Okay, I have to be totally honest with the audience. I was a little hesitant to review this male grooming product. However, we should all be adults congregating here. And besides, male grooming is no longer a taboo subject that threatens a man’s masculinity. Right? The fact of the matter is this: No matter what part of the body we are discussing; a well-groomed area can be beneficial for both personal hygiene and appearance. In this particular case, we are discussing a gentleman’s private area. Trust me. Make any reference to harming anything in his groin region, and then watch that gentleman instantly clutch his thighs together in imaginary pain.
Therefore, I fully understand why blades vibrating at 6,200 RPMs near the nether region does not sound particularly desirable. Nevertheless, as I mentioned before, a well-groomed area (down there) has the potential to reduce odor and bacteria that cling to your overgrown manliness. And while I can’t promise a trimmer will transform you into an adult film star (Dirk Diggler anyone?), a trimmer can showcase you a little more and visually add some length – which could boost confidence and self-esteem. And if you happen to participate in relationships between consenting adults; your partner may be more inclined to travel downtown for some sightseeing and fun activities. So, here’s hoping I don’t get myself into a pickle and get the shaft from the company by nicking myself from a bad product. I’m doing this for you guys!
- First, let me address the huge elephant in the room – the branding. Yes, the branding is unbelievably juvenile worth a snicker or two. And yes, being a gentleman with young children in the home, I should not need to hide this boxed grooming product like a sex toy. Seriously, even sex toys arrive with more discreet packaging – not that I would know anything about that. Look, I just wish the presentation and overall branding was a little more modest. It did serve up a few light-hearted chuckles though.
- The trimmer is lightweight, sleek (5.9 inches), and easily fits inside the palm of your hand. If I did not know any better, I would surmise that the slightly contoured trimmer was phallic in design and presentation. I am certain that was no accident.
- The trimmer has a matte finish and is waterproof. I did not use it in a running shower, nevertheless, it was easy to grip doing usage. It was easy to handle, and clean-up was a quick rinse under the faucet (the blades don’t rust).
- Near the, um, head of the trimmer; it is equipped with a bright LED light that helps illuminate angles in hard to view areas. Combined with curved design, I found it very user-friendly while navigating and shaving. The ceramic blades have a removable guard that can be adjusted up to three lengths. The longest length really is not needed unless you have ZZ Top rocking at the bottom. You can take the guard off, but you better exhibit some patience along with a steady hand. This is not the type of routine one would want to rush through. With the guard on at the shortest possible length, the trimmer performed a serviceable job. You won’t be smooth like a dolphin, but you won’t have Bigfoot between your legs either.
- If I were to nitpick, I wish the cradle that holds the trimmer was a little more solid. I would not describe it as flimsy, but the trimmer does not feel quite as secure when positioned inside and could easily topple over. And the USB charging cord does not have a charging brick. This is a grooming tool meant for the bathroom, so my preference would be to have it plug directly into a wall socket. So, you will need to find a charging brick to use in conjunction with the charging cord. I am sure you don’t want to be charging this bad boy up from your laptop with tiny bits of hair finding its way on your keyboard.
- The company claims that a single blade is good for shaving approximately one gorilla, but this gentleman is unwilling to test that theory. Just be comforted that a replacement blade can be purchased for $24.00 on their website.
- The Balls Trimmer is competitively priced and is a competent grooming tool for men. It’s easy to use with the “sack-safe” guard providing reassurance that you won’t nick yourself. I managed to stay out of the emergency room during my test run. There are a few things I would change such as the trimmer cradle and USB charging cord, but it would depend on your own personal preference. That may not be a deal breaker for you. The company appears to be all in with the suggestive branding, but that may deter few from buying the product.
- MSRP $69.00 – Black Friday 25% off sitewide
- Included with trimmer: charging cable, cleaning brush, and trimmer cradle.
