Operation Grooming has Merged with BeautyPopStop!

Because of my limited ability to post daily, Operation Grooming has merged with my wife's blog--BeautyPopStop.com and all future posts will publish there. To contact me for reviews please email us at doria@beautypopstop.com.

Thank you guys for your support!

Review: Jack Black First Class Five Kit

I have been using the Jack Black First Class Five kit for about two weeks straight and I finally have a chance to write this review now that the holidays are over. Sorry for the long wait!

I will start with the body/hair and face wash.  When I opened the bottle for the first time I loved the subtle scent that was kind of citrusy. I used it as a body wash and a shampoo and I would have to say I was very impressed with how well it worked as both. I felt clean and even a bit refreshed after using it.

The shaving balm worked very well even though I hadn't shaved in a few days. I didn't notice a strong scent at all when I opened it and after using it for two weeks I still think it provides a great shave--very close and didn't leave me with horrible razor rash. I have sensitive skin and tend to get razor burn easily.

When it comes to the face moisturizer, I have honestly loved it since the first time I used it last year. It doesn't take much to get the job done and it leaves your face feeling awesome. 

I always have dark circles under my eyes because of my job; it's just a fact of life. I started using the eye balm the day I opened the kit and have used it almost every day since.  I think it's a great product. It didn't burn or sting when I got it in my eye once--not intentional just to be clear. I feel like the dark circles under my eyes have started to go away more so than with any other eye product I have used. I wouldn't say they're gone, but there's definitely a subtle difference--I always find it kind of hard to judge a product like this though.

I have saved the best for last.  The lip balm is truly amazing!  I have never been a real fan of using lip products as a guy since I can't stand the feeling of wearing something on my lips.  However, I have used this daily since I tried it because it doesn't leave your lips feeling greasy like a regular chapstick might. It is mint flavored (they do offer other flavors as well). The mint isn't overpowering and makes your lips tingle just a bit at first, but leaves them hydrated and smooth after a few minutes. This is a great product to have, especially during the winter!

Overall, I give this kit 4 thumbs up. I am now a very big fan of the Jack Black line. I really want to try out their muscle mend set and see how that works. If I get the opportunity to I'll definitely report my experience here.

Cost of the kit: $49.00 retail

Review: Menskin Shavestick

I was recently given the opportunity to review Menskin's shavestick.  It's pretty interesting since it isn't a traditional shave cream or balm and it literally looks just like a stick of deodorant! I wondered how well it would lather because it's a stick, but it ended up working great! 

I was sent 3 Shavesticks to review. Each has a distinct scent

How It Works
First, you wet your face, then you wet the shavestick.

Apply it to your face in smooth strokes. 

I found that if I went in all directions when I applied it, it lathered nicely and it gave a clean, smooth shave.  I would say that one of the best aspects of this product is the different scents it comes in. I was sent a very refreshing citron, ice (kind of minty), and my personal favorite--stealth. I didn't find that this irritated my skin at all.

While 2 of the shavesticks I received were white, Ice had an interesting marbled effect.

Over all I give this product 4 thumbs up if you are looking for something that would be perfect for taking with you to the gym or traveling since there is zero chance of mess since it comes as a solid with a screw-on cap. Obviously it's great for at-home use, too.  If you want to try something new, this is definitely worth giving a shot.

You can see the ingredients here. While these aren't completely natural, this isn't something you leave on your skin to absorb, so it's probably a great alternative for most.

Review: Votre Vu Wrap Him Up Gift Set

I was given the opportunity to review this holiday gift set recently--my first experience with Votre Vu products for men!

The package a little over a week ago and when I opened it I was instantly impressed with the packaging. I thought the stickers were a slick touch, making it look like it had traveled quite a bit.  Once I opened the box I was a little shocked at how much packaging there was. I did feel it was a bit wasteful since the box could have been half the size and still looked awesome. That aside, the packaging is well branded.

Votre Vu puts a lot of effort into the packaging of the Wrap Him Up Holiday Gift Set inside and out.

The gift pack comes with three products in it--Formule 1, Habitude, and Beau Baume.  Formule 1 is a men's 3-in-1 hair, face, and body wash. Habitude is a men's daily face crème with spf 15. Beau baume is an organic lube shave balm that doesn't require water.

Here you can see the first view into the box. The insert shows an image of all of the products included in this holiday gift set.

Here are the actual products--great branding. These have a much more masculine look than the products my wife has tried by Votre Vu.

I used the Formule 1 in the shower and I think it did a good job leaving my skin feeling clean and my hair wasn't left feeling greasy or weighed down. It didn't lather as well as most body/hair washes I have used in, but it did clean very well.  At first there really wasn't much of a scent, but once I started working it into a lather there was a very pleasant citrus smell.

