Biggest Male Grooming Mistakes (How To Fix Them) 2020

Its a new year and definitely time to step up your grooming game if you’ve let it slip recently. So let’s talk about the biggest grooming mistakes you may be making as well as how to fix them.

Overdoing it with… anything

There’s a fine line between a man who is well-groomed and one who’s enthusiastic use of a fragrance makes people wish they didn’t have a nose. Whether it’s too much hair product, cologne or oil in your beard, the art of good grooming is to make an effort, but not to make it obvious – through both sight and smell. Any proper, modern gentleman doesn’t assault people’s senses.

Unkempt Body Hair

This include legs, arms, chest, back, and the nether regions. Shag carpeting is out of style for a reason, so best to cut it down with a pair of clippers with a 1 or 2 setting or guard.

Ungroomed Eyebrows

Eyebrows should be separate, caterpillar brows should be tamed and trimmed. Most good barbers will trim your eyebrows if you ask, or there’s specialty trimmers for this, as well. One thing that should be avoided is making sure they’re not too shaped and clean like a woman’s eyebrows. Remember: Take care, but keep it straightforward and simple.

Neglecting Your Skin

Too often, men believe that they can forego taking care of their skin or addressing their specific skin-related issues because its not “manly”. Well, hopefully you already know this, but the first thing anyone sees of you will be your face, so please take care of it! Neglecting your skin will make you look tired and older. Doubly so if you’ve got acne, dry or sensitive skin or dark circles under your eyes.

So in order to look your best, no matter your age, you need a simple, no-frills skincare routine that’s specifically tailored to you.

Going too long between haircuts

If you have a shorter hairstyle (not shaved), you should get a haircut about once a month to keep it looking sharp. If its longer, you can about go every 2 months between trims. If you’re balding or have a buzz cut, you’ll want to take the clippers to it about once a week to keep you looking fresh.

Holding Onto The Last Wisps Of Hair

AKA Denying that you’re balding (or have a receding hairline). We get it. Losing your hair at any age sucks, but instead of holding onto the last little wisps of hair, its time to embrace it and channel your inner Jason Statham. Trust me, no one cares that you’ve shaved your head as much as you do.

Long Nose & Ear Hair

This one is simple: Please don’t let it get like this. Keep it in check. There’s a gazillion tools for this.

Unkempt Facial Hair

This is a real turnoff, especially when your facial hair starts to cover your lips or you have a bunch of stubble on your neck. So keep your facial hair trimmed and clean, at least. If you can’t do that, then may a bearded Norse god strike you down where you are right now!

Ungroomed Head Hair

This is something I immediately notice and makes my stomach turn, especially when it looks dirty and greasy. Wash and style your hair before stepping out in public. If you need to go longer between washes or you have especially greasy hair, use some dry shampoo to help soak up the excess oils.

Letting Dandruff Go Unchecked

It’s certainly nobody’s fault that you or any other guy gets dandruff, but it is your fault if you let it go unchecked. Don’t be that guy that everyone slowly backs away from. Try and reduce the amount of product you’re putting in your hair and make sure to add a proper anti-dandruff shampoo as part of your daily routine.
Best anti-dandruff shampoo

Bad Breath

This is easily fixable: brush and floss your teeth daily and get a cleaning once or twice a year. If it’s food-related, pop a mint or piece of minty gum before talking to people, whenever possible.

Body Odor – Good or Bad

I hope we don’t have to say it, but shower regularly, wear deodorant and please, for the love of everyone around you, go very easy on the cologne. There’s definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing. Also, if you are using a good deodorant and still having odor issues, you may need to look into your diet and the types of foods and spices you’re consuming. Diet definitely affects how you smell.

Neglecting your finger & toenails

This also includes jagged or bitten nails. Keep them trimmed with proper clippers once or twice a month, at least. Also give both areas good scrubs in the shower and make sure to dig out any toe-jam or dirt under your fingernails. If you have issues doing this yourself, go get a pedicure and manicure and let a professional take over.

