Talking Dove Men+Care Hair and Face products with grooming stud Glenn O’Brien
Glenn O’Brien has done a ton of cool things. He was editor of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, and then the first Editor-at-Large in magazine history at High Times.
He produced and starred in Glenn O’Brien’s “TV Party,” which David Letterman called “the greatest TV show ever,” and he wrote and produced the film “Downtown 81,” starring Jean-Michel Basquiat. He has also worked as a stand-up comedian and an advertising creative director and copywriter.
But most importantly, Glenn O’Brien is a noted expert on YOU. He knows what looks good on you and, most importantly, what doesn’t.
We spoke to Glenn about when growing a beard doesn’t work, how to handle thinning hair with style, and the new 2015 Dove Men+Care Hair and Face range of products.
What are you doing with Dove?
They wanted someone to talk about their new line of grooming products and it’s something I know about. During the whole awards show season, we’re talking about how men can achieve the looks that one sees on the red carpet and improve their looks. I like the old sort of Renaissance Man idea, where you might not know everything about everything, but you know something about everything. It makes for a well-rounded person. And Dove is here to help you look like you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t, as far as grooming.
Out of the entire line of Dove Men+Care Hair and Face products, which is the best product? What is the one that a guy can’t live without?
For me, speaking as somebody who’s not in their 20s, I think the hydrating products are really important. Because that’s something that most men who aren’t in show business or in the public eye tend to maybe not take care of their skin. Somebody threw a figure at me, like 50% of men never wash their face. The Dove Men+Care Hydrating Face Lotion, if you do that every day, you’re going to see the results. You might see the results in a month, but you’ll really see the results in 10 years.
As a stylist and creative director at varying points in your career, what do you place more emphasis on: emulating what’s hip or cool, or embracing a natural strength?
Good style is always personal, not just trying to look like everyone else. It’s going with what you’ve got and what you want to project. That’s the way I approach it.
What’s the most common male grooming mistake you see, amongst all ages, all ethnicities? Is it a unibrow? Is it neck hair?
I think in the general population, I think you see a lot of guys, now that we’re living in the new age of beards, you see a lot of guys trying to achieve a false jawline by trimming their beard, and thinking that is going to cover up for being a little overweight or whatever, give them a crisp jawline. Usually it backfires. And it just makes them look, like, you know, worse. It’s surprising, because you see it on a lot of sports anchors and people you think would know better because they get a lot of public exposure, but I guess nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news.
Click here to read the full interview.
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Tags: 2015 Dove+ Men, Dove, Dove Men + Care, Dove Men+Care Hair and Face products, Glenn O'Brien, men's grooming
5 “Game of Thrones” Grooming Questions With Dove Men Face Expert Dr. Allan Peterkin
Dr. Allan Peterkin is a physician, author and professor. He has published 14 books, most recently The Bearded Gentlemen: A Style Guide To Shaving Face. He is currently working with Dove Men+Care and helping dudes care for their faces.
1. Thanks to all the facial hair in Game of Thrones, we assume that everyone had the ability to grow a beard. What were the options for lads with scant facial hair in the Dark Ages?
There are very few records on hairstyles from the Dark Ages, so we rely on approximations from artists of later eras. Courtiers and royalty sported a variety of facial hairstyles, but often long mustaches predominated as long tresses were associated with great honor. For much of the time period, the only men who were clean-shaven without any facial hair at all were slaves.
2. How would a “Soul Patch” have been received? What are the origins of the Soul Patch?
The Soul Patch is a style staple for the collegiate set. While it used to be considered a man’s first step toward facial hair, it has begun to gain support as a simple way to experiment with facial hair without going all the way to a full beard.
3. I’d like to “axe” you a question. Is everyone bearded, or at least hairy because the only way to shave was with the blade of their sword?
While shaving was not easy in the dark ages, it was possible. Facial hair at that time was made fashionable by royalty, and short, cropped hair was a sign of subservience (and thus all slaves were clean shaven). Among the first razors were iron blades that came about by 500 BCE, when Alexander the Great insisted his soldiers were clean-shaven to avoid any beard-grabbing in combat. These razors tended to rust and grow blunt easily, cutting those who used them and killing many with tetanus. The wealthy had personal, intricate blades that their servants used to shave them. For others, barber shops did exist, and also served as a hub for gossip and socializing. Some like Julius Caesar took a more extreme approach and had beard hairs plucked out individually with tweezers.
4. Of all the facial hair styles on Game of Thrones, which was the most preferred in that era, and what character’s hair would translate as “cool” to the present day?
Oberyn’s mustache and nearly hairless chin or Tormund’s full, long beard would have been the most typical/popular during the Middle Ages. It’s highly unlikely that the ruling royal family would have been clean shaven as the Lannister’s are!
Presently, beards like Jon Snow’s and Daario Naaharis’ have been sported by men of all ages, but for the coming summer months, Jamie Lannister’s clean shaven face is very on trend. With this look, it’s important to use a moisturizer with SPF like Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Face Lotion. This lotion makes it easy to keep the skin moisturized and cared for while offering protection against the strong summer sun.
5. In Game of Thrones, we see plenty of dudes with unruly facial hair hooking up with hot babes. When did women become so adverse to immense facial hair and what spurred the transition?
One would think that most women prefer a clean shaven guy, since facial hair can sometimes be irritating to a woman’s skin. However, recent studies have shown that women are actually most attracted to a man with heavy stubble.* In the study both men and women rated full beards highest for parenting ability and healthiness, and masculinity ratings increased linearly as facial hair increased. So those hairy faces in Game of Thrones do actually attract women.
