Best Men's Grooming Tips
Grooming Tips that will Transform Your Life and Hair
Once upon a time, there was period were men who spent too much time in the bathroom were frowned upon. They were called “women” or accused of spending too much time primping. Women wanted their men in and out of the bathrooms in record time. Others were accused of being the hipster types who probably drank deconstructed coffee, borrowed their girlfriend’s jeans, and only listened to music composed by underground bands. And unfortunately, the bulk of men bought into this. Their bathroom routines were limited to around 15 minutes: brush their hair, brush their teeth, put on deodorant, and sniff check clothes before walking out the door.
However, these days are long gone and men who spend time on their appearance are a gold mine for women. Girls want dudes who care about how they look and put effort into it. It used to be acceptable to leave the house as long as your hair was somewhat decent and your clothes didn’t smell like yesterday’s workout, but that’s in the past now. Plus you’re an alpha male; it’s time to start grooming like one!
However with this shift in routine, there comes an infinite stream of advice and miracle products. With so much on the market, it can be difficult to separate fact from fake news. Do you really need under eye cream? Do women really give a shit about the dirt under your nails or how soft your skin is? Do you seriously need to edge your whiskers up every time you go to leave the house? Shifting through the mass amounts of content can be overwhelming, but luckily for you we’ve put together a guide that includes some of the best grooming tips for men.
Not only will this up your game and garner a lot of appreciation from your girlfriend and make your friends’ chicks jealous as well, but it’ll also boost your confidence significantly. So read on and get ready to up your grooming game!
Don’t be the Dude that Waits till the Last Minute
Despite popular belief, you don’t want to spend hours in front of a mirror getting ready to go. The trick is to avoid doing everything last minute. You don’t want to lock yourself into a bathroom two hours before your dinner date in order to get ready; instead you should have a daily routine that’s quick and simple.
Maintaining your appearance over the course of time is important. If you’re waiting for an event before you hit the barbershop, tend to your puffy eyes and neglected skin, then you’re doing it wrong. These are things that you should be working on throughout the week/month/year. And chances are, if you’re waiting till the last minute to address the problems, you’re not going to be able to fix them. After all, puffy, raccoon eyes can’t be resolved an hour before your date and nothing can ruin your appearance faster.
Having a daily routine will not only limit the amount of time you spend in the bathroom getting ready before an event, but it will also significantly improve the quality of your skin. You might think that treating your skin once a month or so is good for it, but it’s too little too late. Taking care of yourself often and even daily will pay off in the end.
The Right Products for the Job
You also don’t need to drop a fortune on products. If you don’t have raccoon eyes, then don’t bother with creams that get rid of dark circles; you’ll paying money for nothing. Buy what you need and listen to recommendations from your barber. If they tell you that Cream A is better than Cream B, get Cream A. Even if Cream B is more expensive, it’s not necessarily better. Just ask your girlfriend. She’s probably been fooled a few times by products with an expensive tag that were worthless compared to their cheaper competitor. So while you might be tempted to shell over a small fortune on products claiming to be better than their competitors, this isn’t necessarily the truth.
You should also get to know your skin type. Is it oily? Dry? Combination? Pay attention to it or you’re unsure, ask your barber; they’ll be able to tell you. Your skin type will determine what kind of products will work best for you. For example, if your skin is oily, a thick, creamy lotion that’s high in moisture will only make your skin oiler. And the same goes for skin that’s dry. Using a light moisturizer or something designed to care for oily skin will aggravate your dry skin.
You’ll also want to invest in some quality razors, trimmers, and even a toothbrush. Not only will these tools make the job much, much easier, but they’re better for your skin. And also, please don’t use those obnoxious three bladed monstrosities or those chemically enhanced blue gels that smell like a power plant.
Grooming Habits that You Need to Add to Your Routine ASAP
Following these simple steps will keep you looking your best everyday and will prevent you from spending unnecessary time locked in the bathroom getting ready at the last minute.
Become BFF’s with your barber- Regularly visiting your barber for trims is a good start; don’t wait until your girlfriend springs plans on you to hit up your barber for a last minute appointment. If your barber tells you that you need touchups every month, show up every month. They’re not trying to make a fortune off of you, they’re trying to keep you looking your best and prevent you from having to put yourself together last minute. Plus, your favorite barber might not have any openings available and you’ll have to try your luck elsewhere. Which we probably don’t have to tell you can lead to a state of panic “what if he messes up my style? He doesn’t know my hair like my regular barber!”
The hair on your head needs love too- If you’ve been keeping up with our other articles, then hopefully you’ve taken our advice to heart and have been moisturizing your whiskers. However, your whiskers aren’t the only ones who will benefit from some TLC; the hair on your head will too. This is not to say you have to sit on the couch watching “Golden Girls” with a leave on hair mask for 20 minutes, but giving your hair some moisture after scrubbing it will really help. Light leave in conditioners are a great start and you can also opt for a shampoo that has moisturizing qualities.
