Thursday, March 28, 2024

Everyday carry essentials for men

Beard Oil 101

Beards have a way of growing on us. While now considered fashionable, beards have a hairy history of making a man appear unkempt and poorly groomed. Make sure your facial hair looks as sexy and as masculine as it truly is by keeping it groomed and tidy with beard oils and balms.

Moisturizing both the hair and the skin beneath, beard oils and balms keep facial hair flake-free and smelling fresh. Apply in the morning, after showering or washing your face, and massage the product into your beard.

Your best bet is to buy local handmade products to bring the best out of your beard.

Here are six local picks and where to find them:

WeatherBeard Supply Co.

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In 2015, Wapakoneta, OH resident Cory Weatherbee grew his interest in essential oils into a businesses built for the bushiest beards. Using 100% pure carrier oils that nourish skin and facial hair, WeatherBeard offers an assortment of beard grooming products, such as creamy beard whips, waxy balms, washes, and oils, all made with spicy, warm and inviting scents. Find Weatherbee’s products online at weatherbeardsupply.com or locally at Handmade Toledo (1717 Adams St.) and La Moda barber shop (1467 Secor Rd.).

Glass City Gentleman Supply Co.

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Toledoan Tyler Mitchell began selling his beard oil and conditioner in 2016. Since then he’s added solid cologne and an attractive handmade beard comb, featuring a sandalwood handle and ox horn teeth, to his line up. Shop for his products online at glasscitygentleman.etsy.com

Dropdead grooming

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An offshoot of Detroit’s popular Cellar Door Bath Supply Co., dropdead grooming began bringing the intoxicating scents of the soap and candlemaker to the market in June of 2016. Discover scents like vetiver + red cedar and birchwood + spiced rum in the brand’s premium beard oils, balms, and mustache waxes. Shop online at dropdeadgrooming.com or locally at Handmade Toledo (1717 Adams St.) and La Moda barber shop (1467 Secor Rd.).

Detroit Beard Collective

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Since 2014, this boutique retailer has produced high quality facial hair maintenance and grooming products, like conditioning and styling balms, butters, oils, shampoo and conditioner combinations, mustache wax, combs, and other beard care products. Shop online at detroitbeardcollective.com and browse their affordable boxes and crates, or locally at Rooster’s Men’s Grooming Center (5300 Monroe St.).

Detroit Grooming Co.

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Offering a product for every man— whether shaved, bearded, or in between— Detroit Grooming Co.’s handcrafted products are eco-friendly and high-quality. Their diverse catalog includes bear oils, pomades and butters, shaving products, combs, colognes, cleansers, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and more. Shop online at detroitgrooming.com or locally at Handmade Toledo (1717 Adams St.).

Humble

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Since 2010, Jada and Eric Clingo of Holland, OH’s Humblebee Family Farm have made organic, non-GMO, hormone-and-antibiotic-free products for mind, body, bath and beard. Try their manly-scented beard oils and balms, and consider picking up deodorant, soap, and cologne in the scents. Shop online at humblebeefamilyfarm.com or locally at Handmade Toledo (1717 Adams St.).


Kick Up Your Feet

Designer Marc Jacobs once said, “To me, clothing is a form of self-expression— there are hints about who you are in what you wear.”

When it comes to hinting at who you are, we can’t think of any trend better than flashy, playful socks.

First appearing on the runways around 2008, the current, massively-hyped trend of fashion socks have transformed from a quirky accessory worn by sartorialists into an eccentric choice for men of all ages.

Not only are the socks an easy way to inject personality into a standard outfit, they serve as sort of a gateway drug for men’s fashion— guys who are not typically interested in style and noticing the difference a bold choice can make.

“We’ve never been complimented on our socks before now,” says Scott Bonnick, the manager of Ticknors Men’s Clothier. “When you wear a fun pair of socks and sit down, people notice them. The style adds a little fine tuning, a little edge and a little personality. We don’t even carry subtle socks anymore in the store. Everything is bold.”

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Kick up your foot game with a few tips:

Go dark. We all know the ennui often stirred by mismatched, yellow-stained white tube socks. If you aren’t ready to cover your feet with M.C. Escher prints, consider opting for plain black dress socks, which stay safe, clean, easy and traditional.

Texture matters. Step into the realm of fashion with solid socks that offer a bit of texture. Find ribbed socks in neutral colors, and consider picking up pairs in luxe fabrics, like silk, wool, or nylon and polyester blends.

Traditional patterns still have their place. Stripes, polka dots and argyle are three timeless patterns. It’s a step up from plain colors, but not bold enough to call attention.

Coordinate colors. Picking the right color can be difficult. While a gutsy pop of contrasting color can be attractive, it’s a courageous choice that should only be made be men whose fashion exists outside the bounds of our advice. Still learning? Pick your sock color based on another color that you’re wearing above the belt. If your tie has a strong red in it, complement the color with socks in a similar hue.

Great gifts. While ties can get pricey, even the most fashionable sock won’t break the bank, which makes this men’s accessory the perfect present.

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Where to buy:

V Collection (5630 Main St., Sylvania) and V Couture (123 W. Indiana Ave., Perrysburg) carry a curated collection of the brand Happy Socks.

Neil’s Men’s Shop (Ottawa Hills Shopping Center, 4326 W. Central Ave.) offers cashmere socks— the ultimate gift.

The Art Supply Depo (29 S. St. Clair St.) sells humorous, durable and high-quality cotton socks featuring from the brand Blue Q (pictured above).

Ticknors Men’s Clothier (Franklin Park Mall) has an assortment of colorful, bold and patterned dress socks.


Everyday Carry Essentials

Curious about other creative accessories? Find fashionable items, created by indie artists, at Handmade Toledo:

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NOTEPAD: Printed from handset type on a letterpress machine from 1948 in Lancaster, Ohio, this humorous memo from Questionable Press will help you get weekend-ready.

JOURNAL: Made with recycled leather, this Crée par-designed WAFF journal is bright enough to spark creativity. PENCILS: Sharp and clever, these Sassy Pencils from Frog & Toad Press have rap lyrics, like “started from the bottom now we here”, printed on the side.

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Get your fill with these cool wood veneered flasks from Autumn Summer.

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Put your money somewhere that matters— like a handmade leather wallet from Backerton.

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Don’t let a stodgy white dress shirt kill your style. Toledo’s Crave Jewelry Design cufflinks will keep you buttoned up.

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