Now that winter is coming to an end, it’s about time to get into a good routine. Eating right, exercising and buying some new clothes is always an excellent step but don’t forget the fundamentals! When you look groomed and styled, you’ll make an outstanding first impression as well as feel your absolute best when you step out outside and head into the world.

Below are 8 absolutely essential grooming tips to make sure that you look your very best:

1 – Never Forget Your Sunscreen

Whether you’re heading out for a day at the beach or travelling just between your home and school/work, don’t forget your sunscreen! Even when the sun’s rays are at their weakest, they can still do plenty of damage to light skin.

On regular days when you aren’t spending a lot of time outdoors, a facial moisturiser with an SPF rating of 15 or higher ought to do the trick. Remember, the component of sunlight that causes cancer and accelerates the ageing process in your skin is ultraviolet (UV) light, which comes in two types, UVA and UVB, so make sure your moisturiser protects against both kinds of UV light.

We recommend Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 Moisturiser

2 – Facial Hair Tips

Whether you’re rocking the clean-shaven look or have carefully tailored a beard, moustache, or both, that needs only occasional trimming, it’s important to shave correctly to avoid damaging your skin. Always begin your shave using hot water or following a hot shower and start by shaving with the grain of your hair.

For you guys with a proper beard, make sure you use a good facial scrub once or twice a week. This will knock out those itchy dead skin cells under the hair and clean out your pores so they don’t develop ingrown hairs. If your beard starts to feel dry and stiff, invest in a quality beard oil, effectively “conditioner” for facial hair that’ll leave your beard soft and smelling fantastic.

We recommend Milkman Beard oil & Beard Shampoo

3 – The Proper Way to Clean Your Face

Many guys master the use of styling gels and intricately-trimmed facial hair but fail to realise that the single most important grooming step to get right is washing the face.

Your skin needs a little bit of oil to stay supple and look healthy, so avoid cheap soaps that dry out your face. Invest in a foaming face wash or facial gel to get your face properly clean without stripping it of essential moisture.

We recommend Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

4 – Facial Moisturisers

After a proper facial wash, it’s essential to use a good moisturiser. In the winter, you’ll want heavier creams but even in the summer a light moisturiser will do wonders towards keeping your face looking healthy and clean.

For guys with sensitive skin, avoid moisturisers made from an alcohol base or containing strong fragrances. If your skin runs on the oily side, try a moisturiser containing salicylic acid.

We recommend Dermalogica Active Moist or Skin Smoothing Cream

5 – Floss

Everyone knows the necessity of brushing after every meal but it’s also important to do a proper flossing. Not only will this keep you from smiling at people with bits of food in your teeth but a good flossing will remove the bacteria that is the principle cause of bad breath.

6 – Take Care of Your Tools

A well-groomed man is only as good as his tools, so be sure to keep yours in good nick. For razors that can go in the water, be sure to blast them with some hot water after every shave and then allow them to properly air dry. If it’s too humid in your neighbourhood to air dry, turn your hair dryer on them for a minute or two.

For electric razors and beard trimmers that can’t be washed, use a small brush to clean off the hair bits and then lubricate them once or twice a month with clipper oil.

We recommend Razor Pit Sharpener

7 – Body Moisturisers

Unless you live on a nudist colony, the various parts of your body that bend will be continuously rubbing against your clothes. This means your elbows, knees, and calves tend to get dried out really easily, so be sure to apply a quality body moisturiser to keep from developing dry and/or flaky skin. Pick a good moisturiser with plenty of Vitamin E to keep your body skin supple and smooth.

We recommend Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream

8 – Taking Care of Your Disappearing Hair

If your hair is starting to thin out, living in denial is not the answer. Skip the comb-over and try out a shorter haircut in combination with volumising shampoos to make the most of what you have left. Avoid any styling products like sprays or gels that add weight to your hair and make it look clumpy.

More expensive options include hair transplants and trying out Cerafill by Redken for Men but if balding seems inevitable, take the plunge and rock the clean-shaven head look.

We recommend Cerafill by Redken for Men

Final Word

Good grooming isn’t about blowing money on pseudo science. Make these your new routine and you’ll look noticeably better all year long.