Grooming Tips?
 

After a short discussion in #gfchat on the subject, I've decided that GFF could benefit from a thread like this. Since most members are in their teens and early 20s, hearing some tips on effective grooming should be rather welcome.

I've read that for those who have long hair, that Mane N' Tail conditioner is almost indispensable. You work it into the hair, by massaging or combing, while the hair is still wet, then let your hair dry naturally. You don't even need to rinse it out.

This is what they use on champion show horses and they've become legendary for their graceful manes. It's a shame that most people don't know about it, since horse hair and human hair is pretty similar in composition. I think you can find the stuff at any good pet supply store or tack & bridle shop.

My hair's too short for this to be very useful, as it's meant for longer hair. But my girlfriend uses it and I've seen firsthand how well it does its job. And it's odor-free too, which I'm sure would be a concern to some.


Also, if you have psoriasis, Vick's Vaporub can work wonders. Every other day, apply a modest daub to the affected area, work it in and try not to wipe the area free. Let is soak in. I've tried this myself and it does work.



What grooming techniques have you picked up over the years? Hear about any alternative uses for products that aren't normally meant for hygeine? LEt us know. I'm sure there's at least one pimply-faced kid on GFF who could use a push in the right direction.

This was mentioned by someone else in a different thread, but a little more publicity couldn't hurt.

If you have trouble with bad razor burn, shave WITH the grain of the hair (i.e. shave down your legs/face). I'll be honest, it doesn't get a close shave, but it will give your skin some time to heal up without having to look unshaven.

Also, for girls with acne, Neutrogena has a good line of make-up with salicylic acid, which can really help with the inflamation. I'm not a big make-up girl, but I use their cover-up and powder because they make my face less greasy and don't cause break-outs.

And if you have eczema, sun helps. In fact, sun helps complexion in general... If my face has broken out really badly, I go lay out in the sun long enough so that I get a light burn, and it will clear up within a couple of days (I'm afraid some people will jump on me about this one, since sunburn damages skin... but if one has a reeeally bad breakout, one's willing to go to great lengths to get some relief).

I dont have any, but I spike the frnt of my hair up recently, and its around medium length now. But its becomin annoying spiking it up after every shower, it takes forever to do, well not really but I dont like spending more than 10 minutes doin that to just the front of my hair. But then again, it has to be the way I want it, not just up. Has to be even and stuff lol. I dont think there is, but id like tips on how to complete that faster. :p

Guys; trim your nose hair. Don't braid it.

Sadly, I've met more than one person who thinks he "doesn't need to use deodorant." Trust me, if you're over the age of 14, you NEED to use antiperspirant/deodorant daily. Just because you can't smell yourself doesn't mean that other's can't.

Also, I second what Fresh Frank said about nose hair. Guys, please check your noses at least semi-frequently. I think that, in general, men aren't as naturally observant about things like that as women are, so write it on a calendar or something in case you forget to do it. Or just check it on the first and the fifteenth or something. You may not notice that you have something sprouting out of your nostrils, but she will.

If you wear the same pair of shoes every day, your feet will reek. You need to alternate between at least two or three pairs of shoes.

Yeah, that can actually work really well. I just used to quickly sculpt before lying down, as applying the product was a little more difficult with your head hanging back.

For guys just a little tip about styling your hair. Use wax rather than gel for spiking your hair. It's great for re-styling and it looks better in your hair rather than looking like you have a greasy mop hehe. Also for the best results for spiking your hair (This comes in really handy for people with thicker, wavy or even curly hair) try this out. It may take longer to do but it works wonders. Instead of just waxing your hair straight out, first wet your hair, blow dry it making the hair stick up on the top of your head. Get a good pair of straighteners and straighten your hair up the way. Then finally add the wax, defining where you want spikes.

I have thick curly hair and this is how my hair turned out hehe:

*Edit* Well I was going to post a pic of how my hair turned out but I don't have enough posts or something lol.

Clean your ears out with a Q-tip after you get out of the shower. You get more out that way.

