Cornerstone Blog

  Our thoughts on travel, style, food, grooming, motoring, technology and sport  

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Natural Ingredients That Are Surprisingly Good For Your Skin

Your skin is something that changes from day-to-day, and sometimes it can be difficult to keep your skin looking great. Here are a few low-cost tricks to help keep your skin in tip-top shape. There might be a few that you haven’t thought of before…

 Honey

Sweet and sticky, but amazing for your skin. That might seem a little difficult to understand, but honey is really soothing for every type of skin and it possesses natural antibacterial properties, which can help with treating breakouts without drying your skin out which can happen with more chemical-based ingredients. The best results come from raw or unpasteurised honey.

 Avocado

Keeping on with the food theme, this green fruit is not only great to use in salads or spread on toast, but it’s also great for your skin. The oils in the vitamin-rich avocado are great for keeping your skin moisturised and the antioxidants are a great way to protect your skin from the environmental damage that leads to fine lines and wrinkles.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil is a great antiseptic and anti-inflammatory ingredient- great for protecting your skin as well as helping with skin tone and sebum regulation.

Beer

Yes we know most of the time health experts are telling us to cut back on beer consumption, but here’s one way you can use beer guilt-free. Used as a cleanser, the hops, which are rich in vitamins such as Vitamin B, are a great way to dissolve dead skin cells and increase skin elasticity.

Of course, we also have an easy-to-use, no fuss solution that is great for your skin which combines some of the above ingredients and more. Check out our skincare products here.

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15 Minutes with Garry Spencer

Garry Spencer, founder of The Great British Barber Bash, a networking event for barbers across the UK, sat down with us to let us know more about the events he runs across the country, how he came up with the idea and talk us through his grooming routine.

CS: Tell us a little bit about your background.

GS: I started off as a hairdresser and have over 30 years of experience in hairdressing. I also own five hair dressing salons across Liverpool- Spencer’s Hair Salon.

CS: How did you come up with The Great British Barber Bash idea?

GS: Having been in the hairdressing industry for 30 years and having attended numerous conventions and shows it became evident that there needed to be a bigger focus on barbering. Hairdressing was something quite fashionable and a lot of people wanted to get into it but barbering seemed to be less popular. I wanted to come up with something that would put the spotlight back on traditional barbering and also make it more affordable to showcase talent, teach new techniques and network for both up and coming barbers and the more established ones. The Great British Barber Bash is a new movement for people who want to make the barber industry more fashionable, more current and also inspire and attract new talent. So far the shows have been really successful and we’ve been lucky enough to increase the number of shows we’re running across the UK. Social media has allowed us to reach a lot of people and promote our events on a much bigger scale. This year we’ll be in Glasgow, Manchester, Belfast and possibly Dublin too. The success of the shows has also led to a bigger demand in workshops across the country where we offer training for aspiring barbers- it’s both affordable and a sociable way of bringing barbers together.

CS: You’ve been in the hairdressing and grooming industry for quite some time now, so what would what you say are your top grooming products you can’t do without?

GS: I swear by Reuzel hair paste and Go24.7 shampoo, I use them all the time. In terms of shaving, I’ve always preferred being clean shaven and since trying the Cornerstone products I’ve got to say I’m a big fan of your razor, shave gel and post-shave balm.

CS: Thanks Gary, that’s really great to hear.  Finally, talk us through your morning routine, how do you start your day right?

GS: My day starts at 6am. I usually spend around an hour checking social media and my emails. I wet shave and moisturise every morning and use a face scrub once a week. Once I’ve done that I get my three kids ready for school. The last thing that completes my morning routine is a Costa coffee once I’ve dropped the kids off at school. I’m trying to be good though and only take one sugar with my morning coffee!

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Cornerstone’s Guide to Perfectly Groomed Stubble

Wanting to turn your clean-shaven face into something a little more rugged, or have you decided to trim that mammoth beard down to more manageable stubble? Whether you’re looking for facial hair that’s easier to manage or you’re thinking of letting it grow a little, allow us to help you with our top tips to maintaining your perfectly groomed stubble.

First, and most important of all, we want to make sure you look your best at all times. So it’s important to work out if your face actually suits stubble. And you need to be able to put the effort in to maintain it.

Be honest with yourself. There’s nothing worse than seeing a poorly kempt effort on someone whose face isn’t naturally suited to stubble. A patchy attempt is never a good look; just shave it clean.

Shaping

If however you do decide to grow your stubble, shaping is imperative. If you’ve ever done Movember, we’re sure you’ll understand why we recommend shaping. We all grow hair at different rates on different parts of our faces. Some people will have hair high up on the cheeks, for example. You want to be able to control and maybe remove some of that growth so that it looks natural and tidy.

