The store is divided into three main areas, each separated by portals finished in black lacquer and all including ash wood furniture finished with different colours. Men’s and women’s bags, jewellery, eyewear and fragrances are located by the ground-floor entrance in an area with silver walls and a green Persian onyx floor; a second room with gold walls and Renoir quartzite flooring leads towards the lift and staircase; and footwear and jewellery are displayed in the level above in a room with glossy blue fabric walls and South African quartzite floors.

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Created in 2010 by London-based duo Giangiacomo Postir and Marco Baruzzi, Mazorin was developed to address the needs of men whose face skin suffers from stress and dehydration as a result of working long hours or of spending large periods of time travelling either as part of a daily commute or on business trips. After studying the lifestyles of urban professional men in order to understand their skincare needs, Postir and Baruzzi started working with dermatologists and industry experts to find the most effective ingredients, formulations, packaging and branding for their burgeoning enterprise.

In order to achieve the highest quality possible, Postir and Baruzzi agreed that Mazorin’s products would only contain active ingredients and would therefore exclude Parabens, mineral oils, synthetic colours and untested fragrances. For the packaging, the duo invited two Italian architects to design bottles and boxes that would evoke an image of timeless masculine style. And the brand’s name came from the word for “mallard” in Friulano, a language spoken in the Friuli area of North Eastern Italy where Mazorin’s labs and production are located.

The names given to the different Mazorin ranges also reflect the founders’ background in the financial industry (as well as their targeted audience) in what was intended to be humorous puns: ‘Face Value’ includes products for daily skin maintenance such as the Optimal Face Maintenance moisturiser and the Optimal Skin Nourishment supplement, and ‘Liquid Asset’ is used for products with instant revitalisation properties that reduce visible signs of fatigue such as the Pre Meeting Face Vamp gel/tonic and the Working Late Eye Serum roll-on eye gel.

I started my trial of Mazorin’s products with the Optimal Face Maintenance moisturiser, which when pumped from the stylish bottle onto my fingers for the first time didn’t induce a very positive first impression: the texture of the liquid white cream resembled that of sun creams that are not easily absorbed. However, after rubbing it on the face, the product proved me wrong: a slight shine finish and a not entirely unpleasant fragrance lingered for a few minutes but soon disappeared, leaving no residue.

At night, I used the Working Late Eye Serum that, like so many eye products these days, is applied with a small metal roll-on spherical dispenser. However, the serum reaches the sphere via an ingenious pumping mechanism which means that users can control how much they want to apply. On application, the lotion felt cool on the area under the eyes; however, like any eye cream, it will take much longer than a few weeks to see any results.

What really stood out of the range, to my surprise, was the Optimal Skin Nourishment food supplement. Having tried similar products in the past with no success, I was sceptical about these pills. However, a few weeks after I started, I noticed that my skin felt more supple and moist. Most importantly, the supplement worked in a visible way to others: it may sound like a made-up statement for a review but a few weeks into taking the two pills every morning someone at work paused to look at me and said “your skin looks great”, the kind of compliment that I don’t normally hear. Now, this comment can be interpreted as a happy coincidence but, after someone was able to see what I was also feeling on my skin, I couldn’t fight the realisation that Mazorin’s Optimal Skin Nourishment food supplement does improve men’s facial skin with undeniable visible results. In a nutshell, The Style Examiner’s verdict is that, if you are in the market for an effective range of men’s skincare, Mazorin is certainly worth a try.

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Those who have the slightest of interest in this area must have come across Dr Peterkin’s expertise in, at least, one of his many publications and documentaries. An international authority on men’s skin and the author of several books on the cultural history of facial hair and grooming (such as The Bearded Gentleman: A Style Guide to Shaving Face), Dr Peterkin is currently working with skincare brand Dove on its new Men+Care range. In an exclusive interview for The Style Examiner’s readers, he shared some useful tips that we recommend keeping in mind at all times.

