Revealed: How To Be A Quintessential Gentleman (In 5 easy steps)

Top 5 grooming tips

1. Wardrobe – First impressions really do count, so my number one grooming tip is to dress impeccably. Your clothing and how you present yourself makes a huge statement about who you are, and where you want to go. Choose quality clothing rather than the bargin basement pieces that fall apart after one wash. Decide on your own person style and go with it. It doesn’t matter if your look is dapper, street or traditional, own it.

2. Skin – In the UK’s colder climate your skin can become dry so it will need some extra TLC. Daily, use a facial wash for men or if you’re old school, a bar of soap, although some non-facial soaps can be quite drying to the skin. If you have dry skin, opt for a non-soap cleanser or dry skin facial wash. If your skin is oilier, try a wash with salicylic acid. It helps to unclog pores and degrease the skin. Concentrate on the T-Zone, nose and forehead as this is where your oil glands are and tend to be the greasiest. Once a week, use a gentle facial scrub to gently buff away those dead skin cells, leaving you with a bright and invigorated complexion. Facial scrubs can really help if you are prone to ingrowing hairs from shaving as well. Then MOISTURISE! Moisturising keeps your skin hydrated, slows ageing and helps protect against skin damage. My go to brand is Auspect from Australia. (https://www.auspectskincare.com). but experiment with different products and try a few different brands until you find something that you like and that suits your skin.

3. Hair – Befriend your barber. Especially when the summer eventually does come around, because your hair does indeed grow faster in the warmer months. If there is only one thing you can do, a regular visit to your barber’s key. They will keep you looking dapper, trim that excess hair and will know what hairstyle will suit the shape of your face. A good barber will keep you looking dapper and nothing beats a cut-throat shave, with hot towels.

4. Excess Facial Hair – Thick manly brows can look great, but a monobrow doesn’t look good on anyone. Pluck random strays after the shower, as your pores will be open, but before you moisturize, or the hairs will be slippy. Get some tweezers and pluck the middle between the eyes, and the odd stray under and above the brow. Don’t overpluck, just do the main areas where you have excess hair. Big eyebrows aren’t a problem, it’s when they start to meet in the middle that you’ve got an issue. Nasal and ear hair is unsightly too and can easily be trimmed, nasal hair trimmers will make that tricky job, a breeze.

5. Hygiene – Nothing beat twice daily showers. I can almost guarantee that after a tough day at work, you won’t smell too delightful, even if you work in an office. Wash yourself with soap or a shower gel, use a shower mitt or wash cloth to build up a good lather and exfoliate away dead skin cells. You need to wash away all the dirt and oils that have accumulated throughout the day (or overnight). After you’ve rinsed off, finish with a burst of cold water, it will wake you up and close the pores of your skin. Finish up with antiperspirant deodorant, but make sure it’s antiperspirant, plain deodorant will just mask the odour and won’t stop sweat patches. If your heading out for the night, add some aftershave and your good to go! Pick your signature scent and aim for a deodorant and aftershave with similar or complimentary fragrances so that they are not competing.

Stephen Handisides is the host of ‘Modern Face of Beauty’ and ‘The Modern Male Mindset’. He is an international TV presenter, model, journalist and an all-round expert on Aesthetic Beauty and Male Grooming. Stephen is a regular expert commentator in the UK on ITV’s This Morning, GMTV, Lorraine, OK! TV, Five, Sky News, and BBC radio. Stephen writes for over twenty major newspapers, trade and consumer magazines, with five regular columns focusing on the trends in lifestyle aesthetics and male grooming. He also hosts and produces Sky TV’s MyFaceMyBody and is the brains behind the Global Aesthetic Awards, held in London, LA and Sydney.

For more male grooming tips and inspiration, check out Stephens Instagram @shandisides Twitter @shandisides and his website and blog on www.stephenhandisides.com 

Picture credits PerfectlyAttired.co.uk