Best grooming & style books according to redditors
We found 1,414 Reddit comments discussing the best grooming & style books. We ranked the 167 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
9. The Fundamentals of Style: An illustrated guide to dressing well (Style for Men Book 1)
5 mentions
In "Semi-Prominent Negro" W Kamau Bell talked about his white wife being in this situation re their children. There's even a book on it now: Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care: A Parent's Guide to Beginning Natural Hair Styling https://www.amazon.com/dp/1500666041/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lYkCCb03RXBZ6
Here are the basic advantages:
CARE OF SKIN - DE shaving, using lather, a good razor and blade, and good technique, is much kinder to your skin that the 5-blade, tug-and-cut scraping action of a Fusion. More details on request, but many guys have commented on how much their skin/acne/ingrowns have improved since making the switch.
QUALITY OF SHAVE - This will probably not be new information, but advertisements often do not provide reliable information. (Note the obvious conflict of interest, for example.) Quite frequently, guys who have made the switch find that their shaves are much better, an observation reinforced by the comments from significant other, children, and/or grandchildren that their face is not so scratchy as it used to be.
COST OF SHAVE - My blades cost 9¢ each and last a week. For $4.50, I get a year's worth of shaves. How much do you spend on Fusion cartridges in a year? Shaving soap and cream are also much less expensive than canned foam, besides being better, more fragrant, and more pleasurable.
QUALITY OF LIFE - DE shaving improves one's quality of life. Specifically:
Environmental benefits - These are obvious: much less landfill fodder and many fewer noxious chemicals involved in traditional shaving.
Personal benefits - This was the clincher for me: shaving went from a tedious, boring, hateful chore to a real pleasure, something I look forward to each morning and truly enjoy. It makes a significant psychological difference to begin the day with taking care of yourself while doing something you enjoy rather than hurrying through something you hate.
FWIW, I wrote a comprehensive introduction to DE shaving that answers these and many other questions. You can get much of the same info on the Internet (but not all, I believe), but the book provides an organized and consistent introduction and discusses the many choices and tradeoffs in equipment, supplies, and techniques. Check out the reader reviews to see whether you think it would help you.
The doubled edged safety razor in general costs substantially less than a staight razor. Indeed, the Silvertone razor is less than $3 and gives quite a good shave. (Check out this sub-$50 beginner kit for some specific recommendations). Of course, with a DE razor you have to buy blades (read this post on blades---they're not wh¢at you expect), but blades are cheap. I mainly use a brand that cost 9¢ per blade, which lasts about a week: around $4.50/year for the blades.
The problems with multiblade cartridges:
a. Expensive, so guys try to stretch their life, which means a lot of time they're shaving with a dull set of blades.
b. Effort: even if the blades are sharp, it requires some force to push (say) 5 blades through the stubble: cutting 5 blades' worth of stubble at a time means you encounter a lot of resistance. When cutting with a single blade, you find MUCH less resistance. (To minimize resistance the most, one would use a slant-bar razor, but I would recommend that as a second razor, once your technique is good.)
c. Pressure: when you're putting that much effort into cutting, you tend to press the cartridge against the skin, scraping away. That's why so many guys believe that they have "sensitive skin". Most of them don't: they have damaged skin. (Of course, some guys really do have sensitive skin, sometimes to the point of requiring medical intervention. But for most, the issue is damage rather than sensitivity.)
Take a look at my guide for more information and detail, if you think the read reviews warrant it. And when you start, avoid the four most common mistakes cartridge shavers make when switching to a DE razor.
Hope this helps.
According to [How to Be a Gentleman: A Timely Guide to Timeless Manners](http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Gentleman-Timeless-Manners/dp/1401603351/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252680779&sr=8-1 "A book which I regard as an essential reference") the crotch is the polite way to go. At least you are facing the person. Also in that section is the mandate not to apologize when moving through such an aisle; after all you are doing nothing wrong. "Excuse me" is appropriate, however.
https://www.amazon.ca/Chocolate-Hair-Vanilla-Care-Beginning/dp/1500666041
It's as if she never heard of books, either. Bobbi Brown books were my lifesaver.
My main regret in recent years when it comes to this topic is that I didn't clean bulk. HERE is a great article that goes into detail about bulking and destroys some widely-held opinions about it. I went all my life with a clearly defined six-pack until I bulked with lots of dairy and whatever else and then, for the first time in 40 years, I had a gut. And it's been a bitch to get rid of. I finally did it, but it took months and was a pain in the butt. And those fat cells never go away, ever. So now it's always going to be harder for me to retain my abdominal definition and not put on fat there.
Anyways, that's more of a warning than any instruction, per se. As far as lifting goes, I like the Stronglifts program to start out with. It's a great program for gaining strength regardless of your starting physique, although once you've been at it for a while it's a better program to stick with for underweight people than for overweight people.
There is a book called Built For Show that is very good for someone looking for a program that is more detailed than Stronglifts.
Anyways, the main points I'd give about gaining muscle and looking good would be these:
I can't remember where, possibly Workin' It, I read that apparently Mathu has a knack for the symmetry/proportions of faces. Ru said something like that Mathu would just be able to look at someone's painted mug and be able to say like, 'Do this more..' 'Fix that..' etc. That talent, applied to wigs, pretty much.
Gosh, I remember when I received Bobbi Brown's Teenage Beauty Book: Everything You Need to Know to Look Pretty, Natural, Sexy and Awesome as a gift. It was probably in 2000, when I was 18 or 19(*EDIT: I can't math, I was probably 14-15). I loved how natural the makeup applications were and the book itself was pretty empowering and had a very appropriate tone for the audience. It was also the very first time I thought about makeup application beyond: full coverage foundation goes all over face, black liner goes all over eyes, plus 7 coats of drugstore mascara = ta-da!; and I remember it totally was inspiring and fit right in with my Teen Vogue aspirations.
Kind of unrelated, but I guess before YouTube and Instagram we had... books?
UK link if anyone needs it :)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007O3167C
Oh goodness, that's so hard. I'm so sorry you're in this position. And while it's true that you can't protect her from the pain of eventually knowing she was abandoned by her parents, you can give her the security and joy of being raised in a family that loves her.
There's a book called chocolate hair vanilla care which could be helpful if she as a coarse textured hair.
Curly Girl: The Handbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YL4KS0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OLUKBbA0VQW5N
My wife is obsessed with this book: https://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X, I tried to get her to look at /r/curlyhair before but she's not a reddit person (Edit: looks this book is listed as the ultimate guide on the /r/curlyhair wiki)
Thanks to /u/mochacho for the fixed link
Don't know what that soap is, and if it will work as an shaving soap. The brush looks to be a used boar brush, kind of beat up, but perhaps it's still usable. Below are some information links:
In general Mantic59 and Geofatboy have good videos on youtube. There is also a book written by Leisureguy, it is available in all amazon sites.
If you are on a budget I'd suggest you get the Maggard Razors budget kit.
This was the book.My hairdresser gave it to me to read as she did my deva curl haircut
I use one of the methods listed in LeisureGuy's Book - specifically the metal can method.
I took a can of condensed milk, and used a church key to poke two triangle-shaped holes in the lid. I used those to drain and then rinse the can out. I then took my dremel and cut a slit in the side of the can about the width of a DE blade.
I like this method for a few reasons:
Makeup: the Ultimate Guide is on sale on Amazon. That ought to help you build a solid foundation for your rouges to work.
OH you're talking about Rogues. Check out The Lies of Locke Lamora.
Read curly girl
Lessee:
This Shaving Kit includes your bowl, brush and soap to get starter, $10
Merkur 180, $32
100 Blades, $8
That should come in right at the $50 mark and get some started for a few months.
Alternately
Lord Razor, $13
The Same Shaving Kit includes your bowl, brush and soap to get starter, $10
Blade Sampler Pack, $17
A good book on the subject, $10
Which is also ~$50
Not a guy, so no firsthand experience here, but I wanted to offer a possible resource. This book and this other one are basically a curriculum on self-care before and during puberty - some of it written to the child and some to parents/teachers. It won't all apply to him (some of it is specific to girls or younger kids), so you'd need to read through it first and pick out the parts he needs to see.
We've had a similar situation, and my wife and I found the book "Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care" very helpful. I think there is a website/blog related to it as well. https://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Hair-Vanilla-Care-Beginning/dp/1500666041
From the right-hand side sidebar ----->>>
If you've not seen, take a look at these couple of posts from cathartica:
Also if you've not seen, take a look at this post: Recommendations for a birthday gift?
Below is taken from that same post (edited to read more "general")...
For what it's worth, listed below is my suggested "DE Starter Kit" (links to vendors are only there to help you see the item mentioned, not a recommendation of the vendor one-way or the other):
Except for an Alum block and (maybe) "Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving..." book I would argue everything else listed is essential for someone starting out in DE wetshaving (if they wish to have the best possible experience with the least amount of kit). That said:
Keep in mind there are cheaper, but still recognised good pieces of DE kit available eg If money is tight, consider swapping out the Edwin Jagger razor for the cheaper Lord L6 razor.
With the above "DE Starter Kit" I've tired my best to present (very) good quality products that fall within/under "reasonable" prices.
Good luck, and I hope the above helps a little...
Edit: Fixed formatting.
I think the single best suggestion I can give you is to read Curly Girl. Even if you don't use all her suggestions, it will go a long way in teaching you how to handle your hair. Like others here, my mom has straight hair while my dad's is curly. Needless to say, I never learned proper curly hair care growing up.
