(Part 2) Top products from r/malegrooming

Hey im a nail technician and used to be a horrid nail biter. I've coached many through the habit! Everything these ppl said is true but im going to provide you with some links:

1- Nail file - you dont need a glass one obv but they last forever and are more sustainable.

2- Cuticle Nippers- I would, like u/deskais said, keep them with you all the time for a while and use that when you have a hang nail or rough cuticle you want to pick at. This one is a pretty inexpensive pair that comes with a cuticle pusher to push your cuticles back with.

3- Disgustig nail polish - I've heard tales of people chewing through it but that is mind boggling to me. It tastes awful and will at the very least remind you if you are biting at them subconsciously. There is another brand called "stop the bite" but it wears off and isn't so bad. This one stays on until you remove it.

4- Cuticle Cream. This one is important and would be my #1 choice if you only picked one. Moisturize that shit every day. Keep it on your nightstand or in your car so you dont forget. If they aren't dry, there will be nothing to pick at and they will look so much better.

Id also get a professional manicure just to see how they do it and then that will help you learn how to do it yourself, and it will clean them up and then all you have to do is keep it up with at home care.

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Good luck! Id love to see a followup post in a month if you remember.

My advice would be to generally stay away from cordless clippers. It seems like a nice thing to have but in my experience once the battery goes you're better off just buying new ones. My last set of cordless clippers lasted about 18 months, and the ones before that lasted 2 years.

I've shaved my head with clippers for about 15 years and have gone through many. I picked up a WAHL Peanut a few months ago and have been extremely happy with them. They're quite small so even with a cord it's easy to get a good cut.

Lastly if you do get good clippers make sure to oil them regularly...it really makes a difference using them and they'll last forever.

First, you've got a good head of hair my man! You've got the foundation for a barber to do their thing!

My suggestion is a typical one found here, but you could rock pretty much any cut where its short on the sides & longer and styled on top. Here are a few photos for inspiration:

Side Part Comb Over

Fade with Sweep Back

Relaxed Brushed Over

It might just be the pictures you posted, but it doesn't look like you use any product in your hair. I would buy some product and test out different styles.

Here are a couple products (low to medium price range):

American Crew Forming Cream

Bed Head Matte Separation Wax

My personal favourite Fatboy


Hope this helps! You can always try /r/malehairadvice as well! Good luck!

Once or twice a week, exfoliate your head/face/neck with St Ives Apricot Scrub (2% salicylic acid) in the shower and finish by toning with witch hazel. I use Thayer's, but you can get plain generic witch hazel just about anywhere, like Target. Just be sure it is alcohol free, and a little goes a long way. Exfoliating will clean out the pores, and toning will close them back up so that dirt can't easily get back in, as well as moisturize.

Other than that, just wash with soap and water 2-3 times per day, including shower. You may want to get a daily face soap, like Cetaphil.

Easy/Cheap things:

• Shave your hair;its much easier to maintain and is easier to look good with
  
• Pluck your eyebrows
  
• Buy a few nice Button Down Shirts; they are fairly cheap and will give you the appearance of a man who knows what style is, at least until you eventually do.
  
  Expensive/Hard things:
  
  
• Get better frames for your glasses or get contacts
  
• Increase your exercise and sun exposure

Take a look at this, it has a cord tho.... http://www.amazon.com/Conair-The-Chopper-Customer-Styler/dp/B000X2FUXC/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1380594996&sr=1-3&keywords=conair+clippers

Note the difference between the width of the trimming surface. Depending on how furry you are you may want to get something that is more substantial.

Really it comes down to how much work you will need to do versus battery life and the power of the motor. I would LOVE to find a battery powered trimmer for the shower that doesn't die on me half way through the job but thus far no luck. Please tell me what you find on this. But so far a corded trimmer is my best option. As for shaving opportunities, I have no clue. I had that problem in college as well and never had a good solution.

I am assuming you want a clean shave? Not the stubble look?

My personal preference for shaving the parts of my face that are unbeareded or for the rare occasions I forget that I look like a man baby without facial hair is a double edged razor and this shaving cream
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Sandalwood/dp/B0007MW2ZW/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1464852677&sr=8-2&keywords=shaving+cream

Pick up a sample pack of blades too too see which ones you prefer, I tend to use feather blades.

This guide might help you with shaving. Personally I tend to skip the across the grain part to save time but that doesn't mean its the best way to do it.

http://www.shaving-shack.com/blog/shaving-against-the-grain-do-or-dont/

Your hair from the first picture is glorious. Seriously, it's fantastic. The length and volume you have on top in that picture is what I'd go for, but with buzzed sides and have the sides blended into the top.

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/67/590x/Ox-776875.jpg

(^ Obviously, he has African-American hair, but I used the pic more as an example of the faded sides and how it's blended to the top.)

As far as products - if you're not using it already, argan oil is a must for curly hair, as it helps keep frizz and dryness to a minimum. I use the oil as a prestyler, and then Rusk flexible styling creme as the main product (https://www.amazon.ca/Rusk-Wired-Flexible-Styling-Creme/dp/B000ULPFP4).

http://smile.amazon.com/Tend-Skin-Solution-Unsightly-Ingrown/dp/B001ECQ7G4?sa-no-redirect=1

Expensive, but it works. I like the little roller bottle for application. I had exactly the same thing you do. I shave with an electric razor using lectric shave as a lube, then just apply this afterward. Works like a champ.

I have this. I used to have my grandpa's which was practically the same but was in service for 20+ years until it finally died (due to my negligence in keeping it oiled).

I've only tried one battery-electric clipper when I was away from home. I liked it for traveling purposes, but for a workhorse, there's just something about a hefty wired one that I love. Plus, you don't have to worry about a battery going bad.

