I thought for a moment that I had compiled one of my beauty/grooming must-have lists without something rose-scented.I panicked.And then remembered how wonderfully heady that brand new Ermenegildo Zegna Essenze Amber Gold is, and that rose is definitely one of the top notes.PHEW.Anyway, enjoy!
* Braun's Art Of Precision kit *
I'm still utterly impressed with anything personalised, so you can imagine my face when this James Bond-esque case arrived. Unclipping the front and opening the lid to discover Braun's new collection of six shavers and stylers inside, each in their own cut out trench of foam, did feel like I was some kind of spy with a state-of-the-art spy kit (is that a proper thing?!). There's literally something for everyone in the Precision collection - a beard trimmer that offers 25 different length settings, hair clippers, the Precision Trimmer - the teeny tiny one ideal for sculpting and nose hairs, and the Body Groomer which is perfect for manscaping, erm, THOSE areas!
I'm not easily impressed, but this whole kit is bloody brilliant! To find out more about each device, go here.
* Korres Holiday in Greece set *
Have you ever tried one of Korres many bodymilks? They are utterly SUBLIME! Rich, fragrant, soak in nicely... just so nice. And this little holiday set is perfect for anyone who loves the brand but doesn't want big, cumbersome bottles taking up space in the suitcase. Basil Lemon & Guava bodymilks included, plus the same in showergels and a shampoo. The Guava scent is really what I imagine the whole of Mauritius to smell like! Get it at Oliver Bonas here.
* Johnny's Chop Shop Hobo Hair Dry Shampoo *
So I've used Batiste for a while now, and while I like it and it does the job, I do find that it doesn't give much texture to my hair. Not that dry shampoo should, but when I first used this one, I was surprised with how much oomph it gave to me barnet. And it's nice that us men have our very own one too, rather than borrowing from the ladies. Not that that has ever bothered me, but I guess for other men it might. See more from the barbers and its range (available at Topman Oxford Circus too) here.
* Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots *
Let's just get the scientific bit out the way: these little dots contain a potent blend of natural antibacterials, (including salicylic acid and tea tree oil), calming anti-inflammatories, and detoxifying actives. Sound good right? Well they are! Luckily I've always had good skin with very few spots, but as I've got older (shhhh) I've noticed a few blemishes come and go. These dots are PERFECT for those moments. And actually work a TREAT! I'm often quite skeptical of these types of things, but Skyn as a brand won me over with their Icelandic Relief Eye Pen, and these are just as good! Get them at Cult Beauty here.
* Ermenegildo Zegna Essenze Amber Gold *
Zegna's Indonesian Oud is one of my all-time favourite fragrances, so when I got wind that the House were to launch three new super luxe scents, as part of the Gold collection, I couldn't wait to test them out. If you follow me on Instagram you'd have noticed I actually went to a gorgeous dinner in celebration of these scents, which is where I fell in love with this Amber Gold. It's punchy, rose-y (Bulgarian rose to be exact), wood-y but not overpowering all at the same time. It is quite heavy, but I love that in a fragrance. The other two - Incense Gold and Musk Gold - are equally lovely, and all three really smell like they are complex, with lots of depth to them. You can get these from Harvey Nichols right now, SO worth a sniff! (£145 for a 125ml bottle)