Male grooming made easy

Here's a little window into my morning routine.

I crawl reluctantly out of bed. I have a shower, during which I wash my face with soap, and if necessary shampoo my hair. Sometimes I shave. Then I have breakfast. That's it.

It's a routine that prioritises speed and simplicity and it's what I've been doing since my mother stopped taking care of my personal hygiene (sometimes with spit and a hanky - never forget, never forgive) several decades ago.

It's also, I now discover, no good at all.

 
According to people who know about these things, it's a routine that will make me look older than my years (if I don't already), and rougher than I feel.

So it's about time I dropped the self-destructive machismo that has stopped me embracing the male grooming revolution and got down with the moisturiser. Here's how.

But where to start? It's fair to say that my knowledge of the Boots men's section is restricted to the little corner with the razor blades. And boy, hasn't our aisle grown?

But 'oily', 'combination', 'exfoliating', 'toner' - what on Earth does it all mean?

According to Esther Fieldgrass, skincare expert and founder of EF MediSpa (www.efmedispa.com), choosing skincare products isn't tricky. You just need to match them to your skin type.

"All the categories merely imitate the feel of your skin when you run your fingers over it," she says. "There's oily, dry, normal and combination and the products on the market cater for these differences."

Apparently, combination means you have some dry bits and some oily bits. Don't get the wrong product for your skin type, says Fieldgrass. It could exacerbate existing problems, making oily skin oilier, dry skin drier and so on.

If in doubt, do as I did and ask a female friend what skin type she thinks you have. If you're lucky, your friend won't say, "wrinkly".

 
And having identified your skin type, it's time to indulge. Apparently, soap has a tendency to dry skin out and most experts recommend a dedicated facial cleanser.

"It's proven that men have substantially larger pores than women, which means that it's even more important for them to deep cleanse," says Fieldgrass.

There are lots of cleansers on the market, so experiment with a few. A good rule of thumb is that if your skin feels tight after cleansing you may have washed away too much of its protective oil. In which case, try a gentler cleanser.

Scraping your face with a sharp blade doesn't sound like the fast track to smooth skin, but there are ways you can make shaving easier and kinder.

 
"The key to a painless shave is to use plenty of warm water before shaving," says Tom Trueman at www.shaving-shack.com. "Either have a bath or shower or use a hot flannel to soften the bristles and open the pores."

In fact, a good shave is something of an art, as Trueman explains. "Slowly, and using short strokes, shave with the grain ie in the same direction as the hair growth. Failure to do so can cause razor burn, redness and rashes."

Afterwards, rinse with cool water and pat dry with a towel. Apply a non-alcohol based aftershave to stop the skin drying out.

It really is the golden rule of skincare. After you've washed and shaved, dollop on the moisturiser.

"Cast aside your preconceptions - there is nothing emasculating about applying moisturiser," says Fieldgrass. "Moisturising your skin keeps it supple and makes you look youthful in later life."

After washing and shaving pat your face dry with a clean towel and then add the gloop with the tips of your fingers. Think oil- or silicon-based moisturisers for dry skin, and oil-free lotions for oily skin.

Clean deeply, shave carefully, and moisturise daily. Your skin will look great...it's just a shame about your hair.

Yes, a seasonal short back and sides and a weekly comb is no longer considered the height of male hair care (progress eh? Pah!). But healthy looking hair doesn't need to be difficult.

Again, the key is to moisturise. "If you don't moisturise your hair enough it can become frizzy," says hairdresser Nick Malenko of Royston Blythe at The Dorchester (www.roystonblytheatthedorchester.com).

"Using a moisturising conditioner will not only de-frizz the hair but also give a much healthier, shinier look."

Malenko also calls time on the quarterly trim. "Even if you're growing your hair out, it's important to trim it regularly as this stimulates new hair cells and makes it look healthier."

By all means experiment with dark circle creams, spot treatments, toners andface masks. But don't feel you have to. For most of us, these grooming basics really are all we need.