Grooming Rules to Live By in Your 20s
It is believed the 20s are the best years of a guy’s life; when you have passed the awkwardness of teenage days with the changes that are associated with puberty. The 20s is also considered to be your prime; your skin is baby smooth and blemish-free if you are lucky to have escaped from the teenage battles with acne. Your voice has also become more manly, and your body has been replaced with that of a full grown man and entertains no fear of gaining weight after indulging in a few pints. What’s more, wrinkles and grey hair appear to be very distant.
At this stage, as a young man, you are likely to see yourself as invincible. But unfortunately, as perfect as you, if you don’t apply the needed care that your body needs, all that charm won’t last for too long. Before you know it, your body will start the aging process and all the inherent changes associated with middle age will be staring at you in the face sooner than expected! Fortunately, by dutifully adhering to good grooming habits, you can keep the balls of youth rolling for longer. Here are 12 grooming rules to live by in your 20’s.
Find the Fragrance That Suits Your Personality
One thing about wearing fragrances is that when you get it right, it becomes a natural extension off your personality. On the other hand, if you stubbornly stick to your usual dollar store purchases, you end up being labeled a cheapskate. Even worse, if you don’t wear any fragrance at all, you will have people ducking and diving for cover and end up being nicknamed the ‘sweat print guy’. So as a young guy in your 20s now is the perfect time to discover the colognes that best suit your personality for a long-lasting impression at work, or to impress that bird you have been ‘eyeing’. Even if they can’t remember your name, they will certainly remember your smell. And as a variety of colognes or solid colognes are at your disposal, you even can vary your fragrance as you try to cultivate a personal signature.
Make Use of Sunscreen Daily
To avoid skin damage, make sunscreen your best friend today! Sunscreen protection is a must and should be applied on a daily basis. In addition to hot sunny days, slab on a small amount on cold rainy days since ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can also travel through the clouds. Although the UV rays constitute a minor percentage of the sun’s rays, it should be avoided at all costs, as constant exposure has been proven to cause an increase in skin cancer. So, if you are one of those lads who spends long periods outside, you surely are at greater risk.
It is also recommended to opt for a sunscreen that does not make your skin sticky but is effective in blocking the effects of ultraviolet radiation. Most importantly, UV-blocking ingredients such as zinc oxide, sulisobenzone, ecamsule, titanium dioxide, oxybenzone or avobenzone should constitute a major part of your sunscreen formulation.
Face Masks Can Be Effective
Another one of our grooming rules for 20-year-olds to live by is making good use of face masks. Even though most guys view face masks a woman’s obsession, there is a genuine reason you should make use of them. They are more than mere gimmicks as they come with several advantages. Not only do they aid with leaving your skin baby soft and smooth, but they also assist with minimizing the evaporation the skin care products you are using; meaning that your skin can stay moisturized for longer. Most importantly, they are not expensive at all, and they can be very relaxing. Most come formulated with essences and serums that are rich with high-quality nutrients and the mode of application is very simple to follow. This only takes minutes out of your week, so why don’t you go ahead and soak it up?
Make Sure You Know Your Skin Type
Just like women, men have four different types of skin; knowing where your skin falls will help you take better care of it. Normal or combination skin does not require much work; your skin may turn out to be well moisturized, but you may experience some dryness on both cheeks. So, light moisturizers are recommended in this situation, and you also have to exfoliate gently on a daily basis.
Some other guys have incredibly oily skin, and no doubt, battling with excess oil has proved a bit difficult to handle. In this situation, the best way to take care of your skin is to exfoliate daily with a gentle sponge or enzymatic exfoliators. On the other hand, if you have dry skin, this may come as a result of dehydration; it can also be genetic, or as a result of the environment you find yourself in. With dryness, your skin may experience flaking from time to time and might even feel very tight. The flaking and tightness should be exfoliated daily with non-abrasive ingredients. Emollients that contain camellia and squalene oil are equally suitable for dry skin as well as moisturizers that are rich in hyaluronic acid.
If you are a guy with baby soft and sensitive skin, as lucky as that might seem, it is not so fortunate when it comes to choosing grooming products. Your skin can quickly become inflamed or irritated by chemical ingredients, so it is best to introduce one product at a time and take note of how they affect your skin. Sadly, it can take a long while to find the best product for sensitive skin as you first need to really understand your skin to be able to proffer the right solution. Patience is key!
Moisturize Your Skin on a Daily Basis
Your choice of body moisturizer should be made with your skin type in mind; as this makes a world of difference. Clean your face a couple of times daily and apply your moisturizer once a day; this is best done after a shower while the skin is still humid. Also moisturize your whole body with body lotion at least once in a week or as your skin type demands. If practiced daily, this will definitely ensure a fresher and younger skin in your middle age.
