Mr Masey's Emporium is magnificent

I do love it when local people embrace natural ways (if I can say that without coming over all Royston Vasey).

Neil Masey is a super-friendly trader at London Road Open Market and I couldn't resist a chinwag over the goodies at his new beard emporium. He started up because he couldn't find the top-quality stuff (with essential oils) at a price he wanted to pay. The current range consists of a beard oil, a shaving oil, a beard wash (SLS-free), and a beard conditioning serum. In addition, there is a beard and moustache pommade.

Neil produces in small local batches. The collection aims to stop itching and to keep the beard glossy and soft. I particularly like their freshness; mandarin, sweet orange and lime essential oils for their citrussy elements, plus grapeseed, Jojoba and Vitamin E oils to help moisturise.

The pommade tames the beard to stay in place and gives a terrific tache. It contains no petroleum or beeswax, only pine resin, carnauba wax and essential oils. This has a hint of orange, as it contains mandarin oil. How festive! Call by on a Friday, visit www.mr-masey.co.uk, or follow @maseyface.

I'm still mentioning box sets, because they are so popular at this time of year, and some chaps might be shopping late for someone special. No other naturals brand has embraced mainstream adoption quite like Liz Earle. I can recommend the Superskin Radiance collection at £34, which includes a Cleanse and Polish 50ml pump, pure muslin cloth, 30ml Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer, Superskin Concentrate 10ml rollerball, and unfragranced Superskin Moisturiser in a 15ml jar. Very tidy!

My main favourite by Liz Earle is the No15 Botanical perfume, which appears in its own set at £55 with a nude nail and lip colour - very elegant and easy to enjoy.

If you are a fan of this type of fragrance, you'll also go mad for a new organic Melvita perfume called L'or Bio (£30 for 50ml). Simply packaged in a brownish gold glass bottle, it combines Italian bergamot notes with white jasmine, fig leaf, Tiare flower (better known as Gardenia) and Virginian cedar create a truly precious scent that lingers with a powdery finish. Actually, this reminds me a little of black and white hair products for men - and I mean that in a really good way.