Simons 5 tips

for the autumn

Gents barber Simon's 5 tips for autumn!

MOISTURISING AFTERSHAVE

Proraso's Sandalwood & Shea Oil After Shave Balm not only has a nice scent with creamy sandalwood, but this balm contains shea butter that moisturises the skin a little extra. Good to think about when autumn sweeps in with chilly winds and dries out the skin.

THE MUST-HAVE PRODUCT IN THE BATHROOM CABINET

The alum stone is one of my top recommendations. No, I'm not worried that you'll accidentally slip with your tools, it's simply good to have on hand at home. But why the stone and not a simple ‘stick’? Well after you have finished shaving, rinsed your face with a little cooler water, rinse the stone and drag it over the shaved areas. This will close any microscopic wounds. It may sting a little, but this is often because you have been too aggressive with your skin. Hence, you can learn from where you tend to be too aggressive with the razor. The stone has several functions but it mainly helps with razor burn, cuts and irritations.

How to use it

After shaving - rinse your face and the stone in slightly cool water. Drag the stone over the shaving areas and let the skin breathe for 30-60 seconds. Wipe the stone away from moisture so it doesn't pulverise. After a minute, rinse your face in cold water and apply after-shave balm. It might make the whole ceremony a few minutes longer but the result is unbeatable!

LOOK AFTER YOUR HAIR

As I mentioned before, moisturising is important in autumn. This also applies to the hair and skin on top of the head. Keep using a good styling product, but check your shampoo and conditioning products. Many people can have a drier scalp during the colder period of the year so a tip is to try a new shampoo, such as Truefitt & Hill's coconut shampoo which is softening and kind to both your scalp and hair.

Or are you planning to grow your hair over the next few months to achieve a longer style? Then a conditioner may be in order for your hair to stay nice. The conditioner is mainly made for the ends of the hair so they don't dry out and become split. 

FOR THE GENTLEMAN WITH A LONG BEARD

 For the gentleman with a long beard, a tip is salt water spray, such as Mr Bear Family's Grooming Spray. Their spray contains witch hazel and aloe vera, which is beneficial for both the hair and the skin. Brush through the beard and possibly blow-dry it in place and this will lay down just like a kinder styling product. It may not stand up to the harshest winds, but it will keep your beard looking fresh and neat.

FOR SHORTER BEARDS

If you have a shorter beard (under 1cm), you usually do not need to style it as much, but here it is important to have fine lines - but also to keep the skin & hairs nice. So for you, I recommend an oil you like in terms of scent - do you want to smell a lot or do you want the perfume to stand for the scent? Proraso is known for its scents that are more than happy to take up space, while Sailor's has a pleasant scent that can be combined very nicely with a perfume, without them clashing with each other. A shaving gel can be good to have so that you can easily see where you shave and not take too much.