Avoid Sunburn this Summer
June 21, 2010 by James
Filed under Grooming Solutions
Back when ladies and gentlemen ruled the Earth, translucent white skin was the pinnacle of natural beauty and elegance – anyone sporting a tan was assumed to work outside and therefore be much lower down the social strata, and so not worth thinking about.
In the second half of the 20th century, with the erosion of class divides and the growth of air travel, a tan was highly desirable, making most people look younger, less tired and generally much more attractive.
Following the ‘tanorexic’ pandemic of the late nineties / early noughties, we like to think that most Brits now have a sensible approach to tanning, getting colour in their face through light, restrained sun-worshipping rather than installing a sunbed in their lounge. But there are times when even this goes wrong, resulting in a red face and permanently damaged skin.
With the unpredictable weather that afflicts the UK, showers in the morning often result in clear blue skies and the potential for sunburn in the afternoon. Gents are more likely to suffer than women, simply because we are less inclined to put on a daily moisturiser with SPF protection. A light, non-greasy cream such as Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturiser can be used every day and contains SPF 20, so you don’t have to worry about being caught if the sun does decide to put his hat on.
Another scenario that catches a lot of guys out is sun exposure during or after exercise. Even a light jog or cycle around the park will result in manly perspiration, which combined with wiping down your face can result in the nullification of some sun creams. Using a water resistant lotion such as Brave Soldier’s Solar Shield will guarantee protection, no matter how hot and sweaty you get.
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JACK BLACK DOUBLE DUTY FACE MOISTURISER
The Murdock Guide to Winter Skincare
The ‘BIG FREEZE’ has gripped Britain, paralysing transport links, postponing sporting activity and generally causing mischief. In the midst of such ‘chaos’, skincare may well be low on your list of priorities, so here’s some handy advice to push it back up the agenda.
FACE
Taking care of your skin in the winter is crucial to looking alive and feeling just about human; it’s easy to neglect moisturising, especially when the mornings are cold and dark, and you minimise your grooming routine to try and squeeze that extra 15 minutes in bed.
Freezing temperatures and icy winds can dry out your skin in record time, leaving your face feeling tight and irritable and looking tired and worn. Regular moisturising (not just after shaving) will not only give you a nice luminous glow, but it will also make your face feel a lot more comfortable and relaxed, helping reduce stress and generally improving your life.
TRY: Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturiser
HANDS
It’s impossible to wear gloves ALL the time; eating, sleeping, toilet breaks… all occasions when gloves aren’t really appropriate. So to protect your hands 24/7, you really need to think about a hard-working hand cream.
Essential if you’re outdoors a lot, whether playing sport, maintaining the garden, or constantly smoking.
TRY: Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer
BODY
January is the month of resolutions and fitness drives, so it’s common to see a higher than usual amount of people pounding the pavements, cycling to work and generally keeping active. Unfortunately the cold weather means that going for a jog or a cycle can be fraught with danger; as well as icy pavements and dark street corners, one also has to consider the effects that extra exercise and extra layers will have on your comfort levels. Irritation and chafing can be a major hazard, so invest in an effective body moisturiser to keep everything working smoothly and painlessly.
TRY: Brave Soldier Friction Zone
A Touch of Portuguese Class
Confianca (or Saboaria e Perfumaria Confiança Sa to use the company’s full name) was established in 1894 in Braga, northern Portugal, and has grown from humble laundry soap manufacturer to world renowned producer of luxury soaps.
The brand was born as a reaction to Portugal’s reliance on imported soaps and perfumed goods. Within a few years Confianca found themselves on top of the domestic market, and with the financial clout to mass produce their own soaps and print their own labels. The original designs adhered to the Art Deco conventions of the 1930s and 40s, and soon became a massive part of the brand’s success.
Through the twentieth century Confianca grew steadily, producing toothpastes, creams, eau de colognes and medicinal soaps, often formulating brand new recipes and registering multiple patents. Essential oils, extra-fine extracts and other exotic ingredients were sourced from former Portuguese colonies around the globe, allowing Confianca to truly claim that they produced some of the best soaps in the world.
However as the consumerism of the 1980s took hold, the company began to proliferate their products again and again, creating bath gels, perfumes, shampoos and other goods outside of their comfort zone. After spreading themselves too thinly for a number of years, Confianca’s financial situation began to look perilous; fortunately for us, they decided to go back to doing what they do best; high quality soaps in a number of ranges.
Mining their vast and proud traditions, Confianca continue to use some of the original designs and packaging from their classic products whilst conserving their dedication to high quality.
Murdock have taken on their premier man’s range, the O Melhor line (means ‘The Best’ in Portuguese). From the beautiful and stylish packaging to the soft lather of the soap and the classical masculine fragrance, it’s obvious that Confianca really is a brand worth discovering.
Cold Weather Skincare
It's time to start thinking about (manly) cold weather skin protection. This week’s newsletter features the best products for keeping appearances up as temperatures drop.
This topsy turvy autumnal weather is a nightmare for lips. Sunny one minute, wind and rain the next, a sure-fire formula for chapping, cracking and general discomfort. Conventionally lip balms and salves are the domain of women-folk; what with their similarities with lip sticks and lip glosses it was best for blokes to steer clear or settle for a lump of good old Vaseline.
