When it came to the attention of The Style Examiner that men’s skincare label Bulldog had recently launched its newest product (an eye roll-on), we decided to investigate not only this latest creation but the entire range to find out if it is as efficient as it has been rumoured to be. After a few weeks of trying the products daily, we have surrendered to the practical evidence and have very little doubt that this is one of the best men’s skincare ranges currently available on the high street.
Founded in July 2007 in the UK out of the realisation that there were very few options available for men who wanted to avoid as many man-made chemicals on their skins as possible, Bulldog has been developing natural skincare products that don’t contain controversial ingredients such as parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, artificial colours, or synthetic fragrances. Instead, the company insists on using products that contain essential oils and other natural active ingredients, a move that has made it the first and only male skincare company to be recognised and approved ‘cruelty-free’ by the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, the British authority on animal testing issues) under their Humane Cosmetics Standard.
We started our trial of Bulldog products with the Original Face Wash, which we used every morning in the shower. Unlike many face washing products that leave your face dry and in immediate need of a moisturiser, this one (possibly owing to the mix of eight essential oils) seemed to keep the moisture in and under a film of natural oils. Like most Bulldog products, the Original Face Wash contained a high concentration of bergamot oil extracted from the bergamot orange, a Mediterranean citrus fruit.
Once or twice a week, and to give our face pores a thorough exfoliation and eliminate dirt and impurities, we used the Original Face Scrub also in the shower, and after rinsing off the Original Face Wash. From experience, face scrub products for men are either too soft or too abrasive. However, Bulldog’s Original Face Scrub does the trick splendidly. In addition to essential oils, the face scrub contained natural exfoliating ingredients such as pumice, coconut shell, rosehip oil and shea butter. 
The morning shower was routinely followed by shaving and we can safely say that our favourite product in the range was the Original Shave Gel. Unlike most shaving creams and gels currently available in the market, this is a light, see-through gel that spreads nicely on the skin without the need to apply a large quantity. Essential oils are combined with aloe vera, jojoba, and konjac mannan (a natural thickener and gelling agent with moisturising properties) to provide a smooth shaving experience.
The daily morning ritual finished with an application of the Original Moisturiser (with green tea, green algae, and vitamin E to hydrate the skin). When applied, the cream provided a nice matt finish to the skin instead of the shiny look that most men prefer to avoid. Another good thing that we noticed about this moisturiser was that a small amount went a long way. We admit that we have encountered better moisturisers over the years, but this is a very affordable option that works well on the skin.
At night, we tried the new Original Eye Roll-On in the areas under and around the eyes. The roll-on format (which many other skincare companies have also adopted) is practical and the metal ball inside the container is always cool, which makes the application feel very refreshing. The Eye Roll-On contains avocado oil, cucumber oil and Brazilian ginseng extract to reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. Like most eye creams, we think that it will probably take quite a few months of using the product to notice any benefits. However, the cooling and moisturising effects were very pleasant.
After trying the grooming products for a few weeks independently and with no information or persuasion by the company, we do not hesitate to recommend Bulldog Natural Skincare as part of the daily skincare routine for men. If British men are lucky in the sense that the Bulldog range is available at very economical prices in most supermarkets and high-street chemists, others can rest assured that the expansion of the company into international markets is imminent. A number of retailers in Scandinavia already stock Bulldog and it is also possible to buy the products on the company’s website.
