Father's Day is fast approaching and with so many gifts to grab this year, the choice can be a little overwhelming. To make things easier, I've put together a list of some of the best gifts out there...
For the grooming-obsessed dads, the BaBylissMEN Super-X Metal Series Hair Clipper (£80 John Lewis) makes for a great gift. This professional grade clipper is perfect for delivering superior haircuts and first-class fades. It is robust, powerful, and precise, featuring 10 different length guards (Grades 0.5-8) and left and right ear guides. The addition of a five-position taper control lever also makes blending and fading much simpler. The clipper is also cordless and features a digital charger display, as well as an advanced rapid battery charging system - a 3-hour fast charge gives three hours cutting time, while a 20-minute quick charge delivers 20 minutes of cutting.
For the new dads lacking serious shut eye, Polaar Men Icy Looks (£37 feelunique.com) is the perfect gift. Even if the dad in your life isn't grateful for it, his eye area will thank you! It is a lightweight eye cream that absorbs effortlessly into the skin. It helps to reduce puffiness, brighten dark circles, and smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
Another popular grooming gift is the Shiseido Men Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate (£69 Harrods). It is a new serum designed to strengthen the skin’s inner defenses, delivering targeted antioxidants and supporting damage recovery while providing 32 hours of continuous hydration. Its formula utilises Japanese camellia extract to strengthen skin’s defences and minimise signs of ageing and fatigue. It is an ultra lightweight water-based serum that fully absorbs almost instantly. It feels amazing on the skin and smells absolutely amazing.
If you're looking for something grooming-esq that doesn't come with a high price tag, I recommend the Lush Rad Dad Shower Gel. It is a refreshing, gorgeously scented bodywash that features notes of Siberian pine and orris oil. Siberian fir needle oil is known for its fresh, herbaceous fragrance, as well as its stimulating effects. It promotes blood flow, can help relieve muscle ache, and creates a cosy, warming effect on the skin. Rad Dad is available in three sizes, 120ml for £7.00, 275ml for £14.00, and 550ml for £23.00, at Lush.
Dermatology M's Hong Hua You Muscle and Tendon Trauma Oil (£38 dermatology-m.com) is a great gift for the dads who love a good gym session. This aromatic oil helps to ease discomfort and soothe the skin. Ideal after exertion or exercise, this oil is formulated with actives that are naturally rich in anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. Ingredients include the invigorating Chinese extracts Hong Hua, Frankincense, and Myrrh, alongside nourishing Dong Quai.
Another great fragrance option is the Atelier Cologne Lemon Island (£55 feelunique.com). Launched last month, Lemon Island is a solar aquatic fragrance said to transport the wearer to the warmth of an island, immersed in the scents of lemon trees, sweet flowers, and ocean waves. The fragrance features top notes of lemon (sourced from Rodrigues – an island hidden in the heart of the Indian Ocean), middle notes of Indian jasmine, and base notes of Madagascar vanilla. Atelier Cologne's Lemon Island is a high-quality, pure perfume that gives great projection and exceptional lasting power. A perfect gift for distinguished dads.
For the whiskey drinking dads, I recommend Sadler’s Peaky Dad whiskey (£22 sadlersales.co.uk). Peaky Dad is a limited edition version of Sadler's much-loved Peaky Blinder whiskey, which is aged in bourbon casks. The Double Gold Medal Winner (San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021) is an exceptionally smooth, triple-distilled, small batch, blended Irish whiskey. Named after one of the original members of the Peaky Blinder gang, Steven McHickie, it’s the perfect gift for whisky lovers and Peaky fans alike.
Now if your dad is anything like mine, gin is his drink of choice. And the current gin of the moment is Canaïma's Small Batch Gin (£33.95 amazon.co.uk). This Amazonian gin is made using 19 different botanicals – 10 from the Amazon, which are sourced directly by the local communities, as well as the semeruco fruit from the Andean foothills in Venezuela, where Canaïma’s distillery is based. The remaining eight are traditional gin botanicals which, when blended with the native ingredients, create a tropical and citrusy profile. Canaïma is dedicated to protecting and preserving its environment and the local communities within it. And as part of its sustainability mission, the brand donates 10% of its sales to NGOs and charities that protect the Amazon and its indigenous people, including Saving the Amazon and the Terra Viva Foundation.