Also, don't use a real heavy conditioner every day and dont apply it to your scalp, only your ends. Your hair will lose all body and just feel dirty. If you have short hair, why bother? O_o

Also, if you have long hair and you want to put it up in a tight ponytail, lean over a bed or chair so your hair's falling to the floor and use a comb to comb it all into your hand, then use a hair tie. I used to put my hair into a tight ponytail every day and no, it doesn't make your hairline recede. (that's what some girls told me in elementary school >_>)

Also, for people with braces, go out and buy the flossers with a stiff end. My dentist gave me these stupid plastic needly things and they were just too much trouble. The floss kept slipping out. :/

When brushing my teeth I like to let the toothpaste lather build up and sit on my teeth for about 15-30 seconds. The extra tingling I feel lets me know that the toothpaste is working to its full effect, and I've actually noticed a 1-2 shade difference since using this method.

...oh. >_> *fail*

*stands in corner*

If you ever have to use hairspray, I suggest using Bed Head's Maxxed Out Hairspray. It's a smaller bottle than the typical aerosol cans and it doesn't smell like hairspray, but it holds just as well. My hair never stays curled and this held the curls all through prom.

Do you have soft hair? As for me, I have thick hair. I gel it up when it's dry or a lil bit of water in it. It doesn't even take me 2 minutes to do it. If you have soft hair, it's easier to gel it up when it's dry or if you use Elmo's glue. I have a school mate that actually uses Elmo's glue. It does the same job, but it's a harder material.

Aww come on Alice ! Sweaty men rock !

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/6582/1000897tz5.jpg



Seriously though ; has anyone tried coconut oil on their hair? It leaves it in excellent form and does wonders to smooth it. I find using fresh coconut oil on my hair makes it alot more manageable and shiny. I'm a guy but i have long hair (past my shoulders).

Recently though the front part of my hair's becoming frail and weirdly enough it's like it doesn't belong to me, i have straight , strong shiny hair, and this part is dull, fucked up and almost zig-zagged. Any suggestions to help with it? (i'm in a humid area)

I dont use deoderant :milk:

Ladies, try schick intuition, it really is the best thing ever if you are phobic of hairy legs like me :afro: it takes like 30 seconds to do each leg

I found this works best for body odor. I've been buying ineffective deodorant for too long so I decided to take action. All you need is baking soda and lemon juice. After coming out of the shower. Take half a teaspoon of baking soda, mix it in lemon juice, and apply it to your body. It'll fizz for the first few seconds but that's harmless. Guaranteed no body odor the whole day.

Yeah, I got soft hair, I usually do it after I shower. But then its so hard because after I apply it and put it to the desired position, it wilts down a bit. I usually have to wait for it to dry up a bit then apply a bit more then itll stay for the most part. Still will wilt some though. :(

This is for girls .... get a good facial moisturiser with a high spf (prevent sun damage, so you don't look old early,) and mix it with your foundation. Everything smooths on better.

God help your family and friends if you're not kidding, although I think women can get by with this more than men can. For some reason we're just not as stinky.

You know, some people simply don't have apocrine glands. They literally can't stink.

For those of us that do, I've found that shaving my pit hair allows me to use much less deodorant and go longer without reapplying, as it reduces the surface area on which bacteria can breed.

Maybe it's just because I live in a really hot place, but I don't understand why a guy ever wouldn't wear an undershirt. I'm not too intune with what girls are into, but I can't imagine that having huge sweaty pit stains your shirt is very good.

Plus, it's like a backup insurance policy, you don't need to reapply deodorant if you change your shirt, just leave the undershirt on.

Not a massive amount, but sun also helps. That's why they tell you not to go outside when you use topical solutions, because they activate some things similar to what the sun does. Always helped when I was younger.

Not that skin cancer and a wrinkley face is any better, but sunblock is a good policy anyway.

I never floss. Ever. I've also never had a cavity and wore braces for 8 years.