Our tip for doing this is to not use shaving foam. Hear us out.

Instead, use a shaving gel that produces little in the way of foam. You can now see precisely where you’re shaving, giving you an even look without wondering if you’re taking too much off or if you’re symmetrical.

Did you know we do a non-foamy shaving gel? Funny how things work out like that…

Maintaining Length

Hair grows, and it grows at different rates. The best way to maintain the length is to go over your stubble with an electric trimmer; this allows you to keep a decent length whilst not letting it spiral out of manageable control.

You’ll have to do this every two to four days to make sure that stubble doesn’t become a full-blown beard, and the simple way to check you’ve done it correctly is to run your fingers over your stubble to ensure it’s even. If it’s not? Simply pass over the hair with a trimmer until it is.

 Shave at Night

This final tip is just a little suggestion. Although we’d normally suggest shaving in the morning (it makes more sense, right?), we’d actually recommend shaving at night whilst you’re still in the early stages of growing and shaping your stubble. This not only gives you more time to sculpt your stubble exactly to your tastes, but it also allows your facial hair some time to settle, grow in a fraction and look just that touch less precise, making you look as if you’re naturally blessed with great facial hair.

If you’ve got any tips of your own make sure to share with us!

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Shaving Myths Debunked

When it comes to shaving we’ve all picked up a few bad habits and adopted some terrible advice over the years.

Whether it was your father hastily giving a young you some tips with a face full of shaving foam, mates passing on their “expert” advice, or for the millennials amongst us, it might have been a dodgy YouTube tutorial. Wherever it was you learned to shave, these shaving myths have somehow become part of the collective consciousness. Like I before E except after C…ignoring the several hundred exceptions to that rule.

So let’s debunk some of the most ingrained shaving myths we’ve heard to keep those chins smooth and looking sharp.

“Shaving against the grain is the only way to get a close shave”

Shaving with the grain means foregoing a close shave. Wrong! We know a lot of men have always shaved against the grain, and for the lucky few that can handle this then that’s great, but the reality is the skin on our face is too delicate for this and many men (including the chaps here at Cornerstone HQ) can’t handle shaving against the grain. 

You see, shaving against the grain means the blade is tugging on the hair and pulling it back from the skin which can cause damage and a lot of irritation, so you’re left with sore skin and an increased risk of in grown hairs, which can swell up into bumps that the razor then catches on. And we know what happens next, right? The razor catches on these bumps and before we know it it’s a blood bath and we’re heading out the door with little bits of tissue stuck to our face!

So if you’re looking for a more comfortable way of achieving a close shave simply make sure you use a sharp blade (dull blades increase the chances of tugging and require more passes across the same area of the skin) and make sure you know which way your hair grows- and shave with the grain.

“Shaving just causes stubble to grow back thicker, darker and faster”

Where this old wives tale came from we don’t know, but one explanation is that shaved hair is blunted, giving it the appearance of being slightly thicker.

That withstanding, stubble and beard growth is determined by what’s on the inside – hormones, DNA and scientific stuff of that ilk. Not how often you shave.

 “A new razor causes more nicks and cuts than a broken-in razor”

This is the Loch Ness Monster of shaving myths. If you have an all-important Tinder date, or client meeting, do not, I repeat, do not reach for you blunted old razor.

The sharper the razor, the cleaner the shave. Your old razor will do nothing but cause nicks, cuts and leave you with an uneven shave. That we can guarantee.  

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How to Taste Chocolate

As we’re gearing up for Easter weekend- a time when we eat the equivalent of our own body weight in chocolate- we thought it would be a good idea to explore chocolate tasting- for those true chocolate lovers.

Chocolate and wine have a lot in common…  Just as the altitude and climate affect the grapes in a fine wine, the same things affect the flavour of beans in a cocoa pod.  You get the finest wine when you give the finest grapes to a talented maker.  And the same is true for chocolate.  When the best cocoa beans are given to a skilled maker who takes the time to hand craft every stage from bean to bar, you find yourself with a chocolate that deserves to be savoured.

There’s just one catch – while whole books have been written about how best to enjoy a fine wine, very little has been written about how to enjoy a bar of chocolate.  Most of us reach for a chocolate bar for a mid-afternoon pick me up and eating it without much thought.  But when a maker has taken the time to directly source their beans from a particular origin, then painstakingly draw out the flavours of their beans origin, wouldn’t it be nice to know what to look out for?

