To all the guys out there, it's no secret that we need to keep ourselves in tip-top shape when it comes to grooming. Not only does it make you appear better and more attractive, but it makes you feel better too. We all know the basics, but there may be some things that you're not fully aware of that could really step up your grooming game. Today, I want to highlight those things to help you make the most out of your grooming routines. Without further ado, let's get into the list.
1. All-Natural Deodorant
Yes, deodorants are the most basic grooming essential, but the key is using an all-natural one. For way too long, I used my trusted Old Spice antiperspirant, and sure it smelled amazing (and the same goes for other antiperspirants/deodorants), but it contained a lot of harmful ingredients, including aluminum. Usually you want to stay away from antiperspirants, because they prevent you from sweating and plugging up the toxins within your body, and instead opt for deodorants. This combined with aluminum being absorbed into your body can be really detrimental to your health, even potentially leading to cancer. When you first switch from an antiperspirant to an all-natural deodorant, you'll experience a bit more body odor initially as your body disposes of the built-up toxins, but after a week or two you'll notice a significant improvement. If you're not using an all-natural deodorant, you have to switch to one like the Native deodorant I use, which is absolutely excellent and smells great.
2. Versatile Cologne
I love colognes because of the large variety in scents, concentrations, and bottle designs. For example, one of my all-time favorites is Bleu de Chanel because it smells like no other cologne out there and looks really good on a nightstand or dresser. But it's not something that I can wear all the time. It has a darker, more mysterious scent that's best suited for nighttime activities - and this applies to a lot of colognes out there. That's why it's absolutely necessary that you have at least one cologne that you can wear anytime and anywhere, instead of abusing your favorite cologne that smells great but doesn't really make sense to wear all the time. Usually the most versatile colognes have a mix of "crisper" scents combined with a musky layer, so they're great for both the office and a night out. My most versatile cologne, pictured here, is the Clean Reserve Sueded Oud, and it gives me comfort knowing I can spray some on at any time of the day.
3. Beard Tools
My clean-shaven folks can feel free to skip this one. However, if you're sporting any kind of beard that's longer than stubble, this is a necessity. I really underestimated the power and feeling of a beard brush, until just recently (thanks to quarantine). Firstly, a beard brush has so many tiny bristles that can redirect every single hair individually, as opposed to a comb that doesn't really do the job as well. This is especially great for guys that have patches where hair doesn't grow as much, because it trains your hair to grow in an even direction and could help cover up some of those patches. Secondly, these bristles carry the natural oils from your skin and coat every single hair, giving it the nourishment it needs to lead to a fuller and healthier-looking beard. Lastly, using a beard brush just feels amazing and I can't put it into words - you just have to try it yourself.
Mini-scissors are also great for beards, so that you can quickly snip away any flyaway hairs to give your beard some shape and make it look cleaner overall. I also use this to clean up my actual hair too, and it's a lot more precise than a regular pair of scissors (and you definitely want precision so you don't botch your look). You can find these as a set on Amazon, and they're very affordable ($10) for the quality that you're getting.
Beard oil is something that I've seen do wonders, and didn't feel was necessary until I started using one. This one from Maapilim is made with jojoba and sweet almond oils to fully nourish your facial hair, giving it a soft and lush texture. Beards go through a lot in our daily lives, so it's important to keep them healthy. An added bonus of beard oils (combined with a beard brush) is the ability to grow more hair in patchy areas, giving your beard a more even look.
4. Eye Cream
If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a huge fan of Maapilim's products and their mission. Something that every guy needs to use, that you might not think is necessary, is eye cream. Trust me when I say that your future self will thank you tremendously, because eye creams are a preventative grooming tool. It'll keep your eyes looking refreshed and healthy for a long, long time, so the sooner you start using it, the better. Our eyes provide indications to our health and level of tiredness, so maintaining their looks and health makes us look better overall. My go-to is this eye cream from Maapilim, which is especially useful for puffy eyes/dark circles.
5. Travel-sized Grooming
The last item on this list was inspired by the countless times I was about to take a trip somewhere, but couldn't carry my favorite grooming items with me because they were too big. So I had to run to a convenience store to grab some lower-quality travel-sized items, which of course is less than desirable. Therefore, it's essential that you stock up on travel-sized versions of your most important grooming tools so that you can look and feel your best no matter where you are. For me personally, it's crucial to have things like face cleanser, moisturizers, and toothpaste in travel-friendly sizes. Your most crucial items may be different, but don't forget to have plenty of travel-sized versions on hand!
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