But not anymore; at Murdock we’ve got a burgeoning collection of resolutely masculine and effective lip balms. There’s the DR Harris Lip Balm with cocoa butter and a luxurious texture for the traditionalists, Brave Soldier Lip Defender for the more action-orientated gentleman, or Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 for anyone who likes to mix all-natural ingredients with top-quality protection.
Okay, so maybe, as a modern man, lip balms have been part of your armoury for years, but what about hand cream? Ladies have had dedicated hand creams for decades, but only recently have us fellas come round to the idea of keeping our fingers, knuckles and palms in good shape.
The Jack Black Hand Healer is another cracking product from across the pond; using all natural ingredients and an appreciation for simple and effective skincare this unfussy product does a great job at soothing dry or damaged hands. Particular good for anyone who works or plays outdoors or goes to the gym frequently and suffers from callused hands.
Popular as ever, DR Harris’ Arlington range has been flying off the shelves this summer. In fact, these traditionally great products have been so in-demand that we were more or less sold out for a few weeks. But don’t worry, our stock levels have been fully renewed so we can once again offer classic skincare and shaving must-haves like the DR Harris Crystal Eye Gel, Almond Oil, Arlington Pre-Shave and Arlington Shaving Cream.
Fighting Talk
Brave Soldier is undoubtedly one of Murdock’s favourite skincare brands, coupling the highest quality protection and care with a real appreciation of the needs of the modern man. The brand have successfully managed to blur the line between high end grooming products and the essential pieces of kit that any active urban warrior needs to stay comfortable and protected.
We’re talking about the obligatory flawless skincare and effective post shave maintenance, but also moisturising sun block, anti-chafing body lotion and specially tailored first aid packs for cycling enthusiasts.
Originating from the hot roads of Southern California, the Brave Soldier range is the brain child of Dr. Ezra Kest, successful dermatologist and endlessly keen adventure-athlete. This blend of professional skincare and slightly less-professional outdoor pursuits is the bedrock of the brand, which soon found an appreciative clientele. The initial aim was to create a product that would help ‘road rash’, the extremely painful grazing that occurs when you fall off a bike at high speeds, heal quicker and reduce scarring.
Nowadays, the product range is broader than the initial healing balms, but the appreciation for natural ingredients and cutting edge dermatological science remains.
Check out the Brave Soldier range online or instore at Murdock this summer.
Baxter of California
The Murdock online store continues to expand with a classy new skincare range from across the pond; Baxter of California.
ZIRH is Here
As much as we at Murdock respect and value traditional brands such as DR Harris and Acqua di Genova, we are aware of the importance of progress. With this in mind we’ve been after a high performance, modern range for a while, and we’ve finally found it in American brand Zirh. For over 12 years, Zirh have been producing great shaving and grooming products using the latest in skincare technology.
The success of Zirh lies in the simplicity and quality of their products, with individual items tailored for each area of the modern man’s grooming regime. While the packaging may seem slightly at odds with some of the more traditional aspects of a barbers like Murdock, we can ensure you that the products stay true to our core values of high quality and peerless service.
Introducing Jack Black…
If Zirh is a grooming range from the future sent to protect men’s skin from harm, then Jack Black is a just a regular guy who believes he deserves the very best modern life has to offer. Eschewing over-complex science-talk or an obsession with elaborate fragrances, Jack Black likes to keep things simple.
Another brand originating from America, Jack Black offers fuss free grooming, real solutions and visible results. Multi-functional products such as the All-Over Wash make grooming convenient and portable without compromising quality. The Intense Therapy Lip Balm and Industrial Strength Hand Healer give serve more specific purposes, but with the same ease-of-use and portability that comes with quick application and absorption.
A Brush with Greatness
July 2, 2009 by James
Filed under Facial Hair
Murdock explain the benefits and the subtleties of the badger hair shaving brush.
Fitness: Avoiding Discomfort
Keeping fit and active is an important area of any man’s life, it’s integral for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. However, as any sportsman or athlete, top professional or lowly amateur, will tell you, it’s all too easy to suffer injury or affliction that can not only prevent future exertion but diminish your present level of comfort. With this in mind, and the knowledge that prevention is always better than the cure, any sensible man should invest in as many precautionary products as he can find.
When contemplating the plethora of sporting injuries you could suffer with, it is unlikely that severe chafing is the first and most horrendous grievance to spring to mind. Yet this simple and unglamorous problem can cause intense and life-restricting pain, especially if it is the all-too-common crotch chafing which has struck you down. But fear not! For there are always simple solutions to such problems, and with Friction Zone by Brave Soldier you will never have to worry about a sore groin area or bleeding nipples ever again, well not unless that’s your predilection. The water and sweat resistant formula makes Friction Zone perfect for anyone participating in activities ranging from distance-running, cycling, surfing or any other event where bare skin will be subjected to the elements. With summer approaching, there's no better time to give the gift of comfort and skin protection; together we can make chafing history.
Avoid unnecessary pain when exercising with Friction Zone by Brave Soldier
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