October 28, 2008

Ritual Shaving & Grooming Products Press Review

By TD-Michael | 10.28.2008 | Filed under: Shaving, Personal Care

Ritual Shaving & Grooming Products Review Banner

“Ritual is how guys get ready”

Ritual is based off 3 steps known as the Triple S; Shit, Shower and Shave that has received review upon review on how great their products are. Through thorough research, the Ritual line at Tastefully Driven brings a quality grooming experience to men. Ritual will not be confused with personal care for men as metrosexul, but the opposite as a “Machosexual”. This is a man’s grooming product line, see what people have been saying about Ritual.

People Magazine - Style Watch
“IN A LATHER: Even party boys need a grooming regimen, so it’s no surprise that Jeremy Piven, Owen Wilson, and Matthew McConaughey are fans of the new Ritual line of manly bath and body products. David Arquette liked it so much he wrote, “Your product is amazing and the packaging is sick,” to Ritual’s creators…”

Nylon Guys
“The creators of the new men’s grooming line Ritual built the brand on one simple fact: Men are creatures of habit. According to them, man’s most common, entirely unreligious ritual is summed up in three words: shit, shower and shave. Those pivotal three “S’s” serve as inspiration for Ritual’s product line. “Shower” comes courtesy of Trifecta, a moisturizing body, hair and face wash, while Razor Rinse (a tea tree oil-infused blade antiseptic, Whip (a rich shave cream), and Balm (a cooling post-shave gel) comprise the “shaving” element. The final “S” is taken care of by Nature Calls, a tiny bottle whose contents neutralized odors. When dropped in the toilet post-nasty-business, it’s, quite simply, the shit.”

Angeleno
“No one wants to talk about it, but even the fanciest candles can’t really kill all those smells in the loo. So product designers Ty Lifeset and Scott McEwan came up with Nature Calls toilet drops, a great new product that nips those olfactory assaults in the bud. Made from a plant extract solution, the drops can be sprinkled in the bowl to “seal off” the surface of the water so ensuing odors can’t escape. So you can forget the candle, the matches, the open window. And did we mention that the sleek, black packaging looks great sink-side?”

Harp
Ritual “Nature Calls” Toilet Deodorizer: Extinguish your matches, throw out the Lysol, and switch off the ventilation fan: Just two drops of Ritual’s plant-extract-derived solution in the bowl before you sit down, and your number two’s stink will promptly drop to zero.”

Map
“It’s no secret that men are creatures of habit, particularly when it comes to grooming. Ritual grooming products, founded by California boys Scott McEwan and Ty Lifeset, are made for men by men. This manly maintenance range includes ‘Nature Calls‘, an aptly named air deodoriser (two drops of it in the bowl and you won’t require a courtesy flush), ‘The Trifecta‘ (shampoo, soap and face wash combined into one), and ‘Razor Rinse‘, which treats razor burn before the blade even touches your face. The company’s name refers to the time-honoured men’s morning ritual known as the Triple S.”

NY Post Ritual Review
New York Post
“Men’s shower and shaving kits are so generic, but what makes Ritual’s “The Kit” cool is the little bottle of “Nature Calls” toilet deodorizer. Two drops of it before you do the doo, and it’ll eliminate any foul odors - your friends, family, co-workers and dog will thank you.”

Men.Style Ritual Review
Men.Style.com
“…sanitize your steel with Razor Rinse from Ritual, started by two guys from L.A. with the aim of upgrading your “Shit, Shower and Shave” experience (and hey, who couldn’t use a little improvement in all three areas).”

Acquire Magazine Ritual Review
acquire
The Kit from Ritual has everything your need to keep you looking your best and includes a couple new products we’ve yet to see in a men’s grooming line. The Razor Rinse is a shaving blade antiseptic that kills staph bacteria, which creates razor burn and ingrown hairs. The other product, Nature Calls, suggest you squeeze a couple of drops of this into the toilet before you do your business, and your bathroom is funky no more.”

Daily Cand Los Angeles
“He’ll drop the Irish Spring when he gets a load of new Ritual grooming products.”