Overgrown Neck Hair

When there’s a guy who looks sharp and put together and then turns his head to reveal a hairy neck, it totally ruins all the hard work he’s put in to looking his best. If your neck hair grows faster than your haircut schedule, just take your razor while you’re shaving your face and give a pass or two to the back of your neck. You won’t notice, but most people behind you will. If that’s too hard for you to handle, then you’re going to need to hit the barber more often, depending on how fast your neck hair grows.

Cracked or Dry Lips

The first thing anyone notices about you is your face. If you’ve got cracked or dry lips, it will be noticed within a second of talking to you. Just slap on some lip moisturizer if they feel a little dry and you’ll be good to go. Also, make sure you’re getting enough hydration by drinking a good amount of water everyday.

The Best Men’s Fragrances Women Love | Best Men’s Cologne 2019

Men’s fragrances come in all varieties these days and wearing the wrong one can be a huge mistake. We’re going to break down the different types/classes of scents women love and let you know when the best times are to wear them. Ultimately, what scents you wear are a highly personal choice so make sure you invest some time in finding the right ones and trying different scents out. Too much cologne is a huge mistake when it comes to interacting in any social or professional situation and especially when dating.

The fragrance world is wide but we’re here to guide you with a few simple tips, here are the best men’s fragrances women love!

General Tips

Try The Scent On Yourself First

Scents change and react differently for each person, so it’s very important to try a bunch of them and see what you like and what feedback is like.

Choose The Right Scent For The Season

Not only do you need to consider the scent but the seasonality of it. You want heavier, more masculine scents in the colder months, and lighter, cleaner fragrances in the warmer months. Think of it just like the seasonality of your wardrobe.

Go Light

Finally, and maybe most importantly, make sure you’re applying the right way and going very light. If you can smell it on yourself very strongly, you’re wearing too much.

Fragrances Women Love

For this article and video, our friends at Fulton & Roark sent us a range of different scents to explore and we’re going to give you a rundown on what we liked best when you should wear them. Each Fulton & Roark fragrance uses a blend of naturally sourced essential oils and premium fragrance ingredients and each cologne offers its own experience. These highly concentrated solid colognes offer a long-lasting and steady fragrance designed to keep you fresh. More subtle than liquid sprays, the solids aren’t as overwhelming (a huge pet peeve of ours!). The solid metal containers also travel easily in a gym bag, pocket or carry-on, allowing you to smell your best wherever and whenever.

In addition to a range of awesome scents, Fulton & Roark offers a handy and affordable tester kit so you can try all of their fragrances first. The tester kit is $16 but you also get a $16 credit back that’s good towards your first cologne purchase. Plus the kit ships for free. As a bonus for you guys, you can get 10% off your order with code ASHLEY.

Get your Fulton & Roark tester kit right here (plus 10% off)!

Here’s our rundown on all of the scents they offer plus when we think they’d be best for.

Hatteras

For us. the notes of lavender and hay just don’t go together in this one. It creates a bit of an overwhelming scent that wasn’t our favorite.

Shackleford

We loved this one and Ashley can’t stop smelling this scent. We liked the leather notes combined with some hints of dried fruit that creates a warm feeling. It’s captivating.

Best For: Fall/Winter

Tybee

Ashley loved the light, bright notes on this one which make it the perfect choice for the spring and summer months. You can smell the cedar notes which gives it a fresh, clean feeling while still being masculine.

Best For: Spring/Summer

Clearwater

This fragrance is light, but the green, mossy notes end up smelling a bit like chemicals. But, the citrus notes cut through those elements so you end up with a very nice scent that’s reminiscent of freshly-squeezed orange juice.

Best For: Spring/Summer

Captiva

This scent is a bit overpowering for us. It almost had a sunscreen/spf scent that didn’t work for Ashley. This is one that could be heavily dependent on the wearer so while we recommend trying it for yourself, this one was a pass for us.

Sterling

This fragrance was another one we really loved. It’s a bit sweet due to the vanilla but still smells masculine with the tobacco & leather notes. Women will love this scent as it will make them want to cozy up to the man wearing this scent, which is why it’s the perfect winter fragrance.

