25 Grooming Tips For Men By Women

Gentlemen, are you interested in doing all that you can to attract a partner?  Do you sometimes think that your friends have more luck with the opposite sex than you do?  There are certain things that you might have no immediate control over like your salary or looks. However, there are a significant number of factors that are within your control right now, which when asked, women named as very important.  Here are the top 25 grooming tips suggested by women for men…

1) Remember hygiene, and don’t let it lapse even for one day.  Not every couple gets together by one approaching the other or by a prearranged introduction.  Sometimes people are thrust together by unexpected events.  Maybe you are forced to sit together in a restaurant, or maybe you’re each hanging out with friends who know each other.  The important thing is, if you have a “brew on” or generally look unkempt for any reason, other than you are in the middle of jog or you just finished playing a basketball game, then you might miss out on an opportunity. People are judged harshly if their hygiene isn’t good and it is almost impossible to get a second chance.  After that first meeting, the woman could very well be referring to you as “Stinky” in her mind.

2) Facial hair needs to look like you cared enough to put some thought into it.  No, you don’t have to be clean shaven.  No you don’t have to have a thick hipster facial beard.  The thing is, no matter what you sport on your face, make it look purposeful.  Got a beard? Manage it.  Got five o’clock shadow?  Manage it.  Clean shaven?  Shave at least every other day and don’t miss spots.  Got a neck beard?  Shave it.  Kill it.  Stop it. Neck beards never look good.

3) Take care of your kicks and only wear them when they’re clean.  You don’t have to wear $200 shoes everywhere you go, you can wear $50 shoes if you want, but take care of them so they look good.  What ladies look for is how you maintain your things.  Shoes are one of the easiest and quickest things to look at and judge, and you’re being judged by the appearance of your shoes.  Wearing croc sandals does not make you quirky; it makes you look lazy and lame.  Wait until you hook her before you wear your 10 year old boat shoes or bright green crocs.  In the meantime, keep the leather clean and keep your laces tied and clean too.

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4) Keep a reasonable haircut and take care of your hair.  If you can afford to go to a stylist, go there and ask the best way to take care of your particular cut.  No matter where your hair is cut, get it cut in a way that you can manage it.  Some men don’t mind taking time to fix their hair each morning.  If you do mind, then get a simple haircut and maintain it.  If you choose to keep your hair a bit longer, and it requires some styling invest in a quality hair dryer.

5) Sleep.  Circles under your eyes, red eyes, and a general sallow complexion are not unusual for people who are deprived of sleep.  No one thinks those looks are good.  Get your seven to nine hours and you’ll have more energy and you’ll look better too.

6) Smelling good is more than taking a shower and using deodorant (although that should happen at least once a day) you should also add some sort of fragrance.  The fragrance should not be such a strong scent that people are looking at you cockeyed from 10 feet away, but if you find yourself within two or feet of a woman, you want to pique her interest with a manly, welcoming smell.

7) Take care of your teeth and your breath.  Brush your teeth, and if you drink coffee, take a mint afterward.  Better yet try an at home teeth whitening kit.  You want white teeth, and you want your breath to smell good.  There are genetic or uncontrollable problems that can keep a yellowish film on your teeth.  Usually dentists can help with those problems, all you have to do is ask. If you want a full guide for having excellent teeth, check out our article and infographic on flossing and flossing alternatives.

8) Don’t over accessorize your wardrobe.  If you choose to wear a necklace of some sort, don’t make it obvious from far—understated is good, bold and in your face is bad.  If you have something on the end of the chain, it should say something about you.  It should be a cross, or a star, or something that reminds you of Mom and apple pie.  You can also wear a simple watch, and if you must, you can wear one ring that has some sort of significance to you.  A pinky ring is not allowable unless you’re a hitman for the mafia.

9) Body hair can be an issue—darn the bad luck of genetics.  Get rid of the neck beard, but also consider ridding yourself of the back and shoulder blanket – you can use a body groomer for this.  How much is too much neck and back hair?  If it looks like you’re wearing a muff under your shirt with hair sticking up through the back of your shirt that is too much body hair.  Much like many other things, you can let the back hair grow after she’s in love with you.