Forbes Magazine Ritual ReviewForbes Magazine Ritual Review
Forbes.com
“Did you know that the main cause of razor burn isn’t over-dried skin or a dull blade? According to the folks at Ritual, a line of men’s grooming products, it’s actually harmful bacteria that live within your shaver. The antiseptic in Razor Rinse promises to kill the bacteria, preventing those unsightly red bumps and ingrown hairs. Tea tree oil in the rinse also acts as a lubricant, promoting a smoother shave.”

At Home
“Bacteria live on your razor blade! Kill harmful staph bacteria, the primary cause of razor burn, unsightly red bumps and in-grown hairs, prior to shaving with Ritual Razor Rinse,… The addition of tea tree oil acts as a blade lubricant for a smoother shave.”

Stylephile.com - Holiday Gift Guide: Best in Show
F”or the scruffy 45-year-old agent: Ritual shaving set Inked - A Word About Product
First calling it product–in the singular, without an article–makes you sound like a pussy. Now that that’s settled, look for a shaving cream that’s slippery and not too thick, so it won’t clog your razor. You might also want an exfoliator, which you use to scrub your head before shaving (it removes dead skin cells so your hair stands away from your scalp and is easier to shave). Try the stuff from Ritual, if only for the tagline: products for a better sh!t, shower, and shave experience.”

944
“The modern 944 man needs to look and smell as good as his lady. Ritual offers its fun Sh!t, Shower and Shave Kit, available at TobiBlatt in Del Mar. Products include the Razor Rinse, The Whip, Trifecta, The Balm and Nature Calls.”

Philadelphia Style
“One new Product line promises to recharge and man’s grooming routine. Ritual, by Scott McEewen and Ty Lifeset, offers no-nonsense lifesavers like Nature Calls, which magically obliterates toilet odors, and Trifecta…, an all-in-one body-face-hair wash. Available at Sailor Jerry stores in Philly.”

Powder
Like Napalm for ass air, two drops of Nature Calls drops in the toilet prior to dumpage eliminates odors. Not so much a personal favor as one to those around you, because you never know where you’ll need to unload when traveling and whom you may offend. Male-female relationships may never need to enter the “getting to know you” stage ever again.

Riviera
Speaking of shaves, celebs like Jeremy Piven and Owen Wilson are stoking up on the just-launched “The Kit” from Ritual. The wooden box includes dual soap/shampoo, shaving whip, balm and a tea-tree oil-based razor rinse to kill off harmful bacteria. It even has odor-neutralizing toilet-drops. Bon voyage, Axe effect! Available at TobiBlatt.

YRB
Slapping metrosexuals in their collective cleanly shaven face. Ritual grooming products has introduced a line of men’s bathroom necessities that the company boldly promotes as being the best Sh!t, Shower and Shave experience. Sold in manly packaging that leave s no room for confusion, the line includes Nature Calls, liquid drops that de-stinkify you poop; the Trifecta, an all-in-one body-hair-face wash that knocks at least two girly steps; and a bacteria ridding razor rinse for dudes whose house-guests insist on dragging their Mach 3 into the shower the next morning. Of course, items like these are hard to find, but can be picked up at hipster outposts like Sailor Jerry’s in Philadelphia, Kitson Men in LA and on the company’s website.

BPM
From sensitive skin to oily to dry, say goodbye to skin irritation with Rituals Razor Rinse an other killer products in this branded wood box.

Coast
Forget about giving a tie or cologne this year. Odds are that Dad doesn’t focus too much on his skincare routine so help him out this Father’s Day with The Kit from men’s grooming label Ritual. Featuring full-sized products in a branded wooden box, The Kit is the perfect gift for dads who prefer football and surfing to talking about “product.” Started by two buddies who met at an ad agency and realized there were no men’s lines geared toward their demographic, Ritual was created for “machosexuals,” as the founders like to say. The Razor Rinse stops razor burn and kills staph bacteria; Nature Calls is an odor-neutralizer for the bathroom; Trifecta cleanses the body, hair and face; The Whip is a calming shaving cream; and The Balm is a post-shave gel that reduces irritation.

Fave
Nature Calls Toilet Deodorizer Drops, no joke!

