Old man Winter is finally here. Looking at the snow falling reminded me how ruff this weather is on our skin and hair. Making me ask, "How many men out there have actually thought about changes they should be making to their grooming routines, or worse how many men are out there with no routine at all?!"
With no idea of what you need, I'm sure one or all of these apply to you. Your skin has become flaky and dull or red, cracked and flaky. Your hands are dry, your lips are probably chapped. You might even have windburn. Your beard ( if you have one ) looks and feels like steel wool and your hair like feels straw.
Pretty picture? Absolutely not!

DON'T PANIC... I've got you covered.
Just a few small steps will make all the difference.

I think when men hear the term "grooming routine" they quickly start feeling overwhelmed. I get it completely. There are so many products out there that it can be confusing and somewhat stressful trying to figure it out.
 Don't worry. No matter what skin type you have, dry, oily or combination, there are basic steps you should take to keep yourself looking and feeling your best.
If your wondering if you can afford it, take comfort, just because there are products costing hundreds of dollars out there it does not mean that you can't shoot for a decent mid range and substitute some out some of it with products you already have at home.

 I'm gonna break it down for you.

Cleansing
This is the first step of any good skin care routine. Before you apply anything else you need to remove the dust, dirt and pollutants. You should clean your face at least twice a day, once in the morning and once right before you go to sleep. Stay away from bar soap. You can even skip soap all together opting instead for a good rinse with warm water before exfoliation.


Exfoliation is the method we use to get rid of dead skin cells, dirt and other impurities. It is best to exfoliate at night. The rest of your skin care will work much better after you've sloughed off the dead stuff. Keep in mind exfoliating too frequently can strip away your skins natural oils. Which is not a good thing. Its best to exfoliate about twice a week. If you have very sensitive skin try once every other week. Most importantly, be gentle guys! There are two basic types of exfoliators, physical i.e. a scrub or a simple washcloth with cleanser. Chemical  i.e. salicylic or glycolic acid usually found in creams.
Physical exfoliation is best for darker completions, oily and combination skin.
Chemical exfoliation is best for dry and aging skin.
If you are prone to acne its best to avoid this step.

Moisturize
It’s always important to moisturise but in winter as the cold attacks our faces, causing the skin to dry up, peel and even crack it’s never been more important. Find a moisturiser that works for your skin type to keep you looking fresh-faced and youthful. Lighter moisture for oily skin and heavier creams for dryer skin.
Make sure to moisturize at least twice daily. You can apply as needed throughout the day, especially if you have out in the elements longer than usual.
Some moisturizers are petroleum-based. Petroleum can actually dry your skin out more by slowing your skins own natural oil production. Choose something easy that has natural, nourishing ingredients. Go for an oil-based rather than a water-based solution, it will help your skin retain moisture in the winter. Try natural moisturizing oils, they’re hydrating ingredients like grape seed, olive, jojoba, coconut and more, help soothe dry, itchy skin.

The Beard
Despite what a lot of people think beards do not protect you fro the elements. It needs just as much care as your skin. The good thing if you choose a natural oil-based product for your moisturizer then it's going to work great for your beard as well. Do not wash your beard more than twice a week in winter. Rinse with warm water and moisturize. Oils like coconut have natural antibacterial and anti fungal properties to keep the cooties away.

A Close Shave
For clean shaven men its worth spending a bit of extra time on the prep and post shave routine. If possible shave after a hot shower your pores will be open and the hair softer. To eliminate drag and pull make sure to rinse your razor after each stroke. Instead of aftershave in the winter it's a good idea to use a post shave cream. This will act as a balm to reduce the redness and sensitivity of the skin, reducing shaving rash which is a very common problem with dryer, winter skin.

Hydrate from the inside out. In other words
DRINK WATER!
Typically water is not talked about in grooming guides but keeping hydrated will be provide your skin with essential vitamins and minerals to look healthy and happy this winter.

Lip Care
Keep a good lip balm with you, it will keep dry lips from cracking, feeling bitten and looking like a blade cut through them! Nobody wants lips like that near them and it's painful to look at!

Hair care
Same routine, wash and condition like alway, just not as often if possible. Try to use water soluble grooming products that will rinse away in the shower without having to wash everyday. If your hair still feels dry or over staticky then use a little coconut oil on the ends. The triglycerides closely match ours and will absorb into your skin and hair.

