An urbane blog on latest happenings around the world with special bias for Nigeria and africa. We also do brand promotions and publicity.
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Tips on Men's Perfumes
A distinct scent for a man is a necessity these days. It’s a scent-based signature that’s lingers on everything you wear, and stays in the minds of everyone you meet. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. You’d be surprised at the kinds of compliments you can get once you stop smelling like beer and spray-deodorant and move on to something with a little more depth.
With that in mind, we put together a list of things to be on the lookout for with respect to colognes and perfumes. From picking to wearing cologne for yourself.
Picking A Scent
When picking a scent, one of the
first things to consider is personal style and image. Try a few different
scents and figure out what impression each one gives, and if it’s true to your
own style. It’s also wise to go out and smell various colognes, write down your
first impressions and top three, and then return on another occasion. Your
sense of smell is easily overwhelmed at the perfume counter, and a break is
essential to discerning what scents have a lasting impression on you over time.
Stores keep tester cards for you to
blast with cologne so you can get a sample without leaving the store smelling
like you fell into a vat of the stuff. Similarly, many places keep coffee beans
around, as coffee acts as a palette refresher – a sort of reset button for your
nose.
Your sense of smell is easily
overwhelmed at the perfume counter, and a break is essential to discerning what
scents have a lasting impression on you over time
Once you’ve found a few you like,
test them on your own skin. This is an important step, as colognes interact
with your sweat, your body heat, and your individual body chemistry. There’s no
telling how any single cologne might smell while you’re wearing it.
Wearing Your New Scent
One of the most common problems with
men and cologne is an utter cluelessness when it comes to how to apply it.
Stick to the following tips and you’ll be fine:
- Our publisher prefers one single spray, but our editor has an entire cologne strategy. Two on the chest, one on the wrist, one on the neck.
- The wrist and neck are ‘pulse points’ where your body generates the most heat, and the cologne will emanate outward from your body.
- Cologne worn on the chest is kept away from the air, and will linger throughout the day and night.
- Don’t hit yourself again if you can’t smell it. That’s the idea. It’s only supposed to be noticeable once you get up close and personal. Your sense of smell is weakest after waking up, so be careful with overzealous application.
- Give yourself a quick refresher in the late afternoon if your cologne is fading and you think it’s going to be a long night. One spray ought to do it.
- Don’t wear a powerfully scented deodorant with your cologne. Conflicting scents or unexpected interactions can smell unpleasant.
- In the summertime, the combination of heat and sweat greatly amplifies the smell of your cologne; apply sparingly on those hot days.
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES from P-SQUARE Mum's Burial
Pop Twin stars Psquare today, Thursday,
August 2, 2012 laid their mother Josephine Okoye to rest at her
Ifite-Dunu house, Akwa Village, Anambra State.
The burial ceremony was preceded by
a church service at St.. Gabriel Catholic Church after a lying-in-state
which took place at Umunachi, Umudioka Village, Anambra State.
Also in attendance were the twins’
father, elder brother Jude Okoye and other siblings. Square Records’ act
May D was also present.
Glo Presents The Big Friday Show in Episode 7
Yori Yori crooners, Bracket, and up-coming music sensation Emzo were the main attractions as Episode 7 of Glo Presents The Big Friday Show went on air on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and Silverbird TV on Friday.
The
duo of Vast and Smash who make up Bracket were the Celebrity Guests of
the Week on the show which viewers will also have the opportunity of
watching on African Independent Television (AIT) where it runs on
Wednesdays at 9.30 p.m. It was a highly entertaining encounter as the
duo took their fans into their world of music, their relatively short
but very eventful musical career, their fame and fortune.
Hosted
by popular comedian and Globacom ambassador, Basketmouth, The Big
Friday Show has fast become a regular fixture for Nigeria’s hottest
talents. Among the top celebrities who have so far featured in Series 2
of the show are musicians P-Square, Banky W, Wizkid, Skales, Timaya
(a.k.a. “The Egberipapa of Bayelsa”) and King of Zanga Durella. Others
are DJ Excusive, comedian Bovi and Nollywood stars Desmond Elliot, Uche
Jombo and Funke Akindele.
The Episode also featured EMZO as the up-coming artiste for the week, after Kamar in Episode 5. EMZO was given a task/studio challenge to complete in order to earn a five-minute window on the show to sell himself. Other up-coming artistes who have so far been featured on the show are Shun Don, DIZZY, E’nelly and M-FLOW.
