The 12 Habits Of Impeccably-Groomed Men

Time was, a man who spent too long in the bathroom was met with a level of scorn and suspicion usually reserved for politicians who try to embrace indie music.

Thankfully times have changed but even now it's easy to feel bemused by the overwhelming amount of advice, opinion and small pots filled with expensive goop on the market.

The trick isn't to spend a fortune on a thousand different products, or to lock yourself in the bathroom for hours at a time. Rather, you should develop a daily routine that is quick, simple and – above all else – about maintenance, ensuring you don't let yourself (or your carefully assembled outfit) down with unsightly hair or unnecessarily puffy eyes.

1 | Become a regular at your barbers
Book your next appointment while you’re there for roughly 4 weeks time, and stick to it. Too many men wait for the ‘forlorn tugging of your locks’ stage before doing anything about it. Basically, if you've noticed your hair needs a cut, then other people have too. The trick is to be proactive, not reactive – and having a regular place you trust will cut down on the 'oh my God what if he messes this up' anxiety dramatically.

2 | Know which hair products work for you
Hair products for men have got a bit more confusing since the Brylcreem your Grandad swore by, so make sure you’re clued up on what each product is for. Thicker hair and messy styles can handle waxes and pomades, but if your hair's thinner, then lighter products and sprays will give your barnet some staying power. Ask your barber if you're a bit in the dark, but the right product can make all the difference.

3 | Find your signature scent
Aftershave isn't supposed to be loud or obvious. You don't want people to stop in their tracks and notice (if they do, you've worn too much). Rather, it should become a subtle part of your overall presence. Rather than owning 8-10 average quality bottles you pick from each morning at random, find one or two classic scents you really like and invest in them. Typically woody, spicy or herby scents suit the winter months, while lighter, citrusy scents work best in spring and summer. Read up on this seasons scents in our guide.

4 | "Do a Dylan" with your toothbrush
Two things every woman notices: your shoes, and your smile. When it comes to the latter, there is no longer any excuse for ignoring advances in technology. Electric toothbrushes are designed to do most the work for you, plus, they’re better for your health: according to a study by Sheffield University, rotating brushes reduce 11% more plaque than manual toothbrushes, and can also significantly reduce gum problems. To And while you're at it, use a mouthwash after you brush first thing in the morning.

5 | Learn how to manscape properly
Trimming your pubic is not only perfectly acceptable in 2014, it's polite. And no, we're not talking about the porn star look either – just aim for what you'd appreciate in a partner, i.e. keep things neat and tidy. Top tip: keep whatever device you use for this sensitive task separate from what you shave your face with. There are plenty of electric razors on the market designed for the nether region's unique challenges without having to fill your Mach 3 with short and curlies.

6 | Scrub your face
They sound decadent, they use pseudo-science (“microbeads” anyone?) but face scrubs are just textured face washes designed to get the dead skin off your face (particularly the nose, the most exposed part of your face). Use one on a Monday morning to scrub the weekend off your face, and every other day of the week go for a plain face wash that's less abrasive. You'll be looking better than you feel in no time.

7 | Manage your facial fuzz
Unless you're planning to move out into the wilderness to find yourself, facial hair of any length needs to be tamed and maintained if you want to be taken seriously. You don’t have to spend much on a beard trimmer, so pick one up and get into a weekly habit of tidying up. Don't, however, go too far. More David Gandy, less Bebe from Eastenders.

8 | ...Or learn how to shave like an expert
You might not have time in the morning for an extensive wet-shaving routine, but learning the basics of a good shave is important. Preparing your skin beforehand with a shave oil will help the razor glide over your hairs, while soaking the blades in warm water will help your pores expand, allowing the hair to come off your face with less redness and irritation. If it still feels like a chore, leave your precious face in the hands of the experts and get a professional shave once a week.

9 | Put your best feet forward
They might not be on show much at this time of year, but a good footcare routine is still important. Take care of them after a bath or shower (when the skin is softest) using a pummice stone on any dead skin, before lathering a generous amount of moisturiser on. Then when summer rolls back around, you can wear your flip flops and cause an absolute minimal of disgust in others. 