- Website link HERE
- Amazon link HERE
Life has been so surreal. At the start of the new year, I decided to slow my pace of writing. Previously, last autumn, I had decided to ramp up my blogging after months of intermittent activity. So I started fast and furious, but I needed to find some balance. There was absolutely no way, given the array of daily responsibilities, that I could maintain a writing pace that echoed my initial years of blogging. So I pumped the brakes. And then all hell broke loose in the form of a novel coronavirus and subsequent disease COVID-19. Everything was turned upon its head. I stopped blogging briefly. Life has been an adjustment. My employment is essential, and thankfully, I am able to work at home. My wife is in a similar position. School is canceled. So, we’re all sheltering in place at home. And of course, Michigan weather, as per normal, decided to dip into the high 30s with the occasional snow flurry in April. It has been hectic and challenging. Nevertheless, we are making it work the best that we can at the moment. And so, I am trying to incorporate a little normalcy back into my life by writing again.
Sometimes I like to stroll through the beauty department at a nearby shopping mall and sample various colognes on the market. On this particular day, my dedicated salesperson offered the latest offering from Mont Blanc – Explorer. She explained the scent was popular and was quite similar to Creed Aventus. I had not smelled Creed Aventus before, but the fragrance is insanely popular within the fragrance community. She also explained that Explorer could be purchased at a fraction of the cost of Aventus, as it retails for more than $300.00. So, I went home and performed some research. It appears that Creed enthusiasts, while not totally dismissing Explorer, labeled it a clone. Now, for the average gentleman that isn’t a fragrance aficionado, this opinion does not carry much weight. The average gentleman simply wants a scent that smells great, lasts long, and provides a great performance over the course of a day. And if his cologne is able to garner compliments from the general public or significant other, he will be rightly satisfied. Ironically, a fellow coworker was in the same spot one day, and she really liked Explorer. The choices were Mont Blanc Explorer Eau de Parfum and Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau de Toilette. She took samples of both to decide at home. We passed another colleague back at work, and she performed a blind smell test. She liked Mont Blanc Explorer as well. So, let’s jump into the details below, as this scent may be for you.
In the spirit of offering full transparency to the audience, the appearance of the Jack Black Charcoal Body Bar Massaging Soap gave me quite the full-stop pause. So, I can totally understand why a regular gentleman would take a hard pass on purchasing this odd-looking piece of bar soap. During shopping excursions for grooming and hygiene products, I never embraced the risk and purchased the Jack Black charcoal body bar offering. Sure, I was thoroughly impressed with the 
As a gentleman matures, so should – theoretically – his taste regarding grooming essentials. My grooming routine has continuously evolved over the course of the last decade. The only grooming products in my bathroom consisted of bar soap, lotion, deodorant, and toothpaste. Speaking of bar soap, it was not that long ago that bar soap served as an all-purpose combatant against dirt and grime. It was my shampoo. It was my face wash. It was my body wash. Nevertheless, I slowly began to realize that bar soap should not be deployed for so many grooming duties. I began to slowly experiment with facial cleansers specifically formulated to address dirt and promote healthy skin. Bar soap can be rough on a gentleman’s face. Besides, do you really want to use the same soap used on your nether regions to be applied to your face. If that does not sound great, check out Jesse Jimz Clean Slate. Touted to cleanse the skin of impurities, restore your skin’s pH level, and even out your complexion. Check out my thoughts below.
I’ve read the reviews online – the good, the bad, and the indifferent. And my conclusion was not a surprising one. Paco Rabanne Invictus is, without a shred of doubt, a polarizing scent. Not exactly sophisticated or intricate, it is a fun scent nonetheless. Perhaps the ubiquitous nature of its smell is what draws so much discontent. The notes have a common and familiar feel to them, nothing really stands out. Now, there is a saying: You can’t judge a book by its cover. Well, I was judging Invictus by its cologne flask. Opportunities have presented themselves many times for me to sample Invictus, but the presentation struck me as gaudy. Therefore, I associated tackiness with the potential of a cheap scent. Until finally, I surrendered and decided to give Invictus an honest assessment. Love it or hate it. Check out the details below.
