5 Beauty Tips For Men

After spending over a decade working in the beauty industry, I have discovered that men are every bit as self-conscious as women, and sometimes even more so. Unfortunately, if you are a man, you have very few places to turn for beauty advice. While your wives or girlfriends may have the best of intentions, it is seldom wise to follow their advice since men have very distinct and unique grooming needs. Simply put, what works for a woman doesn't always work for a man. Here are a few beauty tips for men everywhere, as given by another man.

1. Moisturize. This is the single most important key to having good skin. As men, our very lifestyles can wreak havoc on our skin. Fast-food diets, smoky bar rooms, and exposure to sunlight can all cause premature aging. Why do you need to moisturize your face? The same reason why you pull out your old leather baseball glove once a year and oil it.

2. Sunscreen. By the time you notice the effects of UV damage to the skin, it is usually too late to do anything about it. Research suggests that the majority of the damage which occurs to our skin happens in our teens and 20's, even though the effects are not seen until we are in our 30's or 40's.

3. Eyebrows. The eyebrows are the frame of the face, and wild and bushy eyebrows will only detract from your other features. Eyebrow grooming is not difficult; simply go to the salon every 6-8 weeks and have them trimmed, tweezed, or waxed. Make sure that your stylist doesn't go overboard with the arching, as this can look feminine. You only want your brows maintained, not re-shaped.

4. Ears, nose, and neck. As a man ages, he will discover hair growing in places where hair has no business growing. Unfortunately, this usually happens right around the time when hair stops growing in the places you want it to. Just as old people migrate to Florida upon retirement, your hair will seem to migrate from your scalp to your ears, neck and nose as you get older. Ask your barber or stylist to check these areas and keep them hair-free. Do not be embarrassed to ask; they have been thoroughly trained in this area.

5. Hands and Nails. No woman wants to be touched by hands that are callused, with fingernails that are jagged and caked with dirt and car grease. There is nothing effeminate about getting manicures. After all, they are called manicures, not girlicures! In my salon, about 30% of our manicure clients are men, who come from all walks of life and backgrounds. Everyone from lawyers to mechanics to truck drivers get them, maybe you should too.