Words: Holly
Ah, the morning grooming routine! The bathroom ritual that takes place around the same time every day. Walk in a caveman. Stumbling around, knocking into sharp hard objects. Unable to open both eyes. Furry mouth. Croaky voice. Plus, your hair is a mess. But then as if by magic, within a matter of minutes you emerge a new man – the very best version of yourself, bright eyes, smooth skin, flashing that famous white smile – you are ready to take on the day. Renewed, replenished, you have become a man. All in under 15 minutes at that. So, in the interest of the sacred routine, we let you know the 5 things that you should be doing every morning.
PRE ROUTINE – DRINK 1 PINT OF WATER, No matter how much self restraint it takes to remove your hand from the espresso machine and reach instead for the tap, this is a regular routine that should be engrained in you. Not only will the cold water wake you up, the benefits to your skin and general grooming are unmatchable.
1. BRUSH, FLOSS, RINSE, Hopefully you’ve got the whole teeth brushing thing down by this age, but the best way to get you feeling semi-human first thing is a clean mouth, and we’re talking the full whack – brush, floss and mouth wash. £250 – amazon.co.uk
2. SHOWER, WASH, CONDITION, Next stop, the shower, where you rid yourself of the previous nights sleep (not to mention antics – whatever they may have been). The full body wash down using a bar of soap just isn’t good enough these days, if you’ve got dry skin, then we suggest this soap-free wash with coconut extract to create a naturally foaming lather (ESPA £19 – espaskincare.com). You should wash your hair every other day – too often and you’ll loose natural oils, we suggest Aesop Shampoo & Conditioner £33 – aesop.com
3. CLEANSE/CLEAN/EXFOLIATE, As with the body wash, washing your face with soap and water simply wont cut it either. You should use a face wash every morning to rid the skin of dirt and oil, and use a scrub once or twice a week to remove dead skin- this will also give you the ultimate shave. Clinique for men have everything a man could ever want for the face. Clinique For Men Face Scrub £18 – clinique.co.uk Clinique For Men Face Wash £15 – clinique.co.uk
4. SHAVE & MOISTURISE, For the best shave possible, you should only shave after (or even in) the shower. The hot water will open your pores and soften the hairs. Take note: whilst shaving against the grain may seem like a good idea, it will cause far more irritation. Instead, if you’re after a really close shave, then shave in the same direction of the hair, rinse, re-lather and shave again. Use a high quality shaving soap such as any on offer from Geo F Trumper for the best results possible, £16 – trumpers.com. Next, use a moisturising after shave lotion to soothe skin and avoid redness or shaving rashes, Clinique post shave £18 – clinique.co.uk. An extra layer of moisturiser after this has sunk in will give you a refreshed glow to last all day, try Clarins Men Super Moisture Balm £28 – clarins.co.uk
5. STYLE, BRUSH & TAME YOUR MANE, However low maintenance you may be, there is no excuse for not running a comb through your hair during your 15 minute morning routine, we also believe in a good few hair products such as a nourishing oil – whilst you might not care if your hair isn’t soft, trust us when we say that the girl running her hands through it certainly will, so try Argan Hair Oil £27 – kiehls.co.uk and use a good product to hold your style in place, £16 – kiehls.co.uk
POST ROUTINE – THE FINAL TOUCHES, Last up, spritz your chosen fragrance on and you’re set to go. At the moment, we can’t get enough of Aqua di Parma, £54 – houseoffraser.co.uk
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