Welcome to our comprehensive guide on the best shaving, grooming, and hygiene products for men. At Fluent Clothing, we're not only committed to offering you the highest quality clothing, but we're also dedicated to keeping you informed about everything related to men's grooming and personal care. We believe in looking good and feeling great, and that begins with taking good care of yourself.
Understanding the Art of Shaving
Shaving is not just about hair removal; it's a ritual that, when done right, can provide a sense of satisfaction and a boost in confidence. Getting a smooth, clean shave isn't always as straightforward as it seems. It requires the right tools, the right techniques, and an understanding of what works best for your skin and hair type.
The Closest Shave: Safety Razors
For the closest shave possible, you can't beat a safety razor. These traditional tools might seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you might find it hard to go back to your old razor. The key to a close shave with a safety razor is to first shave with the grain of your hair, reducing the risk of irritation. A second pass against the grain can help you achieve an ultra-close finish. Our top pick in this category is the Merkur Classic 2-Piece Double Edge Safety Razor, known for its outstanding build quality and smooth shave. For those who prefer a disposable or multi blade option, the Schick Xtreme 3 is an excellent choice. Its flexible blades adapt to the contours of your face or head, ensuring a comfortable and close shave every time. Remember to replace the blade every week.
Electric Razors: A Blend of Convenience and Efficiency
For those who prefer a more modern approach, electric razors offer a blend of convenience and closeness that's hard to beat. They're perfect for those with sensitive skin or those looking for a faster and more efficient grooming routine. You can use them wet or dry. Electric razors come in two main types: foil and rotary.
Close Shave: Rotary Electric Razors
Rotary razors, like the Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige, on the other hand, feature circular heads that rotate to lift and then cut stubble. These razors are especially effective for those with coarse or fast-growing hair, or those who don't shave daily. Rotary razors are adept at handling long, thick, and coarse hair and are best used with circular movements. The Philips Norelco Shaver 3500 offers a budget-friendly alternative that doesn't skimp on performance.
Closer Shave: Foil Electric Razors
Foil razors, such as the Panasonic Arc 5, feature oscillating blades covered by a thin, perforated metal foil. The foil lifts the hair into the blades for a close shave, making them ideal for people with fine hair or those who shave daily. Foil razors typically provide a closer shave than rotary razors and are best used with straight, back and forth movements. The Braun Series 7 is a noteworthy budget-friendly option that offers a variety of features for a comfortable and close shave.
The Buzz: Clippers for Hair & Trimmers for Beards
If you're a fan of the short, neat beard look or prefer a buzz cut, clippers and trimmers are your best friend. The Andis Headliner LS-2 is a standout in both categories. It is the top pick and good for any budget. It cuts the closest on the market in this category, and as a corded model, it provides a consistent power supply, making it ideal for the additional power and time needed when dealing with larger areas like the head or body. Use the included guards to achieve any desired length.
Specialized Trimming: Back, Nose, and Ears
Some areas require specialized tools for effective hair removal. For back shaving, consider the Platinum Pro by MANGROOMER, which features a long, extendable handle and a wide blade for efficient trimming. For nose and ear trimming, the ConairMan Ear and Nose Hair Trimmer for Men stands out with its safe and easy-to-use design.
Cleaning Your Tools: Disinfectant and Lubrication
Some electric razors come with a cleaning station and they work great. If you prefer an option for on the go, Andis Cool Care Plus it the way to do it. It's a 5-in-1 which means it is a Coolant, Lubricant, Disinfectant, Cleaner, & Rust Preventative.
Shaving Products: Enhancing Your Shaving Experience
To ensure a smooth and comfortable shave, it's crucial to use the right shaving products. These can make a big difference in the quality of your shave and the health of your skin.
All-in-One Shaving Cream:
If you prefer a streamlined routine, consider an all-in-one product like the NIVEA MEN Shower & Shave Body Wash. This innovative product doubles as a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and shaving cream, providing convenience without compromising on performance.
