"Moliday" Cheer: 10 Grooming Gift Ideas for Men

Photo courtesy Tara Angkor Hotel

Man oh man! The face of personal care has changed dramatically in the last few years in an exciting XY way. When I treated myself to a spa massage for my birthday last month, I found myself surrounded by several men in the coed relaxation room. Most were there for facials rather than massages.

It's no secret that men want to look--and feel--their best in today's competitive world. In fact, many of my girlfriends often complain that their significant others use up their beauty products without replacing them. Wrinkle reducers, tinted moisturizers, under-eye concealers and bronzers appeal to them just as much as their own shaving supplies.

Men spend more than $4 billion each year on grooming supplies in the United States, according to some estimates. Movember marks an annual, month-long event during November, which brings the growing popularity of this trend into focus by encouraging men to grow moustaches. It also raises awareness of prostate cancer and other male-oriented maladies. So why not continue the celebration and turn December into a Men's Skincare Holiday Month, or "Moliday," with great grooming gift goodies for the special guy in your life?

Here's how to make it happen. The following cleansers, scrubs, creams and moisturizers specifically address men's skincare concerns. They're guaranteed to spread lots of Moliday cheer!

SHINE: Dermalogica Soothing Shave Cream, Pre-Shave Guard and Post-Shave Balm. BEAUTY: These products prevent ingrown hairs and discomfort/redness brought on by shaving with ingredients such as clove flower, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera leaf juice and salicylic acid. BEACON: Contains no artificial fragrances or colorants. Championed joinFITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship).

SHINE: Elizabeth Grant Grant Homme Moisturizer. BEAUTY: Prickly pear extract and aloe vera juice serve to soothe and protect the skin. BEACON: 

No animal testing. Supports Assaulted Women's Hotline, About Face and Sick Kids Foundation. 

SHINE: Headblade HeadShed Exfoliating Scrub. BEAUTY: Sloughs dead skin cells, and preps the face and head for a close shave with finely ground walnut shells, shea butter and grape seed powder. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: LATHER Citrus Soothing Pre-Shave Oil. BEAUTY: Conditions the skin for a comforting shave with sweet almond, lavender, avocado, lemon and cedarwood oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates and parabens. 

SHINE: Murad Face Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 15, Razor Burn Rescue and Cleansing Shave. BEAUTY: These products utilize ingredients such as mushroom extract, vitamin E, glycolic acid and tea tree oil to combat blemishes and ingrown hairs, and protect the skin from environmental damage. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Phytomer Homme Global Pur Detoxifying Cleansing Gel. BEAUTY: Revives skin and removes impurities with brown seaweed and marine oxhylium. BEACON: The company collects seaweed from natural forests, respecting periods of reproduction and following local regulations. 

Read in the Bathtub Day: Nourishing Body Care

If you haven't played hooky from work or school yet this year, today might be the time to do it. It's National Read in the Bathtub Day.

R&R stands for read and relax--with no guilt attached. So feel free to act like you don't have a care in the world as you curl up with a good book and soak in the tub with no time restrictions.

In your pursuit of peacefulness, consider the following bath and body products--and enjoy your home spa day.  

 SHINE: Babor Vitamin A-C-E Body Cream (Body Line Thermal). BEAUTY: Sweet almond oil and vitamins A, C and E protect against environmental stress and strengthen skin's elasticity. BEACON: Supports Dolphin Aid.

SHINE: Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash. BEAUTY: Replenishes moisture with non-fat dry milk and shea butter. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and petrochemicals.

SHINE: Elemis Tranquil Touch Creamy Body Wash and Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir. BEAUTY: The body wash utilizes sweet almond, cedarwood and patchouli oils, while the bath elixir uses eucalyptus leaf, lemon peel and patchouli oils to promote tranquility and skin conditioning. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of animal-derived collagen, synthetic perfumes and coloring, mineral oil, alcohol and silicones.

SHINE: Lather Yuzu Bergamot Body Wash and Manuka Body Butter with Grapefruit & Juniper. BEAUTY: The body wash features yuzu peel and bergamot fruit oils, as well as cucumber, green tea and rosemary extracts, while the body butter utilizes grapefruit peel and juniper berry fruit oils to cleanse and moisturize the skin, and uplift the senses. BEACON: Contains no sulfates or parabens.

SHINE: Malie Organics Body Cream. BEAUTY: Hydrates and soothes the skin with coconut, kukui and macadamia nut oils, and aloe vera leaf juice. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, sulfates and petroleum.

SHINE: Shea Terra Organics Ultimate Moisturizing Body Creme (Rubi Rose Hips). BEAUTY: Softens skin and reduces scaling with rose hips seed oil and shea butter. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil and Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash. BEAUTY: The body oil utilizes pomegranate and jojoba seed oils, while the body wash features pomegranate, sesame and macadamia nut seed oils to promote skin renewal. BEACON: Free of synthetic fragrances, colorants, preservatives and raw materials derived from mineral oils. 

SHINE: Whish Body Wash and Body Butter. BEAUTY: The body wash uses aloe vera leaf juice, pomegranate oil and cucumber fruit extract, while the body butter features shea butter, raspberry juice and lavender oil to purify, firm and moisturize. BEACON: Free of parabens, sulfates and petrochemicals.