Tom Ford Skincare and Grooming Collection

Has Tom Ford Now Conquered Male Grooming?

Three specialised potions in the range stand out: a Purifying Mud Mask, a Concealer For Men and a shimmer-free, water-based Bronzing Gel to help you fake Ford’s own jet-set hue.

Men as meticulously manicured as Tom Ford are few and far between. His attention to the minutest of details is, perhaps ironically, the most noticeable thing about him. And so, this June, when I was told the products from Ford’s forthcoming range were modeled after his own routine, I braced myself for what I suspected would be a rather excessive and convoluted range. The Tom Ford Skincare and Grooming Collection, launching this November in both the UK and US, is surprisingly concise, though suspiciously lacking in basics.

Of the eight products, there are some glaring omissions. There is no shaving cream , nor is there a dedicated after-shave balm. By his own admission, the line doesn’t even feature his one grooming essential: eye drops. “People forget about the whites of their eyes. Eye drops are the number one grooming product” (sucker that I am, I would be the first to fall for TF eye drops…). In fact, there isn't any kind of eye product at all.

Intensive Purifying Mud Mask, Anti-Fatigue Eye Treatment, Bronzing Gel

Three specialised potions in the range stand out: a Purifying Mud Mask, a Concealer For Men and a shimmer-free, water-based Bronzing Gel to help you fake Ford’s own jet-set hue. The mud mask is perhaps the most accessible and innovative of the lot, as it changes colour when it has finished sucking your pores dry. The bronzer, meanwhile, is a far cry from the radioactive George Hamilton–like self-tanners out there; if anything, it’s a quick fix for those days when you feel like death and still need to be presentable or camera-ready. “I use it at night and go over the eye area and the lids – it makes your eyes pop,” he says, momentarily oblivious to the fact that he’s still wearing his impenetrable sunglasses.

The concealer , on the other hand, is treading treacherous territory. Other brands have attempted to launch concealers ‘for men’ and discontinued them within a year as a result of dwindling sales. Rather than attempt to rebrand what is essentially make-up for men, Ford calls a spade a spade: “The bottom line is it is a concealer. It’s not a feminizing product; it’s designed to make your skin look better,” he says candidly.

Hydrating Lip Balm, Oil-Free Daily Moisturizer, Skin Revitalizing Concentrate, Concealer

Indeed, the whole collection is about cosmetic appearance rather than treating or improving the condition of the skin, as you would with a pharma-grade product. To the dismay of marketing execs and PRs nestled around him at his London headquarters, he is refreshingly honest about what a guy can achieve with the perfectly packaged products lined up at his side. “The moisturiser improves the looks of your skin — it does not make you look younger. To get real anti-ageing products , go to your dermatologist or get a laser treatment,” he says. His unconventionally honest pitch is a far cry from the over-zealous claims made by every single one of his competitors and yet it seems to work.

The Tom Ford For Men Skin Care and Grooming Collection launches this November featuring:

• Hydrating Lip Balm, RRP £20.00

• Concealer, RRP £32.00

• Purifying Face Cleanser, RRP £35.00

• Bronzing Gel, RRP £35.00

• Intensive Purifying Mud Mask, RRP £45.00

• Anti-Fatigue Eye Treatment, RRP £55.00

• Oil Free Daily Moisturizer, RRP £75.00

• Skin Revitalizing Serum, RRP £110.00

- www.tomford.com