When it comes to looking good it is not always about what you wear, it is about what goes in what you wear [you] and how you take care of your body.
As more and more men are paying attention to what they wear and how they look it is of little wonder that they are also spending more money on skin care and grooming products and more time in the bathroom plucking, shaming and moisturizing. It sounds like a Mel Gibson scene from ‘What Women Want’, but it is true and more men recognize the importance of looking after their skin. Whilst women may like a rugged looking man, that does not mean scruffy and unkempt, it means a well groomed rugged man.
So, what exactly does it take to look sharp in the grooming arena? Well here are our top tips of essential grooming products for men, which can be broadly categorized in terms of pre-shaving products, shaving products themselves and post shaving products.
Pre-shaving steps are an important part of daily grooming as it prepares the skin for the shave and ensures that the skin is treated as kindly as possible. Before any shaving takes place it is always important to wash the skin and clean pores. It is recommended to use a men’s facial scrub to exfoliate the skin to ensure all dead surface skin is first removed.
Exfoliating also helps expose the skins pores and hair follicles to ensure a smoother and cleaner shave, as well as reducing the chance of spots developing from dirty pores later on. Exfoliating products usually contain some form of abrasive such as sea salt and is often better applied and worked over the skin with a sponge of exfoliating gloves. Make sure you work it up to a good lather and use warm water.
Shaving requires care. After all you are dragging a sharp blade over the surface of your skin and so it is important to ensure you use a fresh clean and shape razor with an appropriate shaving lubricant. There are many products to choose from including foams, creams, gels and oils, but the main thing is to find one that suits you and is irritant free. Personally, I prefer the creams as they tend to go further and gels can tend to clog up the razor.
Shaving in the shower is ideal as this is the best environment for ensuring the skin is warm, subtle and that all of the whiskers have softened up.
Post shave care is just as important and for many men who experience shaving burn if they have particularly sensitive skin, then it is a must do procedure. Having finished shaving use a gentle irritant free soap to give the skin a good wash and then rinse under cold water to close the pores. Some men like to use a clarifying cleanser to really ensure the skin is clean, however, these also remove natural oils from the skin and so it is doubly important to ensure you moisturize after shaving to rejuvenate the skin.