Our friends at Cocoa Runners, spend their lives running around the world, trying to find the very best chocolate bars.  And today they’re presenting their five point bluffer’s guide to tasting chocolate.

 1.   Look at the bar.  Is it shiny and glossy, or does it have a dusty white powder on the surface?  The white powder is the fat in the bar, that has risen to its surface.  This normally happens when a bar has melted and reset, and is a sign that it hasn’t been properly stored.  This is particularly true of dark chocolate.

 2.   Break off a piece.  Does it break with a nice clean snap, or does it crumble?  As well as a wonderfully glossy finish, a well tempered bar should break with ease.

 3.   Hold the bar for a second.  Does it start to melt?  Artisan chocolate bars contain cocoa butter, and this melts quickly at body temperature.  Most mainstream bars start to crumble and flake instead of melting.  This is because of a trick used my many mainstream chocolate makers - they separate the cocoa powder from the cocoa butter and sell it off to the cosmetics industry for use in moisturisers, lipsticks, etc, then replace it with cheaper fats.

 4.   Smell the bar.  Can you smell citrus, berries or nuts?  We’ve already said that tasting chocolate is like tasting a fine wine, and following your nose is just as important here as it is there.  A good proportion of the flavours in any food or drink comes from their aroma.  A wealth of aromas are released the moment you unwrap a craft chocolate bar.

 5.   Finally, put a piece on your tongue and rather than chewing it, let it melt.   As it melts, different layers reveal themselves.  Quite often, rich Dominican cocoa starts with a punchy, chocolate ganache note that develops to leave an earthy finish.  Or the initial berry notes of a Madagascan bar transform into a citrus ending.

All told, there are over 400 distinct flavour compounds in chocolate, and taste is extremely subjective.  What’s more, it’s influenced by everything you’ve eaten and drunk throughout the day.  While it’s always tempting to devour a whole bar in a moment of weakness, we hope our bitesize guide has left you equipped to savour a craft chocolate bar with the best of them.

Want to find out more about the world of craft chocolate?  Visit Cocoa Runners and use code Cornerstone to get £5 off your first purchase.*

*Terms & Conditions: This offer entitles you to £5 off a Cocoa Runners gift box or subscription box and can only be used once per customer.  £15 Minimum spend required.  This offer expires on 31 May 2016.

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Celebrating St Patrick’s Day with a Twist

What better way to gear up for St. Patrick’s day than to get some insider knowledge of craft beer and how its popularity is on the rise in Ireland, from craft beer experts HonestBrew. Brody Rossiter- beer guru from HonestBrew- is our guest blogger today and tells us more about he craft beer scene in the Emerald Isle.

Although Guinness is still a force to be reckoned with, it looks like smaller craft beer producers are starting to make themselves heard. Since 2012, Republic-based microbreweries have more than trebled in number- highlighting the public’s new found thirst for small batch beer. Today, craft beer is back in a big way across the Emerald Isle. The number of Irish breweries is continuously growing, while a reputation for quality products is constantly being reinforced by producers such as HonestBrew favourites, White Hag.

The west coast brewery is one of the most exciting and unique companies to arrive in the wake of the recent craft beer boom. Combining traditional and modern techniques to build upon beloved native Irish styles with their own distinct twist, the brewery has rediscovered some extinct styles from the many hundreds of breweries that once thrived in Ireland as well as creating world class examples of classic styles such as IPA and stout.

We suggest trying White Hag’s multi award winning Imperial Stout, Black Boar. Rich, bold and roasty, Black Boar comes across as warm and bittersweet with flavours of treacle, coffee and dark chocolate. If you’re a velvety chocolate fan, this’ll be your perfect St Patrick’s tipple.

 Another of HonestBrew’s featured Irish breweries is 8 Degrees. The shockingly harmonious partnership of a Kiwi and Aussie combine southern hemisphere hop know how and Irish malts in the Ballyhoura Mountain region of Cork. Scott and Cam have been making waves over the last few months, further exposing Ireland’s diverse and collaborative brewing community.

Why not try 8 Degrees’ Single Malt IPA, The Full Irish. Originally released in 2014 and a year later voted in as the best beer of 2015 by Irish beer organisation and all round good bunch, Beoir.

This beer is brewed using 100% Irish malt and showcases the quality barely grown in Ireland’s famously luscious countryside. A hop bomb with citrus and floral characters, grapefruit at the fore with hints of lime, melon and lychees.

So there you have it, St Patrick’s day needn’t be celebrated with just a pint or two of Guinness. If you’re feeling adventurous why not try HonestBrew’s craft beer service for half price- you’ll get 50% off a Taster Kit which consists of 6 craft beers and tasting guide!