I loved the old one as well as this new one. I can tell that I'll be keeping it just as long if I can remember to keep it well-oiled.

I went through this faze a few years ago and I found Mitchum, but it is antiperspirant. Here is one for sensitive skin. Good luck on your quest.

It really bugs me how they can charge you so much for their beard oil product. I bought an oz when i first started growing my beard and couldn't believe the constant average of price on beard oils. You can find all of the ingredients they list in their description to make their beard oils on Amazon. Almond, Jojoba, and avocado all usually come in 8oz bottles. Buy whichever essential oil scent you like and you have a large bottle full of your own beard oil, and it is just as good.

http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Organic-Jojoba-ounce/dp/B0019LTGOU/ref=sr_1_4?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1452376681&sr=1-4&keywords=jojoba+oil

http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Almond-Oil-Ounce/dp/B000NB9LLA/ref=pd_sim_121_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=31heG3BpDmL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1KMAJ7ZWGCJN6QWH45AP

http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Avocado-Moisturizing-Edible/dp/B000MGOZ30/ref=pd_sim_121_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=315yAxnxz2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1KMAJ7ZWGCJN6QWH45AP

http://www.amazon.com/Patchouli-100%25-Therapeutic-Grade-Essential/dp/B002RSU0XU/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1452376774&sr=1-2&keywords=patchouli+essential+oil

been using this philips norelco shaver on my body hair for years.... i love it. i do occasionally get ingrowns, so to fix that for the first 2-3 days after i "shave" i apply tend skin on the area and no problems

people complain that tend skin is expensive, but using it on my chest and stomach only after shaving for a few days (about weekly?), a 16oz bottle lasts for me, about a year.

good luck

What is the length? If it's fairly short, you could always get a trimmer. I own this one and it works exceptionally well.

Hope that helps.

I prefer the manual trimmer. Like this.

It takes a bit of practice until you figure out how not to pull hairs out but I like it better than the burnt smelling electric ones.

I use this. It's not really soap and it's not specifically for acne. I still have mild acne, but this seems to work pretty well and doesn't dry out my face.

http://www.amazon.com/Cleansing-Double-Action-Normal-Ounces/dp/B00005BL1R

I have the norelco you posted. Vacuum works decently well, but I have a hard time fading my neckline with it. The comb has a hard time picking up the hairs so I have to clean up with scissors. I would recommend a corded peanut based on the info you gave.
https://www.amazon.com/Wahl-Professional-Classic-Clipper-8685/dp/B00011K2BA/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1511043590&sr=8-1&keywords=peanut+wahl&dpID=41DArvw7zmL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Oh man, I just bought the best one. Trust me. Panasonic ER-GN30. Check the reviews on Amazon. The Conair one I had before was okay but this one blows it out of the water. Makes quick work of nose hairs.

Before trying anything extreme (like putting yogurt in your hair), start by using a daily moisturizer. I use Vaseline Men's Face & Body Lotion and it works great (cheap, absorbs quickly and doesn't get oily)

As for your head..I would also try using a conditioner. Some of these shampoos can be pretty harsh on the scalp.

Shave Secret Shaving Oil.

Best thing to ever happen to me with shaving. So much less mess and it's so much easier to deal with than shaving cream every day.

http://www.amazon.com/SHAVE-SECRET-SHAVING-OIL-18-75ML/dp/B0023XF60Q

You can get it at WalMart and it's super lower cost.

I use a beard trimmer like this on my balls and near it. I don't use a electric razor as you described because it's too stubbly and doesn't shave my balls real well. Using a beard trimmer is much more effective. I'll put on the lowest possible length setting.

Trim.

I'm a hairy beast, every 4 weeks or so I use an electric trimmer on chest,legs,pubes,forearms. Too short looks weird, use the guide to maintain some fur.

Daily, I use a Razorba to keep the back hair away... Nobody likes back hair.

It shows you care about your appearance.

Tried Bronner's castile soap for the first time last night. I love it, can't wait to shower again soon. I've read you can find the 32oz for $11 at Trader Joe's.

You might need a better electric shaver. I use pre-shave stuff and shave before I shower, then throw on a little of this stuff after, then some of this at night keeps my face from drying out.

This one?

Do the clippers pinch/cut your skin? I find clippers to be the best, but I'm afraid of the wide toothed ones because the one I used did that.

What kind, did you try? Although it's the best smell in the world, it doesn't bother me too much but I use this one that smells like as you guessed it cucumber Thayer Cucumber Witch Hazel

Groom Mate Platinum XL Nose & Ear Hair Trimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EBFJXS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4WGHAbAP2ET55

I use these and they are awesome.. never dull out

Nivea for Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm

http://www.amazon.com/Nivea-Men-Sensitive-Comfort-3-3-Ounce/dp/B001FB5IGE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373119174&sr=8-1&keywords=nivea+aftershave+sensitive

Try shaving oil

http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Organic-Jojoba-ounce/dp/B0019LTGOU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1372828859&sr=8-3&keywords=jojoba

Buy it from Amazon 11-12$ vs 17. There aren't many options out there that would get cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049LUI9O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Call me old-fashioned.

..and overpriced to hell.

Mitchum is great: http://www.amazon.com/Mitchum-Anti-Perspirant-Deodorant-Unscented-3-4-Ounce/dp/B001EWEP86

Not black, but a friend swears by this OSTER model that he has been using on he and his kids for years. I can confirm the quality of OSTER though. My Dad has been using them for years, and one he's had for decades.

Yea, shave your face. You could also slap some paste in your hair and mess it up a bit. I use this.

You can get very bitter tasting, transparent nail polish on Amazon.