Beauty Tested, Beast Approved is a grooming blog for normal guys. My wife, Amy (the beauty director of Allure magazine) has tried thousands of products over the years—mostly on herself, but often on the human guinea pig who sleeps next to her. Here are some of my picks, and for all Beast Approved entries, head here.

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Oh man, this beauty beat is an addictive sonofabitch—first my wife hooks me, and now my 64-year-old dad (Beast Sr.??) is getting in on the game by testing products and doling out nicely-bulleted grooming reviews. While I was home for the never-ending holiday vacation (thanks, mega-blizzard), he turned me on to a great aftershave Amy had given him awhile back: Hanae Mori HM Aftershave Balm ($36 at hanaemoriparfums.com). It’s definitely on the fancy side (especially for my Midwestern dad), but one try and you’ll understand why it’s worth the extra dough. The first thing you’ll notice is the scent—rich, sophisticated, and masculine; it lingered on my face while I was getting ready in the morning, and every whiff made me feel kind of, well, GQ (you don’t always get that effect from the cheapo stuff). This lotion is a workhorse, too—soothing my face with a slight cooling effect and leaving my skin feeling soft and moisturized post-shave. Buy it for yourself or as a belated gift. It won’t disappoint.

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