Transworld World Business
All hail Thomas Crapper. He didn’t invent the flush toilet, but he had nine patented “water closet improvements” and was so proud of them he took his good familiey name ad made it synonymous with poop. Seriously, that’s pride right there. I would have been pretty proud myself, but I’d have personally opted to just have the name of the products invented such as the “ballcock.” Not this guy. He thought to himself at on epoint in time, “when people have to go to the bathroom, I want them to think, “Crapper” that takes balls. Ritual makes these toilet deodorizer drops called “Nature Calls” that somehow mask the excess stink that eminates from your back side.


October 21, 2008

Two Elements to Help You Lose Weight Without Lifting Weights

By Parth | 10.21.2008 | Filed under: Health, Fitness, Nutrition

We’ve been brainwashed to believe we need expensive gym memberships or fancy equipment to improve our health and physique. Nine months ago, I launched my site ShahTraining.com to debunk this myth. I’m going to take everything that I’ve been talking about in the past few months and let it all loose right here. In this post, you’ll learn how to lose fat without needing to go to a gym.

Element One: High Intensity Exercise

High intensity exercise is simply exercise that raises your heart rate to upto 75% of your maximum heart rate. To find your maximum heart rate, simply subtract 220 from your age. A 20 year old will have a max heart rate of 200 beats per minutes. Intense exercise for a 20 year old means that his heart rate will be raised somewhere between 150 to 200 beats per minute.

In order to effectively lose weight with bodyweight training, you need to exercise at a high intensity. So the question you need to ask is: How can I raise my heart rate to above 75% of my maximum?

Before I show you the methods, let me first make sure you know how to perform bodyweight exercise. There are only two exercises that you will need to know how to perform: the pushup and the squat. Please click on the following links if you do not know how to properly perform either of these movements:

The Push-up Workout Program for People Who Can’t do Pushups
Bodyweight Squat Basics

Now, onto the methods:

Method One: Descending Reps

A descending rep workout is where you alternate between two or more exercises and gradually reduce the number of reps performed per each exercise. Here is a sample workout:

  • Push-ups 25 reps
  • Squats 50 reps
  • Push-ups 20 reps
  • Squats 40 reps
  • Push-ups 15 reps
  • Squats 30 reps
  • Push-ups 10 reps
  • Squats 20 reps
  • Push-ups 5 reps
  • Squats 10 reps

Method Two: Rounds for Time

Develop a circuit with two exercises, and perform multiple rounds of the circuit. Time the entire workout, and attempt to beat your time the next time you perform the workout. Here is a sample workout:

7 rounds for time:

  • Push-ups 15 reps
  • Squats 30 reps

Method Three: Rounds within a Given Time

Choose a time frame say, 20 minutes, and perform two or more exercises in a circuit for as many rounds as possible. Here is a sample workout:

Maximum rounds in 20 minutes of:

  • Pushups 15 reps
  • Squats 30 reps

Element Two: Balanced Diet

I am completely against extreme dieting technique. I’d rather eat junk food than starve myself. Yes, I said. Put something in your digestive system.

The question remains: What do I put in it?

Here are a few rules to follow:

The majority of your food should come from the following four groups of food:

  1. Nuts
  2. Beans
  3. Fruits
  4. Vegetables

Now, I said majority, not exclusively. These four are groups that people don’t get enough of. Most people do not eat any sort of nuts and eat a very limited amount of fruits and vegetables. Not wonder their physiques are bad.

Second rule is to stay away or limit the four “White’s”

  1. Sugar (which is White)
  2. Salt (which is White)
  3. White Bread
  4. White Rice

There you have it. Two simple rules to jump start your fat loss plan.

About the Author

Parth Shah is a Strength and Fitness Consultant specializing in developing practical, sustainable fitness solutions for his clients. He is currently going through his own personal physical transformation. His thoughts, ideas, and philosophy can be found on his website, ShahTraining.com. (Feed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/shahtraining/UQuk)


October 14, 2008

men-u Press Reviews & Awards

By TD-Michael | 10.14.2008 | Filed under: Shaving, Personal Care

men-u shaving, skin care and hair care

Made just for guys, our men-u product line of personal care products has received great reviews and awards for their high performance shaving, skin care, and hair care products. Concentrated formulas in stylish bottles, it only takes a little bit to get the job done. Check out what others have to say about men-u and awards that they’ve received.

