The Finer Points of Grooming: Eight Quick Tips for the New Year

Do you feel like you’ve tried every trick out there to improve your appearance? Have you considered giving yourself a bit of man-makeover but you don’t know what to do first? Instead of making a huge vow for New Year’s, you can look better fast—without much effort after all.

1. Tweak Your Shaving Routine
Wait approximately 30 minutes after getting up in the A.M. to shave. Your facial muscles will firm up after sagging during sleep, and you will have a much easier time cutting through your whiskers when they stand up straighter from your skin.

2. Move!
If there’s one thing that you can do to improve your physical appearance right away, it’s stretch. You’ll look healthier and with better posture, you’ll look thinner, too. I’ve found some great stretches at Men’s Health.

3. Treat Your Hair Right
If you’ve been styling your hair the same way for over a year, consider pulling a trick that’s a heck of a lot more common amongst the female folk: book an appointment in the most expensive men’s salon and get a cut that adapts to your current hair situation (this is especially important if your hair has been thinning or graying). With a few updated style hints, you’ll be amazed at how better you look, and you can also get introduced to cutting-edge products.

4. Work on Your Brows
This doesn’t necessarily involve pulling out the tweezers, either. If your brows are sparse or just plain weird looking, did you ever consider wearing your glasses instead of contacts? They can draw eyes away from eyebrows that you may find distracting or annoying, and a pair of sexy frames is a lady killer.

5. Give Yourself a Cheap Hot Lather Shave
Dying for a hot lather shave but short on cash? Ring in the new year with a smooth face compliments of DIY hot lather. Spray shaving cream (just the foam type) and microwave it in a safe dish at medium for thirty seconds. Ta-da! Dip your brush in and shave away.

6. Brighten Up Your Smile
Whitening your teeth could be one of the most dramatic and easiest processes to look younger and hotter. If you can’t afford a professional Zoom-quality treatment at the dentist’s, don’t worry. Stocking up on Crest Whitestrips is much more affordable.

7. Invest in Better Skin
Do you have skin issues that you still want to—ahem—clear up? If you’re sick of messing around with random scrubs and washes, buying a basic kit that comes complete with a wash, scrub, mask, and moisturizer—in the right formulation for you. Try Proactiv, Murad, and Clinique, just to name a few, to see what works best.

8. Fight “Bacne”
Switch up your cotton shirts and grab some synthetic ones to rid yourself of back acne. While plenty of people champion natural fiber, if you’re still fighting bumps on your back, switch it up. Cotton can absorb and hold oil and grime and rub it into your back.

You’ve still got time to knock these out and start the year off fresh. . . without any resolutions at all.

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Shaving Nicks Tricks

There’s nothing worse than nicking yourself when you’re already late, you’re heading out the door, or when you’re due to be presenting at a company meeting. When it happens, you’ve got to think quickly.

Even if you’ve got a gusher, the more you rub, the more you can disturb the natural clotting process. That goes the same for peeking, too: if you check a nick often while applying pressure, you will dislodge the clot. The next time you’ve got a serious shaving nick, try these steps to stop the bleeding and get on with it.

1. Keep a styptic pencil on hand. This shaving must-have contains either sulfate or titanium dioxide to keep your nicks under control. You can find this stand-by at any pharmacy or shaving shop that stocks the basics, or online at Amazon.com and men’s grooming stores.

2. Cauterize the spot. This don’t sound half as bad as you might think—simply stick a washcloth or face flannel under a hot tap for a few seconds and then press it firmly to the nick itself. Don’t rub! If you repeat this step four or five times in a row, you’ll stop the nick from bleeding.

3. Use a little scrape of deodorant. All you need to do is get some antiperspirant on a cotton swab and then rub it on. Be sure to double-check that your antiperspirant contains aluminum!

4. Use sugar. It’s a quick remedy, and unlike the scary proposition of using ground pepper or cayenne, this won’t sting a bit. Simply pour a little sugar out on a spoon, and press some onto the cut. You can stop the bleeding almost immediately.

