Product watch

Irish men are begining to make the most of their looks. Edel Coffey suggests some products to help them along the way.

Traditionally, Irish men have never been too concerned with their appearance, and for the most part, this is considered a good thing.

It’s easy to draw a line from being obsessed with your appearance and vanity but there is nothing wrong with wanting to make the most of your looks and Irish men are coming around to this idea, from fashion to beauty.

One survey last year voted Irish men the ugliest in the world, which I will vehemently disagree with.

Give me an ugly Irish man and I will give you a perfectly presentable and attractive one after a haircut, a shave, a session with the dental hygienist, a manicure and a special male pedicure for removing the hobbit-like foot-skin that afflicts most men.

Now, I will whisper this, but a thing called pejazzling actually exists. I’m not suggesting men go that far but with a few tricks and basic products (that don’t take more than a few minutes out of your daily routine), you can go from unkempt to smart and attractive.

Nor do I think men should wax chest or back hair. As with women and bikini waxing, this is a natural thing and we’re surely just setting more rules in place to make our lives difficult by enforcing a hair-free norm. If it makes you feel better, by all means do it, but don’t do it just because everyone else is doing it.

The man tan is surprisingly popular now. Marissa Carter of Blackrock’s Carter Beauty says men are getting pre- and post-holiday spray tans.

Carter Beauty also do a Medi Pedi (€75) for men that targets the hard, dry, cracked skin of long-term neglected feet and takes just an hour. 71% of women find calloused feet a turn-off.

If you’re too embarrassed to show your feet to anyone, try the Emjoi Micro Pedi (€39.95), a device that buffs away both calloused and dry skin.

REN in Arnotts is a luxurious brand and their Multi-Tasking Aftershave Balm €22 and Tamanu High Glide Shaving Oil €18 are nice treats to make the daily chore of shaving a little more pleasant.

For men with problem skin or blemishes, REN also do a great product called ClearCalm 3 Replenishing Night Serum (€25) and it works while you sleep.

A new men’s range that’s not afraid to be macho is Bulldog and their ‘Original Moisturiser’ (€8.75) has become a bit of a hero product, this hydrates and protects, and is perfect for post-shave as it soothes without clogging.

They have a full range in McCabes pharmacies.

Kiehl’s is a luxury brand that Irish women have taken to their hearts and they have a great men’s range too. Their new Sky Flyin’ Foaming Multi-Gel (€16) is a 2-in-1 gel and cleanser.