Scott Eastwood & Davidoff For Love The Ocean/National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas

Here's a little eye candy along with a serious message for this 4th of July weekend when many will be in , on or around the water .  Scott Eastwood, the face of Davidoff Cool Water fragrance is part of this new video launched as part of the brand's Love The Water Campaign with National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas project.

I'm sure you've seen images before of the amount of plastic and trash floating in the ocean . It's not a pretty site and the organization aims to protect 20% of the world's oceans by 2020.



More info here

If you happen to live in San Diego, you can hang with Scott on a beach clean up- hosted by Davidoff Cool Water in partnership with Surfrider at Ocean Beach Pier on Sunday, July 10^th from 9am -11am. Details can be found HERE.

Tommy Bahama St.Kitts For Women & Men

It may be October but with Tommy Bahama it's time for St. Kitts.

First off, do you love the purple bottles ? That burst of color really makes the bottles stand out.

 St. Kitts For Women is a dewy , musky floral EDT with fruit notes of pear  and mango in the beginning. Frangipani, plumeria and freesia come along  and as it dries down it becomes more musky with light woods.  This has medium sillage and is light but not a skinscent.

 St.Kitts For Men , an Eau de Cologne, has a dry citrus beginning with kaffir  lime and mandarin notes before beachy woods of cedarwood and driftwood come along. It has an aquatic  and woodsy feel with hints of musk at the drydown as well.  It does have a feel of suntanned skin in way and I have to say  I think women could easily wear this as well.  I know I would.

Tommy Bahama St.Kitts For Women and Men are both $ 65 each at tommybahama.com and Tommy Bahama stores.

L'Occitane Cedrat For Men

Love L'Occitane? Did you know they make wonderful men's stuff as well ?

New is Cedrat , just in time for Father's Day gifting. This new scent is a zesty, bright blend of citrus ( cedrat pulp extract and bergamot) , cedar and ginger  that you might just want to use for yourself. I love the scent.

Cedrat comes in a full line including EDT, Body/Hair Wash, Deodorant, and Soap as well as a coordinating men's skincare line.  It looks French chic but still masculine.


L'Occitane Cedrat :

Shower Gel $20
Deodorant $18
EDT $58
Soap $7

Gift set available also.

http://usa.loccitane.com/

Nautica Life for Men

For the men comes  a new one from Nautica.

As you guess from a sent called Nautica Life this is very much an aquatic scent.
It is light, sporty and fresh  and  with the seamoss and violet leaf notes , a little green with  a touch of musk at the drydown.

I particularly was charmed by the bottle, inside around the spray tube is a piece that resembles knotted rope.  It solidifies that marine vibe  and for the beach lover or sailor who is sad to see Summer heading out, this would be a nice gift idea whether now or at the holidays.

Nautica Life is $ 62.50 at Macy's

Father's Day Fragrance Gift Guide 2014

It's almost time to extra celebrate Dad.  We should celebrate dad every day , but Father's Day gives us a special day just for him.  My dad , who is truly awesome, has become more of a fragrance buff thanks to me.  He is still very much a Polo guy but I have gotten him to branch out and he's got many favorites now.

Thinking about upping your dad's scent game this year ? Chances are he rarely, if ever treats himself to something new so lets's look at some fragrant gift ideas.

Givenchy Gentlemen Only-  A little elegance from Givenchy . Gentlemen Only is sophisticated and crisp with birch leaves, green mandarin and nutmeg, then cedar, vetiver and patchouli . This wears softly and would work nicely as an all day fragrance.
$ 58.19 for 1.7 oz  at  FragranceNet.com ( Get $ 10 off $50 through 6/15 with code DAD50 )

Polo Red - Polo is  longtime standard gift for a reason, ,  men love it. There are so many versions  to choose from and there are also gift sets . My Dad is very much an original Polo guy but he also really liked the newer Polo Red.  For Father's Day , buy any 4oz Polo  ( $78) and get this duffle w/ personal monogram for free at 100 select Macy's and on wwww.ralphlauren.com

 L'Occitane- Gift Dad a little Je Ne Sais Quois with something from this Provence based company. New are  Mer & Mistral ( $ 75), a light Mediterranean inspired EDT scent with rosemary , cypress, pine and citrus along with Cade EDT( $55) , a rich wood ( not woodsy) and spice scent.

