Grooming Valentine's Day Gifts For Men | 2016
15 Valentine's Day Gifts For Your Guy That He'll Actually Love
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It's never easy figuring out a gift for your man, but it's especially difficult so soon after the December holidays, when you likely exhausted your last perfectly researched idea. Back to the drawing board it is! In case it wasn't hard enough already, there's the added bonus of boosting the romance factor. This is a tough challenge, but allow us to help. Grooming gifts don't always make the top of his wish list, but they're a welcome (and practical) surprise. Considering that he will use these items often, he's bound to flash back to the beloved valentine who got them for him. (Wink, wink.)
Read on — we've got some of the best men's beauty buys to spoil your man with this Valentine's Day. From high-tech razors to mud masks, they might not seem all that sexy in the box, but once he dabs, swipes, and sprays, he will be looking (and smelling) pretty darn good.
Meet the sleek, bro-approved version of the cult favorite oscillating face brush — it's been reimagined into a smaller pod-like shape. It works the same way that the original does, with tiny bristles swooshing over skin (with over 300 movements per second) to gently wash away any bit of pore-clogging gunk and reveal a freshly cleansed face. The shorter bristles are specifically designed for men’s thicker and typically oiler skin. It even has special settings for men with and without beards. Bonus: he'll stop stealing your brush every morning.
We don't mind seeing his razor out on the counter, but it would look much nicer perched in this chic aluminum stand, which is equal parts chic and functional. The gripped base keeps the razor firmly in its designated area without slipping. Since it keeps the blades dry, they'll stay sharper longer, saving him money in the long run.
Harry's Razor Stand ($15)
Many fragrance gift sets can come across as trite, but he'll think of this collection as his very own smell test (with some awesome travel bottles to take on his next trip). This quartet includes deluxe samples of yummy colognes like Gucci Guilty Intense Pour Homme and Lacoste Eau de Lacoste that he can wear and experience before committing to his next signature scent. Once he finds a favorite, a voucher tucked inside the box will allow him to go pick up the full-size version for free. There's also a mini Art of Shaving Sandalwood Essential Oil Shaving Cream to keep his skin looking as fresh as his new cologne smells.
Sephora Favorites The Leading Man Fragrance Sampler For Him ($55)
What these petite votives lack in size, they more than make up for with their mighty scents. The trio includes the brand's bestselling Dark Rum, Vetiver, and Tobacco candles that are all richly fragranced but distinctly different from one another. Dark Rum has a warm sweetness that is balanced by notes of patchouli and milk. The Tobacco scent is smokier (surprise!), but bourbon and vanilla keep it inviting and smooth as hell. Then there’s the Vetiver, a sophisticated scent with grassy notes matched by spicy clove leaf, fruit, and citrus notes. It’s that cool, earthy aroma that emits a better-than-fresh-air-smell without even cracking a window. In other words, this collection has a scent to help set every mood.
Men get pretty serious about their hair. They might very well skip their morning face cleanse but they’d be caught dead before leaving the house without their hair combed just right. Hence why this hair essentials trio made the list. First there’s the grooming lotion, which acts like a styler and leave-in conditioner in one. It adds just enough hold to give their hair shape without leaving it rock solid. And for men who wash their hair upwards of twice daily (stripping it of moisture and shine with every rinse), this superhydrating shampoo and conditioner will allow them to maintain healthy glossiness and softness. The refreshing minty scent isn’t too shabby either.
If it's not immediately obvious after glancing after the satin surrounding these sultry products, this is a far cry from your average gift set. The cologne spray and shower gel duo smell woody and masculine but not overly manly. Hints of refreshing citrus (from notes of bergamot and Italian orange) keep it fresh and balanced without becoming too musky from cedar and sandalwood.
Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud ($220)
This is that splurge-worthy product he didn’t realize he needed until you so kindly replaced his $20 manual razor with it. The device has three shaving heads (yes, three) that each move independently from one another following every last contour, nook, and cranny of the face. It finds even more hairs than a basic razor and cuts them even closer to the skin, so his face remains extra smooth for twice as long. The large digital display screen makes it feel more like a fun gadget (almost like a robot!) than a grooming tool. It even comes with its own cleaning system that cleans, lubricates, dries, and charges it after each use — one less thing for him to think about.
Scent is a tricky gift to pick out for another person. It’s so subjective and personal, and one cologne can smell quite different on the man than it does in the bottle. But when fragrance expert Bruno Jovanovic stamps his name on something, you can rest assured that it's worth the risk. That said, you won’t need any time to find the appeal with this scent. The complex oriental-vanilla fragrance has a unique freshness from fruity tangerine, a syrupy sweetness from rum, and a woody earthiness from cedar and incense. But it’s the hints of vanilla and musk that draw everything together for a just-sweet-enough, just-spicy-enough scent that’s hard not to like.
Frédéric Malle Monsieur ($200)
This body wash, anti-perspirant duo is the fancified version of his every day routine, and something he likely wouldn’t splurge on himself. Case in point, making this the perfect gift. It will be a welcome change to the drugstore lineup that he typically reaches for and will bring with it a spicier, more sophisticated scent.
It’s not hard to see the appeal here: the charming wooden bowl somehow makes the chore of shaving seem like a treat. And that’s before he even experiences the rich creamy lather of the soap tucked inside. When rubbed with a wet shaving brush, the handmade soap works up a satisfying froth with a fresh woody fragrance that intensifies with every stroke. The scent is strong but dissipates to a subtle, sexy freshness postshave. And since the soap is alcohol free, his skin won't feel tight — just smooth — after his ritual.
It might be tough to convince your man do a face mask, but if you can get him to try it just once (make it a couple's activity), he will thank you from that day forward. He’ll laugh as he applies the activated charcoal-powered formula, but make sure he leaves it on for the full 20 minutes so it can work to its full potential. When he washes it away and sees how bright and clean his skin looks, he'll remember to keep it close by for weekly use — and thank you for it every single time.
Sure, most men don’t always follow an antiaging skin care regimen, but many could seriously benefit from one. Simplifying the process is key to having them stick with it long enough to actually see results. It doesn’t get much simpler than dabbing this milky cream under the eyes morning and night. The formula's lightweight texture will absorb within a minute, so you'll never hear him complaining about any stickiness on his face. In less than one month’s time, the ginseng- and pomegranate-fueled powerhouse will significantly reduce any wrinkles around his eyes.
Men may not ask for hand cream as a gift, but they'll easily find it one of the most useful presents they receive. Your man probably already uses a few products from this brand, so he’ll know it's the good stuff. And when his Winter-chapped hands are no longer dry and chapped, he'll have you to thank for it (back massage, maybe?). The formula is ultranourishing, but the olive oil-derived formula will soak in fast, so he won't have to deal with greasy palms and iPhone smudges.
The brand is celebrating their 15th anniversary and with it, digging into their sacred vault of beloved product and flavors to bring back some of the best of all time. In that lineup, their beloved lip conditioners in natural mint and shea butter, mango and mandarin, vanilla and natural mint, and Asian pear and white tea. One balm is great, but he’ll likely appreciate the set being that lip balms seem to inevitably disappear into pockets and the depths of drawers. But the blue tubes make them easy to spot and the stick-free super conditioning formulas make them hard to forget.
Men tend to keep their skin care routine pretty simple. They wash their face in the shower with whatever they can get their hands on (including bar soap, cringe) and off they go. Getting them to add a step can be a challenge. But when that step happens to be a single product that does the work of many — with a formula created in conjunction with Harvard Medical Center and Dior — it doesn’t seem like such a chore after all. The silky fast-absorbing cream instantly conditions, brightens, and mattifies skin so he can make it past 3 p.m. without a greasy forehead.
Dior Homme Dermo System Invigorating Moisturizing Emulsion ($55)
