My Like-y List

This is the closest I’ll ever come to doing a “Monthly Favourites”.  I don’t know how some people find so many new amazing products every single month!

I must be too boring for that!  So I have compiled all the things that I have been lovin’ recently …

• FYI   I am extremely partial to a good pair of Ray-Bans.  I was trawling through ASOS and I came across these bad boys – Ray-Ban Round Metal Sunglasses. I just love them!! I feel their retro vibe is perfect for summer 2016. 
• I recently invested in a pair of Levi’s. And do you know what I wish I had taken the plunge sooner. The quality and the fit are second to none. I now have two pairs – these black ones and a pair of dark wash indigo ones. I do try to keep my Levi’s for good wear (it can’t just be an Irish thing) i.e. going out and events. An everyday alternative that are nearly on par with the Levi’s are the BurtonMenswear black jeans.
• I have been a long-time advocate of card holders (check out my Mulberry post). A cardholder takes up literally no space in my pocket and it fits in the bare essentials. I saw this Aspinal of Londonslim card holder in Midnight blue and I had serious lust. My other wallets are all of brown / tan / black variety and I wanted a splash of colour. You can find the Aspinal of London card holders at John Lewis or House of Fraser.
• I have rediscovered the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. I was using this on a daily basis but I was fickle and moved onto something else. BUT I came to my beloved Ultra Facial Cleanser! It cleanses skin to a T and doesn’t dry out my skin and strip it of it natural oils.  You can read my full review here.
• My skin has been really well behaved at the minute (touch wood ) and I have actually cut down on the different blemish busting products I was using to just 1. The Estée Lauder Clear Difference Serum is ideal – I can slap it on when I feel I’m getting a tad congested and I find that even after a single use my skin is looking clear and dare I say it almost perfect! You can find the Clear Difference Serum at Boots and John Lewis.
• I have only recently written a post about The Body Shop Drops of Youth Essence-Lotion. It is so so good. Its light gel to water texture is amazingly cooling and refreshing. It adds lightweight moisture and it boosts the efficacy of any product that is applied on top of it. What’s not to like! 
• I am really digging Chanel’s Bleu de Chanel again. I just find it so refreshing and light for Spring / Summer. I have literally worn this every day since February. You can wear it heading out to work but also hitting the town in the evening. You can grab Bleu de Chanel at Boots and John Lewis. Oh you can check out my full review here.
• And finally my TV fav is … Bates Motel. I have only recently got into Bates Motel; it’s not my usual choice of TV show, but I’m weirdly enjoying it. I wouldn’t binge watch it but I am definitely hooked! I can’t wait to see how things will escalate around Norman. And what other “incidents” will result because of his strange bond / obsession with his mother.  It’s also a huge bonus that it has short seasons.

So there you have my Like-y List … let me know what you have been liking recently and please tell me that I’m not the only one mind-numbingly boring not to have a monthly favourites every month. 

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A Litter of Bulldogs | Bulldog Skincare For Men

Boring I know but I thought I’d start off with some background info on Bulldog Skincare; I don’t know about you but I like to know what I’m putting on my face…

So it’s a British cruelty free skincare company, Bulldog Natural Skincare, is a men’s skincare line that boasts getting the job done, being hassle free, and not taking themselves so seriously. They’re one of the few men’s skincare lines that flaunts their ingredients and takes pride in their formulas. They insist on using products that contain essential oils and other natural active ingredients. Bulldog Natural Skincare also takes inordinate pride in being cruelty free, vegetarian-friendly, and environmentally aware. In fact, they are approved by BUAV, the Vegetarian Society and the RSPCA. Now that's a product I already love and I haven't even opened the package they sent me.

The first thing I noticed about the products was the presentation. They arrived in a lovely box all wrapped up. I also was drawn to the branding – it just looked so clean and fresh. It was the first time I’d really looked at the products and to tell the truth I hadn't been drawn to the brand before as most of the products looked similar to one another. As a guy, the products I use, I just pick up without even noticing/thinking.  Once I start using a product and liking it, I then tend to stick with it. 