My doctor told me the single most important thing is to use the special braces toothpaste that is available every night. If your orthodontist doesn't give it to you already, ask for it. My dentist has told me that it was a massive protection plan for my teeth, even if I hadn't had braces.

People also never brush the back of their teeth well enough.

My latin pores sweat out nothing but delicious coconut milk

Specific pores, to be fair.

So what's the deal with conditioner? Should I even be using it with short hair? I tend to use Dove conditioner every day when I shower. It makes it feel so smooth afterwards. Is it a bad idea to condition daily?

At work, a good guideline is to dress slightly better than everyone else. Dress like your boss, and you look promotable. Don't dress too much above your position or you look ridiculous. Do over-dress for an interview or first day, if you don't know how to do it. (Exception for construction sites and the like, obviously).

For a professional position, if you wear jeans they have to be new and solid coloured. And probably only on Friday.

Question: how do you pick good glasses? Unfortunately, I'm going to want some for awhile (at least until my eyes "stabilize" and Lazik is possible). I presume you can't get the lenses too small or it's a pain in the ass to look out of.

Question 2: Some people advocate "peacocking" when going out to pick up at bars, malls, etc. Wearing something distinctive, like a crazy hat, glasses, boots, to call attention to yourself and stand out. Yes/no?

Go to the store and just try a bunch on until you find some that look nice on you. Take a friend or ask the people in the store.

If it looks nice, sure, but all of that sounds ridiculous to me.

Anyone have good advice on eczema? I developed it a couple of years ago, about 6 months before I was diagnosed with diabetes (I have NO idea if they're correlated, or if 18 is a strange age to get eczema), and it's still going strong. It's on my hands, and they're very dry because I wash them so much... I'm kind of a germ-a-phobe. So aside from the whole "don't wash your hands as much" and "use lotion" advice, whaddaya got?

Get a Cortisone cream. I think you need a prescription to get it, so go to your doctor and ask him/her about it. It helps a lot. I used to get it on my ankles and feet when I was little, and I get it on my hands now if I use anti-bacterial soaps. That might be part of your problem, too. I use Ivory soap for everything now.

The best razors are the old safety - one blade razors. The shave the closest and if you do it right, cut the least and cause the least irritation. Together with a good lather and a wet face, it's incredible. Don't push down though.

Also, Hi everyone. Some kid named Lukage told me to come here.

The best way to have a perfectly shaped head of hair all the time is to shave it all off.

When I did used to have hair though, I can say that VO5 Sculpting Wax is just about the best option for any sort of gravity defying styling. It holds pretty solid without the horrible stickiness you get with gel.

Also, always, always iron a shirt before you wear it. Even ones that claim to be non-iron need ironing. Especially be sure to iron a shirt before you wear it the first time otherwise you'll likely have stupid horizontal creases across your chest. People in scrumpled shirts look like twats, simple as that.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Never tuck a t-shirt or shirt into your trousers unless you have on a jacket or a tie. Not only do you look like a fucking tool with it tucked in, it also accentuates your belly.

Generally yes, however if you have to ask, then probably no. It's only good if you really know what you're doing and have a good sense of your own style, otherwise you'll just look like a tool.

I second everything said here, especially the part about tucking in your shirt. Even if you don't have a belly, just don't do it.

Random retort: The best thing in the world to get blood out of clothes is your own spit. Your body produces enzimes or whatever to disolve your own blood much more effectively. (I tend to do this when I get a new razor)

I have never ironed a single piece of clothing I own. I'm comfortable, and I don't have to put any effort into being comfortable. I even got a really, really good job in a wrinkled pair of pants. *shrug*

If you think you might get bad breath, go buy a tongue scraper. We bought one for my dad a long while back and the improvement was instant. Shortly afterwards I bought one for myself since my best friend had really rough bad breath and I started to become really self conscious about it worrying that maybe mine was bad and I just didn't notice. Used the same guy for at least four years now, and it just broke the other day (noooooo ;_; ). Gotta buy a new one at the supermarket as soon as possible since I'm constantly worried that I stink now. :(

Also, I totally agree with BM. I don't know why any guy would wear a shirt without an undershirt. When it's cold out, you get an extra layer for warmth. When it's hot out, your undershirt will stick to you, but your other one won't (at least, not as noticably). It's also good if you get pit stains because they're on cheap undershirts instead of your normal shirts.

