For him: gifts with va-va groom

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10 April 2012

For every man who can't remember his girlfriend's bust measurement, there's a woman who thinks her boyfriend's wardrobe should reflect Downton Abbey's costume department or gets him tickets to watch a nearby-but-therefore-obviously-rival football team. Getting a gift that makes your man look better and that he will also like should be the aim of women as the shopping days run out.

Here are the last-minute va-va-groom buys for the new breed of spas-rather-than-bars chaps.

CITY GUY

1.L'Occitane Verdon Instant Energy Eye gel, £12
There won't be a dry eye in the house with this refreshing gel. Working at a computer reduces your blink-rate by as much as half, so keep his waterworks turned on with this energiser.
Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, W1 (selfridges.com)

2. Gentlemen's full-body Thai massage, £72 per hour
The Thai approach to massage may be bruising - closer to physio than aromatherapy - but the effect is soothing and the service is charming. The best way to de-stress.
Thai Square Spa, 25 Shelton Street, WC2 (thaisquarespa.com)

3. Manicure set, £59.95
A handy leather manicure set for those who appreciate the importance of polish.
Taylor of Old Bond Street, 74 Jermyn Street, SW1 (tayloroldbondst.co.uk)

4. Faust's Potions Asleep and Awake hangover cures, £4.99
Fed up with his mangovers? Nurse him back to health in no time. Order now to avert New Year's Day's disaster.
cultbeauty.co.uk

5. Jean Paul Gaultier Monsieur brow groomer, £14.85
Maintain your man's highbrow style by giving him this groomer to keep his eye 'tache under control.
Boots (boots.com)

6. Slendertone Face for Men, £305
Bypass Botox with the Slendertone facelifter. The vibrations combat signs of sagging and wrinkles that inevitably occur after 30, especially if you work an 80-hour week.
Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1 (harrods.com)

ACTION MAN

7. Rapha chamois cream, £15
Cycling types will be sore no more if they rub this on their undercarriage.
Condor Cycles, 49-53 Gray's Inn Road, WC1 (condorcycles.com)

8. Nougat Intensive muscle soak, £12
If you're frustrated by your man spending too much time propping up the bar after rugby, Nougat's after-sport revitaliser will have him running straight home for bathtime.
Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1 (harrods.com)

9. The Athlete strip wax, £265
Let him have a go if he thinks he's man enough. This hair-raising experience takes "back, sack and crack" to a new level.
Strip Wax Bar, 112 Talbot Road, W11 (stripwaxbar.com)

10. Adidas miCoach Pacer, £120
Slacking runners will have to get serious when this gadget barks out their heart-rate, distance, pace and stride count while they run. And if he is over-egging his performance you can always check his post-run data analysis yourself.
London Marathon Store, 63 Long Acre, WC2 (londonmarathonstore.com)

ECO-WARRIOR

11. Kyoku Earth body wash, £17
Show him he means the earth to you with an organic body wash. It's infused with Indonesian Heartwood (doesn't it sound exotic and cosy?), not to mention quartz. Plus it's anti-inflammatory and protects against infection.
Harvey Nichols, 109 -125 Knightsbridge, SW1 (harveynichols.com)

12. Razorpit, £19.99
Save the planet and his pocket one shave at a time with this blade-sharpener. It promises to extend the life of his blade to 150 shaves, leaving more money in the bank for Valentine's Day.
cultbeauty.co.uk

13. Manduka eKO yoga mat, £60
Committed yogis should get a mat that keeps their conscience at rest as well as their mind and muscles. The eKO mat is made from biodegradable cotton and recycled polyester.
Triyoga, 6 Erskine Road, NW3 (triyoga.co.uk)

14. Rhassoul Ritual, £45
The 45-minute lava-clay exfoliation treatment encourages couples to get hands on for a bit of dirty fun.
Dolphin Square Spa, Chichester Street, SW1 (dolphinsquare.co.uk)

DALSTON DANDY

15. Luxury wet shave, £45
Gillette may not be the best a man can get because it doesn't also infuse your face with sweet almond, bergamot and orange, like this east London shaving experience.
Murdock, 340 Old Street (murdocklondon.com)

16. Sachajuan spray wax, £17
His Hoxton Fin will never look - or feel - so good with this easily washable hair hold.
Liberty, 210-220 Regent Street, W1 (liberty.co.uk)

17. Tubéreuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens, £78 for 50ml
They say: "Bruised petals are marked with subtle tones that fade from deathly mauve to twilight sepia, like the shade of a new dark circle". Our ES Magazine writer said: "Smells of Vicks vapour rub and rotting meat but in a strangely puissant sort of way." Either way, it's too bizarre to miss.
Liberty, 210-220 Regent Street, W1 (liberty.co.uk)

18. Circus experience, £59 for a half-day
Tightwire walking, juggling and acrobatic balancing are all on offer with this voucher that introduces your lucky man to a form of fitness that is taking off in Hoxton.
The Circus Space, Coronet Street, N1 (circusspace.co.uk)

For him: gifts with va-va groom

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