If your dad prefers a brew over a beer, he'll love the Best of British Tea Gift Box from Bird & Blend (£19.75 birdandblendtea.com). Packed with five quintessentially British black teas, the Best of British Tea Gift Box is the perfect gift for traditionalist and tea connoisseurs. Hand packed with love in a Bird & Blend gold embossed gift box; the set includes 5 x 20g pouches of loose leaf tea in the brand's classic black tea flavours - Great British Cuppa, Builder's Breakfast Brew, Earl Grey Crème, Assam Earl Grey House Blend, and Smoky Russian Caravan.
For the coffee lovers, look no further than Caravan Coffee Roasters. This year the coffee specialists have created a special Fathers Brew, composed of two parts. The first is Guatemalan which provides sugary sweet citrus, black tea, and floral characteristics. The second part is Nicaraguan, which provides notes of red apple, frangipane, and demerara sugar, with a creamy body. This limited edition coffee is available as whole beans or ground for filter brewing. A 250g bag costs £10 and a larger 1kg bag costs £35. Both are available from caravancoffeeroasters.co.uk.
Foodie dads will love Tom Kerridge's new book, Outdoor Cooking (£22 amazon.co.uk). In this new cookbook, the award-winning chef shares his huge passion for barbecues, taking simple ideas like burgers and grills, and creating even better versions. The end result is over 80 recipes that are stunningly delicious. Recipes include a pork and chorizo burger, tandoori fish skewers, stuffed sweet potatoes, and charred cauliflower salad - as well and snacks like aubergine dips and flatbreads. The book also includes desserts and drinks, as well as tips and advice for the perfect summer barbecue, campfire, or outdoor gathering with friends and family.
For the sentimental dads out there, I recommend the heartwarming Dear Dad: From You to Me Book (£12.99 preezybox.com). This book is interesting because it isn't one you read, it is one you write. Its purpose is to document a Dad's life, answering the kind of questions most children want to know. Each page brings a new question, next to a blank page that can include additional information (if your Dad loves to write war and peace) or photos. You could almost consider it a temporary gift. You gift it to your dad to fill in and, once it's complete, he gifts it back to you! There are around 60 questions in the journal including things like "What are your earliest memories?", "What did you want to do when you grow up?", "What was the first piece of music that you bought?", and "How did you meet my mother?".
A Little Wordy (£14.99 amazon.co.uk) is a great gift for game-loving dads. From the creators behind the amazing Exploding Kittens, A Little Wordy is a sneaky, tile-unscrambling word game that is thoughtful, strategic, and highly-replayable. To play the game, each person assembles a word from a set of tiles and keeps that secret word to themselves. Players then take turns trying to decipher their opponent’s secret word by paying for clues and hints using Berry Tokens. For every word guessed correctly, the player will earn Berry Tokens and the player with the most tokens wins. The game isn't about having the mightiest vocabulary though - it's about making clever choices. For example using smaller, more common words may be better than using longer, more difficult words because the opponent may overthink things and blaze right past it!
For the fathers that fancy themselves history buffs, The Anglo-Saxons by Marc Morris (£22.99 Waterstones) is a must. Drawing on a vast range of original evidence - chronicles, letters, archaeology, and artefacts - this detailed book traces the turbulent history of the Anglo-Saxons across six centuries. Seperatting truth from legend, this book features the tales of some of the most famous Anglo-Saxons, such as King Offa, Alfred the Great, and Edward the Confessor, as well as lesser known characters like ambitious queens, revolutionary saints, intolerant monks, and grasping nobles.
If none of these gift ideas will work for your dad, don't fear! There is one gift idea that is guaranteed to please all dads... slippers. Slippers can be slightly boring but this doesn't mean they can't be stylish at the same time. So forget the tartan, put down the sheepskin, and reach for the Bedroom Athletics Brody Clogs (£35 bedroomathletics.com). These slippers, available in two colours (navy and marl), embody the scandi trend, thanks to their curved edges and felt fabric. Their soft suede moulded footbed makes them uber comfortable and their non-slip durable sole make them perfect for use outdoors!
And if you're really really stuck for ideas, there is one gift that is guaranteed to go down well... a best dad trophy. Available at Paperchase for just £6.00, this traditional style navy and gold trophy will make any dad feel like a proud papa! Oh, and while you're visiting Paperchase, whether online or in-store, be sure to check out the amazing selection of Father's Day cards!!