1.  Put your best face forward.

Most of us pay more attention to how we wash our car than how we wash our face.  Of course, we wash our face every day.  But that soap scum that builds up on your shower door also builds up on your face.  Using a good facial cleanser every day will get rid of the dirt without removing moisture.  Once a week use a facial scrub to deep cleanse your skin, open your pores, remove dead skin cells and restore a healthy glow.  Last, use a good moisturizer and a sun screen to protect your skin every day.  Most professional products will do the job nicely.  We recommend Jack Black grooming products for men because they work and they have combination products that save us time.

2.  Close calls with the razor

Ok, here’s the truth, you really don’t need a gazillion blades with a headlight and vibrating handle to get a close shave.  Seriously.  the secret to a close shave is preparation and using quality products.  Prepare-Proceed-Protect.

  • We recommend showering first and using a good facial cleanser or the occasional facial scrub to clean the debris and road kill off your facial first.  This also softens your beard, which is the key to everything.
  • If you have the time and don’t mind oily hands for a minute or so we do recommend using a pre-shave oil.  It helps to make the whiskers stand at attention and it provides a layer of protection to keep your skin from looking like well marbled steak if you get too aggressive with the razor.
  • Again, if you have the time let a badger brush soak in hot water for a few minutes while you shower.  Then dab about a nickels worth of natural shaving cream in the middle of it, lean over the sink and paint your face like it’s 1995.  The more water the better.  Let it stay on for a minute or so and then start shaving.
  • Use a decent blade.  It doesn’t have to have five blades and heated cup holders, but you should use a fresh blade every few days.  Shave with the grain first.  If you want a closer shave, lather up again and shave a second time against the grain if your skin will allow it.  We don’t think that close of a shave is necessary during the day.  However, you may want a closer shave at night if you’re have a lucky evening.  Women hate razor burn.
  • Rinse your face with cold water to close those pores.  If you’re really serious slap on a toner and restore the pH balance of your skin.  No one has to no, just do it.
  • Last, use an after shave balm to feed, moisturize and protect your skin.  If it has a sunscreen built in, great.  If not, well, apply a sun screen last.

Once again, we believe in using professional products.  Anything that squirts out of a can is likely not really good for your face.  We recommend shaving products by The Art of Shaving.  They’re more expensive.  But they are natural and last longer.  plus you can feel all smug and stuff because you shave with The Art of Shaving

3.  Body Talk

Ok.  Time to give up the 10 bars for a dollar soap at Target.  Sure, we know a lot of guys that use those bars on their face , for shaving, for body cleansing and for light sanding.  But seriously.  Spend more on your body soap than you spend on car cleanser.  First, a good body wash will not screw up the pH balance of your skin.  You don’t really care why, just don’t screw it up.  Second, a good body wash will not dry out your skin so you feel the need to scratch yourself so often.  Oh, and use a wash that antibacterial so that you don’t have to be concerned about body odor during the day.  You have enough to worry about.

Yes, you need an antiperspirant and deoderant.  Opt for a light or scent free so it does not conflict.  the last thing you want is to smell like the fragrance department at Nordstrom’s.

Lots of different views on fragrances.  We say choose one or two fragrances, one for day and one for evening and stick with them.  Choose something distinctive and something that you can’t buy in a truck stop.

Comments are closed.