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Posted in: Grooming, Shaving, Shop Talk
Tags: Dove, Dove Men + Care, Dove Skin Care, Dr. Allan Peterkin, Game Of Thrones, Game of Thrones Facial Hair, The Bearded Gentleman
DOVE MEN + CARE Deodorant and Antiperspirant Irritation-Free Monday Contest
Monday – time to spend eight hours with people you wouldn’t normally give eight seconds. Who would you kill for an Irritation-Free Monday?
Whoa, that answer came out of your mouth way too fast. Now that you made it all weird, let’s quickly switch gears to what DOVE Men + Care can do for you, within the confines of the law.
Instead of punching that guy in your office who says “TGIM” every Monday morning, get your revenge by entering the DOVE Irritation Free-Monday contest. The winner gets their choice from one of six #badass prizes (Sorry, murder for hire is not one of them, you freak.) below:
1) Installation of a luxury nap room in your office.
2) Food truck bonanza at your place of employment.
3) Personal trainer and a home gym.
4) B-ball irritation therapy, which consists of DOVE installing a full basketball court in your office parking lot.
5) $5,000 to start your own business.
6) A traffic free commute via a helicopter ride to your office.
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Posted in: Grooming, Lifestyle, Shop Talk
Tags: Dove, Dove Men + Care, DOVE MEN + CARE Deodorant and Antiperspirant, DOVE MEN + CARE Deodorant and Antiperspirant Irritation-Free Monday Contest, DOVE MEN + CARE Irritation-Free Monday Contest, DOVE MEN + CARE Product Review
Product Review: 2013 Dove Men + Care Product Line
When I’m cleaning my face, I want a system. I don’t want to approach the situation haphazardly, like the parents on MTV’s hit TV show “Teen Mom.”
Let’s be frank — and yes, you “can still be Garth.” Your face skin is essentially your billboard to the world. And what does this billboard promote? The business of You, Incorporated.
If your face looks blotchy, dry, flaky, weird, or any other adjective that would describe a rabid Russian dog, scrounging the public subway system for scraps, you probably don’t want to look like that. You probably don’t want to look like Gorbachev, either.
You, Incorporated is coming off of another great fiscal quarter, but how do you maintain the momentum and feed all the families who depend on your face?
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Posted in: Grooming, Lifestyle, Shaving
Tags: Chris Bosh, Dove, Dove Men + Care, Dwyane Wade, Garth Algar, Gorbachev, LeBron James, Miami Heat, Teen Mom, Wayne's World
Dr. Allan Peterkin is a physician, author and professor. He has published 14 books, most recently The Bearded Gentlemen: A Style Guide To Shaving Face, and is currently working with Dove and their new Men+Care Face Range, a full line to help dudes care for their faces.
Recently, I sat very close to Dr. Peterkin as we stroked our beards in a sexually suggestive manner in unison, and asked him the following questions.
BE: “Beardsmith” that you are, what’s the best way to kiss my old lady with passion, yet not drag my stubble or goatee across her skin, to the point where she says it feels “exfoliated” after we’re done?
DR. PETERKIN: Some call that a “snog burn,” snog being the English word for kiss. The best advice I can give you is work on your angle and your approach, and moisturize your face often to keep it as soft as possible!
Your book is called The Bearded Gentleman: A Style Guide to Shaving Face and One Thousand Beards. What is the number one mistake most aspiring “beardsmen” make?
DR. PETERKIN: The number one mistake men make is that they think their grooming work is finished once they’ve grown a beard. Facial hair requires a lot of maintenance; men have to make a commitment to their beards! They need to be trimmed properly and their margins kept clean. Washing and moisturizing also helps to keep the facial hair clean, and to condition it, which is crucial. I like the new Dove Men+Care Face Range, which provides products specifically designed for men and offers a three step solution: cleanse shave, and finish. You can use the Dove Men+Care Face Wash to clean your beard and the Face Lotion to condition or soften it.
DR. PETERKIN: I often think of the term “flavor saver” in relation to the soul patch. I think the soul patch is a fun form of expression, probably most appropriate for younger guys. Facial hair has become more mainstream and acceptable, but I’m not so sure we’re there yet with the soul patch.
An issue some guys have with their blonde hair is that it doesn’t tend to grow in fully. Blonde facial hair can have uneven or patchy growth. Being a blonde myself, I suggest choosing a style after seeing what grows in most, and where, but don’t be too concerned about the color of your hair. Just play to your strengths!
BE: How can I pick up chicks using just my “beardsmanship”?
DR. PETERKIN: That is a tough one and it’s a matter of taste. Women seem to be split – some really like facial hair, others do not like it at all. Toss a coin, and if you’re going to have facial hair, wear it proudly.
BE: What is your stance on guys who have so much chest hair that it naturally flows into the beard area? Should there be a distinct line of demarcation?
DR. PETERKIN: I think it would look better to have a distinct line of demarcation, somewhere between the chin and the Adam’s apple. Men should shave the neck and lower edge of the beard, and leave their chest natural.
BE: In your opinion, either living or dead, who had the most badass facial hair in history?
DR. PETERKIN: I think I would have to say either Santa or Satan. Kidding. By category, I’d choose Salvador Dali’s mustache and Elvis’ sideburns. My favorite religious beard is Moses. I’d say one of my all-time favorites is romantic Composer Giuseppi Verdi’s beard.
For more information on the new Dove Men+Care Face Range, click here. For more information on Dr. Peterkin’s book, click here.
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Posted in: Grooming, Hair Styles, New Trends, Old School, Shaving, Shop Talk
Tags: Beardsman, Beardsmith, Dove, Dove Men+Care Face Wash, Dove Skincare, Dove Skincare Interview With Dr. Allan Peterkin, Elvis’ sideburns, Larry Bird, Salvador Dali’s mustache, Soul Patch, The Bearded Gentleman: A Style Guide to Shaving Face