Make Papa Feel Pampered With These Father’s Day Gift Ideas (As Seen On CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin”)
Father’s Day is right around the corner –and, even if you’re sheltering at home with your family and postponing all social outings —it’s important to make all the papa bears out there feel appreciated. If you’re looking for unique gifts that will make fathers feel like the superheroes their kids (and wives) consider them to be, I’ve got plenty of suggestions! From top-of-the-line grooming tools to gift sets for foodies, get the scoop on all the gift ideas I shared on CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin.” To view the segment, click here and make sure to keep reading for in-depth info on all the brands and products seen on air.
MODERNE MONOCLE MOD MAN COLLECTION NECKLACES
Even if dad refuses to wear any jewelry beyond his wedding band and his go-to timepiece, he’ll be more than happy to don one of these stylish and functional necklaces from Los Angles-based brand Moderne Monocle. The brand specializes in elegant and cleverly designed necklaces that not only spruce up any ensemble, but also constitute a fashion-forward alternative to reading glasses. The Mod Man collection, which includes pieces designed specifically for men, includes a multitude of necklaces with dog tag pendants — and, at the very center of each pendant, you’ll find a hand-cut magnifying glass. How cool is that, right?
If dad is always misplacing his readers or he dreads pulling them out in public to read the fine print on food and medicine labels, he’ll appreciate the convenience and discreteness of one of these necklaces. My husband, for one, has finally acknowledged that reading glasses may be in order, but he would be mortified to wear them in public. As a result, he tends to go on tirades about book fonts being smaller than ever and doing that song-and-dance where, whenever he wants to read the label on a box, he pulls it close to his face and then pulls it away, focusing intently on the print each time. With a Moderne Monocle necklace, then, he’ll be able to get the job done without having to whip out his readers. Genius!
The lenses work best for reading glass prescriptions of +1.00 to +3.5. Each pendant is available in gunmetal or silver, and you can choose between a leather or metal chain. Pictured above are the Jagger style (shown at top in silver) and the Hudson (shown second in gunmetal), each with matching metal chain.
Prices range from $63 to $78, and you can enjoy free shipping at ModMonocle.com
RESHOEVN8R SIGNATURE SHOE CLEANING KIT
True-blue sneakerheads will stand in line for hours (or even camp out for days) to score a pair of limited-edition kicks. Back in January 2016, as many as 5 days prior to the release of Nike’s Air Jordan 2 Retro Just Don sneakers, over 100 lawn chairs lined the block outside the Jordan Brand store on South State Street in Chicago as shoppers hoped to be among the few to get their hands on limited-edition shoes. And who can forget the multiple campouts surround the 2009 release of the Nike Air Yeezys? Once you’ve spent exorbitant amounts of time and energy researching new sneaker drops, waiting in line for a chance to purchase them in-store, setting multiple alarms to cop them online before everyone else, you’re likely to treat your prized footwear with as much care as you would a newborn baby. well they’re rightfully concerned about keeping their cherished shoes in tip-top shape. They might have their kicks displayed prominently on closet shelves (think Dre on Blackish) or even packed in their original boxes. And, when they do lace up their flossiest sneakers, they’re extra careful to avoid puddles, mud, sand, and spills of any kind.
But even when exercising the utmost caution, sneakers are bound to get dirty and hence require some upkeep. Back in the days, many of us scrubbed our beloved Jordans and Air Maxes with toothbrushes, hoping to remove any dirt and grime. But not only was the process time-consuming, but it was often only marginally effective — after all, you needed to use the right cleanser or you could risk ruining the shoes’ uppers altogether, and cleaning soles with a toothbrush will only get you but so far in the grime removal journey.
So, if you’re looking for a gift for your sneaker-obsessed father, consider ordering the Reshoevn8r Signature Shoe Cleaning Kit ($50 at Reshoevn8r.com) and help dad elevate his shoe care game. The comprehensive kit comes in a beautiful box bearing the company logo. Once you open the box, you’ll find everything needed to keep shoes looking pristine — and all the tools are perfectly packed in their own compartments, bring you some instant Marie Kondo-esque joy.
