Mr Whiffy. There is nothing more alluring about a man than if his whiff (good whiff, thanks) reminds you of freshly cut herbs, a hidden rainforest getaway or perhaps the zest of life. A pleasant alternative to the whiff of a sweaty gym locker room or mouldy undergarments awaiting laundering.

A quest was ahead of me - to find the best whiff-giving shower gel out there. It was not until my nose picked up on the whiff of a man that coerced me later to inquire about a product known to him as Original Source shower gel. I emailed the company and they got back to me a few days later, promising me some product to use and test out. They don’t test on animals - which is a great thing - so I was going to be my own lab rat.

Morning shower - Lemon and Tea Tree shower gel: Mornings are cruel when they’re cold as ice and the only thing resembling warmth is your bed and your partner in it. I first comforted myself in a hot jet stream of water and then decided to lather myself with the shower gel. Slowly massaging it into my skin my post-sleep haze was washed down the drain, posthaste. The zest and acidic nature of the ten lemons slapped my skin awake.  Who knew that one’s senses could be heightened at such an early hour…so naturally? One left the shower feeling ‘refreshed’ as if you had shed sleep.

Evening shower – XXX Black Mint shower gel: Nothing is better after hard day’s work than a nice long (I mean sufficient) hot shower. Working in the city I often come home feeling like a city slicker – my skin literally covered in the city’s slick. The thought of an XXX shower (mind out of the gutters, please) with extra strong black mint couldn’t appeal to me more. And as I soaped and washed away the smog and the grease a tingling sensation took over my skin. A super hardcore natural stimulation of my epidermis occurred – cleansing me and making feel refreshed to carry on until bedtime. So much so that a second shower was tempting.

Sunday afternoon shower – Shea Butter and Honey shower cream: Sunday for me is the day to pamper myself. A ritual that involves being good to my body. Known for its healing qualities shea butter repairs the sorest of skins. Making the skin supple and elastic again. My skin at this point of the week was in dire need of tender-loving-care and so I turned the knob again and found myself chilling out under a stream of warm water. Covered in shea butter and honey cream - allowing it work its magic on my tired skin. Not to mention the sweetest of smells sending one into relaxation and the cream’s texture cocooning you.

Perhaps my criticism with Original Source’s shower cream is its lack of ‘masculinity’. The other two felt quite blokey to use where as the shower cream felt like a salon experience – something quite alien to the ordinary man. However I’m sure metrosexuals and hipsters alike will be lathering themselves with the stuff.

Now if you’re ready to give up the deodorant bodywash you’ve been using since highschool or the stink regime - it’s time to invest in some Original Source shower gel. And where do you get these shower gels from? Just head down to your local Coles or Woolworths.

Photos by Rachel Kara
Model: Zeke at Priscillas Model Management