Men’s grooming needn’t be complicated; these 7 natural and organic products for shaving, cleansing, and more are designed for guys and won’t leave them smelling like cheesy aftershave. 

My husband generally isn’t interested in the art of skin care, other than once building me a shelf in the bathroom to prevent us from being crushed under a random avalanche of my products. Still, I keep an eye out for the best grooming products for men. Here are seven fantastic creations so good they might change your guy’s perspective on skin care—if you don’t decide to keep them for yourself.

1. Clarisonic Face Brush, Mia Collection ($119)
Gadgetry is a god to many men (and women!) and the reigning Zeus of skin cleaning is this handy face brush from Clarisonic. Ubiquitous to most malls, you can find these brushes displayed as you run through the makeup and perfume sections, pursued by fragrance sprayer-demons. Next time, take a breath-holding moment check out the Clarisonic, which offers up one of the most comprehensive face washings outside of a spa. Using sonic technology to clean out oils, bacteria, and more, it can sanitize even the roughest skins.
You may want to substitute Clairsonic’s recommended cleansers with a more natural alternative. Consider the Original Face Wash from Bull Dog Skincare for Men, which offers up a fragrance and paraben-free cleaning for $9.99.

2. MyChelle Dermaceuticals Fruit Enzyme Scrub ($17.19)

Not eager to use a plastic and battery-powered device to clear out pores? Consider this Fruit Enzyme Scrub from MyChelle Dermaceuticals. Vegan-friendly and gluten-free, this product contains both fruit and bamboo extracts to buff away skin debris and clear out clogged pores. It also offers up an excellent fruity scent.

3. Aubrey Men’s Stock City Rhythms Shave Cream ($7.30)
Men’s skin is thicker than women’s and notoriously less sensitive. Still, many men take a daily razor to their skins, which can wreak havoc on their pores. This shave cream from Aubrey Organics provides a cool shave while protecting skin from razor burn. It leads with organic avocado and wheat germ oil, offering up a witch hazel antiseptic and organic eucalyptus extracts.

4. Lavera After Shave Balm ($20.75)
Organic horsetail and natural marine minerals provide the basis for this soothing after shave. Meanwhile, extracts of organic calendula, echinacea and witch hazel calm and disinfect irritation. Containing natural essential oils and some organic ingredients, this BDIH-certified vegan product is cruelty-free and gluten-free.

5. Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20 ($27.00)
A lightweight moisturizer offering up a built-in broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, this product from Jack Black moisturizes without leaving a face feeling oily or greasy. It also contains Blue Algae Extract, a rich source of Vitamin E, as well as Sea Parsley, which is claimed to be an effective anti-irritant to help improve the overall look of skin.

6. Sow Good Men Natural Shampoo, Shower and Shave Gel ($14.99)
Some women may balk at the idea of using a combination shampoo plus conditioning product. (If there’s one out there that doesn’t leave your hair greasy, sign me up.) However, put a 3-in-1 product in the shower of many men, and they’ll be lathering up faster than a feminist waving her first-world-problems card. (Mine is hot pink.) Made in the USA, this shampoo, shower, and shave gel is certified by the Natural Products Association. It promises a close shave, as well as moisturized skin and hair. Best of all, it leaves your recycling bin a little emptier with just one bottle instead of three.

7. Straight Razor (Price as determined)
The indisputably most bad-ass way to shave is also the most eco-friendly. The carbon footprint for shaving is high—check out this great article on it from our friends at Slate—and the champion shaving device for saving water and energy while keeping plastic disposables out of landfills is the straight razor. There’s a wide variety of straight razors on the market, from vintage beginner blades to artisanal ones developed by Alex Jacques.

Photo Credit: pol ubeda

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More than meets the eye.

Aside from the one way we all know vodka can be put to good use, it’s not a completely pointless liquid otherwise. In fact, the alcoholic beverage spreads itself quite thin on the usefulness scale. Vodka’s anti-bacterial properties are what give it such potency in combatting a lot of common ailments and household issues – from earaches to carpet stains. Grab yourself a bottle, or two, and redefine what it means to booze.

Poison Ivy Reliever

Apply vodka to an area affected by poison ivy and it will dry up surrounding skin, getting rid of any oils that are causing the poison ivy to inflame and itch.