After trying out the products daily for a few weeks, I have to admit that I’m a full-fledged dog person!  There is little doubt that this is one of the best men’s skincare ranges currently available on the high street.

My first port of call with the Bulldog products was with the Original Face Wash*, which I used every morning. Unlike many face washes, this doesn’t that leave your face dry and in immediate need of a moisturiser (possibly owing to the mix of eight essential oils). It seemed to lock the moisture in and under a film of natural oils. I will definitely use this when my skin is behaving itself and it’s great to keep my skin clear. Like most Bulldog products, the Original Face Wash contained a high concentration of bergamot oil extracted from the bergamot orange, a Mediterranean citrus fruit.

Once or twice a week, and to give my face a thorough exfoliation and eliminate dirt and impurities, I use the Original Face Scrub*. From experience, face scrub products for men are either too soft or too abrasive. However, Bulldog’s Original Face Scrub does the trick splendidly. This was actually the star of the range for me; it felt remarkably similar to Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish but with gentle exfoliating particles.  In addition to essential oils, the face scrub contained natural exfoliating ingredients such as pumice, coconut shell, rosehip oil and shea butter. My skin really loved the Bulldog’s Original Face Scrub and I have to say I love it right back.

The morning shower was routinely followed by shaving. Unlike most shaving creams and gels currently available in the market, the Original Shave Gel*  is a light, see-through gel that spreads nicely on the skin without the need to apply a large quantity. Essential oils are combined with aloe vera, jojoba, and konjac mannan (a natural thickener and gelling agent with moisturising properties) to provide a smooth shaving experience.

And finally, the daily morning ritual finished with an application of the Original Moisturiser*(with green tea, green algae, and vitamin E to hydrate the skin). When applied, the cream provided a nice matt finish to the skin instead of the shiny look that most men prefer to avoid. Another good thing that I noticed about this moisturiser, was that a small amount went a super long way. I will admit that I’ve come across better moisturisers over the years, but this is a very affordable option that works well on the skin.

At night, I tried the new Original Eye Roll-On in the areas under and around the eyes. The roll-on applicator is practical and the metal ball inside the container is always cool, which makes the application feel very refreshing. The Eye Roll-On contains avocado oil, cucumber oil and Brazilian ginseng extract to reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. Like most eye creams, I think that it will probably take quite a few weeks of using the product to notice any benefits. But I have noticed a slight reduction in my tiny dark circles. However, the cooling and moisturising effects are extremely pleasant.

After trying the grooming products for a few weeks, I have no hesitation to recommend the Bulldog Natural Skincare range as part of the daily skincare routine for men.

You can find all the Bulldog Skincare For Men range at Boots, ASOS and Mandkind.

Mankind actually have a code for 15% off when you spend £50! - MK1550 ... Just saying  

*Some of these items may have been sent to me for review. Please see my disclaimer for more information*

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Mulberry Card Wallet

For many a man the subsequent perpetual dilemma applies: how should we carry our hard earned dollar?  While the traditional wallet is a sound option, from experience a wallet tends to become bulky – with receipts from 2 years ago and a whole load of crap I just don’t need to lug around! 

Let’s pause to understand what it is I’m hoping to achieve. For me the objective has been simple: to find something that fuses function with design. Ideally the result is sleek and luxurious– a quality piece that is carefully thoughtful in both its construction and purpose.

The solution? The unassuming efficiency of the Mulberry Card Wallet, which, I’ll have you know, has been constantly proving itself useful (and not only for its ability to slip into the tightest of pockets). 

The Mulberry Card Wallet is a slim, streamlined and more supple take on the classic wallet, with cards slots and a note sleeve, crafted from beautiful buttery-soft leather. This was the ideal wallet for me –a compact wallet but with just the right amount space for all my necessities i.e. cards and cash.  

