Grooming Picks: September 2012

If the deluge of products that arrives on our desk every month is anything to go by, it’s safe to say that men’s grooming is big business. From small startups to international brands, everyone is jumping on the grooming bandwagon in hopes of making a quick buck. And, in an effort to sort the practical from the pointless, we’ve slathered ourselves in unguents, doused ourselves in potions and shamelessly fumigated several rooms with fragrance. Here’s the best of September 2012. 

IOMA Skincare
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IOMA is the unlikely brainchild of Jean-Michel Karam, the clever chap who pioneered MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) technology for the avionics, optical communications and medical fields. To you and me, that’s the technology that allows your iPhone to rotate its display or that makes your car deploy an airbag when you hit a tree (handy!). The founder’s foray into the world of skincare might therefore seem a little inconsistent, to say the least.

His career change is less random than it might first appear: IOMA’s skin analysis and product line are underpinned by exactly the same technology as Karam's other endeavors. This time, the clever MEMS tech appears in the form of skin analysis devices that can measure up to 20 parameters, including water loss, UV damage, bacterial activity, wrinkles, redness and temperature. The printout that follows contains a bespoke prescription filled with specific IOMA-branded unguents that can be mixed at the counter (and there are 8,742 potential prescriptions, so rest assured you won’t get the same product recommendations as your girlfriend).

Readings are saved so that you can track your progress and have your prescription tweaked every time you swing by the IOMA concession for a top up. IOMA’s own products can be purchased with or without the analysis (it’s free, quick and considerably less traumatizing than a visit to a dermatologist) at Saks in New York and Beverly Hills.

Men’s Skincare Line by KORRES
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After some 15 years in the business, the homeopathic heroes at KORRES have reworked their entire men’s line (and given the packaging a suitably trendy makeover to boot). The six-strong line of products combines medicinal herbs with Greek flora and food ingredients to create "clean" yet clinically effective solutions for men. There’s no trace of mineral oils, silicone or propylene glycol in the exhaustive range, which includes an absinthe shave cream, a marigold and ginseng aftershave balm, and a magnesium and wheat-protein hair-strengthening shampoo.

Moisturizing Soft Cream by Crème de la Mer
Price: $150 for 1oz.
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Better known as the super-luxe brand of choice among suspiciously ageless ladies who lunch, Crème de la Mer has launched a lighter (and comparatively more affordable) male-friendly variation of its original formula. Expect the same restorative marine formula (concocted by an aerospace physicist to heal a case of severe burns, we’ll have you know) but without the sheer weight of the original creme. More of a mousse than a cream, really, and one that lives up to the brand’s untouchable reputation. Ideal for mature gentlemen or those who suffer from dry or sensitive skin. Hide the jar not out of shame but because the woman in your life will probably try to steal it.

Aqua Universalis Shower Cream by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 
$50 for 5 fl. Oz
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Francis Kurkdjian, the nose behind Jean Paul Gaultier’s landmark Le Male fragrance (1995), went solo some years ago. His eponymous maison has spawned a line of innovative fragrances, including cult concoction Aqua Universalis, which, up until now, we were particularly fond of in its quirky washing detergent format. The sunny and fresh scent now comes as a (more conventional) shower cream. The signature Sicilian citron note is heightened by bergamot and softened with a sweet undertone of orange. Instantly upgrades your precious shower time.

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