And for whoever it was above that was asking about glasses, bring a person or two whose sense of style either agrees with your own or you can trust to do a good guess at what kind of glasses you'd like instead of what they like. When I go shopping for new glasses I can't really see myself in them (have to be within 4" of the mirror to get a good view, so I can't really see how I look overall), so I really need someone else's help to do it. Also, don't worry about lenses being too small; I've had really big lenses as well as tiny ones and you get used to it either way. The only problem is if they aren't wide enough and you can't see out your passenger-side mirror in your car. I hated having to constantly turn my head to look out that one.

The best tip I can give to my fellow hairy men is that shaving cream is a scam. It just makes your skin mushy and weak. If you were handed a can of shaving cream the day you hit puberty, you may not even know that you can shave without it. Try it, I guarantee your skin will thank you.

:eyebrow: Will, that is terrible advice.

Unless you feel the need to have horrible red bumps all over your skin, a rough face, and buy new razor blades every week, I don't suggest taking it.

No, if the razor is sharp enough, there's really no need to use cream. Maybe it just takes some time to get used to it.

Maybe it's different for women, but dry-shaving is HORRIBLE for my skin. I've done it many times when I've been in too much of a hurry to bother with shaving cream or soap (which works just as well, at least for me) and the results are always really, really bad.

They are. That's why it's important to always change the blades on your razor and apply aftershave, preferably one with skin moisturizers, so that your face doesn't start feeling like a freshly plucked chicken.

I find shaving cream to be effective for reducing irritation and conditioning the hair as well as providing a slicker and more lubricated surface for your razor. I don't think it has an effect on the actual shaving of hair or how well of a shave you get. My face feels less irritated afterwards when I use some type of cream or gel, I guess because not as much raw skin comes up with the razor and the razor cut through the hair much more neatly because the hair was softer.

I don't know if it weakens the face. In seven to eight years of shaving I've drawn blood precisely two times, and purely by accident, so cutting myself is the least of my worries.

Razor bumps occur when a hair has been cut too close and falls below the surface of the skin. When it begins to grow back, it grows into the skin rather than out. Its most common with people who have curly hair.

I use shaving gel becuase I find it helps soften my particuarlly tough facial hair. Hot water and shaving gel means I get a shave the feels like I'm actually cutting the hairs off rather than ripping them out of my skin.

Dry shaving is terrible for my skin as well. I normally just use soap and water and I get a nice, smooth shave.

All you people and your shaving abilities. I'm convinced that my skin just sucks. I've tried everything... various after-stuff, various gels, soaps, shampoos, razors, dry/wet... BOSH. If anyone out there SERIOUSLY had HORRIBLE razorburn every time they shaved and found something to magically make it disappear... let me know.

No clue if they do, but are there electric razors for women? I've found that my electric can give me a pretty darned close shave and there's no need for any sort of shaving gel or special treatment with it.

I've got a bad case of razor bumps on the side of my neck, just under the curve of the jawline. It's fucking terrible. Been there for years. I CAN'T GET RID OF THEM. Yes, my hair is a bit curly. It really bothers me. It makes people think that I have acne.

I've been noticing an improvement with my razor bumps. I started using a battery operated Gillette Fusion. It somehow feels like the shave isn't as close as with my Mach 3 Turbo... I also bought Neutrogena Razor Defense Moisturizer and I apply that after I've shaved and washed my face with one of their facial cleansing bars. Oh, and I ONLY shave after getting out of the shower.

Important Question: Where can I find aftershave scented like Calvin Klein's Eternity for Men? I want to start using it for some anti-razor bumpness, but I don't want it to clash with my cologne. If that doesn't exist, does anybody know of a decent aftershave with an easily maskable scent?