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The Rise of Concept Restaurants

The concept restaurants cometh

When it comes to good eats, sometimes we want a bit more than a semi-stale supermarket sandwich or a burger from the latest chain to take London by storm.

From quirky cat cafes, if you’re feline like French toast and furballs (sorry, bad pun), ice-bars that specialise in frosty seats and frozen sweets, or them silly sods and their cereal café, London has it all when it comes to concept restaurants.

So if you have a hankering for dinner with a difference this weekend, we’ve got you’ve covered, with the latest concept restaurants to hit the capital’s streets.

1.Gingerline

Where? East London, somewhere.

Shhh, don’t tell anyone. With the mantra “loose lips, sink ships” Gingerline is a clandestine concept with a difference. You take a leap of faith, book, and then wait, with the location revealed a few hours before dining.

Think secret cinema, but it’s actually a secret.

All the venues hug East London line stations like barnacles, hence the name: ‘Gingerline.’ Menu wise, well that’s a secret too.

2. Camden’s Daughter

Where? Kentish Town Road, NW5

Kebabs are naughty, we all know that. Reserved for nights of heavy inebriation under the cover of darkness. But Camden’s Daughter are looking to change all that.

Sustainably sourced lamb shish, deliciously grilled aubergines, accompanied by something hoppy to wash it down with.

Craft ales and kebabs. Why didn’t we think of that?

3. Wünderlust at The Big Red 

Where? Deptford, SE8

What’s not to love about partying on a bus whilst enjoying rare breed grilled meat? All the products are locally made and served atop a classic London Routemaster bus (the Cliff Richard, Summer Holiday kind, not Boris Johnson) then this is your place.

Being South London, but not Clapham, it won’t hurt your wallet either.

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Grooming Trends Around the World

Here at Cornerstone, we’re all about making sure guys look their best. Whilst we’re based in the UK, we’re always keen to see how grooming techniques and trends differ throughout the world, and so in this blog post we take a look at 3 different parts of the globe and to find out a little more about the grooming scene there and how techniques vary to what we’re perhaps used to seeing in the UK.

 Japan

Men’s grooming in Asia has mirrored global trend and as an industry; it has grown exponentially over the past few years. As a culture, they are less inclined to fall in line with the manly-man image, and are more likely to use products to help their skin and hair look their best without feeling as if that is less masculine.

In Japan, men’s barbershops range from 10-minute quick cuts to the cut/shave offering that we would maybe expect, albeit with less of a familial atmosphere. But that’s Japan’s culture; utterly focussed on the job at hand, and that’s no bad thing!

 Turkey

 Turkish barbers are definitely an experience that all men should try at least once in their lives. Traditionally, the ‘efes’ (the barber) only use a straight razor when shaving clients, not unlike most barbershops, but they do so with a speed and precision that is probably unrivalled. You also should be offered (or given as default) a hair singeing, which gets rid of unwanted ear hair. That is a feeling unlike anything else; a hot flame into your ear and immediately slapped by your efe!

 UK

The UK demand for barbering has exploded in recent years, as more and more choose barbers over unisex salons. There has been an increased demand for male grooming experts who are specialists in cutting men’s hair and can help trim down unruly facial hair. As the big beard trend diminishes and guys start grooming their facial hair or getting rid of it completely, we’ll see more and more barbers making use of their wet shave offerings.  

When it’s all said and done though, the fundamentals of barbering are the same wherever you are in the world. Whether that means a high-end London establishment or a tiny one-chair barber in Istanbul, the art of shaving should leave you looking sharp, feeling revitalised and ready to take on the day.

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Why Fad Diets Don’t Work

We know that proper nutrition is extremely important to looking and feeling your best, but being lured into a fad diet with the promise of quick fat loss and lean muscle is oh-so tempting. However, it’s important to remember that well-rounded nutrition and exercise – and not fad diets – are the way to lasting results.

There are two main reasons why fad diets appear to have miraculous, almost instantaneous positive effects, only to come crashing down after a few weeks.

