NORSE: Aftershave Balm & Hand Salve "Paw Chutney for Hard-Working Hands"

The girls at The Amazing Blog have yet again, come to my rescue and helped to put an end to my suffering… We’re talking razor burn (from recently shaving off my whiskers) and dry hands (sustained from extracurricular work as a volunteer). Meet both Aftershave Balm and Hand Salve "Paw Chutney for Hard-working Hands" from the trusty newcomer and grooming brand Norse.

As the regular readers will remember, I’ve already reviewed two of Norse’s products: the Exfoliating Face Wash Bars and the Norse Shower Bars here. I’m a fan of this new brand and I’ve just added two more of their products to my favourites list.  I also have to admit to being a ‘little obsessed’ with their Hand Salve. As I mentioned before, Norse’s products are handmade, vegan, and cruelty-free.  Iain Kerrigan, the founder of Norse, states: “All products are plastic-free, environmentally (and wallet) friendly.” Which in these challenging economic times, the latter will hold great appeal for one and all.

Let’s start with the Aftershave Balm which left my skin as soft as a baby’s bum!  As the name says, it’s a Balm, an emollient that can be used on the face or (in my case) dry elbows too. It absorbs quickly into the skin and is non-greasy formula despite being rich in key ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba, and sweet almond oil. I also loved that it had a subtle zesty finish too. Having shaved off my whiskers, my exposed skin was extremely sensitive and this Balm offered both protection and hydration. A little goes a long way and I think that this is a brilliant multitasker that’ll offer plentiful use all year round. You can purchase your Aftershave Balm here 100g for only £ 20.00.

Then we come onto my favourite the Hand Salve "Paw Chutney for hard-working hands" as someone who works with their hands;  this has been a lifesaver for me. Not only with all the hand washing but as a couturier at Simon Copeland London by day and a volunteer making PPE by night – I’ve noticed the toll it’s taken on my hands. My skin has become noticeably drier but by applying this Hand Salve last thing at night, massaging it into my palms, back of hands and cuticles, it has really helped to soothe and replenish the oils making my skin soft and supple again. Like the Aftershave Balm, it has shea butter, jojoba and sweet almond, although this has the addition of key ingredients such as beeswax which will help to protect skin and essential oils like lavender, rosemary and tea tree to rid bacteria and heal cuts. This is a must for everyone who has hard-working hands. You can purchase your 85g Hand Salve "Paw Chutney for hard-working hands" here for only £14.00. 

Shakeup Cosmetics

My turn dear readers to say ‘Happy New Year’! Today I’m kicking-off with one of our #amazingfinds which is a new brand of men’s cosmetics. Apparently us boys have different skin to the girls… (NB: Girls at The Amazing Blog!) that may sound a glib expression, but there is an increasing amount of data to show that our skin is 20 - 25% thicker due to the presence of testosterone, which goes some way to explain why certain products manufactured for women can be ineffective for us. Since we also have slightly larger active sebaceous glands, our pores tend to be larger leading to a higher propensity of acne and pore blockages. Of course, we also put our skin through the dreaded daily slash of a sharp blade which inevitably stresses the epidermis, making it far more sensitive.

Happily, for us twin brothers Shane Carnell-Xu and Jake Xu have come to our rescue - they are the driving force behind Shakeup Cosmetics and are shining the light ahead for us boys to reap the benefits of a skincare range as diverse as that for women, but specifically tailored for our needs. Whilst we all want to look our best, not everyone wants to make it headline news when we walk into a room, which is where Shane and Jake have come to our aid with their Shakeup Cosmetics For Men range. Although born in Beijing, the boys emigrated to the UK in their teens and are proud to have formulated and produced their line here, ensuring the highest standards, as well as rejecting animal testing, and keeping their products totally vegan-friendly.

At the moment, we have the Under Eye Concealer and Moisturiser, called ‘Eye Eye Captain’, the ‘Let’s Face It’ Tinted Moisturiser, and the ‘Lip Life To The Full’ Volumising and Moisturising  Lip Gel, with the first two of that list coming in Light, Medium and Dark shades for the skin palette. Retailing at £20 for the Concealer, £25 for the Moisturiser, and £12 for the Lip Gel, we can get our hands on these goodies from here and that stalwart of the pioneer brands, Harvey Nichols - and when HN starts stocking a range, you know it’s one to watch! This range is certainly one to try, as there is a revolution afoot in the male grooming world, and it is being spearheaded by dynamic teams like Shane and Jake who believe in natural, wholesome skincare, and are bringing it to market for us to enjoy.

BEYofi Shaving Gel, Balm and Oil

As our desire for ever more intricate and precision shaving styles increases, so does our need for efficient tools with which we can execute our creativity with pinpoint accuracy, whilst still ensuring our skin is as protected as much as possible when the blade descends. We at The Amazing Blog notice that more and more brands are now extending their shaving ranges to include far more user-friendly options, and BEYofi are the perfect example of this - most notably their Mens Shaving Gel For Sensitive Skin, formulated with exactly that in mind, whilst also avoiding irritating the skin as far as possible. 

The shaving range is attractively packaged all with pump dispensers. But it is this Shaving Gel For Sensitive Skin, that is the one that really caught my eye. Its rich formula is designed not to lather up into an explosion of bubbles, but rather simply provide thorough lubrication of the skin along with effective moisturisation so we can sculpt away to our heart’s content. Similarly, the BEYofi Shaving Balm has also been formulated to ensure it is easily absorbed, soothing the skin to avoid irritation, soreness and reduce the dreaded razor burn. This delight is fragrance-free, allowing your choice of after-shave to remain unhindered as you complete the task in hand.

With an impressive heritage behind him, the creative genius that is Bernard D. Evans, has come up trumps once again with a superb product to add to his already impressive range to help us in our quest. The product however which perhaps exemplifies the versatility of this line is the Mens Shaving Oil, which has a three-in-one functionality, allowing us to use it on it’s own, as a preparation base for a shaving cream, or indeed as a post shave serum, and all with a fresh peppermint and lemon fragrance to engage the nostrils! The Shaving gel retails at £19.75 (100ml), the Shaving Balm for £20.45 (100ml), and the Shaving Oil comes in at £21.45 for 30ml, and all available through here.