As I revealed last month here on OWTK: I use chick deodorant. And I refuse to apologize for it. For years it’s been my Secret (get it?) formula for picking out gorgeous drapery and fab dishtowels.
The folks from Dove Men + Care must’ve been following along because they’ve sent me a full suite of manly men products to lure me back to the world of porterhouse steaks and Motor Trend magazine. Could that’ve been any more stereotypically written? All kidding aside, I welcomed the challenge and here’s my report:
I’M A MAN, BABY!
I dig the Dove Men + Care Sensitive Clean Body and Face Wash, unscented edition. I dig it very much indeed, for both manly and traditionally unmanly reasons. First: the soap is smooth, foams up nicely but not so much that you’ll be in a bubble factory, and washes away with zero icky residue being left behind – that’s huge. Second: the cap of the handsomely designed bottle opens cleanly and snaps effortlessly and quietly. Call me crazy, but some of these liquid body washes require a chisel to open and then refuse to snap closed, with the flimsy plastic flap unwilling to return to its downtight and locked position.
The Dove Men + Care Clean Comfort Deodorant strikes the proper balance between dude scent and no scent, giving us fellas a subtle essence of manhood emanating from our pits. The deodorant claims – it’s packaged and promotional material, not the deodorant itself – to provide us burly types with 48 hours of protection against rank odor under there but that implies not showering daily, so I’m set to max out at 24 hours or less of stank coverage, wash up, then reapply. I recommend a similar plan, fellas.
Both products, plus others from the Dove’s Men + Care line, are available via Amazon’s outstanding subscription service which I already use for laundry detergent, dish soap, and the Mrs. Twinings tea bags. This is a terrific way to save some coin on the products you already use and buy at the supermarket each week/month, with subscription-only discounts & free shipping!
Rather buy in-store? Snag a $1 coupon for Dove Men + Care products here.
**Skincare Tips for Guys, from Dr. Jeffrey Benabio**
(all text below is directly from the Doc):
Men’s skincare is a trending topic. Facebook and Twitter have become great forums for skincare discussion (I’m a regular on Twitter @DermDoc), where guys can crowd-source recommendations and learn about products designed for them. For example, check out @DoveMenCare where conversations range from how family vacations to playing a favorite sport can take a toll on your skin. With a plethora of new men’s products on the market, it’s important to be informed.
- It’s ok to drop the soap. Guys often rely on a generic bar of soap (or worse, shampoo), to wash their body. These products are too harsh and strip essential oils from skin. Also, the dryness caused by soap is cumulative – the more you use it, the worse it becomes. Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Body and Face Wash is clinically proven to fight skin dryness with no irritation or tightness.
- Leg sensitivity. The skin on your legs is particularly prone to eczema, winter dermatitis, and other forms of skin irritation so when you’re in the shower, use products like Dove Men+Care Sensitive Clean Body and Face Wash with a pH neutral formula that guarantees a gentle, comforting clean for men prone to skin irritations.
- Choose a deodorant like you choose a mate. About half of men experience some form of underarm discomfort, which is usually the result of a harsh deodorant. It’s best to switch to deodorants that are non-irritating and/or hypoallergenic – try out a few different brands until you find one that works best with your skin. Dove Men+Care antiperspirants and deodorants, for example, are specifically formulated with non-irritating and hydrating ingredients to help combat dryness. (And never treat with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to “disinfect” the trouble spots – the problem is almost never an infection, it’s usually a contact irritation.)
- Different seasons, different skincare needs. Your skin has alternating requirements, based on the season. Over the summer, it’s important to apply sunscreen to protect skin from the harsh summer sun, while in the winter, dryness becomes the big issue so be sure to moisturize often.
- Stealing from your wife (or girlfriend) is wrong. Many guys use their wife/girlfriend’s products because they are readily available [ed. note: hey, is he talking to me?], when products designed specifically for men are often less greasy and don’t contain fragrance. Dove Men+Care offers a technologically superior product line to provide solutions to men’s specific skincare needs. The personal wash is for men who prefer a mild, unscented body and face wash, and the deodorant/antiperspirants fight irritation and provide protection and underarm care specific to men’s needs.
*OWTK was provided with samples of the Dove Men + Care poducts and a snazzy Samsonite toiletry bag for review consideration. The opinions above, and that clean man smell, are honest and true.
