Sure, men can be hard to shop for and sometimes buying the perfect birthday/ anniversary/ holiday gift for the men in our lives can seem downright impossible. Fret no more – this list of fail-proof presents will have all the men in your life covered.
The Sporty Guy
If he starts his day with a bodybash then he’ll love this sun and sea-proof protection in a nifty reusable tin; it makes the perfect ‘stocking stuffer’ or ‘just because’ gift. He can stash several of these beauty besties in the car, beach bag or golf bag so he’ll always be ready for the rays.
SUNBUTTER Tinted SPF50 Water Resistant Reef Safe Sunscreen, $31.95, sunbutteroceans.com.au
The next-gen slimline, carbon fibre V-Form Trainer updates static weight resistance training with intelligent algorithmic technology that modifies weight loading – all according to strength and ability. Your man gets to work it, work it – all in the comfort of his own lockdown cave, with class and workout options to engage every muscle group.
VITRUVIAN V-Form Trainer, $2,950 vitruvianform.com
On your bike! Combine an app with a totally unique bike that tilts 22 degrees in every direction, recreating the thrills and spills of a real ride in your very own home gym, and engaging 20% more muscles than the conventional stationary model.
Infinite Cycle @ HOME Tilting Bike, $50 a week to rent OR $2,500 to purchase, www.infinitecycle.com.au
Combine top quality homegrown sun protection and skincare with a bonus cooler cup from Hydro Flask for the ultimate hiking companion. Maybe he’ll take you along, too.
WE ARE FEEL GOOD INC, packs from $44, wearefeelgoodinc.com.au
Save him from himself! Give the man in your life a healthy boost of collagen that staves off sugar cravings. These low-carb, gluten-free, low-sugar bars contain 10% pasture-raised collagen, the naturally occurring wonder protein that gives young skin its plump, dewy appearance, strengthens nails, bones, joints and muscles and aids gut health. Sorry Mars Bar, there’s a new game in town.
LOCAKO Collagen Snack Bar, Woolworths, $4
LA ROCHE-POSAY Toleriane Overnight Moisturiser, $41.95 (40ml), laroche-posay.com.au; Adore Beauty
Apricot and almond nourishes skin roughened by fishing, surfing and tennis, but the refined, non greasy texture suits a no-nonsense, sporty guy, even one who uses very little other product.
L’OCCITANE Shea Butter Body Cream, $64 (200ml), Adore Beauty
Equal amounts of three nutrients that target bone health – magnesium, calcium and Vitamin D – are welcome essentials for the male who prioritises health and strength well into his ‘silver fox’ years.
USANA Magnesium, Calcium and Vitamin D supplement, $37.40, usana.com
This brilliant homegrown texturising, salty spray keeps your honey’s hair loosely styled and casually wavy, as if he has just dunked his head in the ocean.
ORIGINAL & MINERAL Surf Bomb Sea Salt Spray, $12.95 (50ml), originalmineral.com.au
Paddle Boarding is like life – best done with the wind at your back. If your guy is already a fan of the sport or has always wanted to try it, kit him out with Red Paddle’s longer board that lets him explore a wider variety of aquatic playgrounds, a high quality dry bag to protect his valuables, and a warm, cosy jacket to get him from water to work.
RED Luxury Towelling Change Robe, $99; RED Waterproof Roll Top Dry Bag, $49, RED 11’0” Compact SUP, $2,399, red-equipment.com.au
Help him ease tired, sore limbs after a workout with the aromatherapy benefits and healing power of this muscle relax ritual. De-Stress Body Oil infused with invigorating rosemary, ginger and black pepper helps turn shower and bath time into bliss time.
AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES, De-Stress Muscle Bath & Shower Oil, $92.00 (55ml), aromatherapyassociates.com.au
Men need an action deodorant that works – yet still replaces the nasties, such as aluminium and PEG compounds, with nature’s botanical fresheners, like citrus oils. Convenience with a contemporary clean twist.
LAFES Active Stick, $12.95, lafes.com
Tommy Hilfiger’s bracing bitter orange, cypress and cedar fragrance is as bright and bouncy as his smart casual fashion brand, and exclusively available at AdoreBeauty.
TOMMY HILFIGER Impact EDT 50ml, $85, adorebeauty.com.au
The Hipster Dude
In the third millennium, men have their own targeted skincare, designed with stronger actives to suit thicker skin (thanks testosterone) and rougher texture. This essential set from The Secret contains Cellular Repair Night Cream, Day Brightening Elixir, and Eye Treatment for a three-step regimen: the gift that keeps on giving.
