Inspira - 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger

As the girls at The Amazing Blog will tell you, I’m hard to please on my requests and this time there was a caveat to my brief... I decided to put them through their paces, asking for an anti-ageing post-shave skincare - but - from a new brand that I’ve never heard of before. Hah, I thought that’ll flummox them. Well, apparently not! They found me this a little known gem called 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger by Inspira, see below.

Inspira is a German company based in Aachen, founded in 2000 and best known for creating solution-based skincare, boasting a motto of ‘maximum effect, but as natural as possible’. As a leading cosmetic laboratory, they create skincare for both the professional and consumer market. All products are formulated using the latest cutting-edge scientific research, with both natural and biotech active ingredients. The 4 Men Only range here has a unique key botanical ingredient called scutellaria baicalensis georgi (aka as Chinese skullcap). This is a hardy plant that thrives in inhospitable conditions and is rich in baikalin (known for its anti-ageing properties) to help delay cellular senescence and promote rejuvenation of skin cells.

The team found this 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger which was shortlisted in 2019 Pure Beauty Awards. It comes with lots of precious and actives such as allantoin, bisabolol and D-panthenol.  Plus the hyaluron and pentavitin provides intensive moisture, while ectoin protects the cells. The other ‘natural’ ingredients include barley, juniper and oak bark these are all anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing, whereas the natural caffeine from guarana enhances a fresh, youthful glow. Lastly, the baikalin here also restructures and tones the skin. The product has a gel-cream consistency I found it very soothing, particularly after the razor scrapes of shaving. They suggest that this is for combination or oily skin, although I have a normal skin type and found it to be very light and hydrating.  Most gel creams are sticky or heavy, but this Inspira cream smoothly blended seamlessly into the skin with its translucent pale blue hue. The aroma is sophisticated, subtle and refreshing - best of all it’s not too over-powering for a night time routine. To use, simply put a small amount in the palm of your hand and gently massage into cleansed skin. They have many other products in the range such as eau de toilette, eye and face lift and body/face wash - all of which are worth checking out too. The Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger comes in 50ml black sealed airless pump with stylish metallic branding and can be purchased for € 29.50 here

Solid Cologne UK – All Black Collection Gift Set

Have you ever had that frustrating moment when you arrive at the airport, and forget that you’ve still got your favourite big bottle cologne in your hand luggage? Well, I have! This is where the Solid Cologne UK  has an interesting option, a highly concentrated, wax-based cologne that is portable. Yes, dear readers, we know that we’re still in lockdown but here at The Amazing Blog we like to plan ahead!   

Solid Cologne UK is a British brand that launched in 2016 and is a sister brand to The London Beard Company (where I previously wrote about their Eastern Spice Beard Oil here). The idea for the concept was inspired by travellers who had a common problem, like us, of transporting fragrance in hand luggage and then being over the liquid limit. They believed this needed a solution, and from there Solid Cologne UK was born. This solid perfume concept goes as far back as Egyptian times with the anointing of an ‘unguent’ a combination of animal fat, scented oils and resin. Since then, I’m happy to report the Solid Cologne UK has had a big update on this original formula! They’ve put their own unique twist on the idea, where their Solid Colognes are made with the highest quality of natural ingredients including beeswax, shea butter and jojoba oil. Quickly added, this is a far better for your skin compared to alcohol-based scents as they’re gentler, more moisturising and can be layered to get the right strength of your preferred ‘fragrance’.

Today, we’re talking about their All Black Collection (Pack of 3) which includes the fragrances of Sikandar, Malcolm & Valentin Cologne. Let’s start with Valentin which is light and fresh – perfect for trans-seasonal wear now, with its clean scents of basil, sage and mint, this made it not only my favourite, but also a big hit with the girls in the office too.  Malcolm has top notes of citrus with a tang of fruit from blackcurrant, bergamot and apple. However, the base notes pack a woody punch with incense, jasmine, sandalwood and musk. The final fragrance of this trio is Sikandar which again has a heady citrus top note but with more spice with middle notes including geranium, cinnamon and cloves. This one for me would be to wear in the evenings or at a cooler time of year.

With over thirteen different colognes to choose from, you can certainly adapt (or even mix and match) these fragrances to your mood thus channeling your inner masculinity, without them being too overpowering. The packaging comes in a sleek, pocket-sized sliding black 18ml tin, perfect no matter how small your luggage is. The products are not tested on animals and are even handmade in London. They are easy to apply, making them ideal for those times when you are on the go. I found that the fragrances were long-lasting, as well as rather timeless and elegant. There is something rather special about carrying around one of these tins, which allows you to dab a bit here and there in order to freshen up anywhere.  We heartily recommend these solid colognes they are not just reserved for us boys – the girls seem to love them too! All the colognes can be bought individually or in packs. The All Black Collection (Pack of 3) gift set can be purchased here for £50.00. The individual cologne can be purchased from £17.99 here.

