Get a male perspective on Beauty Day!

Christmas, it seems, is once again just around the corner, and no matter how much I try each year to get ahead of myself I always start off well but then flounder. This year is no exception.

Plans are made for advance reconnaissance missions in the shops and strategic chats with friends and family containing conversational traps to get them to inadvertently tell me what they would hope to get in their stocking for Christmas. As cunning as I am, it is inevitably me who is the weak link in the plan.

The other side of this coin is also that I never really know what I want for myself. So, when the inevitable question comes, “what do you want for Christmas?” I obfuscate, deflect and side-step as much as possible until my family become totally frustrated with me and loose all patience.

This year, the same situation has arisen, so I am determined to give them a little heads up to ease those festive frustrations for which I am invariably responsible on an annual bases.

We have our QVC beauty day coming up on 5th December and that got me thinking about gifts I would like to get my hands on and with which I would like to pamper and care for myself. Let’s be honest, most men actually do like to look after their skin and enjoy the feeling of it when it is soft and smooth and well-moisturised, I know I do. Most men probably won’t tell you that, though.

Then I thought it might be helpful for you to know what I might pick across our beauty brands on our beauty day if you are shopping for men in your life, as I am told, repeatedly, we (or probably just me) are hard to buy for. So here goes:

Elemis Men’s 4 piece Gift of Great Grooming
Of course, this has to be on my list because let’s face it, I can’t deny that I like to be well presented and well groomed (even when I had my beard, I kept it trimmed and tidy).

This four-piece collection is a complete four-step skincare routine that is easy to use and maintain, and the packaging is understated and masculine so there’s no worries about using it in the locker room after the gym or training and being worried about what the other guys might say (frankly, who cares what they say because you’ll be the one looking great, but, hey, these things matter to some people!).

This kit is suitable for men of both the clean shaven and the bearded variety, with a choice of either the Ice Cool Foaming Gel (which is on my brother’s Christmas list every year) or the Shave and Beard Oil (this oil can be used for shaving but can also be used as a beard oil to keep those bristles silky smooth and moisturised).

With your Deep Cleanse Facial Wash, Daily Moisture Boost and Sharp Shower Body Wash also included, along with an Elemis branded washbag, it’s a complete gift all in one that many of the men in the family would be happy with. That’s why it’s going on my list!

Clinique For Men Shave And Moisturise Duo
A shave and moisturise set that’s smart, masculine and effective from the Number 1 Prestige Men’s Skincare brand in the UK. A brand, and a gift, you can be proud to give.

The shave foam has an aloe vera base, which provides great glide and moisture and helps to minimise any irritation, followed by an anti-age moisturiser that’s been designed for men and their skin, so if you’ve noticed your own anti-ageing cream is starting disappear more quickly (even though he may deny using it), here’s one just for him!

Shay & Blue Fragrance
Those of you who know me well know that fragrance is one of my most important things in life, not just in my ‘beauty’ routine. I am very connected to fragrance – it really affects me greatly, specifically, personal fragrance.

I’ve been a fan of Shay & Blue since the first time I met Dom DeVetta, the founder of the brand, and we chatted about my love of fragrance and as I told him what I was wearing that day from a very well-known and loved fragrance house, he rather humbly acknowledged that he was the nose responsible for creating that fragrance.

One of the Shay & Blue fragrance on my list this Christmas will be Oud Alif. Handcrafted using real fruits, flowers and spices blended with softwoods, patchouli and the deep aromatic notes of oud agarwood. This fragrance is smokey, sensual and luxurious. The notes of eastern mystery that first envelope you come from the oud itself, carried on an undercurrent of sweet dark chocolate and then gradually revealing luxurious notes of leather and patchouli.

This fragrance is perfect for your man to wear when you want to curl up close and snuggle in tight. It has a masculine, yet slightly musky and sensual presence that will leave you wanting more. So much so, I would say you may even end up popping a spritz of it on yourself whenever you want to feel near to him. A gift for both you.

There will be a full hour of Shay & Blue at 8pm on the day.

There is so much coming up across beauty day that isn’t just for men’s gifting, but I hope that’s a couple of ideas for you if you’re struggling with ideas for the men in your life.

The whole day will kick off at 9pm on 4th December, with a Today’s Special value from Laura Geller that will be available throughout the day. It’s a five-piece Holiday Collection, perfect for you and the party season or as a gift for the girls in your life who love to get glammed up.

On Beauty Day itself, I will be presenting the 9pm show and launching another beauty Today’s Special Value that is the StylePro Original with the 500ml Brush Cleaner. A great piece of kit that really quickly and easily cleanses your makeup brushes, which is so important for maintaining good skin hygiene.

Invented by Tom Pellereau, he has designed this to clean and dry your brushes really quickly as it spins the brushes at high speed, doing the whole job in about 30 seconds! So please do join me for that at 9pm on Beauty Day 5th December!

Hope to see you in Beauty Day 5th December. Happy Shopping.

Miceal Xxx