However it’s one of those strange subjects where a lot of us care and yet very few people discuss. Just like sex questions or the time they replaced Aunt Viv on Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

I recently had the chance to ask two experts (with some pretty serious credentials) to sit down and tell you all there is to know about thinning/losing hair; What’re the causes? Can you limit hair loss? Is a Rooney-like effect possible without a hair transplant?

All that and you don’t have to go to see a doctor!

If you’re curious about your hair loss and want to know what can be done, take 5 minutes and watch the video below. Easy peasy.

You can work it into your regular routine and be assured that you’re taking very good care of your hair – whether that’s to improve what you have or simply to maintain.

If you’re interested, you can check out the range here!

• Absorbs excess oil on the hair to leave it looking clean.
• Gives hair a massive texture boost to leave even fine hair looking thick and full.
• Provides a tint to disguise greys and patches of very thin hair.

I tried this out on somebody in my office today; a picture speaks a thousand words! This was after a full spray coupled with a bit of clever styling.

Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder (Before and After)

How to use:

• Spray from about 10 inches away into the roots of your hair.
• Spray in layers, so pull back your hair and start there – letting a small layer fall and spraying in between each ‘layer’.
• Once you’re done, give your hair a quick ruffle to blend in the colour.
• Style – the product gives a fair bit of hold on it’s own so you might be able to go without product if you’re using this. I’d recommend styling and setting with a fine layer of hair spray – don’t apply a gel/wax over this as things will get a bit messy…

The spray is available in 4 colours: Black, White, Brown and Blondish. Click here for more info.

SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel

SkinCeuticals have recently released a new version of their modern-classic Phloretin CF Serum; the SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel. You need it.

This trusted antioxidant trio accelerates cell turnover and stimulates collagen synthesis to boost skin’s structure for a firmer, brighter complexion. Used daily, this preventive and corrective treatment provides broad-range photoprotection and conquers damage at every level of skin. 

The precursor to this product (Phloretin Serum) is pretty much everything you need in a skincare product and a personal favourite. Perfectly formulated, it provides the most beneficial skincare ingredients available (backed by research) at concentrations where they’ll provide the optimum benefit to skin. Phloretin is perfectly made to fight and prevent sagging skin, premature skin ageing, fine lines, discolouration, scars and uneven skintone.

The new gel formulation is designed not to irritate even the most sensitive skin types and provides a better application of the ingredients, which is instantly absorbed by the skin and leaves it feeling soft and naturally matte. It’s also – and this is key for me – a lot more travel friendly than it’s glass-bottle brother.

I rarely recommend products as pricey as SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel but this is totally worth it, A+! Buy/read more here.

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Since I have you here… If you’re London-based (or in town!) Phloretin CF Gel also features in the SkinCeuticals City Recovery Facial at the Refinery.

The facial consists of deep pore cleansing, extractions, exfoliation using salicylic and mandelic acids, application of serum and finishes with sunscreen. Everything to purge all the city grime out of your skin and super charge it with antioxidants: leaving it looking clean, decongested and bright.

Oh and you can also buy a bespoke set of SkinCeutical products whilst you’re there – handy!

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution

You know i’m all over the Kiehl’s Dermatological Solutions line – their latest release, the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, is another hit for the range.

I’ve been using it for about 2 months now, brilliant for annoying marks/pigmentation:

The unique clear formula is enriched with Activated Vitamin-C, Peony Extract and White Birch Extract. The results are clear: an effective year-round solution for more even looking skin tone and overall clarity.

Clearly Corrective™ dark spot solution is the first Kiehl’s serum that promotes youthful clarity while helping to reduce the appearance of dark spots, discolourations and hyperpigmentation.

This is a clear, watery serum that smells a bit like lavender. There’s not much to say about application; just apply it twice a day, underneath sunscreen during the day. It goes on feeling like nothing, perfect if you’re averse to the feeling of product on your face.

After 8 weeks? My skin definitely looks a lot more clear and bright. I had about 3 serious zits over the 8 weeks I was testing this that scarred quite badly. All of the scars (flat, dark ones) faded within about 2 or 3 weeks which is great – it definitely works well on fresh discolouration.

As for the more stubborn marks (freckles etc.) they’re all still there but look a bit faded.

All in all, it’s a thumbs up from me on this one – I’d like it even more if it came in an opaque bottle but oh well, just keep it in your medicine cabinet

Buy it here!

Braun Series 3 - 340s

Summer’s (almost) here, that means dating season! It’s warmer, people want a drink after work and everybody’s wearing less clothes.

If, like the person sitting opposite me today, you have a date straight after work – there are a few things that’re essential to keep in your desk for last-minute date emergencies:

1. Toothpaste
2. Deodorant
3. Your fail-safe fragrance (mine is YSL L’homme).
4. An electric shaver.

Since my colleague was sporting a pretty serious neck beard (not attractive to anyone), I gave him the new Braun Series 3 electric shaver so he could give it a spin before he left.