How I handle my hair: I do actually shampoo mine because of my work/allergies. I do that first in the shower. Then I wash my face. Then liberally apply conditioner comb it through, and put it up in a clip or hair tie for the rest of the shower. Then I do the rest of my shower stuff rinsing the conditioner at the end. I squeeze the water out of my hair as best I can when I'm done, and then put it back up. I NEVER wrap a towel around my hair. I didn't believe for a long time that it would make a difference, but I'm a convert now. When I'm done drying off, then I take my hair back down, comb back through it, and part it where I like it. I prefer to let my hair air dry before going to bed. That's honestly it. This is the least I've ever fussed with my hair and it's the healthiest it's ever looked.
Omg I totally forgot about this until just now, but Bobbi Brown had an intro-to-makeup book for teens out when I was younger and it was like the bible for whatever the 90s/00s version of a Glossier girl was. I mean...
> It takes the mystery out of all those confusing rituals so that you can figure out how to feel happier and more relaxed about your looks. You'll look your prettiest!
Tbh I'm a pretty big fan of Glossier, but I like Bobbi Brown as well for a lot of the same reasons - understated packaging, easy to use products (both brands make frequent appearances in my travel makeup bag since they can be applied with my fingers), and obviously the colors and finishes lend themselves towards the natural/"cool girl" look which falls in line with my own aesthetic.
There’s a wonderful book you could give Lily about this. I HATED my curls as a girl, and untangling them was always a painful nightmare. My mom gave me the Curly Girl Handbook when I was thirteen and it entirely changed my relationship with my hair while also teaching me how to take care of it (and therefore care for myself). I love my hair now, and haven’t straightened it in years! It might be a helpful book for Lily.
How To Be a Man: A Guide To Style and Behavior For The Modern Gentleman by the late Glenn O’Brien is also good. He was the former style guy for GQ, and was just an all around great dude. For instance, the coolest piece of clothing he owned was a motorcycle jacket that Basquiat drew on the back of.
FYI, your link is broken.
What's on your list of shaving supplies(brand names help)? Razor, blades, brush, soaps, creams
I am no expert on any of this but I'm happy to share what works for me. Here's my process for a wet shave. It takes me anywhere between 8-15 min:
Things to think about: Get a blade sampler pack - you'll experience a different shave with different brands. Find one you like and stick with it. Study the direction of hair growth on your face and neck. Become confident with it so when you're shaving you know when you're shaving WTG, XTG or ATG. There's no need to press the razor against the skin, let the weight of the razor do the work. Locking the wrist will help. Pick up Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving for a convenient reference in the home.
Learn by watching videos on youtube by mantic59, here's his Ten Minute Traditional Wet Shave and of course betelgeux a.k.a theshockwav's videos, here's his Shaving soap - a brief look.
If you have questions or concerns /r/wicked_edge is here to help. Shave well, sir.
I just recently finished reading this book on the history of bathing, and it mentions the original introduction of halitosis to the public. It was used in an ad for Listerine. One of the listerine ad people was looking through an old medical book and found the word. It turned out to be such an incredible market success, that many other companies started researching for older forgotten words that they could use to sell their prodcuts. Halitosis is the only one that had any luck in that regard though.
I suggest everyone with an interest in personal hygene take a look at that book though. It was a fascinating read, and very well researched. People used to be very very dirty.
I was going to say it looks like they removed your product, but I'm assuming you didn't copy the relevant parts of the URL. There's usually an alphanumeric code that you need after a /dp/, something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X
Or even just:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/076115678X
It's a lot of info and can be very confusing. I highly suggest you read the Curly Girl Handbookbefore buying anything else. If you understand the foundations of why each rule exists, you'll waste a lot less time and money! The books is free if you have kindle. Also I linked to amazon but it's often available in public libraries - my library system lets you download library books for free using the app "libby", maybe yours does something similar. The book really breaks things down a lot more clearly than any website I've ever seen.
Dear Yarcofin,
Whilst I admire your desire to demonstrate yourself as a gentleman, despite the fact that no plebeians, such as yourself, shall ever be true gentlemen--as plebeian blood is many shades from blue--I shall endeavor to guide thee nearest, by way of the written word, to the state of the cavalier.
I shall hope you will find much erudition, form, and poise betwixt pages and pages of the following ledgers:
How to Be a Gentleman
The Affected Provincial's Companion
How to Be a Man
Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion
Dressing the Man
The Art of Manliness
Regards,
Curtains
You should buy this book. It is not expensive and answers all of your questions.
There is nothing wrong with the Sodial / Silver Tone / etc. razors that go for $5 or less online.
Many folks find that they're pretty good shavers, as most of them are based on the Gillette Tech, which is a classic mild razor design.
For more money, you get better quality finish, and generally a little more heft, and you may/may not get a better shave.
Unfortunately, unless you step up to a stainless razor, you're not likely to get additional durability, and if you have a tendency to drop things, you may find it easier to shrug off a broken $5 razor than a broken $35 razor.
I'd hang on to the razor you've got until you know where it's inadequacies are, and what razor will better meet your needs.
Canned goo gets a bad rap on this board, but it's used by millions, so it must have something going for it.
I would try a brush and a good shaving soap and learn how to build a nice thick creamy lather, as you may find your face feels better when using that.
The FAQ on the side bar may have some good info for you, but the short version is:
Use a good blade (buy a blade sampler if you haven't already).
Use a good soap and brush and learn how to make lather.
Learn how to map the grain of your beard (which way your whiskers grown on any given part of your face)
Learn the 3 pass shave (Shave with the grain (WTG), rinse and relather, shave across the grain (XTG), rinse and relather, and if you're not prone to ingrown hairs, shave against the grain (ATG), and after that, your face should be pretty smooth.)
/u/leisureguy wrote the book on Gourmet Shaving, so if you need more info, that might be worth picking up. Or just ask us more specific questions.
Good luck!
Assume that everything you know about shaving is wrong and start over. Here is one way to solve it; that book will have everything you need to know and was written by fellow Redditor /u/leisureguy
Here are some basics:
This is what you're aiming for: out of shower, lather face, shave one pass in the direction of growth of your whiskers ie with-the-grain (use short strokes to make sure you stay with it), re-lather, shave second pass at 90 degrees to the growth ie across-the-grain, re-lather, shave third pass opposite direction of growth ie against-the-grain, rinse, glide alum block over wet face, leave for one minute, rinse, pat dry with clean towel, apply after shave balm.
Shave with-the-grain only at first, it won't be close but stay with it until you can do it without irritation. Then, when you are comfortable, add the across-the-grain pass. Stick with that until you are comfortable and then try the against-the-grain. If against-the-grain gives you irritation (it does for many, especially with curly hair) then try a third pass across-the-grain in the opposite direction of the first. I suggest you do not attempt a multi-pass shave with multi-blade razor.
These are the techniques associated with old-school wet shaving and double edge safety and straight razors. To learn more or to try a double edge razor (requires additional technique re pressure and angle) instead of the disposables, visit the forum/wiki at /r/Wet_Shavers listed here in the sidebar.
I heard Rae Morris' book was amazing... and not intro like makeup manuals.
Hi mate,
Completely understand where you're coming from, as this is the situation that most of my clients are in as well. As a starting point, I hate to be "that guy", but my book was written with guys like you in mind and goes into specific detail about how to find clothes that fit your body, how to put together outfits and even how to choose stores, what to do when you walk inside them and how to deal with sales assistants. Link is here:
http://amazon.com/The-Fundamentals-Style-Well-Dressed-ebook/dp/B007O3167C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332671978&sr=8-1
With that out of the way, the first thing that jumps out at me from your question is that you're not trying clothes on before you buy them. This is incredibly risky, especially if you're not well-versed in dressing well and might not know how to tell if clothes truly fit or not.
Far and away, most overweight guys tend to buy clothes that are far too big for them. Especially pants. They see themselves as 'big' and think "ok, I'll get an XL or an XXL, that'll fit". But this is often not the case at all.
Portly gents need to draw attention up towards their shoulders and away from their waists. Instead of that old, hackneyed, "I made a blog post about fashion!" advice of "don't wear horizontal lines", I suggest you start thinking about straight lines versus curved lines. Overweight men have curves, and you need to offset this by wearing clothes that have strength and structure to them. Most commonly you'll find that you look far, far better in a sport coat or blazer (which has a strong, padded shoulder) than you will in a hoodie or jumper (which has no structure and conforms to your body shape, which makes you look curved).
There's so much more I could say but to prevent this becoming an essay, I strongly suggest that you check out /r/malefashionadvice and use it as a starting point to feeling and looking good. Dressing well really isn't as difficult as it sounds - armed with a couple of hundred bucks, a little bit of knowledge and an afternoon, a man can completely transform the way he looks.
When I was twelve, I typically wore concealer, blush, lip balm or lip gloss, and mascara. Sometimes, I used this little Clinique eye shadow duo with a light pink color and a light brown color. That was about it. I think you're on the right track.
When I got to high school, my mom took me to the Bobbi Brown counter to get my makeup professionally done and bought me this book. That was my Bible for awhile.
In regards to Guerlain fragrance, I would recommend that you sift through some of the reviews on Now Smell This Perfume, which I think is one of the more reliable fragrance blogs out there.
Here is a collected list of reviews with Guerlain's grouped under the G's if you scroll down, plus some fun facts about the Guerlain house.
I also ADORE the Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, if not for the helpful reviews but only for the entertainment.
Turin lists Guerlain's Mitsouko as his favorite fragrance of all time, while Sanchez says in the introduction to the book that Guerlain l'Heure Bleue was the first perfume that really got her into perfume. I think many of us have tried Shalimar at Sephora or department stores, but it's not something I've felt bold enough to wear myself.
My favorite way to discover perfume is to read, read, read, read first and then pick up decants from The Perfumed Court. You can order from specific perfumes, or try one of their sets (these ones feature Guerlain fragrances).
Anyway, that response specific-suggestion skimpy, but I hope it illuminates your quest!
