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Scentsational Frank & Oak’s Balsem grooming line!

By Jennifer Ryan Jones Jul 26, 2024 7:20 PM

Clothing retailer Frank & Oak have launched Balsem, a men’s grooming line of products for your face, hair and body. The move is a natural progression for this millennial favorite already offering in-house barbershops and grooming services to its customers. Founding Frank & Oak partners, Ethan Song and Hicham Ratnani grew up in Montreal so it makes sense that this apothecary line is inspired by the crisp, Northern air and made from locally sourced botanicals. The products are unisex with a fresh scent and beautifully packaged so she’ll actually want use them. But don’t worry they are priced reasonably, just above the grooming products you would find in a drugstore, and you can replenish right from the Frank & Oak website.

Your hair needs are covered. Get clean with Balsem Shampoo. It’s super gentle on your scalp, paraban and sulfate free. It will leave your hair naturally soft and shiny with added Abyssinian Oil to nourish your hair and wheat protein to strengthen. If your look requires a strong hold with a high shine finish, choose Balsem Natural Styling Pomade. Wheat proteins, Canadian Willowherb and Echinacea Extract will keep you locks healthy and your hair in place. If you prefer a lighter hold try Balsem Natural Styling Cream. It adds texture while conditioning your hair with nourishing Shea Butter. This is a much more natural, pliable hold with a matte finish.

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This nature inspired grooming line is non-greasy and will have you looking your best with minimal effort. Balsem Face Cleanser contains Canadian Willowherb extracts that will soothe your skin and calm down redness. Like the shampoo, this gentle formulation is alcohol, paraben and sulfate free. It foams up nicely and works to remove impurities. Balsem Shave Cream will set you up for a smooth shave. It gets rid of the scruff while conditioning your skin with Canadian Willowherb, Sunflower Oil and Aloe Vera. You’re about to get even smoother. Balsem Face Moisturizer deeply hydrates with Birch Sap. This local Canadian ingredient has restorative properties that will tone and moisturize your skin.

Jennifer Ryan Jones is a fashion and grooming expert who contributed regularly to The Manual and AskMen.com. Her past… Read Full Bio

The Manual’s Grooming Awards Are Open for Submissions

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For eight years, The Manual’s Grooming Awards have done one thing: told readers which products actually work. Not which ones arrived in the nicest box, not which brand bought the most media. Which ones survived months of daily use on our own faces, in our own showers, and were still worth reaching for at the end.

This year, we’re opening the awards to submissions.

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A couple of years ago, I took a flight to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines to meet with a hair transplant expert. It wasn’t for my scalp; it was for my beard. Stress-induced alopecia had ravaged one side of my face, and I was horribly self-conscious about it. Even images I took for my articles here on The Manual I would limit to the right side of my face. Ultimately, I got the transplant on the left side and went home happy. Now my right side is following suit, and I am considering the same thing again.

But what if I didn’t have to do all of that? What if there was a better way to treat hair loss? The secret is to get out in front of it early. Don’t wait. That doesn’t mean book a ticket on “Turkish Hairlines” and start going under the knife (dramatic, but you get the point). Instead, there is a better way to start early. Red light therapy. But, guys don’t always have the time. So the fix is in GroWell’s red light therapy hat. Who said wearing a hat causes you to go bald? That old wives’ tale is a thing of the past.

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Accessories, Formal Wear, Tie

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It turns out that there’s now a third reason why the name rings a bell. Earlier this week, Orlovsky said he’s completely against men getting pedicures. The subject came up after football fans learned that Florida Gators football coach John Sumrall, a no-nonsense tough guy, loves getting pedicures. Orlovsky appeared on Mike Greenberg’s Get Up show and made his feelings known.