10) Take care of your lips.  Have you ever seen someone who is recovering from a terrible cold or from a fever, and their lips are all cracked and maybe even bleeding?  Gross, right?  Take care of your lips.  Avoid the cracked, gross lips. If you spend a lot of time outside in the wind and sun, invest in a Chap Stick.

11) Take care of your hands. It might feel manly to have callouses from the weight bar, or from swinging a hammer, but when you touch a lady, you don’t want her to pull back because your hands feel like sandpaper and your nails look like half a farm is under them.  Get a nail brush, take care of your cuticles, and put a lotion on your mitts if need be.  Callouses will still be there to impress her, but she’ll appreciate softer hands when you touch her.

12) Take care of your eyebrows.  Like many things on this list, a monobrow, or a caterpillar brow might seem picky and things that God and genetics have made, but you have one chance to make a first impression.  If you’re a seven footer in the NBA with a $20 million a year salary, you can have a monobrow, if you’re not, then keep them plucked and separated.

13) Wear clothing that fits you like you’re a man.  If you’re older than 14, your clothes should fit you, not look like you’re hoping to grow into them someday.  Clothes that are baggy make you look like you don’t care how you look.  Buy clothes that fit your form and own it with confidence and kindness.  Baggy clothes look sloppy and don’t fool anyone.

14) I can’t believe this is something I have to say, but, take care of the earwax.  I mean, gross.  If you have earwax coming out of the ear canal, it is time to get it out of there.

15) Overdress, don’t underdress, just don’t overdress by a lot.  In other words, if you work in an office and most guys wear polos, then you can either wear a polo or a button down shirt.  If most men wear button downs, then wear a tie.  You don’t want to get attention by being the guy who is just a little sloppier than he needs to be.

16) When you think about how you dress, especially if you’re going on a date, psychologists suggest that women are receptive to men who wear red.  Who knows?  I always thought I preferred yellow, but maybe when I meet someone new, red really does look good.

17) Man-scaping can be a nice thing.  In 2016, more and more men seem to think that women should take care of themselves south of the border; we feel the same way about men.  Keep yourselves clean down there, and every so often, give yourself a little trim (a body groomer will come in handy).  It doesn’t take long, and we’ll appreciate the effort.

18) Use a facial scrub.  Some men cannot help but have blackheads and zits from time to time.  Heck, it happens to women too.  The difference is that women are often permitted by society to find something to keep our faces clean and free of oil.  Now men are able to find the same kinds of products, and they can either be found online or in most drugstores.  Take some time and scrub your face. Not only will it decrease black heads and zits, it will also make your skin look fresher and renewed.

19) If your wardrobe is generally an old comfortable t-shirt when you’re not at work, and then consider changing it.  You can still wear a polo shirt or a button down shirt and not look like you’re dressed up with nowhere to go.  For many women, seeing a man wearing an old concert shirt to the grocery store makes that man invisible.  While you’re at it, get rid of your 15 year old jeans that came with holes in the knees. Time moves on.  So should your wardrobe.

20) Don’t try to hide your thinning hair.  It may be true that many women would prefer a man with thick hair, but heck, you would prefer to have thick hair.  However, if you’re losing it, just style your hair in a way that lets you own that your body is changing.  Thickening shampoos can give you volume, and products that keep it in place without clumping makes your hair look natural and good.  Do. Not. Wear. A. Mullet.  More hair in the back won’t make your hair look better on your head where it is thinning.

21) Look at your nose and your ears.  Just look straight at the mirror.  Do you see hair coming from those orifices?  If you do, trim the hair.  It doesn’t really matter what implement you use, but find something that you will be safe using.  You do not want to trade hair coming out your nose for a large, red scar from the time you got careless with the sharp scissors when you were trimming that hair.

22) Hair over the ears is so 1970s.  It’s amazing that many barbers just let this look continue even when the men who had this style originally are retired grandpas now.  If you have hair over your ears, leave it if it is covering a scar that makes you feel self-conscious, otherwise, have it cut.  Have it cut now.

23) Look at your neck.  For many men, neck hair (not the neck beard which is just yuck) grows faster than head hair, or at least thicker, and neck hair looks bad.  A thick thatch of neck hair makes the rest of your appearance look sloppy.

