Male Grooming Tips

Male grooming is certainly becoming more popular as the years pass. Not only are modern men wanting to look better, but society is actually expecting this from guys. The truth is looking your best makes you more confident, more attractive to others, and more successful in life. Is this really surprising? Nope!

In order to look your best, you may need a few male grooming tips or some advice on men's skincare and shaving. No worries! I created this post to provide guys with some simple steps for daily grooming. So here it goes:

1) Find a good facial cleanser to use both morning and night. There are plenty of face washes available for men, and you don't even have to spend much money. Avoid bar soaps that leave the delicate facial skin dry, tight, and irritated. Harsh body soaps lead to problems such as acne breakouts, flaky skin, redness, and even wrinkles. Yikes!

2) Apply a daily sunscreen each morning before heading outdoors. It's best to choose a sunscreen or moisturizer with sunscreen that provides an SPF of 20 or greater. After all, you are unlikely to apply this skincare product again at work or while out in public. Naturally if you are headed to the beach for a day of fun in the sun, you should bring a sweat-proof, waterproof sunscreen with you.

3) Find a good nighttime moisturizer. Two of the most effective ingredients for anti-aging are Retinol (Vitamin A) and Glycolic Acid (an alpha hydroxy acid taken from sugar cane). Retinol helps with resurfacing the skin and penetrates deeply to correct past damage. Glycolic Acid breaks apart the glue that holds dead surface cells together, and essentially exfoliates the top layers of dead skin. Both ingredients help with anti-aging, wrinkle reduction, age spots, acne blemishes, and sun damage.

4) Always use a sharp razor. This is a common mistake that many guys make. Dull razorblades lead to irritation, razor bumps, drag, and redness. The reality is cartridge razors are only good for about 5 shaves. If you want to extend the life of your cartridge razor, try the RazorPit.

5) Probably the most important of all male grooming tips is daily flossing. According to my dental hygienist, most people still don't floss. This is NOT GOOD. Daily flossing not only keeps your gums healthy, it prevents bad breath. Plaque build-up in the gum line is a serious no no, and it does lead to gingivitis. If you have ever chatted with someone and thought their breath was unbelievably bad, trust me, they don't floss, and that is why it smells so horrendous.

I hope these simple male grooming tips help you look and feel your best. And remember, you don't have to spend much in order to look AWESOME. There are male grooming products out there to suit all budgets and preferences. 

Kiehl's Facial Fuel Anti-Wrinkle Cream Review

Overview

Kiehl's Facial Fuel Anti-Wrinkle Cream gets quite a bit of buzz in men's magazines. As you may know, Kiehl's has been around since 1851, which is longer than pretty much any other men's skin care brand or grooming line. Having said that, this company did not make skincare products specifically for guys back in the 1800s. Anyway, the Anti-Wrinkle Cream is one of several men's products available in the Facial Fuel line, and it sells for $36 (1.7 ounces) per jar. It's described as a skin defense treatment for men.

The Specifics

You will not have much difficulty finding Kiehl's Facial Fuel Anti-Wrinkle Cream in stores like Nordstrom, Macy's, and Lord & Taylor, as well as online. After all, this is a very mainstream skincare and beauty brand. Specifically, this anti-wrinkle cream is intended to absorb quickly to hydrate the skin, combat routine signs of aging, improve overall firmness, diminish surface lines, and help minimize the look of fatigue.

This skincare cream can be used morning and night, but be aware that this product does not contain any sunscreen. Furthermore, fragrance has been added to this men's face cream, which some guys complain about. This anti-wrinkle treatment is primarily for men with mature or aging complexions.

The Ingredients

• Chestnut Seed Extract - may help firm, moisturize and smooth the skin. 
• Vitamin C - brightens complexion and fights signs of aging. 
• Vitamin E - combats damaging free radicals.
• Orange and Lemon Juices - invigorate the skin. 
• Menthol - opens the pores and invigorates. 
• Synthetic Wax - may help lock in moisture.
• Alcohol - increases skin dryness and may causes free radical damage.
• Hydrolyzed Soy Protein -  helps condition the skin. 
• Blue 1 - a dye that is added for color, and may irritate sensitive skin.  

Perks 

• This brand has been around for many years, and is well respected. 
• Kiehl's Facial Fuel Anti-Wrinkle Cream contains Vitamins C and E. 
• Natural chestnut seed extract is used in this anti-aging treatment. 
• This men's face cream may help brighten the complexion.

Drawbacks

• Alcohol is used in this anti-wrinkle cream, which is bad for the skin. 
• A dye has been added to this product, which may irritate sensitive skin. 
• Since this face cream is sold in a jar, it's constantly exposed to light and air, which degrades the ingredients. 
• There are less expensive alternatives with superior ingredients. 
• This face moisturizer lacks sun protection. 

