February Grooming : Loving that Man - and That Face

It's true: on certain sunny mornings, you can almost see it on the horizon. We're talking about spring. But don't get too excited: Old Man Winter is still hanging on for another six weeks of dry air and fierce winds, plunging temperatures - and snow. The upside, of course, is that you've got six weeks to take off the holiday poundage - and six weeks to get your skin primed for total exposure.

What you need at this point in winter are products that offset office heat (and we're not talking about you and that new hire in the corner office). You need remedies for scratchy, dry skin and itchy winter eyes. You need exfoliators and hydration. Oh, hell - you need a vacation.

Relax and take a deep breath. January's over; the worst is behind you. Face forward to Valentine's - and revitalize your skin for that spring-is-in-the-air romance you can feel coming on.

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Borghese : Dolce Notte Re-Energizing Night Creme

There's not enough time in the day - so why not use the night? Carpe noctem, as the Romans would say. And so would Princess Marcella Borghese of the Villa Borghese, whose Dolce Notte Re-Energizing Night Creme helped keep the princess looking nineteen when she was ninety.

The winter is long - and so are the nights, so use those nocturnal hours wisely. While you sleep, Borghese's Dolce Notte Re-Energizing Night Creme helps return your skin to a more radiant state in the morning. And really, who doesn't need a little help upon waking? Mirrors can be so evil in the morning.

So what's going on with Dolce Notte Re-Energizing Night Creme while you're dreaming of Blaine? For one thing, vitamin A rehydrates your skin, while mallow and comfrey promote cell turnover and cell growth. The Borghese patented Acqua di Vita� Complex, a gentle alpha-hydroxy derivative, helps to sweep away dullness and impurities. And the result in the morning is so transformative that you might find your own reflection as mesmerizing as Narcissus.

One caveat: Borghese's Dolce Notte Re-Energizing Night Creme is almost cultishly popular and well-loved. If you find it on-line or in your favorite apothecary, you might consider snapping up more than one. Because looking nineteen at ninety is truly legendary.

PRICE: $53.50 / 1.8 oz.
LINK: Borghese : Dolce Notte Re-Energizing Night Creme

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Kinerase : Lotion

Sometimes you put something on your face - and it feels like the Alien has taken hold. You can hardly wait to get it off.

And then there are those products that as soon as they touch your skin, they feel like your new best friend. That's how Kinerase Lotion feels. Squeeze a dime-sized amount into your palm - and as soon as you massage Kinerase Lotion into your face, it feels like you're protected and loved.

Maybe this feeling has something to do with Kinerase's eponymous signature ingredient, Kinetin (0.1% N6 Furfuryladenine), a plant-based antioxidant. Horticulturists realized that Kinetin prevented plant leaves from drying out and withering. Kind of like those little sacs of powder that the florist gives you to keep your bouquet looking fresh. In other words: Kinetin has serious anti-aging properties.

Kinerase Lotion's powerful skin hydration formulation increases moisture retention while eliminating free radicals. The result? Fewer freckles and brown spots and a more even skin tone. Ideal for even the most sensitive skin (even after a chemical peel...), this gentle moisturizer is non-comedogenic and fragrance-free. In other words, a new best friend - without baggage.

Pack Kinerase Lotion in your overnight bag - and take it the gym and the office. Like all new best friends, you almost don't want to go anywhere without it.

PRICE: $119.00 / 2.8 oz. (80 ml.)
LINK: Kinerase : Lotion

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Mustela bebe : Cold Cream

Of course you love it when he calls you "Baby." Now, if only your skin were as soft as a baby's...well, whatever. This winter is doing a number on your skin. The wind, the cold: your face looks like diaper rash rather than peachy clean and porcelain smooth.

So what are those babies doing that you're not? How do they keep their skin so soft? And another thing - why don't you have a nanny (or a manny), too?

One word: beeswax. Beeswax keeps skin moist, while providing long-lasting hydration: eight hours, even. You could spend the entire day romping in the snow - so long as your face is wearing Mustela bebe Cold Cream. Using essential fatty acids, such as almond and corn oils, Mustela bebe Cold Cream restores your skin's hydrolipidic film. Shea butter soothes irritated skin, reducing redness (bye-bye diaper rash!), while the cold cream and ceramides (key lipids) nourish and penetrate the skin for improved hydration.

This rich and creamy lotion restores that baby softness all over your body. Don't stop at your face; slather this one all over your hands, elbows, and knees - and next time he calls you "Baby," you can gurgle with delight.

PRICE: $11.50 / 1.3 fl. oz.
LINK: Mustela bebe : Cold Cream

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Every Man Jack: Face Scrub | Signature Mint

Some mornings you want it rough - but not enough to make you hurt all day, and especially at the office. Every Man Jack's Face Scrub in Signature Mint is a gentle exfoliator with just the right amount of abrasion to remove dirt and lubricant - er, oil - from your pores.

Founded in 2006 in San Francisco, Every Man Jack is a line of high-quality, affordable grooming products that's based on the principle that every man has the right to...good product. Of course.

Their Face Scrub in Signature Mint sloughs away dry and dead skin, thanks to jojoba beads, while coconut-derived surfactants do the deep cleansing. There are also marine extracts and vitamin E for moisturizing - and absolutely no parabens or dyes or animal testing. Nothing to ruin your good face in the morning. You can use this as a pre-shave, because it gives good lather.

Every Man Jack is for every day use for that every day kind of guy. You know, like the one who used to plow your drive and mow your lawn. You always liked his...skin, remember?

PRICE: $6.00 / 5 fl oz (150 mL)
LINK: Every Man Jack: Face Scrub | Signature Mint

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Murad Man: Face Defense® SPF 15

Winter won't last forever; we know: that's your mantra. Repeat three times and click your shoes - and maybe you'll find yourself in a tropical paradise. In which case, your sun-deprived winter face is going to need protection.

Murad Face Defense� SPF 15 does double duty, moisturizing the skin and protecting it from sun and environmental damage. The lightweight and oil-free formula utilizes sunscreens to shield the skin while infusing your pores with antioxidants for shine-free moisture. So effective is the protection from UVA/UVA damage that the Skin Cancer Foundation gave Murad Face Defense� SPF 15 its Suncare Seal of Recommendation in 2008.

Murad Man was developed to address the unique needs of men's faces. Razor and shaving issues, for example. Massage a little Murad Face Defense� SPF 15 into your skin after shaving for relief of razor burn and scratchy face.

This one's good for your honey, too: no more irritation friction when you're kissing all night long. You can kiss away the night and not look like a cat fight.

Three in one, one for all - Murad Man: Face Defense� SPF 15 is like a Triple Crown winner.

PRICE: $33 / 1.7 fl. oz.
LINK: Murad Man: Face Defense� SPF 15

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