Level Up Gents

Before you leave the house take a good sniff of yourself.  What do you smell?

Nothing smells better than clean.  What does clean smell like?  Not body odor, mildew or must, or anything overwhelmingly strong.  I can be a sucker for cologne and I’ve been known to double take a man walking by no matter how ugly he was just off his scent alone but be sure not to put on too much.  But nothing is like taking a sniff of a man’s hair or neck and smelling the subtle scent of soap/shampoo or laundry detergent.  Am I wrong ladies?  Nobody likes a dirty boy unless they are a dirty hipster/hippie chick.

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I have a guest blogger today!  She’s going to tell you how it is- at the gym.  Nobody likes a soft body so listen up!

Get to know your gym.  Personal training sessions can be expensive, but it’s worth it to invest in a few, especially if you’re new to a gym.  It’s a great way to get down the basics and familiarize yourself with the equipment, because let’s face it – you don’t know what half the equipment is for and you probably just stick with the free weights and treadmill.  In which case, why even bother paying for a gym membership?  You can learn so much from just one personal training session, such as basic exercises you can build onto later yourself.  Correct posture, which not only makes your workouts more efficient and safe, but makes you look better to the onlooker.  There are also so many new exercises that help stave off gym boredom — like kettlebells, trx straps, bosu balls.

Testicular cancer is the number one cancer for young adult men between the ages of 15 and 34 and it is almost always curable if it is caught and treated early. In order to catch it early, you must do a self exam…yes, touch yourself, but not in a stroking manner.

Women always complain that their man is never listening.  Which I’ll admit even I zone out in conversation many a time.  But have you every thought maybe you just need to clean your ears out.  Pretty damn gross when a guy turns his head and I can literally see his wax in his ear without even trying.  They say not to use Q-tips to remove earwax as that only pushes it deeper or potentially can damage your ear drum.  The proper way to treat earwax at home:

• Over-the-counter wax softening drops such as Debrox and Murine or warmed mineral oil may be put into the affected ear and then allowed to drain out after about five minutes while holding the head to the side, allowing the drops to settle. Sitting up again will let the drops drain out by themselves.
• A bulb-type syringe may be used to gently flush the ear with warm water. Ear-Clear is a warm-water irrigation device that is available online for about $25-30.
• If you have excessive ear wax and over the counter products don’t work, see a physician.

One of the first things that people notice about that handsome face of yours is that mouth full of teeth.  So I hope they are looking good because if they ain’t that’s one of the first things someone is going to notice about you.  Most of us at a young age were fitted with those god awful braces to straighten the grill.  If you weren’t so “lucky” there are alternative options such as Invisline that are less embarrassing to rock as an adult than a month full of metal.

Given is that you are hopefully brushing your teeth on the reg, which means morning and at night.  And please be flossing.  As a young chap this was less important but as your body gets older and more decrepit it’s important to keep the mouth hygiene clean by flossing and preventing gingivitis. Another great preventative option which is even better the mouth wash is hydrogen peroxide.

And lastly you should be keeping them pearly white.  Put something white up to your teeth to compare how yellow your teeth are if you haven’t noticed.  They don’t need to be beaming stark white where people have to be wearing stunna shades to be talking to you.  But they should not be yellow.  Try these affordable products:

• Arm & Hammer Dental Care Whitening Booster
• Crest 3D White Whitestrips, Gentle Routine Dental Whitening Kit 

A lot of you out there are sporting the stache this month participating in Movember to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.  Since we are well into the month most of you have already chosen the shape/style of your mustache, which after seeing lots of facebook posts, I may not agree with.  But hey- it’s a stache and why not have fun with it?  Here are a few tips to keep your mo fly this month.

Your mustache should never grow beyond your upper lip — otherwise you’ll look too sloppy to be Sharp (and will likely be one of those guys who constantly has food stuff in his facial hair).

When trimming a mustache, begin by trimming the length of the mustache hair from the middle and work your way out to each side. Usually you do not need to trim the top of the beard around the nose.

Keeping clean. To keep facial hair clean, use the same shampoo as you would on your hair and rinse thoroughly.  You can use conditioner every other day to ensure its full bodied and fluffy.

Styling can be done with wax.  Oregon Wildhair Mustache Wax is an artisan wax made using beeswax, petroleum jelly, lanolin, and natural musk oil without perfume, so as not to destroy flavors like tea or coffee.  Start by vigorously brush your moustache with a natural bristle brush to help shape it; then I apply the wax.  If it doesn’t want to cooperate, use a hair dyer to warm the wax after it is on your mustache. Heat one side for 10 seconds or so and then hold the end of the moustache to the shape you want until the wax cools, which takes another 10 seconds. Then I do the same to the other side. Apply more wax if needed.

Tools for Grooming

• The beard trimmer is your most important piece of equipment. The trimmer will help you maintain an even facial hair length (no bald spots) and will also help you define and keep you neckline clean. While it is possible to use a scissors, keeping balance and an even length is much more difficult with simple shears. There are many beard trimmer brands on the market. Choose your favorite at epinions.com.
• When choosing a trimmer it is essential to compare prices with regard to what accessories and features are included. Make sure to check if the model you like is cordless and whether it requires batteries or is rechargeable. The cordless, rechargeable ones are probably the most convenient but will be the most expensive.
• You will also need a narrow-toothed comb for to brush out the mustache. Check out the La Cross Moustache and Beard Groomers, Scissors and Comb at drugstore.com. The comb included in the set is great for beards and other facial hair styles.
• A magnified mirror or three-way mirror can be particularly helpful in judging the evenness of facial hair on each side of the face.
• If you do choose to trim with a scissors, make sure the pair you use is a quality professional pair. The La Cross Moustache and Beard Groomers, Scissors and Comb set is good value, or try the Tweezerman SPA Moustache Scissors