http://www.boatinternational.com | April 2016PHOTOGRAPHS: KATIE HOWEY/RHAPSODY; DANIEL FORSTER; FREDERIC PINET. ILLUSTRATION: PING ZHU. WINONOMICS ILLUSTRATION: MIKE LEMANSKI
F
act: women don’t like beards. A recent survey found
that 92 per cent of women prefer men not to have
a beard, while 95 per cent of women found stubble
a turn-off. Perhaps it’s something to do with stubble
rash, or maybe it’s those bits of food that inevitably get caught
in a straggly lumberjack beard, but either way the era of the
beard is well and truly over on and off board.
It’s not just the women in our lives who think so either.
If the runways of Paris and Milan are anything to go by, beards
and facial hair of any kind are out. Longer hair on your head?
Sure. But models on runways everywhere, from Ermenegildo
Zegna and Hermès to Louis Vuitton and Prada were all sent
out sporting marble-smooth faces, and looked
all the better for it. It’s the same on the red carpet.
Where a few years ago everyone from Brad Pitt
to Leonardo DiCaprio was sporting some kind
of facial fuzz, now there’s a definite move toward
Patrick Bateman-esque smoothness.
The only problem with this new clean-cut
approach is that it requires a little extra effort. The
first thing to do is buy some high-quality pre-shave
oil, such as this orange and sandalwood option from
eShave. Designed to soften facial hair, smooth skin
and lubricate the shaving process, this will be your
best friend come 6.30am. Don’t even think about
using your razor without it.
Next up, a top-notch shaving cream or foam.
Dior’s Eau Sauvage shaving foam is designed
to protect the upper layers of the epidermis and
improve razor glide (it also smells great). If you have
dry skin, however, it might be better to choosea cream, as foams have a tendency to dehydrate more
sensitive faces. The new Bleu de Chanel shaving cream
is my pick of the bunch – smooth, moisturising and softly
scented, it makes the entire process a pleasure (almost).
Rather than opting for a disposable razor, which will
be quick to blunt and irritate the skin, choose instead
Acqua di Parma’s Collezione Barbiere Razor. Crafted
from wenge wood and brass, the Italian brand’s superlative
shaving tool has a pleasing heft and glides over the skin with
ease (just be sure to buy some proper blades to put in it).
Once you’ve shaved, the next thing to do is give your skin
a good going over with a traditional alum block. Alum closes
pores, tones the skin and stops bleeding almost instantly.
eShave does a great one.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you need a good
post-shave balm. Kiehl’s Razor Bump Relief is designed
to reduce redness and intensely moisturise dry skin. This
super-hydrating wonder cream doubles up as a regular
moisturiser – perfect for when you’ve spent a few too many
hours on deck without sunscreen.MORE GREAT
GROOMING KIT:
boatinternational.
# com/mens-groomingSmooth talking
Facial hair has definitely had its day.
Fortunately, it’s easy to make the cut,
says Teo van den BroekeESHAVE
Pre-shave oil,
£13.50 for 56g,
mankind.co.ukDIOR
Eau Sauvage shaving
foam, £21 for 200ml,
houseoffraser.co.ukBLEU DE CHANEL
Shaving cream,
£38 for 100ml,
+ 44 20 7493 3836KIEHL’S
Razor Bump Relief,
£26.50 for 125ml,
kiehls.co.ukESHAVE
Alum block,
£15.30 for 100g,
mankind.co.ukACQUA DI PARMA
Collezione Barbiere
Razor, £367,
acquadiparma.comChampagne Taittinger has just bought
69 hectares of prime, English sparkling
wine-producing land in Kent. Kingscote
Estate in West Sussex is also up for
sale, complete with six-hectare vineyard
(producing 100,000 bottles a year)
and 15th century barn, for £4.5m.
For the same price, one could buy...A successful Bordeaux
estate dating back to
the 8th century. On the
Gironde river, it comprises
34 hectares of vines, a six-
bedroom chartreuse and
a fully functioning winery.
maxwellstorriebaynes.com450 Founder’s Casks of
Arbikie single malt whisky,
a limited first release from
Arbikie Highland Estate
near Arbroath. It’s a great
investment – and is exempt
from UK capital gains tax.
frw.co.uk/arbikie12,857 magnums of 2004
Dom Pérignon Champagne.
They might make rather
more Dom Pérignon than
they care to admit, but Moët
& Chandon’s prestige cuvée
is up there with the very
finest Champagnes. bbr.comWINONOMICS