11 best grooming gifts for him
Give the blokes in your life some little luxuries to help them look their best over the festive period
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Your support makes all the difference.From gym bag essentials, beard grooming gifts and candles, to fragrances, wash bags and anti-agers, here's our pick of the best beauty for men.
1. Elemis Wandering Star for Him: £40, Elemis
Full of travel-sized skincare essentials, this set is a one stop shop for great skin and includes five luxury Elemis products, all contained in a handy wash bag with one large compartment and smaller side pockets. The facial wash keeps pores clear and complexion smooth; the shave gel soothes skin prone to irritation in winter months; the moisturiser hydrates dry winter skin; the shower gel is an ideal morning pick-me-up; and the refreshing gel, with cooling camphor and menthol, soothing arnica and witch hazel, works wonders on muscle tension across the shoulders, neck and temples.
2. Legna London Candle in Unity: £40, Legna
These sumptuous candles, created with men in mind, are available in three masculine scents. The calming, earthy “Wisdom” has notes of leather, tobacco, spices, vetivert, cedar and musk, while the majestic “Strength” is smoky, woody and mossy. But our favourite is the spicy “Unity”, which blends pink pepper, cardamom, frankincense, clove and patchouli. Each has a very respectable 40 hours of burn time and comes in a beautiful black glass votive.
3. The Max Lab Series Aspinal Deluxe Set: £150, Lab Series
This, the Rolls Royce of grooming gifts, is actually rather good value for money as it contains four full-sized, high-end Lab Series skincare products. And it all comes presented in a beautiful Aspinal of London wash bag, made from textured Italian calf leather and lined with silk. Inside you’ll find some hardworking anti-ageing products – a serum, a cleanser and two creams – which give brighter, more youthful-looking complexions.
4. M&S Star Wars Darth Vader Bath Foam: £4.50 for 250ml, Marks & Spencer
You're never too old for a Darth Vader bubble bath. For Stars Wars fans this knocks the socks off the Matey Bubbles we all got for Christmas in the 1980s. The twist off lid is Darth's helmet, making this a fun, inexpensive product. That said, the scent is surprisingly luxurious and it's BUAV-approved, so completely cruelty free.
5. ESPA Men's Skincare Survival Kit: £40, John Lewis
Here we have four hardworking, grooming essentials all wrapped up in an industrial tin. The face wash and shower gel refresh and perk up the skin first thing in the morning. The so-called shave mud, a deep cleansing mask which draws out impurities for clearer skin, is also packed with shea butter and almond oils to prevent razor burn for a smooth, glide-on shave. There’s also a lightweight, skin-quenching moisturiser, which calms irritated post-shave complexions.
6. Molton Brown Re-charge Black Pepper Sport Body Gift Set: £38, Molton Brown
This grooming duo blends an invigorating, warming mix of cardamom, jasmine, cedarwood and sichuan pepper. Keep fresh all day with the deodorant, while the multi-tasking, four-in-one body wash can be used as a face, hair and body wash – or, lather up for a little longer and use as a rich shaving foam.
7. Aramis Blockbuster Gift Set: £85, Boots
This sumptuous leather gift box contains aftershave, eau de toilette, a deodorant stick, after-shave balm and body shampoo, all in the classic Aramis fragrance of bergamot, citrus, patchouli, sandalwood and leather.
8. Dr Hauschka Uplifting Lemon Kit: £11, Dr Hauschka
With the invigorating scent of lemongrass, this natural, organic range will put a spring in his step. The set includes body wash, bath essence, body oil and body milk in handy gym bag-sized bottles.
9. L'Oreal Paris Men Expert Barber Shop Grooming Collection: £12.50, Amazon
For beard-sporting hipsters, this is the ultimate gift. Packed with beard grooming essentials to keep him glossy and groomed, including skin and stubble face wash and moisturiser, shave gel, a beard comb, anti-perspirant and shower gel.
10. ClarinsMen Hydration & Cleansing Essentials: £36, Clarins
Packed with some of Clarins luxurious best-sellers, this is a complete skincare routine and contains super moisture balm, exfoliating cleanser, anti-fatigue eye serum and smooth shave.
11. Jack Black The Jack Pack: £49, Mankind
Renowned for producing lightweight, non-greasy grooming products, this US skincare brand is also free from fragrance, colourants, sulfates and animal cruelty. Healing botanicals, herbs and plant extracts make this a go-to range for natural beauty fans. The set includes a facial cleanser, shave lather, body lotion, face moisturiser and a bar of soap.
The Verdict: Elemis Wandering Star for Him
No one is ever too old for Darth Vader bubble bath, the Aspinal Lab Series set is unadulterated luxury, while the Legna London Candle fragrance is simply stunning. But the Elemis Wandering Star for Him is our pick, as it's such a great buy for all his daily skincare essentials and comes with a smart wash bag.