This Mulberry cardholder offers luxury while simultaneously offering discretion, craftsmanship, and room for five credit cards (and speaking from experience, four credit cards and solid wad of cash! )

An alternative to the Mulberry is the ASOS Leather Cardholder In Brown. It is super compact – 3 cards & cash will fit snuggly inside and it’s crafted from genuine leather.

You don’t want to ruin the aesthetics of your scrupulously put together outfit with bulging pockets.

The classic wallet has had its day but the era of the cardholder has dawned.

The Mulberry Card Wallet is available online at Mulberry and Mr Porter. You can find the ASOS Leather Cardholder here.

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The Daniel Wellington St Mawes Watch

I know that this is something that I never write about – style or fashion but I recently received a Daniel Wellington St Mawes watch for my birthday and I’m so besotted that I’m dedicating a whole post to it.  

I am not really that into jewellery or accessories but I have always donned a watch since my primary school days. I’m quite particular when it comes to watches (my one & only watch I have for about 12 yrs!), as I have a slim wrist and I don’t want anything humongous that will emphasis this; vain I know!  

So I have been searching for a long time to find my perfect replacement and one day I stumbled across the Daniel Wellington watch and I knew instantly that it was the one. 

BACKGROUND ON Daniel Wellington:

Established in Uppsala in Sweden, just an hour’s drive from Stockholm, there is a story about how the watch came to be and their website states:

“Filip Tysander, the founder of Daniel Wellington, met an intriguing gentleman from the British Isles. The man had the inspiring ability to be gentlemanly but still relaxed and unpretentious. He had an impeccable style, and loved to wear his watches on old weathered Nato straps. His name? Well, Daniel Wellington, of course. A strong friendship emerged between the two, and our founder was inspired not only by the man’s many great life stories but also by his class and timeless style of fashion”.

Daniel Wellington watches are manufactured and sent from Sweden and they are available at a few outlets; but they do sell from their main website. They offer a range of mens and ladies watches and most come with interchangeable straps. Others are fitted with a leather strap and each watch is available in silver or rose gold.

The mens watch measures 40mm by just 6mm making it a very thin watch. This is what really caught my attention; it’s so slim and comfortable to wear. They are also water resistant but they recommend that you avoid all contact with water.  All of the faces are in eggshell white which gives a very classic, clean and crisp appearance.

PACKAGING & PRESENTATION

I love the Daniel Wellington packaging. Mine arrived in a beautiful leather gift box which makes it feel like a real luxury item. In the box there is a manual, instructions and a 2 year guarantee. It also has a tool to remove the pins so that you can change the pins; you can customise you DW to your #OOTD (handy ).

MY THOUGHTS:
Overall a huge 

With its classic, minimalist and preppy look, the Daniel Wellington watch is thin; I agree with their description; in that it is elegant and would be suitable for every occasion. I think that it’s versatile to wear with a suit or throw it on to smarten up a jeans and tee combo. Being thin the watch is also light and easy to wear. I find that it doesn't get in the way and I actually forget I’m wearing it i.e. it isn't cumbersome and heavy. It’s not a watch that shouts ‘look at me’ it’s way more discrete and subtle than that, but it definitely stands out and you will get noticed with a DW watch.

Instead of numbers the DW has markers in the form of silver lines on the eggshell white face. I love this with that but some may find it difficult to read the time, having said that I've never had a problem. The strap is good quality too with the hardware matching the silver colour of the watch.

Overall I’m a fan. The Daniel Wellington watch is cool, current and classy. Its simplicity makes it appealing and extremely comfortable to wear.

I'm so grateful for my amazing #birthday present! 😊 I'm so 😍 with my #danielwellington watch #jewellery #Irish #maleblogger #watch #birthdaygift @johnrossjewellers @asos_menswear

The Daniel Wellington St Mawes Watch is available online at ASOS and The Watch Superstore. My DW watch was got in John Ross Jewellers in Tralee – if you have a DW stockist near you definitely go have a look - you can find them here.

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