Opulence comes from the latin word Opulentia, which means wealthy. Unsurprisingly, opulence is often interpreted in a certain way regarding a grooming routine — a lackadaisical approach to one’s finances, whether armed with the ability to afford finer things or not. However, being opulent with grooming products or trends in a Men’s Folio context is what we term as having an imaginative sensibility.
It is trying something odd but fully functional, or it could present itself in a peculiar way that tickles one’s mind but is traditional in a time-tested form by existing fans.
And what these trends do is each revolves around the most luxurious thing anybody can own: time. Time that can be appreciated, freed up, or shaved down to mere seconds.
Pictured Above: The Toy Factory Look
Seen on the patrons of Studio 54, immortalised by Mick Jagger and revived by a generation who adore anything anachronistic, the floppy bob is, unfortunately, “not for round faces but is recommended for people with long faces or faces with a sharp jawline.” Men with naturally wavy and curly hair can easily achieve the look, but those with naturally straight hair, can achieve it by going for a few rounds of rebonding.
“Of course, you would need a desirably longer length of hair to best create the effect.” says hairstylist Juno Ko (@juuu.ko). The styling routine has not changed much since the seventies, “blow dry at high heat and move the hair dryer in small crescent circles to achieve the shape. A trim every two months maintains and keeps the hair in shape. It is not necessary to cut it too often.
Grooming Chu Fan
Hair Juno Ko
Styling Assistant Manfred Lu
Model Ritz | Topboicitizen
Outfit Dior Men
The Abstract Aromas
The irony about recent abstractly named aromas is that while their names can open up Pandora’s box of pre-conceived perceptions at first glance (Gucci’s Tears From the Moon is neither space-like nor saline, but instead, an airy green floral that dries down to a “white” musk), one just needs to ponder a little harder or double-take at its bottle — Loewe Eclectic is a citrus bomb that its equally citrusy-hued bottle suggests.
Bear in mind the absurdity of some, such as I Am Trash by Etat Libre d’Orange, Kenzo’s UnidentifiedFragrance Object, and the unfortunate Cumming by Alan Cumming, some knowledge of the brand is necessary for deciphering purposes. Bvlgari’s Man in Black can be considered a flanker to the House’s nighttime fragrances (the standard formula of amber, leather, and spices is present, albeit more potent). At the same time, Byredo’s Mister Marvelous is a Ben Gorham classic with neroli, lavender, and amber.
On the more speculative side are fragrances with names that require a cursory Google search or references novels that unfold magic and imagination upon the first spritz. Eidesis by Aesop refers to the vivid imagery readily reproducible with great accuracy (and it smells of deep earthy wood and an iridescent floral). In contrast, Private Mind by Collezione Private, Lost Lovers by Maison De L’asie and Shield of Protection by Kilian Paris Kologne can be novel encounters.
The first is a rare calming blend of saffron, rose, and leather notes, while the second is an almost antique-book-like scent combination of sandalwood, amber, and smoky vetiver. The last is a fragrance that instils purity and peace like the ancients used to with green mandarin, bitter orange, and a “sap” accord of green vegetal notes.
The Rule of Roses
“Light skin tones work better with a punchier shade of pink. If you have medium or tan skin tones, opt for lighter, dusty, and pastel shades of pink instead.” says hairstylist Juno Ko (@juuu.ko), who has observed the most popular hair colour is dusty pink, a hair shade that Asians hanker for.
The process, however, requires at least three to four rounds of bleaching. Ko adds, “it is not recommended if one has sensitive scalp or damaged hair as the effects are irreversible.” The upkeep requires some of one’s time, too: it lasts for three months and involves the usage of silver or purple shampoo.
Grooming Chu Fan
Hair Juno Ko
Styling Assistant Manfred Lu
Model Azfar
Outfit Celine
The Collectibles
The first letter of the story (Collectibles) can also be used to describe the following fragrances here. The charming Penhaligon’s customisation service allows up to three engraved letters on Spanish leather sleeves, while cheeky Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Beau Le Parfum is its sauciest design yet.
Decidedly chic, Francis Kurkdjian’s first move for La Collection Privée Christian Dior was to focus on the elegance of lavender, iris, and orange blossom, and of course, the cute Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Black x Smiley or MCM x Sambypen will tickle one’s funny bone.
The Subtle Eye Contour
This trend simplifys a trick of the industry; the goal is to create a contour on the eyelids that subtly mimics a hooded look that looks sexy. Makeup artist Chu Fan (@Chufan) recommends using an eyeliner pencil (for example, the NARS Mambo Eyeliner Pencil) to draw out a line on the contour of one’s eyelids, smudging it downwards with the ring finger or a small angle-tipped brush.
As for the colours regarding one’s skin tone, it does not matter.
Chu Han’s advice is to use a darker shade as the real work is in the technique — “Fora more subtle look, use a darker foundation shade to connect the contour of your cheeks to your eyelids using the same techniques mentioned.”
Grooming Chu Fan
Hair Juno Ko
Styling Assistant Manfred Lu
Model Azlan
The Even Smarter Devices
A tip for anybody looking to try a grooming device is to think about what he exactly needs while bearing in mind that the industry is estimated to be worth around USD51.3 billion (and that is eight zeroes which means a lot of products) in 2022. The next tip, perhaps that requires some soul searching, would be for him to consider his grooming shortcomings.
If one is slothful with cleansing, the FOREO LUNA™ Play Plus 2 removes dirt, oil, sweat, and makeup residue with near entirety while tracking moisture levels and side sleepers. Those who frequently cringe or wince can employ the electrifying properties of the GLOWGEAR POWERGLOW 3-in-1 Microcurrent Device to great use. Microcurrent rollers with a detachable head administer red, blue, yellow, or combination LED lights that tone, tighten, and lift the eyes and face.
Lastly, if one wants the Swiss Army knife of grooming devices and one that genuinely looks great, the ést.lab Lumi Glow SmartSkin Buddy has four modes to address any skin concerns. Boost mode reduces and prevents acne. Deep Clean mode effectively cleanses hard-to-reach areas while Nutrition mode boosts collagen regeneration and plumps fine lines. Vibration mode brightens one’s skin tone and pigmentation — which sees the latter three functions capable of powering up to 8,000 sonic vibrations per minute to relax facial muscles instantly.
The SPF Tint
Put simply, an SPF tint’s coverage and texture sits in between a sunblock and tinted moisturiser but in greater depth, makeup artist Chu Fan (@chufan) explains that the latter “sinks into your pores gently to give you that fuller coverage, whereas an SPF tint sits on top of your skin, just as sunscreen does.” The ones here are curated in the classic Men’s Folio method starting with the sheer but colour-correctingMAC Cosmetics Lightful C³ Tinted Primer SPF45 to the Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF20 that conceals without caking.
Chu Fan’s holy grail is the Shiseido Men Vibrant BB Moisturiser with SPF 30+PA+++ “which is lightweight for all skin types and does an effective job with its sun protection coverage”. Here is a pro tip: he recommends using the Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing face brush to even out the product. Alternatively, a dense brush does the job too.
Grooming Chu Fan
Hair Juno Ko
Styling Assistant Manfred Lu
Model Mika
Outfit Celine
Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with our September 2022 issue!
RELATED ARTICLES
