Hamam Scrubs, Mole ABCs, Perfect Hair Days, and the FDA's Finasteride Warnings

Merhaba from Istanbul, Blue Princes! This week we’re documenting a hair transplant, and will follow its progress over the next 18 months on Blue Print’s YouTube channels. A lifelong best friend of mine volunteered for the gig, and we’ve had a fun touristy weekend ahead of the procedure.

We got to spend a couple hours with Nishane on Saturday (video forthcoming), had dinner with fellow former Berliners (and native Istanbullies), took a Bosphorus river cruise on Sunday, and we visited a beautiful hamam yesterday too; see below for a quick video recap of that experience.

Another highlight from the past week: Me being the focus of DrakeTok following the rapper’s first-ever EDP launch, Summer Mink. Apparently I was one of the few folks with an early sample, so all attention turned to my reviews until fans finally began receiving their orders this weekend. We got over half a million views combined on our first impression and scent review clips, and now like 60% of our TikTok followers found us via DrakeTok lol. What a time to be alive!

Turkish Hamams and Western Japan Wellness

Where could you find us at 8am on Sunday morning? Scrubbing jet lag away at Zeyrek Çinili Hamam. When in Istanbul…

I cut this foamy massage from 60 minutes to 19 mins, to 6 mins, to 3 mins, and then finally to 59 seconds for this quick short. We’ll put up the 6-minute version later for those of you who like secondhand soothing (with some, uh, certain undertones).

And in related news: my article about western Japan wellness retreats and experiences is live on Robb Report. (Specifically, Kyusu and Okinawa.) I’ve talked about forest bathing before and even linked out to this clip in last week’s newsletter, but I’d be remiss not to highly recommend a visit to Yakushima island, specifically to stay with Sankara (pictured below) which was hands down our favorite destination + hotel + restaurants of the entire two-month trip… as well as the forest bathing experience we booked with Kaleidoforest. You can fly there relatively easily from Tokyo, approximately two hours to Kagohima, then a puddle jumper (20 mins) to Yakushima. Ferries also leave from the southern tip of Kyushu in Kagoshima/Ibusuki.

How to Have a Good Hair Day Every Day, ft. Nomad Barber

We just enlivened the first video we ever recorded, back in August: A conversation with my buddy Miguel Gutierrez, aka Nomad Barber in the barbering world and across YouTube.

Give it a spin! It’s podcast-style chatty (27 mins), so a good clip while you do errands.

Regarding the FDA’s Recent Warning on Finasteride Compounds

I can’t believe we’re going down this road for the second time in two months. Is there a smear campaign against finasteride being run by Big Minoxidil or something? (You know the name. Not reporting it, just wondering where all the finasteride hate is coming from!)

I dedicated much of my March 17 newsletter to the topic of Finasteride and consumer awareness, but here we go again: Now there are a bunch of headlines about its risks, specifically the fact that sites like Ro, Hims, and such offer compound topical and oral versions of the drug (mixed in with minoxidil, sometimes other ingredients too). Healthline reported it, Men’s Health sensationalized it.

The main thing being reported is this, and it’s true: There is no FDA approved compound drug, nor topical finasteride. Topical minoxidil standalone is approved, oral finasteride standalone is approved. But oral minoxidil is also not approved for this specific use (it’s a cosmetic dosage of drug used for blood pressure). I covered this for GQ a few years ago—it is just far too expensive to clear the FDA process, echoing the same issue we have with launching better sunscreen filters stateside—and it’s so easy for doctors to just prescribe the cosmetic dosage of oral minoxidil to their patients.

The same thing is effectively happening with these alternate versions of oral finasteride, a drug with way too high a risk of sexual side effects for me to blanket-endorse en masse. (Studies report 2-4% typically, but it’s believed up to 20%.) However, when topically applied, those issues are next to nothing. Near zilch. And all of these articles report that the FDA cites 32 cases of side effects from topical finasteride uses, between 2019 and 2024. I repeat: 32 cases in 5 years: do you know how small and nearly inconsequential that is?

YES there are risks. There are risks when you cross a street. When you take a flight. When you drink alcohol. When you chew your food. When you poke a cat. When you lay out in the sun too long. The fact that so many men go into these situations, and get as far as signing up for the medicine, paying for it, taking it, and not once questioning if it has side effects? By choosing the topical version, I would assume you know the risks of the oral version, hence why you’ve opted into the lesser known one.

