Grooming is an essential part of life if you wanna look good. Thank God for this new millenium, grooming products for men has contributed to a major increase in the economy itself since all blokes wanna looks equally amazing as the fairer sex. Nowadays finding a guy who's visiting the beauty counter or men's section in a pharmacy is not a weird thing anymore since keeping up your appearances is one of the effort to climb up the career ladder too.
Though most people tend to have this and that products in their bathroom cabinet, still most of us are quite puzzled on when or how to use it effectively. Me, myself also find it quite a daunting experience to make use of all those grooming things since time is not always on my side. I have to admit that sometimes I just don't care how I use certain grooming products, as long as I smack it on my face and it does it work magically.
But the thing is, it's not. Some product works its charm at certain period of the day. Some even need prior 'prep' before it can really work effectively. And thank goodnes, an article that I found from Men's Health magazine give some tips on the perfect timing of the grooming 'methodology'. I think it does make sense, coz when I think back the products are eventually chemical-based. And having a background in Chemistry, I think the 'timing' is necessary coz from a micromolecular point of view - you do need certain reaction between the products and the cells in/on your body so that what comes out of it is what you read on the tin. A symbiosis between the two, if you may.
Anyway... when is the right time to groom?
1. SCRUB YOUR FACE . . . THE NIGHT BEFORE SHAVING
“Many men make the mistake of using scrubs just before shaving,” says Sally Penford, of the International Dermal Institute. “But shaving itself exfoliates the skin, so a better idea is to scrub the night before – that way you’ll reap all the benefits but won’t further aggravate your skin in the process.”
My word: don't scrub your face too often. You are actually recommended to scrub only once or maximum of twice a week. That's it. Not everyday. Your skin need to 'grow' and if you always take off the upper dermis quite often, it is afraid that your skin will even prone to having more breakouts.
2. SHAVE . . . AT LEAST 10 MINUTES AFTER WAKING.
“Skin is puffy first thing,” says male-grooming expert Jason Shankey. “Give it 10 minutes to settle and for any creasing to subside and you’ll have a smoother surface for shaving. Having woken up properly, you’ll also be more accurate with the blade.”
My word: I don't shave my 'tache coz I tend to trim it using a pair of mini scissors instead. But for beard, I like using the Azor blade by King of Shave. It looks kinda sportscar design!
3. APPLY FRAGRANCE . . . BEFORE MOISTURISING
“Fragrance tends to last longer on well-hydrated and moisturised skin,” says fragrance expert Roja Dove. He suggests applying the scent first, then the moisturiser later.
My word: choose fragrance that suits the occasion. Different scents are meant to be worn on different 'scenes'. I'll be posting a new blogpost soon on how to choose fragrance for work.
4. STYLE YOUR HAIR . . . BEFORE IT’S DRY.
“Apply a product when your hair is damp, not when it’s still wet or bone dry,” says celebrity hairstylist Kevin Murphy. “If you style on wet hair, you’ll dilute the product so it’ll have less hold.” He suggests towel-drying and waiting 10 minutes before going to work with the wax.
My word: the trend nowadays is to go with a matte look. Out-of-bed is always a great get-up style, though for work it's not always recommended, especially if you're a professional. On the other hand, the wet, oil-slick look is too tacky coz you might come across as a cheap pimp! However, that doesn't mean you can't experiment. =)
5. BRUSH YOUR TEETH . . . BEFORE BREAKFAST.
Tooth enamel begins to dissolve when the pH in your mouth reaches an acidic 5.5. Since fruit juices can have an even more acidic pH of three, it’s worth brushing before downing them. “If you forget, wait for an hour, by which time the enamel will be tougher,” advises dentist David Cocket.
My word: electric toothbrush is always the best coz the rotation will clean up the dirt much effectively. But if you're using a normal toothbrush, consider brusing your teeth in a rotating mode instead of 'lateral' and do it for at least 2 mins in total of your brushing time. Some recommended to use mouthwash before brushing, and flossing after.
Another fact: always brush your teeth before going to bed, coz study shows that it can prevent heart disease too.
6. MOISTURISE . . . LAST THING.
“Studies have shown that water loss through the skin is greatest at night, so apply moisturiser before bed,” says dermatologist Nick Lowe. “Moisturising is more beneficial then because the cream will be better absorbed in a warm bed.”
My word: I always bring extra moisturizer in my bag coz having to perform ablution before prayer tend to promote dehydration of the skin. Both, facial and body cream. Since for men, it'll take at least another 8 hours for the skin to rehydrate, it's better to smack on the moisturizer before the skin become too dry.
Mentioning moisturizing, if you're living in a sunny climate never leave home without putting on the sunscreen. Yeah, I know everyone wanna look tan but not an orange tan. The best time to apply the SPF cream is at least half an hour before you go out (or I think 15 min before is also acceptable). I tend to choose one that is non-visible, waterbased to avoid the white marks.
7. TREAT A SPOT . . . BEFORE BED.
“Applying a spot cream or treatment at this time means that it can go to work without the skin having to deal with all the other daytime assaults – such as pollution and UV exposure – at the same time,” says Penford.
8. USE ANTI-AGEING CREAM . . . AT NIGHT.
The skin switches to repair mode at night, says Paolo Giacomoni, Clinique’s executive director of research and development, making this the best time to reverse skin damage. “Oxygen consumption and blood flow increase, which shows that the skin is preparing for the next day,” he says.
My word: Before going to bed is also the best time to smack on that eyecream, so that when you woke up there'll be no panda-eyes moment. If you do get undereye bags, then de-puff it using an eye roll-on. (It works for me!)
Also, if you wanna avoid your face looking pudgy the next morning, avoid eating carbs the night before. Consume protein-based food instead like the protein shake or two slices of high-protein bread to let the collagen keep in check. And who knows, your face might look even chiselled! :)