There are variations of it, but it's all generally based on this book. Different people do different things depending on their hair but the most common themes are those with natural curls cutting out shampoo with sulfates and silicones in hair products in order to maintain the natural oils and maximize moisture in their hair as well as just not washing your hair every day to not strip out the oils as well. Since curls are naturally dry (in most cases), and shampoos strip out moisture while most silicones prevent hair from being properly hydrated over time due to build-up, the CG method eliminates those so curls can always be hydrated and properly nourished. For most people this means an improvement in the appearance of their curls.
For me, I wash with conditioner only, use 0 silicones aside from the 2-3 times a year when I straighten my hair and never ever use shampoo unless I'm removing said silicones those few times a year. It keeps my curls from being super frizzy and has drastically improved the appearance of my curls as a whole.
Blade sampler packs are available from:
• BullGoose Shaving Supplies (in the US)
• Connaught Shaving (in the UK)
• Details for Men (in the US)
• Em’s Place (in the US)
• Fendrihan (in Canada)
• Italian Barber (in Canada)
• Kinetic Blue (in Australia)
• Razor Blades & More (in the US)
• Royal Shave (in the US)
• Shave Nation (in the US)
• Shave Shed (in Australia)
• Shaving.ie (in Ireland)
• Shoebox Shaveshop (in the US)
• Traditional Shaving Supplies (in Ireland)
• West Coast Shaving (in the US)
• Via Amazon.com
• Via eBay.com
Variety is the key here 2-5 of each with at least 10 different brands. And buy this book
Does it offend you if I tell you I bought your book and it's my current bathroom reading material? I figure it's a good place since that's where I will be putting all that knowledge to use. I've been wetshaving for a few years now but as you put it in the opening chapters I just go by what I picked up here and there and never sat down and really read a nice, condensed, edited source. If it helps I will probably be buying a few more for Christmas gifts this year!
[shameless plug for Leisureguy's book, r/wicked_edge is referenced in it!]
Here's an excellent guide written by /u/Leisureguy
So, I'm white (with curly hair) and my husband is black with super tight afro-textured hair that grows in on itself rather then getting long (he just shaves it off or very short).
We won't actually know your child's curl/hair texture until they are not only born but age a bit. Our daughter (now two) was born with a bunch of hair that was black and almost completely straight. Over the next year it became brown and curly. If combed while wet her hair forms a bunch of little ringlets about the size of an adult's pink finger. It poofs up easily if combed dry or napped on, car seat, ect.
I'm still learning since my hair is much less curly then my daughter's and also seems to work differently.
That, and he literally wrote the book on "Gourmet Shaving".
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804
Read this and consider buying this book.
Most recommended book, which can be found at local library:
https://www.amazon.com/Perfumes-Z-Guide-Luca-Turin/dp/0143115014
You should check /u/bostonphototourist 's reviews of eau de parfums and eau de colognes. Not sure if there has been a compiled list.
Different soaps?
Irish Springs based on Green Irish Tweed by Creed. Can't think of any others that aren't clones.You can sign up for the Traveling Box over at B&B:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/346050-Traveling-Fragrance-Sample-Box/page22
You can buy some samples over at surrendertochance.com. My go-to for samples.
My recommendations would be YSL L'Homme, Dior Eau Savage, and Guerlain Mitsouko. Throw-ins would be Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine - Collection Originale, Acqua di Parma Colonia Leather, and Le Labo Santal 33.
Once you start dabbling in the EdP and Edt fragrances, it's hard to go back to scented soaps that mimic classic/popular parfumes. Not to say they aren't great soaps inspired by parfumes....just... apples and oranges.
A few suggestions:
> Out of curiosity, how many knot options are there for tying a tie?
85.
Here are other, less-expensive tie-related resources.
What a shame. As a kid, I was an avid fan of his public access cable show TV Party where I learned about artists like Walter Stedding, Tuxedomoon, Klaus Nomi, and Basquiat, and had a chance to see musicians like Mick Jones, Chris Stein, and Debbie Harry, whose music I was already into, in a whole new context. The shows are on YouTube and were, at the time, subversive yet endearingly ramshackle and amateur. I continued to enjoy his writing on manners and style, and would seek out his Style Guy columns in GQ, which to me were less about matching your socks with your shirt, and more about individuality and being your own person.
If you are a fan of his, it's worth tracking down his Tea at the Beatrice interview series on Made 2 Measure. Many of the subjects were friends of his, and that comes through in each episode's loose, informal structure. I especially enjoyed his interviews with Chris Blackwell and Nan Goldin, though while watching the latter I remarked to my spouse that Glenn seemed quite ill.
Ines de la Fressange wrote a book about men’s style tips called The Parisian Field Guide to Men's Style, however I didn’t really like it that much because it mainly focused on menswear and seemed incredibly limiting outside of that. It basically made it seem like style rules can’t be broken in a sense.
There’s also Massimo Osti’s, the creator of Stone Island and pioneer of modern day technical clothing, book Ideas From Massimo Osti, which I think focuses on his legacy and where Stone Island is now.
Edit: And of course you can’t forget the legendary Anthology of a Decade by Hedi Slimane.
Edit 2: I'm also forgetting the famous How To Be a Man by the late GQ legend Glenn O'Brien, as well as Men and Manners and Men and Style by David Coggins.
> That's quite a bit of text---in fact, it practically amounts to a book.
Like the one you wrote? Don't be ashamed to plug it, it's an awesome book.
$50 kits we put together and $100 kits. These are not definitive, but are to give you an idea of what to look for.
I've not dealt directly with Art of Shaving but this community does not suffer fools and I've never heard them in a bad light. Their prices are a little high but not bad. And if you don't need to pay shipping that's an equalizer.
Assuming that he hasn't beaten me to the punch - Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving - Shaving Made Enjoyable is a great guide.
And of course Mantic59 aka Shave Tutor has a huge assortment of how to videos available for free.
There's also /r/wicked_edge itself and it's madman founder. I'm a straight razor primary shaver but I try to make some general videos as well as the oddball stuff.
Brut isn't a problem in my opinion, if it works for him - great.
As for an easy lathering, that's practice more than anything else.
You can use your cartridge blade just fine to start wetshaving. It's probably easier because you don't have to learn and research about DEs or straights along with wetshaving all at once.
Mantic59's Videos are very good for starting. Wetshaving seems to be more about softening the beard and using soaps and techniques that don't harm your face quite so much as traditional gels and "pushing" on your razor.
All you really need to start is a brush and soap. A bowl can be handy to learn how to lather as well. The Van Der Hagen's Premium set (at a lot of Walmarts and Walgreens) works fairly well, although I would probably get a better brush as those are hit-or-miss. Transitioning to a safety razor or straight edge (think Sweeney Todd) is a bit more difficult (and expensive in the short term, cheaper long-term) since you need to learn new techniques. I'm still learning how to use a DE and it's like learning how to shave all over again (at 26).
This book by Leisureguy is a great reference tool for techniques, products and most other questions you might have. There are tons of threads here about which soaps, brushes, blades and razors are well-liked.
Let the community here know if you have any other questions, I've found them to be pretty awesome and supportive.
/u/Leisureguy literally wrote the beginners guide and it sounds like what you're looking for.
You'll also want to check out Mantic59 on youtube, he has great instructional videos.
I've been following this:
Built For Show by Nate Green
http://www.amazon.com/Built-Show-Body-Changing-Workouts-andLooking/dp/1583333193
Definitely.
www.scrawnytobrawny.com
The reason I have so much faith behind it is because Nate Green and Dr. John Berardi are behind it.
http://www.scrawnytobrawny.com/about
There's also a great book by Nate called "Built For Show" that is very similar to Scrawny To Brawny. If you dont want to spend the $99/month on a personal coach, then I'd say BfS is the next best thing.
>I suspect that many popular posters also work in the fashion industry
I can think of one (jascination, who wrote this book, is a style consultant in Australia), but no one else that I know of. Shujin writes for Primer now, but that's not his regular job - I think he got it due to MFA, not the other way around. There was a post about what the Consistent Contributors do for a living a while ago (now deleted), but I think most of them were in regular white-collar office jobs. Lots of IT and graphic design people, if I remember correctly.
>I do also admit that there are quite a few clothing staples that every modern man should possess: oxford shirts, straight-fitting jeans, leather shoes, a couple of suits ...etc And I see nothing wrong in reminding men of this.
Those are basically the clothes people are referring to when they talk about the "MFA uniform".
Here's my suggestion.
Get a slant head razor.
Use Feather blades. They're the sharpest you can get.
Stop using canned shave cream, get a real shaving soap and a decent brush.
Also get some Mr GLO soap and use it before you shave. Lather it onto your beard and let it soak in for two and a half minutes, then rinse and apply your lather. This makes your beard as soft as it's gonna get.
Shave with the grain, re-lather, shave across the grain, re-lather, shave against the grain.
Read this book and go to this website.
Hope this helps.
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804
Here's a link to purchase it on Amazon. There's also a Kindle edition.
for you LPT'ers that don't know, this guy knows his shaving.
If you use proper technique, a good DE razor with a sharp blade is not going to glide right over whiskers. It won't remove them completely on the first pass, but it should reduce them substantially. In order to get a good shave, though, you're going to require multiple passes. First you shave with the grain, then across the grain, then against the grain.
Spend some time in the FAQs on the sidebar, browsing this subreddit, watching videos (I like mantic59's Youtube channel), and/or reading books such as this one. If you decide to try DE shaving again, the folks here are more than happy to provide helpful tips.
This is obviously not for a 6 year old and I'm sure some of the stuff in it is outdated by now, but when I was a tween, my mom got me this book (http://www.amazon.com/Bobbi-Brown-Teenage-Beauty-Everything/dp/0060957247) and I learned a lot from it. Great photos, emphasis on "natural" beauty, and kind of a self-esteem/be yourself type message.
