If the deluge of products that arrives on our desk every month is anything to go by, it’s safe to say that men’s grooming is big business. From small startups to international brands, everyone is jumping on the grooming bandwagon in hopes of making a quick buck. And, in an effort to sort the practical from the truly pointless, we’ve slathered ourselves in unguents, doused ourselves in potions and shamelessly fumigated several rooms with fragrance. Here’s the best of what July 2012 has brought. Amazingreen by Comme des GarconsPrice: from £57.00Buy it hereFor a brand that normally cites "flaming rock," "pencil shavings" and "hot light bulb" as key ingredients in their fragrances, Amazingreen comes off as a positively mainstream effort for Comme des Garcons. That doesn’t mean this herbaceous, vegetal fragrance is boring, though. Somewhere among the usual leafy green mix is the twist -- a flinty note that’s reminiscent of gun powder (think of those cap guns you had as a kid) that gives the natural earthy vibe a bit of an edge. It may be hard to find in the U.S., but Amazingreen is definitely worth hunting down if you want to stand out from the masses.Vitamin C Ester by Perricone MDPrice: $120 for 4x0.34 fl oz tubesBuy it hereVitamin C is something of a paradox. It’s one of the most effective antioxidants available and yet it’s a pretty unstable ingredient and can "go off" very quickly. As a result, most cosmetic fixes that champion the inclusion of vitamin C fall drastically short of their enthusiastic claims. Dr. Perricone’s 60-day intensive treatment, on the other hand, delivers a healthy dose in a stable formula designed to smooth texture, brighten skin and tighten up any sagginess. Consider this a one-off booster course, rather than a regular feature in your grooming routine.Clear Calm 3 Back To School Bundle by RENPrice: $32.00Buy it hereAcne and anti-blemish products tend to work like paint stripper on the skin -- a tempting (albeit shortsighted) selling point for teens with oily skin who just want a thorough de-greasing. And while harsh synthetic ingredients might solve one problem (zit), they invariably introduce a whole bunch of others as a result (extreme dryness, redness, irritation), leaving you worse off than when you started. REN’s Clear Calm range tackles the three causes of breakouts (excess oil, buildup of dead skin cells and bacteria) with bioactive formulas that won’t set off a series of side effects. This kit includes REN’s Clarifying Clay Cleanser, Replenishing Night Serum and Anti-Blemish Day Fluid. Suitable for adults with sensitive skin too.Truth Crème™ Advanced Hydration by Ole HenriksenPrice: $45 for 50gBuy it hereThe Truth series of products from cult brand Ole Henriksen have always been a personal favorite. The latest addition to the vit C-based range is a mega moisturizer formulated for dry skin. Just because it’s a heavy-duty humectant doesn’t mean it’s one of those rich and gunky creams that sits on the surface of the skin or leaves residue. Rather, this cream has a super light consistency that is easily absorbed, and, most importantly, it actively binds moisture to the skin.Geranium Leaf Body Scrub by Aesop Price: $35 for 170mlBuy it hereShower-time companions don’t get more rewarding than this dense (and delightfully well-packaged) body scrub from niche Australian brand Aesop. Men’s skin generally requires a tough scrub to deliver a good polish, and this gel-based formula provides two grades of milled pumice and micronized bamboo stem. It's fantastic for releasing any ingrown hairs and sloughing off dead skin.Energizing Body Cleanser by AVEDAPrice: $16 for 8.5 fl ozBuy it hereRather than rely on false energy from a cup of coffee in the morning, reach for an invigorating cleanser to wake you up properly. The instant zing from the blend of aloe vera, witch hazel and grapefruit seed will not only help relieve the construction site going on in your skull, but it’ll do a rather good job of washing off the remnants of last night's dance floor incident. Continue Reading

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