Nothing says sense of occasion like ‘gift set’. Give your man grooming on the run with Evo’s grab-and-go toiletry bag of goodies for the gym: deep cleansing shampoo, a lightweight balm and ‘box o bollox’ texture paste that will have his hair whipped up to urbanite perfection.
EVO Neat and Tidy Gift Set, $86.50, evohair.com
Electrify his cabinet and grooming routine with the season’s male fragrance, which celebrates innovative packaging and cooler-than-thou contemporary notes, from the herbaceous sage and pepper of Caroline Herrera’s Bady Boy in a witty lightning bolt bottle to grapefruit and lavender reimagined as potent and masculine by Dior. And shouldn’t every almond latte-sipping sophisiticate have a sublime Tom Ford bottle in his fragrance collection?
CAROLINA HERRERA Bay Boy EDT, $147 (100ml), David Jones and Myer. JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Le Male On Board, $139 (125ml), David Jones and Myer. PACO RABANNE Phantom EDT, $149 (100ml), David Jones and Myer. TOM FORD SIGNATURE Ombre Leather Parfum EDP, $220 (50ml), Mecca, David Jones. DIOR Sauvage Elixir, $205 (60ml), David Jones, Myer, Sephora and selected pharmacies
Any self-respecting hipster embraces the next super star beauty ingredient or feature – this season it’s squalane’s time to shine. Naturally occurring in our own skin and also plant-derived, especially from sugar cane, this hydration hero locks in moisture to the skin’s lower layers. Another plus: clean beauty brand Biossance sources sustainably. House of Immortelle showcases hyaluronic acid, the body’s other natural moisture binder and The Secret’s cult serum has a brilliant silky smooth formula that skin drinks in, plus it is made to order to reduce waste.
BIOSSANCE Squalane Oil, $49 (100ml); BIOSSANCE Squalane Omega Repair Cream, $89 (50ml), Sephora. HOUSE OF IMMORTELLE B5 Anti-Wrinkle Serum, $54.95 (30ml), houseofimmortelle.com.au. THE SECRET SKINCARE, Men’s Serum, $130.00 (30gm), thesecretskincare.com.au
If your man’s brow is starting to furrow more than usual, this little helper holds skin in place with medical-grade silicone to brakepad wrinkles and creases from forming. It’s a fun way to say sorry for helping make those wrinkles form in the first place!
WRINKLES SCHMINKLES Forehead Wrinkle Patch, $20, wrinklesschminkles.com.au
Binary gender – sooo last century. The perfect metrosexual blend of classically masculine fragrance note, leather is tempered by the lightness of florals for the modern male.
PALM BEACH Lilies and Leather Candle, $42.95, palmbeachcollection.com.au
City slicker skin is inevitably exposed to pollution particles far smaller than skin pores, so a charcoal mask to draw out impurities is the bedrock, man bun-friendly urban staple.
SUKIN Anti-Pollution Facial Masque, $19.95 (100 ml), sukinnaturals.com.au
Craft breweries embody all that is niche, distinctive and handcrafted – the hipster antidote to generic mega brands. Having craft beer delivered to the door? It’s the perfect gracenote to a birthday lunch or picnic in the park. Introduce him to the pale ales, canned beer, growlers and tallboys of independent brewer Six Strings Brewery in NSW’s Central Coast. A mixed sample showcases the flavour profiles, from rich and malty or tart and fresh to the burnt toffee and caramel deliciousness of cult favourite Crème Brûlee Stout, with notes of vanilla custard. Special editions with memorable packaging, inspired by bands, sports legends and artists, make for brilliant gifts.
SIX STRINGS BREWERY Craft Beer, sixstringbrewing.com.au
Is he wanting to keep the dad bod at bay to fit into those skinny, skinny jeans? His on-the-go meal replacement will need to be vegan, high-protein, packed with fibre shakes and 100% natural. We’ll take ours in coffee, naturally.
THE FAST 800 Coffee Real Food Shake, $39.99 (500gm), aus.thefast800.com,
Your guy’s clinic treatments may be on pause during lockdown, so help him bring it on home with a professional level scrub for face and body in stunningly sophisticated packaging. Cell renewal never looked this good on the shelf.
RODAN AND FIELDS Microdermabrasion Paste, $114 (125ml), rodanandfields.com.au
The Yoga Guru
Indulge your man’s love of the natural world with fragrance that evokes the elements; unique homegrown luxury brand, Goldfield + Banks takes fine fragrance locavore. Elegantly tapered packaging echoes exciting, fresh formulations, such as Silky Woods’ forest floor sensuality and the cedars and energising sea spray of Pacific Ross Moss, meant to evoke a meandering coastal walk.