The book you're looking for is Curly Girl: The Handbook by Lorraine Massey. Over at /r/curlyhair we follow that guide, but have also gone a little deeper with what we've collectively learned since the original book came out in 2001.
​
>What is the Curly Girl/Guy method (aka CG method)?
>
>The CG method is a haircare method that is specifically geared towards curls and waves.
>
>Curly hair tends to be super dry, thanks to sulfates, the harsh detergents in shampoo. So we remove sulfates from the routine.
>
>The problem is that only sulfates can wash away certain ingredients, like silicones, so we remove those too, leaving only ingredients that can be washed away with JUST water.
>
>The CG method mostly focuses around removing both sulfates and silicones and replacing them with gentler products, along with some techniques to help our curls form and stick together!
>
>Saying a product is CG then says that it follows these guidelines.
The Curly Girl Handbook by Lorraine Massie has lots of suggestions for wavy hair.
http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X
As someone who has grown out curly hair from quite short, there's definitely an awkward phase. I highly recommend getting a few cute headbands or hats, they can help make you look a little more put together during the awkward in between lengths. Get the back trimmed every 6-8 weeks, the hair on the nape of the neck gets long fast and regular trims help to avoid a mullet look. Once the hair on the sides of your head reaches your chin (when it's dry and curled) you can have it cut so the longest part is even all around your head and then start styling it as a short bob, like this. I also like a slight inverted bob, which is where you have it cut so the front is longer than the back.
This sub advocates the Curly Girl method, based on this book. It's sort of an alternative approach to hair care with curls in mind. The common way that most women take care of their hair is shampooing with a sulfate shampoo and then conditioning with a silicone containing conditioner every day. The CG method is based on removing those two ingredients (sulfates and silicones) from your routine and instead using only a light conditioner to cleanse the hair for each wash. There are a lot of variations and different techniques for this routine, poke around this sub and check out the resources in the sidebar for more info.
this is the book she got me. I also use Paul Mitchell Smoothing Gloss Drops to keep the frizz down. Two pumps works wonders. Other than that, it's just important to learn that an oily complex isn't always bad for curly hair, and how to handle your particular curl type.
Per 85 ways to Tie a Tie, the four in hand knot is not symmetrical.
Okay, you're not going to fit it into a single book. This is a good place to start:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Gentleman-Timeless-Manners/dp/1401603351/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280113263&sr=8-1
I quite like this one for clothes:
http://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Timeless-Fashion-Bernhard-Roetzel/dp/0841601623/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1
Graham's Guide isn't bad
Obviously this is the gold standard, but it's more of a follow up text to someone who's decided to fully take the leap.
Aside from that... Pull them into the bathroom with you and show them.
Information: The sidebar and this
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804
Starter kit:
http://www.maggardrazors.com/product-category/de-starter-beginner-kit/
I don't think you know who you replied to... Check out his book. http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416408197&sr=1-1&keywords=leisureguy%27s+guide+to+gourmet+shaving&pebp=1416408174364
One thing you will learn quickly is that the Wet Shaving community is full of fantastic people. Dont hesitate to ask questions here and /r/Wet_Shavers. Also check out /r/shaveoftheday for product and photo ideas.
Here's some more info on the products I suggested...
TOBS Jermyn Street shaving cream is a modern fern scent, everyone tends to love and I still use it from time to time. It's very easy to lather and provides great performance. I quickly fell in love with it and purchased the matching aftershave (not cheap).
Clubman Pinaud might not be the perfect match for Jermyn street but it's the quintessential classic barbershop scent. I immediately was taken back to my childhood when I would go with my father to get a hair cut at the local barbershop. It's some damn good stuff, plus it's cheap as dirt. You can purchase it from your local Sally's Beautiful Supply store for about the same price, they also have the bigger bottle for just a couple bucks more.
Brushes can be a tricky subject. There are several grades of badger hairs, silvertip generally being the best. A good silvertip brush generally will cost you $60-100 and upwards (I once owned a $330 silvertip brush). Whipped Dog is doing gods work by offering you a no-fills best bang for the buck brush that will last you a very long time.
Other options are boar brushes, one of the more popular brushes which is my personally favorite boar is the Semogue 830, which is $24.
Synthetic brush are really gaining popularity these days, before they were mainly for the animal lovers but now they're really kicking ass as far as performance goes. I think the most popular is the L'Occitane Plisson brush. The prices on these were just slashed in half so it's a great buy for sure. The only downside is that eventually the knot will come apart from the handle but it's an easy fix. It's super duper soft and creates a love lather. I have two of these brushes but I also just got a Muhle 35K 256 (in the photo) and I'm seriously blown away by this brush.
/u/Leisureguy has a great book on wet shaving. I highly recommend it!
Get Leisureguy's book and read it before you go buying anything. http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344
Posted a list I'd gathered(Mostly from stalking Leisureguy!) a few weeks back, kept a copy of it saved locally and have been updating it as I go. Here's what I have so far!
First off, of course, Leisureguy's book
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344 - Leisureguy's "complete beginner's guide to traditional wetshaving"
Special mentions
http://sampleshop.blogspot.com/ - Garry's Sample Shop. Order small samples for cheap, MANY products to choose from! Try it before you buy a full tub/tube/bottle/box of something!
WTB/WTS/WTT
http://www.reddit.com/r/Shave_Bazaar/
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php/11-Shaving-Mall-Buy-Sell-Trade
http://razorandstone.com/Phopost/pp-classifieds42/
http://straightrazorplace.com/classifieds/
General shops
http://www.whippeddog.com/ - The Sight Unseen deal is one of the cheapest ways to get a shave-ready SR
http://connaughtshaving.com/ - Has some great samples!
http://razoremporium.com/ - Also offers razor replating in all of the common finishes
http://www.westcoastshaving.com/
http://www.italianbarber.com/ - Run by Reddit's very own ItalianBarber
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.ebay.com/
http://www.etsy.com/ Mainly soaps and aftershaves, although you can sometimes find a vintage razor.
http://www.starshaving.com/
http://www.fendrihan.com/
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/
http://shoeboxshaveshop.com/
http://giftsandcare.com/
http://www.detailsformen.com/
http://emsplace.com/
http://www.kineticblue.com.au/
http://www.leesrazors.com/
http://www.razorbladesandmore.com/
http://www.razorsdirect.com/
http://www.royalshave.com/
http://shavenation.com/
http://www.theshaveshed.com.au/ - AU only?
http://www.shaving.ie/
http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/
http://www.traditionalshaving.com/
http://www.shaveplace.com/
http://www.truefittandhill.com/
http://www.truefittandhill.co.uk/
http://www.shaving-soap.net/
http://shop.bestshave.net/
http://vintagebladesllc.com/
http://theshaveden.com/store/
http://www.qedusa.com/
http://mamabearssoaps.com/
http://kellsoriginal.com/
http://alsshaving.com/
http://www.therazorshop.com/
http://shave-shack.com.au/
http://www.mensbiz.com.au
http://shavetools.com/
http://www.nashvilleknifeshop.com/
http://pureman.com.au/
Brushes
Frank Shaving
Lijun Shaving
Soaps
http://www.scottishfinesoaps.com/
http://queencharlottesoaps.com/
http://www.honeybeesoaps.net/catalog.php/HoneybeeSoaps/ct22125/Shaving_Soap
Aftershave
http://www.captainschoicestore.com/ - Only offers Captain's Choice Bay Rum
http://www.thayers.com/ - Witch Hazel
Miscellaneous
General info about anything face-care related, run by our very own mantic59
Differences between straights and DE blades
Cleaning a DE
Distilled water shave. Try it if your lather sucks
The cheapest kit components that are actually good
Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving - Fifth Edition: Shaving Made Enjoyable
Only about $10 on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1463595344/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1316787624&sr=8-1
Excellent book that is a fun read. This forum is honored to have him as an expert contributor. I feel anyone starting should have it.
I'm not showering praise since he is a contributor. Long before wicked edge has been here, I have purchased and lent many copies, over the years.
I highly recommend getting a copy of Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving, it's awesome and basically the bible of wet shaving, and he also is a big time Redditor as well so if you ask questions there's a big chance you'll get it answered by him. Here's a link!
I think this is awesome. A comedian did a bit about this subject; he was black and his wife was white and she didn't know how to handle their daughter's hair. The mom wrote and published a book called "Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care".
Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care: A Parent's Guide to Beginning Natural Hair Styling https://www.amazon.com/dp/1500666041/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Khm5Cb9JN25S9
Good personal hygiene book I've used with autistic kids before: https://smile.amazon.com/Taking-Care-Myself-Personal-Curriculum/dp/1885477945/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502588621&sr=8-1&keywords=taking+care+of+myself
I've literally been on the lookout for something like this, so thank you!
It's also available in the UK, for my fellow British redditors.
Read Leisureguys book, some great tips on the do's and don'ts in it
I like the comments u/goodbyereckless made - if you are wondering why in the world do people spend all this time and effort doing makeup I would agree that it is to accentuate the features of ourselves we like best. For instance, I have freckles so I try to use a foundation that does not cover them up. Sometimes this gets tricky when I have redness from pimples, but I like my freckles to show through so I use a foundation with less coverage than others (BB Cream, BareMinerals powder foundation).
I like my eyes - blue with yellow in the middle so sometimes they can look green - and I like to choose colors for eyeshadow that accentuate my eyes. Browns can look very natural and day to day and they make blue eyes pop. Purples can be a little more fun and really bring out the green part of my eyes. You can use eyeliner to define your eye more, but you don't have to. In fact, one of my favorite looks is just to use dark shadow in place of eyeliner - it looks a little softer for everyday.
