What are all of those other bottles in the case?

After Shave Balm:

  It's a lotion that actually soothes the skin from razor burn.  They're not like they used to be.  Balms used to feel greasy and messy, but now the fragrance companies have gotten smart and listened  to what guys want!  A balm now is usually very concentrated to the point where you use very little and it'll do the job!  I use a balm every day; the Aramis Lab Series-Razor Burn Relief.  Personally, I have a unique problem...  I have 39 colognes and I don't want to buy a balm from every one.  In fact you don't need to, just go with a fragrance free balm.  That's why I use the Razor Burn Relief- it's very good, very inexpensive ($15), and has no oil, alcohol or fragrance added.  Another reason you may not want to use a fragranced balm is if you have sensitive skin.  Fragranced balms usually have some alcohol in them as a base for the little amount of fragrance oil that's in there- and it might burn.

After Shave Gel:

  This product is very similar to the after shave balm, but the gel is specifically much more cooling to the skin. The bottles are usually made pretty small, but you use so little of this that it lasts for a very long time.  Just use a thin layer over the entire shaven area- and say good-bye to the burn!

Shower Gel:

  I know, it sounds feminine.  But I swear if you use it once-you're hooked!  It's just soap in a gel form, so you can throw your other soap in the trash, and use this instead.  But, the big difference is that shower gel has some of the actual fragrance oil that your cologne has.  So, when you wash with a shower gel, you just use a small dime sized amount and it'll foam up like crazy.  The hot steam from the shower will open up your pores, and you will actually absorb the fragrance into the skin.  When, you use a shower gel, you don't need to use nearly as much cologne- because you already have some of the fragrance oil on your skin!  The fragrance will last longer throughout the day, and be much richer smelling.

• Tip!- Always use a sponge or wash cloth when you use a shower gel, and you'll use less gel and get more foam.  Otherwise, the gel tends to drip right through your fingers, and ends up washing the tub instead of you!

Cake Soap:

  I always used to wonder what the difference really was between a soap at a Dept. Store, and one at a Grocery Store.  Well, actually there's a big difference!  A Dept. Store soap goes through a process called French Milling. Basically just another fancy word for grinding up the soap into a powder, and then compressing it to the point that it has no air pockets.  No air pockets means to you that it doesn't break down quickly at all.  You almost can't get rid of them!  And for those Grocery Store soaps- I think we've all felt a mushy bar of soap before.

Deodorant Stick, Spray, or Roll-on:

  Every fragrance line has at least one of them, unless it's a new cologne.  If it's new, the companies like to make you wait for something else in the future.  So usually a year later they'll come out with some of the extras I've mentioned. There's really not a whole lot of difference here from the Grocery Store specials.  Except for the fact that they have the fragrance oil in them- and it will help, like all other extra products, make your fragrance last.  Some deodorant sticks will also have a time release formula to them, but that's nothing new that you can't get at the Grocery Store.

Anti-Perspirant Deodorant:

  I gave this one a separate category, only because there was a big scare a while back pertaining to its use.  Most anti-perspirants have an ingredient called Aluminum-Chlorohydrate.  Aluminum has been found in the base of the brain in Alzheimer's disease patients.  Theoretically, when you put on the anti-perspirant, the aluminum is absorbed into the lymph nodes in your under arm, and ends up depositing itself at the base of the brain.  None of this has been  medically proven!  But, if you want to be cautious- just use a plain deodorant to stop the odor, and pat on a little talc to stop the wetness.

Shave Foam or Gel:

  In my opinion, stay clear of them!  They never sell, and for good reason... they're a horrible waste of money!  They don't do anything different than the "other" brands.  There is only one shave cream that I use, and that's the Aramis Lab Series, Maximum Comfort Shave Cream.  It's truly awesome if you've got sensitive skin!  It's different because it has an ingredient called Benzocaine in it which desensitizes just the top layer of skin, so you don't feel any scraping or pulling when you shave.  Plus, I haven't had any nicks for 3 years since I've been using it!  This has to do with the fact that the cream has a natural ion charge which is opposite to that of your skin.  Therefore, creating a natural bond which doesn't let air bubbles form under the cream.  When no bubbles are present, no nicks are either!  And best of all, a little goes a long way.  A tub of it will last you about a year!  For $17.50, that's not bad!

Shaving Tip!

  For the best results from your shaving regimen, always shave in the shower!  All it takes is a $10 fog-free mirror from a drug store.  First, clean your skin with a cleanser to remove yesterday's grime.  Second, let the hot water massage your face for a minute or so- this will help soften the beard.  And third, apply a very thin layer of the Aramis Lab Series Maximum Comfort Shave Cream (the bottle says "apply liberally", which really means, use a ton so you'll come back sooner- but you really don't need to... save the cash!).  Let it sit for a minute so the benzocaine can do its work for you, then shave- with the grain.  Voila!  A close, comfortable shave.

