A Savvy Guide To Men’s Grooming

I’ve been away this weekend and not been able to schedule my regular Saturday morning post. So I thought I’d past the baton to an awesome blogger; Fee from Makeupsavvy. I really love her in depth posts and wanted her to bring her style to a guest post in the men’s section…. 

Hi everyone, I’m Fee from Makeup Savvy and yes that is a blog all about make up however do not fear there will be no talk of how to pull off guy liner, nor will I mention the word “metrosexual”! I’d actually like to be more realistic in my guest post and give my non-expert opinion of which products you should own and which you should actually by-pass. 

 

Firstly I have to admit I think you men have it pretty easy when it comes to looking after yourself! You can roll out of bed, brush your teeth, quickly wash your face/shave and head out the door looking pretty okay if you so chose! Having said that actually going that bit extra to look groomed can really make a huge difference, but this is also were the headache can begin - there are shaving balms, moisturizers, eye creams, eye gels, renewal serums, anti ageing treatments to name but a few. Not to mention how every product has the possibility of sucking you in with the words ‘triple action’ ‘engerizing’ and my favourite of all ‘turbo boosting’… which actually tells you absolutely nothing about the product. 

 

So in true man style I’m going to cut the crap and give you the 6 areas of grooming you need to be all over!  

 

Facial Washes & Scrubs - If you are still washing your face with soap and water please stop! Soap is for the hands and does nothing for the skin at all. What you really need is a facial wash that will actually cleanse the skin of dirt without being drying or harsh and also a facial scrub (to be used 1-2 times a week) to remove dead skin cells and prevent ingrown hairs from shaving but make sure not to do this after shaving. Using this combination will prevent dull, tired looking skin… so no soap! 

Product recommendations - Dead Sea Natural Mineral Facial Wash (£8.39), The Real Shaving Company Daily Face Scrub (£5.10),Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Deep Pore Wash (£2.65 ) all available from Boots.

Tip - Men’s skincare can include a lot of added ingredient to feel energizing and to smell manly which aren’t necessarily that great for the skin. So taking a look at the facial scrubs and washes on the women’s skincare aisle will actually give you much more choice for different skin types (sensitive, oily skin types, organics etc).

 

Shaving Oil - I really can’t say I know a lot when it comes to shaving but I do know that most men want a smooth shave when using a razor and shaving oils are fast becoming the new shaving foam. No bulky can here just a tiny bottle (normally 15ml) that lasts up to 100 shaves. Shaving oil actually cuts out a lot of nasty ingredients as they are plant based and not only act as a lubricant on the skin for the razor to glide along but it actually softens the hairs.

Product recommendations - King of Shaves AlphaOil Shave Oil (£3.05 Boots), Clarins Men Shave Ease Two-in-One Oil (£19.35 Feel Unique).

Tip - Due to the tiny size of shaving oils this is an ideal product to take on holiday rather than shaving foam.

 

Moisturizer - I cannot start to begin to explain how important moisturizing is for men especially when it comes to aging. Moisturiser can stop the skin looking dull and also hydrates the skin which fill out fine lines. It also keeps your skin happy after shaving, though make sure to opt for an alcohol free moisturiser to prevent any stinging!

Product recommendations- Moisturisers from Origins or Avene.

Tips - The majority of moisturizers for men seems to be aimed at sensitive or dry skin but if your skin isn’t that, first work out what it is (i.e. oily, combination, dull, acne prone). If you can’t find what you want, again look at skincare aimed at woman as you will have a lot more choice plus it’s a lot more focused on skin types. This is also the time to decide whether you want to use an eye cream. If you don’t,then make sure to apply your moisturizer around the eye area with the ring finger (so not to drag the skin).

 

Tweezers - This is a pretty simple one but definitely needed! Most men aren’t blessed enough to be hair-free between the eyebrows, it could be just the odd few stray hairs or a full on monobrow but either way it needs to go and you need to keep on top of it! The odd hanging down nostril hair is also just as un-attractive and again can be just plucked out IF you own a pair of tweezers. 

Also from time to time most men get the odd spot especially around the chin area, 9 times out of ten this will be due to an ingrown hair from shaving. So again to sort the problem out and to help the spot heal plucking out the hair in the centre of the spot is the best option. 

Product recommendations - Any will do but slanted tweezers are better if you have the option.

Tips - Don’t be a wimp and stop half way! No one likes a monobrow – fact.

 

Suncream - Suncream seems to be one of those products only used by men whilst on holiday and the rest of the time is totally over looked but sadly sun exposure is what ages the skin the most! So if you do want to look after your skin and age like the silver fox that is George Clooney then at the very least apply an SPF 30 suncream when the sun is shining and never let the face burn. 

Product recommendations - Jack Black Oil-Free Sun Guard SPF45 (£14.50 Mankind), Calypso Dry Oil Spray SPF 30 (£5.02 Amazon), Peter Thomas Roth Ultra- Lite Oil Free Sunblock SPF 30 (£21.00 Mankind).

Tips - When looking for a suncream for the face oil-free is the best option to reduce the skin feeling tacky and looking shiny!

Oral Hygiene - Teeth brushing is clearly not optional but it is surprising how many people don’t use mouthwash or floss which will not only keep filling at bay and the money in your wallet but also keep your teeth looking shiny and nice! A sodium fluoride whitening mouth wash is best to keep the teeth healthy and white. However if you really want to whiten your teeth without the faff of  leave-in gum shields or a paint on product then I can’t recommend Eucryl Freshmint Toothpowder more highly which is amazingly cheap at around £2.00 from most chemists. 

Products recommendations - Colgate Plax Whitening Mouthwash (£3.67), Pearl Drops Daily Shine Whitening Toothpaste (£2.09), both available from Boots.

Tip - No tips here but as long as you floss,wash and whiten you will see results.

So there you have it… my thoughts on grooming in nine products! Hope you have all found this slightly helpful and thanks to Arash for letting me write this post.