According to Reuters, the global cosmetic products market exceeds USD 532 billion. It is a booming industry that can often misrepresent facts in their marketing message. For example, the perfect shave really isn’t going to send attractive women flocking over to you. Aftershave will not make you irresistible either.
Sorry gents.
Men also tend to spread myths about male grooming. These can have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing. Unlike your female counterparts, men are not as educated about how to take care of their nether regions.
If you are a guy who wants to look your best, you need to be able to cut through these myths. Let’s take a look at 7 grooming truth bombs that, once debunked, will change the way that you groom forever.
1. Stress Does Not Cause Grey Hairs
Fiction: Many of us are told that it is stress that causes our hair to turn grey.
Fact: Your hair colouring comes down to genetics. This means that you have no control over whether your hair prematurely turns grey or not or not.
What this means for you: Genetics is not something you can control but If you are unhappy with your hair colour, you can dye your hair. Whilst prolonged stress has no impact on grey hairs, it can contribute to hair loss. According to Mayo Clinic, stress in the form of telogen effluvium, trichotillomania, and alopecia areata can cause hair loss in men. Speak to a trained counsellor such as at New Vision Psychology if you believe stress is impacting on your lifestyle. Similarly, to relieve physical tension in your body, you may consider a deep tissue massage at Face of Man.
2. Less Is More
Fiction: using more shaving cream will help you get a cleaner and better shave.
Fact: using more shaving cream will result in more lather and help you go through your shaving cream quicker. More importantly, you will end up cleaning the cream first before your razor reaches your hair.
What this means for you: shaving cream creates a thin layer of protection between the blade and your skin. This results in less friction and reduces the risk of redness, razor burn and skin irritation.
3. Skin Is Skin
There is absolutely no reason for beauty products to be split into sections for men and women. We all have the same skin and it all needs the same care. Of course, the smell might be a bit more manly in products marketed towards men. If you like the smell of feminine products, however, there is nothing stopping you from using them. They will have the same effect.
4. Reading In Dim Light Can Damage Your Eyes
Fiction: reading in the dark causes myopia.
Fact: reading in dim light can cause eye fatigue but doing so will not damage your vision. A surprising technique of curing tired eyes is by teabagging yourself.
What this means for you: we’re not talking about anything dirty here, what were you thinking? We just meant that resting a while with teabags on your eyes can help reduce redness and puffiness. The caffeine and antioxidants stored in them can really enhance the appearance of tired eyes.
5. Always Shave With The Grain
Some will tell you to shave against the grain in order to achieve a close shave. This can lead to soreness and irritation, however, because it disturbs the hair follicles. Always make sure to shave with the grain. You can still achieve a nice close shave, so long as you ensure that your blade is nice and sharp.
PS – after shaving, apply an aftershave to reduce skin irritation. This is because shaving can take more than just your hair off – it can remove shards of your top layer of your skin.
6. Waxing (Down Under) Is Just For Women
Fiction: real men do not shave below the neck.
Fact: a survey by Gillette revealed nearly 40% of men manscape down there. In fact, grooming around the male genitalia area is growing in popularity. A good back, ‘crack and sack’ wax can really enhance the appearance down there. You may not want to do this yourself at home, though. Leave it to the professionals to avoid injury.
7. Sorry Boys, It Won’t Make You Look Bigger
Fiction: waxing your genital area will enhance the size of your penis.
Fact: more and more men are embracing grooming services – think facials, Botox, and consumption of cosmetic products. A survey found that almost 1 in 5 men waxed their body for a baby smooth finish. Australian women were also found to have said that men who were too hairy were the least attractive.
What this means for you: manscaping is a personal choice. Manscaping can get rid of crotch stink due as pubic hair can trap bacterial human waste. Therefore, don’t be surprised that you return to a male salon for a crack and sack special. To get the full male Brazillian experience, consider making an appointment at Face of Man or similar salon that specialises in male grooming.
About The Author
Hi there! I’m Katie – a freelance writer and topic researcher based in Australia. Outside of work, I like to Netflix binge and eat gelato. Plus, my fur baby keeps me busy.