Without a single doubt, my Monday through Friday morning routine is a fast-paced hustle of getting my children showered, dressed, fed, and off to school before I speed to work myself. Unfortunately, active sweat glands are not forgiving as I scamper to and fro, working up some healthy perspiration before I have to interact with the public. Arriving at the office sporting unsightly sweat stains is certainly not the gentleman’s standard. Therefore, it was not unusual for me to recruit the services of an oscillating fan at home or air conditioning in my car to mitigate the effect of my sweat glands working overtime – even in the winter. Sometimes I am successful, and other times, well, I hide in my cubicle with my desk fan until my shirt is sufficiently dry. But now I have a possible gamechanger, a product that promises to keep sweaty gentlemen like myself dry and odor-free. Thank goodness I never had an issue with odor. Arm & Hammer Invisible Spray Powder Body is the grooming under the spotlight today. Let’s review its performance and effectiveness below.
Regarding my wet shave, I don’t require much to satisfy modest expectations for a pleasant experience. At the top of my list of expectations is a close, smooth, irritation-free shave. Due to skin sensitivity, I never utilize a blade directly on my face – no matter what a brand guarantees in terms of touting an irritation, bump-free experience. I simply cannot take the risk. Therefore, I only shave my neck area just beneath my chin. This area isn’t nearly as sensitive as my face. Nevertheless, I still administer care as I shave because ingrown hairs are still a distinct possibility. Typically, I shave during a hot shower so my skin is soft and pliable, and I employ the usage of a good shave gel. The thicker and slicker the lather, the greater the barrier between the blade and my skin. Jesse Jimz Prime Cut – a shave oil I am current trialing – aims to eliminate the need for a shave gel altogether. Founded by Jesse Jimenez, Jesse Jimz is a premium line of skincare products for discerning gentlemen that desire more from their grooming products. Prime Cut is formulated with ingredients such as jojoba oil, vitamin E, and apricot kernel oil to help sooth and nourish the skin for an irritation-free wet shave. Without the presence of a robust lather, I was curious how my skin would react to just a shaving oil. Now, let’s talk performance.
The professional gentleman has always had a complicated, love-hate relationship with the concept of business casual. It is somewhat of an oxymoron is it not – business, yet casual? Business was business, and casual was casual. Nevertheless, the backend of the 20th century introduced an amalgamation of a business and casual option for gentlemen. Now the lines were strangely blurred. The ambiguity resulted in decades of indecisiveness regarding menswear and dress codes within the confines of corporate America. To be fair, there were some gentlemen that successfully navigated these new uncharted sartorial waters. Meanwhile, a bevy of others stumbled through the exercise quite literally with mixed outcomes.
To be absolutely certain, the Cole Haan ZeroGrand Stitchlite is ridiculously lightweight. In all seriousness, the accompanying shoebox literally feels empty when you pick it up. Why? Well, the ZeroGrand Stitchlite jettisons the leather, welt, cork, stacked heel, and whatever materials that lend weight to a gentleman’s shoe. Instead, the ZeroGrand Stitchlite employs construction that would generally be associated with an athletic sneaker. First, the Stitchlite’s upper is constructed with the following materials: 23% wool, 7% baby alpaca, 40% nylon, and 30% polyester. The fabric has incredible flexibility and breathability. It is water-resistant, but not waterproof.
After Donuts with Dad, I drove to the office to begin my workday. A quick word about the office: sitting at a desk all day can be hazardous to a gentleman’s health. A sedentary lifestyle in the office can lead to obesity, high pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Health experts recommend that a workforce trapped within the confines of a cubicle environment should dedicate time during the day for periodic standing and walking. It is not uncommon to see fellow colleagues switch out their standard dress shoes for sneakers as they take walk breaks during the workday. However, with the ZeroGrand, the requirement to switch shoes is all but eliminated. You can perform periodic walks around the office and look great in the process. Now, let’s dive a little deeper with what may be deemed as favorable or unfavorable for the gentleman.
