Words: Alex Woodhall
He’s already imparted the secrets to getting in killer shape and getting the most out of your fragrance, now in the final part of our interview series, modelling maestro David Gandy gives us the low-down on everything you need to know when it comes to grooming. That is, the products to fill your bathroom with, why smooth skin can’t just be found at the bottom of a tub or tube and just how much he really eats to stay in model shape.
On the ultimate grooming routine:
“There are some really crappy products out there to be honest… There are just three basic things you need though and that’s a scrub, a serum and a moisturiser. That’s it. There’s not much else to it. The ‘experts’ will say and sell you anything and everything, this and that for under your eyes, blah, blah, blah. No. It’s crap, rubbish.
“Serum is the most important thing and most men don’t realise that but you need a scrub to get that into your skin so it can do its best work. SK-II is what I use and it’s really just those three things. The only other thing I usually mention is rose oil. It’s just a really good natural product to take with you after flights and what not when your skin is not in the best shape and it needs a bit of a pick me up. The rose oil really hydrates it.”
Looking good is about more than just product:
“The thing about grooming is it’s not just about product. It’s about what you put in your body. The right amount of water, the right foods – not crappy, fatty processed foods. People say, oh I’m not eating meat on this diet. Rubbish, it’s everything in moderation, you can eat too much fish or too much meat but it’s good for you in moderation. I actually had mercury poisoning from Tuna because I eat too much regularly and it topped off the levels in my body and made me quite ill.”
On people’s expectations:
“People go to me, ‘My God, you must not eat something’ and then it’s, ‘Good God, you’re eating cake’. I probably eat more than most people think I might, I’m actually a foodie and I eat a lot, but I just stay away from processed foods – white pastas, white carbohydrates, they’re things you just stay away from, high sugar content, saturated fat – but you can still eat so much because of that. People go to the extremities of somethings, you don’t need to do that.”
The brand the man himself uses:
Prestige Japanese beauty brand SK-II combines breakthrough technology with an almost craftsmanship like approach to product. Exceedingly popular with women, the brand has made previous forays into the men’s market but to be honest, this is one collection worth stealing from your other half’s side of the cabinet. The label’s trademarked wonder ingredient, Pitera, was stumbled upon in a sake factory decades ago and whilst the intricate details remain secret, what is known is that it’s a unique yeast strain that appears to hold the key to impeccably clear skin.
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