My go to look if I don't have lots of time is foundation, setting powder (ELF HD Powder - $6), a little blush and some mascara. Ooh and I'm a chapstick addict, but I try to also have on a MLBB (My Lips But Better - something your lip color but maybe just a shade deeper or pinker whatever you find yourself preferring) so that I don't look very pale in the morning. And if you want something to look at with some good tips and a very real world sense about makeup I really enjoyed the book Bobbi Brown Beauty when I was younger and a little more clueless about what is important about makeup.
I would also recommend the book ‘Bobbi Brown: Teenage Beauty’ it is beautifully written for young girls and truly helped me feel more comfortable in my own skin during my pre-teen & teen years.
https://www.amazon.com/Bobbi-Brown-Teenage-Beauty-Everything/dp/0060957247
— ‘Your teen years are the most emotionally charged of your life. Your body's developing at a rapid pace, your skin changes from day to day, and your hormones are raging (in case you didn't notice). Everything in your life is in total flux. Bobbi's mission is to help boost your self-esteem and confidence. By listening to Bobbi's straightforward and useful beauty principles, you'll gain a sense of control over your body, your looks, and your life. Bobbi's hip, no-nonsense, and timeless advice covers such real teen problems and issues as:
Zits! - Being Overweight - Braces - Beauty School 101 Eight Simple Steps to a Pretty, Natural Makeup Look - Preteen Basics - Prom Beauty - Global Beauty - Mother-Daughter Beauty - Rock 'n' Roll Babes: Hip Beauty Style - Go for It: Experimental Beauty
Written with sensitivity to help you navigate the difficult self-image issues that you face, Bobbi Brown Teenage Beauty empowers you to discover and celebrate your own unique, natural beauty. This fresh and honest makeup guide is your ultimate source for advice, tips, and lessons for achieving beauty inside and out.’
PS: You’re during a really good job!
this one?!
tbh i'm this close to buying a copy as an adult, it's so nostalgic and the looks/advice were honestly pretty great
As Rupaul says " You are not your skin color. You are not your gender, your politics, your career, or your marital status. You are none of the superficial things that this world deems important. The real you is the energy force that created the entire universe!" These are the words of one of the most inspirational and loving people on earth. Workin it - by Rupaul
I can't help with makeup. I don't wear any. At all. Unless I'm going on a job interview.
It took me about 15 years to figure out how to deal with hot, humid weather, and curly hair. Here are all my secrets.
These secrets only work of course if you are willing to embrace your curly hair and work with it, instead of trying to attain perfectly flat-ironed hair that only exists in magazines and on people who naturally have absolutely no body in their hair. If you're trying to get straight hair in this weather and your hair naturally curls or waves, well, good luck with that. If you're still struggling with your curly girl identity, I suggest you read this book. It was the only thing that convinced me that curly hair is beautiful too.
If you look at any guide for curly hair, for example, the Curly Girl guide by Lorraine Massey, they tell you never to brush your hair when it is dry. The hair is too fragile.
full or half windsor are fine for most situations.
85 ways to tie a tie is actually a pretty good book. Wow it's so pricey now.
They haven't always been, not at all. Read The Dirt on Clean for more information than you probably wanted about how people have regarded baths and bathing throughout history.
I'm 30 and I was never taught how to shave. I started in 5th grade (you read that correctly) b/c of my mustache. I just grabbed the razor and started. My whole life I've gone between Norelcos and Gillette Mach systems. I just made the switch 3 days/shaves ago and I'm loving it. I'm still dialing in on the correct blade, etc, but there's no turning back.
Leisureguy has been invaluable to me, and his book was fantastic. I appreciate all of the help I have received in this subreddit and can't wait to pass it on.
Well, he did write the book on the subject
Here is my recommendation:
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 $29.60 I have this and love it.
Blades:This sampler pack $25.00. The reason for a sampler is one of the main tenents of Wicked_Edge- YMMV(you mileage may vary), the blades that come with the razor may not be the right ones for you, blades treat everyone differently, what works for me might not work for you. A sampler gives you a bunch of blades to test to find what one is right for your face.
Soap:TOBS Sandalwood and bowl I also have this and love it. $20.00
Brush:This Omega boar $16.00
All of this comes out to $90.00 which should come to $100 shipped(hopefully).
I would also recommend you buy the following if you are able:
Alum block $9.50 This is an after shave treatment, you rub it on your wet face it is a mild antibacterial and closes your pores, helps keep ingrowns and pimples down.
Styptic pencil/rollerball $4.95 I have this one and it does fine. This is for when you nick your face, you rub it on the nick and it stops the bleeding very fast.
And Leisureguy's book $12.95 This is a guide to wet shaving wit ha DE razor, it has a wealth of information and will help you immensely.
Wait, you already know that you need everything? That could be quite the expensive venture...
Checking the sidebar should net you a few kit suggestions, all depending on how much you're willing to spend.
When it comes to technique and more about shaving, there's always Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving, Other sources, but perhaps you should read slightly more about the subject before even deciding on buying it.
Wet shaving is nice, but if your current way works and you're happy about it... There isn't necessarily anything wrong with it.
You could watch Mantic59 introduction to wetshaving, should be plenty of other videos by Mantic59 that will provide a good and solid introduction for you :).
It also depends on if your face can handle going against the grain or not. Personally, my face hates me when I go against the grain. But as with all things shaving, your mileage may vary. Like Numl0k says, head over to /r/wicked_edge and they can answer pretty much every noob question you have.
edit:
I felt like i should also plug leisureguys book as well. Its full of helpful information and I recommend it to anyone who shaves.
Leisureguys Guide to Gourmet Shaving
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804
If you're looking for a guide, the videos mentioned already are great. Also this book by /u/Leisureguy:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1477436804/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1425750002&sr=8-1&keywords=leisureguy%27s+guide+to+gourmet+shaving&dpPl=1&dpID=51QRJylW-3L&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
I do not recommend watching specific Youtube channels (called gurus) because they are often given products that they will promote on their channels. People on specific brand channels (such as maybelline, realtechniques, MAC cosmetics, etc.) are advertising for their brand or product, and it's important to keep in mind that one single brand does not excel at every item of makeup. It's perfectly fine to have brand loyalty, and there is nothing wrong with having favorites, but, objectively, you’re better off trying multiple brands to see what works for you.
I would instead figure out what you want to do, and start with one thing at a time. Rather than overwhelming yourself and your budget with a bunch of things that you might not like, focus on one area. You said you use eyeliner, mascara and brow coverage.
A good general start would be reading through websites like this one.
Otherwise I would suggest googling specific things you find interesting or want to learn more about:
Searching for specific things can help you narrow down on which type of item you might want to try. If you’re using liquid foundation, some people like to have a cream blush, others would rather use a powder blush. Searching google for “cream blush vs powder blush” yields websites that focus on results, pictures, products, and how to apply. Searching youtube for the same thing will focus more on people often showing off specific products they have purchased. Makeup geek offers a decent tutorial that shows how to apply cream blushes to the face. I linked her video to start at 3:05, but you can scroll back to have it play from the beginning as well.
As someone who started wearing makeup later in life, I found books such as Makeup Makeovers by Robert Jones to be TREMENDOUSLY helpful and easy to understand. See if your local library has that book if you don’t want to purchase it. He goes through and explains what terms like Dewy, Contour, and Stippling mean in layman terms. And he includes photos of beautiful models he has applied makeup to. A particular advantage of his book is that there are many ethnicities and a variety of face shapes that he has worked on. I really liked that he applied classic looks to the women (who without makeup, look like everyone else, and not like they won the genetic lottery!) that flattered their face types, rather than fads that will look dated in the future.
I’m happy to help with more advice if you have any specific question, (that is, “I’m interested in concealer, I don’t have much acne, and I would like to use it for undereye darkness and circles, what do you recommend?”), but keep in mind that whatever I (or anyone else) am suggesting you try is based on my opinion, and ultimately may or may not work for you (YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary). I hope this helped though. :)
We got a lot of good pointers and techniques from this book.
For reading, there is a book by LeisureGuy. If reading a book doesn't suit you, and you're looking outside of the sub, there are lots of places, google will help with that. I would watch some Youtube videos.
If you're looking for something like a straight razor but cheaper, I would say grab a Parker Shavette. They take 1/2 of a double-edged razor blade, so you wont have to worry about the normal maintenance of an actual straight razor (also if you ever get a DE razor you only have to get one kind of blade). Its funny you mention your neckline, because I own a shavette and I got it specifically for my neckline. Much easier to see where Im cutting.
For creams and soaps...There are so many, its all personal taste. I personally lean toward hard soaps, but I own lots of soft soaps, and a couple creams. Ill throw some stuff out that I like. Barrister & Mann makes some of the best soap around. The owners also come on this sub, which is nice. Arko is cheap and awesome, some people dont like the scent, because it smells like soap. Mitchell's Wool Fat is excellent, and has a pretty big following. Also smells of soap, but a very soft scent. RazoRock is also an amazing soap. I specifically recommend the Moroccan Secret because the smell is divine. Here is the wiki link for the Artisan soap makers.
You'll need a brush. Im not comfortable recommending any specifically because the best brush I have is a relatively cheap badger brush, but I see people recommend Whipped Dog a lot, so he must do some fine work.
Im pretty low-tier when it comes to overall knowledge on this stuff, but Im sure you'll get someone in here who is very knowledgeable (most people on here seem to be) and will be able to help you more.
Someone asked this same question a week or so ago. I was unable to find anything in a poster form. You can get Leisureguy's Book "Guide to Gourmet Shaving".
There's also this infographic I was able to find, but it's not really a how-to guide. I should sit down and make one with the collected knowledge of this sub.