5. Use over-the-counter products like My Nik is Sealed. This product will glide over nicks and doesn’t sting. Keep a tube of this lip balm-like product around the washroom for emergencies. You could also consider blotting papers like Seal On, which do the trick very nicely (SealOn.com).

6. Stock up on QR powder. It stops the bleeding of 98% of cuts in a minute or less. QR Powder can be found at FirstAidMonster.com and Amazon.com.

7. Completely out of aforementioned products? Consider using Vaseline. You can apply it to a small cut to stop the bleeding pretty quickly.

If you’re still looking for a way to cut down on nicks, consider shaving right in or directly after the shower, and with a fresh blade. Experiment with razor types and creams while you’re at it to get the best results possible. Just remember: you can’t safeguard against all nicks, and that’s when this list certainly comes in handy! If you have another technique to share, comment and tell us what your secret is.

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Buying Men’s Fragrances On a Budget

Are you sold on a scent? Are you also the kind of guy who loves to save? With the additions of discount sites and sample hunting, you can smell great on the cheap.

1. Shop during the holidays. You can take advantage of the holidays in two ways: both online and at your local shop. It pays to purchase in December or February, because you are likely to find excellent shipping discounts and rush offers.

The holidays are also a good time to try out gift baskets. If you’re sold on a specific fragrance, consider spending a fraction more to get soaps, bath gels, and splashes. Take what you’ll use, and save the rest for others.

Post holidays? There’s another trick for you, then: you can find deep discounts at local chain shops and department stores when they have overstock of “holiday specific” gift packages. They’ll want to get rid of this stock immediately.

2. Get creative. Beg, borrow, and trade to find interesting new fragrances, and don’t forget to be creative while you are at it. If you’re trying to save your most expensive cologne, for example, consider adding in a coordinating shower gel, splash, spray, or aftershave and toning down the use of your fragrance to match.

3. Head straight to discount sites. You can always save money on sites that slash prices, and what’s the point of hunting for sales individually? Just one caution applies: always choose a reputable online store to stock up on that fragrance.

Consider the following online shops:

• Perfume.com: A comprehensive site with 70% off some fragrances.

• Perfumemania.com: Check out the “Bestsellers” list to see what’s hot.

• FragranceNet.com: Their easy search function makes looking for discounted perfumes easily.

4. Consider alternatives. Why not try to mix things up? If you’ve been wearing a fragrance forever, think about experimenting. You could really end up saving when you try out more affordable alternatives. When I’m looking for similar scents, I’ll head to the shops to check them out in person (and compare prices of course), or I’ll trawl blogs for advice.

5. Stockpile free samples. Samples are an easy way for you to experiment with scents for little, and you can score some easily with the following methods:

• Go to Nordstrom or Sephora, if you’re lucky enough to have one nearby. You can request carded samples or vials from these stores easily.

• Buy samples directly. You can often find sample giveaways on sites dedicated to a new perfume launch, but of course you’ll need to share your address to receive your sample! Keep your eyes open; these offers can be hard to find.

• Swing by the stores on major fragrance release dates. You’ll often score giveaways during promotional periods.

• Head to an online store that sells mainstream sample scents, such as Parfums Raffy and Perfume Bay.

• Hunt for sample collections online! If you’re a smart shopper, you can find them online at auctions sites like eBay.

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Tips for Getting a Close Shave

Getting a close shave can be tough. It’s a pain to stock up on supplies and work on your technique when you’ve been shaving forever, but switching things up can benefit your daily routine if you regularly sport a five o’clock shadow or bumps.

Get a glimpse of these tips to keep your skin a whole lot smoother:

1. Follow the instructions. While it may seem like every cream and soap’s a no-brainer, with plenty of new ingredients and hyper-intuitive items, it does benefit to take a look at the instructions. When products that you don’t use regularly are used right, you’ll get better shave results.

