The YAK
Talking with our friends about the products they use and how they take care of themselves. Because it’s okay to do more than shower and brush your teeth every morning.
Josh Herzstein
This week, we got to talk to Josh Herzstein, founder of Fiberologies. The company makes one perfect towel for each of your daily tasks: washing your face, drying your hands, helping out in the kitchen, or cleaning up spills. After all, according to Fiberologies, we use towels up to eight times a day (!), so it makes sense that we should be using something sustainable, hygienic, and can do their task of drying properly (which can’t be done if the towel is still, err, wet). Working with a small factory in the Imabari region of Japan, Fiberologies uses the techniques honed over a century to produce their line of beautiful towels, with each one coming in a unique weave and pattern. Check out how this founder takes care of himself so he can help us take care of our bodies and homes better.
What do you do?
I am the founder of Fiberologies, a new direct to consumer textile startup with the mission to provide sustainable, high-quality, high-performance textiles for everyday use. Recently I've been focusing my time on all aspects of designing and launching our initial line of four unique hand towels for daily life. Available for pre-order on Kickstarter now.
What’s your favorite product that you use daily?
I enjoy my daily face moisturizer, the Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20. It helps keep my skin hydrated without feeling greasy or causing me to break out. I also like that it doesn’t have too strong a scent and the sunscreen helps provide a layer of protection when I'm out and about.
When you entered your 20’s, what changed about your routine? What products did you start using?
As I entered my late 20’s I realized it was probably time to upgrade my cheap Gillette aftershave to something that worked better and smelled better. My wife bought me the Terre d'Hermes After Shave Balm and I fell in love. It provides a great soothing relief to my sensitive skin after shaving and the pleasant scent manages to linger around my nose for hours after shaving.
Each towel serves a specific purposes with its own gorgeous weave and distinctive pattern
What product have you used forever and why?
Crest Cavity Protection toothpaste. I’ve used the same toothpaste since I was a kid. I’ve tried some different toothpastes while traveling or camping and I keep coming back to this one. I like the subtle mint flavor and I appreciate that it doesn’t foam up too much while I’m brushing. I can buy a large tube, so I’m not constantly re-ordering and it doesn’t break the bank.
What do you do for self-care (or what self-care means to you)?
Self-care to me means taking care of my entire body. When I really want to take care of myself I get a full body deep tissue massage. Not only does it help deal with any lingering muscle pains, but I find it also serves as a way to mentally de-stress.
What product do you wish existed/what would you want it to fix?
I wish there was a moisturizer you could put on once a month and then not have to worry about your skin drying out. When I was living in Boston, the electric heat inside during the winter would always make the skin on the back of my hands super dry. I would constantly have to apply moisturizer to keep the skin from cracking. I wish I had a once a month solution that would keep my hands hydrated, even in harsh conditions.
Favorite scent?
Very cliche... but Le Labo - Santal 33 really is an amazing scent.
Towels include the Face Washer, Hand Dryer, Chef’s Helper, and Mess Eraser
Timothy Morris
This week, we got to talk to Timothy Morris, founder of Vibe. If you missed our review of Vibe’s Spray Clay, check it out here. A classic American success story, Vibe was founded in Morris’ garage and has quickly scaled to offer multiple products for guys. It all started when he noticed a gap in scent and quality between men’s and women’s haircare solutions (think Oribe hairspray). You probably don’t even know what brand is currently holding your hair in place, but we’d bet it was carelessly picked off the shelf at Target (and maybe even is generic - no hate, Target produces amazing stuff). That’s why we not only think Morris is smart to produce a highlighter blue product as a stroke of branding genius, searing Vibe into the minds of guys everywhere, but also that he’s doing what Axe did for men in the early aughts - placing scent at the front of men’s grooming products and getting them to, you know, care about that sort of stuff. We caught up with the busy entrepreneur and asked him about his grooming routine.
What do you do?
I am an entrepreneur and focus all my time on the growth of the business and other investments.
What’s your favorite product that you use daily?
My favorite product I use daily has to be the Spray Clay.
When you entered your 20’s, what changed about your routine? What products did you start using?
When I entered my 20’s my routine got a bit more organized than before and I could now stick to the same products rather than having a bunch of different products.
What product have you used forever and why? What do you like about it?
I’ve used Curology forever and found it extremely helpful and love what they have done in skincare and plan on doing something similar one day.
What product changed your life and would recommend to other guys?
Curology (and Vibe Body Care 😉) for life changing reasons 😅 I specifically like Curology and their business plan because of how personalized they make it. It’s the future of everything, for example Netflix, Youtube, everything is personalized and made for the customer.
What do you do for self-care (or what self-care means to you?)
Self-care means everything and I plan on helping innovate and grow the mens self-care industry.
What do you do to either begin your day or wind down before bed?
I always wind down my day with finishing my daily plan for the next day at my office around 10 pm. After that I go home and do my self-care routine! 🙌🏽 My routine includes getting facials once every month, haircut every 2 weeks, and I wash my face twice a day and always take warm showers!
DJ Chaney
DJ Chaney – athlete, Rice grad, drives a sick ride, all-around super nice guy – oh yeah, and he produces ridiculously good music that makes you want to move (currently we’re blasting “Saxo Jungle” on repeat). We were lucky enough to chat with him as he gave us the rundown on his skincare and self-care routine.
What do you do?
I am an electronic music producer/songwriter/DJ. I am about to release a bunch of new music. You will be able to find it on my website and/or Instagram.
What’s your favorite product that you use daily?
My favorite product is Dove’s Body and Face Wash. I use it at least twice a day.
When you entered your 20’s, what changed about your routine? What products did you start using?
When I entered my 20’s I started to grow out my hair. I began using Aussie’s shampoo and conditioner.
What product have you used forever and why?
I have used Dove’s Body and Face Wash for as long as I can remember. It gets the job done and is cheap.
What product changed your life and would recommend to other guys?
I was introduced to Yawp Exfoliating Face Wash by Beast recently. It smells great and leaves a light refreshing tingle after use. My face feels super smooth every time I use it.
What do you do for self-care?
Self-care to me means improving my health/happiness. I try to exercise at least 3-5 times a week, sleep eight hours every night and eat somewhat healthy. Doing all of these things creates a structured schedule and I tend to have a clear vision/mind set to attack the day.
What do you do to either begin your day or wind down before bed?
I like to lay down on the floor and stretch before bed. I try to put my phone away for a solid 10 minutes and think about my breathing. This calms me down and I am able to sleep well most nights. I tend to drink a few cups of black coffee to start my day. Coffee gets me going!
Follow DJ Chaney on Instagram, SoundCloud, YouTube, and Spotify
Chethan
A doctor and gastroenterologist in training, you might have also seen him also modeling for Chubbies. He’s a multifaceted talent and we’re proud to feature him here.
What do you do? Doctor, Gastroenterologist in training
What’s your favorite product that you use daily? Tretinoin (Retin-A prescription) [Our favorite OTC option: Paula’s Choice Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum]
What you do for self-care (or what self-care means to you)? Fitness, eating ice cream, massage, hot tubs, yoga
What do you do to either begin your day or wind down before bed? I always eat a couple of bites of ice cream right before I go to sleep
Follow Chethan on Instagram