This will help you put what you need to into words
Allow me to pimp his book for him as it's full of good info. I first read it cover-to-cover and now use it for quick referencing.
Available on Amazon
Like /u/Willin2learn said, the info is all there. It can be quite daunting jumping into this stuff. I came here a year ago and literally scoured the sidebar and YouTube videos until I figured what was for me. Don't get me wrong, it is a lot of information, but if you just take your time, you can do it. I managed to get a lot of really, really nice stuff right off the bat based on the information already here.... A vintage Fatboy, soaps from Sterling and B&M, a Thater brush, a badass stand from /u/whiskeyrow, a Dirty Bird Pottery shave bowl, etc. etc. So... if I can do it, you can do it :)
To start skimming through some of your questions.... I see you are having issues with technique and lather to start off with. Honestly, nobody can help you here unless you invite us to your place... Just take your time and practice, check out some YouTube videos and just practice building lathers. Load up a nice bit of soap on a brush and lather and lather and lather and add water and add water and add water until is just fucking breaks down. THEN you will see when your particular cream, soap, or croap breaks down, just don't be lazy and keep an open mind. Hell, when I started you know what I'd do? I'd take a puck of something "harder" to lather, something like Wool Fat, and I'd hit the jacuzzi or the tub and I'd just chill sitting back soaking with a drink, and I'd just build lather after lather after lather. Not to give you a lowball here, but this seems like laziness, we can't teach you how to lather, you need to put in the time.
If your cream is hardening on your face, needs water and proper lather (See above).
Your post shave is fine, I don't like alcohol based post shave stuff, my real go-to is dirty cheap stuff from Thayers. I also use some other stuff, mostly Castle Forbes Lime a/s. I have a recipe for a CF Lime clone if you want it, I got it from /u/leisureguy and it's good stuff. You may also want to pick up his book.
List of items you need... this is basic shit man, haha. Razor, Brush, Soap, Water, willingness to learn and do your own due diligence. I can't hold hands.
Step by step guide..... dude, they are all around, put in some work. Hit up the sidebar again or YouTube
That's enough typing for me, I've been on the slopes snowboarding all day and I need to relax, grab a shower and a beer.... you have this. Happy New Years.
Book - $11
Razor - $28
Brush - $7
Aftershave - $6
Soap - $7
Blades - $13 /100
Alum - $6
Box - $8
That is the setup OP has except a generally more popular aftershave scent, a different brush, and a block of alum that I find a little easier to use.
This is about $75 per person.
Edit: Personally I would probably go with /u/papander 's suggestion of Maggards. It is not what OP did, but Maggard's is a top notch retailer with really good product. For even less hassle just grab as many starter kits as you like, and add aftershave from walmart. You can't go wrong with any selection on the drop down lists as Maggards does not sell junk.
The pre shave cream you use your hands to rub into your beard. A little bit goes a long way, so I personally just touch my fingertip to it and rub it into my beard a section at a time.
As far as the shave cream goes... it depends. Shave creams aren't lathered in the bowl they come in (as far as I know. Never seen anyone do it that way.) Some people like to put the cream on their brush, and build the lather on their face. Personally, I like putting the shave cream into a separate mug and building the lather there before putting on my face. Some people even like rubbing the shave cream into their beard before they start lathering.
Shave soaps are similar. You can rub the soap on your face and build the lather there. You can build the lather in the mug the soap is in. You can load the brush with soap and build the lather in another mug. You can even build the lather on your hand if you feel like it.
You need to experiment and see what works best for you. One term you'll see bandied about here is YMMV. It stands for your milage may vary. What works for me doesn't mean it will work for you. It might, but it might not.
A couple of things I recommend. If you haven't already picked up a blade sampler pack, do so. Not all blades are created equally, and everyone has different blades that they prefer over others. Again, YMMV. Watch some of Mantic59's videos. He's around here sometimes and has a lot of information to share. And lastly, pick up Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving. I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've referenced it since I picked up this habit. He's also around here giving out advice. And second lastly, welcome :)
Traditional wet shaving is a great thing, and has completely freed me from things like razor burn or irritation.
If it is something you are interested in, a good first step would be Leisureguy's book -- he frequents this site and provides loads of insight.
Mainly it's the design of the head of the razor. When you start researching DE razors you will, most likely, come across people describing them in terms of aggressiveness.
Different razors hold the blade differently by angling and exposing the blade in their own ways. From what I hear, the DE89 is very mild in terms of aggressiveness and is very forgiving to novices who are learning proper blade angle when learning. This is in comparison to say a Slant Bar razor which, with improper technique, will cut you without hesitation.
Also, keep in mind that DE shaving is very personalized and what works for one, may not work for another. Blade choice is an obvious example, with DE razors you can choose from many many different makes of razor blades. Some will work for you and some won't; even further, some will work for a particular razor and some won't. It is always recommended to purchase a sample pack of blades with your first razor.
Please check out this book Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving. The author is a redditor and he regularly comments and gives advice on r/wicked_edge. Also, check out Mantic59's youtube channel. He's made introduction videos on wet shaving and often contributes to r/wicked_edge too.
Good luck.
a little of column A, a little of column B
http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804
I haven't read the book but I've read enough copypasta from the guy to get the gist of it.
as far as the book... /u/leisureguy wrote a pretty good book... http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
You can't tell what you look like because you haven't put any thought into it, apparently, ever. Is pretty something you want? It's ok to answer no. Beauty doesn't have to define you. But if you want it, you'll have to work for it like everybody else.
Diet, watch some makeup tutorials on Youtube, get your hair did, get new glasses, and buy some new clothes - preferably in color. I know it sounds like a lot, but believe me. If you start now, you could have a full dance card a year from now. Even just working on the things you can change immediately (hair, clothes, makeup) will have an enormous effect.
Beauty isn't entirely superficial- at least, the consequences aren't. Attractive people get better jobs with better pay, are judged to be more competent, are judged to be morally better people... the list goes on. It really is a game-changer. I can't explain to you how different, how much easier, it is to be a pretty girl. Everyone takes you more seriously. Everyone wants to be nice to you. People go out of their way for you constantly. It comes with its own set of challenges, but it's quantifiably worth it.
If you have any female friends or relatives, I guarantee at least one of them has been dieing to give you a makeover for years. Let somebody teach you the girl stuff. Also, if you're serious, I can't recommend this book by Bobbi Brown enough. Taught me everything I know.
I'm stealing another redditor's format to make it easier for you to find the useful information in this ramble...haha
DRESS:If you are a small enough size, try looking in the kids'/juniors' section - no joke. My friend only just breaks 5', and she found a really pretty white dress that was a fraction of the price of adult dresses.
Dress shopping is hard :( It's worth finding out about your body type to help narrow your options. When your arms are relaxed at your waist, are your elbows below your natural waist (the smallest circumference of your waist)? If you said yes, then congratulations, you're short-waisted like me and cheap dress shopping will be a bitch because everything cheap is catered to long-waisted women (elbows are above natural waist). If you are short-waisted, for instance, babydoll styles look silly, but empress waistlines/dresses that ruche at the side or wrap around are flattering. If you're long-waisted, I think you can rock a wider variety of styles.
It may be a worth a spin by Ross, Filene's Basement, or the like - often, you can find decent, cheap stuff there.
MAKEUP:For makeup, many people get makeovers from the counters at malls (Bobbi Brown does the most natural-looking jobs). Sometimes these are free, and sometimes they do this with the understanding that you will buy one or two items afterwards. This can cost $30 and up in products, though, so do your research and see who will do it for free. I think the Body Shop does free makeup, although it'll be their mineral-y powerstuffs which don't augment as much as other kinds of makeup would. I, personally, prefer Bobbi Brown because you exit looking like a slightly prettier normal person, and you get some high quality products you can use for the next year (if you wear makeup as infrequently as I do, haha. Actually, I may still have products I bought for prom makeup four years ago).
By the way, Bobbi Brown has some books on beauty that I still refer to - here and here, although this might be most helpful for you if you decide to do your own makeup. The InStyle Secrets of Style books are also like DIY manuals for fashion/style/life in general. You could also check out the blog Already Pretty, although I don't remember if there are many prom-appropriate articles. They do have a lot of confidence-boosting articles, though, and confidence is important for any social event! They also have some stuff on finding the right clothes for your body type, which could help with dress shopping.
EVENT: The event varies from place to place. Mine was a dance in a large hotel hall that came with a seated dinner buffet and dessert buffet. It was chaperoned by teachers. The deejay did a bit of challenging girls vs. boys to dance, but nothing with plastic inflatable goods. He played mostly top 40 songs, and then some songs we had requested (e.g. "Don't Stop Believing" was our prom song). There wasn't a lot of grinding at our school because the clothes were generally too restrictive and the girls were wearing heels, haha. I doubt you'll feel pressured into doing that; some people are totally happy just sitting and talking and eating for the whole time, if those are options for you.
Above all, have a great time! Everyone's nervous, but it is so much fun to see everyone all dolled up - especially the dudes forced into tuxes. Bring a camera and you'll always have something to do :) Best of luck!
I highly recommend the Curly Girl Handbook (https://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X). I used to hate my curls, but now I love them and get compliments all the time.
Here's my basic routine: shampoo and condition every 3-4 days, leave-in conditioner every day. (You'll read about a few simple techniques that I'll name next and you pretty much need to do these.) I squish to condish, run my fingers through my hair to get rid of any tangles and define curls, add gel, squish dry with a t-shirt, plop for 10-15 minutes and then remove the t-shirt. Then I wait for my hair to dry--it will be crunchy at this point. Squeeze the curls to break the gel crust and enjoy my bouncy, soft, super-defined curls all day!
Feel free to ask any questions. Product-wise, this method avoids silicones and sulfates, and while you can spend lots of money here, you can also find these at the drugstore.