24) Do your feet stink?  If the answer is, duh, then you need to make some changes.  Feet get a bad rap and often people think all feet stink.  After all, they are trapped in both socks and shoes all day long.  But, if you take the time to scrub and exfoliate them so that dead skin cells are removed, they won’t stink—at least they won’t smell as bad.  That is not to suggest that they will smell like daisies once you have finished your run or basketball game, but they won’t gag you (or a lady admirer either).

25) Don’t wear clothes twice without washing them.  Remember a couple of years ago people said they went years without washing their blue jeans?  I’m thinking those people did not have a loved one, because I don’t think a normal person could wear their jeans that many times without the jeans stinking.  Don’t try that at home.  Wash your clothes just like you wash your body.

Fair or not, we judge you initially not by what is in your brain and heart, but how you look.  You don’t have to look like a movie star, but you need to look as though you have spent time making an attempt to look good and smell good.  Prove that you don’t take us for granted and you may be surprised that things will go your way.

Now that you have actioned each of these short term items you can start to look at longer term tasks; such as getting in shape by starting a body building program, improving your mind by reading more or doing an educational course, and even working on a strategy to improve your career.  Go get them tiger!

A Case For Retro Shaving

If you’re like most men and began to shave on a regular basis in your early teens, by now the whole shaving thing is beginning to become a little routine.

In fact, it’s probably getting to be a chore, particularly when you consider the number of products and amount of time involved in the process. It’s time for men to simplify the task of shaving, while saving time, money and effort.

When you think about it, shaving is pretty basic. The point of the exercise is to get rid of the hair on your face, something men have been doing for about 5,000 years, according to archaeologists. The goals haven’t changed, even after all that time: Get a close, smooth shave, avoiding too many nicks and cuts and finish without that raw, scraped feeling and bumpy rash called “razor burn.” Seems pretty straight-forward.

The problem is that, in recent years, there have been a large – and sometimes confusing – number of shaving products placed on the market. They are touted as being the solution to make shaving easier, closer, faster or sexier, or any combination of the above. Some of them are based on mutually conflicting theories about beard hair, skin health and (it seems at times) the laws of physics. What they do seem to have in common is that they are all pretty expensive.

Pre-Shave Techniques from the Good Old Days

Beard stubble is tough and scratchy, as we’re constantly reminded when we run a hand over our cheeks before shaving. Although shaving cream is supposed to soften the stubble before shaving begins, there’s a problem of timing: Most shaving cream will start to dry out before the hairs become softened. The second problem is that the skin pores, where the hair follicles are based, haven’t been relaxed enough to allow the razor blade to cut as low as possible and provide a close shave.

To open the pores and soften the beard stubble, apply wet heat to the area to be shaved. This is why shaving after a hot shower usually results in a smoother shave, but the same result can be achieved with either a hot, wet towel or warm oil. Both of these are old barbering tricks, dating from the days when many men went to their local tonsorial emporium for a shave. Wrapping a hot towel around your face is a lot of trouble, particularly first thing in the morning, and the technique doesn’t always treat the really difficult areas (like the areas just behind the hinges of your jaw).

The best technique is to use pre-shaving oil. Get the oil comfortably warm and rub it into the stubble and massage the skin well, taking care to apply it everywhere you plan to shave. Do not wipe off the oil before you apply shaving cream: The oil will act as a lubricant to help the blade slide across your skin.

Shaving Cream – Keep it Simple

Any time a man even thinks about sneering at the number of skin care products on a woman’s makeup table, he should reflect on the variety of different shaving creams available in the average “shaving needs” aisle at the average drug store. There are so many gels, foams, scents and medicated formulas available that it is only surprising that there aren’t any that are touted as being low-salt and fat-free. All of these choices obscure the purpose of shaving cream: To keep the beard stubble moist and fixed in the soap matrix so they can be shaved off.