Weight Loss

If you're trying to lose weight, you could choose just about any fad diet going, from the classic Cabbage Diet to the Five Bite Diet, which says eat whatever you want, but only five bites- silly we know! Most fad diets are simply differently-packaged ways of saying 'eat fewer calories.'  That's fine if all you want to do is lose weight, however, the problem is that fad diets often put so much emphasis on one particular food or group, that you miss out on a tonne of essential nutrients. That's why eventually, you feel so awful that you cave, start eating other foods again (and not of the healthy kind) and gain weight just as quickly, if not quicker, than you lost it. This is the so-called ‘Yo-yo diet” effect and can be very dangerous as you lose weight rapidly when fad dieting, but when you crash you gain weight very quickly (and normally more than you originally lost) which puts a lot of strain on your vital organs. The key to eating healthy isn’t necessarily imposing huge calorie restrictions on yourself, but rather having everything in moderation and combining this with a workout plan that is both realistic and easy to keep up. Remember, consistency is key when working out and eating healthy. You may find that you lose weight a little slower than if you were to embark on a fad diet, but if you’re looking to lose weight and ensure you don’t put it back on, embarking on a healthier lifestyle is the most important thing- not embarking on a crash diet.

Momentary great health

If your diet is full of processed foods and sugar, and you suddenly switch to an all-vegetable juice plan, chances are that almost immediately, and for a few days, you'll feel amazing. This is not because of the juice. Fruits and vegetables are very good for you, but processed foods are also very bad for you, if you eat them all the time. What you're actually experiencing is the removal of junk food, and in no time at all, you'll be hungry again because of a lack of varied food. In essence the complete removal of junk food and sugar, where you’re only consuming vegetable and fruit juices and smoothies is acting as a detox- it is not something to be continued as a long term diet plan. Once you have completed your detox it’s essential to start introducing nutrient-rich food (other than fruit and vegetables) to your diet. Look for a healthy mix of proteins and slow energy releasing carbohydrates to compliment your fruit and vegetables., and you never know you may even stop those sugar cravings!

 What's the take home message? Diets are short-term fixes for what should be a complete lifestyle change. Regular exercise, plus a varied diet that keeps you energised and satisfied, but not bloated or sluggish, is a much better and more sustainable way to live.

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Top Tips to Shave a Thick Beard

Finally decided you’re sick and tired of picking food out your beard, or simply bored of managing that thick mane of hair protruding from your chin? If you’re looking to shave off your beard, it can be a daunting thought as to where to even start. So we’ve compiled a few tips to help you on your way to clean-shaven success.

1)    Don’t Dive Straight In

Your first thought might be to hack at the beard with a razor but resist that temptation. Not only will you go through blades at a rapid rate, as the long beard hairs clog up the razor, but you’ll be pulling at the hair, increasing your chances of skin irritation. A bit of patience and time will guarantee a cleaner, and less painful cut.

Instead, get a trimmer and trim the beard down to stubble length, or even cutting the hair with scissors to a manageable level will make it far easier for your razor pass over your face.

 2)    Prep Your Face

Once you’re down to stubble, this is when we’re really making sure that the remaining hair is easy to cleanly shave. Open up the pores using a hot towel (or a shower), clear out any dirt and release any ingrown hairs using a pre-shave scrub. This will minimise any irritation you might get. This is a vital step for those with sensitive skin. Make sure you use a high-quality shave gel so that the blades move along the skin’s surface without any friction.

3)    Sharp Blades

Nobody wants redness from pulled or caught hairs after shaving. One way of making sure this doesn’t happen is ensuring your blades are sharp. This allows the blade to cut through the hair with minimal fuss and effort. Using sharp blades also means you’ll get a super close shave without having to make lots of passes over the same area. This is crucial in achieving a smooth, comfortable shave.

If you’ve recently got rid of your beard and have any tips please share with us on Twitter @Cornerstone_HQ

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The World’s Wackiest Sport

At Cornerstone, we like to think of ourselves as being pretty progressive, but in our search for the world's wackiest sports, we realised that there's a whole world of weirdness out there that we know nothing about and that frankly, scares us a little. Here are five of the wackiest sports in the world.

1.      Club swinging

Let's kick things off with what's likely to be one of the oddest competitive sports ever. We say competitive, but it's not clear how many people actually got involved in club swinging, which involved gracefully swinging two large bowling pins around in a routine worthy of a ribbon twirler. Club swinging appeared at the 1904 and 1932 Olympic Games, and then never again.

 2.     Buzkashi

This is the national sport of Afghanistan, and involves two teams on horseback attempting to wrestle a dead goat from each other, with the aim of throwing it over a goal line. Yes, really, and we guarantee there's not a local club down the road where you can try this.

 3.     Extreme ironing

We'll all agree that ironing per say is not a sport, unless you happen to be doing it at the bottom of the ocean, or on top of a mountain. Then it's a sport. We might think Extreme Ironing is a joke, but trying telling that to its founder Phil Shaw – you can call him 'Steam'.

