Grooming Shortcuts Every Guy Should Know

Image via Complex Original

Dealing with greasy skin can make you feel like a New York slice of garbage, especially when those pepperoni-sized zits start showing up. So when you’re at work and think you’re shimmering more than normal, grab some coffee filters and get to wiping. The filters are highly absorbent and won’t be rough on the skin. Just make sure no one walks in on you unless you want to have a grooming-centric conversation with HR.

If you’re out of shaving cream or are just looking for a little more moisture for your skin, grab that hair conditioner out of the shower. As the perfect substitute for shaving cream, the natural moisturizing effects of hair conditioner help soften the skin and hair on your face just like they would on the top of your head, leading to a smooth, refreshing shave.

All of us are always low on time and looking for shortcuts to help us get ready quicker in the morning. Usually, shaving can be one of those time-sucking activities, especially when you hop out of the shower, apply your shaving cream and have to wait a few minutes before you can get to it. To save time, try shaving in the shower as you cleanse the rest of your filthy self. The direct contact with the steam also helps to open your pores and preps them for the close, nick-free shave that you’re praying for.

It’s easy to go cheap on a razor that promises X and Y and can just “get the job done,” but you shouldn’t settle for “done” when it needs to be “done right.” There’s a reason that a five-blade, high quality razor costs a little more up front as opposed to a cheap replaceable one—it’s because it gives you everything that you need up front for a healthy shave while saving you money in the long run.

Quality razors last long and work well without needing the regular maintenance that—you guessed it—costs you money. Don’t cheat yourself out of the perfect shave. Shell out a few extra dollars as you could be paying for it in pain and embarrassment later.

We don’t all have time for a haircut, even on the days when you know you shouldn’t be walking out of the house with it as long as it is. Luckily, a simple life hack like a side part can help alleviate some of those ghastly looks you’d get had you gone super-shaggy. Side parts give the appearance of a cleaner look without snipping an inch. And if you’re going multiple days without a cut, move the part to the other side to switch it up. Optical illusions are your hair’s best friend.

Running out of deodorant in the morning sucks, and water and soap simply will not ward off the stankiness and wetness throughout the entirety of the day. So head on down to your kitchen, grab and mix one-part baking soda and six-parts cornstarch and rub it onto your armpits. It will combat odor and wetness without forcing you to run to the store with napkins in your shirt.

On hot days or place that crank up the heat to comat winter, sometimes our nether regions begin to fester, creating a proverbial swamp that will not put you on anyone’s popularity list. By applying a talcum-based powder on your genital area, it helps absorb all the funkiness and keeps away wetness longer than a cornstarch-based powder would. Apply carefully because it can easily turn messy if you go overboard.

If you wear cologne, it's entirely possible that it could clash with the soap or body wash that you also use. Sometimes, layering different types of scents can offset or, even worse, give off a sour odor. So next time you buy a new body wash or cologne, make sure the smells are complementary because you may not have to use as much cologne to really make it pop off pleasantly.

Sure, soap is great for cleansing the skin and keeping your nice and fresh, but you’re going to have those times when you feel extra filthy where even a proper shower can’t get all of the dirt off of your face. Rubbing alcohol is an astringent that will remove any trace of dirt when applied after washing your face. No need to scrub and scrub with the soap—just put a dab of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and wipe the excess filth away, you dirty animal.