The Verdict

If you take the time to look at a variety of men's anti-aging creams, serums, and gel formulas, you will notice alternatives with better key ingredients. Some of which are even less expensive than Kiehl's Facial Fuel Anti-Wrinkle Cream. Even though Kiehl's is a well-respected beauty brand, this cream is lacking. It actually contains several ingredients that are not beneficial to your skin, and some that are even harmful to the skin. Furthermore, the key ingredients fall at the bottom of the list, which means the amounts used are minimal, and will unlikely benefit the skin much at all. 

Anthony High Performance Vitamin A Facial Treatment Review

Overview

Anthony High Performance Vitamin A Facial Treatment is marketed as an anti-aging serum for men. It's available in a 1.6-ounce pump bottle for $48. This facial moisturizer is made in the USA, and can be used by women as well. You are encouraged to apply this treatment in the morning and evening, after using the Anthony Vitamin C Facial Serum. This brand used to be Anthony Logistics for Men, but has changed its look in order to market to both women and men.

The Specifics

Anthony High Performance Vitamin A Facial Treatment is claimed to deeply hydrate and nourish the skin, while improving overall elasticity, increasing skin cell turnover, and encouraging a more youthful appearance. It is made without phthalates. This facial treatment for men can be purchased from stores like Sephora and Nordstrom. It contains unique key ingredients like Carrot Root Extract. Unfortunately both parabens and fragrance are used in the new version of Anthony High Performance Vitamin A Facial Treatment.

The Ingredients

• Carrot Root Extract - provides antioxidants to combat harmful free radicals that age the skin.
• Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) - this is the mildest form of Vitamin A, and it assists by improving skin cell turnover. 
• Shea Butter - a serious moisturizer that hydrates and protects the skin, while smoothing out surface lines and wrinkles. 
• Polypeptides - reduce signs of inflammation and target common signs of aging. 

Perks 

• This facial treatment contains antioxidants and peptides to benefit aging skin. 
• The moisturizers in this product should help reduce dryness and wrinkles. 
• Both women and men can use this Vitamin A facial treatment. 
• The Retinyl Palmitate in this moisturizer may help resurface the skin. 

Drawbacks

• Both parabens and fragrance are used in this Vitamin A facial treatment, which may irritate sensitive skin. 
• There are much more potent Vitamin A moisturizers that contain Retinol. 
• This men's moisturizer/serum is expensive in comparison to others. 
• There are some customer complaints about the bottle.

The Verdict

As you may be aware, the original version of Anthony High Performance Vitamin A Facial Treatment did not contain parabens, but the new one does. Same goes for the Vitamin C serum. Naturally some guys will not like this, and be turned away. This moisturizer does contain some beneficial ingredients, such as peptides, antioxidants, and Vitamin A to help reduce signs of aging. However, you should note that it contains Retinyl Palmitate, which is the mild form of Retinol, so it may not yield the results you are after. 

Jack Black Eye Balm Review

Overview

Jack Black Eye Balm for men is an under-eye treatment gel that may help reduce signs of aging and fatigue. This eye gel is one of two eye products available in this men's skincare line. It's described as a high-potency age minimizing gel, and it's available in a 0.5-ounce tube for $24. This eye balm is one of the Pure Science products from Jack Black for men. This basically means it's free of harsh chemicals, irritants, fragrances, parabens, and colorants. Furthermore, this under-eye balm is cruelty-free, and contains certified organic ingredients.

The Specifics

Jack Black Eye Balm age minimizing gel can be applied gently to the under-eye area in the morning and evening. Specifically, this gel formula is intended to reduce the appearance of dark circles, diminish puffiness and bags, soften fine lines and wrinkles, and hydrate the delicate tissue around the eyes. Men of all skin types can use this eye balm.

The Ingredients

• Vitamin A - increases skin cell turnover and reduces signs of aging. 
• Vitamin C- brightens the skin, tightens, and increases collagen production. 
• Vitamin E - wards off damaging free radicals and protects the skin. 
• Grape Seed Extract - combats fine lines and crow's feet.
• Panthenol - conditions and softens the skin.
• Chamomile Extract - soothes and calms the skin.
• Cornflower Extract - reduces irritation and redness. 

Perks

• This men's eye balm contains vitamins and antioxidants.
• No parabens, dyes, or fragrances are used in Jack Black Eye Balm. 
• This under-eye treatment is gentle enough for all skin types.
• This eye gel is less expensive than other department store eye creams for men.

Drawbacks

• This eye balm may not be heavy enough for serious crow's feet and wrinkles. 
• Some guys will prefer a cream (this is a translucent gel).
• Only a couple of customer reviews are posted on the official website. 

The Verdict

When all is said and done, Jack Black Eye Balm is a good choice for men ages 20-50. Unless you have serious crow's feet and deep wrinkles in the eye area, this product can be beneficial for reducing puffiness and bags, hydrating the sensitive eye area, and minimizing dark circles. Also, this age minimizing gel is not as pricey as other brands, such as Lab Series, 4VOO, Menaji, Task Essentials, and Billy Jealousy.