Not all hair products are created equal- If you’re one of those guys who thinks that brushing your hair is enough to step outside or that all hair products are basically the same, we got some bad news for you: you’re wrong. You need hair products to look your best and keep your style. You also need hair products that work for you. If you’re looking for that messy style or have thick hair, waxes and pomades will be your best friend. These will keep your bedhead looking fresh. Thinner hair will require lighter products. Pomades are thick and heavy; they can weigh thin hair down and can be easily seen. Opt for some sprays or products designed for thinner hair. Still unsure? Ask the expert! Your barber can point you in the right direction.
Give your hands some TLC - Whether you sit at a computer all day or use your hands for a living to dig through greasy car parts to find problems, you’ll want to take care of your hands. Callouses might be great for your job but they’re not so great for your girlfriend. Lotions and creams can take care of this problem and before you ask- yes, they come in dude scents. Also, please trim your damn fingernails and clean under them. Nothing can ruin a date faster than long, scratchy talons that have a line of dirt underneath them.
Find your scent and rock it- If you’re relying on your aftershave or deodorant to make you smell appealing, please stop immediately. Aftershave isn’t supposed to be your signature scent; it’s supposed to be a subtle burst that your girlfriend smells when she gets in close. You need to invest in some cologne and once again, not all scents are created equal. You don’t want to drown yourself in the scent and you want to pick one tha matches you. Ever seen your chick spray a perfume on her wrist then complain that it smells different? She’s right; your body can alter the way scents smell on you. When testing out different scents on paper, make sure to apply the ones you like to your wrist after so you can see if they smell the same. We also recommend spicy, woody scents for the winter and light, citrus scents for the summer. Also, less is more.
Ditch your boring toothbrush- If you’re still “brushing your teeth by hand” with a non electric toothbrush, then please throw that thing away and upgrade. Not only do electric toothbrushes clean more of the surface area of your tooth, but they reach hard to get to spots and the rotating bristles are better at removing plague and germs from your teeth than traditional brushes. According to studies, these brushes remove 11% more plague than traditional ones.
Please don’t welcome your girlfriend to the jungle- Bushes are so 90s and if you’re still sporting one, please get rid of it. Trimmed pubic regions have not only become a favored among women, but they’re also considered polite. This isn’t to say that you have to shave everything down to the skin, but you should keep the area tidy and groomed. Also, please don’t use the razor you use on your face on your balls and nether area. That’s just gross. There’s tons of electric razors out there that will work wonders for your pubes without doubling as a face groomer.
TLC was wrong about scrubs- Harking back to the 90s, we all remember that TLC song “Scrubs” where the ladies proclaimed that the didn’t want scrubs. However, you should want one; for your face. Invest in a micro bead-free scrub (micro beads are hell on your skin) and scrub the weekend and dirt off your face on Mondays then every other day. On the in between days, use a simple face wash that isn’t abrasive. You’ll see improvements in your skin quality in no time and your lady won’t be able to keep her hands off your soft face.
Get rid of your facial fuzzies- Your facial hair should be tamed and properly maintained in order for you to look your best. Scragglies and those hairs that grow on the back of your neck in between haircuts can ruin even the best of your looks. Make maintaining these part of your weekly routine. A beard trimmer or even a straight razor can work wonders for keeping your face and neck in shape.
Start shaving like you mean it- Harking back to our previous articles, if you haven’t stepped up your shaving game yet, you seriously need to. We constantly dwell on the importance of a good shave routine and for good reason. Dry shaving with an old razor or one of those cans of chemical laced blue gel isn’t doing your skin or your whiskers any favors. You need to prep your skin and hairs before shaving and take your time. You also need to give your skin some love afterwards to prevent irritation, redness, and bumps. Optimally, you should do this once a week to maintain your look. However if that’s too tedious, have your barber work a professional shave into the mix weekly.
Bonus Tip: Take Care of Your Feet
Feet are arguably the most neglected part of a man’s grooming ritual. Typically, they’re only taken care of if they stink, itch, or are burning. And even then, they don’t get the love that they deserve. Most guys just reach for a product that like Odor-Eaters or wash their feet with plain soap and water to ease the smell, or they reach for an over the counter brand remedy to cure discomforts.
However, taking care of your feet is incredibly important. After taking a bath or shower, use a pumice stone to remove the dead skin. This will leave your feet smoother and healthier. We also suggest a moisturizer but we get it if that’s not your thing. Either way, make sure that you thoroughly dry your feet after showering. Wet feet can lead to a number of problems such as athlete’s foot and more.
Also if your feet itches or burns consistently, don’t just treat it with that over the counter stuff; go see your doctor. Sometimes the OTC treatments are just masking the problem. So get your piggies to the doctor and make sure that nothing serious is wrong!