfate. Of course, we wouldn't

recommend eating it but you don't have to worry about applying it to your face

and neck after shaving as this is a compound that is often used in many

medicines and water treatments. A styptic pencil can be used to target specific

nicks or it can be run across the skin

lengthwise similar to how one might use something like an alum block after

shaving and this is a technique that I use. You'll probably be able to find the

pencil that's 1/3 of an ounce on sale at most drugstores for around two dollars

and fifty cents but an even better value is the one ounce jumbo size which is

often being sold for not much more and is therefore, a better value per ounce in

addition to lasting longer. While Proraso's white shaving cream hasn't been my

favorite, I do still have sensitive skin and therefore, need to use a product that

will soothe it after I'm done shaving. In order to avoid excess irritation, Nivea's

sensitive post shave balm has been a pick of mine for about five years now. With

vitamin E, chamomile, and witch hazel extracts, it does a good job of soothing

my skin when I'm done shaving. Although I don't think he mentioned it in this

video, I think it's a favorite of Raphael's as well. A 3.3 ounce bottle

will set you back about $5 if you buy online and I find that I go through a

bottle about every six months or so. Moving on to body products, I'll next

mention the Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. This lotion has been a staple in

my household for as long as I can remember. It's fragrance free and

it's use of colloidal oatmeal, which is standard for Aveeno, helps to make sure

that skin is moisturized. By the way, the name of the company comes from the

scientific name for the common oat Avena Sativa. It's no wonder that almost all of

their products then contain colloidal oatmeal. I use this lotion on dry skin,

scrapes and abrasions, bug bites, and even sometimes on my neck after shaving if

it's feeling particularly sensitive. In other words, it's good for a wide range

of applications. 18 fluid ounces will set you back about nine dollars online. I've

got one more product today that I'll list as a sort of honorable mention. I don't

think it can really qualify as a true favorite yet because I haven't been

using it for long but I have liked the results I've been seeing. The product is

Sea Breeze and it's an astringent, in other words, a tissue constrictor that

works to clear the skin of dirt and oil, as well as to soften it. While it does

contain some alcohol which can be excessively drying in products like

aftershave and some people might be sensitive to the fragrance, I find that

the glycerin, camphor, and clove and eucalyptus oils do a great job of

soothing and moisturizing my skin and of keeping bacteria away. Actually, my father

has been using Sea Breeze for a number of years, switching over at some point

from the original formulation to the one for sensitive skin and on a

recommendation from him to start using it to minimize razor bumps, I've liked

the results I've seen. As such, I use it after shaving just before applying the

aforementioned Nivea balm and sometimes, I'll also use it after washing my face

before bed. As with Groom & Clean, I don't have any sensitivity to the

fragrance in Sea Breeze and in fact, I quite like the clean fresh scent that it

has. A 10 ounce bottle is typically available for around eight dollars. So

that wraps up my list, now, let's toss it over to Kyle for his picks. Now, to round

out this video here, a few of my favorite picks. My grooming and product

philosophy is that I will try absolutely anything. I enjoy

experimenting although I do prefer my products to usually be much more natural.

I've been using most of these favorite products on this list for a few

years now. The first category we're going to look at

is face products. I've recently been using a charcoal cleanser by a brand

called Lumin. The most important aspect of a cleanser that I like to look for is

that I'm able to feel clean immediately after I use it. This is something that I

haven't always been able to find when using other brands. I've been enjoying

using this everyday because it doesn't leave that weird film-like residue on my

face that other cleansers have left. The activated charcoal in this product helps

to dry out impurities and remove dead skin cells. Lumin is a newer boutique

brand that is currently only available online.

Once I've cleansed my face, I enjoy using a good quality moisturizer. The one I've

been using for a couple of years now happens to be from a brand called Kiehl's.

I happen to have combination skin on my face; now, this means that I'm dealing

with both oily skin and dry skin at the same time. I need to find a product that

helps balance out those oil levels that's why I like to use the brand Kiehl's.

I really love this moisturizer, it works all day long while I'm at work. It

prevents me from looking greasy and oily but also doesn't leave me looking dry.

Now, next we're going to talk about the things I like to use for beard and

facial hair. I happen to be using a really good-quality beard wash and

conditioner that I happen to find from Art of Shaving. Combining the

utilization of both these tools in the morning has helped ensure that my beard

is always looking soft and feeling extremely comfortable.

Next, I like to use a really good-quality beard balm and what a

difference this has made. Initially, I would always use beard oil and my comb

just to get myself ready but the problem with that over time was that I realized

that I would start to lose the shine in my beard and sometimes, might be able to

start feeling a little bit too itchy. Now, using the beard balm with a really good

quality beard brush has been phenomenal, it helps keep my beard in line so that

no stray hairs are falling all over the place and helps ensure that things are

soft and comfortable throughout the day, not itchy. Now, the next topic we're going

to cover are my favorite body products to use. For my hands, I really have been

enjoying using the Kiehl's hand salve. It's an inexpensive product that works

wonders. I found mine for around $20 but it locks

in moisture and extremely soft and comfortable in

shaking people's hands throughout the day. Now, for Body Lotion, I've really been

enjoying using the Aveeno body lotion. This is something that keeps moisture

locked in very nicely, I don't feel too oily ,and who wants to

have dry skin anyway? You want to make sure that your skin looks great all day

long. Keeping a small bottle of lotion like

this in my gym bag, at work, or even in my travel bag when flying, helps ensure that

when I'm out and about, I don't get mistaken for some kind of an elephant.

Now, one of the last things I'll cover is one of my favorite fragrances and I

don't happen to wear fragrance every single day but I do wear them frequently.

One of my favorite fragrances to be using is the Hugo Boss unlimited scent. I

really enjoy long lasting scents that will last throughout my work day. Now,

anyone who knows me knows that I am a very big fan of fragrances and I usually

tend to go for things that have a lot of pine or citrus or warm notes to them. The

Hugo Boss unlimited scent has been one of my favorites for a number of years

now. I love how it always makes me feel clean and fresh. The top notes in the

scent are mint, grapefruit, and violet leaves. Now by the way, for more

information on our fragrance related topics, check out our playlist here and

that wraps up my list. Now, let us head back to Raphael to wrap up this video. So

that's it, these are our favorite grooming products. Please share with us

in the comments parts that you like because we'd like to test them and maybe

we'll switch things around and add them to our rotation.