The Style Examiner: Men are often told that their skincare routine needs products especially created for them because their skins are different from women’s. In reality, how different are men’s and women’s skins?
Dr Allan Peterkin: I would definitely agree that men need products designed specifically for them. First of all, men have hair on their faces that they must shave at some point, which creates a step in a man’s skincare routine that is not usually present in a woman’s beauty regimen! Men need to be sure that they are using the right shaving technique as well as the right products – that includes a shave gel and an alcohol-free post shave balm, like the Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Post Shave Balm, that will help prevent irritation and soothe the skin after shaving.

The most common skincare concerns for men include sensitive or irritated skin, looking tired, blocked pores or blemishes, and oily skin.

TSE: Besides fragrance, what kind of ingredients can men expect to find in their skincare products that women won’t find in theirs (and vice-versa)?
AP: Men tend to have thicker and oilier skin than women so it’s more common for women to use heavy moisturizers, whereas men’s products are generally lighter and are absorbed by the skin more quickly than women’s products. Also, since men are more likely to be shaving their faces than women, they need products that have healing benefits that a women’s product may not have. For example, men should use a post shave balm after shaving to help relieve irritation and soothe the skin – the Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Post Shave Balm is great for this, and it contains vitamin B5, which aids in relieving irritation after shaving.
TSE: Over the last few years, facial hair has become much more accepted and common in Western societies. Why do you think that is?
AP: Men used to take their cues from authority figures on facial hair or shaving. So it would be your clergymen, your pope, your king or your politician. There were rules based on your class status on what you could or couldn’t do. Today, men take their cues from pop culture – athletes, actors, musicians and so on. With the impact of the web nowadays, images are spread worldwide in a second. So if Brad Pitt has a goatee, guys are going to emulate that. If George Clooney is doing -salt and pepper stubble, that will give a guy the impression that I can probably do that too.

The grooming and fashion industries also have an impact. If you look in men’s magazines, you’ll see that still in the ads, probably every third face has stubble, or a beard, or sideburns, or a partial moustache.

Our evolving society has also lent itself to furrier faces. Men in the work place aren’t held to the same clean shaven standards as they once were. Sure, if you are a corporate banker or lawyer it’s likely you will be clean shaven, but most industries today allow guys to express themselves with their facial hair styles.

Finally, I also think facial hair trends are cyclical—a lot of the patterns you’ll see are ones we’ve seen before. As you’ve noticed – we’re seeing a resurgence of major amounts of hair: in fact, the last time men were this bushy was back in Victorian period. Heavy moustaches, beards, and sideburns have made a comeback. However, within five years I think the pendulum is set to swing the other way—right back to the preppy, clean shaven, Mad Men look.

TSE: Every time a man decides to grow a beard, he often feels an uncomfortable itchiness on his face. Why does this happen and how can it be stopped?
AP: The itchiness is something that can’t be avoided; however, it can be minimized by keeping the beard clean then applying a little bit of baby oil, hair conditioner or a light moisturizer.

TSE: There seems to be a stage in the process of growing a beard when facial hair just seems to stick out. How can this be avoided?
AP: I’m not sure this can be avoided either as it is a part of the growing process. You just have to stick with it! Let your hair grow naturally, without shaving at all, for four to six weeks so that you can see your beard’s destiny, thickness and growth patterns. Then I’d recommend visiting your barber to help you trim and shape your beard.

TSE: Can you tell us what kind of research has gone into developing the products from the Dove Men+Care range?
AP: Dove Men+Care bases their programming and product development on consumer insights, anticipating men’s grooming needs and creating products to meet them. Dove Men+Care found through research that men are not caring for their faces, and that the market for men’s face products was currently dormant amongst men ages 35-44.

Research revealed that 48% of US men never use a face wash and 46% never use a face moisturizer; Dove Men+Care aimed to help men finally care for their faces with a new range of face care products specifically for men that will help improve the appearance of their skin. Dove Men+Care also researched male-specific skincare problems and developed a variety of solutions designed for men’s different skin types.