Razors – Cold Hard Steel

Forget the three-blade, four-blade or, God help us, five-blade plastic disposable razors. Even the electric razors, including those engineered for wet shaving, aren’t as effective as cold steel. Before you get carried away, though, and buy a straight razor (which, admittedly, look pretty cool) remember why they were once called “cut-throat” razors and were instantly put away by most sane men when one of the great inventions of the early 20th century was introduced: the safety razor. While straight razors were fine when someone else, like a barber, was doing the honors, a safety razor is, well, safe for anyone to use.

Again, this isn’t retro for its own sake: Safety razors are not only more effective, but they are more hygienic than the multi-blade disposable ones. Unless you’re willing to throw away a disposable after each shave, consider that it quickly becomes a breeding ground for bacteria between uses. The spaces between those blades get clogged up with all sorts of gunk, including old skin cells, and they cannot be cleaned out thoroughly. The next time you use it, if you nick yourself you are pressing a veritable infection factory against an open wound. At least with a safety razor, you can really rinse off the blade between uses. Besides, safety razor blades last longer.

After-Shave – Post Shave Steps

You know those ads for fresh-smelling after-shaves, touted as the “perfect” Father’s Day present for the old man? Every wonder why the guys in those ads always look a little nervous as they stare at the bottle, as a mysterious sailor taunts them with that stupid whistled tune? That’s because the contents of those after-shaves are about 70% alcohol. Think about applying alcohol to a freshly shaved face, particularly if you’ve nicked yourself. What sort of sick, twisted mind ever came up with that concept? We have our theories, but they can’t be published because the court order is still in effect.

It’s a natural astringent, meaning that it closes the pores and firms the skin and, in most cases, witch hazel-based after-shaves don’t include alcohol. There are others available, containing various ingredients, which can have the same skin-tightening effects without the screams of agony. For nicks and cuts, avoid resorting to the old little-piece-of-toilet-paper trick; you’ll invariably forget to take them all off one day, and then have to spend the rest of your career at the office living down your new-found reputation as a dork. Septic pencils, which are basically alum (also astringent) with a little antiseptic mixed in, work well to stop the bleeding and reduce the chance of infection.

Unless you plan to go all mountain man and grow a full beard, shaving will continue to be part of your daily routine. It doesn’t have to be exciting or fun (neither term applies to much of anything while standing in your bare feet in front of a mirror), but it can be done efficiently and with a minimum of fuss.

So, you have invested the time to cultivate and grow a nice manly beard which is no small feat.  Now it’s getting slightly out of hand and you need to trim your beard, which should be a simple task, right?

That is: just find a trimmer, pick the length, and then you trim off the overgrowth. However, when you need your beard to look well maintained, you will have to put some extra thought into the process. You shouldn’t treat your face as if it’s a lawn but a garden. You should prune and carefully cultivate it. The following are some rules to follow when trimming your beard.

Preparing to Trim Your Beard

Take a wide-tooth comb and then brush the beard against the grain so as to lift the hairs out of their default position. This is going to provide you with the most even trim as well as stopping the hair from growing in different directions.

Finding the Edge of Your Beard

If left to their own devices beards will typically sprout random hairs and form an uneven edge.  This is evidenced by those few follicles which normally grow outside the face forest, usually somewhere above your cheek line or on your neck’s side. They are removed easily using a simple cartridge razor, this should be dry when you’re not sensitive, or using the shaping tool on your trimmer. However, keeping your cheeks clean should not imply creating some fake line. This is unless the beard is growing above the mustache. When the face begins sprouting fur, you could visit a barber and have him locate a line suiting your face.  Otherwise you can draw a line (with a temporary marker) and try to shave along that yourself.  The more expensive trimmers these days have lasers to help with this process.

Trimming sideburns

How far up you decide to go will depend on your personal preference. However, you should remember not to use the ears as a level. The majority of people’s ears are not even, thus using them as a level is going to make your facial hair uneven. It’s recommended that you should take a step back and try matching your sideburns up as best you can eyeballing in the mirror.  Otherwise get a friend to help you balance them out.

Dealing with your Neck

Well, there exist two schools of thoughts as far as dealing with the neck is concerned. Going natural vs creating a border. However, either way, the neck hair should not be treated in the same way as your face. It’s not advisable to create face lines that appear unnatural and uneven. But when you need to keep the neck clean and tidy for work, it is best to have somebody else try to find a line. It is nearly impossible to make a clean and symmetrical line yourself.