Jaguar Classic Black- Is Dad a car guy ? Has he always wanted a Jag and lusts after a vintage XKE  ? Or  does he have a beloved one already in the drive ? He might like Jaguar Classic Black.  I love the  shiny flask shaped bottle and the scent inside is a clean woodsy one that isn't strong and dries down even softer with hints of soap . $ 27.20 for 3.4 oz EDT at  FragranceNet.com

Davidoff Cool Water  Night Dive - Is Dad a Cool Water fan ? Davidoff has a new addition to the line for Summer . Night Dive smells of  the water , like a cold northern lake, not the salty ocean in the top notes. It has an  instantly cooling , refreshing scent with  clary sage and mint up front.  Black Pepper , Amber and Cashmeran give it depth and a hint of sweetness at the drydown.  Perfect for hot Summer nights , this is one I might wear myself .  Exclusive to Macys.
$ 68.50 for 4.2 oz EDT , they also have a nice gift set.

British Sterling-  A stalwart from an earlier decade ( the '70s) is back. Do you remember your dad or grandad wearing this ? I sure do.  Now the name is back with two new scents , H.I.M Reserve and  H.I. M Private Stock. The men who used to know this might be pleasantly surprised and those who didn't might discover  a new scent to  like.

British Sterling H.I.M Reserve is a spicy scent with ginger , black pepper , tonka bean and more that has a slightly smoky drydown.  $ 24.99 for each  at WalMart, Kmart & Rite Aid.  See more at : https://www.facebook.com/BritishSterlingCologne

Ralph Lauren Polo Red Valentine's Day Set

Looking for a last minute fragrance gift for Valentine's Day for the man ( men) in your life? You know Polo will have you covered.  Polo Red is a spicy, woods scent that I originally reviewed here .

The Polo Red Valentine's Day Set  includes a 125ml EDT, a 1.36oz EDT and a 3.4 fl oz After Shave Balm.

 $86  available on RalphLauren.com and select retailers nationwide

The Men's Gift Guide 2013

It's time for my annual men's gift guide.  I've picked a small group of favorites from the many gift ideas out there .  What will you be buying the man (men) in your life?

Prada Amber Homme Gift Set-   This is a rich amber scent that's also relatively soft. It's not overpowering but a nice oriental style scent  that can be worn anytime with hints of soap and leather in the drydown.  The gift set includes a 3.4 oz EDT and After Shave Balm in a nice size dopp kit bag with 2 compartments. $ 85.

Kiehl's Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap On Rope- Remember how fun soap on a rope was when you were a kid ? Well Kiehl's has a grown up version for the men. Equally fun and with bran and oatmeal for a good scrubbing, this is a fun  gift / stocking stuffer. 5.5 oz bar is $ 15.

Ralph Lauren Polo Red/Polo Black Gift Sets - Most men I know are fans of an RL fragrance and there is a Polo for almost everyone.  New this year was Polo Red which I reviewed here . You can grab Red in a trio gift set with 4oz  EDT,  4oz After Shave Balm and Deodorant ( $81) or go for the  warm and woodsy Polo  Black with hints of mango and light spices in  a similar  trio gift set, also $ 81.

Gillette Pro Glide Gift Set- A bargain gift at $9.99 this has the basics .  While good for anyone, I always think of college students with these . All things they'll need for the second semester of the year. While you can find this set at Target, Wal Mart, Kmart and drugstores all have versions in both Gillette and Schick brands.

