Friday, March 30, 2012

9 Things Every Man's Man Ought To Have & Do

BOISE, ID--(Marketwire -03/29/12)-

The man's man -- a country man. That's how most people typically refer to Matt Moore. After all, his book "Have Her Over for Dinner; a gentleman's guide to classic, simple meals" taught men all across the country how to wow a lovely lady with a home cooked meal. However, Moore definitely knows a thing or two outside of the kitchen. A Nashville based country music singer/songwriter, and also the creator/owner of the popular gentlemen's cologne line, Moonshine, Moore is the quintessential Modern Man. The proud history and lineage of Double R. Ranch Co. embodies the independent, bold, and manly spirit of the man's man -- Moore, along with Double R. Ranch Co., is proud to offer up ten must-haves to help men everywhere become a Modern Man. 

Cast Iron skillet - Heavy, durable, and inexpensive -- cast iron skillets retain even heat while blackening, roasting, simmering, or sautéing. The best part? It lasts a lifetime. Your grandkids will fight over it when you're dead.

Go-to Steakhouse Recipe to Impress - Forget about splurging at the steakhouse. Be a man -- learn how to cook killer steaks at home. Purchase a quality cut of steak, such as Double R. Ranch Co.'s Steakhouse Filet. Hint: your meal will only be as good as your ingredients, so don't skimp on your beef. Heat your seasoned cast iron skillet over medium high heat until it's hot. Liberally season the filets on both sides with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Next, sear the filets in the skillet for 3 - 4 minutes on each side (Don't touch it! Allow the meat to cook undisturbed to create a nice sear, i.e. flavor). For thicker cuts, place the steak into a preheated oven at 350 degrees to finish cooking -- until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F for medium rare. Remove steaks from heat, place on a cutting board and tent with foil -- resting for 5 or so minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve.

Bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon - Bold, rich flavors with lush fruit aromas and spice. A crowd pleasing bottle of wine pairs perfectly with a quality steak -- and of course, that intriguing brunette on your arm.

Firm handshake - A man is only as good as his words. A man's words are built on trust. Trust is earned with a firm handshake and a square look in the eye.

Dark sports coat - Casual with a pair of dark jeans, or dressed up with a pair of slacks -- every man should keep a well-tailored, pressed sports coat on hand to arrive fashionably at any occasion.

Pocketknife - You'll never know how bad you needed one of these things until you start carrying one every day. From opening letters, to 'trimming' the fat -- a dependable pocketknife is the real men's 'accessory.'

Cologne - Smell like a man. Find a scent that avoids celebrity endorsements or frail models to push sales. Instead, stick with woodsy notes of musk, spice, and leather to make your inherent manliness smell even better.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Perfume for Men or Only Cologne?

cologne bottles
One of the first books I read on the topic of scent was Perfume by Luca Turin. He includes lists in the back of his book like "Top 10 Colognes for Men" "Top Ten Perfumes for Women" and "Top 10 Women's Scents that Men Ought to Wear." It was nice to be given permission to try them out. It seems that here in the USA men approach scent very strictly, only wearing what is deemed "cologne" and avoiding anything remotely labeled perfume.

Something I find intriguing is the fact that in the early 1900's men's scent veered into more florals than what is on the market today. With scents including such notes as Violet, Lemon, and even Lilac. All three of which I've liked the smell of on me.

It's becoming clear to me that the idea of scents being gender categorized is a quite new idea. I wonder if this phenomenon is due in part to the influx of advertising? I think of society when advertising wasn't as deeply saturated into people's everyday living, and wonder if people were making their buying decisions based more on what they personally responded to, instead of the mild brainwashing of advertising.

What I have found while sampling independent perfumer's scents is they don't label according to gender, rather by scent notes. A couple scents that I've tried and gotten rave compliments while wearing are not necessarily mens but arguably womens. And vice-versa. Unisex is the politically correct term. Green Oakmoss by Liz Zorn and Parfum De Maroc by Mandy Aftel aren't on the "men's" page. Likewise the scent Vanillaville and Fir are on the general women's page but smell very "masculine" to my nose.

All in all when it comes to scent I am striving to let my nose be my guide for what I like to wear as a scent.

"...I kindly ask you: don’t trust what they [perfumers] tell you... trust your nose. Your nose will tell you whether you smell something interesting, whether you smell something that’s worth investing money in. And whether it’s something that you’re going to wear two years from now." -Andy Tauer, Basenotes Interview

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Face Cleanser, Moisturizer, & Lip Balm - Nardos Natural

Nardos naturals shark tank
On the ABC television program Shark Tank I see four brothers presenting a family business Nardo's Naturals; a line of organic products. Intrigued, I log onto their clean-cut website and look over their product's ingredients. Being a fan of skin care products that don't contain ingredients that I can't pronounce or read, my excitement begins to mount as I read the ingredient lists. These aren't only easy to read, they each contain nourishing oils, like Jojoba oil, that are amazing for one's skin and health.

I order their organic face cleanser, organic face moisturizer, and a tube of the organic Vanilla lip balm. 

A few days later a box arrives in the mail. Inside a pouch containing the three sleek bottles. Making my way to my bathroom, I unscrew the pump on the face cleanser bottle, pump out a couple daubs to my fingers, and swirl around the skin of my face. It smells good, a pleasant herbal blend that reminds me of walking along the aisles of a local tea shop. Rinsing it off, patting my skin a bit, I unscrew the cap of the face cream to whiff it before applying to my damp skin. It smells very handsome. A soft Rose, Lavender, & Chamomile scent. I squirt out a dime-sized globule and spread over my nose, cheeks, and forehead. It soaks in quickly. Doesn't feel greasy. Leaves my skin looking, well... good.

Sale on Men's Colognes for Spring Over at Indie Scents

mens perfume cologne sale
If you've not tried Indie Scents as a source for niche colognes, you've been missing out. They have some of the best names in indie perfume... Slumberhouse, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, and Smell Bent. Take a look. Great prices too.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Cologne Layering Adventure

While layering together more than one cologne can have disastrous effects. Like causing a mass stampede towards the building's exit doors by people trying to escape the fumes emanating from your skin; leaving behind only those with gas masks or anosmia. I'll admit that there are a handful of scents I like to layer together.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Mens Lavender & Vanilla Cologne Pour Un Homme De Caron

mens cologne

The cool aroma of lavender transitions into a warm vanilla dry down. It takes about a half hour on me to change into the latter scent. I find it clever on the part of the perfumer, to go from what I deem a cold aroma into a warm one. A scent journey of sorts- diving into a frozen lake followed by lounging in a sauna to dry off.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Sexy Vanilla Cologne Vanillaville

Sexy vanilla. Spritz it on and soon the scent of leather, tobacco, and vanilla assails.

Fragrance Profile
Name: Vanillaville
Aromas: Chewing Tobacco, Vanilla, Leather
Perfume Line: Soivohle
Creator: Liz Zorn

On a flight to Los Angeles, I bring this little bottle of Vanillaville along. I travel light & the 11ml size spray bottle is just the right size to toss into a carry-on. I suppose it's worth mentioning that I wouldn't wear a cologne on a plane. It's too hard for other people to move away if they find a scent to be annoying. So once the plane lands, I fish out the bottle and squirt some of the Vanilla goodness onto my arm.

It's as I walk along the streets of Hollywood that I enjoy the wafts of vanilla. A man in line behind me keeps leaning in so close that it feels rather awkward until he says he wants to know what the good scent is?