Pride & groom

Looking at the personal care lines that are launched on a regular basis, if there’s one area that’s rapidly growing globally but had previously been neglected, it’s lines specifically designed for men. In the past, what we saw, more often than not, were men’s grooming products that were mere extensions of fragrance lines or shaving lines.

But creating a complete men’s personal care line that will find wide acceptance is not that simple a matter. You can break down men’s line into four basic areas – face, shave, body and hair; but there are still basic "attitude" stumbling blocks that have to be overcome. By nature, most men don’t wish to show their vain side – the false pride of machismo. Notions of being "natural," of aging gracefully, persist in placing basic concerns about aging and skin condition "in the closet." To go to the cosmetics floor of Rustan’s, or enter the Beauty Bar or Essenses, and leave with purchases and a shopping bag is still put into the realm of traumatic for a number of men, marking them as "vanidoso" or even effeminate.

Yet, if you put it to them, vanity is really as natural as breathing for the vast majority. Aging male baby boomers and long in the tooth Generation X’ers are conscious of signs of aging, of thinning hair and expanding foreheads (Read: receding hairlines), of "spare tires" and love handles, of double and triple chins, and spider-web lines around the eyes. What then becomes crucial for the commercial success of men’s lines are formulations and packaging (functional, never fancy). And of course, it helps to have the wife or girlfriend act as "designated shopper."

One of the most successful lines in the US today is Anthony Logistics for Men, now available at the Beauty Bar (SSI has eight locations dotting Metro Manila). Clearly marked that it’s for men, utilizing various nature-based ingredients, relatively fragrance free and multifunctional, it’s taken men’s lines into the 21st century. Developed by Anthony Sosnick and launched in Fall 2000, the products cover cleansing and toning (skin and hair), shaving and moisturizing. New lines roll out, such as Anthony Sports and Anthony Sun Care, expanding the core product line.

A percentage of sales of Anthony Logistics products are donated to charity to support The Fight Against Prostate Cancer, as highlighted by the Fight’s blue ribbon that’s prominently displayed on their boxes. I’ve tried and can recommend their Algae Facial Cleanser, the All Purpose Facial Moisturizer and the Eye Cream. The cleanser (Algae to cleanse and refresh, glycerin to moisturize and aloe to heal) leaves a very fresh clean feel, with none of the scents normally associated with other perfumed or soap-based cleansers. The All Purpose serves for both daytime and nightly application (Vitamins A, C and E to nourish, sugarcane, lemon and orange extracts to help prevent wrinkles). The natural ingredients of the Eye Cream are green tea to reduce puffiness, cucumber extract to soothe, shea butter to smooth, and wheat protein and Vitamin E to tighten and moisturize.

From the European side of things, Rustan’s carries the Clarins Line for Men. I’ve not had the chance to try this line, but the Clarins name bespeaks assured quality and extensive testing.

The fundamental thing is that one now sees to what extent these lines are conceptualized with the male psyche given full consideration. Beyond the products’ efficacy, one has to hurdle the pride and prejudice of male grooming.

Bermudez Grass Grows Greener

Public radar perception of Patricia "Shaan" Bermudez may be limited to her spunky, vivacious hosting chores and sportscasting for the PBA. And if you’re the type who follows the marriage roundabout of celebrities and personalities, you may also be aware that come Jan. 1, 2004, Shaan and PBA star Vince Hizon are to wed in the United States. What most may not know is that Shaan is a firm believer in making charity work to make the grass on her side of the fence that much more greener.

As head of the Everyday Is Your Birthday Foundation (EIYBF), Shaan has made her last three birthdays extra special, not just for herself, but for a host of orphans and the less fortunate as well. The concept is really simple: taking a venue like the Cuneta Astrodome, Shaan turns the afternoon into a day of fun games and activities for kids from institutions such as the Hospicio de San Jose, Jesus Loves the Little Children and White Cross for Children. They’re brought in by bus, and compete to win books, computers, toys and educational tools for their respective orphanages. This year, they even had a mini-concert, and had fun watching personalities like Dodot and Mikee Jaworski, Marc Nelson, and basketball players from San Miguel and Red Bull join them in the games.

Enlisting the help of generous sponsors, Shaan got the nod from several companies. Talk N’ Text, McDonald’s, Nestle, Teriyaki Boy, And1, Black and Decker, Goodwill Bookstore, Cartoon Network, Timex, K-Zone, Art Cakes, Bacolod Chicken, FedEx, the other PBA teams – they all pitched in to make the afternoon a very special one for Shaan and the kids.

With EIYBF, Shaan is out to show that donating isn’t just about giving money, signing a check, or having your driver bring goods to some designated address. Charity can also be about giving your time, seeing first hand the smiles on the faces of those you’ve brought a little joy to.

This idea of volunteerism is couched in Shaan’s and Vince’s new project of "12 Butterflies." Similar in spirit to the film Pay it Forward; they’re now looking for people willing to spend their birthdays with street kids, orphans or sick kids. EIYBF will help organize this, and all one has to do is call 0917-8477424 or type SHAAN or VINCE and send it to 2978 (Globe) or 326 (Smart), or e-mail everydayisyourbirthday@hotmail.com.

(E-mail me at peopleasia@qinet.net)