 4.     Sepak Takraw

Volleyball is hard enough, we know this from our school days, when if you were on the receiving end of a spike, you were for sure the one who just let your team down. For over 500 years, Sepak Takraw has been played in both Malaysia and Thailand, and revolves around a fairly standard game of volleyball, only you can't use your hands or arms. Good luck.

 5.     Chess boxing

Chess boxing is exactly what it sounds like. Opponents battle it out in alternating rounds of chess and all-out boxing. The ultimate test of brains and brawn. Or maybe not.

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Around The World in Five Steaks

Ever wanted to know the difference between Wagyu and Argentinian ribeye steak or bavette and rump steak? Fear not, our steak expert Antonia Oliver from Market Porter is here to teach us about the different steaks around the world. Warning: this may lead to a trip to your local butchers.

Japan : the Wagyu sirloin

Wagyu translates as “wa” meaning Japanese, and “gyu” meaning cow. This iconic breed are infamous for their incredible creamy fat marbling, said to be higher in mono-unsaturated fat than other breeds. Melt-in-the-mouth and arguably healthy? Yes please. Ifor Humphreys from Montgomeryshire in Wales feeds his Wagyu herd 4 pints of beer a day and treats them to a massage à la the Kobe beef treatment... alright for some...

Argentina : the ribeye steak

The Holando-Argentina breed is arguably the favourite for steak-houses in the UK. You’ve guessed it,  introduced into the Pampas region of Argentina from the Netherlands, they flourished on the nutrient-rich grasslands produced by the South American rainfall and sunshine weather combo. Their grass diet contains good levels of Omega-3 fatty acids – good news for the ribeye steak, nicely-marbled for those who like their steak moist and flavoursome.

Ireland : the rump steak

The finest Irish Angus steaks are from cattle reared on lush green Irish grass. They are a hardy breed with a calm temperament. A natural grass diet results in a lean yet buttery, melt-in-the-mouth rump steak with fantastic flavour, particularly when allowed to dry-age over 21 days.

France : the bavette steak

Where would we be without glorious steak frites?! The thrifty Bavette is best consumed in a little Paris bistro of your choice, but for those who can’t swing by, the Bavette is best cooked on a high dry heat and enjoyed medium rare. Pair with your favourite sauce and crispy fries.

USA : the tomahawk steak

Across the pond we have the king of steaks for you to gnaw on – the tomahawk. Named after its resemblance to the axe, is usually either BBQ or oven-roasted – if it fits in! Cut from the fore rib with bone French-trimmed and left in, the tomahawk really is the centre-piece of the table.

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Alternative City Breaks

Pick up any newspaper, open any magazine, load any blog and they’ll be a generic article on European city breaks you must do.

But for those of us who struggle to clear the time off with HR, and can’t decide between one trendy urban sprawl from another, here at Cornerstone we might just have the answer. Two cities, in two countries, that you can zip through in a solitary weekend. Two new pins for your map, and a couple of stamps for your passport if you ask very nicely.

Vienna, Austria to Bratislava, Slovakia 

As well as the home to Mozart, opera and the Sound of Music, Vienna boasts one of Europe’s most vibrant outdoor food markets – the Naschmarkt, where you can sample culinary delights from Viennese to Vietnamese.

Feeling fit? Hire a bike and cycle 30km in a couple of hours down the River Danube, where you will arrive in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava - tour companies allow you to drop-off either side of the border.

Bratislava takes its beer very seriously, and the city is rammed with traffic free streets full of bars, clubs and cafes. This is what Prague was like, before the stag do’s invaded.

Malmö, Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark

Fly into Malmo for less than a round of shots on a Friday night and you’ve landed in the hipster capital of Sweden. Contemporary art museums, street art, cool bars and edgy eateries.

Then for £10 you can take a 45 minute bus ride across the magnificent 8km Öresund Bridge (made famous in the tv show, ahem, The Bridge) to Copenhagen.

Scandinavia’s busiest city is wall to wall sports bars, uber –chic cafes and has a few tourist traps to take in too. See the Little Mermaid statue and visit the world famous Tivoli Gardens amusement park. If you’re feeling flush, the double Michelin star restaurant and 4 time winner of the World’s Best Restaurant Noma sits in the heart of the city.

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StylePilot’s Spring Style Trends

We may still be in winter, but spring is right around the corner so we’re tackling the dreaded satorial spring dilemma: too many layers and you’re sweating buckets; too few and you’re shaking like a leaf.  

The solution? A winter-safe spring wardrobe. We know it can be a little tricky to master (and the term itself may have you raising your eyebrows) but Charlotte Clarke and Salman Dean (the style experts from StylePilot) are here to give you a little guidance and show you the five timeless pieces that you are going to need this season.

