Over that last few years – we have all seen the increase in folks talking about the health benefits of moving towards a Gluten Free diet. We’ve several sets of friends who have switched over to it, so I am always on the look out for ways to edit my menus to accommodate them. Was nice to see how Safeway Castro  is figuring this out – especially with the new Whole Foods across the street. We have tried several of the new Safeway branded gluten free line and found them pretty good and reasonably priced.

My February BirchBox order arrived this week with a great assortment of new finds.  For those of you who don’t know what Birchboc.com is – click here for your invitation to join. They offer a variety of new and trending products and for a monthly members fee – they send you a sample “box” of the month’s top hits. Essentially as they describe themselves – it’s a “discovery commerce platform”.

So while I am a pretty big techno geek – of late I have been enjoying the idea of old school communication techniques with the trending resurgence in notecards, custom journals and writing implements. So off the bat I loved that they included a 

box of blank note card and envelopes with a more masculine theme. Slightly retro-themed embossed imprints offer a nod towards old school male imagery. In fact BirchBox is promoting them as part of the “Art of Manliness Stationary”. In a warm sand/cream color, with a crisp embossed art-image – these cards will definitely be used over the next few months. Birchbox is selling the box of 15 cards for $24. 

Also included in the monthly box, were samples of facial products geared for men. This month the goodies included both a brushless shave cream and face wash by “apothecary-isque” looking Schullz & Malley. They definitely are offering a nod towards the vintage.

Now, not being someone who likes a lot of fragrance or heavy smells emanating from the skin and face products I use – I was less than hopeful when I saw the samples. But I was willing to give them a try. I was pleasantly surprised with my initial reaction on opening them. The scent is subtle – almost offering an echo-smell – one you get a wiff of then it sort or comes back a minute later in your mind. Immediately reminding me of being a kid and the smells associated with my Dad’s closet and his “man-cave” back then – the attic. I would describe the scent of  Schullz & Malley samples as a balance of smoky and earthy with just enough sweet to mellow it. It made me think of freshly aired wool sweaters, pipe tobacco, old wood and well used fireplaces.

The Cleansing Face Wash has pours out as a thick lotion, then mutates to nice creamy feel when rubbed and applied. It has a medium lather and being someone with a shaved head and beard, a nickel-sized amount was plenty for a solid coverage.  After rinsing my face had a nice clean feel and my beard responded nicely to the wash and even a few hours later felt softer than with other wash products I have used. The wash runs about $18 for 6 oz on BirchBox. 

The Brushless Shave Cream is a semi-solid type cream. The kind that is thick and very “nozema” like – but rubbed on your neck & face spreads well but not at thick as for instance The Art of Shaving’s shave cream. (Ed. Note: I am a long time fan and devotee of the unscented version of the Art of Shaving product line and the brush and shave cream has saved me lots of cuts.  So they remain the standard by which I compare products against, which luckily BirchBox also sells!)

The coverage was great and the shave smooth. With two scented products layered I was worried that I was going to smell them all day (even a good scent is too much for me after a while) – but again I was pleasantly surprised that by the time I had dried off and dressed – the fragrance with pretty much well I the background and dissipated nicely.  The Shave cream is $18 for 8oz on Birchbox

Now also included in this months box were:

• A sample fragrance from English Laundry’s Signature line – which I prompting gave to a younger colleague at work who sniffed and liked depth and fresh smell. But at $84 for 3.4 oz not sure he would buy it.
• A sampler of dr. brandt® pores no more® pore refiner. This one didn’t get tied yet – but once I do – I will share my thoughts. Not cheap at $45 for 1 oz – I am not sure its one that I would invest in on a regular basis.

One of our pals, Sally, who also works at one of our Castro favorite eateries;  La Mediterranee– we come to find out also runs this cool skin care products line called Birdy Bot

anicals.  Her focus offers a local, organic and fresh take on skin care – so had to check her stuff out at one of the gift shows this year.