Most common skin concerns for men are skin dryness, sensitive skin, looking tired, blocked pores or blemishes, and oily skin.

TSE: These days, most skincare brands manufacture products for men. What makes Dove Men+Care different from the rest?
AP: The brand focuses on the consumer and develops specific product solutions to help men improve the appearance of their skin. Additionally, the Dove Men+Care Face Range includes a variety of products, designed for men’s different skin types, that can be used in three easy steps,
1. Cleanse with the Dove Men+Care Face Wash (in Hydrate+ or Sensitive+ variants)
2. Shave with the Dove Men+Care Shave Gel (in Hydrate+ or Sensitive+ variants)
3. Finish with the Dove Men+Care Post Shave Balm (in Hydrate+ or Sensitive+ variants) or Face Lotion (in Hydrate+, Revitalize+ or Sensitive+ variants)

TSE: In your experience, what are the most common errors that men make when it comes to looking after their skin?
AP: I’ve found that many men think they need to endure pain, or ‘face torture,’ when caring for their skin. For example, most guys think the burning sensation from alcohol-based aftershaves is a good thing or that it’s ok to shave with soap lather. It’s not! It actually contributes to making skin look worn, tired and neglected.

TSE: If you had to give an essential piece of advice on skin care to men, what would it be?
AP: Moisturize! Moisturizing is the most important step—so if you haven’t started yet…start now! This is especially important for older guys, who are most susceptible to dryness and wrinkles. I’d recommend using a moisturizing cleanser like the Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Face Wash, followed by a lightweight moisturizer (try the Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Face lotion with SPF) every morning and evening to help care for your skin, keeping it healthy and fresh.

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The store’s centrepiece is a sculpture by Jean-Michel Othoniel made from hand-blown Venetian glass which was inspired by the strands of pearls worn by Coco Chanel. The piece rises from the ground to the top of the third floor and is framed by the store’s staircases. Luxurious details abound throughout, namely glass and mirrored walls with gold ribbons, crystal chandeliers, tweed-upholstered chairs and curtains with hand-stitched pearls.

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In spite of his undeniable present fame and impressive list of achievements in the fashion world, Paul Smith grew up more interested in sports than fashion, and it wasn’t until his father made him take his first job in a local clothing warehouse in his native city of Nottingham at age 16 that he first came into contact with the world of fabrics and designs. When, at the age of 18, he was recovering from a bicycle accident in hospital (cycling has been one of his major passions for years), he met a student from his local art college who introduced him to fellow colleagues and to the new realm of artistic and architectural movements and personalities that still largely influence him today (such as Pop Art, the Bauhaus, Le Corbusier, or the world of photography as a medium to capture illusive realities). The friendships that stemmed from those encounters eventually convinced the young Paul Smith that there was more to the world of ideas and creativity than what met his inexperienced eye. In 1970, just a few years after developing his first connections in the art world, he opened his first boutique in Nottingham, a small space measuring just three by three meters. After taking tailoring classes during the evening and working hard to promote his business, he swiftly developed the Paul Smith label to the point that by 1976 he was already showing his menswear designs to buyers and journalists in Paris.

Paul Smith’s rising success has been undeniably astounding. From the company’s headquarters in London’s Covent Garden (where he shares his office space with a team of 180 people distributed across the five floors of an elegant red-brick building), these days Paul Smith commands a veritable empire of stores located in 66 countries (with 17 in the UK and over 200 in Japan alone) and representation in major fashion centres such as London, Paris, Milan, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Antwerp, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, UAE, and Korea. Today, the brand comprises 14 different collections, including Paul Smith for men and women, PS by Paul Smith, Paul Smith Jeans, Paul Smith London, R.Newbold (in Japan only), Paul Smith Black, Paul by Paul Smith, Paul Smith Accessories, and Paul Smith Shoes. Rugs, china, spectacles and fragrances are also profitable Paul Smith-branded goods produced under licence.