2. Buy a shower mirror! Shaving straight in the shower can save you time in the morning, and with an anti-fog mirror, you can get it done in a flash.

3. Massage your skin before shaving. Time may be of the essence in the A.M., but the better you managed to push the hair up and off the skin, the easier it is to cut it off during the shaving process.

4. Keep things hot. Well, warm at least! Remember to keep the water warm while you are shaving.

5. Consider adding an extra step. Shaving in the shower is a great step for a close shave, but if you need to get an extra smooth shave for a special night, put a hot towel over your face to soften your bristles even further.

6. Become a “razor detective.” Are you constantly battling itchies and irritation? Check out your razor. Sometimes double and triple blades can irritate the skin, and a single blade can work better. Dull blades are equally as bad, so always keep a good selection in your medicine closet so you don’t destroy your face.

7. Do you have very coarse hair? Consider using a cream formulated for curly hair that can grow back in on itself. Nobody likes shaving bumps and ingrown hairs, so have a look around for special creams and experiment. Consider the following brands when you’re getting ready to shave: Tend Skin Air Shave Gel, Zirh Shave Cream, and Aveeno brand creams that all contain special soothing ingredients.

8. Stuck on the same old aftershave? That alcohol-based aftershave may not be the best for you—consider a balm aftershave that soothes instead of stings.

9. Rinse your razor after use. You’ll be pleased with how much longer it lasts when you clean it thoroughly. Just a note, though—it’s not recommended that you rub the razor dry with a towel.

10. Switch it up. You don’t need to be exclusive with your method of hair removal. Give your face a break by using an electric razor and switching to a blade for the weekends.

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Styling Your Hair Without the Crunch - Part V: Serum

Never used hair serum? You’re not alone. While serum may seem like it’s not particularly necessary, you may be pleased to know that serums are formulated for guys, and better yet, they can maximize your head of hair to add the appearance of thickness. If you’re the kind of person who wishes he had just a little bit extra up top, serums may be the way to go.

How to Use It

1. Wash your hair normally before applying serum. After you shampoo your hair, rinse your hair with cool water to increase shine.
2. Towel dry your hair. Don’t go crazy! Soak up excess water but don’t scrub your head too hard.
3. Get 4 to 5 drops of serum in the palm of your hand. Apply it to your hair, paying more attention to the ends than to your roots.
4. Allow your hair to dry naturally, and don’t rinse the serum out afterwards!

What Styles Does It Suit? Longer hair will benefit best from “average” serum. This is especially good for those who crave a relaxed surfer vibe but don’t want to produce dreadlocks in the bargain. Swiping in a little serum keeps everything softer. For those who choose hair serum for thinning hair, this product can be used for all hair lengths.

Why You’ll Love It: Hair serum not only maximizes hair thickness, but it also increases shine and reduces tangles. If you’re constantly battling frizz and knots with slightly longer hair, serum can save you some serious work.

Serum Tips

• Use a touch of serum product. Less is more definitely applies to serum use, especially because overloading will just make your locks look lank and greasy.

• Use caution when applying serum to fine hair. It could make your hair look greasy as it weighs down each strand, so in this case, it’s best to experiment before you slick some on.

• You can use hair serum to protect your hair while styling, too. If you use a hairdryer, applying a few drops of the product can prevent excessive damage.

Suggested Products

• NuHair Thinning Hair Serum, for Men & Women, 3.1-Ounce Bottle: This time-released product contains ingredients that can restore hair thickness, as well as oils that can make your hair shinier naturally.
• John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum, UV/Thermal Protection Formula - 1.69 Oz: This classic serum provides exceptional shine, and can be found easily at major drugstores.
• Alfaparf - Hair Power Energy Booster Serum for Men 6/.27 oz.: This serum is perfect for those of us with scalp issues.
• Murad Fine to Thinning Hair Serum: Murad’s serums for thinning hair also works well for those who need to build up hair strength.

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