Laundry Freshener

Fill a small spray bottle with vodka and lightly spray clothes. The vodka smell goes away when the clothes dry completely. The vodka helps to remove any unwanted odors.

Flower Preserver

Plants produce the ripening gas ethylene, which promotes maturation. Vodka stunts ethylene production and allows for flowers to stay fresher, longer. Spray flower stems with a 2:1 ratio mix of vodka and sugar. Repeat every few days.

Insect Repellent

Keep the insects at bay by squirting some vodka on your skin before going outdoors. Add essential lavender oil. Insects hate the smell of lavender, and you will prefer it to the smell of vodka lingering on your skin. You could also mix vodka into your scented moisturizer.

Jelly Fish Bite Soother

Much like vodka helps to treat poison ivy on the skin, the liquid also helps to alleviate the pain and itch that come post nasty jelly fish bite. Bring along a 1:1 mixture of vodka and water in a spray bottle to the beach just in case of an attack.

Hair Shiner

Add 1-2 ounces of vodka to your shampoo and watch as your hair emerges from a shower feeling cleaner, silky, and shiny.

Band-Aid Remover

Vodka will help to dissolve the sticky edges of a band-aid and allow for a painless removal. Not that you would, but a few swigs before peeling the adhesive off won’t hurt either.

Computer Screen Cleaner

Using water to clean a computer screen often leaves behind distracting smears. Apply vodka to the screen and wipe away for a seamless and clear complexion.

Eye Glasses Cleaner

It may not be the best idea to carry around a bottle of vodka, but a small spray bottle may be less conspicuous and prove to be very useful. Your glasses will get star treatment on the go.

Air Freshener

Mix equal parts water and vodka in a spray bottle and spray around the house. The vodka dissolves odors and the solution is completely odorless.

Razor Blade Cleanser

Soak razor blades in vodka and dissolve away build-up and buff the razor all in one. This trick will keep your razor blades clean and disinfected whilst extending the lifespan of your razor collection.

Jewelry Cleaner

Let your jewelry sparkle and shine. Soak and lightly scrub them in some vodka to remove any impurities.

Pore Reduction

Lightly soak one side of a cotton ball in vodka and dab your face. The vodkas acts as an astringent, tightening the pores and removing excess oils.

Homemade Mouthwash

Because of vodka’s capacity to fight bacteria and prevent infection, you can gargle it in the A.M. (without swallowing) to clean your mouth. Vodka may not be the first thing you want to taste on a sensitive morning stomach, so dilute it with equal parts water add a few drops of mint oil.

Cold Sore Treatment

Vodka can help to reduce cold sore inflammation and redness by drying the affected area. Dip one end of a Q-tip into vodka and use it to dab sores.

Shower Cleaner

Attack those moldy, dark crevices with a toothbrush and some vodka. Spray vodka onto moldy areas, let sit for 15 minutes, and then scrub away. The vodka kills the mold.

Antiseptic

Vodka is a great disinfectant and antiseptic. Apply to minor cuts and burns to kill bacteria.

Stickiness Remover

Vodka works wonders on removing all that is gooey! From stickers on car surfaces to gum on the bottom of a shoe, a little vodka goes a long way.

Treat Ear Aches

Put a few drops of vodka into your ear. Let the alcohol sit in the ears for a few minutes each and then drain. The vodka kills bacteria that causes pain.

Stain Remover

Vodka effectively gets rid of ink, grass and lipstick stains. Dab stain with vodka and rub the stain away. Add the stained garment to the laundry afterwards for a more thorough clean.

Tooth-Ache Reliever

Gargle vodka without swallowing, unless you want a buzz. The vodka will prevent infection and reduce inflammation and soreness in the mouth.

Foot Odor Cure

For those of you who suffer from foot odor, consider vodka your new best friend. Soak your feet in a shallow bucket of vodka, which will kill bacteria-causing odor. Let your feet dry to get rid of the vodka smell or wash your feet with fragrant soap directly after the treatment.

Fever Alleviation 

Vodka works well as a liniment to reduce a fever, because it evaporates very quickly and can provide a cooling relief. Apply vodka to a soft cloth and place on your chest.

Images: Karola Riegler, Bark, Tasumi1968, Marcus Vegas, Seishin17

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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Dude! You’re clean shaven but are you green shaven?