Paco Rabanne One Million Intense Gift Set- Is your guy good as gold ? Then give him a Million, Paco Rabanne One Million that is. The Intense version is loaded with  a semi- sweet patchouli along with cinnamon, black pepper and sandalwood. It's a full , smooth spicy scent that's just this side of  strong. This one also lasts super long on skin. The set includes 3.4 oz EDT and After Shave with a  deodorant stick.  $ 88

Bottega Veneta Pour Homme-  Combine deep woods, like a fir tree in the forest, a little spice and a bit of smoke and you've got one good scent. Bottega Veneta Pour Homme is masculine but has a touch of sweetness in the middle from patchouli that gives way to the smoke. It's wintry , spicy and delicious.
Exclusive to Nordstrom , 1.7 oz $80, 3 oz $110 and the duo gift set $ 115.

Bath and Body Works Pocket Bacs for Men

Did you know there were Pocket Bacs for  men ? These are new and kind of a great idea. After all , BBW 's men's scents smell really nice  and it'll be much easier getting most men to use these if they don't have pink fruit on the front.

 Right now only Ocean is showing up online, but check stores for stock. They will come in all the men's scents like Twilight Woods and Noir shown.

Perfect for the teens, the college kids and significant others .

As with all Pocket Bacs  these are $1.75 but a 5 for $5 sale is going on now.

Polo Red - Ralph Lauren

The first thing that you notice about new Ralph Lauren Polo Red is the striking  bottle. The same style as all Polo but in bright red.  I absolutely love that lacquer red bottle.  I immediately thought of the high shine candy apple red The Dad had on his one pickup truck for years and then read that the red bottle was inspired by Ralph Lauren's car collection. And Lauren's collection is an amazing one from what I've read. As a car buff, I'd love to see it.

The scent is  a tart , woodsy one that if you love unisex scents, might just work for the ladies as well. The berry notes make it a little less all masculine but it's in no way sweet. Lavender is prominent throughout as is cedar and sage. The drydown becomes a little more deeper and just a touch smoky with the amber note.

Polo Red has is not a quiet scent, but it is not heavy either.  It has presence but doesn't bowl you over. Sillage is also very good. It also doesn't remind me of some of  the other Polo scents. This is less green than many of those with the exception of Double Black which is non green and very nice.

This new release didn't quite make it for Father's Day, but would definitely make a nice gift for any other special  days ahead .  I am sure by the holidays we'll see some nice gift sets as well.

Full note list:
Top : red grapefruit, cedrat, red cranberry
Middle : red saffron, lavandin and red sage
Drydown : redwood, amber and coffee berry at the drydown.

Polo Red is available now at Macys , Sephora and other department stores.

EDT :
125ml $ 76
75ml   $61
45ml   $ 44

Deodorizing Body Spray $ 20
After Shave Balm $ 40
Alchohol Free Deodorant $ 18

Father's Day Gift Guide 2013

It's time to think gifts for Dad. They deserve some love, especially if he's like my dad  and pretty much takes care of everything including a new motor in my car.

Thanks to having a beauty blogger daughter The Dad has become more interested in fragrance  and  found more to love than just Polo, his all time favorite .  He also loves a good shampoo  and is pretty picky.

So I've rounded up some great men's scents as well as grooming items that might just fit the bill for your dad or if you have other men-centric gifting coming up soon like birthdays. If you want to check out last year's guide , click here.  It's got several nice scents as well for your gifting ideas.



Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Sport- The newest in the Polo line . Over the years I've noticed that many men love Polo and all it's iterations .   Polo Blue Sport  is a sporty herbal  citrus with mandarin, ginger , sage sandalwood and oakmoss among the notes.
2.5 oz/75 ML  EDT $ 61

Calvin Klein Eternity Summer- The 2013 version of this yearly release  has  a breezy citrus  scent ,  is light and stays close to the skin. Great for hot weather and the guys who want something subtle. Notes include bergamot, mimosa, lavender oil, seagrass , white amber  and dritfwood.

100 ML  EDT $ 58

Kiehl's  Facial Fuel “Heavy Lifting” Firming, Lifting, Anti- Wrinkle Moisturizer for Men - Specifically formulated for the thicker/coraser skin men have , it uses LHA exfoliating actives as well as linseed  extract for lifting and firming. Kiehl's has also partnered with Marvel and Captain America for the skincare launch and while supplies last you can grab dad a special edition Kiehls/Capt. America comic book with (any) purchase .

