The men’s grooming train has left the station and brands of all sorts are working hard to capture their segment of the market. No longer embarrassed to talk about skincare, exfoliation, sun damage, or even beard moisturizing, men are seeking out products – from hyper-scientific sounding to organic artisanal – that hit both functional and style marks.
A.J Murray’s is a great example of how you can live in that artisanal space without becoming a hipster cliche. The branding and product design clearly hit the target for the urban, single-source coffee bean types, but does so without overdoing the stereotype. Just rough enough to feel masculine and practical enough to deserve a place in the bathroom.
The product names and attributes reflect classic influences, like Ernest Hemingway, Amber Larger, Kentucky Bourbon, Sherlock Holmes, and Abraham Lincoln.
Classic Broadway buffs that we are, we checked out the Sweeny Todd soap. It happens to be one of their most popular products, and with a blend of spices and citrus notes, does indeed remind us of a classic barbershop as they suggest.
Another product that has a permanent place in our everyday bag is their Orange Clove shea butter lip balm. Blended with organic coconut oil, beeswax and vitamin E, it’s soothing and smooth without being shiny or sticky.
We’ll see about testing out some of their other hair and skincare products, but safe to say that they will likely leave us feeling clean, refreshed, and smelling like a man. Good stuff for guys from Louisville, Kentucky.
Looks like quite the product line … looks like I’ll have to sample some soon!