Berrichi For Men – Smoothing Age Defence

I’m always a bit flummoxed when it comes to choosing my own skincare, which is why I turn the trusted team at The Amazing Blog to give me a bit of direction. My wish-list isn’t always easy and this time I requested a face cream that would be light enough to absorb quickly, offer excellent protection against the elements, and also must be gentle enough not sting straight after shaving. A tall order indeed! They suggested For Men - Smoothing Age Defence from an award-winning Estonian skincare Berrichi where they recently reviewed their Day Age Defence and Night Power Defence here.

Founded by Berit Joosep, the brand started life with its artisan skincare in Joosep’s kitchen, where she drew inspiration from books on herbal culture and ancient beauty techniques. Today Berrichi is a multi-award-winning skincare brand (see The Beauty Shortlist Editor’s Choice Award here) it has expanded worldwide and is recognised for leading the way with ‘clean beauty’ and its unique botanicals.

This Smoothing Age Defence,  I was reliably informed, is a 24-hour high-performance anti-ageing skincare with unique Estonian ingredients. Reading more about their range Berrichi’s For Men, I discovered that their skincare has powerful algae-based antioxidants with astaxanthin and furchellaran which helps kick into action hydration, protection from UV radiation and slows down skin ageing. Well, that’s ticked off most of my asks! The other key ingredients here are organic oils from avocado and jojoba; plus the addition of apricot kernel, cacay nut oils and aloe vera leaf juice. The quote on their stylish black box also brought a wry smile to my lips: “Age might not bring you wisdom, age brings you wrinkles….” Having put this wonder cream to the test, it performed exceptionally well and had the advantages of being fragrance-free and light as a feather. It comes in an airtight pump bottle, is free from parabens, sulphates and is vegan, natural, organic and cruelty-free. Impressed? Then purchase your 50 ml bottle for 39€ here.

Barber Pro - Foot Peel Treatment

With all the Christmas Shopping now well underway, we at The AmazingBlog are keen to look out for those special products which go to help us all in the pursuit of ticking the ‘Done’ boxes on those names on our presents lists. When we find something extra special, we end up shouting about it, and this week we have an absolute corker for you in the shape of a pair of magical booties from that inventive team over at Barber Pro, who have literally condensed the most wonderful pedicure into a handy pochette with clear instructions on how to make the most of their ingenious Foot Peel Treatment. So here we go with our festive bellow …

This is not a ‘foot mask’ but more of a peel - to be exact, with all the benefits of one of those blissfully indulgent appointments with a pedicurist who knows their stuff and take our worn-out hooves, and transform them into tingling tootsies ready for the party circuit. Now, this process is quite involved, so attention should be paid to getting it right, and then enjoying those well-earned benefits - even if that does mean another round of Christmas shopping … the beauty here is that the process works over several days and means whatever we are doing the results continue to generate.

The key ingredients in this award-winning Foot Peel Treatment, include salicylic and glycolic acids, along with the more pampering focused goodies of sage, lavender, honeysuckle, peach, rosemary, as well as lemon and lime, with a jolly good dose of vitamin E thrown in for good measure. The first candidates on that list may not immediately fill you with ideas of relaxation, but their presence is vital in the process of ridding the skin of all the detritus which can build up through lack of attention, and we all know the one area of our body which works hardest of all, and gets the least amount of attention is the feet. Having washed the feet with clean water, we literally slip them into these envelopes of heaven and allow the science to take over. Fear not, the process is a gentle one - there are no mineral oils, lanolin, petroleum or parabens here, and for 90 minutes we allow the magic to begin.

 It will take 7 days for the incredible results to bloom, and in that time do be prepared for any skin nasties to be discarded, but the wait will be worth it. Obviously there are aftercare pointers to observe - no foot creams for a minimum of 7 days also, and it is best to not be scrubbing the feet too harshly as that could undo all your preparation, but you will be left with a matching set of perfectly primed pinkies, ready to sheath in those Monster Munch socks which undoubtedly will be in our stockings ℅ Santa! Costing £7.95 from here - if you manage to find a pair, grab them as they are proving incredibly popular … and we can happily see why.

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.