Skincare and Grooming Tips For Men
We’re guessing you’re already a stylish and dapper man who likes to look, smell and feel great and chances are you have a good daily grooming regime in place but a few extra skincare and grooming tips to ensure you are impeccably turned out can’t hurt, right? We might have a few hidden gems up our sleeve to turn you into even more of a bobby dazzler than you already are. The trick is to grow old gracefully without having to become a slave to the bathroom mirror! They don’t call it a vanity mirror for nothing and your aim is to be effortlessly well turned out; maximum results but minimum effort!
We’re all for a well-manicured hand, gleaming white teeth and a bit of strategic manscaping but were not about to board the vain train! With just a few select anti-aging products for men like eye cream and a hydrating face moisturizer, you can go a long way towards targeting and minimizing the visible signs of aging.
Thankfully these days, male grooming is all the rage, and you are spoilt for choice when it comes to high-quality brands offering male-specific skincare products, advise and opinion. That in itself can feel a bit daunting and overwhelming. Where do you even start and whose view do you trust? Do you really need to spend mega bucks on a jar of wrinkle-busting goop or is it all just marketing jargon? Well, we’re here to dispel some of the myths and debunk the world of men’s grooming with our top user-friendly tips for you today. The main trick is not to splash all of your cash on a bathroom shelf heaving with body lotions and potions that take you hours to apply. We’re talking a daily routine so it needs to be quick and simple so that it can easily fit into your busy schedule. Otherwise, any attempts at maintaining your grooming routine will just go out of the window. So let’s look at some of the essential men’s skincare and grooming tips we recommend you should be adopting to ensure that you don’t become a victim of sprouting nasal hair and a monobrow. In no particular order as they say on Saturday night TV!
Look after your face. Otherwise, it will reveal all the tales about the life you live!
Taking care of your face should be viewed as an investment so incorporate a couple of choice anti-aging products into your skincare regime as early on as you can. Your skin will reward you for it in later life. As a very minimum, you need a good under eye cream as well as a hydrating daily face moisturizer. We also recommend that you use a facial scrub or exfoliator once or twice a week alongside your usual face wash and if you don’t even have one of those in your arsenal of essential skincare products then shame on you! Get into the good habit of using a scrub every Monday morning, to slough away the weekend’s excesses and prep you for the week ahead then switch to your regular, less abrasive face wash for the rest of the week. You will look better in next to no time!
While we’re talking about those tell-tale signs, tackle dark circles and puffy eye bags.
Your boss doesn’t need to know that you partied like it was 1999 all weekend…..again! While you probably already moisturize on a daily basis and have your favorite face moisturizer or face mask, are you neglecting your delicate eye are? Eyes are the windows to the soul after all, and you don’t want yours to fast track you to hell! You can’t just use the same old goop everywhere either. Try out a roll one under eye cream and look out for active ingredients like caffeine and retinoids both of which deliver hugely impressive results when it comes to reducing dark circles and puffiness. If you look tired, you will automatically look older than you are, so take care of your eyes, and they’ll keep your weekend’s antics a secret from the boss!
Keep on top of your haircut and get on first name terms with your Barber
Most salons will offer a discount incentive off your next haircut if you book it in when you are there, and that makes a lot of sense, not only from a cost-saving perspective. Most men need to be trimming their hair roughly every 4-6 weeks to ensure that you don’t stray into the “scruffy” zone. If you look in the mirror and you see Shaggy from Scooby Doo looking back at you, guess what? You’ve left it too late! So be proactive as opposed to reactive and always keep on top of that haircut. It’s a good idea to stick to a barber you know and trust rather than chopping and changing too.
Work on defining your individual style and invest in the right products for your hair type.
Together you can work out exactly the best style and also products to groom and take care of your crowning glory. Back in your Grandad’s day, there was probably only Brylcreem available which was great for creating that slicked back look that was all the rage. However, if you’re looking to build something with more texture, then there are a host of products that you can use from wax, to a pomade, or a hair gel. They have all kinds of names, and each has a slightly different function so get yourself clued up, not glued up! Using the right product on your hair really can make the world of difference, especially if you are starting to get localized thinning.
Define your signature scent, the one that announces (subtly) that you are about to enter the boardroom
How you smell is just as important as how you look when it comes to defining your personal style. The aftershave or cologne you use should be a subtle but recognizable part of your presence and not be too loud or overbearing. Rather than having dozens of bottles that you randomly grab every morning, like some kind of pick and mix never quite knowing whether you’re going to get the dreaded coffee cream, have two classic scents that define you, your personality, style, and charisma. We know you can’t stop your Great Aunt Alice buying you a rogue bottle of Old Spice again next Christmas, but choose signature scents for yourself and invest in them. We recommend that you go for something more woody, musky and spicy in the winter and have a lighter, more citrus based and refreshing cologne or solid cologne for the summer.
Get that hand (and foot) care routine nailed.
We’re not suggesting that you book yourself in for weekly mani’s and pedi’s. That really might be one metrosexual step too far, but we do think that any discerning gent should own a manicure set. Ideally, you should be cutting your nails once a week. The perfect time to give tame those tallons is after a long hot soak the bath when they’re nice and soft and less claw-like! Use a bit of moisturizer every few days or so rubbed into areas that might be rough or flaking. After all, if you intend getting hands-on later with your other half, you want to smoothly caress her and not give her friction burn from your rough mitts. Look after your feet too so that you are always ready to put your best foot forward so to speak! Use a pumice stone to remove any dead skin and keep your toe-nails cut back short and tidy and shave those hairy toes! Nobody wants a partner who has Hobbit-like feet. There’s no bigger turnoff, especially in flips flops!
While we are on the subject again of hair, learn to shave like an old-school pro.
OK, so you may not have time every morning to indulge in the full-on, almost ritualistic wet-shaving experience, but do learn the basics of a good shave. Always shave after you’ve been in the shower or bath when the hair follicles and pores are opened up and softer from the heat of the hot water and consider using a shave oil beforehand to help your razor glide over your skin effortlessly and minimize redness and irritation. Take care of your beard or facial hair by using a beard oil, butter or balm which will leave your hair more manageable, soft and shiny as well as eradicating unsightly mandruff!
Ensure your smile is a million bucks one, not a two-bit one
While men might notice teeth and (insert your own choice of body part here) on a woman, women notice your shiny shoes and your dazzling, bright smile! There is no excuse whatsoever these days for poor oral hygiene. If you haven’t already invested in one, get yourself an electric toothbrush which does all the hard work for you. They remove significantly more plaque than a manual toothbrush, reduce gum disease and besides making your breath fresher, can help polish and keep your teeth looking whiter. Especially important if you love the finer things in life like red wine and cigars. Grab yourself a mouthwash while you are at it and don’t even think about leaving the house for your daily commute without having a good old swig!
Your colleagues, fellow commuters and of course your loved ones, will thank you for your impeccable attention to detail if you follow out our top men’s skincare and grooming tips.
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