The shave balm is amazing and I would definitely buy this in the future. I didn't use any water like it suggested and at first I was a little nervous because my skin is very sensitive, but after the first swipe of the razor I realized it was very effective and msooth.  There was zero pull and I had NO razor rash after, even though I should probably put a new blade on my razor.  It has the same nice citrus scent as the body wash. The only thing that I would say that is negative is that it was very hard to clean the razor out after I was done.  I had to use very hot water and the shower head to shoot through the blades. Over all this probably the best feeling shave I have had recently.


I have been using the habitude daily face crème for about five days now and I have to say I love the citrus scent of the product. It leaves your face feeling smooth and moisturized, and it really doesn't take much to cover your face. As far as facial creams go this would be in my top 5. Over all this is a great gift set to give or get this holiday season!

Bluebeards Revenge Shaving Cream Review

A couple weeks ago the folks at The Bluebeards Revenge reached out to me and asked if I wanted to review their shaving cream since they will be releasing products once again in the states some time in the near future.  I said yes of course, since I am always looking for new grooming products to try.  I received a package last week and I've used the products a few times since. 

What came in the box:  One jar of Luxury Shaving Cream and one of their Doubloon Bristle Shaving Brushes.Unfortunately, it seems as though the shaving cream leaked out a bit during shipping (you can see it in my shot of the shaving cream jar below), but aside from the bottom of the box and some excess around the outside of the lid, the damage wasn't too bad.

Doubloon Brush package.

My first impression of the shave cream was that I loved the packaging.  The reflective skull and cross bones on the shaving cream box looks cool and the cut-out skull and cross bones on the brush box was eye-catching as well.  After opening the shaving cream I noticed there isn't an overpower scent or aroma.  I used the brush with the cream when I shaved and it worked great.  The shaving cream lathered up very nicely and applied very smoothly. As I lathered it up there was a very pleasant aroma that seemed to be released as I used the brush.  As far as the actual shave, I would say as far as drag/pull factor it ranks in the top 5 shaves I have ever had.  It even provided great results after I had made 4 passes with the razor just to see if it would hold up to the extra pass even thought I was smoothly shaven after just three passes.  Once I finished washing my face off my skin was left feeling smooth and moisturized and even as I write this the next morning it still feels great.  I had ZERO razor rash after using the shaving cream and didn't need to use any type of bump down/razor rash cream.  This is a first for me even when using a brand new razor!  The price point on the cream is very reasonable as you will get 50 shaves out of one jar, so I think $16 is reasonable (rough estimate as the website is in the uk so everything is listed in pounds).

Top view of the brush.

My final thought on The Bluebeards Revenge Shaving Cream is that it is a win all around and these guys offer a great shaving cream that truly works!  I have to say, I really enjoy the packaging and I think the branding is spot on, too. I look forward to trying some of their other product some time in the future. 

Their website  http://www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk/shop/home.php

Link for the shaving cream http://www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk/shop/The-Bluebeards-Revenge-Luxury-Shaving-Cream-100ml.html
price -

£9.99 - USD $15.7797  

link for the brush  http://www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk/shop/The-Bluebeards-Revenge-Doubloon-Bristle-Shaving-Brush.html
Price -

£6.99 - USD $11.0358

I found their packaging very funny!

Bonnie and Clyde 2011 Holiday Gift Giving Guide: Week 6

Hopefully you've started your holiday shopping, but if you're like most guys and either forgot or keep putting it off, better start soon! Here are some more ideas for those of you still looking for the right gifts to give this year...

Where to Buy
Japonesque Train Case (medium in black) - You can purchase this train case on a number of different sites, including this one HERE. If you'd prefer to purchase a train case from another company, google is your best friend. Just make sure you check out reviews before purchasing.

Kyoku for Men Skin Essentials Travel Kit - This effective skin travel kit for men can be purchased from Barneys HERE.

Birchbox Man Coming Soon!

If you have a woman in your life that subscribes to Birchbox, you may have experience a twingle or two of jealously every time she received a box filled with stuff she loved. Guys, we've finally got something of our own to look forward to every month! Birchbox recently blogged about their upcoming male-focused sample subscription service--Birchbox Man.

According to Birchbox's blog the first limited edition collection for men will launch some time this month. Filled with grooming samples from some of the most popular male-focused companies, Birchbox Man aims to make it easier for guys like you and me to try out new products without having to break the bank. You can sign up at Birchbox Man's site to be notified of upcoming announcements if you're interested. After my disappointing experience with His Black Box (see post HERE), I'm hoping that Birchbox (which is more established) will get it right from the start.

You can sign up for updates HERE.

Who else is curious to see what Birchbox Man has to offer us guys?