After sniffing around a bit and a sample here and there – I opted to grab the Three-in-one Hydrating Lotion Jelly with a concentrate of aloe and cucumber- it was recommended good not only for face and head (in my case – having no head hair) she also mentioned it worked nicely on beards.  We also grabbed the Milk and Papaya Enzyme Face scrub with its added kick of pineapple enzymes. The simple design and ingredients, not to mention fresh scents made these easy sales. I also grabbed a Sarsaparilla Lip Butter – just because!

The Enzyme Face scrub is thicker than I expected and for folks who like a supple feel afterwards – you will really like it. For me, the after-use feel of my skin made me think it might be too heavy a product. But guests here at the house say they liked it for the same reason. On the other hand the Hydrating Lotion Jelly, with its slightly gooey cool feel, goes on and after moment or two simply absorbs in. Even the fresh bright smell while subtle enough to begin, gradually disappears. I do like the way my face and beard feel with it – it reminds me of using aloe gel after-sun type products but with a nicer, rounder finish. As for the lip butter – well if you are a fan of “birch beer” soda then you will love it .

The lotion runs about $16, the butters around $6 and the enzyme scrub a bit more expensive at $22, but it goes a long way and seems well worth the cost.

FYI – I be these would make a Valentines basket filler!

Birdy Botanical Natural Body Care | 1630 North Main St., Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA. 94596 | 415.515.8433  http://www.birdybotanicals.com

About Birdy Botanicals according Sally’s website;

Birdy Botanicals founder Sally Waters started making skincare products to solve her own skin problems. While working as a model maker for movies like Planet of the Apes and James and the Giant Peach, Sally was exposed to a lot of harsh chemicals involved in the production of props. Harsh chemicals in the work environment irritated her skin and allergies.

Vowing to reduce the toxins in her life, she started experimenting with natural body care ingredients and cleaning products. After sharing extras with friends and family, it became clear that the gentle approach worked for other people, too. A business was born.

Our Philosophy

Skincare products should be a pleasure to use. They should look pretty, smell pretty, and feel good.

Reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals and allergens by using products with high quality, natural ingredients. Natural scents, essential oils. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. If you read the label and can’t pronounce the ingredients, it’s probably not the best product for you or your face.

A streamlined routine will fit better into most lifestyles. You don’t need to spend a long time on your skincare routine to get good results. Products with multiple uses are a good value, and simplify your daily skincare routine. You’ll save money and time by using products that have multiple uses.

You shouldn’t have to spend a ton of money for beautiful skin. If it doesn’t work for you, you should be able to return a product. All of our products are 100% guaranteed. If you don’t like it, we’ll refund your money.

Step gently upon the planet. Birdy Botanicals is better for you and the earth. Products are made without harsh chemicals and sulfates and unnecessary packaging has been eliminated.

Our products are 100% vegetarian, and are never tested on animals.

http://www.birdybotanicals.com

This year we happen to hit both the KPFA Craft Fair   and the Renegade Craft Show. Now these are not your mother’s craft shows. These days they are filled with artisan chocolates, vinegar’s, candy, soaps, lotions, jewelry and more. What is kind of cool – is as “hipster chic” has taken hold – more of the vendors are guys catering products to guys. So you can find products for those of us with beards, or fragrances that work for guys.

Bay Rum by Laughing Devil

One of my favorites this season was a Bay Rum fragranced soap and I tend to not like most things that have fragrance.  This all natural soap was great and coming from a company with a name like “Laughing Devil Designs” I mean really! How could I not have stopped.  You can find them online at http://www.laughingdevilbathandbeauty.com and use the site’s blog to let you know where they vend. At $6.50 a large bar – it was worth it. Other ones of note were the seasonal Cranberry Spice and limited run Mistletoe. 

Fyi the other alternative if you prefer your soaps more professional packaged  is to check out the “Kiss My Face” product line  – Rough Thyme is great smells good but not over powering. A Body worker pal turned me on to this. While not cheap – I find buying locally at smaller shops you can get a deal or I have gotten good deals at Amazon for it.

Rough Thyme a clean scent that gets you clean