Moisturizers:

  There's lots to choose from out there- so I'll just give you a list of the possible ingredients that you may or may not want in yours:  

• An SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is always a good idea to have in your moisturizer.  As a general rule try to stay around an SPF 7-15, anything over or under is a waste of money.  Now to explain what the heck an SPF actually is.  Say you would burn in the sun after about 30 minutes with no protection- well an SPF of 7 would give you seven times your skin's normal capacity to tolerate the sun before burning.  In this case, about 3 1/2 hours.
• An Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA).  Roll up your sleeves, this is a long one!  What is an AHA?  AHA's are natural fruit acids taken from apples and oranges that gently exfoliate (get rid of) the dead skin cells that are always present on our skin.  When the dead skin cells are gone, the baby skin underneath is revealed and your skin takes on a fresher look, lessening the appearance of fine lines and blotchiness.  And as a side benefit, it makes your shave the next day much smoother because you're not scraping off the dead skin cells, they're already gone!  You will actually feel the difference! (I didn't believe this one 'till I tried it)  AHA works by dissolving the bonds that hold the old dead skin cells together on your face, and no- you won't see any dead skin coming off of your face during the day.  I thought about that too, but all of this "work" is done on a micro-level, so the exfoliation isn't visible to the naked eye.  And if you're wondering about an Alpha Hydroxy Acid rating... well, if you see one stated (like a % on the bottle) drop it and run!  Most reputable companies won't tell you the percentage in the product.  The reasoning here isn't to cheat you, but to shift the emphasis from the percentage of AHA in the product, to the "carrier" that actually gets the AHA down under the top layer of skin.  You see, if the AHA doesn't even get under the top layer of skin- it just sits there and does nothing!  The companies that show their percentage on the bottle are trying to make money off of the old "more is better" adage, but in reality they just don't want to spend the research dollars on finding a good carrier.  Throwing in a lot of AHA will actually cost less for them, and do almost nothing for you!
  • When and how do I use an AHA?  Easy!  Just think of it as an ordinary moisturizer.  Start by putting a small, nickel-sized dab in the palm of your hand.  Spread the AHA out over the palms of your hands quickly- as not to waste absorption into them.  Now spread it evenly over your entire face ~ Done!  Go play!
  • Note: You only need to use it once a day for the average results, and that would be in the morning.  If you want to go for the gusto, wear it morning and night for somewhat quicker results.
• Try to go with little or no added fragrance.
• There's two AHA moisturizers that I would suggest for you, Aramis Lab Series' Lift Off ($27.50, feels a bit thick), and Ralph Lauren's Face Fitness ($15, a little lighter feeling).  These are both excellent choices for all in one moisturizers.  They both include all of my above recommendations.
• If you just want a simple, straight-forward moisturizer, I've got two recommendations: Aramis Lab Series' "Instant Moisture Complex", and Clinique's "M Lotion."  The two differ in only one area- oil content.  The Lab Series is lighter because it doesn't contain any oil, and would therefore work well on someone with oily skin.  The M Lotion, does contain oil, and is a little thicker as a result.  This would work best for someone with dry skin- or dry patches of skin.  It wasn't designed to be used over the entire face ~ only the dry areas.  Otherwise, it may cause irritation.

Men's "night-time moisturizer":

-Sharp Shooter, by Aramis Lab Series:

This is the companion product to Lift Off!, from Aramis.  Aramis was the first company to bring AHA's into the men's world of skin care, and now they're following suit with the first men's night cream!  Now don't start worrying you'll look feminine using a night cream- it's just intelligent insurance for your skin.  Throughout our daily routines, the skin experiences many environmental effects that we are usually unaware of.  For example, just by going outside you will be exposed to ultraviolet light, airborne dust, dirt particles, etc.  These are called free radicals, and all of them find their way into the skin one way or another.  The problem occurs when the free radicals work their way down into the base layer (the point where new skin is formed) of skin.  If left alone, they will destroy the areas in contact with them, and ALL future skin growth in that affected area will grow DAMAGED.  This is best illustrated by the situation of getting a bad cut on your hand.  The base layer of skin has been permanently damaged by the sharp object which caused the cut, and therefore all future skin will come up damaged in the form of a scar.  Sharp Shooter works by utilizing the natural antioxidant vitamins A,C,D and E to neutralize the free radicals- rendering them completely harmless!  Simple, yet very effective!  Use it the same way you would an AHA, except at night!

Facial Scrub:

What is a scrub?  A scrub is a manual exfoliant- it gets off the big flakes of dead skin by rubbing little granules against your skin with water.  When you're looking for a scrub, make sure that the granules are "perfectly" round- in comparison to those "apricot scrubs."  NEVER use one of those apricot scrubs for your face, the granules are actually crushed apricot seeds, and rubbing them against your face causes micro tears in your skin! Although, in all fairness, I must say they're not too bad for the body, which is thicker skin. But I still don't recommend it.  The best scrub, in my opinion, is Ralph Lauren's Scrub.  Usually scrubs feel like you're sanding your face with a high grit sand paper and water, but this particular one foams up- creating a cushion between your face and the granules.  I actually liked scrubbing my face, and I'm definitely not one to use many lotions and potions!  The effect of a scrub will be basically the same as an AHA, but you need a scrub every once in a while to get off the big flakes (from 2-3 times a week).

Japanese Washing Grains: (not at all Dept. Stores)

They're a light, lava rock type textured exfoliant.  They come in a tub as loose granules and can be used in your cleanser, or simply with water (more comfortable in the cleanser).  They do the same thing as a regular exfoliant though (they just have a fancier name), so I'd say just go with Ralph Lauren's "Scrub."  The comfort level is much higher, and the granules dissolve with water.  Less mess.

Hair Shampoo: (sometimes with conditioner)

In my opinion- don't bother!  Save yourself $12, and go to the grocery store.

Hair Gel:

Same story-don't bother!  Go to the grocery store.

Talc:

Once again, it's really not necessary to spend $15 on a talc, when you can get practically the same thing for less at a grocery store!  The reason I say practically, is because the Dept. Store talcs will have a slight bit of the designer fragrance's oils in it.  But in my opinion, there's not enough to make a big difference to merit the purchase.