The Series 3 sorts out a beard effortlessly; it took only one pass to get rid of his 4 day beard, leaving him with a perfectly smooth shave and – most importantly – no nicks or cuts which is something you usually risk when shaving in a rush! Another positive; no redness afterwards, despite doing with and against the grain. In fact I don’t think I’ll be getting the shaver back…

It isn’t battery operated so you need to charge it at your desk (but that also means it packs a lot more punch).

And, since you’re here, here are a few more dating tips:

1. Keep it clean – shower, brush your teeth and trim your nails.
2. Be punctual.
3. Location – try a bar rather than dinner and a movie, it’s less conventional and gives you more time to talk.
4. Don’t talk about your ex.
5. Don’t talk about yourself all the time.
6. Respect – you don’t have to sleep with them on a first date and don’t act disinterested if it’s not going well.

You can buy the shaver here at Boots!

Johnny Depp smoking an e-cigarette in 'The Tourist'

Right – today we’re talking skin and smoking. You don’t need me to tell you that smoking isn’t brilliant for your skin (as well as, y’know, giving you cancer).

It depletes the natural collagen and circulation in your skin, ageing you much faster than sun exposure ever could.

If you’re a smoker and looking to quit, I personally know a lot of people that have had luck with e-cigarettes like the Vapestick e-cigarette. They work by providing nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke and gets rid of annoying smells, tobacco and second-hand smoke (good news for the family).

Best bit is that they mimick the act of smoking so it’s a good crutch between smoking and quitting cold turkey. I think the ultimate aim with one of these is to give up completely and I’ve heard it helps a lot more than patches, gum etc.

Are you a smoker? Would you give this a go?

An Asian BB cream ad.

Have you tried a BB cream yet? Pretty much a souped up tinted moisturiser, BB creams are an Asian import that should deliver 3 main benefits: SPF, a light tint and skincare (usually anti-ageing or brightening).

BB creams for men are huge in Asia, while in Hong Kong I saw tonnes of guys at Laneige (a Korean brand) either repurchasing or trying out their BB creams for men. It’s big business there so it’s no wonder they’ve made it to our shores.

First off the block is Lab Series who have released the first Western BB cream for men. It’s pretty amazing.

One shade adjusts to any skin tone creating a sheer finish. The tinted men’s moisturising blemish balm cream instantly evens out and illuminates the complexion with soft focus optical effects.

With continued use, skin is even in tone and texture, brighter, pores are refined and lines/wrinkles and sagging skin are diminished.

SPF 35 provides daily protection against harmful UVA/UVB which cause premature aging.

Lab Series BB Tinted Moisturiser SPF35 PA++

How to use it: Massage a small amount (we’re talking pea sized blob) into your skin, blend down your jaw a bit too. Finish up by rubbing your hands together til warm and pressing into your face; that’ll heat up the product and help it blend seamlessly into your skin.

Results: Instant photo-perfect skin. The BB cream is non oily so it doesn’t make you look shiny, it covers pores and helps to even out your skin tone. We’re not talking foundation-levels of coverage, just enough colour to even out your skin (but not enough to cover blemishes. Apply it properly (rub it in well and warm it up using your palms) and nobody will be able to tell you’re using anything – not even in direct sunlight. You’ll just look…better!

Who should use it: As I said, the colour’s quite sheer so it covers quite a diverse range of skintones; you’ll be fine as long as you’re not at the very end of the spectrum of skin colour (i.e very pale or very dark).

All in all, you need to buy this if you want to look polished day-to-day and don’t have much time to do it. It covers skincare, cosmetics and SPF all in one – handy! Hell, even for one-off special occasions it’s a brilliant product to have to hand. Getting married soon? Going somewhere with a lot of photos being taken? Definitely recommended.

UK buy it here.

International? Try here.

Etat Pur Skincare

Last week I was introduced to Etat Pur – a new French skincare line that’s doing things a little differently.

Before we get into the products which, for a jaded skincare writer, were pretty impressive – let’s talk economics!

Etat Pur provides well concentrated and formulated products for a fraction of what you’d usually pay (despite being developed, manufactured and tested in France by the Bioderma/Institut Esthederm Group). Here’s how they keep your wallet happy:

• No middle men: The brand is sold online only (as well as in a single flagship in Paris) so there are no additional retail fees which can represent up to 50% of the retail price of in-store products. Insane, right? The products could have cost 50% more if they were sold in store.
• No traditional advertising: Etat Pur built it’s rep on word of mouth and recommendations. You’re not paying for a multi-million pound ad campaign or celeb endorsement.
• Economical packaging: The line is packaged in sleek and effective packaging with no superfluous cardboard or glass bumping up the price.

Right – skincare! There are two Etat Pur ranges;

• Actives – small ‘shots’ of concentrated, targeted ingredients.
• Biomimetic Skincare – a line of your every day, staple products (moisturisers in every finish, a variety of cleansers…) formulated to be incredibly gentle by using ingredients that work in harmony with skin – even for the most reactive skin types. They’re formulated with absolutely no ‘filler’.

