SUMMER FUN AND GIFTS FOR HIM

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS    

Summer is in full bloom in Mexico, and while it’s a great time to enjoy the sun and lounging at the beach, it is also a crucial time to protect yourself from UV rays.

By now, everyone knows (or should know) that if you are planning to take in the sun’s rays, you need to apply plenty of sunscreen to protect your skin.

But did you know you also need to protect your hair from UVA and UVB exposure?

Fortunately, Klorane has a new product line to keep your hair healthy and safe from sun, sand and chlorine all summer long.

Also, Father’s Day is just around the corner (it’s Sunday, June 17), so it’s also time to be thinking about gifts for the men in your life.

We have a few suggestions that will definitely win them over.

Hair Defense

Most smart sun worshipers know to slather on the sunscreen before heading to the beach in order to protect their skin from UVA and UVB rays.

But just as the sun’s rays can damage and age skin, exposure to ultraviolet rays, along with salt, sand and chlorine, can wreak havoc on delicate tresses.

Now, Klorane, the French multinational cosmetic and pharmaceutical company that has been perfecting the science of beauty for nearly 70 years , has developed a new line of Ylang-Ylang products especially created to protect hair against the drying and damaging effects of sun, salt, sand and chlorine.

The Ylang-Ylang collection, composed of a Sun Nourishment Sublimating Shampoo, a Sun Repair Restorative Conditioner and a Sun Protective Oil, is enriched with ylang-ylang wax to shield hair against environmental damage from summer elements.

All three products nourish and condition hair and are packed with water-resistant UVA/UVB filters to avoid color fade.

Ylang-ylang wax, extracted for the exotic tropical ylang-ylang flower, also protects against moisture loss and helps restore softness, suppleness and shine.

As an added bonus, the fragrance is paradise in a bottle, with warm sand, coconut milk and ylang-ylang, and the entire line is ideal for natural, color-treated and highlighted hair.

And you can use Klorane products with no environmental guilt since the company is on a botanical mission through the Klorane Botanical Foundation, which is committed to preserving and protecting the botanical heritage of plants across the globe, including the precious ylang-ylang flower.

The foundation has partnered with a development-focused NGO in the Comoros Islands to optimize the agroforestry system of ylang-ylang by installing six ecofriendly distillation units to prevent the destruction of forests from using combustible wood.

The foundation explores and shares botanical knowledge with local communities and passes it on for future generations.

Raw Eroticism

The storyline behind the creation of Dior’s new erotic men’s fragrance, Sauvage Eau de Parfum, may be a little vague and hard to follow.

(It has something to do with a man – in this case, Johnny Depp – going into the scorching desert and abandoning all his earthly possessions in order to find his inner chi, only to transform his mystic life force into something even more mystical and earthy once the sun goes down.)

But if the twilight mystery concept behind Sauvage Eau de Parfum is elusive and esoteric, the raw sensuality of this intensely erogenous new scent is indisputable and as carnal as lust itself, merging the lure of ancient legend with aboriginal animal instinct.

A new interpretation of Dior’s original Savage (which has been a classic for since its introduction in 2015,) Sauvage EDP is the artistic creation of Dior’s master perfumier, François Demachy, and encompasses a seductive and sybaritic blend of rugged masculinity and untamed nobility.

It is a fragrance rich in contrasts, with a versatile composition that transitions easily from day to night.

Honed from the natural elements that make up the desert landscape, Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum opens with the citrusy notes of fresh Reggio di Calabria bergamot, imbued with the hauntingly captivating scent of ambergris and a subtle tinge of red peppercorns, unleashing a powerful woody trail.

The fragrance’s heart explodes with zesty Sichuan pepper and ripe red berries, ushered in by an invigorating blend of Dalmatian sage and French lavender and crowned with the allure of star anise and Indonesian nutmeg.

Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum closes with lingering accords of smoky Papua New Guinean vanilla and resinous patchouli oil, to create a symphony of aromas that are as complex as the man who wears them.

History on his Sleeves

Or how about surprising Dad with a pair of authentic Mexican cufflinks from Oro de Monte Albán?

Handcrafted from 14 karat solid gold with tiny reproductions of the world-renowned Aztec Calendar, these stately cufflinks will be a welcome addition to his wardrobe.

Oro de Monte Albán also has silver cufflinks with the forceful figure of the Mixtec god Mictlantecuhtli, and silver and turquoise cufflinks with the colosal geometric shield of the warrior god Chimalli.

Oro de Monte Albán is the only jewelry company authorized by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) to replicate pre-Hispanic jewelry for sale nationwide.

The company’s line can be purchased at archaeological sites in Oaxaca and in Oro de Monte Albán boutiques in Oaxaca, Guanajuato and Mexico City, as well as on line at the brand’s website, www.oromontealban.com.

The Watch to Watch

And if you really want to pamper that man in your life — whether he be your dad or the father of your children — consider getting him a TAG Heuer Connected Modular 41 smartwatch.

Modular and customizable, the TAG Heuer Connected Modular reinvents the connected watch, combining the craftsmanship and excellence of Swiss watchmaking with cutting-edge technology and exceptional performance.

Now in a new 41 millimeter diameter with fresh, fashion-forward colors, the Connected Modular 41 is a slightly smaller and altered version of the Connected Modular 45.

It has a smooth, lightweight titanium body, and sapphire crystal over the screen which makes the Connected Modular 41 light on the wrist.

Also, unlike the Connected Modular 45, the Modular 41 doesn’t have a plastic back, giving it an even higher quality feel.