In the kit, then, you’ll find the following: a 4 oz. bottle of the Reshoevn8r Cleaning Solution, an all-natural formula made with coconut, jojoba and other natural oils to safely clean and condition most materials; a Soft Bristle Brush that’s great for cleaning more delicate materials like suede, flyknit, and mesh; a Medium Bristle Brush that’s recommended for durable materials like leather, rubber, and plastic; a Stiff Bristle Brush designed to help clean shoe soles; a pair of Shoe Trees to help sneakers maintain their shape during both the cleaning process and the storage phase; a Shoe Laundry Bag; and a Microfiber Towel to pat sneakers dry when the cleaning job is complete.
Once you hand dad his very own shoe care kit, you can point him to Reshoevn8r.com so he can follow the tips posted online on how to properly care for canvas, leather, suede, and knit shoes.
BUSHWICK KITCHEN GIFT SETS
Is dad a grilling machine, lording over his BBQ smoker and his gas, charcoal, or electric grill like a king proudly surveying his kingdom? Does he take pride on his breakfast menu, delighting over his buttery, fluffy, perfectly round pancakes? Or does he perhaps enjoy whipping out the crispiest fried chicken and the juiciest Buffalo wings to ever grace a backyard party table? Whatever dad’s specialty, he’ll want to take it to the next level —and experiment with new and masterful dishes — with a little help from Brooklyn-born sauce company Bushwick Kitchen, which offers unique infusions of honey, maple syrup and sriracha that will inspire cooks of all stages.
Featuring ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley, the Catskill Mountains, and the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, Bushwick Kitchen’s concoctions manage to elevate typically ordinary kitchen staples by infusing them with imaginative, flavor-packed, hand-picked ingredients, resulting in truly elevated and extraordinary pairings.
This Father’s Day, brighten your foodie father’s day with one of the brand’s gift sets, each of which includes a custom dish towel and a set of recipes to help dad create exciting new meals. The Bushwick Kitchen Trees Knees Maple Gift Set ($49.99 at BushwickKitchen.com) contains a Spicy Maple Syrup, as well as Cinnamon- and Coffee Maple Syrups. Another sweet treat, the Bees Knees Honey Gift Set ($49.99 at BushwickKitchen.com) includes a Spicy Honey, Salted Honey and Meyer Lemon Honey. And to kick up the heat, there’s the Weak Knees Sriracha Gift Set ($39.99 at BushwickKicthen.com), which includes a Super Spicy Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha, a Week Knees Curry Sriracha, and a Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha.
HEART WATER
You can fill dad’s cup — and his heart — with a little help from Austin-based Heart Water. The mission-driven beverage start-up was founded by former Miss USA Texas Ylianna Dadashi and her husband, entrepreneur Michael Dadashi, with the intention of bottling the purest and most sustainable water: alkaline rainwater.
Most bottled water is groundwater – either filtered tap water or spring water – and it often contains harmful elements like lead and arsenic that aren’t fully eliminated during the purification process. Heart Water, on the other hand, harvests rainwater straight from the clouds, so that it never touches the ground, and its unique process utilizes ultraviolet light technology, a seven-stage purification system and ozone oxidation for maximum purity and superior taste.
Not only is Heart Water delicious, placing within the Top 5 in international water tasting competitions 5 years in row, but it’s also sustainable. Since rainwater is infinitely renewable, Heart Water helps to protect the world’s depleting water sources. And by packaging their water in 100% recyclable and reusable bright purple aluminum cans and bottles, the Heart Water team is taking a stand against the plastic epidemic hurting our ecosystem.
As its name suggests, Heart Water prioritizes pouring love into the world. In fact, 23% of profits flow to the Heart Foundation, which helps improve the lives of children suffering from poverty, disease and addiction. They recently launched a variety of custom cans — each emblazoned with “I Heart TX,” ” I Heart LA,” or “I Heart NY” along the back — and, launched an initiative whereby, for every can sold, another is donated to the heroes on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic in that corresponding city.
