brand spotlight: olivina men grooming and home assortment.

latey, i've had a lot of guys shoot me questions about my grooming routine, so i'm trying to really start incorporating more of this content to help keep you guys in the loop about what i'm trying out. with that said, i recently came across a new brand called olivina, and they sent me a decked-out goodie bag with a variety of pieces from their assortment. check it out. -j

i want to start by saying that i really appreciate the mission of the brand. they're all about giving our bodies more of what it deserves, and they even focus on the obvious but often under-appreciated fact that our bodies are one of the few constant things that remain with us from day one to the end of this race called life. furthermore, everything's eco-friendly and vegan-formulated, meaning it's not only good for your body, but the planet too (which is obviously a major plus in today's world).

now, for the actual products, they've got a wide range of grooming essentials, including moisturizers, soaps, shaving creams, deodorants, and colognes (just to name a few)—plus, their candles are an added bonus. inspired by the wood-aging traditions of American distilleries, their primary scents include ginger beer, bourbon cedar, and juniper tonic. sounds pretty sweet, right? well, let's see...

bourbon cedar cologne.

reminiscent of an old school cartier fragrance, the scent is super masculine. the citrusy top notes weren't my favorite, but as it dries down, it breaks out into a woodsier smell that's smooth and nice. perhaps not your everyday city-dweller scent, but definitely a decent choice for these wintry weekends.

soap bars.
scents: bourbon cedar, juniper tonic, ginger beer.

well... they're bars of soap. not that much that needs to be said here, but i will call out two things: (1) they lather really well, which is always an important thing for me when it comes to body wash products, and (2) they smell really good. i think ginger beer is probably my favorite here.

natural fragrance candles.
scents: juniper tonic, ginger beer.

as soon as you light these two, you get the instant feel of a relaxed weekend. juniper tonic has slightly more of a pine feel to it (obviously), but they both have a smooth sweetness that's reminiscent of the drinks they're inspired by. needless to say, they're pretty nice for a laidback evening at home.

restorative hand rescue.

it was a little hard to get it out of the container, but it smells really good (the scent is cedar and bergamot—one of my favorite fragrances of the bunch) and the oils make application super smooth.

bourbon vanilla lip balm.

unlike the hand rescue, this one's less smooth and not the most moisturizing, but that flavor... it tastes like breakfast. :)

face scrub.
scent: bourbon cedar.

this product does exactly what it says it's going to do. the ingredients come together to create a really deep scrub that leaves your face feeling pretty fresh. definitely one of the toughest scrubs i've ever used.

if you want to try out the line, i'd definitely suggest the soap bars and face scrubs. you can get your hands on anything you're interested in above or check out more of the assortment—they also have shaving products, deodorants, and more—by visiting olivinamen.com. be sure to let me know what you get.

brand spotlight: clean-cut for christmas with panasonic.

november. movember. no shave november... whatever you call it, it was rough. not because anything particularly unfortunate happened, but because i looked absolutly crazy all month without my usual grooming routine in place (me and long facial hair don't usually mix well). thankfully, panasonic hit me up close to the end of the month to try out their er-gb80- s all-in-one beard, hair, and body trimmer—and trust me, it was right on time. check it out. -j

okay, maybe i buy into the whole idea of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" a bit too much, but i've actually had the same pair of trimmers since i was a freshman in college (i know, i know... 9 years, i should be ashamed)! so, i was totally excited when this package arrived. inside, i found a stylishly sleek clipper, along with three comb attachments to take care of all kinds of hair (up-top, facial, body), a tube of oil to keep things working smoothly, and a little cleaning brush. 

taking a closer look at the designs and mechanics, i certainly got a good first impression. the quick-adjust dial is super simple to use and, to my surprise, has a total of 39 settings, which makes it pretty easy to get the right length you're looking for, whether your buzzing your curls a bit or getting that perfect 5 o'clock shadow. also, the grip is rubberized for a nice, smooth hold, and the overall look of the device is clean and masculine, which is always a plus.

the blades cut pretty smoothly (both the main clippers and the slide-up edgers, which you can use for a more precise line), making for a pleasant experience from start to finish. afterwards, i was able to quickly wash the trimmer in the sink without any worry of damage and get on with my day. needless to say, i've officially thrown my old blades in the trash.

if you're still in the middle of your gift-shopping frenzy, this bad boy will make a great present for the man in your life who's all about well-kept facial hair (and well-kept everything for that matter, haha). you can learn more about it (and it to add to your cart) right here. if you have more questions about my experience with the panasonic er-gb80- s all-in-one trimmer, feel free to DM me on IG (@jovelroystan).

yes, this post was sponsored by panasonic, but as always, any and all opinions, photos, and tips shared are completely my own. -j

grooming round-up: anthony logistics.

