Tess de Vivie de Régie, Features Editor, with husband, Thibault
If you’re looking to elevate the skin health of a man in your life, something to improve his skin barrier would be a wise place to start: so many people, regardless of gender, suffer from compromised skin barrier-induced sensitivity, and men are certainly not the exception here – and daily shaving only aggravates things more. The Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules provide a concentrated dose of ceramides, the often-overlooked skincare ingredient that helps restore the health of our skin barrier. Conveniently, they provide just the right quantity of product and each capsule is biodegradable. I’m also a big fan of Elizabeth Arden’s suite of capsule products, having used and enjoyed both the retinol and hyaluronic acid versions previously, so being able to sneak the odd capsule for my own use occasionally would be no hardship.
If your recipient is looking to expand his scent collection beyond his usual light, splashy colognes, Frédéric Malle’s Monsieur would be an exquisite choice. It’s a woodsy, intriguingly boozy blend of patchouli, rum, tangerine, and amber: resolutely suave and not a scent you’ll stumble across on every second man in the street. It’s an elegant, formal scent, one that Thibault suggests would come into its own worn in the evening: more of a custom cut and sewn suit, to an EDT’s summery linen ensemble, if you will.
We have gone through more candles in the past year than ever before; I’m sure you’ve also put your collection to good cosying, anxiety-quelling use recently too. In all honesty, Thibault has been even more enthusiastically lighting them than me. If your recipient has also become somewhat of a candle connoisseur, Diptyque’s 34 Boulevard Saint Germain candle would make a beautiful gift: it gives surprisingly good throw even when unlit, and its spicy, green scent (an ode to the brand’s original Parisian boutique) is sure to please. Once empty, the vessel can be used to elegantly corral all manner of objects, from pens to shaving accessories, or whatever else takes his fancy.
Zoe Briggs, Features Writer, with husband Dan MacKenzie
Dan is usually one for bold scents, but the quieter life we are all leading these days means he has found a new appreciation for something more subtle. Burberry Hero (the new fragrance introduced to the world with its now-infamous ‘Adam Driver as centaur’ campaign) has quickly become his go-to option for everyday wear, for its crisp, cool scent, with a touch of spice, which I’m told makes it wearable but still special. Of course, I have to add my own two cents that for me it evokes walking through a forest in late autumn, and is fresh with a touch of warmth and cosiness.
As Tess and Thibault have also found, spending so much time at home lately has led to a candle being one of the simple joys of daily existence, and led me to discover that a man who once couldn’t have less interest in candles is suddenly eagerly peering into my new product deliveries to sniff out new ones that are to his taste. Dan is a Tom Ford fan through and through, and the inherent naughtiness of Mr Ford’s Fucking Fabulous candle appealed to the child within for its name alone, while everything else about it is entirely adult. The scent is warm, intense without being overpowering, and, as with all things TF, deeply sexy, and the matte black vessel and dark chocolate wax within are simple, slick and sensual. As if that’s not enough, the final summation was that “it feels like an entry key to a secret gentleman’s club that you’d have to be in the know to fully appreciate.” Well, then.
I believe a lot of what puts some men off using skincare is looking or feeling like they have a shiny layer on their faces when they go out into the world. Not so, I am assured, with Sisley’s Sisleÿum for Men Anti-Age Global Revitalizer, a super-charged moisturiser which leaves skin with an elegant, softly matte finish and a dry touch feel. Its lightly herbal scent is no doubt thanks to the many anti-inflammatory and soothing plant extracts it contains. Sitting texturally between being a lotion and a cream, it sinks in with the speed and ease of the former while providing the comfort of the latter; no easy feat. The dark chrome, flat-topped pump packaging, complete with clear bar to see how much product is left in the otherwise opaque bottle, is thoughtfully designed, easy to use (Dan loves that one press deposits the exact amount needed for the face and neck) and stylishly masculine. If any skincare product can make a man feel like James Bond, this is surely it.