Yes, the eco marketing of all consumer goods has reached the scratchy male whisker. Despite the notion that the greenest face is the hairiest one, not all men like sporting facial fur and not all females like going into-the-wild to make out.

What steps can you take before going under the knife? Don’t roam far from the healthy foam; don’t be a fool with the wrong disposable tool; never brace your face with a jug that’s mean to your mug.

Here are a few products your barber-in-the-hood probably never chatted you up about:

Razors:

Be kind to your face and to the planet with this innovation in shaving, the Preserve® Triple Razor. Featuring titanium-coated blades and lubrication strip for comfort, this cutting edge razor is made from recycled plastic – including Stonyfield Farm® yogurt cups. It delivers a clean, close shave for both men and women. What’s more, it comes in four fun colors with an ergonomic handle that exhibits contours and gripping regions that enhance performance and control. Unlike other plastic disposables, after the shave it is fully recyclable. The blades are easy to replace by squeezing the arms of the Razor handle, popping off the blade cartridge and pressing in a new blade. The Preserve Triple Razor package doubles as a reusable travel case and can be returned for recycling using the postage-paid label.

Each Triple Razor package comes with two of Preserve’s titanium-coated blades. Replacement blades are available wherever Preserve Triple Razors are sold.

How to master the art of shaving so you don’t cut up your face? For that, check out this E How tutorial.

For those hooked on electric razors, Procter & Gamble’s Braun division has introduced a line of Energy Star-certified shaver chargers – a world’s first. According to a review by Trend Hunter, the Smart Plugs use 64 percent less energy than standard shavers and, according to the company, will save over 12 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year, or the equivalent of removing 1,073 cars from the road, planting 1,526 acres of forest or lighting 5,861 homes for a year.

The Lotion

Only $7.95 for 11 oz., Kiss My Face Moisture Shave is a cool way to go lime green. The lotion is a natural, cooling antiseptic that also acts as an astringent with its moisturizing formula containing highly effective natural essential oils, extracts and vitamins. Features include:

– antiseptic peppermint to cool and stimulate
– emollients olive oil and coconut oil and aloe vera for healing
– antiseptic goldenseal, also for healing
– Arnica aids circulation
– Lady’s mantle is an astringent and has styptic properties
– Sage, horsetail, and orangeflower act as astringents and refreshers
– Soapwort is rich lathering, effective with acne, and like lemongrass, cleansing
– Vitamins A and E are important nutrients for healthy skin
…all in a refreshing key lime.

Another soft touch is the Baby Face Healing shaving Cream from Ken Men.

The company is on a mission to formulate the “best possible shaving cream” and admits the word foam is not on its agenda, as there already exists a myriad of shaving foams on the market. Baby Face combines essential oils to create a shaving cream which can “adhere” to hair no matter how rugged the follicle. Ken says you no longer have to bleed to be smooth! (Ingredients include: De-Ionized water, Vitamins E and F, Ascorbic acid, Tea Tree oil, Rosa Mesquita, Flax seed & Macadamia Essential Oils, Salicylic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Oleth-20, Meadow foam Seed Oil, Lime, Coconut oil extract,oils of Mentha Veridis, Aloe Vera Juice Extract, Bisabolol, Essential oils of Sage, lime, vetiver, coconut pulp, patchouli & frankincense.)

The After Splash

Are you man enough to slap your cheeks with a product called Nancy Boy? The $20 blue bottle contains a refreshing gel that won’t burn or shock your skin. As the company puts it, “our position is that alcohol-based bracing aftershaves should have gone out with Joe McCarthy. They inflame the skin you’ve just abraded by shaving and worse, dry it out mercilessly.”

According to the site, this stuff is composed mostly (75%) of aloe, the healing, moisturizing wonderplant, and the bracing, cooling effect is naturally derived from the oil of peppermint. The natural witch hazel hydrosol in the formulation is another of nature’s best skin healers and soothers, while the alcohol, present at less than 1 part per hundred, is there to help sterilize any nick you might have self-inflicted.

Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock after shave is made with organic oils and extracts with a handsome scent of cedar, sandalwood and bergamot. It leaves a cool, tingly feeling and invigorates the face and tightens the pores. It is said to leave skin smooth and smelling yummy. Think English Leather without the beating. The formula includes witch hazel extract, organic aloe, cedar oil, sandalwood and patchouli.

Main image: dotbenjamin

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