Men have always been characterized for carrying a rough and careless image to express masculinity. Times have changed, we have grown up, and after years of soaping up all our grooming needs, we have added products to our daily routine to help us achieve a fresh, clean and great looking appearance. If you are thinking about moving into the present, you could start by using these products today!
Check out these tips and product suggestions from our panel of esteemed grooming professionals!
Edward Cruz
Credits: People Magazine, Elle Magazine, Out Magazine, Chris Brown, Estelle
Website: edwardcruz.com
CLINIQUE Men’s Face Scrub $20.00 at Macy’s
Use it before shaving or as a way to maintain smoother & even skin tone. Fights ingrown hair on all skin types, and contains Salicylic Acid; a classic ingredient known by dermatologists for renewing skin cells.
Shiseido Future Solution LX Total Regenerating Night Cream $260.00 at SAKS
You WILL wake up with brighter, more vibrant looking skin. Stick to the motto “A little goes a long way”, when using this formula. Shiseido has patent protected their skin technology, which guarantees results that you will not find with other skin care lines.
OXY Maximum Face Wash $5.99
I found the beauty industry at a young age, in my struggles with acne. From time to time, as an adult, I still deal with breakouts. After spending thousands, and using EVERY prescribed and over the counter solution, to combat breakouts, I still to this day haven’t found a better solution. It kills bacteria, treats existing acne and preps the skin for the skincare you choose to follow with. Also note, the primary acne fighting ingredient in this face wash, is the same ingredient used in ProActive.
There is great value in drug store brands; Always remember that often times, the laboratories that create grooming products for luxury brands, are the same labs using the same ingredients for drug store brands.
Merrell Hollis
Credits: GQ Magazine, Details Magazine, Men’s Health Magazine, Usher, Sean Combs, Matthew McConaughey
Website: merrellhollis.com
ANTHONY’S Logistics For Men “Instant Fix Oil Control”
CLINIQUE “Dark Spot Corrector”
Fades Blemishes even those scars from razors or razor bumps
BENEFIT “The Porefessional”
Make lines, Pores , Scars seem Invisible
Blue Michael
Credits: Owner of Blue Michael Cosmetics, Nylon Guys Magazine, Instinct Magazine, Romeo Miller, Jackson Rathsbone, Cynthia Bailey
Website: bluemichaelcosmetics.com
First wash with a great product from Garnier “Moisture Rescue” face wash. Then after drying your face use Moisture Rescue. After I apply a little bit of Blue Michael Cosmetics Complexion Primer. Under your eyes , for dark circles, with my ring finger, tap a little of Blue Michael Cosmetics concealer. For the fresh well rested and ready to go grooming look for all men and lifestyles.
Ryan Nickulas
Credits: Owner of Ryan Darius Salon,
Website: ryandarius.com
For Skin I prefer:
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery for Eyes (Gently pat 2 drops under and around eyes)
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate (Apply 2-3 drops of this overnight treatment to clean skin before bed)
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer (Massage a small amount into clean skin for all day moisture relief)
OCC Skin Concealer (Use for opaque but adjustable coverage)
OCC Tint Moisturizer (Vegan and paraben free tint)
For Hair I love:
Oribe Shampoo for Brilliance & Shine / Oribe Conditioner for Brilliance & Shine (Lather and massage into hair for at least a minute before rinsing the shampoo and conditioner)
Oribe Rock Hard Gel (This cream gel gives hold, style and shine – work a small amount through wet hair, style and go!)
Oribe Fiber Groom (Fiber paste creates bounce, separation and elastic hold – rub between palms, run through hair and style as desired)
i-stubble by ConAir If you just need to trim your side burns or line up your whole beard – this is one of my top choices. I love this tool because it holds a charge for a long weekend , and it’s 15 precise length settings with advanced blade technology gives a quicker and more effective trim.
Billy B
Credits: Vanity Fair Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar Magazine, Sharon Stone, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Cindy Crawford, RuPaul’s Drag Race
Website: billybbeauty.com
My best recommendation would be Loreal Men’s Expert Hydra-Energetic Ice Cold Eye Roller; especially for the plane. Keep in fridge for extra cool!
Here are some tips to make you feel and look your best.
* SKINCARE If you aren’t lucky enough to visit Barber Bart, Smart Shave is the next best thing to getting a professional barber shave. The kit has exfoliating pads to prepare the beard, a shave cream and a calming toner.
* EYEBROWS Eyebrow grooming is important, but be careful not to get carried away, boys: You don’t want to look like your mother. Trim and shape your brows and, most importantly, trim your nose and ear hairs. Use small, blunt-end scissors; a tiny snip can cause a nasty bleed
* EYELASHES If, like me, you’re not ready for mascara, eyelash tinting is a great solution. This quick salon service is maintenance-free, lasts for three months, can brighten a dark eye to a more interesting color and make a light eye pop. Another tip: Some of us were born with “horse” lashes, so invest in a billybBEAUTY eyelash curler and gently curl your lashes to make them look fuller and open up your eye. (Just make sure to hide it when you’re done.)
