Looking after yourself is a good thing whether you are a man or woman, although it is still fairly new for the majority of guys. Things like male skin products, manscaping tools and male makeup are now readily available on the high street, but there is still a long way to go in terms of the offerings coming anywhere near to the wide variety of products available to women.

If you’re a guy who likes to groom, or you feel like you want to start investing a little more in your aesthetic wellness, then these tips will be a really good starting point for your journey into self-care and styling:

Hair & Scalp

Wash your hair with the same stuff you wash your bits with? This won’t be the best for your hair or scalp because body washing products aren’t designed for hair or scalp care. There are lots of ways to give your scalp and hair extra love, which will in turn reward your with thicker better conditioned hair and a healthy scalp. Try to integrate these tips into your hair care routine:

• Get a great haircut.
• Pat your hair dry, don’t rub it, as your hair is more vulnerable when wet.
• Avoid heated styling tools like a hairdryer or straighteners.
• Try and avoid rinsing your hair in super hot water – if you want piping hot water enjoy it on your body not your hair as it strips essential oils from the hair.
• Choose a stylist for any chemical treatments on your hair as home treatments can damage the hair greatly.
• Use the right shampoo and conditioner – if you are unsure, ask your hair stylist.
• Use a paddle brush to brush your hair when wet, or avoid brushing at all to avoid damage.
• Get a trim every six weeks to get rid of split ends.
• Massage your scalp regularly and avoid using any products that irritate it and cause dandruff.

Skin

A good diet and lots of water will benefit you from the inside out, but you can also improve your skin with some quick, cheap and easy changes to your current regime like these:

• Use a great cleanser – your skin could have been exposed to a lot of harsh environments like super hot showers, polluted air in the city, wind or cold if you work or spend a lot of time outside, and possibly harsh wash products. Use a good cleanser to soothe, clean and clear the skin as well as moisturise it.
• Use a really good quality razor as cheap ones can cause razor burn or encourage ingrown hairs. Use a wet razor that suits your skin, or consider using a good quality electric razor like the Braun Series 7.
• Moisturise with a fragrance free moisturiser that is right for your skin. A skin consultation with a qualified skincare expert could be a good idea to help you find out your skin type and to understand which products are best for your skin.
• Protect your skin with an SPF every single day. Even when we can’t see the sun, there are UV rays continually ageing and damaging our skin, whatever the weather. Using an SPF of 30 or higher will help keep your skin protected.

Facial Hair

Facial hair may not go beyond eyebrows for you, in which case threading or waxing every few weeks, or even just a bit of tweezing will help keep you looking groomed. However, you may have other facial hair to think about as well. If you have a beard, it is certainly a good idea to get into a habit of grooming it to stop it looking scruffy or bedraggled. Using beard oil, trimming your beard and combing it should keep it in good condition.

If you have stray hair coming out of your nose, or ears, this is a natural process of ageing, but that doesn’t make it particularly enjoyable to have. You can get special trimming scissors with rounded ends to manually snip away those sprouters. Alternatively an ear and nose hair trimmer might not be the most exciting purchase you have ever made, but it will be specially designed to quickly and conveniently get rid of those stragglers.

Teeth

A good general maintenance plan for the teeth is to brush twice a day for at least two minutes at a time, with a suitable toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as cutting down on bad habits that may damage the teeth and gums and visiting your dentist every 6 months or so alongside additional hygienist appointments as well. It may also be that you want to enhance the look of your teeth with cosmetic dentistry.

Within the last few years cosmetic dentistry has soared in popularity as procedures like adult teeth straightening, veneers and teeth whitening became more affordable and accessible to most budgets and lifestyles. There are many options for you if you would like to incorporate dental aesthetics into your lifestyle, but the first step is a consultation to discuss your wants, needs, budget, timescale and expectations, and to give you an examination to determine what is suitable for you. Under no circumstances is it a good idea to buy tooth whitening kits online, or to go to an unregistered salon to have your teeth whitened. This can cause various negative issues such as burning of the gums or long-term damage to the soft tissues in the mouth.

The amount of grooming you choose to do is personal to you but if you do want to ramp up your grooming game, there are many different options for you to enjoy and incorporate into your daily routine, just have fun with it and don’t be afraid to try different things out.

*Collaborative Post.