From eye-repair creams to overnight masks… What you’ll find in our bathroom cabinets.

Spring cleaning applies to your bathroom cabinet as much as your wardrobe, your pantry and your garden shed (if you’re lucky enough to have one). What many people don’t realise is that grooming products don’t last for ever. Especially those with natural ingredients. They, too, join the cycle of nature and start to break down just like everything else. If you ever wondered what that 12M mark means on the back of a tub or tube, it means you need to dispose of said product one year after opening. But an annual audit is not just about chucking out the old. It’s also a chance to usher in the new. Here, the MR PORTER team reveal what they are relying on to save face (and body) in 2018.

During the colder months of early spring, my skin can get dried out and irritated, which is why I’ll be mixing a few drops of Marie-Stella-Maris’ rich facial oil into my moisturiser. To try and get rid of that haunted late-winter look, I’ll also be applying this excellent eye cream from M.E. Skin Lab (to eliminate puffiness and dark circles) and using this surprisingly effective overnight mask from Allies Of Skin, which has potent anti-ageing properties.

Last year, I wrote a piece for MR PORTER called This Will Change How You Wash Your Hair For Ever, all about how most of us mis-apply shampoo and use cheap chemical-laden supermarket rubbish. And it did change how I wash my hair because I upgraded to Patricks. I’m tired of being told I look tired. La Mer’s products are famed for the brand’s trademarked Miracle Broth. It’s not as tasty as my grandmother’s chicken soup, but it is more effective at removing dark circles and softening fine lines. (I tested both so you don’t have to.) Let’s see if its Eye Concentrate is up to the task. Tom Ford Neroli Portofino has long been my summer fragrance, but for winter I prefer the heavier notes of Oud Wood. I’ve just started using the scented beard oil and it seems to last longer. I then also run my palms through my hair as hair is a great diffuser of scent. Plus, it’s good value.

The new year is a time of reflection, and I am using it to think about my face and my hair, so I don’t look like a withered husk by spring. This year, I am investing in Sisley – Paris Sisleÿum Anti-Age For Dry Skin, which protects me from the weather’s exigencies and keeps ageing at bay (at least for a while). Your hair is the crown you wear every day, so I plan to treat mine with respect using Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo, which contains a moisturising olive oil. Oh, and as it finally gets warmer, I will use Perricone MD Multi-Action Overnight Treatment to make me look presentable.

My mane is now under construction (in other words, a write-off) because by late autumn I hope to have a longer, Patrick Bateman-esque slicked-back style. Until then I will be channelling all my efforts towards my skin. Having oily olive skin, I was surprised to hear that a face oil could help. Sounds counterintuitive, right? But I have been using this Dr. Jackson’s one for a couple of weeks and I won’t look at another cream ever again. I drip six drops directly on my face, morning and night, after washing it with this Dr. Jackson’s 07 Face Wash and gently rub it in. I haven’t seen or felt a single pimple, flake of dry skin or an oily sheen since making the switch. Dr Jackson, if you’re reading this, thank you. To distract from my unruly hair, I will be treating myself to this Comme des Garçons 2 Man eau de toilette. It’s hard for me to describe the smell of it. Maybe it’s woody, but I prefer godly.

The recent mania surrounding Korean beauty routines initially captured my attention, but when I found out there were 10 steps involved and even more products, I gave up before I’d even begun. (Getting up an hour early for a skincare regime seems excessive – I’d rather stay in bed.) So this spring, I plan on snoozing my way to better skin with this Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Memory Sleep Mask, which hydrates and firms skin overnight. Then I’ll use this prickly pear oil balm from Christophe Robin, a polymath product that not only works to nourish skin, but is also a lip balm, hand cream and a non-sticky hairstyling wax. Because of all that spartan practicality in the rest of my routine, I feel I can partake in a little olfactory indulgence by way of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s signature fragrance, which is described as “light, clean and powerful” – three qualities I’ll gladly emulate.

Life is that much easier with a decent wash bag. For years, I simply threw my toiletries into my gym bag and hoped I had everything I needed. So what better way to keep to my New Year’s resolution of being more organised than with this smart and stylish Prada Saffiano wash bag? My other two must-haves are this Patricks M2 Matte Finish Medium Hold Pomade. It is the only product that can control my hair without making it greasy. And because there is no gym that can provide body wash to compete with the Tom Ford Oud Wood Shower Gel I use at home, I’m carrying it around with me. It smells amazing.

When we talk about grooming, we tend to think of perfumes, beard oils and face moisturisers, but we often leave out our smile. In order to make a good first impression, I use Aesop natural toothpaste. It’s made with sea buckthorn to reduce gum inflammation, cleansing clove and cardamom for sugar-free sweetness. It not only makes your breath fresh, it looks good in the bathroom cabinet, too. I complete my routine with a super-sleek Swedish-designed Foreo Issa silicone toothbrush and Aesop alcohol-free mouthwash.

I thank my lucky stars that I have thick hair (thanks, Mum, or is it Dad?), but if there’s the slightest gust of wind, I immediately want to cut it all off. That was until I was introduced to Patricks by a colleague at MR PORTER, and my hair was saved from a flailing Mr Donald Trump style. The M3 Matte Pomade couples a super strong hold with hair-nourishing ingredients such as sage and red clover. And it smells great. On the subject of which, I’ve always enjoyed trying out new fragrances. The infusion of cool mint, fresh lime and aromatic blackcurrant in Maison Francis Kurkdjia Aqua Celestia keeps you smelling good all day, without overpowering the person next to you. And this Aesop moisturiser has a light texture, but you know it’s getting to work on your skin. As a dad with two young daughters, I’ll take any help I can get.

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