In addition to the limited-edition custom 12 oz. cans ($39.99 for a 12-pack at DrinkHeartWater.com), Heart Water also sells 16 oz. Heart Water Still bottles ($35 for a 6-pack or $50 for a 12-pack at DrinkHeartWater.com and Amazon) and 23.9 oz. Heart Water Still + Pink Himalayan bottles ($40 for a 6-pack at DrinkHeartWater.com).
Visit DrinkHeartWater.com for info and to shop!
MANSCAPED THE WEED WHACKER
According to a MANSCAPED poll, 67% of men ages 18-54 trim their nose and ear hair regularly — and that’s a great thing given that a 2015 Women’s Health survey revealed that 46% of women would prefer talking to a man with horrible breath than one with visible tufts of nose hair. Sure, the hairs inside our nostrils act like filters, keeping allergens, dust, and grime out of our systems, but they shouldn’t be peeking out of their caves and waving hello!
To make dad’s grooming routine a breeze, gift him MANSCAPED’s new The Weed Whacker ($39.99 at Manscaped.com).
This revolutionary electric ear and nose hair trimmer features a proprietary SkinSafe technology to prevent nicks, snags and tugs, and it boasts a premium 9,000 RPM motor that powers a 360-degree, rotary dual-blade. Safety and comfort aside, the Weed Whacker boasts a satisfyingly long battery life: its 600mAh li-ion battery holds charge for up to 90 minutes of use, and it’s easily charged with a convenient USB cable and AC adapter (included in the box). It’s also waterproof for wet or dry operation, and features an ultra-modern, contoured design.
Dad will never even think of trimming his hairs with scissors ever again!
SHEAMOISTURE MEN MARACUJA OIL & SHEA BUTTER BEARD WASH
If you ask my hubby why he decided to grow a beard four years ago, he’ll look at you and, while doing his best Nick Offerman impersonation, mutter, “Why do I grow a beard? Because I’m neither a woman nor a child.” Okay, fair enough. But his soliloquy won’t stop there! He’ll then move on to his many beard philosophies — including, of course, the belief that “Wisdom is measured not in years but in beard” or that “Beards are the new six-packs.” Lucky for him, I happen to like his whisker-y look and find his oft-ridiculous beard quotes highly amusing.
To keep his beard looking healthy and lustrous, he uses the SheaMoisture Maracuja Oil & Shea Butter Beard Wash ($9.99 at Target and Walmart), which removes dirt and flakes without drying out facial hair and skin. Like all SheaMoisture products, the beard wash contains no parabens, sulfates, phthlates, mineral oil, or propylene glycol. Instead, this cruelty-free formula features certified organic shea butter ethically sourced from women’s led co-ops in Ghana via the brand’s Community Commerce business initiative, whereby the brand not only uses a fair trade model but goes beyond that to allot a portion of proceeds from sales to invest back in these communities, helping to develop critical infrastructure that ensure a safer work environment, access to healthcare, and piped water resources.
In addition to conditioning and nourishing shea butter, the beard wash contains maracuaja oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids like linoleic acid that moisturize and soften skin and hair, as well as in antioxidants like that protect hair strands from free radicals and prevent breakage; coconut oil, which helps hair grow longer and thicker while also boosting smoothness and shine; and tea tree oil, which has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, cleansing skin and hair, unclogging hair follicles, and preventing acne and ingrown hairs.
It contains certified organic fair trade shea butter, as well as maracuja oil, coconut oil, and tea tree oil.
BEVEL SHAVE STARTER KIT
Whether chasing a foe on a motorbike through the streets of Istanbul, wielding a sword in a high-stakes duel inside London’s Blades club, or jumping out of a plane and wrestling a parachute from an evil skydiver, James Bond never has even a trace of unwanted stubble. In all 25 Bond movies to date, a clean-shaven look has been essential to the spy’s debonair look and persona. If dad wants to follow the blueprint for James Bond-level suaveness, then, he’ll need to start with a close shave — and nothing will help black men achieve that feat as effectively as the Bevel Shave System.
