Author Archives: marc

Some Christmas present ideas for men. I’ve tried to keep the whole “soap and socks” element minimal, but there are some really very smart-looking shave and grooming kits about this year and it seemed a shame not to include them! I particularly like the tattoo care set from Billy Jealousy because it’s something a bit different – I have no idea if using a special wash on your tattoos would make them look any more vibrant or whatever it’s supposed to do, but it’s sort of novel and I like the packaging.

I’ve tried to put in a little something for everyone in this video – book suggestions, toasty slippers, electronics and some extremely warm and cuddly cashmere – and so I hope that you find it useful. I struggle every year with buying man stuff at Christmas, so if this saves you a few hours of trawling then I will be pleased to have been of service.

More Christmas ideas…

As always, there’s a list of products underneath the video screen if you want to cheat and skip the main feature. Although you might quite like this video – I brush my hair with a beetle brush and have a mini-perv over David Gandy’s arms.

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Earlier in the year I wrote about Chanel’s amazing Les Exclusifs; highly concentrated perfumes in teeny, beautifully-crafted glass flacons with perfectly formed stoppers and chic, minimalist labelling. Just a few drops of these special perfumes and you’re scented for days; Beige stayed on, if I remember rightly, through two baths and quite a few nights!

Read more about Les Exclusifs…

And now there’s a new, very potent version of the incredibly popular Coco Noir  – not only more concentrated, but quite different in scent, too. This one is, in my opinion, far darker and sexier than the eau de toilette; it makes me think of shadowy boudoirs and exquisite lingerie, peacock feathers and smoky mirrors. (Good grief. You don’t even want to know what I’ve been reading on my Kindle lately.) It’s in the same, gorgeously miniature bottle as Les Exclusifs, though this one is black not transparent, and it has a similar longevity on the skin. (ie: ages. If you apply a few drops for a night out, it will have worn in beautifully by the next day so that it’s not too overpowering or inappropriately seductive!)

A beautiful present for the perfume connoisseur and a very indulgent must-have for lovers of Coco Noir. I can see this doing very well at Christmas, despite the fact that the price-tag keeps it firmly placed in the luxe-luxe-luxe category – it’s £165 for 15ml. Though I must say, I think that this version would outlast the traditional spray because you need so little of it – and if you’re into experiencing your fragrances in their truest form, then the Extrait, with its super-potency, will give you a satisfying hit. You can’t of course, do one of those “full body misting” procedures with it (anyone else sometimes spray a curtain of perfume to walk through?!) because you apply it from the little dropper, but you can be far more specific as to where the scent is placed (behave) and it’s very sexy when it drifts up from the pulse points…

Read more fragrance reviews…

This is perfume at its most precious and covetable; it makes me want to have a little secret cabinet to keep it in. There’s something very old-fashioned about the styling, which only adds to the appeal. You can find Chanel’s Coco Noir Parfum at Selfridges.com

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I found these brilliant photos on my desktop – they were taken by Francois Durand when I was at the Cannes Festival in May. I was in the Dior suite getting ready to walk the red carpet – and if there was ever anything that was going to make you feel nervous about walking the carpet, it would be this mass of hands with their raised cameraphones! Good job I only saw the pictures afterwards…

The Dior suite at the Majestic was just a pure oasis of calm in comparison to the hot, noisy world down on the avenue. I can absolutely see why actors and celebrities would want to spend a few hours in there, gathering their thoughts and taking deep breaths ready for the paparazzi onslaught. It must be incredibly difficult for those actors and actresses who are quite nervous and introvert in real life to get themselves down the red carpet; you’d expect anyone in showbiz to love courting all of that attention, but I know quite a few people in the public eye who go to absolute pieces when they have to face banks of photographers.

The view from the Dior Suite, above – straight down onto the red carpet. Unfortunately I didn’t see any superstars because I was busy having my hair and makeup done! And also stuffing down a rather good chicken club sandwich, with the obligatory fries-on-the-side and little pots of mayo and ketchup. Why do club sandwiches with fries always taste so amazing? It’s my staple “first meal of a holiday” fodder – throw cases in room, go to pool, order club sandwich and a glass of rosé. It’s the simple things in life, isn’t it?

Last pic – international Dior makeup artist Jamie Coombes putting some finishing touches to my look. You would never guess what we were talking about two seconds before this shot was taken. Ha. It’s too rude to print.

If you missed my Cannes video, you can watch it below – so many thanks to Francois for the photographs, you can see his website here.

