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Men of the 21st Century have now acquired a finer taste for their presentation. Time in the bathroom once spent tending to bare essential tasks has become a cultural marker of a man. Men of all ages, shapes, sizes, and hair surface area, are caring more about how they look and feel.
And social media has nothing to do with it. Instead, it is an awakening of what it means to be a man. Confidence, class, and charisma are long forgotten aspects of manliness, but now they’re resurfacing. It all begins with the naked self, in the bathroom or at the barber, reclaiming what it means to be M-A-N.
If you are one of us revolutionaries of the male species, the following eight grooming tips are certainly worth knowing. In fact, all men should know them. From manscaping to your signature scent, let’s take a deeper, manlier look.
1. Shower Once, Twice Daily
If you are not showering daily, and don’t have a manly excuse like war, climbing Everest, or hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, your man card is in jeopardy. According to an Angie’s List study, only 66 percent of people shower daily.
Showering once daily is important, and if you can fit two in, one in the morning and one in the evening, you are ahead of the game. Showering after a run or lifting at the gym is also recommended.
2. Manscape Regularly
Did you know Romans manscaped regularly? That was a pretty manly society, and you can bring this grooming habit back to life. You’re also not alone. In fact, there’s now an entire industry dedicated to manscaping.
In today’s digital age, men can hop online and check out sites for advice and products. Those with whom you have intimate interactions with will also thank you for manscaping on the reg.
3. Trim Your Nails
Long fingernails and toenails are not in any way shape or form trendy. They are also not very manly. You certainly don’t need to go to the nail salon, but you should probably keep your bear claws trimmed and clean. This is especially important for you toenails, since they can be easily forgotten and exposed unintentionally.
4. Don’t Forget Deodorant
Most would assume that deodorant is a no brainer. Men sweat, and deodorant can help that. However, some men don’t wear deodorant, or care about what they smell like. Deodorant can help make you smell better, but it has also has been found to scientifically amp up your masculinity.
Research published in Evolution and Human Behavior (2016) concluded, “Men are able to use deodorant to artificially raise their game so to speak, leveling the playing field by making themselves comparable, at least as far as odor is concerned, to more masculine men.”
5. Floss!
Teeth are important because most people look at your smile when meeting you. Yes, brushing is important, but so is flossing. Unfortunately, 63 percent of people don’t floss with 20 percent lying about it to dentists.
Are you lying to your dentist? Don’t be a statistic and make flossing a manly grooming ritual today.
6. Get A Barber
Hair has become a defining feature men are taking a bit more serious. Ever see the Jersey Shore? You don’t need to get too crazy, but visiting a barber regularly can be beneficial to upping your manliness. To make this grooming tip come to fruition, find a barber who cuts your hair the way you like it, and is someone you don’t mind talking to for 30 minutes to an hour. Then book your barber appointments in advance.
7. Groom Those Brows
Grooming your eyebrows doesn’t make you less of a man. In fact, it can enhance your manliness, especially if you have a unibrow or look like Albert Einstein. This is a time-consuming grooming task, but you can have your barber (see above) take care of those brows once a month.
8. Find Your Scent
Smelling good is important for obvious reasons. But there’s a line you can’t cross. Punching people in the face with an offensive odor. First, find your signature scent and stock up. Next, don’t take a shower in the stuff. Your scent should be subtle enough to flare the nostrils of anyone walking by, but also not too overpowering when getting a bit more intimate.
Go Forth And Groom
The above eight grooming tips all men should know are not the be-all, end-all. They are, however, among the most important. The reawakening of man has become important in today’s bustling world, so go forth and groom yourself with confidence.
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