Best Shaving Gel:
For a more traditional shaving experience, Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel is a great choice. This gel is specially formulated to help prevent razor bumps and burns, ensuring a comfortable and irritation-free shave.
After-Shave Care: Soothing and Protecting Your Skin
After-shave care is just as important as the shave itself. Proper after-shave care can help soothe your skin, prevent irritation, and keep your skin looking its best.
Best Razor Bump Treatment:
Tend Skin is an excellent solution for treating razor bumps. Its effective formula reduces the appearance of ingrown hairs, razor bumps, and redness after shaving or waxing.
Best After Shave:
A good after-shave product can soothe your skin post-shave and provide much-needed hydration. Primal Earth After Shave Matte Moisturizer stands out with its soothing, natural ingredients and matte finish.
The Essentials of Hygiene
Beyond shaving and grooming, maintaining good personal hygiene is crucial for your overall health and well-being. It also plays a significant role in how others perceive us. Here, we delve into the best hygiene products for men across different categories.
Shampoo and Conditioner: The Foundations of Healthy Hair
Keeping your hair clean and well-conditioned is a fundamental part of any man's grooming routine. Using the right products can make a world of difference in the health and appearance of your hair.
Best Shampoo:
American Crew Daily Moisturizing Shampoo
is a standout product in this category. It's gentle enough for daily use, effectively cleanses your hair, and helps to retain moisture, leaving your hair clean, hydrated, and manageable.Best Conditioner:
Paired with the shampoo, the American Crew Daily Moisturizing Conditioner works to maintain the moisture balance in your hair. It's a crucial step that can contribute to healthier hair growth and give your hair a smooth, shiny finish.
Body Wash
To maintain clean, healthy skin, it's essential to use a body wash that effectively cleanses without stripping your skin of its natural oils.
Body Wash vs. Bar Soap: Which One is Better?
The choice between body wash and bar soap often comes down to personal preference. Body washes typically offer a more luxurious experience, with rich lather and a wide range of scents. Bar soaps, on the other hand, have a more traditional feel and can be just as effective.
That being said, many people find body washes to be more hydrating and less drying than bar soaps. They're also typically more sanitary, as bar soaps can harbor bacteria over time if not stored properly.
Best Body Wash:
Our top pick for the best body wash is the Method Men Cedar and Cypress. Its invigorating scent and rich lather make for a refreshing shower experience, while its plant-based cleansers and moisturizing ingredients help keep your skin soft and healthy.
Facial Cleansers and Moisturizers: Maintaining Healthy Skin
Maintaining a healthy face starts with a good facial cleanser and moisturizer. These products help remove impurities from your skin and keep it hydrated, which can contribute to a healthier and more youthful appearance.
Best Face Wash:
The CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser is a standout product in this category. It effectively removes oil and dirt without disrupting your skin's natural barrier, thanks to its unique formula enriched with ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
Best Face Moisturizer:
A good face moisturizer is essential to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. The Neutrogena Triple Protect Men's Daily Face Lotion not only hydrates but also helps fight the signs of aging and protects your skin with SPF 20.
Best Face Sun Screen:
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch - SPF 55
is a top-tier choice for sun protection. Its broad-spectrum SPF 50 shields your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, which is crucial in preventing sunburn and reducing the risk of skin cancer. Despite common misconceptions, an SPF higher than 50 doesn't significantly increase protection. What makes this product truly stand out is its dry-touch technology. It leaves a matte finish, meaning it absorbs quickly into your skin without leaving a greasy residue. "Water resistant 80 minutes" on a sunscreen product means that the sunscreen will maintain its stated SPF level after 80 minutes of water exposure. This can include activities like swimming or sweating. Recommended to reapply every 2 hours.Body Moisturizers: Keeping Your Skin Hydrated
Keeping your skin moisturized is crucial for maintaining its health and preventing dryness and flaking.