Best For: Fall/Winter

Palmetto

The magnolia notes remind us of the Spring and Summer months. It’s light and just smells really clean, especially with the cedar note you get at the end. We really liked this one.

Best For: Spring/Summer

Perpetua

For Ashley, there’s something about woodsy notes like cedar and mahogany that just smell really great on a man. This scent has those notes along with some citrus and floral notes that make this the perfect year-round scent.

Best For: Year-Round

10 Ways You’re Killing Your Style | Men’s Style Mistakes

Once you’ve got the basics of style down, it’s important to focus on those little things that can make or break your personal style and everyday look. Something as simple as a little mistake can totally throw off your look or ruin otherwise good style choices. Oftentimes its something as simple as how you present a particular choice. No matter what it is, focusing on the proper details and nailing those can save you from potential disaster. Some of these mistakes might be obvious but some you may not even know you are doing!

So, here are 10 ways you may be killing your style!

Being Overly Self-Conscious

Trying too hard can be as bad as not trying at all. Wearing trendy items that aren’t you or not wearing things that make you feel comfortable and confident are quick ways to ruin your overall style. People notice how you feel and if you’re feeling good about what you’re wearing and looking good, it will stand out.

Wearing Clothing That Doesn’t Work for your body type

Working with your body type is a huge part of getting well-fitting clothing. Choosing items that will flatter and fit well is crucial. Some easy items to avoid are henley shirts if you’re not fit or muscular, Chelsea boots if you’re a bigger guy, and classic straight-legged jeans if you’re a thinner guy. Check out all of our Fit Guides for tips about different body types and how things should fit.

Over-accessorizing

Yikes, this can go wrong so easily, over-accessorizing can be a huge problem. Johnny Depp, you are not. Go easy on rings, bracelets, and other flashy items and go for more subtle, refined accessories to show some personality or flair. Stick with 1 or 2 items max, like a pocket square and a watch.

Wearing too much cologne

A little goes a long way, and there’s nothing worse than smelling someone from 5 feet away. Nobody (especially women) wants that. If you can smell yourself, it’s too much.

Not paying attention to the details

Again, the little things matter, so take care to focus on them. Things like not lint rolling your clothing (especially dark shirts, suits, and jackets), wearing wrinkled clothing (just get our recommended steamer), and not tucking in your shoelaces really matter with your overall look.

Speaking of tucking in shoelaces (something Ashley is always super focused on as a stylist), our friends at Straight Laces have an ingenious shoelace set up that creates a clean, tucked look and basically turns all your shoes into slip on’s. It’s such a smart, useful product and we’re using them on all our shoes personally and with Ashley’s clients. Seriously, they’re that good. Just for our readers and viewers, we’ve got a deal for 40% off 3 or more laces! Shop here and use code AshWeston40.

Not dressing your age

We’ve discussed how to dress well in your 40’s before and a big part of it is embracing your age and wearing items that are classy and age-appropriate.

Wearing dirty, old shoes

Hopefully, this goes without saying, but a bad pair of shoes can absolutely ruin your entire look. Keep them in good condition and shined up.

Not Grooming Regularly

Overgrown hair, beards, and fingernails are no bueno. Make sure you’re taking proper care of your grooming and putting your best foot forward. Especially important in professional environments. We’ve got a ton of tips in all of our grooming guides.

Not taking care of your skin

Just like your grooming, proper skin care is an important part of your overall routine. It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated but you should find a morning routine and an evening routine that works for you. Focus on moisturizing, good shaving techniques, and using the right products.

Wearing faded, ripped or pilled items

When items are faded (especially shirts, pants and sweaters), it’s time to send them off to the donation bin and get some replacements. If your sweaters are pilled, you just need to get a sweater shaver (we like this one best) to remove the little balls and get it back in good shape.

Dressing Well On A Budget | Affordable Men’s Fashion Tips

Despite what you may think, dressing stylishly and well doesn’t have to involve a lot of money. We’ve talked time and again about how achieving style has everything to do with choosing the right items for a timeless essential wardrobe and nothing to do with how much you pay for something. Whether it’s the right budget-friendly denim and chinos, or affordable accessories that add a bit of personality, you can dress well on a budget, no matter what it is. Another bonus: women care more about how you dress, not what you spend on clothing, trust us.