For Paul Smith, the ability to accept the influence of what surrounds people has always been paramount in the creative process. One of his mottos (that he often quotes and which he used for the title of one of his books) is that “you can find inspiration in everything”. His passion for the worlds of music and rock stars has been evident in designs inspired by the songs and personal style of David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Jimmy Hendrix. He is also known to wander London markets (particularly Portobello Road, a part of London close to his heart as it is situated near where he lived during his first years in the British capital) looking for inspiration from vintage clothes and accessories. Similarly, he collects objects from everywhere he travels and gathers them in his office; a fantastical eclectic space that resembles a private museum of eccentric curiosities. In addition to gathering symbolic mementos from his trips abroad, Smith is also know for writing down his thoughts and inspirations in bits of paper or notebooks that he has permanently available on him, in his office, or throughout his house, including a permanent one on his bedside table.

Despite the impressive presence of the brand on a gigantic international scale, Paul Smith strives to be involved in every aspect of the business. He contributes towards the promotional campaigns (some of which he personally photographs) and has a say in the architecture and interiors of his stores. This sharp design acumen was noted by London’s Design Museum that is hosting the first major retrospective of Paul Smith’s work later this year. The exhibition, scheduled to open on 20 November 2013, will explore how Smith’s intuitive take on design, coupled with an understanding of the importance between designer and retailer, have laid the foundations for the company’s lasting success. The display is expected to illustrate the different stages of design and production that lead to the presentation of a collection on the runway, offering insight into Paul Smith’s creative processes. The curators hope that visitors will be able to have a glimpse into Smith’s passions, his attention to detail and a look at a year in his life. The exhibition will also focus on what drives him as a designer, and the objects, people and places that have inspired him during his career. A section will also be dedicated to Paul Smith’s shop designs, from the bright pink building in Los Angeles’s Melrose Avenue to a Japanese garden at the heart of the Jingumae store in Tokyo.

In recent years, Paul Smith has accepted that fashion has evolved and that the traditional and faithful male customers of his ready-to-wear creations are getting older. To address the need to capture younger consumers, the brand has invested in a revitalised made-to-measure approach to tailoring and has developed creative partnerships with carefully selected brands such as Rapha (for a range of cycling clothes), Kashimax (bicycle components), Swami (to design surfboards) and Barbour (purveyors of very popular British heritage garments), resulting in making Paul Smith known to new segments of the market. In addition, the most recent collections have embraced a new aesthetic for a younger male with more ingenious patterns, brighter colours and innovative tailoring lines for different body shapes.

For his spring/summer 2013 menswear collection, for example, Smith has welcomed colour at all levels, with pale pastels, dusty blues and pinky taupes contrasting with black and also vibrant hues and patterns such as deep reds and prints of scissors and roses. In addition, Smith’s updated modern tailoring is present in slim jackets with structured shoulders and cinched waists to allow for definition without becoming bulky. Similarly, trousers are pleated and pegged with a cuffed cigarette shape to accentuate the silhouette. Shirts (very much a staple of Paul Smith’s collections) show a return to larger, longer and angular collar points and high neck lines. Slim silk black polka dot neckties complement the look, whereas laddered scissor-snipped knitwear or short zipped leather pieces allow for layering effects. In outerwear, waterproof reversible coats reveal raw edges and contrasting lining colour and footwear incorporates elevating heels to create an upright posture and, as a result, a more flattering silhouette.

Even though he is turning 67 years old this summer, there are no visible signs that Paul Smith will give his creative mind a rest any time soon or that his emblematic status as doyen of British menswear is to wane. The inclusion of his name, for the first time, in a recent poll by British GQ Magazine of the 100 most influential men in Britain confirms his enduring reputation. During the 40 years in which he has been involved in the fashion industry, many other men’s fashion designers have come and gone but, in the global perception of what defines contemporary British tailoring, Paul Smith remains an irreplaceable figure.

