How to Keep a Regular Grooming Routine

What’s your personal care routine like? How much time do you spend on your day-to-day routine? If you’re like most men, probably not much. Maybe a quick shower to throw yourself together in the morning plus a bit of extra time when absolutely necessary. Sure, a lot of the time we’re in a hurry (ok, most of the time) and just want to knock out the basics, but ultimately you’re doing yourself a disservice by skimping on your daily personal care routine.

Life is all about how we present ourselves, and daily routines are our way to prepare for how we’re going to be perceived. Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you you need to invest massive time each morning and each evening to do some high-maintenance, 15-step process. But, it is important to consider all the steps you’re taking and also what areas you may be overlooking, and we’re here to help you with that.

We’re going to dive into the most important aspects of your routine, like how much time you should spend on your grooming routine and why you need a daily routine in the first place. We’ve also got some advice from a few of the top men’s lifestyle bloggers and editors in the game about how to establish a daily grooming routine and why it’s important.

How Long Should You Spend Grooming?

Some of you may be reading this and thinking that you don’t have time to establish a daily grooming “routine.” Trust us, you do, you just may not realize it. Think about it, how much time do you spend scrolling IG or watching The Office? Once you realize how little time some improvements to your routine take you’ll realize you absolutely have the time.

We spoke with Dalton Primeaux, Men’s Lifestyle Blogger at thewearhousedistrict.com about his daily routine, and he told us, “During the weekdays when my schedule is a bit more hectic, I spend less time on grooming than I do on the weekends. I’ve learned that keeping my routine as simple as possible is the best way for me to stick to it.” He later explained, “Typically on a weekday I spend about 30 minutes on grooming each day.”

Dave Bowden, Founder of Men’s Style Blog Irreverent Gent, keeps an even simpler routine. He told us, “My daily routine really only takes about 10 minutes in the morning to floss/brush, shower and apply sunscreen, then maybe two or three minutes to brush again in the evening. Shaving takes about 20 to 25 minutes once per week. So it’s really not much of a time commitment.”

“During the weekdays when my schedule is a bit more hectic, I spend less time on grooming than I do on the weekends. I’ve learned that keeping my routine as simple as possible is the best way for me to stick to it.”

Take it from these guys, your daily routine doesn’t have to be overly-complicated or time consuming. For many men it’s best to set up a morning routine where you handle all of your most important, big-ticket grooming items first thing, like showering, shaving, and skincare. Then, you can leave some of the lighter lifts for the evening, like less-regular needs such as beard and eyebrow trimming or the occasional exfoliation. Obviously, what your professional or academic day looks like is definitely going to have an affect on when and how you establish your routine too.

Depending on your personal needs, between 10 and 30 minutes a day should be sufficient. If you’re just beginning to establish your routine, allow for a bit more time until you’ve adjusted to your new habit.

What to Include In Your Daily Routine

Your daily grooming routine should be quick, but also thorough. Just hopping in the shower and toweling off is definitely not going to cut it. Here are some things you should address in your daily grooming routine.

Shower – We’re hoping we don’t have to tell you how to shower at this point. From there though, we will give you some tips on what to use while you’re in there. Once you’ve got your shower song selected, it’s important to use the right type of soap. Nourishing, natural soap is going to give you a clean rinse and give your skin all the things it needs to be healthy and feel great, without stripping it of it’s important natural oils.

From there, you can address that manly mane. Believe it or not, to keep your hair healthy, you should shampoo less often than you think. Most people should only use natural shampoo no more than one to three times a week. In between shampoos, use a natural conditioner to keep your hair soft and manageable. Natural products are not only going to give those locks the right care they need, but also support the health of both your hair and scalp over time.

Facial Hair – As we’ve discussed before, facial hair is a privilege, not a right. With that privilege comes the responsibility of regular maintenance to keep it looking neat. That means trimming or fading as well as consistent use of natural beard oil to keep that rug soft and manageable and the skin underneath it healthy and moisturized. 

If you’re a clean shaven guy (no matter how many times per week), it’s important to consider the products you’re using. That means proper shave cream to ensure a smooth shave, as well as a good post-shave moisturizer to manage razor burn and soothe your skin.

