By Dana DeMercurio
Listen up, fellas. Women are tired of taking your grooming habits on as a project, so do them a favor and assume the responsibility with our helpful guide to grooming. No matter how busy your schedule, fitting these routines into your daily life is a must! From ridding yourself of overgrown hair to mastering the art of a manicure, here’s what needs to be on your grooming to-do list.
Nails
Women don’t expect you to have perfect cuticles, but what every man should do throughout the day is clean under his fingernails and remove any hangnails or loose skin around the nail beds. Men should have their nails clipped to an appropriately short length and keep them filed into a round or square shape. And try your best to keep them out of your mouth!
Moisturize
If your skin resembles that of an elephant, it’s time to start a moisturizing routine. Get yourself a bottle of overnight, morning or all day moisturizer to help fight premature aging, tightness of skin, dryness and flakiness. Most contain a low SPF for sun protection, so it’s an easy way to kill two birds with one stone.
Unwanted (and unsightly) Hair
Unibrow: Whether she expresses it or not, women typically like two eyebrows on a man, not one. After all, you aren’t middle school anymore. Invest in $2 tweezers and make them your best friend. But don’t get overzealous. Start out with small plucks right above the bridge of your nose and work outwards until there is a visible gap between your brows. Continuously stop tweezing to see your progress and determine how far you want to pluck. And don’t take the easy way out by shaving your unibrow; it will probably come back even thicker!
Ears and Nose: Tweezers can work here, but unless you have a high pain threshold, invest in an electric trimmer. You’ll want to take your time removing stragglers that might be lurking in unseen places. It’s best to have a magnifying mirror in hand for this task.
Neck: One of the telltale signs of good grooming habits is a clean hairline on the neck. The back of your own neck can be difficult if you’re used to your barber handling it for you. But if you’re in between haircuts, simply stand with your back towards a large mirror and have a handheld mirror to guide your shave. Helpful tip: electric shavers work best in this scenario.
Exercise
Think you’re above it all? Your beer gut suggests otherwise. As we age, losing weight becomes exceedingly more difficult, so get a leg up on it while you still can. Get off the couch and do several laps around the block and don’t stop until sweat is dripping from your forehead. Then you’ll know you’ve accomplished something. By the way, being a man doesn’t mean being ripped, it just means you care enough about yourself to make healthy habits instead of unhealthy ones.
Bathing
The fact that this section is even included means it’s a common issue among men in today’s society – a sad but disturbingly true fact. Here’s the truth, guys. Yes, bathing is necessary on a daily basis. And no, you can’t mask an unwashed body with cologne or any other perfumed products. That’s just gross. Given that women are often considered to be delicate flowers, it’s expected that men should perk them up, not make them wilt. So if there’s a trial of dirt or stench behind you, it’s time to hit the showers Pigpen.