Ouch. That sounds ungoldy painful.


I think alot of you would benefit from reading this:

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oh, I guess I can't post urls. Hmm. I'll do it in code.

By ingrown hairs, do you mean those little hairs that you keep trying to shave off before you realize they're hiding under a very thin and transparent layer of skin? I've been getting a lot of those, lately... I just peel the skin off of them; mine aren't too bad.

Also, Racin Reaver: I have used electric shavers in the past--for women and for men. I have one right now (a pretty good one), and I've found that it (and electric razors in general) doesn't get a very close shave. My razor burn isn't as bad when I use electric, but it's still painful enough that I have to wait a few days to shave again.

I'll toss it into quotes for you since it is a pretty well-written article. I've read a few other people on other forums talk about how much they enjoy shaving themselves in a style smilar to that and i've always thought about taking it up, but I've always wondered exactly how much time it takes to do one of those sorts of shaves. Also, if it's really worth it since my hair tends to grow in super-slow (apparently it's hereditary in my mom's family) and odds are I won't need to shave more than every other day or so. How much does it cost to actually give that whole deal a shot?

Not too much. You can still get a cheap safety razor. The real cost comes from the brush, which costs around 30 dollars. It's acutally worth it. Unfortunatly, I can't really use one in the dorm. A big perk is that the ladies like it. At least, I hope they do.

I'd like to go straight razor at some point in my life, if only for the badass factor. That's a big step though.

Colgate makes a new toothbrush, I think it's called the 360, that comes with a tongue scraper on the back of the brush. It's cool too, because as you brush the front of your teeth, it can scrub the insides of your cheeks a bit too.

Electric Razors dont leave your legs smooth ;(

Im telling you, if you ladies arent using schick intuition you are fools 8-)

Stubbly, hairy fools

My barber at home actually uses a straight razor for a bit of my trims (along the sideburns and back of my neck) and I don't really like the feel of it a whole lot. I'm not sure if it's just because he doesn't take super-good care of it (which would come as a huge surprise to me) or if I'm just not used to the feeling, but I can feel every little hair as it's being cut. Maybe it's just me using an electric. :(

BM, I'll have to buy that brush the next time I'm at the store since my current one is getting pretty worn out anyway.

Edit: Also, while brushing my teeth this morning, I remembered the guy that posted about how he lets the foamy stuff from brushing his teeth sit on there for a minute. That's actually a really good idea since the stuff inside your toothpaste takes at least 45 seconds to have an appreciable absorption by your teeth. That's why whenever your dentist brushes your teeth you have to sit there for a few minutes after he finishes before you're allowed to rinse. I've started a regime of brushing my teeth first, then washing my face, scraping my tongue, and doing everything else before I rinse my mouth out now.

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If anything, shaving cream is the cause of all your shaving woes. And you can't expect to be able to shave without shaving cream right away after so many years of mistreating your face. You have to give it time to become strong and manly again.

Just do it right out of the shower, leave hot water on the tap to keep the blades warm, maybe use some baby oil, and you're set.

Blackheads - Make a mixture of Baking soda and water until it's almost like a paste, and scrub onto the area. I've never actually tried this, but I've heard it works

Dry skin - Make an egg white mask. Just as it says. Seperate egg whites from yolk, apply to face, let dry up, rinse off. A less disgusting mask... you can mix Oatmeal (plain oatmeal) and honey, apply to face, let sit for 15-20 minutes, rinse.

Lifeless hair - Add luster to your hair with old beer. It could be new beer, but aged/flat beer works best. Shampoo as normal, squeeze excess water from hair. Pour beer onto hair, work through well, then rinse with lukewarm water.

For girls who don't like to wear a lot of make up, and find that their skin is a little pasty, invest in a tinted moisterizer. Or, if you have foundation, mix a little bit of your regular moisterizer with it. If you need a little color, try a gel bronzer and mix that in with it.