The Men’s Grooming Guide

About Every month I get to focus on what’s best in the world of beauty and products tips for women on Portland’s, AMNW. But since male grooming has become increasingly popular over the past few years and men of all ages are becoming savvier with things like shaving, skincare, hair care and even eyebrow trimming, we thought we would switch it up.  You can’t open up a men’s magazine of really any kind with out flipping through several pages of the latest male grooming ads, products placements and tips on grooming. So with that said, let me show you some basic Male Grooming Tips.

1)   Skincare, Skincare, Skincare

This is top on the priority list, rubbing your face with a bar of soap and splashing it with water just will not cut it. This doesn’t mean you need ten items stashed under your counter top, it just means you need some basic items that will improve the look of your skin. Using just plane soap will actually strip your skin and cause you to look much older than you are.

• Jack Black All Over Wash for Face, Hair and Body – This really is something every guy should have since it is a 3 in 1 product. It is a mild cleanser that is PH balanced and gentle enough for the face, hair and body. I don’t know any man that would pass this up. $9.00 3oz www.getjackblack.com

• Jack Black DIY Power Peel- I will often get asked by men how they can reduce their fine lines and wrinkles and still be discreet by not going to a spa. This peel is your exact answer! This DIY Power Peel tightens, brightens and improves your texture while reducing fine lines and wrinkles. All you have to do is wipe these pads over your face 2-4 times a week and your skin it on it’s way to looking better. $38.00 (40 pads) www.getjackblack.com

• Clarisonic  Sonic Groom for Men- For those of you who want to step it up a notch in the skincare department, I introduce to you one of my favorite skincare tools that is now in charcoal gray and made for the man. You can either use this brush to cleanse and exfoliate the skin, or you can use it with your shaving cream to give you a more comfortable shave. The brush oscillates as it spreads the shaving cream or gel, and this motion also lifts the scruff to seriously prep the beard for a very close shave. $119.00 www.clarisonic.com

2)   Shaving

It all starts with a good shave and it’s interesting because shaving really has become an art form once again. When shaving, a lot of men have been trained to go against the grain, which can cause irritation and ingrown hairs. Instead, do the majority of your shaves in the direction of the hair growth, which sometimes goes diagonal and occasionally go against the grain to get the stubborn spots off.  If you do happen to get lots of in-grown hairs, the DIY Power Peel I talk about in the skincare section will help greatly with that. In addition, using a shaving brush prior to shaving really helps to lift the hairs to prevent ingrown hairs well.

In addition to shaving tips, shaving products have become more lucrative. Us ladies get excited about our Coach bags and men are getting excited about their high end shaving sets and products.

• Grooming Lounge Light Horn Shaving Set- For the man who likes the finer thing’s in life and wants to make his shaving routine more of an experience, this shave set is for you. This three-piece shaving set is hand crafted in the U.K and features a hand picked and cut “super” badger hair shaving brush plus a sturdy, deluxe razor in a polished chrome stand. This is the perfect gift for any man who looks at shaving as an art, likes fancy things displayed on his counter top (like my husband), or simply wants a fantastic razor. $290.00 www.groominglounge.com

• Anthony Logistics For Men Shaving Cream- This is a thick cream with natural lubricating oils to help protect the skin as well of softens the beard. It is perfect for a close and comfortable shave, leaving the skin smooth. $16.50 Anthonylogistics.com

• Anthony Logistic After Shave Balm- Calming and soothing the skin is one of the most important thing’s a guy has to think about post shave. This after-shave balm combines Allantoin to Sooth, Benzocaine to relieve razor burn and Aloe Vera to heal.  $20.00 www.anthony.com

• Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm- My husband will often complain of chapped feeling lips post shave. To finish your shave routine, try this very manly lip balm that you won’t mind taking out of your pocket. $7.50 www.getjackblack.com

3)   Brows and Random Hairs

Not even the press likes the Anthony Davis infamous unibrow he refuses to get rid of. So let me speak frankly with you, trimming and “manskaping” your brow’s is a necessity that should be taken care of on a monthly bases. Tweeze or wax that unibrow and cut down the forest of long hairs hiding your fabulous eyes. Also make sure to tweeze the random hairs below your brows that are migrating into your lashes and please do me a favor and snag those nose hairs in the process.

• Tweezers- any kind you like that will effectively grab those hairs. Usually costs around $5.00-$10.00
• Scissors and Comb- Brush your brow hairs up and trim the end of the hair that is sticking above the comb. Again, you can find these at any one-stop shop usually in beauty department. $5.00-$10.00
• Waxing- if you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, get them waxed while you are getting your hair cut. It really doesn’t hurt that bad. Usually costs around $15.00-$20.00 each visit.

4)   Nails

Nails are an easy one! Just keep them short and clean up the grime under them with some nail clippers. Everyone should have some nail clippers in there home; biting them off is not the best of options for so, so many reasons.

 5)   Hair

Once again, hair is a personal preference but still shouldn’t go unmanaged. Using a bit of product always makes someone look more put together.

Here are a few of my favorite items I will often use on shoots for men’s grooming.

• Paul Mitchell Dry Wax- Defines and controls any texture, perfect for keeping down flyaway hairs. It also isn’t sticky so you don’t feel like you have product on.  Can be purchased at a salon for around $13.00
• Paul Mitchell Natural Shine Gel- With Mad Men being such a huge show the past few years, we are definitely seeing a surge in that vintage sleek 50’s hair. This is a must have product for lasting hold that makes your hair look and feel thicker. Can be purchased at a salon for around $15.00.

XOXO-Kendra Stanton Beauty Blogger and Portland, OR Makeup Artist