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Valentines
Gifts for Guys
I always
find buying gifts for boys to be a bit of a trial, particularly for Valentine’s
Day when the cutesy feels awkward, but anything else feels random. The best bet
always seems to be a gift that has taken either a little thought, or a little
effort, so we’ve put together a short list of some of the best blokey bits and
pieces we’ve come across in The Detour office this year, which will hopefully
inspire you as much as it has us.
Vintage SuperDry Dry Oil 100ml (£55.00) – Vanilla isn’t
really a scent that you often associate with men’s fragrances, but when blended
with ‘a striking fougere accord’ (woodsy, ferny whiff to you and me) it creates
a sultry, sexy cologne that is hard to resist. Built around a familiar fusion
of lavender and iris, SuperDry’s Dry Oil is lifted above its peers by a light
and spicy mix of cardamom, neroli, lemon, cypress and petigrain, while
cedarwood, patchouli, ambrette seed and musk provide the base notes. The
initial hit is bright and modern while the dry down is nothing if not
sensual. Presented in SuperDry's
trademark rough and ready packaging with an aged-leather wrist strap to
complete the look, this is the ideal scent-suous gift for the man in your life.
Dry Oil was launched as part of a trio of
fragrances by UK casual-wear giants SuperDry in 2011. It is available in all
SuperDry store and online at www.superdry.com.
Ministry of Sound MOS006 Headphones (£39.99) – For the last 20 years the
name Ministry of Sound has been synonymous with dance music, both as a venue
and a producer thereof, so it’s hardly surprising that to mark the brand’s 20th
anniversary year they have decided to dip their toes into the waters of
hardware and launched a really rather good collection of headphones. With six
styles in a variety of colours to choose from and prices ranging from £14.99 to
£39.99, there is bound to be something to suit both your personal music lover
and your pocket. I’ve recently been having a play with the catchily named
MOS006 and have been suitably impressed. Initial impressions are good, with the
packaging erring on the side of funky, while the phones themselves are
lightweight, easily adjustable and comfortable to wear. At £40, they are never
going to be able to compete with the likes of Bose when it comes to all round
audio quality, but as the advertising
blurb states, with ‘50mm drivers and aluminium housing’ they really do deliver.
The bass is a little heavy, as one might expect with the MOS brand, but the
treble is clear and if you like loud music these will take you up to
ear-bleeding levels so if you’re looking for a good quality gift at price you
don’t have to obsess over, look no further.
You can buy
Ministry of Sound headphones from HMV, www.amazon.co.uk and Phones 4 U. For more information
on the full range visit: www.ministryofsoundgroup.com.
Sranrom Tue Spirit for men (£10.00-£14.00) – I’ve reviewed some
Sranrom goods in the past, finding them to be really beautiful natural
products, free from all the various nasty chemicals that I seek to avoid in my
cosmetics, but at that point I wasn’t aware of their men’s range. True Spirit
is a ‘collection inspired by the thai fighters who balance confidence through
their actions and sensitivity through their connection with the world and those
around them’. With strong, but not overwhelming fragrances, the
products are created from a blend of thai herbs and plants designed to invigorate the senses with
aromatherapy whilst nourishing the skin: earthy Vertiver calms the mind,
Mangosteen Extract has powerful antioxidising properties used to fight free
radical damage, Bergamot is cooling and refreshing, while Guava Leaf Extract has
a multitude of uses including antibacterial protection, while Eucalyptus both
soothes the skin and opens the mind. The True Spirit range is comprised of five
essential body care products and will leave tired skin feeling fresh, clean and
glowing with health, while the manly mind will feel prepared to take on the
world... Or at least to face another dull day at the office.
Garlic Farm Garlic Beer Gift Set 500ml (£10.50) – Now, I know what
you’re thinking, because it’s probably a variation of what I first thought when
I read about this. There’s something both vaguely intriguing and vaguely
repulsive about the idea of a beer brewed with garlic, but I have to admit that
it’s really rather nice... Once you get by the initial whiff that hits you (and
everyone else in the neighbourhood) upon opening the bottle. I’m no beer
expert, so I can’t go into rhapsodies over the hops, the nose, its accessibility
or whether it’s clear or complex, but a few mouthfuls in and you pretty much
forget about the garlic and enjoy the general good flavour. The beer is brewed
on the Isle of Wight by the Garlic Farm and can be purchased by the bottle
(£3.50), or in this lovely gift set, complete with glass and bottle opener for
a very reasonable £10.50. One word of warning however, if you’re giving this as
a gift before an evening of potential romance, make sure you buy yourself a
bottle too as ohmygoodnessme, Garlic Beer breath ain’t conducive to kissing!