Body Hair – No matter where you fall on the scale of man to ape, take some steps to keep those weeds whacked to whatever degree is appropriate for you. Whether they are public facing or not.

Hands and Feet –  First and foremost, keep your nails trimmed and clean. If you’re prone to excessive foot odor, consider using some form of foot powder or take extra care in washing your feet in the shower. Your hands work hard too, so don’t be shy about regular use of moisturizing lotion, especially on the knuckles.

Teeth – By now you probably know it’s recommended you brush your teeth at least twice each day. Make the most of your daily brushing with a natural toothpaste that cleans, protects, whitens without overly harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients.

Eyebrows, Nose and Ear Hair – Don’t overlook the impact that rogue hair growth can have on your overall look. Trust us, women will notice. The good news is, a quick trim here and there is enough to keep everything in check. A simple investment in a small pair of grooming scissors and a nose and ear hair trimmer will handle any and all duties. If you want to be extra precise on your eyebrows you can also try tweezers. So yes, that unibrow definitely needs some attention.

Blemish Care – If you’re prone to develop acne, there’s no shame in it, you’ve just got to take the steps to take care of it. Depending on your skin type and needs, you might consider an extra facial cleanser to manage any issues. If you do get a zit, treat it, don’t pop it. Let it heal on its own or use something containing benzoyl peroxide to help it out. 

Deodorant – You’re a man and you sweat, deal with it the right way. Natural deodorant is going to fight odor properly, without any harsh chemicals or possible skin irritants. Unlike most generic anti-perspirants natural deodorant is also free of aluminum which can clog skin, cause irritation, and stain your shirts. 

Cologne – If you prefer to wear cologne during the day, consider using a natural cologne that uses natural oils to create a scent rather than synthetic ingredients that are overly strong. Also, don’t be that guy, just a little bit of cologne is enough. 

This may sound like a lot to go through, but once you get your routine established, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can go through this checklist. It just takes a little practice and some dedication. From there you’ll be dialed in and ready to start your day looking, smelling, and feeling like an absolute champ! 

As Bowden says, “Grooming is literally the key to putting your best face forward. As human beings, our eyes are naturally drawn to the faces of others, meaning your face and hair will usually be the first things people see and notice about you. Taking time to maintain a grooming routine helps you ensure that you’ll make a strong first impression when people meet you for the first time, or see you again the next time.”

The Importance of Establishing a Daily Routine

Many men don’t see the point behind establishing a daily routine. As long as they’re clean, why should they sweat the small stuff like moisturizing or beard trimming? What you may not realize is that a daily grooming routine actually brings extra benefits in addition to just general hygiene.

As Primeaux explains, “Routines are important. They keep us mentally organized. Eventually, we don’t have to remember to use a scrub or moisturize because it becomes a habit, and we’ve already mentally accounted for the time we need to do so. Grooming routines keep our skin and body healthy and looking great. And when we look great, we feel great.”

So how long does it take to establish this routine? The old myth was that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit, but that’s not the case. A study by the European Journal of Social Psychology showed that it takes about two months for a new behavior to become a habit. Of course, this varies from person to person, with some people in the study developing the new habit in as few as 18 days.

“Routines are important. They keep us mentally organized. Eventually, we don’t have to remember to use a scrub or moisturize because it becomes a habit, and we’ve already mentally accounted for the time we need to do so. Grooming routines keep our skin and body healthy and looking great. And when we look great, we feel great.”

A daily routine does more than promote good hygiene. It can also improve your mental and emotional well being too. John Moore, Editor at Guy Counseling, told us that, “It’s important for men to keep a regular grooming routine because it encourages greater self-esteem and stronger mental health.”

When you practice a daily grooming routine, you leave the house knowing that you’ve put in the time to look and smell your best. You’ve kicked things off feeling great which then gives you greater confidence when you’re interacting with others and going about your day. This confidence shows too, it’s transmitted to others whether you directly feel it or not, and it can help to improve relationships and create opportunities both personally and professionally.

Now that you know the importance of keeping a daily grooming routine, we encourage you to develop a daily routine or reevaluate your present one to make sure you’re doing all you can to keep yourself impeccably groomed. For more tips like these or advice on male lifestyle hacks, make sure to keep up with us over on the Dr. Squatch blog.