There was also the usual Vlog segment brought by hot Vlogger Stephanie.
Stephanie ran through a sizzling gist of what was new and hot in the
entertainment world. In her usual vivid and racy manner, she toured
round the showbiz world in five minutes.
The
other segments in this week’s show included the ASK/REPLY segment where
Glo subscribers sent in questions to Bracket via SMS and got responses
and the hilarious WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?
The Big Friday Show also offers viewers an opportunity to prank their friends by sending in their pranked video by MMS or uploading it on Facebook and the funniest clips will be played on the show. The overall best ‘Prank’d’ clip will stand a chance to win a grand prize of US $2000 (about N320,000) at the end of the quarter.
Friday, 27 July 2012
Avoid Shaving Bumps
Stop the Shaving Bump Cycle
You've got a big day at the office, or maybe a big date. Who wants to go with a face full of shaving bumps? Shaving bumps can be a vicious cycle that luckily can be avoided by using proper tools and technique. Taking the time to learn the proper way to shave will give you the freedom of being shaving bump free.If you're like many men, you've been led to believe that in order to get the best shave, you need a monster of a razor with as many blades as you can get. You also need to shave against the grain and push awfully hard to
get a smooth shave, right? Forget everything you've been taught, and let's start from the beginning.
Picking a Razor
When you're standing in the razor isle, you can't help but notice that there's a bit of a competition within razor companies - Who can create the razor with the most blades and the highest price? Along with extra blades comes of course, extra price. But did you know that you don't need, nor should you want all of those extra blades. Razors with too many blades can actually be the cause of your shaving bumps.
When you're picking a razor, look for a high quality double or triple blade razor. Ones with disposable heads are typically higher quality than disposable razors. (Never shave your face with a single blade disposable razor.)
You might think about getting an old-fashioned straight blade like your grandpa probably had. Corey Greenberg from MSNBC tells us it's the best way to get a close shave. Sure, it's a different technique, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a better razor for your face.
Shaving Cream? Shaving Oil? Just Hot Water?
In order to get a close shave, you need water, and lots of it. Many men stand in front of the mirror and splash their face with a bit of water before adding on shaving cream. Ouch.
If you want a close, comfortable shave, get a fog resistant mirror and put it in your shower. By giving your face time to soak in hot water and steam, your razor will glide, not drag, across your face. If you can't shave in the shower, shave after your shower for best results.
Try using a shaving oil, like Pacific Shaving Oil for a smooth shave. (buy direct). A few drops is all you'll need for your whole face. You can use an oil alone, or apply it under your shave cream for more protection against bumps. Avoid the cheap-o creams that you find at the drugstore which can dehydrate your skin, making it more prone to nicks and cuts. Try a moisturizing shaving cream like Zirh's Shave Cream, which contains aloe vera to soothe your face. (buy direct)
Get a Brush
When you use a shaving brush to apply your shaving oil or shaving cream, you're literally lifting the hairs on your face, preparing them for the shave. Simply rubbing cream on your face doesn't give each hair ample attention. The Body Shop has a fantastically soft men's shaving brush that is cruelty-free and extremely budget friendly. (buy direct).
Don't Forget to Exfoliate
Exfoliating might not be in your skin care regimen, but if you get shaving bumps, you're going to want to add it. Simply use a facial exfoliator 2-3 times a week to buff away the dead skin cells that your hair grows back into. By removing the layer of dead skin on a regular basis, you'll see a vast improvement in your shaving bump situation.
After you wash your face, simply massage in a grainy facial exfoliator for a minute or two with gentle circular motions. Ole Henriksen's Walnut Complexion Scrub gets fantastic reviews for men with all skin types. (buy direct).
Another option is to use a moisturizer each morning with AHA's in it. Because AHA's will naturally exfoliate your skin, this will eliminate the need for the extra exfoliating step. My favorite men's face moisturizer with AHA's is Anthony Logistics for Men: Facial Moisturizer SPF 15. (buy direct) It will moisturize, naturally exfoliate and protect your face against the sun.
Final Thoughts
There are products made just for shaving bumps. Tend Skin is the most popular and well-known, (buy direct) but many men's skin care lines carry a product that is similar to Tend Skin. Know that these are extremely effective, but if you use them, you should skip the AHA exfoliator, as this also has AHA's in them. While on the pricey side, you only need to use a tiny bit on a cotton ball over your entire face. A couple users reported that the bottle has lasted an entire year. You would use this product after you shave to reduce or many times eliminate your shaving bumps altogether.
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