The all-natural shape is considerably easier. When you follow this advice, you should even get away with it even in more conservative offices. You should shorten the guard on the trimmer by a single level and use this for the neck and just under your jaw. You should think of it as beard fade. It’s going to make you appear more sophisticated and generally define your neck better.

Finishing Strong

When you are finished, you should rinse your face so that the loose hairs do not end up on your shirt, or even in your breakfast. When you have some more time, then conditioning or adding some beard oïl or mustache wax is normally recommended.

Straight razor shaving is the oldest form of shaving having been around for centuries. While straight razors have undergone many transformations over the millennia, the principle still remain the same.

From sharp edged corals, to bronze and then to crude steel knives, and now new hollow ground cut throat razors, straight razor shaving has definitely made a dent in human history.

The modern straight razors are making a comeback among a select few women and men who cherish the joys of cut throat razor shaving.

There could be many reasons for the switch.

Many people want an irritation free, and close shave. Perhaps they’re wary of razor bumps. Some men love the self-sufficiency that straight razors provide. They take up the art solely because they can sharpen their razor themselves. Others do it for its manliness aspect. It’s undeniable that straight razor shaving is the manliest way to shave! Still others want to save the fragile environment because cut throat razors produce minimal waste compared to other forms of shaving.

At the end of the day its just plain cool!

What are the Requirements – What Tools Will You Need?

The most obvious requirement on how to shave with a straight razor is the razor itself.

Many manufacturers now offer straight razors and Groom+Style has reviewed the Top 5 Best Straight Razors. Currently, there are many semi-custom and custom makers on the market. You can buy vintage razors for hundreds of dollars. Most of the razors look pretty similar, but avoid ones with square points as they can easily poke your cheek. Also stay away from blades that have more than 6/8” inch width, as larger ones are unwieldy. Only buy new razors made in Germany, US, or France. They’re the best!

Aside from the cut throat razor, you will have to buy a strop if you want to use the straight razor for a long time. If you don’t strop your razor, it can go dull within a week or two.

You will want a boar/badger/horsehair brush and some soap (or canned shaving cream if you don’t want the full experience).

Traditional soaps are much better and cheaper than canned shaving creams. Also keep a few first aid items handy. Your first aid should have a styptic pencil and a moleskin or a liquid band-aid. You should also keep an alum block.

If you want to be really self-sufficient, and want to learn a new skill, you should buy a hone to keep your razor sharp. Alternatively, you can send your razor for sharpening. It would cost you a few dollars. This can be a bargain considering you’ll have to spend hundreds of dollars buying the same honing equipment that pros use. You’ll also have to spend a lot of time becoming truly proficient at honing.

Shaving with a Straight Razor

Preparation – Stropping Your Straight Razor

Even if you have a straight razor with a good shaving edge, you still need to strop its edges. A strop is a double-sided strip of leather and canvas used to run the shaving blade backward and forward in two strokes. One backward and forward motion is referred to as a “lap”. For best results, you should lap your straight razor 15-25 times on each side of the strop, starting on the canvas first and then using the leather-faced side. Stropping is important as this process restores the edge of a straight razor between shaves and also removes all residues.

Preparation – Shower, Towel and Shaving Cream

Start off by taking a regular shower as this will open up your skin pores. Many straight razor shavers prefer to use a pre-shaving product or conditioner to ex-foliate the skin and soften the beard before shaving. Keep a towel ready to clean up spills during your shave. Take your time during the first few months of shaving as you get used to the technique.

Shaving soaps and creams are important for getting a good quality shave with a straight cut throat razor. Ideally, never use conventional shaving gel as they offer reduce skin protection. There are many shaving soaps and creams on the market, just pick one that appeals to you.

Start by taking the shaving brush, soak it in hot water, and gently shake of the excess in the sink. Now add a spot of shaving cream on your brush and slowly start applying to your face with moderate pressure in a circular motion until the neck and face area have a fairly consistent coating.

Shaving Technique With the Straight Razor – The First Pass

Now you’re ready to shave with your straight razor. Pull your skin tight using your non-shaving hand and start with a downwards shaving pass on your face. Unlike conventional safety razors, you’ll soon learn that the best shaves with a straight razor come by using skin pulling techniques that you’ll perfect as you go.