OTHER PRODUCTS I LOVE
Kiehl’s Baby Lip Balm (in a stick)
Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree line. They use this at Barber Bart.
Kiehl’s Pour Homme Essence Oil. It’s my favorite fragrance. Try it—men and women alike will ask what you’re wearing. Who says girls have all the fun?
Mann Nance
Credits: American Salon Magazine, V Magazine, Nylon Magazine, Snoop Dog, Laz Alonso, Ed Asner, Courtney Love
Website: mannatwork.info
Enjoy Molding Paste for separation and texture
American Crew Fiber for form hold definition and MATTE finish
Bumble and Bumble SumoTech finishing paste. A cross between a wax and a pomade. Perfect for creating texture and light hold with a medium shine.
Mizani Rose H2O conditioning Creme Hairdress for ethnic hair for moisture, shine and control
Tend Skin Astringent for cleansing the skin after shaving. Perfect for preventing and treating razor bumps.
The MEN PEN….. concealer stick made specifically for men… naturally covers up blemishes and discoloration in real life and in media
4V00 silk enrich shine reduction powder…. a translucent powder that absorbs oil and shine
Kiehl›s Facial Fuel No Shine Hydrator….. a moisturizer that controls oil and shine throughout the day
Kielh›s Facial Fuel UV Guard Spf 50+…. Sunscreen with spf 50+ for uva/uvb protection YEAR ROUND
Mario Anton
Credits: Owner of Anton Acero Beauty Studio, Ocean Drive Magazine, People Magazine (Español), Eduardo Verastegui, Dayanna Mendoza
Website: antonacerostudio.com
Clinique Face Soap For Men Clinically formulated to meet men’s skin needs, leaving it fresh and clean. Go for regular strength if you skin is dry to average or extra strength if it is oily. Use twice a day, in the morning before shaving and at night before bed.
The Art Of Shaving Cream There are a lot of great things about this shaving cream, to start I would mention that is hypoallergenic, and alcohol-free which is ideal for men with sensitive skin, ingrown hair, razor burns or tough beards. It comes in different formulas depending on the skin type and it does not contain any synthetic fragrance. It has a whipped cream texture and it could drip if not applied correctly, a little bit does the trick.
A/Men/ity After Shave & Face Moisturizer.
Best thing about this product: Two in one. It is lightweight and helps maintain skin healthy and hydrate. It heals shaving related redness and irritation. Use every day after shaving or washing your face.
GO24.7 Shampoo and conditioner.
Shampoo: Nutrient rich, paraben-free, vitamin enriched, sulfate free, and infused with botanisil. An excellent source of vitamin for the hair in just one bottle.
Conditioner: Botanisil, gluten-free protein and menthol which stimulates the blood supply to the follicle and promotes hair growth.
Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy. Daily Anti-dandruff 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner.
For those men looking to control sclap problems and dandruff, this is my favorite shampoo.
Clinically proven to help eliminate dandruff symptoms at the source. Gently cleanses and conditions to leave hair clean and manageable. Active cooling formula leaves scalp and hair feeling ultra-fresh. Formulated with Bio-Nutrium 10™, a blend of 10 nutrients and botanical actives, including ginseng, tea tree, and natural mint.
Unite 7Seconds Condition. Leave In Detangler.
What I recommend you to do after washing and towel drying your hair is to apply the perfect leave in conditioner even if you are just staying home, it will help the hair to dry in control and fight the frizz. What I love about this product is that works as an UV protector, it is perfect for every type of hair, and it is Eva Langoria’s favorite product! Just apply before any other styling product to achieve the best results.
Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shaping Cream.
Awesome styling product because is very versatile and it has a subtle fresh essence. Styles the hair leaving it with a great texture and definition depending on application. If applied on wet hair it dries down to matte finish. On dry hair it defines and separates hair helping you achieve a define look and the appearance of abundant hair. It could be re-define by wetting your hands and playing with your hair style after hours of application.
Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer and Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder/Pressed.
What you would love about this concealer is that creates the appearance of perfect young skin. It covers, blemishes, tattoos, birthmarks, dark circles, and any skin discoloration leaving it with an even, perfect tone. It is light weight, water-resistant, protects from the sun, and it could be applied with your fingers, there’s a wide variety of colors so you could perfectly match your skin tone. To finish apply the finishing powder, which is transparent and is perfect for every type of skin, it could be use by itself and it takes the shine out of your skin cause by oil and sweat.