This is an ongoing question that we have been asked a lot & mostly in secret!
It seems like a silly question, that most guys are too embarrassed to ask publicly, but it's a vital question that deserves an open answer. The act of men's grooming covers A LOT of things, and all of them are important. At its most basic definition, it is simply taking care of yourself.
Men's grooming is the act of ensuring that you are clean and presentable. That you are walking out of your house looking and feeling your best. When you first think of looking your best, most people immediately think of clothing.
Do your clothes fit properly?
Do you have holes anywhere?
Are your shoes clean?
Do you have a pocket square on?
These are all really important questions that make a difference, but men's grooming starts long before you pick out your clothes. It's a detail orientated process, but don't worry, you're likely already doing a lot of it! Here is a list of common things that you should be take care of to ensure that you are looking and feeling good! Some of these things might seem basic, but bear with us as we cover this topic in its entirety.
Some of these things you might know, but we bet there are a few tips you can pick up!
- Shower (regularly!) and ensure you are using all the right products while in there. Take a warm shower, not hot as it will over-dry your skin. Use soap, and shampoo! (Please don't use your body soap on your hair- we've heard this habit too many times!) Remember to exfoliate your skin once a week to get rid of ingrown hairs, etc.
- Facial Care. Wash, exfoliate, shave, moisturize, & use an eye cream. Don't use body wash on your face, exfoliate once a week, use a good shave cream, change your razor cartridges regularly, use face moisturizer, grab an eye cream. There are more steps here, but these are your basics!
- Nose & Ear Hair- get rid of it. No ones needs to see the creepy crawlers sneaking out of your nose and ears. Trim it down. While you're here, make sure your eyebrows are under control- not too long, and shaped for your face. (There ARE professionals that can do this for you! ) You should not have a uni brow.
- Mouth, Teeth & Breath- Brush your teeth and use mouth wash. Carry around mints to use after meals / drinking coffee, etc. No one wants to smell your bad breath. Carry a lip balm- you'll need this especially in the winter. Dry, cracked lips are not fun to have, or to look at.
- Hair & Beard- Get a good hair cut, make sure the back of your neck is not overgrown, and your hair is not growing over your ears. Beards should be trimmed regularly. If you like to keep your beard, make sure it's faded and not one length all the way around.
- Nails - Make sure nails are trimmed, smooth, and clean. Jagged and long nails aren't pleasing. Remember to trim you finger nails AND your toenails. Scratching your partner with long toe nails in bed isn't fun.
- Hands & Feet- Make sure the skin on your hands and feet are taken care of. Use a pumice stone on your feet to get rid of all the calluses. If you work out, you likely have calluses on your hands- use hand cream often. Skin that is visibly dry, or too rough to the touch should be avoided.
- SPF- Should be used everyday, especially in the summer. This should be used on your face and body. The benefits of SPF have been proven again and again.
- Body Hair- Keep body hair in check. Chest hair should not be poking out of your shirt. Back hair should also be under control. Pay attention to you your *gentleman parts* too. Remember- excess hair will make things more likely to have an odor, accumulate dirt & bacteria. Take care of it.
- Deodorant / Antiperspirant - Know the difference, and never leave home without it. Deodorant will prevent you from smelling but not sweating. (READ: you might have wet marks on your shirt, but at least you wont smell.) Antiperspirant contains aluminum to reduce how much you sweat all together. Whichever one your pick, make sure to apply everyday.
This is the basic breakdown about what men's grooming is, and what you should be looking at. There are more things that you can do, but these are the foundational items that will make a BIG difference.
Its easy to neglect yourself to try and take care of everything (and everyone) around you, but its important to carve out some tie to make yourself look and feel better!