Press Reviews

Esquire Magazine men-u review
Barbiere Shaving Brush and Stand: This was my first time ever using a shaving brush - what a find! It improved the closeness of the shave by over 50 per cent…I would recommend this to anybody.

Facial Moisturiser Lift: Usually moisturisers leave me with a little bit of a greasy look, but I found that the moisture lift didn’t. It gets top marks from me.”

Shave Crème: This gave me an excellent shave. I really like the texture and smell of this crème, plus it didn’t give me a shaving rash, which I am prone to.”

PRIDE
“When designing the brand new range of men’s hair and skincare products, men-u got everything right - super concentrated formulations which only require tiny 12cm bottles, saving room in the bathroom…unique locking pumps ensure accurate dosage and no messy spillage”

Men’s Health
“Great value, concentrated….. in a handy pump-action bottle”

Woman’s Own
“The men-u range of male grooming has everything”

FHM Magazine Press Review
“…a pretty tidy selection of products - all super concentrated in teeny bottles.”

Black Hair
“Wake up your body in style….. perfect for the gym or for using at home”

FRONT
“a new grooming range that’s hit the nail on the head!…with its new trendy little bottles that have locking pumps to knock out an accurate dosage”

Telegraph Magazine
“Whether you are staying on a campsite or in a five-star hotel, you need to take some mini beauty essentials on holiday”

“Recommended: Great shampoo - men-u moisture retention…

Men Z
“a small sized range that’s big on performance….. an obvious choice….. an easy range to keep in your bag or take abroad”

axm
“very competitively priced and look as good in a sports bag as they do on the bathroom shelf”

Style Magazine men-u review
Barbiere Shaving Brush and Stand - This high quality, pure bristle brush is a bargain. Firm enough to lift whiskers but soft enough to work up a good lather.”

Sunday Mirror Personal Magazine
“My girlfirend says the Facial Moisturiser Lift smells nice and manly and she swears my skin is softer”

Sunday Mail You Magazine
“men-u make an ultra-glam shaving set that gives you a good old-fashioned barber shop type of shave. Their barbiere shaving brush and stand is also a very sexy item - women love to help a man lather up their face”

Yachting World
“Size is everything - if you’ve ever wondered how on earth all those toiletries are going to fit in the small cupboard in the head, men-u might just be for you.”

Also see reviews of men-u from the Tastefully Driven Community.

Awards

men-u Shaving Cream
2005 Men’s Health Grooming Awards Winner for Best Shave Cream

Men’s Health Grooming Awards Winner men-u Shaving Cream

men-u Shaving Cream
2005 Salon Plus Grooming Award Winner for Best Shave Cream

men-u Creative Styling Gel
2005 FHM’s Grooming Award Winner for Best Hair Styling Product

FHM’s Grooming Awards Winner for the Best Hair Styling Product

men-u Shower Gel
2005 Instinct Grooming Award Winner for Best Shower Gel

Barbiere Pure Bristle Shaving Brush & men-u Shave Cream
2004 FHM Grooming Award (S.A.) Winner for Best Wet Shaving Products

men-u Grooming Wax
2004 Instinct Grooming Award Winner for Best Hair Product (USA)

men-u Healthy Facial Wash
2004 Instinct Magazine Grooming Award Winner for Best Facial Wash (USA)

Other Notables
2004 FHM Grooming Award Winner (Australia)

2003 Cosmopolitan Beauty Award Runner-up (UK)

Facial Moisturiser Lift
FHM Grooming Awards 2002, 2003 (UK) and 2004 (Australia.)

Healthy Hair & Scalp Shampoo
2004 FHM Grooming Award Runner-up (Australia)

SLIC Smooth Leave-in Conditioner - Runner Up for FHM Grooming Award 2004 (Australia.)