Counting rapper NAS, former NBA player Kenny Smith, and comedian Steve Harvey among its fans, Bevel specializes in head-to-toe grooming products that specifically address the needs of black men. The Bevel Shave Starter Kit is designed for men with coarse, kinky, and curly hair, so that they can enjoy the clean-cut look they covet without having to experience any razor bumps, nicks, tugs, or breakouts. The kit includes everything needed to protect, cleanse and nourish skin during every session: a Safety Razor, which features a single-blade construction and is designed to remove hair from the skin’s surface rather than uprooting hair beneath skin; 20 Blades; a Priming Oil, which includes lavender, castor, and olive oils that soften skin and hair, locking in moisture so the razor’s blade can glide seamlessly across skin; a Shave Cream, which is formulated with ultra-soothing aloe vera, shea butter and comfrey extract to help create a protective barrier that allows the razor to smooth over skin while preventing nicks and cuts; a Shave Brush that hydrates, lifts hairs and exfoliates skin; and a Restoring Balm, which features tea tree oil and witch hazel to reduces irritation, as well as lactic and salicylic acids to exfoliate, and shea butter to nourish the hair and skin.
The Bevel Shave Starter Kit retails for $89.95 at GetBevel.com but, it’s available at the super special sale price of $74.95 through June 20th.
You can also find Bevel products at Target, CVS and Amazon.
PHILO SUBSCRIPTION
Does dad wield the TV remote like Thor would his hammer? Is TV viewing his favorite way to unwind? If so, stop searching for knickknacks that will just gather dust and, instead, invest in something he’ll love and use regularly — like a subscription to Philo.
The top-notch entertainment-focused streaming service that has over 59 premiere channels including Comedy Central, A&E, HGTV, DIY, History, MTV, VH1 and BET, so dad can binge popular shows Overhaulin, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Twenties, and Modern Marvels. And when he wants to discover new shows, he can rely on Philo’s five ultra-convenient, expertly curated playlists: Home Improvement, Kids, Nature & Science, Comfort Food and Reality Round-Up. With these playlists, dad can find the content he craves with ease.
Philo is compatible with Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV devices and it allows for multiple accounts and 3 different streams to be played at the same time. It also has unlimited DVR so you can save any shows you want, and they’ll be available to view for up to 30 days.
It’s $20/month, and you can add on Epix or Starz for an introductory promotional rate of $3 or $5/month respectively.
You can enjoy a 7-day free trial by visiting try.philo.com
HEAD & SHOULDERS STYLING COLLECTION FOR MEN
Fifty percent of men who use hair styling products have experienced scalp issues such as itchiness, dryness, hair thinning, hair loss, and dandruff. This can be the result of harsh, scalp-drying chemicals in the products’ formulas — among them isopropyl alcohol, which is often the main ingredient in products like hair gels and yet is known to dehydrate hair and skin when used in large quantities. Scalp tribulations can also surface due to product build-up that, in turn, clogs hair follicles. How can fellas continue to sculpt and mold their hair as desired without having to endure scalp-related difficulties?
Well, they can reach for the new Head & Shoulders Men’s Styling Collection, which offers high-performance products that are strong in hold but are also kind to the scalp. All the products in the collection are dermatologist tested, pH balanced, and water-based so they don’t leave any visible residue behind and they wash out with ease (thereby eliminating the possibility of build-up on the scalp). And, as with all Head & Shoulders products, they contain pyrithione zinc, which tackles the dandruff-causing microbe Malassezia globosa, as well as conditioners such as panthenol (vitamin B5).
Fellas can choose from 5 products depending on their hair type, cut, and styling needs: a Styling Gel, Molding Clay, Texturizing Putty, Shaping Pomade, and Styling Cream.
The Head & Shoulders Styling products retail for $9.99 each and are available at mass retailers.
