The Man Post - AHAVA Men and Molton Brown Cassia Energy Sport

I remember my mother using Ahava products when I was a child (and when they were still by mail order only) so when I saw this on the shelves at Bath&Body Works for 50% off I couldn't resist! I didn't want anything for myself because I have literally enough skincare stuff to last me until eternity but as a beauty addict, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't lavish my Schmoopy with fantastic skincare products as well? Schmoopy is a metro-man but he could care less about fancy skincare products. Before me, he was quite satisfied with drugstore brands but I made him see the Matrix :)

I got him this small sampling of Ahava Men shaving products. The smell of the products is really nice. It does not smell like Old Spice but it is manly and it's not overpowering (i.e. I didn't smell Schmoopy coming down the hall from half a mile away).

I also couldn't resist getting him a sport body wash from Molton Brown - it smells so good! I'll review this after the AHAVA products.

About AHAVA
Products from Ahava are all derived from plants and minerals found in the Dead Sea. Yea, that's right - THE Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is considered nature's natural spa and it's waters contain the highest concentration of minerals in the world – an astounding 32%. The mineral mud of the sea bed yield extraordinary concentrations (ten times more than ocean water) of natural elements – such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, strontium, boron and iron – all of which are essential to maintaining healthy, supple skin. Even its water is unique, infused with useful proteins created by fossils and algae. Using scientific research they've studied the therapeutic effects of the Dead Sea minerals when applied to the skin and found them to be revitalising and effective. Ahava is also an environmentally-friendly brand. They utilize non-polluting and environmentally conscious manufacturing processes. They do not use animals in any product testing phase and all of Ahava product containers are recyclable plastic.

AHAVA Deep Cleansing Gel for Men $18

Micro-peeling, foaming gel eliminates impurities and deep cleans skin without drying. Prepares skin for shaving. Invigorating. Gently massage micro-peeling cleansing gel onto wet face in a circular motion. Rinse with lukewarm water.

AHAVA Foam-free Silk Shave $19

This luxurious foamless shaving cream is enriched with Dead Sea minerals, vitamin E, Provitamin B5, and plant extracts including ginseng, ginger, ginkgo and dates. Specially designed to lift up, soften and condition individual hairs to achieve a comfortably close, even shave, and to leave skin soft, smooth and moisturized. Approved for Sensitive Skin. Hypoallergenic. Free of Parabens, SLS and Alcohol . Apply onto dampen skin and shave.

AHAVA Soothing After Shave Moisturizer $28

Dead Sea Minerals enrich this daily moisturizing cream. Alcohol free, it instantly addresses discomfort and irritation while smoothing fine lines. Antibacterial. Smooth onto clean, dry, shaven skin for instant absorption and relief. Avoid eye area.

The Verdict - AHAVA Men : A
Schmoopy was happy with all 4 items, not that he had a lot to compare to. He was impressed with the Soothing After Shave Moisturizer since it was alcohol free and did not sting his skin. He also liked the Foam-free Silk Shave because there was no foam, his skin was visible as he was shaving so he could see where he was placing his razor. The products did aid in shaving by softening his hairs and his skin was not irritated one bit. They also have a pleasant spicy scent that isn't overpowering.

Molton Brown Cassia Energy Sport Hair & Body Wash $24

This is just a simple body wash from Molton Brown. I know a lot of guys really like the scent Black Pepper, but I'm really not a fan and neither is Schmoopy. I really like this smell for a guy because it's refreshing and not floral or fruity.

This product is great for atheletic guys as it's a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner that can be easily taken to the gym. Cassia is a spice related to cinnamon and it's scent helps relax muscles and has antiseptic properties making it the ideal natural deodoriser.

The Verdict - Molton Brown Cassia Energy Sport: A+
He loves this body wash! I think a lot of guys out there hate body washes because body washes usualy leave a filmy feeling. My Schmoopy loves this body wash because there is absolutely NO filmy feeling at all. In fact, he says he feels squeaky clean just like if he used a bar soap but his skin isn't dried out. He also says wash's deodorant effect really works. He has that "I just showered" smell for most of the day. This body wash is highly recommended by Schmoopy!

Caudalie VinoPerfect Radiance Revealing Mask $42

Caudalie is a relatively young company that was launched in 1995. Their products originate from the benefits found in grapeseeds and they are all-natural. They extract and stabilize polyphenols which have been shown in laboratory tests to be 10,000x more effective than Vitamin E in fighting free radicals. Caudalie holds the patent for the extraction of polyphenols. From these roots, the company has since patented Resveratol (grape vine stalk extract #uno) to address cell renewal and Viniferine (grape vine stalk extract #dos) to treat dark spots and enhance radiance.

**Warning** The following is copied directly from the product itself and it's box (I got lazy :P)

The extraordinary combination of an ultra-soft brush applicator with a super-active formula. This fresh peeling mask renews the appearance of the skin, tightens the appearance of pores and provides an immediate burst of radiance to your complexion.

Apply twice a week on clean skin. Then the applicator to the ON position Press lightly. Apply avoiding the area around the eye. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse. Theun the applicator to the OFF position, then rinse and wipe the applicator.


Applicator in OFF position.


Applicator in ON position - with a bit of the mask squeezed out.

The Verdict: A-
This mask feels cool when applied and I think it's a good mask to try if you have sensitive skin. It's completely non-irritating and it makes skin brighter and more radiant. There's no smell to the product and the consistency is quite thick and creamy. It's a peeling mask that is rinsed off so it never hardens or dries out.


Close-up of the brush. It's soft and feels just like a foundation brush.

At first I was excited to try out the brush applicator becuase I thought it would be like a mini-spa experience! Unfortunately, the product is only squeezed out from the very middle of the brush and it was hard to spread over my skin evenly. I'm thinking(hoping) this is just a learning curve and I just need a couple of tries to get the hang of it.


Shot of how the product is dipensed from the middle of the brush only.

I really enjoyed this product and I will definitely continute to use this. I like the cool feeling it has and how gentle it is. Also, since you use the brush applicator to apply it, a little goes a long way.


I was looking all over for a little instruction pamphlet but then realized the instructions were printed directly on the inside of the box. In fact, Caudalie uses every surface of their outter packaging for printing. I loved how it was eco-friendly! I gripe I have with Caudalie in general is that they package their products for the English, French, German and Italian speaking populationg. Because of this, it looks like a lot of detail is printed but it's actually only a 1 sentence description. Also, with all the extraneous information it's like a "Where's Waldo" hunt for the English text - haha!