October 10, 2008

My Top 10 Texas Hold’em Slang

By TD-Michael | 10.10.2008 | Filed under: Games, Poker

Texas Hold’em Slang

Part II of my series of Texas Hold’em articles is a little something fun. I’m going to list off my Top 10 Texas Hold’em slang terms for your “hole” cards (two face down cards each player gets dealt, for more info see previous article The Basics of Texas Hold’em). Here we go:

10. 45 - Colt 45 usually sucks just like the beer
Cards 4 5
9. 88 - Snowmen may or may not be a frosty hand to play
Cards 10, 10
8. AK - Machine Gun (AK-47) or Anna Kournikova, they say it looks good but seldomly win, lol
Cards Ace King
7. KK - King Kong I wouldn’t mess with this giant ape, a top hand to play
Cards King King
6. AJ - AJAX for all you programmers out there ain’t too shabby of an hand
Cards Ace Jack
5. J5 - Jackson 5 is a nice throwback into 70’s and into the muck pile
Cards Jack 5
4. 1010 - Binary is very bland but very powerful
Cards 10, 10
3. 33 - Hooters not one but 2 sets are not as good they look
Cards 3, 3
2. JK off suit - Jack-King-off get it, get it this is a great one and solid face cards
Cards Jack King
1. QQ - 4 tits, don’t be fooled by their body parts, these women can be very competitive
Cards Queen Queen

Those are my top 10 poker slang terms, hate them or love they’re my favorites. There’s probably many more good ones that I don’t know of, so feel free to add to the list by discussing in the forum community. That was something fun and the up and coming articles we’ll get back into the technical side of the Texas Hold’em poker game.

Tastefully Driven Poker Supplies


October 8, 2008

Simplify Your Fitness with the 50-Burpee Challenge

By Parth | 10.08.2008 | Filed under: Health, Fitness

Burpees

Stocks are down, the banking industry is in peril, and many industries are suffering the brunt of Wall Street’s greedy ways. I don’t know much about finance, but I do know one thing: The Health Industry is Still Making Money!

I’m talking about all those people that tell you high fructose corn syrup is healthy for you and that dairy is the key to losing weight. I’m talking about all those people selling electronic weight belts and claiming that the latest aerobic dance video is what gave them their huge bodybuilder physiques. I’m talking about all those people that lie through their teeth and make you believe they hold the secret to your health.

I’m really concerned about the way the health industry is treating all of us. America spends the most money on health insurance, but is also one of the sickest. Why? Because we complicate things. We keep putting what I like to call “barriers” to our goals. Exercise and nutrition really isn’t as complicated as all these so-called fitness experts claim to be.

Simplify your Fitness

You think I’m kidding? You think you need to really go to a four-year college and get a $1000 fitness certification in order to figure out how to drop weight and build muscle? Well, I’m going to prove your wrong. I’m going to teach you guys one exercise that you can do for the rest of your life that’ll help do just what I mentioned earlier. Ok, lemme repeat: Drop Weight and Build Muscle.

The Burpee is a funny name for an amazing exercise. This exercise alone works your chest, shoulders, arms, legs, and abs. The Burpee is basically a combination of a push-up and a squat jump. Here’s how you perform a Burpee:

  • Stand straight up with feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and back straight.
  • Squat down and place your hands on either side of your body, palms down on the floor.
  • Now kick out your legs so that you are now in a push up position.
  • Perform a pushup, then bring your leg back in so that your knees touch your chest.
  • Lift your palms off the floor and explode into a squat jump.
  • When you land, quickly drop down into a squat position, and repeat.

The 50-Burpee Challenge

I ran my client Dheeraj through the 50-Burpee challenge because currently his primary goal is to improve his lower body strength and size. I thought it would take him 7 or 8 minutes to perform 50 burpees, but instead he was able to complete them in 4:52.88. That’s under five minutes! He could barely walk back to his car after that workout.

So, if 1) you no longer want to buy into all the infomercial products and false information in the media, 2) need help adding strength and size to your legs, or 3) want to try something new, then try out the 50-burpee challenge and let me know your time.

About the Author

Parth Shah is a Strength and Fitness Consultant specializing in developing practical, sustainable fitness solutions for his clients. He is currently going through his own personal physical transformation. His thoughts, ideas, and philosophy can be found on his website, ShahTraining.com. (Feed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/shahtraining/UQuk)


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