Remember back when men would shellac their hair with grease and wax? When they’d keep a comb in the pockets at all times? When hair products weren’t loaded with chemicals and artificial ingredients? Well, Mckenzie Santiago and Alfredo Ortiz sure do, and they’re determined to bring us back.
Enter Brookyln Grooming, a New York–based company dedicated to men’s grooming. The line itself epitomizes a natural, simple and elegant man, with a wide variety of shaving oils, facial serums, hair pomades and even mustache waxes, so you’re sure to find what you need (and then some). You can find their brick-and-mortar stores throughout Brooklyn, and, for those outside the city limits, they’ll ship almost anywhere, even internationally.
We had a chance to catch up with Mckenzie about her company philosophy and values. “Quality, honesty and integrity,” she says. “We operate our business based on these values. Our ingredients are simple, honest and are of the highest quality possible.”
It’s obvious the company puts a lot of care into production as well. The website clearly states that Brooklyn Grooming never tests on animals, and a wide variety of the products can be made vegan, substituting candelilla wax in for beeswax. Additionally, in the name of environmental awareness, the packaging is, according to Mckenzie, “made from glass and metal, so it can be recycled back into the earth. Even from a production standpoint, we use organic soaps to clean … and we recycle everything.”
Not the most experienced in grooming? No problem. If you’re just getting started, Mckenzie recommends a facial serum. “It’s easy to use, light and greaseless, and best of all makes your skin glow. Facial serums are great at rebalancing oil production and nearly everyone can use them, they work well on problematic and oily skin.”
We definitely give Brookyln Grooming our stamp of approval. And Mckenzie is great, too. What’s the next big goal on her horizon, you might ask? Simple: “A million dollars and a hug from Oprah!”