10 | Tackle dark circles
Look, we all made our peace with moisturisering years ago. But the stuff you use on your face is still too much for those patches under your eyes, where dark circles and puffiness reveal your heavy weekend and make you look under-slept and older than you are. Incorporate an eye roll-on into your morning routine to help counter the problem.

11 | Sort out stray hairs
Big eyebrows aren’t a problem – see Clooney, Farrell et al – but if they're meeting in the middle, you’ve got a problem on your hands (and face). Pay attention to the spot in the middle, and any errant hairs above and below your brows are also worth staying on top of. Plucking is time-consuming, though, so if needs be ask your barber to tidy your brows up when you’re next in. Believe us, he's heard it before.

12 | Nail your hand-care routine
Cutting your nails once a week – preferably after a bath or shower, to soften them and make them easier to trim – is basic. But that rough, flaky skin around the nail bed that somehow irritates you more than it looks like it should? Treat with a tiny bit of moisturiser every couple of days to smooth things over.
Source; http://www.esquire.co.uk/

The Modern Man's Guide to Beards

Whether you're sprouting a Galifianakis or a just a little stubble, here's everything you need to know to keep your face in check

For years, the clean-cut man-boy was ruling the runway. Parted hair, waifish waist, skin smooth as a Botoxed three-year-old. Then a gritty crew rolled in and changed the game. With it, the beard invasion began. Whether we're talking about a thick, irreverent Galifianakis or a jawline-amping mown lawn, a beard is just about the most on-trend accessory you can pull on this season. And while they look great on a beanie-and-cardigan-wearing gang like Fleet Foxes, they're not just for dudes who dress down. "When a guy wears one with a suit, it's just like, whoais that sexy," GQ fashion director Madeleine Weeks explains. "They give you this handsome, don't-mess-with-me appeal. Just look at Jeff Bridges, Paul Newman, and Cat Stevens (pictured above). All icons who wore them well." The key is not overanalyzing it. Nothing too manicured or manscaped. Nothing too wild and overgrown. You want to look like you've let go. A little, at least.

"Beards show that you're the independent type and possibly self-employed, seeing as how facial hair is frowned upon in certain uptight conformist corporations: the New York Yankees, for example. Consider Ben Roethlisberger (see above). He made the mistake that many beard wearers commit: He shaved his neck almost up to the chin. Men think this always sharpens the outline of their face and even makes them look thinner. Wrong! This is the worst thing a guy with the slightest weight issue can do. The shaved neck makes you look like you have a double chin."

Chances are you're going to need a little sculpting here and there. A little on the cheeks, a little on the neck depending on the kind of look you're going for. Ideally, you'd leave that all to a pro. A hot shave once a week isn't realistic for most of us, though. Beard-sensei Nick Wendel from The Blind Barber—esteemed NYC barbershop/speakeasy hybrid—lays down some ground rules for taking matters into your own hands.

Do: "If you want to sculpt super-close, there's no alternative to a straight razor. Buy one from The Art of Shaving and they'll tell you everything you could possibly need to know to avoid a Sweeney Todd situation. A number of regular razors come with a single blade on the back for sculpting,"

Don't: "It seems like a no-brainer, but so many guys treat shaving like a race and end up with nicks. Take the few extra seconds to add water to your shaving cream for an extra-smooth shave, and always go with the grain."

Do: "Use a hot towel to open the pores before you sculpt and a cold towel—or a cold rinse—to close your pores after. This keeps ingrown hairs, redness, and nicks in check.

Don't: "Never squeeze ingrown hairs like they're pimples. Dirt in your nails can lead to infection."

Do: "When you have an ingrown hair, put a hot towel on your face, disinfect the spot with some alcohol, take a tweezer, and go at it. Grab the hair as close to the base as possible to pull the bulb out. If you yank it from the top, you'll just split the hair in half, and then you're screwed."

Yes, you can use your beard trimmer to get a perfect fade. Dzenad "Geno" Bicic of Geno's Barberia, in New York's West Village, breaks it down

• Step one: Buzz it
"Set guard to 3 and buzz your whole beard."