1. A bomber jacket – being able to add and take-off layers is crucial. This inter-season jacket is light enough to stop you from burning up and thick enough to throw over a tee.

2. Long sleeve t-shirts – recently long sleeve tees have made a comeback, especially in the super tight muscle fit. If you are confident enough, stock up on a few this season.

3. Suede loafers - classic suede loafers are now considered a wardrobe essential because they can be worn for multiple looks. Whether you're off on a casual night out or looking for a smart Riviera-inspired look, this one shoe fits all.

 4. Lightweight blazers – perfect for spring nights, be sure to avoid stuffy wool blazers and stick to breathable materials like linen or jersey. Shades of navy or beige will match everything you already own.

5. Denim - with lighter days and sunnier skies, start opting for lighter washes. It may feel a little unnatural at first given that you will potentially be buying light coloured denim in winter, however come spring you won’t want to be donning your indigo hued jeans.

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Quit Your Day Job & Become a YouTube Sensation

The first few months of the New Year can always leave you feeling like you want a new change. It might sound clichéd but often the beginning of a new year is the easiest time to transition into something new.

This was the case with Amin, a.k.a. A-Minor who went from banking to being a music producer amassing over 1 million YouTube views for his first ever music video! This is no mean feat considering how much content is put out on YouTube nowadays. So we sat down with him to find out more about his career change and see how far he’s come along.

First thing’s first, what is your background?

Although I didn’t study music at school or University, it has always been a huge part of my life. I had been playing piano from a very young age and started writing songs in my teens. The turning point was when I was 17 years old.  I was in a pub with some mates who played me a song they had produced the night before. The production quality blew me away - it sounded like something on the radio. I was so mesmerised by it I coerced my friend to leave the pub and take me, then and there, to his home studio. He gave me the software to get started and I’ve been producing music every day since!

How did the idea come about and how exactly do you go about making such a huge career change?

After graduating I went into investment banking at a top tier firm. Given the opportunity, it seemed like the logical route at the time. Very quickly though, I found myself dissatisfied at work. My hours left me absolutely no time to write music and naturally I became more and more frustrated. I was working to make ends meet but had no real sense of purpose.

Having giving it a lot of thought and saving some money to get started, 2 years in, I made the difficult decision to leave the firm and focus on music production full time. I had no connections in the music industry, and no plan B, just a lot of drive, ambition and ideas.

I guess the decision wasn’t as radical as it might appear, because this is what I’ve always wanted to do, but taking the plunge and leaving a high-paid, stable job in favour of something with no guarantee of success was obviously a little nerve wracking.

What was the first thing you did after making the career change? Did you have a clear plan outlined?

Given a business background, I set about making a realistic business plan, by looking at the trajectory of similar artists I aspired to and seeing how and when I’d realistically start making money. Having this in place helped me keep focused and provided me with the routine I needed to stay motivated.

You amassed a huge number of YouTube views for your first music video, making it a bit of an internet sensation.  In this day and age where channels like YouTube, are being used by more and more people, how do you go about getting your videos seen and heard, let alone getting over 1 million views?

Well it’s no easy task to be honest. I started off by contacting every single music blogger and influencer I could find online. I was sending hundreds of emails a week, with honestly around 1% of people responding. I actually thought there was something wrong with my email server at one point! Eventually a couple blogs posted my remixes, and from that, a young independent talent manager got in touch. He had an online PR background and was very well connected so within a short space of time, he was able to get my music heard and posted by every major blogger. It all snowballed from there and the major record labels began contacting me having heard my music on these blogs. Like most infant businesses, I learned quickly that persistence is everything.

What’s next?

I’ve recently wrapped up my latest song, Be Mine, which has now been released. I’m currently writing and preparing the subsequent singles for next year. I’ll be back to DJ’ing and performing in 2016.

Finally, in your opinion, what’s the key to success?

For me, I think it has to be work ethic. How much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals? I’ve seen countless examples of hard workers outperforming talent both in Banking and in Music.

In the hot seat

•       Most fun place you’ve DJ’d: In Ibiza at a spontaneous, unplanned 5am house party.

•       Favourite song you’ve released: My first song, Thinking Bout the Things, as it was my breakthrough release.

•       Favourite current singer/songwriter: I’m probably going to get a lot of stick for saying this, but I’m really impressed by Justin Bieber’s new material. It’s incredibly difficult to become a credible artist given his history, but for the first time music critics are beginning to accept him and that’s inspiring. I’m also addicted to an electronic artist called Tourist. He’s a Grammy award winning songwriter who co-wrote a little song called Stay with Me. I hope I’ve redeemed myself with that last answer!