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We should start by pointing out that we find it perplexing that in the year 2012, there are still marketing professionals out there that believe in using phrases like ‘the ultimate shaving experience for real men’ with no irony whatsoever. We would like to believe that the days of metrosexual consumerism have been established and are long gone, and that if a man feels positively influenced by the advertising industry when he is categorised as a ‘real man’ then there is something very wrong in the way he sees himself as a human being.

The second thing to point out when reviewing Bluebeard’s Revenge products is how feeble and slipshod their marketing campaign is. When bearing in mind that these days male consumers are constantly exposed to refined advertising, product placement, and brand engendering through sophisticated usage of images, copy and type, the Bluebeard’s Revenge marketing collateral comes across as cheap, immature, sexist, old-fashioned, and inappropriate.

The campaign relies on an out-of-date advertising rule that ‘more is more’: the website and printed materials have more text and testimonials than is wise for contemporary consumers to absorb. In an age when people prefer to have information explained clearly, the Bluebeard’s Revenge has decided to throw as many words and repetition as possible into the mix. The logo is a skull and crossed bones, perhaps suggesting that pirates (for some reason that we fail to understand) embody masculinity. The fonts used throughout (inspired by typography from the early 1990s, invoking army and faded stamp writing) collide with images of numerous men who are supposedly competing to be ‘the ultimate man’. To endorse the notion that masculinity is supposedly heterosexual, the marketing team decided to include a few half-naked women.

Don’t get us wrong: even though The Style Examiner reviews fashion, cosmetics, art and architecture as non-essential (or even superficial) products that exist to make men’s lives better, we would like to believe that we also judge books by more than their covers. And that is why we gave the Bluebeard’s Revenge products the benefit of the doubt and decided to try them. We did this over the course of a couple of weeks on different beard lengths and thickness and even on heads that were regularly shaved.

We started by experimenting with ‘The Ultimate Pre-Shave Oil for Real Men’. This is supposed to prepare facial hair and skin for the shaving process, with the shaving cream to be added on top. We tried shaving with and without the oil and didn’t find it to do much to the skin. If anything, it only clogged the blades of the razors.

The second product on the list was the ‘The Bluebeard’s Revenge Luxury Shaving Cream’. This was actually not bad: a small amount of this thin cream goes a long way and makes the skin feel soft afterwards. In addition, the scent is discreet and pleasant. We followed this with ‘The Bluebeard’s Revenge Post Shave Balm’ which was also satisfactory. It includes small amounts of Witch Hazel and Aloe Vera to nourish the skin after shaving, as well as Decelerine, the active ingredient in the Bluebeards Revenge. We are not so sure that Decelerine is what it claims to be: a magical ingredient that makes hair thinner and that should, in time, reduce beard growth. It may be that we just need to use it for longer to notice any difference, but we were not bothered by the thickness of our facial hair to start with.

We also tried ‘The Bluebeard’s Revenge Anti-Perspirant Deodorant’, whose formula includes natural antimicrobial properties of silver to neutralise the causes of body odour. The liquid deodorant spreads nicely with the roll on and, again, the scent is pleasant. However, for an excessive retail price of £3, we believe that there are many other products out there (including non-scented ones in ranges aimed primarily at female consumers) that are more economical and equally effective.

After trying four products from the Bluebeard’s Revenge range for a few days, we felt that, despite their high price (a contradiction, given that the brand intends to be accessible to all men), they were not the worst in the market. However, we could not get it out of our heads that the company seems to have its male consumers in very low intellectual esteem. Despite using words such as ‘luxury’, ‘balm’, and ‘premium range of quality shaving and skincare products’, the marketing text makes us feel that these products are not for us. Take these sentences from their marketing campaigns, for example:

“Are you using a tin of fluffy super market foam or perhaps some super expensive, designer label concoction more akin to face cream than a shaving preparation for real men? If so you should know better – these guys are only interested in flogging you girly products at massive margins – you need a shaving solution designed for Blue-Beards by fellow sufferers!