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This candle shoots straight to the very top of my favourites list; the scent is supremely sexy. I adore Bottega Veneta’s Eau de Parfum, but until now have been banned from talking about it here on the website. My friend Alex Byrne (supremo makeup artist extraordinaire) was wearing it a couple of years ago and she would only tell me what it was if I swore not to write about it. At first I thought she was joking about this, but no: if I publicly sang the praises of Bottega Veneta and she suddenly came across an army of women doused in it, she would kill me.

But this is a candle, so I’m hoping Alex lets me off on a technicality and I don’t have to start sleeping with one eye open! And what a candle. Bottega Veneta’s Eau de Parfum lends itself exceptionally well to a home fragrance – I think it must be the gorgeous leather and patchouli notes – and the perfume lingers for days and days after the candle has been burnt. It was lit for three hours on Friday and the smell in my living room is still pretty strong today, nearly a week later.

The top notes are bergamot and pink pepper and there’s jasmine, too, as well as the leather and patchouli and “oakmoss” base notes. It’s like wearing a favourite cashmere scarf, one that is already scented with a perfume that’s feminine and beautiful, but wearing it with an expensive, worn-in leather jacket. It’s something pretty from Jo Malone crossed with something smokey from Tom Ford. I can’t get enough of it.

More candle reviews…

I’m having trouble tracking this candle down online, apart from at Bottega Veneta (£52 here) – Selfridges have it as part of a beautiful gift coffret with the actual Eau de Parfum and a luxury body cream, that set is £191 here. If you’re shopping in the actual real world (say what?) then you can find it at Harrods.

If you want to try the Eau de Parfum (don’t tell Alex) then the 50ml version is on Amazon Prime for £59.75 instead of £70.

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Now this is an exciting launch: Armani’s Maestro Glow foundation – or, to trot out the full product name and description, Maestro Glow Nourishing Fusion Makeup Bi-Phase Elixir. Blimey. It’s quite a tempting little mouthful though, isn’t it? I particularly like the use of the words “nourishing” and “bi-phase” – it all feels very new and novel and unique.

And actually, in the sea of velvety-finish foundations I’ve been testing, most offering a “lit from within” sort of radiance rather than anything overtly shimmery or dewy, it is rather unique. For a start, it feels like a face oil. You apply it via a dropper because it’s completely fluid, but when you start to blend it into the skin it seems very much as though you’re working with a dry oil. And then once it’s on the skin, it feels as nourishing and rich as a proper, massage-it-in-and-get-the-glow face treatment. Even after hours of wear, you can still sense the effects of the oils – not a greasy residue, more of a comfortable dewiness, as though you’ve used a very rich moisturiser.

New Flawless Foundations – Which One’s Right For You?

I think that Maestro Glow feels amazing. Those who normally shy away from this type of lightweight, liquid foundation because they cling to flaky patches or do nothing to alleviate the feeling of skin dryness or tightness will love it. It’s absolutely liquid and weightless but seems to develop more and more viscosity as it is blended into the skin. Light as a feather going on, rich and nourishing once it has settled in. Here are my “before and after” photographs so that you can take a look at coverage and finish:

Apart from the obvious warmth that Maestro Glow gives to my skin (I used shade 4, read below for more on that) you can see that it has done a fairly decent job in terms of coverage. My bits of redness have disappeared, dark circles slightly alleviated. It’s not a heavy coverage by any stretch of the imagination, but minor niggles are taken care of. The “glow” aspect is fresh and natural – not anything near the same mega-wattage level as something like Laura Mercier’s Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser, but definitely noticeable.

I haven’t seen the full shade line-up, so I’m not actually sure of my exact match, but 4 seems to be quite good on me. Mr AMR thought I looked a little pale, but I’d be hesitant to go any darker – this is how 4 looks unblended on my skin:

I might try and get to the Armani counter when I’m next in town and have a play with the different shades. If I do then I’ll update you here. This is most definitely a keeper, for me; it’s quick and easy to apply and gives just enough coverage. I really do like the water-free, oil-only formula – I’m finishing editing this post a full nine hours after applying the foundation (it’s about the fifth or sixth time I’ve worn it for a full day) and my face still feels in pretty good shape. Hydrated and somehow more youthful than it does when I wear a more velvety finish foundation. I’d steer clear of this if you have an oil problem, obviously, because this would slide like a demon, but if you constantly feel dried-out by your face base and want something comfortable and juicy, go and give it a try. It’s very different.