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15 Minutes with Dan Gregory

For the last issue of 15 Minutes we sat down with Dan Gregory, the founder and Creative Director of Man Made, London Grooming Room located in Marylebone, to find out about his morning routine and grooming essentials.

Named “one of London’s best gentlemen’s hairdressers” by ES Magazine, and with 13 years of experience in the industry under his belt, this leading men’s grooming expert has worked with various notable clients ranging from actors, musicians and city executives, and has also had his worked featured in magazine such as British GQ and Vanity Fair Italia- no easy feat!

CS: Tell us a bit about your morning routine. What do you normally do every morning before heading to work?

DG: I usually get up at 7.30am and start preparing my gym kit, before getting to the gym at 8.15am for a 45 minute workout. I’ll then jump in the shower, get dressed and head to work for 9.30am.

CS: You’re obviously a bit of a grooming guru, are there any shaving products you find yourself using on a daily basis and highly recommend?

DG: Ironically, I’m pretty low maintenance, although the two products I swear by are my Man Made Shaving Beard Oil and the Cornerstone face scrub. I use the shaving beard oil as a moisturiser after scrubbing my face. Then I’m pretty much good to go.

CS: That’s very surprising to hear, especially regarding your line of work! Are there any other grooming products, not necessarily shaving related that you tend to use on a daily basis?

DG: No not really. Now that my hair is a little shorter I don’t even use any hair products, it’s really just shampoo (I use the Philip Kingsley Flaky and Itchy Scalp shampoo once a week), face scrub and shaving beard oil, and I’m good to go! But I have to say my one key product in the shower is a loofah- I don’t feel properly clean unless I’ve used one.

If I remember, I’ll splash a bit of Viktor and Rolf’s Spice Bomb, my go-to daily aftershave. For evenings I tend to use Tom Ford Tobacco Oud. I’ll also occasionally use Aesop’s moisturiser if my skin is feeling particularly dry.

CS: Wow, you really are very low maintenance! What would you say is your signature look?

DG: I tend to go for a 0.5 length on my stubble and always rocking a quiff.

CS: Do you ever find yourself getting any good grooming tips and tricks from your clients?

DG: Yes, occasionally I’ll get some really helpful tips. One in particular was about how to properly apply aftershave.  Apparently the trick is to spray a little on your wrists and dab it rather than rub it so that you don’t bruise the fragrance, then dab the excess on your neck and just below your ears. I got told you should only really spray it straight onto skin, not on your clothes as you’ll lose the scent a lot quicker by simply spraying it on your clothes.

CS: Finally, what’s the one thing you rely on to start your day right?

DG: The gym. It sets me up for the day. That and a warm drink, like black filter coffee.

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Tips for Travelling Solo

We’ve all spent months trying to plan the perfect group trip, but with all too familiar regularity seeing it fail to materialise. One friend is short on holiday allowance, another short on cash, and then there’s that mate who always ducks out at the very last minute.

The antidote to your scuppered holiday woes - solo travelling. And it’s rapidly on the rise. Quick weekend away, or jaunt around the globe, there’s more to it than packing a few books and the generic “stay safe” advice. So here are our tips for one-man wayfaring done properly.

 Avoid looking like a tourist

Yes you’re on holiday and of course you want to purchase a few trinkets and souvenirs to remind you of your trip. But stick to fridge magnets  and passport stamps and forego the sombreros and ‘I Love NYC’ t-shirt. Assimilate, blend in and avoid attracting any unnecessary attention.

 Learn the art of saying “No”

Whether you’re trundling around a flea-market in Marrakech, a souk in Sharm el-Sheikh, or a boulangerie in Bordeaux, there will be people keen to sell you their wares - and it can be tough to say no without offending the locals. Wherever you are, it’s always handy to learn to say “No thank you” in the local tongue.

 Get social

As we said, solo travelling is on the rise, so you won’t be quite as alone as you think on your independent jaunt.  Use Twitter and Instagram to see where other like-minded explorers are hanging out. A little company never hurt anyone.

 Pack some running shoes                        

If you plan on staying fit on your trip, a great way to see a city is by running it. Pack your running shoes and take a jog around the sites. It’s good for the heart as well as the soul.

 Plan

Nothing beats a spot of spontaneity, but before throwing complete caution to the wind, some advance planning is recommended. Where you’ll stay on your first night and how you’ll navigate your way from the airport to the city. It gives those back home peace of mind too.