“We can’t help being charged up with beard inducing testosterone that produces sand paper tough stubble that can cut glass – but we can choose a shaving solution that works!

“Designed by a real life Blue Beard who was bored to death with being a Desperate Dan look-alike, The Bluebeards Revenge™ is aimed at ‘mainly’ men.”

Furthermore, a campaign that feels that women are to be photographed half-naked at the service of rugby player Sacha Harding is not only crass but incredibly sexist. In the world according to The Style Examiner, ‘real men’ are not worried or afraid of their masculinity, and they are intelligent enough to know that they do not need other men or women to tell them what to do or act.

When an advertising campaign aimed at male consumers in the year 2012 addresses them as ‘you’, tells them directly what to think, uses numerous exclamation marks, and states that its products are for ‘real men’ and not for the ‘bum fluff’ brigade, we would expect it to be a comic spoof. When we realise that it is a serious account of masculinity disguised as maverick sense of humour as created by an ill-informed marketing team, we are very sorry for those who came up with what is essentially a satisfactory product. The verdict by The Style Examiner: unless the Bluebeard’s Revenge rethinks its promotional copy and imagery to illustrate masculinity in an intelligent way, this will never be the kind of brand whose products, despite their adequate quality, we would be able to support and encourage others to buy.

The post The Bluebeard’s Revenge: When Marketing Misinterprets the Man appeared first on The Style Examiner.

The debut collections Trad and Mod (launched in London’s Harrod’s department store in early April 2011 and now available in Fortnum and Mason’s and stores and online retailers in the UK, Belgium, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the USA) draw on imagery from the 1950s (Trad) and 1960s (Mod) to invoke two distinctive and contradictory bygone embodiments of men who, despite their generational differences, shared a passion for dressing up while following tradition or exploring unconventional modern styles. The product packaging is unabashedly traditional: attractive aluminium tins are emblazoned with labels whose serif fonts are faded to suggest an established brand. This image of heritage and traditional masculinity is part of a carefully orchestrated digital marketing campaign that includes a balanced presence on social media websites and e-newsletters with lifestyle advice.

With this in mind, we started out by trying the Mod face wash. This had a suitable silky texture but, with its exfoliating granules, it might not be the most suitable face wash to use on a daily basis. We followed this with the Trad shave cream (with vitamin E and almond oil), which proved to develop a nice, soft lather that was not too sticky and did not clog the razor blades as some creams do. On the following day, and in order not to mix the two collections, we tried the Mod daily face balm after shaving with a non-scented shave gel. A small dollop was enough and we were impressed with how easily the balm (containing Aloe Vera, vitamin E, almond oil, starflower oil and Shea Butter) was absorbed, leaving an even-looking skin with no greasy or shiny finish.

As far as the shaving rituals were concerned, the Vintage Shaving Company clearly delivered what it promised. The only drawback that we found (and one that stems from a very personal point of view), was that the old-fashioned and gentle soapy scent can linger on the skin for quite a few hours, if not for the rest of the day. If you are faithful to a favourite cologne, the Vintage Shaving Company products may not be for you as their scents will most certainly clash with other fragrances. However, we do see a practical benefit for some men in not having to add cologne to one’s daily ablutions and just go through the day smelling of old-fashioned barber shop products instead. If you would still feel the need to add extra fragrant notes, the Trad eau de toilette is highly recommended. This is a classic citrus fragrance that blends cool lime, bergamot and lemon notes with lavender and woods, evoking the long forgotten rituals and spaces of men’s grooming.

As the Vintage Shaving Company expands its range of products for men, we hope to be able to see more options for skincare. The Style Examiner’s verdict is that the products are good even if a less scented range would be more appealing to more male consumers. Nevertheless, we believe that, if promoted properly, this skincare brand has the potential to have a significant impact in men’s skincare habits.

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