If you've been reading my posts for a while you know I'm not a fan of the whole "metrosexual" thing. (I don't want to get all wound up again, so you'll have to read it here.) But I am smart enough to appreciate that some overall good has come out of the metro marketing push.

One of the positives is that guys finally have a large variety of quality grooming products to choose from. (Note to true metrosexuals: I said - and meant - "grooming products" not "makeup". Calm down.) And judging from the boxes stacked up here at The Pad, sent in from many of those companies that target guys who care about how we look - which, for those of you keeping score at home, is an $18 billion a year market - we have a ton of excellent options to choose from. As opposed to having to rifle through our girlfriend's stuff. Looking for something to wash our face with. That doesn't leave us smelling like wildflowers on a spring day.

We need stuff made for a man's face. A face that faces a triple-edged razor scraping across it on a daily basis. A face that endures the sun and dirt and grime of a construction site. That deals with cigar smoke. Ingrown hairs. Razor burn. And all the other things women's faces don't have to endure. (Well, most women.)

Amenity, a maker of grooming products for men, is pioneering Clinical Grooming, which provides guys with physician-developed products that address the uniqueness of the thicker and oilier male derma.

Because good grooming is much more than simply shaving, Amenity's line includes a gel cleanser, an anti-breakout gel, shave cream, after shave moisturizer, and The Balm, an excellent all-around moisturizer. Which is great, because it means less thinking (and shopping) on our part. Just give me a solution for each problem and I'm happy.

All their skin products feature Pro-Form 6, a complex that they say is the all-in-one solution for a guy's skin. It contains Willow Bark Extract to reduce razor burn and ingrown hairs, Rutin to reduce redness, Provitamin B5 to condition skin, Bisabolol to prevent irritation, Hyaluronic Acid to moisturize, and Liposomal Vitamins A,C & E to prevent signs of aging. Yeah, I don't understand any of that either. I leave it to the guys in white coats. I just know I tried the stuff and it works.

And it's all oil, alcohol and fragrance free. So I smell just the way nature intended me to. Flower free.

www.getamenity.com

Let's say you took the Colts and the spread last night and won big. Or you work for Goldman Sachs and your year-end bonus was bigger than the GNP of a small country. You've got some discretionary income burning a hole in your pocket and you're looking to splurge. Not on something stupid. You want something extravagant. Something cutting edge and functional. Something you wouldn't ordinarily drop big money on. How about a $126 t-shirt?

Not sold? How about a $126 t-shirt made from the highest quality Supima cotton, protected by a barrier of pure silver? Definitely extravagant, but also very cutting edge and functional.

Est. 1887 has launched a line of luxurious, high-end clothing utilizing 5% pure silver, that features tanks, crew shirts and henleys in classic hues, knitted specifically for this collection.

Why silver? According to est. 1887, it provides a world of benefits to the wearer. The fabric actually eradicates 99.9% of all germs, viruses, molds and bacteria it comes into contact with, including odor-causing bacteria. Excellent for when you're sweating through that marketing presentation. (Or for just putting over your face on the subway.)

Speaking of sweating... those of you that get those embarrassing yellow stains under the arms of your shirts? They are caused by ammonia in perspiration. Silver neutralizes ammonia, protecting your shirt from damage. (That alone is reason enough to buy one.)

Silver is also thermodynamic, acting as a natural temperature regulator. Keeping you cool in the summer and warmer in the winter. It's like wearing a giant thermos. A very soft, very comfortable, thermos.

Basically, it's the ultimate guy shirt. Soft. Odor-free for days. Kills germs and bacteria. Doesn't show sweat stains. Can be worn year-round. No thought and low maintenance. If only the other things in our lives were that easy to deal with.

Available in select high-end stores and online retailers.
www.est1887.com for locations.