Skin: face the facts
We live under a big hole in the ozone layer which burns us, ages us and worse.
While most people have recognised the need to wear sunscreen to protect skin from burning, there still seems to be a divide between men who moisturise and those well on their way to looking like old leather.
For beginners to skincare, the first step is deciding what skin type you have so you can choose the right products. Normal skin is neither overly oily nor dry, doesn't break out too much and has small pores.
Dry skin is thin, flaky and easily upset while oily skin is less sensitive, with larger pores and more oil secretions. If you aren't sure, someone at the shop counter can help.
Top gear
Men who moisturise are not soft - you can tell by the products.
They come with names like Dominate, Create Havoc, Full On and there's even a Formula One range, Accelerate, Power, Performance - that is packaged just like motor oil but is most likely not.
My favourites are from the Origins shaving range: Easy Slider pre-shave oil, Blade Runner shave cream, and Save the Male moisturiser.
Get with the programme
At the very, very least, wash your face every day - men's skin is oilier than women's and can get very dirty. And don't use soap! Washing with a cleanser clears pores and doesn't dry out the skin.
Experts would suggest following this step with a toner to restore pH balance then moisturise to finish but that's a big ask for someone who's not yet converted.
Save some work by using a moisturiser with built-in sunscreen - Natio has one with spf 30 and Clinique with spf 21 and make the toner optional, especially if you have dry skin.
Men with dry skin need to use a gentle, alcohol-free cleanser, avoid hot water and moisturise regularly. If skin remains flaky and dry, you may want to see a dermatologist.
Oily skin is more prone to acne and blackheads, so go for oil-free options and do a gentle face scrub every second day. Don't scrub too much or often or you may cause your skin to produce more oil to compensate for the loss.
Bonus extras: If you can't stick to a daily regime, exfoliate once in a while to help shed dead skin and give skin a lift. Do a facemask once a week to clear out pores - if you're lucky, your partner might do it for you, and if you are really lucky, she may not tell her mates. Or yours.
Hair: coming clean
In general, there isn't a whole lot of difference between the needs of men and women when it comes to shampoos and conditioners.
Men are, however, less likely to want to smell like a meadow of fresh flowers in springtime, which is why less fragrant products specifically for men are gaining in popularity.
Men who exercise a lot, use a lot of hair product or wear caps or hard hats for work may find, though, that they do need something that cleanses more. Try American Crew peppermint cleanse shampoo.
Excess hair product not only looks unappealing but can also lead to scalp problems. When it comes to styling products, go for one that gives more of a matt textured look - not shiny gels - and don't apply too much.
Living colour
When grey hairs start winning the battle, it may be time to hit the bottle. But dying your hair and looking like you dye your hair are two different things.
At-home options like the Just for Men range can be bought at pharmacies and are advertised as being very subtle. They are definitely easier to apply than women's dyes, and can just be shampooed in.
And for those who were not so pleasantly surprised by a red mo this Movember, this range also offers a dye for facial hair.
If you don't trust yourself, salons are increasingly stocking male-specific ranges such as L'Oreal Professional Homme, which blends the grey away instead of block-colouring it for a more subtle result.
Wax on, wax off
In the 1980s, countless television-watching women swooned over a moustached, hairy-chested Magnum PI. But, sadly for the more hirsute man, those heady hairy days are over and so is body hair.
It makes sense then that one of the most popular requests from men at salons these days is for a back and chest wax.
I'm not going to lie to you, it's going to hurt. But just try and relax, keep breathing and be glad you're not doing the bikini line. The pain gets less the more often you do it and the result is worth it.
Don't try this at home, you'll never go the distance and you'll end up looking like a badly mowed lawn.
Smell of success
Christmas shopping used to be simple. An advert would come on the telly: a small girl carefully wraps a box of Old Spice.
"I love the smell of daddy," she says, snuggling up to a handsome, square-jawed bloke in an Aaron sweater. "And so does mummy," the supermodel on his other side says. SOLD!
You can still find Old Spice (it's so retro it's almost cool again) at pharmacies or you could just leave the '80s behind and check out your nearest fragrance counter for something new.
Anecdotal evidence suggests younger men are drawn to whatever is new while older men tend to stick with what they know, so bear this in mind if shopping for someone else.
"Safe" options to suit anyone are DKNY (crisp and clean) and Issey Miyake L'Eau dIssey Pour Homme (fresh, spicy and woody).
Mega popular right now is Sean John Unforgivable (from the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy), while classic favourites include Chanel Allure Sport (fresh, woody and spicy) and Aramis (strong and spicy).
For something totally unique, Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male has the unusual scent of lavender and vanilla, which miraculously still comes across as masculine.
Obvious - yet worth repeating
- Once hair shows outside a nose or ear it is no longer a personal hygiene problem - it's in the public domain. Invest in a nose hair trimmer.
- Eyebrows are better than eyebrow - pluck to make two if you have to.
- Ponytails are fine - if you're happy to look like a German porn star.
- Deoderants and antiperspirants are not the same thing. Deoderant merely masks a bad smell while antiperspirants stop you from sweating.
- Hands are fairly important to us in our lives but are often neglected. Apply hand cream and sunscreen and keep nails clean, trimmed and filed.
- The comb over fools no one. Better to keep remaining hair short or shaved and don't even think about a toupee.