Try to tighten your skin with your hand or fingers during each stroke of the straight razor. Shaving on a slack skin can result in deep cuts and snagging. The straight razor should be held approximately 28-32 degrees to the face, perhaps slightly shallower. Anything higher than this will result in possible cuts and poor cutting results.

During the first few shaves using a straight razor, you do not have to complete the whole shave. This will save you a great deal of frustration trying to reach seemingly inaccessible areas, and will also reduce the chances of getting a nick. Here patience is key! Once you’ve successfully completed your first downward pass, you can try an upward pass to get a closer finish.

Shaving Technique With the Straight Razor – The Second Pass

Splash off all the remaining cream from your face and re-apply more shaving cream using light pressure of the brush. Again, use circular motions until your neck and face areas have a good coating of shaving cream. Soak and wipe your razor using the kitchen towel. Now you’re ready to start the second, upward pass. Using the same shaving techniques in the reverse direction, pull the skin on your neck downwards using one hand, and use a 30 degree angle to start the upward stroke, with a gentle and consistent pressure until the entire neck area is done. Now pull the skin downwards from your lower chin area and work up and over your jawbone onto the cheeks.

At this stage, start pulling your skin upwards on your cheek area and maintain your strokes with the straight razor until your cheeks are done. Shave with an upward stroke on the chin areas and moustache, though you should do this only if you really need to, and only once you’re confident in doing so.

Straight Razor Shaving – The Clean Up

When you’ve finished both passes, clean your straight razor with some cold water and use a kitchen towel to remove all moisture from the razor. You can also pick up the razor and blow off any excess water through the gap in the scales as well. This will prevent any water from dripping down into the gaps where the washers and pins meet the blade which is where the majority of rust spots start on a razor if it’s poorly maintained. Thats it! Now you’ve learned how to shave with a straight razor – remember practice makes perfect.

If you are not 100% convinced by straight razor shaving you could always looking into the Top 5 Best Safety Razors – although you will be admitting that you are slightly less cool.

Straight Razor VS Safety Razor: Which One Is Better – Groom+Style Investigates?

If you’re wondering whether you should purchase a straight razor or a safety razor, then there are a couple things that you should know.

For years, people have been debating whether straight razors are better that safety razors – at the end of the day it will come down to personal preference.  However, being armed with some more knowledge about both types of shaving will help you make an informed choice about which is right for you.

Straight Razor

Straight razors are an old fashioned method of shaving and as the name suggest are built with a single blade. They deliver an exceptionally close shave and if cared for will last virtually forever.  They do not suffer from the problem of becoming clogged with hair like shavers with multiple blades.  Straight razors can deliver a very precise shave and are perfect for shaving mustaches, beards, and sideburns with accuracy.  One of the main downsides to straight razors is that you can easily get cut if you don’t know how to use it properly. If you have never used a straight razor, it is important to take the time to learn how to shave with a straight razor.

Straight razors shaving will appeal to those who see shaving as more of an art and lifestyle, and are not concerned about the extra time and energy it takes.  If you are interested in learning a new skill, and are happy to invest the time and money in all the equipment then take the plunge.  Being able to tell your friends that you shave with a straight razor will definitely gain you significance. They also make a perfect gift.

Safety Razor

Safety razors use a single double edged disposable blade, hidden behind a safety bar which acts as a guard, therefore allowing you to shave without the risk of cutting yourself.  Safety razors are a lot more convenient and eaiser to learn how to use than a straight razor.  You do not have to invest in a whole heap of paraphernalia like a strop and hone.  You will however have to replace the blades regularly and put up with the fact that the cut hairs will get stuck between the blades.  Straight razors are a lot more affordable compared to safety razors but still deliver an exceptionally close shave.

Safety Razors will appeal to those shavers who still want to own a beautiful “tool” for shaving but do not want to invest as much time or money in the process.  It is quite common for men to start shaving with using a beautifully crafted safety razors and then progress onto using straight razors as they mature.

Whatever, you choose; straight razor, safety razor or even an electric shaver enjoy the experience!