• Step two: Clean lower neck
"Switch guard to 1 and buzz from your Adam's apple to two inches below your jaw."

• Step three: Fade it
"Switch guard to 2 and buzz that remaining two-inch area, finessing and fading the 1 zone into the 3 zone."

• Step four: Remove strays
"Remove guard (the 0 setting) and buzz below your Adam's apple and any strays on the sides of your neck."

In the market for a solid, no-mess trimmer? The built-in vacuum in this Norelco (phillips.com) swallows clipped hairs before they fly all over your bathroom floor. One quirk: This guard operates in millimeters rather than traditional barbershop guard numbers. (Start at 9mm for No. 3.)

Source; http://www.gq.com/how-to/groom/

Q7: What’s A Serum & Do I Need One?

A: I’ve been asked this question a lot lately, presumably because many brands – from Tom Ford and Murad to Lab Series and Anthony Logistics – now include one in their skin care range.

In the war against problematic skin, serums are your smart bombs: designed to deliver concentrated, targeted doses of skin-saving vitamins, antioxidants or other useful ingredients deep into the skin. These days, you can get ones that deal with everything from blemish-prone skin to reducing redness or minimising wrinkles.

The trick with serums is to use them sparingly (most men use way too much) and apply them after washing but before you apply your regular moisturiser.

Do you need one? Well, that’s a bit like asking whether you really need that new deluxe Queen/U2/Johnny Cash boxed set: you don’t but it’s still nice to have, and if you can afford one then why not?

Source; http://www.fashionbeans.com/grooming-questions-answered/

The Most Common Men’s Grooming Questions – Answered

Q6: What’s The Best Way To Prevent Razor-Burn?

A: Men hate it when I say this but quite often the cause of razor burn isn’t the shave products or razor you’re using, but your technique.

When shaving we often use long, fast, sweeping stokes, applied with enough pressure to remove several layers of skin and moving against the direction of hair growth. Little wonder, then, that skin sometimes sees red.

To reduce the risk of razor burn, always shave in the direction of hair growth (paying particular attention to the neck where it often grows in different directions); use short, 2cm long stokes; avoid going over the same area twice (if possible); and never press too hard.

Q7: What’s A Serum & Do I Need One?

A: I’ve been asked this question a lot lately, presumably because many brands – from Tom Ford and Murad to Lab Series and Anthony Logistics – now include one in their skin care range.

In the war against problematic skin, serums are your smart bombs: designed to deliver concentrated, targeted doses of skin-saving vitamins, antioxidants or other useful ingredients deep into the skin. These days, you can get ones that deal with everything from blemish-prone skin to reducing redness or minimising wrinkles.

The trick with serums is to use them sparingly (most men use way too much) and apply them after washing but before you apply your regular moisturiser.

Do you need one? Well, that’s a bit like asking whether you really need that new deluxe Queen/U2/Johnny Cash boxed set: you don’t but it’s still nice to have, and if you can afford one then why not?

• MURAD RESURGENCE AGE DIFFUSING SERUM 30ML
• ZIRH REVERSE ANTI-AGING SERUM – 50ML
• LAB SERIES MAX LS RENEWAL SERUM 30ML
• ANTHONY LOGISTICS FOR MEN VITAMIN C FACIAL SERUM 30ML
• TOM FORD INTENSIVE INFUSION CONCENTRATE EXTREME
• BILLY JEALOUSY – ABOUT FACE ANTI-AGING SERUM

The Most Common Men’s Grooming Questions – Answered

POST 5 - Three more to go after this - Don't miss them!

Q5: Where’s The Best Place To Apply Fragrance?

A: Most of us grew up believing that the best place to apply fragrance was either on the wrists or behind the ears, where the pulse points are located. The problem is, these areas are warm and exposed to the air so fragrance dissipates quickly.

A much better place to apply your scent is the chest. That way, the fragrance will be trapped between your skin and clothes (allowing it to last longer) but still waft upwards and out of the neck of your shirt as you move.

Other good places to apply include the biceps or crook of the arm as the fragrance will waft as you move.

Source; http://www.fashionbeans.com/2014