Jme Chocolate 60g (from £2.00) – There seems to be
very little these days that Jamie Oliver hasn’t turned his hand to in the
foodie world, so it was with little surprise that we heard of the launch of the
Jme chocolate bars last year. Exclusively created for the independent food sector in collaboration with artisan food producers,
these five tasty chocolate bars would create the perfect Valentines gift for
any chocolate lover. From the richly creamy Smooth Operator, to the
spicy chilli-spiked Some Like It Hot and the decadently sized Big
Love (327g of chocolaty goodness) there’s something for almost everyone,
and with reasonably blokey packaging they may even give Yorkie bars a run for their
money in the masculine stakes! Fairly traded, organic and handmade in England
with a massive 56% cocoa solids (almost three times the average), this is as
close as you get to virtuous chocolate. Pukka... No, I didn’t, did I? The
shame!
For more information and a full list of stockists visit www.jmecollectio.com/stockists. The chocolate bars can also be purchased online at www.jamieoliver.com/jme/food.html.
A Suit That
Fits Bespoke Silk Tie (from £35.00) – I do like a man in a
good suit, but all too often the effect is ruined by a poor choice of tie,
which is why a bespoke tie can make a perfect gift. www.ASuitThatFits.com
offers customers the opportunity to purchase made to measure suits and
accessories – ties, cufflinks, pocket squares etc.. – from the materials of
their choice in the colours
and styles that best suit them, right down to the inner lining. All you have to
do is select your preferred fabric width and the ties are specifically tailored
to your height. The silk
ties are of exceptional quality and finish, creating a deeply personal and
thoughtful gift that any stylish man about town would appreciate. The suit
might not make the man, but the tie goes a long way towards helping.
Lush Dirty
(£2.00-£20.00) – Now, if you’re looking for a pick ‘n’ mix stylee gift, check
out the Lush Dirty range. Aimed at boys, but equally loved by girls, the Lush
Dirty collection has been around for quite some time now, offering fresh,
natural products to clean, scent and style in minimalist no-fuss
environmentally friendly-ish packaging. Each product has been created with a
unique herbaceous scent – from mint and tarragon to lavender and sandalwood –
that works well alone, while complementing the rest of the collection. Products
include a fantastic shower gel that cleans without leaving that nasty tight
feeling often experienced with men’s skincare products, Body Spray with a giant
misting range (presented in what looks like a blacked out Mr Muscle bottle and
is actually surprisingly comfortable to use), Dirty Hair Styling Cream that
holds without crisping, shaving cream, soap, toothy tabs (which I’ve yet to
try, but have heard wondrous reports of) and a nice little box set. 
Sprite Micro Scooter (£52) – If you’re looking for
something of a quirky gift, how about a set of his ‘n’ hers mirco scooters?
Available in manly silver and girly pink, the Sprite Micro Scooter is a great
mode of transport for city-living and a fun way to spend your weekends
together. Suitable for bearing up to 100kg (that’s around sixteen and a half
stone), light weight, compact and easy to fold and carry, the micro scooter is
the perfect introductory model for scooting virgins, with excellent brake
control and a well-balanced board. Scooting is also a fantastic way to keep fit
without feeling like you’re really doing any exercise. On the surface, this may
not seem like the most romantic of presents, but it’s one that will be
appreciated for a good long while and offers limitless opportunities for
quality couple time.
Green People Organic Homme, Love Skin Organic for
Him (£14.95) – With more and more
people turning away from traditional skincare and cosmetics packed with
synthetic chemicals, Green People have been pioneers in the industry,
delivering products free
from Ethyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate, Parabens, Phthalates,
Synthetic Fragrances and Artificial Colourings, which are organic, fairly
traded and animal friendly. This little gift set is a prime example of their
craft, delivering two top quality products, free from all nasties and suitable
for even the most sensitive of skin types, even those prone to acne, eczema or
psoriasis. The set contains Scrub It
(50ml), an exfoliator which uses Bamboo extract and Cranberry powder to remove
dead skin cells and natural clay to draw out toxins, and follows it with Active Fix Repair Serum, a surprisingly
effective anti-ageing product. Both items contain a plethora of soothing,
calming and hydrating ingredients – Olive Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Rosemary Extract, Aloe Vera, Calendula,
Sweet Almond Oil, to name but a few – that leave the face feeling clean and
refreshed and looking healthy. This is great gift for the would-be smoothy in
your life.
All Green People products are
available on line from www.greenpeople.co.uk, and selected retail outlets.
© Purple Peccadilloes
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