Personal grooming are not exclusive to the women and at this age and time, more men are ensuring that they are getting the same treatment for their own personal grooming need.
There is really nothing to be ashamed off with facial and personal grooming and as all of you know, I lead a very active life; swim, bike and running and I am constantly exposed to the element. I hardly use sun block or anything with SPF in them. Not because I think it’s not manly to use them but they are because I hate the feel of the sticky lotion on my face and how it will feel “blocked” on the pores and skin.
It felt like I am drowning in my own sweat.
So, with my skin (all 34 years of it) exposed to the element and also harsh air-conditioning 16hours a day (weekday in office, blowing at sub 23degree C) and to the chlorine, sun, wind, dust and chemical at other time, I am looking older than I actually am.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not in denial about growing old. I’ve been going for facial treatment with my family as long as I can remember and I still go to one when I find the time.
However, relying on facial treatment to “heal” damaged skin might not be ideal if one do not have the time.
My facial treatment regimes at home are what every man is doing.
Get into shower.
Wet the face.
Squeeze some facial washer (anything, even if it is your wife’s products) – make sure they aren’t toilet bowl cleaner.
Wash face.
Rinse.
And you are wondering why the break outs and why those ingrown hairs.
I first received some products from my short stint in Cleo magazine about 5 years back (don’t ask) and I was introduced to the Biotherm Aquapower moisturiser. It has what Biotherm call as Pure Thermal Plankton (PTP) and it was simply the best moisturiser I’ve ever used whenever my skin was under stress.
I am also using Boots facial cleanser that I usually get family or friends to get from the pharmacies in Bangkok whenever they are there for a holiday or work.
My regime is simple – just like any men would do.
When I found out that Biotherm released a new line of products for men (and hence, known as Biotherm Homme), I did not hesitate to go and find out what they are about.
The tricky things bout facial stuffs are usually how well they will suit your skin. Not everyone’s skin is the same and I can vouch for that. What sounded and worked wonder on someone you think have the same skin type as you might not work on you.
I have dry skin with oily T-zone (that is the area around my eyebrow and down my nose) – which are prone to breakouts whenever I am under stressed or over-stressed my skin with the elements.
Those that know me will know that I am Mr. Skeptical number one. I tend to try things and say it as it is and here is my take on Biotherm Homme’s stuff.
Product tested #1: High Recharge Energy Cleanser
The cleanser sort of reminds you of Neutrogena facial foam which appears as liquid but foam up when you press the nozzle. This facial cleanser holds a lot of potent ingredient and namely they are Pure Ginseng, Oligo-vitamins, and Pure Thermal Plankton (PTP) apart from the pressurized cleansing agent.
Again, I need to stress that this PTP is exclusive to Biotherm and the “therm” in the brand name refers to this PTP. PTP are found in the mineral water in Pryness, France and were believed to be able to rejuvenate the skin. PTP is found in every Biotherm products.
Being the user of the Aquapower, I can vouch for that. I use this after every hard swim, bike or run (or combination of the swim, bike AND run) I do. My face was never sunburned (though it’s normal for the batman eyes due to the shades I wear).
Being a long time user of Biotherm also meant that my skin should not overreact (read: break out) if I were to try any of their other products (again, PTP is found in every one of them – meaning, I have no allergy or bad reaction to them, YAY!).
Back to the High Recharge Energy Cleanser, I tried using it the first time four days ago and I simply love the textured gel that foam as you rubs between your hands. Don’t forget to wet your face first and slowly work the cleanser into your skin.
The smell is pleasant and something you won’t mind putting on your face without feeling all girly (look, some men has issues using products because they smell girly).
The gel is orangey colored and felt light. I felt a little tingling sensation as I rub the foam around my face. I believe if you can even use it as a shaving cream due to the consistency! In fact, the cleanser was meant to prepare your skin for shaving! Use it every morning and rinse with warm water and it should soften those manly stubbles and helps prevent ingrown hair too!
After rinsing off, I felt the skin clean. It is like when you wash your face and cleaned it with toner. To say it felt springy is over-rating it, but to say that it felt clean and soft, I believe, is the operative word here. You see, harsh cleanser strip all the oil off your face, leaving them clean AND tout. The tout feeling is a misleading way of thinking that the skin is clean when it is actually being dried while cleaning!
So, Step 1 ensured that your skin is Cleaned and remained soft!
Product rating (out of 5, with 5 being best): 4 (only because it has little smell, I wish my cleanser has stronger smell)
Usually, my cleansing regime does not go beyond washing the face with a cleanser. But with age catching up and with the need to maintain youthful-ness (and not to be called uncle), I think I need to move beyond a one-step affair la.
