Dapper Scout – A lifestyle web magazine for men

A recent UCLA study indicated that up to 93 percent of communication effectiveness is determined by non-verbal cues.  The editors at DS are convinced that a good portion of these signals are recognized and understood through people’s olfactory sense, especially considering how smell is tied to emotional memory.  With this in mind, here are two simple, yet highly effective (and portable) tools to ensure that no matter the circumstances, those within close proximity will never get the wrong message from you (at least not through some combination scent of body odor, alcohol and smoke).

Colgate Wisp

Gum is great and for others, curiously strong breath mints have their place as well.  But sometimes, you just want (and really need) to brush your teeth, but the last thing you’re going to do is carry around a toothbrush and toothpaste with you at all times.  With the new Colgate Wisp (available at drugstore.com for $8), you’ve got access to a single-use mini brush that comes with a freshening bead that doesn’t require water, but naturally dissolves and cleans your mouth when in use, and features the benefit of bristles to gently remove trapped food particles and a soft pick to get to those hard to reach areas.  The Wisp is ideal for after first dinner dates—in practically the amount of time it takes to wash your hands, you’ll have significantly reinvigorated your breath and be back on your date with the confidence to show it.

GoneSmoke Personal Smoke ‘n’ Odor Eliminator Bullet

Safe on any fabric as well as contact with you hair and skin, the GoneSmoke Personal Smoke ’n’ Odor Eliminator Bullet (available at GoneSmoke starting from $5) is an aerosol that’s practically dry and has been formulated to neutralize (as oppose to mask) unseemly odors whether it’s sweat, smoke or something else entirely.  The Bullet is ultra-compact and with just a few light sprays, you’ll emerge from any unpleasant scent cloud, smelling fresh and primed for the rest of the day (or night).  Consider the Bullet your get-out-of-jail-free card, one that will guarantee odor protection from the unpredictably noisome elements you face each day.

Related Item:
Weleda Sage Deodorant

DS Recommends, Gear, Grooming

While some things in life can be done in haste, the editors at DS firmly believe that certain things demand a little bit more of our attention and time (especially to ensure that we don’t leave the house looking as if we shaved in the dark for some inexplicable reason).  Founded by CEO Tom Wilscam and industrial designer Wolfgang Joennson, HOMMAGE is a men’s grooming company that focuses on the experience just as much as the exquisite products themselves.  Every aspect of HOMMAGE’s product line exemplifies a commitment to design that elicits a provocative response from both a visual and tactile perspective.  In particular, the HOMMAGE Monaco Shave Set (available at select HOMMAGE retailers for $500) sets the standard for distinctive form and function among the myriad men’s grooming accessories out in the market today.  The Monaco Razor is beautifully finished with a high-gloss chrome that’s scratch-resistant and virtually corrosion free (and is compatible with Gillette blades), while the brush is fitted with Grade A, silvertip badger hair bristles, which are generally considered the best for opening up pores and preventing ingrown facial hair.  The rubberized stand leverages magnetic properties to affix both razor and brush to it, but most importantly, with the Monaco Razor’s specific form and weight (designed to improve your shaving experience), you’ll truly take your time getting reacquainted with the landscape of your face.  The effortless results will speak for themselves.

Bathroom, Gear, Grooming

Personal tragedies can leave individuals feeling either helpless, or on the other hand, purposefully driven to reclaim control over their lives.  This is an instance of the latter.  After a swimming pool accident left Francesco Clark paralyzed and with an impaired central nervous system, he found himself not only unable to walk, but also unable to even sweat.  When clogged pores and chronic breakouts ensued, Francesco partnered with his father, a physician with a background in both Western medicine and homeopathy, to develop a botanically-based formula that completely rebalanced Francesco’s skin, leaving it clear, renewed and reinvigorated.  This formula became the basis for the Clark’s Botanicals skincare line, whose principal focus is on rebalancing the skin.  Every product is based on Jasmine Absolute, an essential oil whose antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and immuno-stimulating properties address problem areas for every skin type imaginable.  In particular, the Clark’s Botanicals Skin Clearing Face & Body Wash (available at Clark’s Botanicals for $46) is the perfect body wash to mitigate the ill effects of the late summer heat and humidity on your body.  The algae-enriched formula not only gently exfoliates dead skins cells, but with the highest percentage of salicylic acid available without a prescription, it also minimizes the appearance of enlarged pores and effectively treats both acneic and dry skin.

Grooming, Style

What is it with our fascination with British imports? From The Beatles to The Office to James Bond’s various Aston Martins, the Anglophile in us is always looking for the next big thing from the UK.  Enter Elemis’ S.O.S. Survival Cream (available at timetospa for $72), a high-performance, jack-of-all-trades daily facial moisturizer from Elemis, a leading luxury British spa and skincare brand that uses a combination of natural active ingredients with cutting-edge technology to dynamically treat your skin—the bottom line for you being that the stuff works. Using marine extracts, lavender and myrrh, Elemis’ S.O.S. Survival Cream soothes skin sensitivity, irritation, dryness and blemishes. With an ideal consistency, the moisturizer is quickly absorbed by your skin and keeps your face well hydrated throughout the day.  And with just the slightest hint of lavender, you won’t smell half-bad either.

Grooming, Shaving, Style

Takahiro was turning a critical eye towards the unruly mop on top of my head and cautiously started asking this DS editor a couple questions about my last haircut.  Less than a couple weeks removed from a $14 haircut at a particular establishment on Astor Place, I realized that I looked like I had basically gotten a $14 haircut, and so did Takahiro.  After thoughtfully listening to what I wanted from my haircut, Takahiro spent the next hour fastidiously cutting my hair as I sat in one of the few available chairs at Takamichi Saeki’s eponymous Takamichi Hair salon, located in a 7th floor loft space in NoHo, accessible only by a service elevator that comely assistants operate as they chaperone you to and from the lobby floor.  The space itself is airy and light, simple and functional.  The true magic happens as you’re seated and the stylists have their way with your hair.  Haircuts range from $85 for a stylist up to $120 for a haircut from the creative director himself, Takamichi Saeki.  With an emphasis on cutting hair that maintains its style integrity as it grows out, consider it a worthwhile investment in these uncertain times.

Grooming, Hair Salon, New York City, Style

Men’s deodorant commercials these days suggest that certain products do so much more than just what they’re intended to do (if only women were so easily charmed).  The editors here at DS raise one collective eyebrow to such claims, but instead offer you hope in a 3.4 oz bottle in addressing an age old deodorant and apparel problem—the old yellow pit stain.  The Weleda Sage Deodorant (available at Weleda for $12) naturally detoxifies the most toxic of areas with organic sage and tea tree leaf oil, and without the aluminum salts found in most deodorants, offensive odors are neutralized with an herbal scent while leaving your favorite pieces of white apparel, mercifully pit-stain free.

Grooming, Skincare, Style