Your skin deserves daily pampering, and The Barracks offers an array of beauty and grooming options. Gents will love American Crew Post-Shave Cooling Lotion from Jimmy Rod’s Barber, whilst ladies can indulge in Napoleon Luminous Lip Veil in Sahara Oasis from Amcal Pharmacy or the Pevonia Tropicale Papaya-Pine Range from Blossom Beauty Studios.

Gents can maintain a style-savvy look in between professional shaves at Jimmy Rod’s Barber, with a few tricks of the trade to try at home.

Grooming savant Jimmy O’Brien from Jimmy Rod’s Barber knows the secret to mastering the perfect shave. Try his tips:

•  To help with men’s shaving, always use a hot towel. This will help to open up the pores, and soften the skin.

• After shaving, shake the towel until cold, then apply back on the face to close pores.

• Shave oil helps lubricate the razor. Try American Crew Shave Oil for a close shave, to help the razor glide and lessen burn.

• Post shave, don’t forget to apply lotion, to help to cool the skin. Jimmy recommends the range of lotions from American Crew, available at Jimmy Rod’s Barber.

Image coutesy of American Crew.

“Love doesn’t make the world go round, love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Elizabeth Browning

Valentine’s Day is celebrated the world over by lovers – although traditions vary throughout different countries, it remains a day to celebrate love and affection.

There are various stages throughout every relationship and The Barracks has gift ideas for each.

Honeymoon Stage – Exotic Flowers, Gourmet Chocolates and a Movie with Bubbly

As the end of November approaches, we see a growing number of gentlemen wandering around Brisbane with a full mo.

For those not in the ‘mo-know’, Movember has become a popular fundraising initiative that sees men across Australia bring the trusty moustache back in support of two very serious causes – prostate cancer and depression in men.

It’s now in its sixth year and still going strong – so we at The Barracks have taken it upon ourselves to help the cause.  We asked our very own traditional barber, Jimmy Rods, for a few tips on how to get your moustache looking magnificent this Movember.  But first, you need to decide what style of mo’ you’re going to grow.

Here are five failsafe styles as recommended by the tache-sperts at Jimmy Rods:

The Handlebar – a true classic and the most popular during Movember, sported by everyone from Chopper Read to Hulk Hogan. No one is going to mess with a handlebar mo’.

The Porn Star – a throwback to the 70’s, the porn-stache is making a comeback this Movember. Best combined with a dodgy European accent.

The Connoisseur – made for the more sophisticated moustache-wearer, this mo’ is thin with a jaunty upward twist at the end, perfect for stroking.  (Think Salvador Dali.)

The Magnum – the traditional thick and bushy mo’ sported by Tom Selleck in the eighties is an oldie but a goodie, sure to tickle your fancy (and whomever you kiss).

The Rake – a razor-sharp, minimalist mo’ from a bygone era that works best with a permanently raised eyebrow and a devilish glint in your eye.  Approach with caution – unless you’ve got the swagger to pull it off, you carry a high risk of resembling a teenage boy with bum-fluff.

Jimmy Rods offers these hot tips on how to maintain the perfectly groomed mo’:

•           Use a small pair of clippers and map out where you’re going to clip first.

•           Make sure you keep the skin taut and pull away from the moustache.

•           When shaving, always use a downwards action.

•           If you’re going to attempt a handlebar, keep a thick line of hair right to the jaw line.

•           For the porn-stache, be sure to trim both under and above for shaping.

•           Invest in a moustache comb to keep it neat, tidy and free from foreign objects!

•           For sharper, smoother styles, use a little moustache or hair wax to shape the ends.

So whether you usually rock the designer stubble look, hide behind a bushy old beard or are as clean-shaven as the day you were born, make sure you support the cause this Movember.