GOLDFIELD AND BANKS Silky Woods and Pacific Rock Moss, $299 (100ml), Adore Beauty, Sephora, goldfieldandbanks.com – Father’s Day offer: a complimentary pocket-sized 10ml Wood Infusion perfume, valued at $45, when you purchase any 100ml fragrance.
This smooth, creamy coconut candle embedded with nuggets of crystal looks almost too beautiful to burn. Zingy lime and dreamy elderflower instantly calms a space so he can deservedly peace out.
CLEANSE & CO Smoky Quartz Candle, $59 (400g), cleanseandco.com.au
The power of aromatherapy to elevate one’s mood comes with a bonus: the 360 diffuser challenges traditional single-direction function with a ring that can disperse his favourite essential oils in a circle. Soothing ambient light makes it even more magical in low light.
IN ESSENCE 360 Diffuser, $259 (includes drops, 1 x 25mL and 1 x roll on), inessence.com.au
Face oils and unguents are an ancient solution that appeal to a hippie’s love of a chemical-free routine. Allow him to indulge in a crop of natural powerhouse ingredients: vitamin-C packed rosehip oil; Sunbutter’s mineral-rick kelp and wattle oil to target hyper-pigmentation; Omveda’s ayurvedic powerhouses saffron and licorice in their signature, tinted Kumkumadi Oil; Ningaloo serum’s native Australian botanical Banksia Flower.
DR ROEBUCKS Ningaloo Firming Serum, $98 (30ml), drroebucks.com.au. ROSEHIP PLUS Rosehip Oil, $29.95 (50ml), rosehipplus.com.au. SUNBUTTER Face Oil, $43.95 (50ml), sunbutteroceans.com.au. OMVEDA Kumkumadi Face Oil, $65 (50ml), omveda.com.au.
Gut health rules supreme, so jog things along with Hemp OZ Kombucha’s hand-crafted ancient brew that supersizes a gut-friendly pro-biotic fermentation with the superfood benefits of powerhouse ingredient hemp, rich in fatty and amino acids.
HEMP Hemp Infused Spring Water, $42.00 (x 12 bottles), hempoz.com.au
Slathering on coconut, macadamia oil and aloe vera after hot yoga will put him in his happy place. This body moisturiser is paraben and PABA free and made right here in Australia, so its carbon footprint is as light and easy as the formulation.
WE ARE FEEL GOOD Coco Milk, $24.95 (200ml), wearefeelgoodinc.com.au
Who knew that his feet could end up smelling great? Breathable beeswax is nature’s great softener, with peppermint to purify and return calloused skin to peak condition. Challenge accepted!
BURTS BEES Coconut Foot Creme, $24.95 (123g), Adore Beauty, David Jones, Big W
Oats aren’t just for morning granola: they make a great organic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial beauty ingredient – the perfect star player in this repairing hand cream, that leaves a scent of coconut wafting off tired hands.
DR ROEBUCK’S Cushie Hand Cream, $30 (50ml), drroebucks.com.au
Me-time just got a whole lot better with this gentle candle scent, designed to recreate a ocean breeze fragrant with heady orange blossom and bergamot, perfect for the gentle sport of hammock swaying.
CIRCA Oceanique Candle, $39.95 (350g), circa.com.au
It’s time to boost sluggish circulation and kickstart the body’s own lymphatic drainage to reduce the toxins that inevitably build up in the fluid around our face. This cooling rose quartz roller also feels amazing as the rolling action wards off puffiness.
SKINSTITUT Rose Quartz Face Roller, $39, skinstitut.com
Pay homage to his chill zone with bath flakes that combine healing mineral magnesium and mood lifting menthol, for a bath ritual that will really make his boat float.
AMAZING OILS Magnesium Active Bath Flakes, $24.95 (800g), amazingoils.com.au
Of course your significant other is already down with probiotics in his set pot yogurt for brekkie and he swills down kombucha as often as he downward dogs. Now he can add probiotics to his beauty arsenal with a deodorant that features sweat absorbing, odour neutralising eucalyptus, the bush’s natural bacteria whisperer.
LAVANILA Probiotic Deodorant, $25 (57g), nourishedlife.com.au
All the energising potency of essential oils adds impact to Lavanila’s new Elements collection of sweat protection.