Remember, your hair and face are the first thing most people see. No matter how stylish you dress, a great grooming routine shows attention to detail. Women will notice and love you for it.

Trends in men's hair

TRENDS IN MEN'S HAIR

THE GOOD, BAD AND COMPLETLY REDICULOUS 

VS

With so many web sites and social media pages dedicated to men's hair (including mine) how do you decide what is a trend you should try and what to avoid. 

Just because someone out in the world saw an off the wall attempt at a haircut and figured "this must be the trend" and then began to talk about it as if that makes it true. Well unfortunately without good
advice, it might actually work.

This is my example in the two collections above. You should clearly be able to see the difference. However on page after page I've seen cuts out of the second collection touted as the new trend ... Disconnected undercut or ruff fade is what they called them. 

I can only assume this was some inexperianced barber or fancy hairdressers attempt at a fade. In their eyes it actually resembled a good fade. Or they just gave up half way through and tried to pass it off as good.

The cuts in the first picture a what disconnected fades or "undercuts" should look like. I don't even know where the term ruff fade came from. But if I'm ever caught giving one it's time for me to give up my clippers.

My best advise when it comes to trends and haircuts in general... Does it look purposeful? Is it ment to look that way, this shouldn't be a question.

So if you're tired of you regular cut and want to try something new, go for it! Just make sure the trend is done right. 

If you are tired of your undercut and want something with a little more edge, try to add some lines or a man braid. Two styles that will stand out but still leave no question that you mean for them to look that way.

Five essentials for maintaining a great beard

With so many beard products to choose from these days it's easy to lose focus on the essentials. So let's take it back to basics and focus on the five key elements to a great beard. 

    I'm hoping this guide will convince the men who are still on the fence to take the leap, and for the ones that are feeling a bit overwhelmed to keep going. Beards a a great way to change up your entire look and if you take care of it properly, it's a change for the better.

    All of your hair, facial or otherwise is effected by what you eat and drink. Better nutrition leads to better growth. Lucy for you there is a vitamin that you can add to your daily routine. Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, helps to strengthen and thicken hair leading to better growth.

    Now let's talk hydration. Keeping your skin and beard moisturized is key to a soft touchable, by other people, beard. My favorite product for this is simple coconut oil. The virgin coconut oil found right in your local grocery store. The natural coconut oil will absorb into both your skin and beard keeping it soft with the added bonus of being anti-microbial and anti-fungal. 

    So your beard is growing in but starting to look a bit unruly and the ends are scraggly. It's time to take a trip to the barbershop. If you have a barber you trust, great! If not start looking online for a barber that has proven experiance with beards. If not you can save yourself some money by visiting a ten dollar, quantity is better than quality, barbershop. Ending up with a shadow beard, which unless it has an emaculate line up, is really no beard at a all. It's worth the time to find a grooming expert.

    Now your beard is looking pretty damn good. Let's keep it that way. Combing and or brushing your beard is essential to keeping it smooth and tangle free. For shorter or straighter hair a brush alone works best. It keeps small tangles out and works to stimulate the skin and pull natural oil out to the ends of your beard. Stick with a natural bristle beard brush like boar hair. Combing is best for longer, corse and curly beards. It will also pull the tangles out, keeping your beard free of hair that has fallen out (this is normal) or broken ends. Using a natural wooden comb with wide teeth is best. Again not only keeping your beard tangle free but by pulling the natural oils from your skin to the much drier ends of your beard.

    Alright my last and final recommendation is almost completely up to you. Beard oil or beard balm. My advise is this, the more unruly your beard the more hold you will need from a product. Beard balms tend to be heavier with more hold than beard oils. Balms tend to work best on shorter, thicker, curly and beards that are grey or going grey. Beard oils thinner and work great on longer thinner beards. The oil is easily distributed from face to ends of beards. Giving a nice hydrated look. So what's left to you? The best part, choosing your favorite sent. With so many different scents out there it's hard to know without smelling them all what will be your favorite. I suggest trying out what's at your barbershop first. After that try a beard oil club. For a very low price you can try different oils every month until you find your sent.

   But what do the ladies like? Coming soon - Grooming product scents that women have fallen in love with.