Anyway, I get frustrated when this is the reporting on men’s hair loss. Even at dinner this weekend in Istanbul, my local friend was discussing how he wants to do a transplant but hasn’t done the medicines and worries because “they all ruin your hormones”. He then got t hear my lecture akin to the below video, about hair loss retention—and what he/you/everyone needs to do before considering a transplant.

But seriously, is there a smear campaign against finasteride happening? I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if there was something going on here. I love a conspiracy theory; I am my father’s son!

Anyway, generics and compounds and off-book pills from trusted doctors are typically OK, BUT know the risks, please. Here’s my rundown on finasteride, and another for minoxidil.)

Also, dually related note: If you’ve got fine hair or thinning hair, here’s a lil clip we posted this week on the best fine haired shampoo/conditioner duos… plus one 2-in-1 compound shampoo-conditioner I recommend. It’s Rogaine! LOL.

André is actively editing the horizontal YouTube version of this same topic now, in terms of best shampoos for thinning hair. More on that soon!

@blueprintgrooming

Turn up the volume: Here are Blue Print’s picks for the best shampoo for fine hair (and their matching conditioner too). They also work gr... See more

This Just In: Allure’s Version

In the next day or two, we’ll post the latest batch of “This Just In” grooming products on Blue Print’s social channels. But luckily Allure’s social media team launched the exact same trope, same format, and everything, so let’s celebrate them this week!

Here’s their first one:

Aaand if you missed last week’s post from Blue Print, here are some of the latest one’s we’re testing too:

(Can’t say I did anything truly inventive with my “This Just In” idea here, but it’s a little LOL that their idea of doing shareable brand-service debuted weeks after mine, with the same name.)

Truly Francolfactive: A Cigarette-Lavender EDP

Speaking of new products, here’s one I’m loving of late: the cigarette-tinged L’Etiquette EDP from French grooming label Horace (in partnership with the style mag L’Etiquette). It’s also got lavender to keep things on the fresher end, making this the most French thing ever. That ashy ciggy opening fades quickly; I am not a smoker and I find it endearing—a few pals have purchased it in the few days since I posted this clip, and validate my affinity.

I also just think that Horace is creating the mold right now for the best men’s grooming brand, in totality. In October, we spent a couple hours in one of their Paris shops with co-founder Marc Terlet, observing customers coming in over the course of a couple hours. I was so impressed by Horace’s ability to carve out a space for all types of men, from those who are well versed in grooming, to those simply starting out—and at an accessible price point that affords those men the chance to build a habit and stick by the routine.

This also makes Horace 3 for 3 on their fragrance launches. L’Etiquette is limited edition, and Terlet (co founder) tells me that they’re likely to sell out in the next few weeks. So act fast if you want to buy one—but don’t be shocked if they resurrect it for the permanent collection. It’s exquisite and so editorial.

May is Melanoma + Skin Cancer Awareness Month: Here’s A Guide to Mole Self Exams

It’s that time of year to book a full-body scan with your dermatologist. And to remind yourself of the ABCDEs of moles, when it comes to doing monthly self exams. These ABCDEs will help you discern if a mole is worrisome.

• A for Asymmetry: The mole isn’t symmetrical; one half looks vastly different.

• B for Border: You notice irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined borders. 

• C for Color: The mole has an unusual or multiple colors, besides brown, including black, red, white, or blue. 

• D for Diameter: It is larger than six millimeters (think a pencil eraser). 

• E for Evolving: Over time, the spot changes in shape, color, texture, or size.

As for preventing melanoma and UV-induced skin cancers, you can check out my writeup on sun-safety tips from Ian Michael Crumm, who is this year’s Melanoma Research Foundation spokesperson. His #GetNaked billboard is up in Times Square reminding people to get checked, and to look for these signs of mole irregularities.

Whew. Enough from me, dears.

But one more thing: Shortly after this Turkiye trot, I’ll blast off to the UK for Barnes Fragrance Fair. So, get your ticket if you’ll be in London the weekend of May 17. The Saturday fair itself is free; come meet the dozens of brands showcasing there, from Altra to Kingdom Scotland, to Gallivant to Maya Njie to Eau de Boujee. However, all of the chats are ticketed, and I’ll participate in one about men! I’ve so much to say.

Goodbye, or as it’s said in Turkish: Güle güle!