1.7 oz jar  $ 40

L'Occitane  Verdon Gift Set - For the Francophile dad or one who just loves good products , this set contains a range of the minty fresh Verdon fragrance.  Set includes  Refreshing Face Splash 1.7 fl.oz , Invigorating Shave Gel 3.5 oz, Energy Moisturizer 0.5 oz , Verdon Eau de Toilette 1.7 fl.oz. 
$ 60 

Paco Rabanne One Million- Is  dad good as gold ? How about a fragrance that looks like a gold bar? One Million is a rich but not overly heavy spicy scent  with notes of  grapefruit, mandarin, cinnamon bark, blond leather and patchouli.

1.7 oz $ 59

Redken For Men Full Impact Shampoo- I mentioned the Dad is  fussy about shampoo right ? Well he adores this new one from Redken. He has thinning hair and this truly gives it a boost as claimed.   Hair has more volume  and  is left  very soft and super clean.

The formula uses patented Intra-Cylane® and protein  which gives lightweight volume  and full looking hair. All good things for a guy like him who works outside all day. Pair this up with some shaving items or styling products for a fun and useful at the same time gift.

10.1 oz bottle $ 12

* Redken products provided as sample for review

The Men's Gift Guide- Holiday 2012

I wasn't sure  whether to do a men's gift guide this year but after a Twitter convo  with someone who was trying to find a fragrance for her hubby I decided to put some suggestions together. This lady basically just left the mall frustrated and so I gave her some tips and those very same fragrances are included here as well as a couple other great guy gifts for Dad, Brother , etc.

Remington Black Diamond Series - Electric shavers are always big at the holidays. I've seen more diaplys than I can count lately. One of the newest is the Remington Black Diamond Series Rotary Shave # R5150DS. Black Diamond is 4x smoother than steel . This shave pivots 360'  , has an LED battery gauge , is re-chargeable , and has a pop up trimmer for sideburns etc.

It gives a nice, very close shave with little to no irritation. It holds a charge for  awhile too, so can be most likely be taken on weekends without the charger .  That charger also does  a 5 min quick charge for days you forgot to plug in .

Find it at Target and also online  at Remington here for $49.99

 Kiehl's - Looking for a nice skincare set for the guys? Kiehl's makes men's only products that are manly but  take good care of their skin. There are 3 different gift sets. The Essentials for Men is $ 30.50 and has:

•  Ultimate Man” Body Scrub Soap (3.2 oz)
•  Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash (2.5 oz)
•  Facial Fuel Energizing Moisturizer Treatment for Men (2.5 oz)
•  Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream -White Eagle (1.0 oz)

Bath and Body Works Oak- I was very impressed when this came out a couple years ago with how good it smelled for the price.   It's a great choice whether you are on a budget or not  with a deep, woodsy scent.  Find my full review here

Molton Brown- Fresh Black Pepper  has become  one of the company's top scents. It's  deeply spicy with the pepper and  bergamot .  Grab the Shower Gel/ Deodorant Gift Set for $52

Lacoste- The L 12.12 series is comprised of 4 scents each in a color, Blanc, Bleu, Vert and Rouge. I've tried and really liked Rouge and Blanc.  Both are light and easy to wear. What's nice here is that in one stop you can sniff 4 choices , saving going  to more counters, brands etc. I picked these as a Fathers Day gift and that post  is here .

Acqua Di Parma Colonia - Acqua Di Parma is a brand that basically can do no wrong in my book , on both the men's and women's sides.  Colonia is herbal , fresh and yes, Mediterranean. It's smells rich as does a newer version , Colonia Intensa, which has more citrus , and bottom notes of leather and patchouli.  Both come in a wide variety of products  including soap, shaving , and deodorant. Find them at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neimans, Saks.

Redken for Men Clean Brew Shampoo

 

Want a shampoo that will have the men sit up and take notice ? Pass them this cute new Redken for Men Clean Brew shampoo.