Take Care of Your Teeth and Oral Health
Brush your teeth at least twice daily; you can make use of the good old manual toothbrush which is still just as effective. However, if you can afford an electric toothbrush, go ahead and indulge yourself. Although the benefits of flossing are yet to be proven, many dentists still believe that it aids in preventing gum disease and have advised flossing every once in a while.
Even though you might assume that it is not necessary, the use of some oral hygiene approaches such as tongue scrapers, mouthwash, and after-every-meal brushing cannot be overemphasized. Especially if you are on the hunt for that special ‘cookie’; keeping your breath, gums, and smile in tip-top condition will certainly help to deliver a good impression. Remember, first impressions count, so no chapped lips and no smelly breath. These tips will definitely come in handy when kissing your prized catch.
Don’t Rush Your Shaving
Shaving is a morning ritual for almost every adult male; dragging a sharp razor across your facial skin when battling stubbles could have negative effects in the long run. If your morning shave is a constant battle, you can avoid those downsides in the following ways;
- Use only brand-new beard trimmers which go a long way to minimize drag.
- Prep tools such as an alcohol-free shaving cream as well as a pre-shave oil should be part of your shaving kits.
- The shaving process should be a slow one because rushing through it can give rise to unnecessary irritation as well as inflammation.
- Make use of both cold and hot water – when the skin is heated-up, it gives the razor a smoother glide and cooling it afterward aids in reducing inflammation.
- The best shaving time is after a shower, or you can dab your skin with a hot towel.
- Always go with the grain (shaving the way your hair grows) because going against it will definitely increase the chances of inflammation, cuts and razor burns.
- Try applying your shaving cream with the aid of a brush instead of using your hands; the cream is more likely to get deeper into your hair pores which make for a smoother and more effective shave.
Invest in Your Grooming Products
Invest in sophisticated body trimmers designed to get rid of all the unnecessary body hairs. Don’t go too cheap as spending some extra cash will certainly fetch you a product with higher quality. Also, cutting corners to get cheaper groomers may not be good in the long run as abrasions and inflammations may occur. Anytime you sustain a cut from a cheap razor, it causes damages to your skin making it look rougher as you advance in age. So, spend some extra cash, get rid of the cheap razor and invest in a trimmer; even one with a smaller head is still better at navigating under the neck. After all, you have only got one body.
Invest in Your Hair
If you are the type of guy that cuts your hair by himself, it’s ok we won’t judge you! All you need is a couple of good head shavers. If not, visit a professional every two to three weeks to get a clean haircut. When it comes to appearance, well kept and clean hair is vital. Some guys are blessed with a full head of hair while some just have patches here and there. Whichever may be the case, you still need to make the most of what you have on top of your head and groom it to suit your appearance.
If you are unlucky to be losing your hair in your 20s, salvage the situation with brushing up your personal style. Some guys who are naturally bald rock it with pride like Bruce Willis. Others have been known to resort to wigs which are fast becoming a viable option. Many others have even gone ahead to get a hair transplant. No doubt that will a fortune but if you have the money, splashing it out on your looks is certainly worth it.
Take Care of Your Hands & Feet
No doubt, the most used parts of our body are our hands and feet; perhaps that may be the reason they tend to age faster than the rest of the body. This is more evident in the ‘tough’ guys that work with their hands all day, such as farmers and builders. Coarse skin on the palms and the outer layers are often the results of the constant use of the hands. Luckily, this can be treated with a daily moisturizing lotion for men.
Also, take out some time to pay good attention to your feet avoid feeling ashamed to brandish them at a later age. Start with taking care of your toenails, which should be trimmed before they turn into talons. Also, as you are likely to acquire some calluses in the long run, you can grind them into oblivion with the use of good moisturizers. Additionally, invest in high-quality socks and gloves for proper protection of the feet and hands especially during the winter. Once in a while, indulge yourself in a mani-pedi, and believe us, you will be grateful that you did.
Eat Well & Exercise
The way you live will surely affect your skin and hair health. Constant exercise and a balanced diet have been proved to be the most effective and most natural ways of enhancing your looks. Healthy people stand out in a crowd, and you can easily recognize a guy that engages in vigorous workouts or one that has got a great tan.
Eating lots of oily fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables are highly recommended. Information on healthy diet recipe abounds on social media, but some people prefer to consult with a professional dietician who can create a strict diet plan which they can follow easily. Always remember to consume a lot of water because there is no quicker way to improve the health of your skin.
Sources:
- Camelia Oral; Uses, Side Effects – WebMD
- Hydraulic Acid; Uses, Side Effects – WebMD
- Rosacea Causes – WebMD
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