LAVANILA Vanilla + Earth Deodorant, $25, stylepatisserie.com
Put the lime in the coconut… ingredients good enough to eat bring the scent of summer to grooming.
PALM BEACH Coconut & Lime Body Wash, $24.95 (500ml); PALM BEACH Hand & Body Lotion, $24.95 (500ml), palmbeachcollection.com.au
This Aussie cell scrubber takes detoxifying supergreens such as kale, spirulina and parsley out of the blender, adding bamboo to create the perfect skin polish that leaves behind more nutrients than it strips away. He will look as soft and gentle on the outside as he is on the inside.
SUKIN Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub, $14.95 (125ml), nourishedlife.com.au
The Old School Traditionalist
Bold fragrance that taps into the power of traditional notes that are unapologetically, quintessentially masculine is perfect for the blokey bloke. Amouge conjures the temple-like intensity of Oriental myrrh, frankincense and oud; the artisanal craftsmanship of new player Thwaites’ debut Sagittarius features intoxicating rum and woody musk; Creed, purveyors of fragrance for gentlemen since the 18th century, lets him play lord of the castle – or apartment – with the musty, forest appeal of Green Irish Tweed’s countrified iris and violet leaf.
AMOUAGE Epic Man, $359.00 (50ml), adorebeauty.com.au. THWAITES COLOGNE Sagittarius Eau de Parfum, $145, thwaitescologne.com. CREED Green Irish Tweed, $399, (100ml), creedperfume.com.au
Back in the day, when Mad Men reigned supreme and whisky hour started whenever you damn wanted it to, one judged a man by his shoes and his watch. A quality timepiece still speaks volumes more than a quick peek at a smartphone ever could. Heritage Japanese company Seiko helps your guy put his best wrist forward with the blue ribbon elegance of sapphire crystal and stainless steel automatic timepieces (with retro manual winding). The only tough decision is, will he prefer the Prospex in silver or the Presage – with leather band – in gold?
SEIKO SRPG17K Prospex Automatic (silver), $795; SEIKO SPB170J Presage Automatic, $1495, seikowatches.com
Glasshouse Fragrances candles have such a huge fan base because their destination candles are designed to conjure a time, mood and sense of place, so everyone can find their own fan favourite. The audacious confidence of this Oriental fragrance, jasmine and saffron, anchored by the ancient power of sandalwood and oud spices, is perfect for the family patriarch or master of barbecue. His man shed will transform into a desert tent straight out of an Arabian fairytale.
GLASSHOUSE FRAGRANCES Arabian Night candle, $49.95 (380g), glasshousefragrances.com
This traditional oil and wax based pomade is scented with mild fresh tobacco and vanilla bean and designed for a medium hold that allows for waves and movement, yet can still sculpt hair. Inspired by the classic pomade hairdos of the 1920s-50s rather than the spiky stickiness of gel, it manages texture with a slow, soft purr, like the engine of a great classic car.
KING BROWN Original Pomade, $25 (71g), kingbrownpomade.com
There is nothing that your man can throw at his calloused, worn hands that these two products can’t handle. If he’s a tradie on the tools or always tinkering under his car, he can remove oil and grease with a good scrub from the pumice effect of natural walnut shell. Then he can heal calloused skin with a formulation that combines urea to seal cracks and anti-microbial agents lemon myrtle and tea tree to protect hands from environmental aggressors.
DU’IT Tough Scrub, $10.95 (150g); DU’IT Tough Hands, $11.95 (150g), Duit.com.au
What if he is a stubborn CEO who likes to run his own show when it comes to gifts? Still stumped? Hand control back with a smart eGift Card that allows him to go hogwild and spend with smart and stylish partner brands. Whether he would love to pack his bags in a leather weekender bag from The Iconic, slather on travel essentials from Melbourne tastemakers DesignStuff, likes the simple pleasures of socks and jocks (thanks Calvin) or can’t wait to get his hands dirty with a rustic fire pit from Barbecues Galore, the sheer variety of blokey gifts means this present is oh so sorted.
PREZZEE GIft Cards, $10 – $2000, Prezzee.com.au
Surely sinking back on the balcony with a full bodied red while grazing over local cheeses is one of life’s great simple pleasures. Try this rich, intense and silky French style Cabarnet Franc from Frogmore Creek, in the heart of Hobart’s wine country, made from vintage grapes and ready for drinking.
FROGMORE CREEK Cabarnet Franc Vertical Wine Pack 2014 – 2018, 6 Bottles, $280, frogmorecreek.com.au