So, with that, here are a few simple ways that you can dress well on a budget.

The Right Fit

It doesn’t matter how much you spend on clothes if they don’t fit they’ll look like crap! A well-fitting $75 bomber will look way better than an ill-fitting $2000 suit. If you handle this part properly, you’ve done 80% of the hard work. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with Fit Guides for nearly every wardrobe item in your closet.

Nail The Details

Small tweaks like well-chosen accessories (watch, pocket square, a tie bar, or watch band) will elevate an average look to a new level. These items can all be super affordable and when put together with a well-chosen, well-fitting outfit they’re really going to take your style to the next level with a bare minimum of investment.

The Right Shoes

There’s no quicker way to ruin a solid, stylish outfit than with a bad pair of shoes. Plus, it’s a fact women will notice your shoes and regardless of how much you spend, they should be clean, in good shape, and timeless in style. Don’t forget to consider the right shoe choice for the situation you’re dressing for. A shoe that’s too casual or overly-dressy with the wrong outfit is just as bad as shoes that are in terrible shape.

Dress for the situation

Dressing out of touch for the situation just makes you look like you’re trying too hard or you’ve got no taste, and neither one is something you want to impart to an observer. Whether you spent a lot or a little, if you’re overdressing for a barbeque or underdressing for a work event or wedding, nobody is going to care about your budget, they’re only going to notice how out of place you look.

Do Women Care How Much You Spend On Clothes?

One of the most common comments we see and hear time and again is “Women only care about men who spend a lot on clothing.” Now we believe that style is made up of a lot more things than just the clothes you wear and we talk a lot about how to build a stylish essential wardrobe on any budget. But, it is a fair question to ask.

So do women care how much you spend on clothes? Tune in and find out what we think!

Style and money are unrelated

Fit, and to a lesser extent, materials, denotes how “rich” you can look. You can be wearing a $5k suit but if it fits poorly and isn’t properly tailored, you’re still going to look like crap. But if you’re wearing a $500 suit that’s tailored perfectly and fits your body type well, you’re going to look like a million bucks. Dressing well in clothes that fit you isn’t expensive. Dressing poorly in designer clothing is very expensive and a complete waste of time and money, not to mention, no women will care if your suit is expensive if you look like a mess in it. Since we’re talking about fit, we’ve got Fit Guides for everything, so don’t forget to check ’em out!

Designer Doesn’t Always Mean Good

Covering yourself in designer labels to show how much you spend on clothes actually just shows a lack of class and tact. Wearing a $500 Gucci T-shirt is silly for two reasons: one, they’re knocked off so easily that often people assume it’s fake anyway, and two, did you really just pay $500 for a $2 shirt with a Gucci logo screen printed on it? To women, it makes you look like more of a sucker and its incredibly off-putting. Looking good is about the details and subtlety – women pick up on these more than most men know.

Dress Within Your Means

We mention it a lot around here but it bears repeating, style is achievable at literally any budget. If you’re spending more than what your means allow on your clothing, that’s an instant alarm to a woman. It shows you’re either insecure or irresponsible financially. Either way, very unattractive. Be honest about your budget and stick with what works for it, it’s a much, much better look. Don’t believe us? We’ve got recommendations for budget-friendly denim, chinos, and more.

Dress For The Situation

If you’re wearing expensive clothing, but it’s inappropriate for the situation, women will be repelled. Wearing your brash, iced-out Hublot watch to a black-tie affair is just gauche. Flashy shows of money like this are inappropriate and they send up red flags like “insecure”, “ignorant”, “tacky”. Subtlety and class are infinitely more important to women, even when they don’t know it. EVERY woman, regardless of who they are, would jump James Bond’s bones because he’s subtle, confident, and elegant in his style. Remember that.

The Verdict: Absolutely Not

Take it from a woman (and an incredibly accomplished one at that), the right women care about so many things that aren’t money and how much of it you spend (or pretend to spend) on your clothing. Style is about so much more than just what you wear and women know this. Style can be achieved no matter what your budget is, even if it’s zero, so don’t forget that!

