10 Basic Hygiene And Grooming Changes Every Guy Should Make Right Now

Hygiene matters, no matter what a guy may think about the topic. Professionally, it sets a man apart to be well-groomed. On a personal level, women pay attention to details and expect the men they consider dating to have at least basic hygiene and grooming skills.

However, despite what some of your sloppy (and likely single) buddies might say, looking your best is masculine and very important. Fortunately, taking care of basic hygiene isn’t rocket science, nor time consuming. So, guys, focus on the basic tips below and you can become a lot more attractive and admired quickly and easily:

1. Brush Your Teeth – A Lot: Brushing your teeth once or twice a day might not be enough. Drinking coffee, eating, etc, all cause your mouth to become acidic and gross. Brushing returns your mouth to a fresher state. Do it regularly and before important events. First impressions are important. Don’t be “that guy whose breath smelled like an outhouse.”

2. Floss – A Lot: Have you left food out for a while? It doesn’t smell good. Well, imagine what that food is doing when it is stuck in your teeth for hours. Combine that with the natural bacteria in your mouth and the result is bad breath.

Floss after every meal to prevent bad breath and to stop food particles from being visible when you smile.

3. Clean Your Tongue: You probably didn’t even know it was dirty, but your tongue is filled with bacteria that cause bad breath. To eliminate the germs (and the smell), break up the bacteria colonies with gentle rubbing.

Use your toothbrush or buy a cheap tongue cleaner. Simply scrape it along your entire tongue first thing in the morning and wash off the gunk.

4. Trim Your Eyebrows: One time during a haircut, my stylist grabbed a comb and ran her clippers across my eyebrows. It was her way of saying, “You’re cute enough, but fix those eyebrows.”

You can buy good, inexpensive products that combine nose, ear, and eyebrow hair trimming ability. Start with an eyebrow attachment that doesn’t take off much hair and see how that looks. Repeat every few weeks.

5. Trim Your Ear Hair: Nothing screams “old man” (and gross) like having ear hair that can practically be braided. It can be easily trimmed with the same trimmer I mentioned above. You’ll need to do it about once a month. It takes a minute.

6. Trim Your Nose Hair: I had a friend with a single nose hair that protruded half an inch from his nose. Seriously. He didn’t notice it for a year. And yes, he had good eyesight. Heck, it still could be growing.

Trimming nose hair is just as easy as trimming your ear hair and eyebrows. It takes about a few minutes a month. Don’t be like my friend.

7. Shave your back, upper arms, and shoulders: Less is more, at least in terms of body hair. While some chest hair is considered attractive, few people like it on the back and shoulders. Shave these areas, especially if you resemble a gorilla. Use an electric body groomer or a wet razor. Your back might require assistance.

8. Cut and Clean Your Nails: Keeping your fingernails trimmed shows you care about your appearance. Your hands are visible to others, and women especially pay attention to those things. Snagging a potential client with a nail when you shake hands will leave a terrible impression. Get a clipper and use it regularly. And, don’t bite your nails.

9. Keep Your Skin Soft: Guys aren’t usually into moisturizing. Still, buying a basic moisturizer to keep your hands and face soft is a good idea. You don’t have to go overboard, but gross, cracked hands (especially in winter) are a huge turn-off.

10. Re-apply Deodorant: I have a briefcase with essentials to run my business. Deodorant is in there. Why? Smell is essential in attraction and making a good impression. On especially hot (or smelly) days, re-apply deodorant whenever it’s needed.

So guys, the little things matter. You can start taking care of your basic hygiene and grooming today. The social and career benefits are worth the minimal effort.