Stick your head under the faucet. If you don't have enough time for that you could try a lavender spray.
This recipe is from Curly Girl The Handbook: Simmer 1/2 a gallon of water and 5 drops if lavender essential oil for an hour. Let it cool and put it into some spray bottles.
Ah ok! So I def recommend checking out the Naturally Curly forums and perhaps r/curlyhair, but it can be really overwhelming. You can easily get sucked down the rabbit hole so lemme explain a few terms/concepts that you'll probably see --
First, the general "theory" around the Curly Girl Method (or CG for short) is that most curly hair is naturally dry and craves moisture, so it's best to avoid sulfates, which can very stripping and drying. However, if you use products that contain various silicones, you will need sulfates to remove the product from your hair, since the silicones aren't water-soluble. If you use silicones but don't use sulfates, you'll have a lot of build-up on your hair. Also, the term "Curly Girl" is coined from the book of the same name, which is credited with starting the modern movement. It's worth a read and I've been able to easily find it at the library.
So, what follows is that curly-folk should avoid sulfates and thus also avoid (most) silicones. When people say they are "CG", that means they avoid both sulfates and silicones. You'll also see terms like semi-CG or modified CG.
Unfortunately, most drugstore products marketed towards curly hair are chock-full of silicones. This is because silicones smooth the cuticle and make your hair shiny-looking (FYI -- this also applies to skincare. You'll often find silicones such as dimethicone in lotions and creams because they make the product feel slippery and you skin smooth). However, they also block moisture from entering your hair. So if your hair is dry and under-hydrated, silicones block moisture from entering and many of us find that this makes our hair frizzy and NOT shiny and smooth like the products promised.
Again, the forums can be super overwhelming and make you want to immediately go out and purchase a ton of expensive products so I recommend you spend a few weeks just researching and reading before you buy anything. Determine your hair type so you can narrow down your search to people with similar needs.
Popular/cheap silicone-free conditioners include the V05 line, the Suave Naturals line, and Tressemme Biotanique (but none of the other Tressemme conditioners).
Good luck!
Yes, please get Curly Girl! It's a great book that breaks it down very simply!
If you hair is frizzy when it dries its usually because there isn't enough moisture in your hair. Leaving conditioner in after you shower will help boost moisture and protect your hair from the elements. You are not leaving conditioner on your scalp, so there is no itchiness/greasiness.
Some days I use gel, some days I just leave conditioner in my hair and let it dry that way. Both work well, the gel just gives my waves more hold. If I'm using gel, I'll rinse the conditioner out of my hair very gently, focusing more on rinsing it out of the top 1/3 of my head and letting the ends stay sorta slimy with conditioner, then I style as usual.
One of my friends has extremely curly hair and she maintains it beautifully. She uses the curly girl method and swears by it. It can be overwhelming at first but she said she wishes she would’ve known how to care for her hair sooner. Also, when she gets a hair cut make sure you find a stylist who knows how to cut curly hair.
This book changed my hair life:
[http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Lorraine-Massey/dp/076115678X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344290204&sr=1-1]
http://www.naturallycurly.com is a lifesaver, if you're just starting to learn about the CG method. So is Lorraine Massey's book: https://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481063743&sr=8-1&keywords=lorraine+massey
I don't have much to offer except recommending the book Curly Girl: The Handbook.
It's a absolutely fantastic book on caring for curly hair.
i suspect you're in the UK based on the noughty products, so r/CurlyHairUK will probably have good local recommendations!
as for a guide book, there is curly girl: the handbook, which is basically what kicked off the curly girl movement many many years ago. it's a bit outdated in my opinion, but it's still a really good starting point!
No problem! :) Curly Girl originated with Lorraine Massey's book, and she never says anything about parabens - only sulfates and non-water soluble silicones.
One thing: there are no valid health concerns regarding parabens. Here are some links for you regarding their use, and how/when the 2004 study (that originally called into question their safety) was debunked as baloney. :)
SkinCareAddiction post, with lots of sources in the comments.
What the FDA has to say about parabens.
It's based on this book: http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X
Here's the gist of it: http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/076115678X/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/176-4480119-1278117
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
What is your current CG routine like? I might have a few ideas but don't want to give unhelpful advice if you're already doing it!
I'm guessing that you aren't doing anything wrong but that the CG method(s) simply take a bit of time (AND trial and error!). I have the Curly Girl book and somewhere in there Lorraine Massey talks about how your hair routine, at some point, might need to become a matter of priority (going either direction: more or less precedence).
Have you heard of the Curly Girl Method? Here's a breakdown of what it's about. Since I started this, I wash my hair about 3 times a week. I did the complete No-Poo route for about a year, but my hair is so much nicer now that I use conditioner.
EDIT: Whole point was to say, the better you take care of your curls the longer they will grow, and the better they will look. Better care = less split/broken ends = more perceived length. :D
Hey there! Newish to Reddit, forgive my inevitable mistakes. If you're ready to embrace you're curly side, be prepared. It'll take a while for your hair to get used to being natural again, especially depending on the type of curl. No straightening, no blow drying without a diffuser, heck you should even get a microfiber towel (or use a t-shirt/paper towel). That'll all help your hair transition smoothly into being curly again, and minimize the "poof" that comes with it. (Especially since depending on where you are, it's about to get pretty humid over the summer. Then again I'm in FL)
I found that my first step to embracing my curl was picking up this book Although Lorraine now runs her own line of curly-centric cutteries and produces her own hair products, the Devachan line, she gives a great breakdown of different types of curls and how best to treat each one.
My second step was a proper haircut. Thankfully I live pretty close to a Devachan certified gentleman and could shell out his price. If you don't, ask around at local salons and see who has experience in cutting curly hair. MAKE SURE they cut it dry. Curls react best when you cut by curl "family", or the groupings of hair that form each curl, and when they are dry. You've no doubt noticed that when your hair is wet it's longer and less springy, and it does unpredictable things when you dry it? Why get a haircut that way? Cutting it dry lets the stylist see each curl family and judge how to cut them accordingly.
My third step was finding products that worked for me. I'm caucasian and have very fine "s'wavy" hair according to Lorraine's terminology. This means it gets pretty darn curly depending on the humidity and product used, but doesn't have much spring to it (only 1-2 inches). So right now, I've switched to using "No-poo", which is a cleanser without all the nasty parabens, sulfates, etc which create a lather. Lathers may make you think they're cleansing your hair, but based on research I'm too lazy to find right now, actually start weakening it. With curly hair, this weakening means frizz and more frizz. :/ I do use the Deva line just because it's the only thing I've found, but I'm sure there are better cost-effective brands out there.
Drying technique is also a big deal. I used to ruffle my hair in a towel and comb through it just like my mom (straight hair) taught me. BAD. BAAAAD. That leads to frizz. For curly hair, it's best to use a less abrasive drying surface (microfiber, tshirt, paper towel, etc) and the following technique:
Flip your head upside down in the shower. Bring your curls to the front.
Scrunch upward with your preferred drying surface, holding for 3-5 seconds to get the moisture out while still preserving the shapes of your curls.
Tilt your head on one side, repeat, and then the other. Get the most moisture out of your hair as possible.
Then, styling product. Gels are claimed to be the best for curly hair. Again, I'm using Deva, but looking forward to trying other paraben, sulfate, etc. free brands like Ms. Jessie's. For my thin s'wavy hair I take half-a-palm-ful of gel and the same amount of leave in conditioner, and make that same upward-scrunching motion to spread the mix through my hair and saturate the curl.
Then I tip my head back and let air dry. You may choose to use a diffuser, I'm not much help there unfortunately. I've had good luck with a bowl diffuser with finger-tip protusions, set on low air/medium heat, and holding close to the scalp. Whatever you do you want to prevent frizz, so try not to get too hot/too much hair flow/too much movement of the diffuser.
Once your hair is dry you can gently scrunch upward with your hands again to "break" the gel cast, leaving you (theoretically) with soft, manageable curls. I haven't hit that stage yet with my routine, but I'm working on it. :)
PM me with any questions. Sorry about the novel. :/
TL;DR: Curly Girl!
On that subject, have you read this? (Not a critique, cause I love your curls.) Just a recommendation, since that book taught me how to properly care for my hair.
I think you look nice. I second the makeup, though. Just for a level of polish. Most of us need it.
The definitive book on tying your tie was written by a physicist. Here it is: The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie: The Science and Aesthetics of Tie Knots.
How about a book on how to dress well and just be a man in general? Glenn O'Brien over at GQ penned an excellent book called How to be a Man. It is a great primer on how to dress and act like a mature gentleman. Now, it does have chapters on smoking and drinking etiquette... And Christmas seems to be more of a time for "fun" gifts that engenders happiness and joy rather than "meaningful" ones that always come with a lecture/speech/story (reserved for important birthdays or occasions). So it's your call, dad. My favorite Christmas gift from my parents has always been video games because I love that shit.
Boy it's hard to be a dad nowadays. I salute you good sir.
EDIT: I see that people are suggesting pocket knives. To be honest, the pocket knife I got from my father on my 16th birthday was arguably one of the best gifts I have ever gotten. And I think a pocket knife makes for the greatest gift for boys of any type, not just the outdoorsy ones. Because every man should carry a pocket knife with him. But again it falls under the "meaningful" category for me. It's a rite of passage, really. It's a great opportunity to teach a boy something about maturity/responsibility and power, respect and appreciation for risk and danger, etc. that kind of thing.
I recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1463595344/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323907422&sr=8-1
When I was younger my parents never really kept me from makeup which I think was very smart on their part. I was able to experiment without going over the top for the thrill of it being "taboo". I have tried a lot of different foundations - liquid, mousse, and bare minerals which I am currently favoring since my skin has evened out a bit past my teen years and I am liking a more natural look in my day to day. I tried liquid liner when I was younger and that took a long time to be successful with. I have played with a lot of different color palates, but I feel like I look best when simply enhancing my natural features. One book I really enjoyed on this topic was Bobbi Brown Beauty, it has a lot of great tips for people of all ages.
Bobby Brown Beauty is a classic book on both skincare and makeup. Don't be fooled by the book's age (1998); her tips are timeless and extremely applicable.
Back more than a decade ago I learned a lot of the basics from a book called "Beauty" by Bobbi Brown and then later I filled in a lot of the gaps with YouTube tutorials.
https://www.amazon.com/Bobbi-Brown-Beauty/dp/0060929766
That said you don't have to wear makeup all the time to look awesome. I'm 30 and I wear makeup maybe once a week and a full face of makeup maybe once a month. Looking good is more about hair and clothes than makeup for me.
the bangs are really great. wear some more makeup. try different looks. bobbi brown has some great books for makeup advice:
http://www.amazon.com/Bobbi-Brown-Beauty/dp/0060929766
I just got my BFFs 11year old daughter ( who is not allowed to wear makup at all until 14-15 years old) ,who is obsessed with makeup, the Bobbi Brown Teenage Beauty. It covers most of what everyone is saying, including weight and skin care, in a compassionate and sensitive way. It also covers appropriate styles for different ages. My friend's girl sleeps with this book. Obsessed!
1.) Done! I fucking love Queen <3
2.) "Drop of a hat she's as willing as.
Playful as a pussy cat.
Then momentarily out of action,
Temporarily out of gas,
To absolutely drive you wild, wild..
She's all out to get you.
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatine
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime"
3.) Stuff and Things
4.) A Night of Queen
5.) !!!!!!
6.) My favorite type of queen because they're as bitchy as I am
Welcome! I hope you have a good time here. I think we are pretty swell. An autobiography of a famous drag queen is pretty outrageous.
This one below. I apologize in advance if the link is wonky. I'm on mobile.
http://www.amazon.com/Perfumes-The-Guide-Luca-Turin/dp/0143115014/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411087713&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=perfume+guide
This one.
Perfumes: The A to Z Guide - good stuff!
Curly Girl: The Handbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/076115678X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sibkDbBSTJKZP
This is the woman who founded the cgm. This book is a great place to start and understand the method.
Check out the curly girl line of products they really helped me and there is a book http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X that actually teaches you how to wash and style your hair to bring out the best side of your curls.
I wanted to give all of you helpful ladies an update on what I've been doing. For the past week, I have started weaning myself into the hair care method Lorraine Massey outlines in Curly Girl.
http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Lorraine-Massey/dp/076115678X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1330717279&amp;sr=8-1
I have always thought my hair is bone straight and to my delight, I have discovered I actually have waves! I haven't touched a blow dryer or a hot iron in a week (this is HUGE for me), and it's made such a difference. I am slowly weaning myself from using shampoo every day, and I've noticed on the days that I don't use it my hair looks BETTER (whoa, who would have thought?) At first, I was scared to try it and didn't think my hair would be wavy enough, but after a week there is noticeably more curl in my hair. I've received compliments from co-workers and my husband loves my new look. I know I will sound dramatic when I say it's changed my life, but it really has! I know I'm not a full Curly Girl yet, but this past week has been an eye-opening challenge for me to realize the full potential of how great my hair can look without the constant maintenance of blow-drying and straightening.
THANK YOU TO ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE!
Or, even better, you should buy the "Curly hair: The handbook" and learn all you need to know about curls! Do it now and you'll get a great offer and a cute kitten to look at!
Just kidding, I seriously recommend this book to all of the curly haired people in Earth. It helps you to identify your curl type, learn the best routine for it, and to know how to trim it.
It also has lots of information about the No-Poo method, because the author is the co-creator of the DevaCurl system.
I found [this book] (http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Handbook-Michele-Bender/dp/076115678X) to be helpful. I have very curly hair myself. I follow most of the advice from this book (and have a hairdresser who really knows what she's doing), and my hair usually looks pretty good. I get compliments all the time.
We could help if you had specific questions, but you don't have specific questions.
If you want an overview and can't use the Internet then buy : the Curly Girl: The Handbook.
Link for your phone: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/076115678X/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/176-4480119-1278117
Read "How to be a Man" by Glenn O'Brien. Not only will it help in a basic understanding of bodily care, but also how to dress and how to act in certain situations. I wasn't taught these things either, but managed to learn on my own eventually. Acting nice > Looking nice, but both are important.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Man-Behavior-Gentleman/dp/0847835472/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1321023038&amp;sr=8-1
This article might be of interest to you.
EDIT: And this book, too... It's mentioned in the article.
The Dirt on Clean by Kathrine Ashenburg
About cleanliness habits throughout history, pretty interesting
Read this book. As well as this book. Watch this movie.
Take lessons from these. But most importantly, be passionate about something. That's how you begin to discover yourself (in a good way).
Speak with class
look fancy doing it
and
...
Dress with style and sophistication
...
How to play the part
and
also
Get him a copy of "How to be a Gentleman". The book is small, compact, and teaches essential manners in large, bold type. It is appropriate for all ages, though it admittedly skews more towards adulthood than young adulthood.
No one is going to care what you look like if you have boorish manners.
I recently switched from an electric as well. I recommend buying Leisureguy's book and watching Mantic59's videos.
As for equipment to start with, what's your budget? There are some good holiday gift threads over on the sidebar for various budgets, and I'm sure if you let people know what you want to spend to get started, you'll get plenty of suggestions.
Leisureguy is humble. This is his book on Amazon.
Okay... So I've added to my "to buy" list...
blades
maybe this
brush
stand
Honestly, not any more. I tried the poraso (sp) pre-shaves, the pre shave oils, the pre shave soaps, all that. It didn't do monkey squat. Now, I shower, grab my warm mug of hot distilled water (I have very hard water in my house) from the microwave, load a blade in my Gillette adjustable, wet my Plisson in the freshly warmed water, and start loading soap. Then I add a little bit of water (TINY AMOUNT) to my lather bowl, and go to town. Work it into/onto my face, and start shaving. some soaps ae thirstier than others, B&M needs more water, than say, RR (razo rock). some soaps only need 10 seconds of loading, others need damn near a minute. you want enough soap in the brush to make enough lather to get thru however many passes you plan to make (i go for the traditional 3 pass- with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain). /u/leisureguy wrote a great book that explains so much when it comes to wet shaving, I highly recommend it. http://www.amazon.com/Leisureguys-Guide-Gourmet-Shaving-Enjoyable/dp/1477436804
There's a Kindle version of "Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving: Shaving Made Enjoyable" if that helps. It's also available in paperback.
Curly girl method -- no silicones, sulfates, mineral oils; cowash with conditioner -- developed by Lorraine Massey, founder of Deva Curl.
I wouldn't say that someone that "keeps looking at magazines" is someone who has no interest in improving their appearance.
But instead of magazines who are made to push always the latest and greatest fad, how about a book whose purpose is to introduce you to the fundamentals of style?
Random example: http://www.amazon.com/The-Fundamentals-Style-illustrated-ebook/dp/B007O3167C
As someone who worked in clothes and tennis stores as a teenager, I can assure you the shop assistants just want a sale. This much is true. But if you go out of rush hours, they will be bored out of their minds. Just go talk to them, try different things. Never feel sorry for saying "this is out of my price range". And don't take home anything you think you might use. Just like the girls rejecting you, reject anything that you put on and that doesn't click.
Oh girl... I am so sorry this is happening to you. Constant pain from inflammation can be AWFUL. It makes you want to claw off your skin! I hope you can get some relief soon. :(
I've been lusting over(wishing) for quite a few things lately. I really love makeup books, and this one has been on my wishlist for a long time. I love makeovers so much! I keep hoping I'll come across a cheap copy online. :) Also, this set from NYX looks like it has a bit of everything! What better way to test out a few shades of blush, highlighters and neutral eye shades!! :)
Gentleman: A Timeless Guide To Fashion by Bernhard Roetzel.
You have some options, though they are limited.
Here is an image I scanned from Robert Jones' book, Makeup Makeovers: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations.
Summary: Bangs, blush, bronzer on your chin. Good luck!
*Edited to add, the photo of the woman near the bottom is a no-makeup example of the face shape.
If this is still going on, I would like to enter my 12 year old son, Jamie.
Being on the spectrum, social and communication skills are not his forte, so this book on hygiene, etc would come in handy for him.
Also, he just REALLY got into Albert Einstein being that Einstein portrayed many Asperger traits. TIL that he had a very huge, misshapen head. Lol.
I have not had a chance to post a request for Jamie and his younger brother as of yet, but I am registered. Thanks!
Congrats on your 39 days!
What kind of resources and support system do you have available right now? Other family members? Regular therapist? Insurance? Inheritance?
Just the cleanup must be a huge process and I bet it would help if you could get some professionals in to help.
I’ll link you to appropriate resources...
Some good books to start with:
The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls https://www.amazon.com/dp/1609580427/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B3-rDb9D8J3T3
Personal Hygiene? What's that Got to Do with Me? https://www.amazon.com/dp/1843107961/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_C5-rDbWSY6ZK3
Hygiene and Related Behaviors for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders https://www.amazon.com/dp/1934575429/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_b6-rDbM1213Q1
Taking Care of Myself: A Hygiene, Puberty and Personal Curriculum for Young People with Autism https://www.amazon.com/dp/1885477945/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_F6-rDbC0SF8R2
My favourites are Rae Morris's Makeup: The Ultimate Guide and Express Makeup! I'd like to get Makeup Manual, Making Faces and Face Forward in the future.