Clean Brew  looks like a beer bottle and has several actual beer ingredients- malt, brewers yeast and orange zest.  Turns out these are good for your hair  and are part of Redken's Anti -Grit technology.  It has a fabulous smell too, not beer like, but more like a nice cologne.

Since the shampoo is Anti- Grit  and is meant to help get rid of extra dirt and oil while also adding some condtion to hair and not drying out hair or scalp.

It happens that I have the perfect tester for this- The Dad. He works in the dirt and heat most every day. Sometimes he gets full of dirt along with grease. His hair takes  a beating  and he is quite fussy about shampoo , finding that many make his scalp itchy. 

Clean Brew has  fared well in the test phase.  The Dad's hair is  pretty soft, mom says it smells nice and he has no itchy scalp or other bothersome hair issues. It stands up to daily use and gets hair clean as promised.

 I know it's  early to think holiday gifts, but  this would be a cute stocking stuffer for your guy. Redken often does nice gift sets at the holiday as well, so keep an eye ,  maybe they'll do a men's one.


Clean Brew will be available in September for $ 12.00

Bath and Body Works for Dad Gift Set

If you haven't tried them , Bath and Body Work's men's scents are really nice.  The colognes are some of the best you'll find at that price level and smell as good as many pricier ones. There are matching shower gels and body sprays as well and for Father's Day they've got this nice gift set that will have Dad set for awhile.

Featuring 3 full size shower gels in a dopp kit bag , it's $ 25.00.

Here's my previous look at some of the men's line .

PS- word is that the semi annual sale hits June 13th.

Father's Day Fragrance Guide

Father's Day is not too far away , and while I wonder how did we get to be almost  in mid June already, I thought it was a good time to highlight some great new men's fragrances along with a  couple old favorites. Dad needs to smell good too , right ? And the theory is, if you give, they will wear it. 

Dolce and Gabbana The One Sport -  A companion to DG's The One this is a light herbal scent with rosemary and cardamom along with sequoia wood,  patchouli and musk . It starts off fresh and ends up as a deeper musky fragrance with the patchouli being fairly predominant and a hint of the cool cardamom.  This one gets bonus points for coming in the harder to find After Shave as well as After Shave Balm and Deodorant. Makes it easy  to put together a nice grooming and fragrance gift for dad.  At Sephora, Macys and more.

The One Sport Eau de Toilette 30ml $45
The One Sport After Shave Lotion 100ml $49

Lacoste - Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge - A new addition to the L.12.12 collection Rouge is zesty with a citrusy opening that blooms with light spices and then a little bit of sweetness  that must come from the iced tea, which I found really nice.  Other notes include Madagascan black pepper, Indian ginger and Guatemalan cardamom . 

If your guy/Dad loves Lacoste there are 3 other "colors" in this line ,  Blanc, Bleu and Vert  with the Blanc being another favorite that's as crisp ands fresh as it's name implies.  Both Blanc and Rouge are what you'd expect of a sporty brand  like Lacoste- refreshing, light and not overdone.


$62 at sephora and www.lacoste.com

Ralph Lauren Polo Double Black- My dad is a Polo guy, not the game, the scent. While I have introduced him to many more that he likes a lot , the original Polo will always be a top choice. Most men I think gravitate towards Ralph Lauren frags and  my favorite is Double Black. It's an odd name but a great scent. Woodsy and rich with an espresso note that gives it a smoky feel and blends beautifully with the cardamom.  Vetiver  and nutmeg are also in there to make it feel like a rich chai.  This one is very masculine and  more of an a evening scent .

2.5 oz is  $58 at Sephora , Macys , www.polo.com

Chanel Bleu de Chanel- While this  doesn't get a lot of love from perfumistas,  this is another older one that my Dad loves.  He has it in the after shave and reminds me often that the bottle is getting low. It's very light with a lot of vetiver , cedar and a little citrus. My previous review here . Available at all Chanel counters.

Will you be buying the Dad in your life fragrance ? What are your favorites?