okay, so we're a few weeks into 2017 and i've had the chance to try out some of the new year grooming products i showed you guys a couple of days ago. i said i'd keep you guys posted on what's worth trying (and what's not...), so let's get to it. first brand up: anthony.

anthony exfoliating and cleansing bar.

the experience

• personally, i like soap bars because they usually give a pretty solid lather that'll last from head to toe; however, this one let up once i got to the knees, haha. it's still a good bar though, and one that you can use safely on your face and body.
• as far as the smell, there's an interesting scent as you're using it—wouldn't say it's bad, wouldn't say i loved it either—but it disappears completely once you rinse off, which can be great when it comes to fragrances (allowing you to rock your signature cologne without any other competing smells beyond your personal body chemistry).
• lastly, it leaves you with one of those squeaky clean feelings when you rub your hands across your skin. definitely a nice feeling to have after a tough workout or a long day running through the city. 

my verdict: try it out.

anthony glycolic exfoliating and resurfacing wipes.

the experience

• so with this one, you're using a two-sided facial wipe to exfoliate dead skin cells and minimize your pores. the scratchy textured side is fine, almost nice even, but it gets so much better once you flip it and hit that smooth side. it feels like a little cloud massaging your skin, haha.
• it's been about thirty minutes since i last used one and my face still feels really nice, so i guess it's safe to say that they work.
• now that i've gotten all the good points aside... the biggest thing for me was the smell, which i wasn't a fan of. i mean, it's the expected chemical odor, which i could deal with if it were temporary, but it's not. i can still smell traces of it, even after applying my moisturizer. unless you use a strong scented facial cream or beard oil, you better be sure you like the scent before you try this one.

the verdict: pass.

a fresh start to 2017.

i'm happy to say that, so far, 2017's been pretty sweet. things are looking bright in all directions, and i've been making a few changes over the past few days—starting with my grooming routine. i copped a few new products from some cool brands you may have heard of (if not, don't worry you'll be familiar by the end of this post).

keep scrolling to learn more about the products above, and stay tuned in the weeks ahead—i'll give you guys some mini-reviews to let you know what's worth trying out next time you're shopping. here's to a fresh start to the new year. -j

who: anthony
what: exfoliating and cleansing bar, glycolic exfoliating and resurfacing wipes
why: the ultimate clean

who: blind barber
what: lemongrass tea shampoo and conditioner
why: every guy's head needs a strong 1-2 combo

who: elemis
what: cleanser, anti-aging and sensitive skin collections
why: it's a facelift and a day at the spa in a bottle (well, 7... haha)

the scents of fall.

for those of you who haven't known me very long, my first job out of college was on the fragrances buying team at macys.com. it really changed the way I've come to appreciate smell—next to taste, it's the sense best-suited for luxury pleasures. 

since those days, I've built up quite the fragrance collection (I probably have at least 40 different scents in my apartment). with fall finally here, it's time for that new season switch-up, and I sifted through my bottles to pick out my go-to's for the months ahead. check them out.

DOLCE&GABBANA INTENSO eau de parfum, 125mL $89

fortitude from robert graham's blended essences collection, 100mL $125 

nuit d'issey eau de parfum, 125mL $100

when it comes to fall/winter fragrances, I always keep a few things in mind:

• during the summer months, the heat can make stronger scents feel heavy and nauseating. now that it's cooler, your fragrance can bring a sense of warmth to the crisper air that you'll enjoy throughout the day. with that said, eau de parfums are often my choice, as they're more robust and last longer.
• think about what the season's all about. fall brings about visions of falling leaves and walks in the park. winter reminds us of pine trees, cinnamon, mint, even chocolate and vanilla. as you go through the next six months, look for woodsy notes or essences of seasonal fruits and spices that will give your scent a timely feel.

the 3 fragrances above give all that and more. they're deep and sensual, boasting earthy, masculine notes like tobacco, patchouli, tonka bean, and sandalwood. whatever you like, whether it's sweet, spicy or citrusy, stick with your preferences, but look for an "intense" or "extreme" version of your faves—they're usually the eau de parfum or parfum versions, which means they're stronger and great for the colder months.

it doesn't stop with your cologne. my apartment's currently filled with fall vibes thanks to a few select candles—and no, you don't have to ball out on jo malone to set the perfect ambiance.

Chesapeake Bay Snuggly Sweater candle, 11.5oz $5.99

Chesapeake Bay Caramel Latte candle, 11.5oz $5.99

whether you're a fan of entertaining or just plan on chilling at the crib this season, your home should always smell good. always. and FYI: this tip is honestly for you more than your guests.

I got these candles from target last week and, with one in my living room and the other in my bedroom, they've had my nostrils in heaven ever since.