5 Style Hacks Women LOVE (and will notice!)

Sometimes a few simple hacks can make a huge difference in your overall look, and trust us, women are definitely going to notice. The great thing is, these are super simple, in some cases, cost zero money, and are tricks that anyone can pull off.

Here are 5 style hacks women LOVE, and will notice!

Tuck in your shirt in the front just a bit

A small move that adds a little bit of polish but never looks too formal, this quick trick is a super-easy way to show you’ve got some serious style skills.

Add a watch or slim metal cuff

A little arm candy is really sexy and adds a noticeable, stylish touch to your outfit. Make sure you use good judgment and don’t over-accessorize though, it can look amateurish. We’ve run down a few more accessorizing tips, our favorite metal cuffs, and watch tips in the past as well.

A black or navy bomber jacket

There’s something really sexy about this item, it’s just a style that compliments every man no matter his body shape, height or age. Obviously there are other jacket styles out there but this one is always so irresistible because it looks so fresh and understated. It’s great casually or dressed up and goes with every type of pants.

Picks:

Stick with a simple outfit formula

Sometimes (ok, most often times) less is more. At the end of the day, it’s when you look like you’re trying too hard that turns women off. Our favorite formula women will definitely love? A great-fitting tee, tucked slightly in, some slim dark wash jeans, a bomber jacket on top and a pair of fresh kicks on the bottom. Understated, stylish and very sexy.

A fresh haircut

Yup, it’s that simple, and there’s nothing sexier. It might not seem like a big deal or even noticeable, but trust me, women notice. We’ve run down all of the best haircuts women love before, (and a few women don’t like) so check those out!

How Much Should You Spend On Clothes?

As we always discuss, the right mix of items in your Essential Wardrobe is key in giving you the foundation to dress stylishly no matter what the occasion or your age range. The great news is, it doesn’t matter what your budget is, you can build a stylish wardrobe no matter much you have to spend.

Yeah, we know, many people often complain that you “need a lot of money to dress well” but that’s just not true. It does take some proper strategy to know where and how to spend your hard-earned money though, and that’s where we come in. Figuring out where to save and splurge on items is a question we get asked all the time so in this edition of 2 Minute Tuesday we’re giving you our advice on how much money you should spend on clothes!

How Much Of Your Budget Should You Spend On Clothes?

Good news, this is simple: it doesn’t matter! Figure out what you’re comfortable with, no matter how much you have, and stick to that. There are stylish options for everyone and every budget.

What To Invest In?

Both of us agree that dress shoes / boots and outerwear (jackets, peacoats, bombers) are the two places that it’s worth it to invest in. Quality items in these categories will give you many years of wear and style. Ashley also believes that if you dress up every day, or very frequently, it makes sense to invest in quality suits and blazers.

What To Go Cheap On?

Outside of the previously mentioned items, both of us agree that you can go much more budget-friendly on t-shirts, jeans, chino pants, and button-ups. These items are easily replaced at any price point and will look sharp no matter how much you spend, provided you’re shopping smartly.

3 Summer Haircuts | Hairstyles Women Love

Seasonality is an important thing to think about in all facets of your style and grooming routine. Now that we’re in the thick of summer and dealing with heat and sunshine, you should consider adjusting your hairstyle just like you do your wardrobe.

So, to help you out with an update to your hairstyle, here are our picks for the summer haircuts women love!

Buzzcut

The ultimate in low-maintenance summer hair, you can never go wrong with just trimming it all off. Try adding a slight fade (shorter on the sides) for a little bit of depth. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen to protect your scalp and give it regular shampooing.

Crew Cut

Similar to a buzzcut but slightly longer on the top, the crewcut still gives you a bit of hair to style with product, but it’s short length keep it simple and low maintenance. Style this cut with just a little bit of lightweight hair product or skip it altogether.

Short Comb Over

A shorter, less-styled version of a combover or fade combover, just ask your barber or stylist to shorten up the top slightly and take the sides in a bit more (a 5 or 6 clipper guard and around 2″ on top). Go easier on the product for a less-slicked look or embrace a messy/wavy look.