The best shave is the closest shave. But such precision doesn’t come easy. In fact, to achieve the smoothest, sharpest results, there’s a whole host of things you’ll need. A reliable razor, for one thing. A bathroom cabinet, bursting with the best men’s grooming products, for a second — each specifically formulated to raise hairs and soothe skin. And, for a third (and perhaps, above all), a safe, steady pairs of hands. Which brings us, neatly and trimly, to Vince Garcia.
The new barber for the Dior Sauvage grooming line, Garcia is the steadiest, most trusted pair of trimmer-toting hands in the business. Born and raised in Toronto, he moved to Los Angeles 14 years ago, at the age of just 23 years old, with nothing but a bag of clippers and a desire to hone his craft. Now, with his skills recognized by one of the biggest luxury labels on the planet, the barber — who cuts the hair of athletes including Travis Kelce and Lonzo Ball — has been tempted to the East Coast for an opulent residency at Aman New York. SHARP was invited into his barber’s chair for a masterclass, a shave, and to be introduced to a trio of new Sauvage products.
Because, like most modern men, we’re frequently baffled by the sheer range of grooming products available — and often can’t tell our salves from our serums. Dior Sauvage, happily, has just introduced a clear-cut cleanser, toner, and a serum to its range and Garcia tells us that it pays to not only know what they are, but also how they work, and when to deploy them in your grooming routine.
“I’d recommend using them first thing in the morning,” says Garcia. “If you’re shaving every day, you do need to take care of your skin, and be consistent. That’ll go a long way. And the proper products, used in the proper order, will cleanse and purify and protect your skin.” The new Sauvage products are infused with the soothing, invigorating power of the cactus flower, and have been formulated specifically to have a non-sticky feel (a texture men commonly cite as turning them off certain products). But, before Garcia uses the three new products, it’s time for a shave.
To Begin, Invest in a Quality, Practical Shave Gel
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Before you unleash a blade — today in the Dior Sauvage Grooming Suite, Garcia is wielding a particularly sharp straight razor — it pays to find a shave gel you can not only trust, but will work ergonomically with your style of shaving. The Sauvage Shaving Gel may not be a new product, but it has become a firm favourite of men around the globe since it launched in 2022, and for good reason.
“What I like about this shave gel,” says Garcia, “is that it’s translucent, so you can actually see what you’re doing when you’re shaving — and be more precise. That can be an issue with some other shave gels that I’ve tried in the past, which often just foam up. So, then, you’re completely lost — you’re shaving blind. Plus, this is less messy than a foam.”
After You Shave, Follow This Up With a Facial Cleanser
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Once your gel has helped you achieve a precise, close shave, it’s time to thoroughly wash the newly exposed skin of your chin, face, and neck. Ideally, that means jumping in the shower — where the new Sauvage cleanser finds its natural home. “Some of the other Sauvage products are in glass bottles,” says Garcia, “but the cleanser isn’t. So, if you drop it in the shower, it’ll be fine.”
“It’s your base layer,” continues the barber. “And, while there are cleansers out there that’ll dry you out, this one will help to purify your skin. And a cool thing is that its scent isn’t very strong, because people like me — with sensitive skin — often break out when they try a new, fragranced product. With this one, I didn’t. I was instantly fine with it.”
That’s the magic of cactus extract and charcoal. Unlike the translucent shave gel, Dior’s new cleanser has a striking glossy black look — one that transforms into a fine which foam once lathered up in your hands. It’s a great way to freshen your face before moving onto more soothing, protective steps.
Next Up, Use a Toner That Reduces Signs of Fatigue
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You’ve shaved off your beard, and washed any impurities off your face — which may sound like a good thing, but breaking down those barriers can leave your complexion exposed. Thankfully, Garcia recommends investing in a toner, which can help to rebuild your skin’s defences in the right way. “It’ll help to rejuvenate the skin,” the barber says. “It’ll energize it, and help minimize the size of your pores, which means that dirt won’t get into them.”
Men’s pores, studies have shown, tend to be 40 per cent more dilated than women’s. That’s why Dior Sauvage contains compounds that can tighten pores, but will also leave the skin feeling cool. “That cooling sensation was the biggest thing for me,” says Garcia. “But it’ll also help with razor burn and irritation — without having the sting that usually comes with those types of products.”
A Serum Will Help Moisturize Your Skin and Reduce Water Loss
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For the penultimate product of your post-shave routine, a serum will solidify the good, protective work that the toner began — whilst simultaneously hydrating your skin. “It helps retain moisture throughout the day,” says Garcia, “but it’s different to a moisturiser. Because of the cactus oil, you absorb it more effectively, even though you use less of it, and it lasts pretty much the whole day.”
“It’s also got the highest percentage of natural ingredients out of the three new products,” he adds. “The cleanser has 90 per cent, the toner 95 per cent, and this serum 98 per cent.” The serum also leaves no oily residue on the skin, Garcia says, and instead forms an invisible shield to protect your skin from water loss. “And, when you face doesn’t dry out, it gives you a glowing effect throughout the day.”
End With a Spritz of Intense Aftershave
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The last step, Garcia says, should be a healthy spray of a fragrant aftershave — and his choice is a scent launched by the luxury label in 2021: Dior Sauvage Elixir. “I like to finish off with Elixir. It’s different to the usual Sauvage, and one of their most popular.”
For good reason. Long-lasting, complex, and expressive, Elixir not only brims with notes of grapefruit, organic lavender, spices, and sweet, rich woods, but it rounds out Garcia’s five post-shaving steps to a soothing, refreshing finish.
Additionally, it too has the same handsome midnight blue bottle as Dior’s latest additions to the product line — from that distinctive silhouette to the famous Sauvage gadroons encircling those ergonomic pumps. Collect the whole lineup, and your grooming routine will be smoother than ever before.
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