I’ve used up the facial cleanser within two months. Just be reminded that you only need about 20sen size of product to do magic.
Product tested #2: High Recharge Energy Splash.
Contrary to the product name, please do not splash the clear liquid onto your face, as in literally doing that. Instead, pour some onto a facial cotton (like how you would do with toner) and work it into the face. You can do this after shaving and use it as an aftershave that has subtle cologne smell to it.
The clear liquid feels cool to the skin and it does feel like it is soothing those tired skin. I have other aftershaves as well and you know how aftershaves feel like on raw-just-shaved-skin.
Nothing short of that “Macaulay Culkin Home Alone” feeling (I bet you wish you can scream like him too, just for the effect).
I could feel the Energy Splash works into the skin and it was grease-less. While some toner claims to “not have greasy feelings”, we all know that is not true. I am glad that this liquid remained as liquid and do not gives me the “drowning” feeling when it dries up. In fact, there wasn’t a hint of “layer” after it dries up.
The Energy Splash has Oligo-minerals, Vitamins, Pure Ginseng, Aspartic acid and PTP as the ingredient.
Product Rating: 5 (because no greasy feeling and smells good without making the next person think you bath in them!)
For the average man, this sort of sum up their facial need without going overboard. For me, this is adequate, but with my Aquapower running low, there is always no harm to try another product from the same range to see how it all comes together with constant use.
Product Tested #3: High Recharge Moisturising Concentrate
Woah! The name sounded over-promising. But judging by how well the first two product tested behaved, this third item might just live up to its name.
It has been two months since I’ve started using the whole set as a daily regime and a friend I see twice a year (once during Ironman, once when I go down to Kluang, somehow) commented on how “smooth and nice” my face looked. Coming from a guy, it could meant two things.
1. He is gay – which is unlikely as he is as hot blooded as the next male you can find.
2. He really meant it as as a triathelete that constantly expose the skin to the element, he knows how bad one could look with those sun damages and all.
I took it as compliment and I must say that this regime paid off.
High Recharge comes in white cream form and it is light to the touch. It smells like the other two but more subtle that the facial washer.
The consistency is akin to the Aquapower I am used to and the application is the same: do it morning and evening. There is no such thing as too much of a good thing to the face!
Apply in circular motion (if you are not sure, observe how your girlfriend, wife or mother does it) and let it rest.
The milky content dries up into your skin and again, I was surprised there wasn’t any greasiness. This is great!
I applied it to the boil that is growing and it doesn’t seem to irritate it a bit. In fact, after 4 days of usage, it doesn’t look as if it has aggravated the condition and I noticed there is no flaking skin anymore on the surface.
The High Recharge moisturiser acts like a “battery” that keeps all the goodies in the skin and used to restore the energy it needs to fight fatigue (or dull skin) and visible consequences (crow’s feet?)
This potent bottle carries Aspartic acid, White willow extract, Pure ginseng extract, Trace elements and mineral salts, Vitamins B5 (I believe this is what gives it “energy”) and C L30(meaning the vitamin C has a 30% bio-availability of L-Ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C for the non-chemist)
Product rating: 4.5 (because it feels like, works like and dries like something I’m used to: Aquapower).
As the moisturiser dries up on the face, I carried on through the day which typically meant working (on weekday) and helping wifey out during the weekend. That also meant the product are put to the test and I sweat.
Not a single instances that despite having three products used on my face every day, twice a day, which it felt greasy or oily. In fact, I felt that the facial oil were under control while the skin were adequately moisturized.
If you are as vain as me, you will know that the men’s skin will either dry up or have those open pores look or become overly oily like you can fry an egg on it under the hot sun.
Biotherm Homme performed as it should and as it promised.
The pricing/retail prices for the items above are as follow:
High Recharge Energy Cleanser: RM100
High Recharge Energy Splash: RM110
High Recharge Moisturising Concentrate: RM175
They are available at all Biotherm counter in major shopping complexes.
Parkson KLCC
Jusco Mid Valley
Metro MV
Jusco - 1 U
New Parkson - 1U
Pavillion Biotherm Kiosk
Parkson - Sunway
Parkson - Subang Parade
If you are unsure if your skin will react badly to the products, I believe the counter will have test samples you can bring home to try and then you could judge for yourselves if this product is the one you have been looking for.
The Biotherm Homme range is suitable for dry to combination skin type. Just drop by at the places above to help you to determine that.
Go try them and let me know what you think!