Etat Pur Actives

The Actives (A) are great: 40+ skincare powerhouses in airtight droppers. Each one focuses on a different issue and you usually use between 1 and 3 in your routine. Each Active has a concentration label so you know it’s at the right level to work. You can target dry skin, fine lines, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, dark circles, redness, blackheads, scars, lesions, sunburn, shaving rash…

I’m using the Citric Acid AHA and Salicylic Acid 300 at the moment – the former to even out my skin and the latter to clear blackheads/spots/shaving problems. Both work brilliantly – 1 week in and my skin’s already brighter and clearer. I have a few in my library now to tackle skincare problems if and when.

Biomimetic Skincare

The Biomimetic (B) Skincare is a perfect counterpoint to the Actives. While the Actives do lots of work, the B range keeps your skin calm and healthy. It’s a very ‘clean’, soothing range that doesn’t aggravate in the slightest. Like the A range, there are over 40 different products in the line to suit every skin type. For example, the moisturiser textures go from 1 to 5. 1 is a gel containing no oil and 5 is a balm containing no water. I’m a 2.

Etat Pur is a breath of fresh air; good value, effective and bespoke thanks to the sheer quantity in the range…

Interested? Simply fill in the handy survey and they’ll narrow down your choices to what you need. They even have a consultant dermatologist on hand if you really have issues (skincare issues, they’re not shrinks!).

Oh and while you’re there, click around the site – it’s a wealth of info and reading about the company itself is pretty interesting.

Have you used their products before? It’s a pretty impressive range with some real stars behind them. If you’re wondering where to start, here are my Top 3 picks from their line up:

Zirh Skincare

Zirh Prepare: Zirh’s cult shaving oil helps to reduce friction whilst shaving and leaves the skin feeling moisturised and calm post-shave so you don’t have to bother with a moisturiser (if you’re the lazy sort).

Zirh Scrub: This grainy scrub keeps your skin smooth and prepped for shaving; the addition of oil-absorbing Diatomaceous Earth purifies oily and problematic skin as you scrub. For a real skin treat, use it in the shower and leave it on for a minute before rinsing.

Zirh Rejuvenate: If you’re looking to brighten up your skin (necessary grooming if your skin looks a bit dull, blotchy or acne-scarred), Rejuvenate is a sure-fire bet. It’s light, easily absorbed and contains soy, licorice and tomato extracts to balance uneven pigmentation. Use it for a few weeks and you’ll notice your skin looks fresh, even and supple. A nice all-in-one product.

You can grab all of these products (and the rest of the line) at Niven & Joshua.

Diesel Only The Brave Tattoo

Keep an eye out in April for this new Diesel fragrance, Only The Brave Tattoo.

Taking inspiration by the ‘trace’ of a tattoo left on your skin, the fragrance was made to be bold and unique – something that’s unequivocally your signature.

The design (on the now-famous fist bottle) was courtesy of Mister Cartoon: the man responsible for tattooing, amongst others, Eminem, 50 Cent, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce.

I’m wearing this at the moment and, must say, I like it! It’s the most distinctive of the ‘Brave’ releases from Diesel and probably their best overall.

The top note in this is apple which is unusual for a men’s fragrance but the sweetness works really well alongside the slightly heavier amber, sage and bourbon pepper. Have a sniff of this if you’re a fan of 1 Million.

Available nationwide April 2012, the 50ml is around £39.50.

Will you be giving Diesel Only The Brave Tattoo a spin?

The week's favourites...

Gatsby Grunge Mat Styling Wax – Love this stuff, you can’t get it in the UK so I bought around 6 tubs while in Hong Kong. It’s completely matte, holds incredibly well, doesn’t leave hair stiff and smells like apples.

ESPA Dual Action Shave Mud – This is a brilliant (and possibly unique) shaving cream that doubles as a face mask. Incredibly, it works really well at both! If I have something important to do, I’ll apply this all over my face before I shave; it gives the bottom half of my face a good shave and sucks all the oil/calms blemishes out of the top half.

Clinique for Men Face Scrub – By far one of the best face scrubs I’ve ever used. It’s dense, grainy and lifts every little patch of dead skin/hair follicle for super smooth skin.

Lab Series Power Brightening Serum + DR4 – I’ve been using this for a few weeks now and am pleased to report it works! It’s a lightweight, moisturising lotion that – with time – helps to even out and brighten your complexion. That means old scars from shaving/acne are faded and your face generally looks a lot more fresh and perky.

Perricone MD Nourishing Moisturiser – This is a brilliant moisturiser to use in the evenings. It’s hypoallergenic and enriched with olive extracts which makes it incredibly soothing and nourishing on irritated skin. Perfect on days when I shave as it hydrates and calms everything down. It has a thick consistency but feels very light on the skin.

Creme de la Mer Lip Balm – It’s good but not amazing – it kept my lips looking decent throughout flights/fashion week/chain smoking but I cheaper products perform just as well.

Versace Pour Homme – This is one of those no-brainer fragrances that you can chuck on whenever and know that you smell good. It’s a warm citrus/bergamot fragrance with a touch of neroli. This lives in my bag for emergency sprays before meetings etc. The great (or not so great) thing about this fragrance is that it isn’t overpowering and tends to fade after 2ish hours – that means I can keep spraying to smell fresh but not as though I jumped in a pool of Eau de Toilette. It’s a fine balance!