Best Body Moisturizer:
The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Fragrance-free Hydrating Body Gel is our top pick in this category. It's a lightweight, non-greasy gel that provides intense hydration, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Best Body Sun Screen:
When it comes to body sunscreens, Neutrogena Beach Defense Lotion - SPF 50 is an excellent choice. This product offers broad-spectrum protection, guarding your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Its SPF 50 provides a high level of protection, and it's water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, making it perfect for those beach or pool days. Furthermore, this sunscreen has a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula that doesn't feel greasy on your skin. It also features a pleasant, tropical scent that adds to the overall enjoyment of using this product.
Bathing Tools: Ensuring Effective Cleansing
Bathing tools can help enhance the effectiveness of your body wash or soap by providing gentle exfoliation and helping to create a rich lather.
Best Bathing Tool:
Among the variety of options available, Loofah, Wash Cloth, Sea Sponge, Artificial Sponge, Silicone Brush, Your Hand, we recommend a artificial sponge with a cloth around it AKA the Exfoliating Puff. It offers the best of both worlds: the sponge creates a rich lather, while the cloth provides gentle exfoliation. This type of bathing tool is durable and easy to clean, making it a cost-effective and hygienic choice. Remember to replace every 2 months.
The Different Types of Fragrances
- Eau Fraiche: The most diluted version of fragrance, usually with 1% - 3% perfume oil in alcohol and water. Lasts for less than an hour.
- Eau de Cologne: A slightly higher concentration of fragrance. Generally lasts for around two hours.
- Eau de Toilette: A more concentrated fragrance with a 5% - 15% concentration of perfume. Provides a fragrance that lasts for about three hours.
- Eau de Parfum: Even more concentrated, generally with a 15% - 20% concentration. Can last for about five to eight hours.
- Parfum: The most concentrated form of fragrance, with a 20% - 30% concentration of perfume oils. Can last up to 24 hours.
Best Cologne:
A great cologne can be the perfect finishing touch to your grooming routine. Armani Code is a known favorite and comes highly recommended as a "Panty Dropper". Choosing a scent is a very personal decision, but understanding the different types of fragrances can help you make an informed choice. Fragrances range from Eau Fraiche with the lowest concentration of fragrance, to Parfum, with the highest. Parfum, like Armani Code, offers the most lasting scent and is ideal for those who want their fragrance to linger throughout the day.
Best Ball Powder:
A less talked about, but equally important aspect of men's grooming is personal hygiene and comfort. Chassis Man Care Powder is a high-quality product designed to reduce sweat, chafing, and odor, keeping you comfortable throughout the day.
Clean Your Ass
While toilet paper is the most common method of cleaning up after using the restroom, it doesn't always do the most thorough job. Simply put, toilet paper can smear rather than clean, leaving behind residue and odor. For a more hygienic and refreshing clean, consider using flushable wipes after toilet paper. They are moist, comfortable to use, and more effective at removing waste.
The ultimate solution for a pristine clean is a bidet, an appliance that sprays water to cleanse after using the toilet. Bidets are widely used in many parts of the world and are becoming increasingly popular in others due to their effectiveness and environmental friendliness. They provide a thorough clean, require less toilet paper, and can even be beneficial for those with certain health conditions. If you're looking to elevate your bathroom hygiene, a bidet could be a worthwhile investment.
Wash your FEET!
It's quite common for individuals to neglect their feet during their shower routine, assuming that the water and soap cascading down from their body will sufficiently cleanse their feet. However, this approach may leave harmful bacteria and dead skin cells behind, which can lead to foot odor, infections, or conditions like athlete's foot. Regular scrubbing of the feet in the shower, using a brush or a scrub, ensures that these potential issues are mitigated. It removes dead skin cells, stimulates circulation, and provides a deeper cleanse than simply allowing water to flow over them. This small addition to your shower routine can lead to healthier, cleaner, and softer feet.
Deodorants and Antiperspirants: Keeping You Fresh
Deodorants and antiperspirants play a crucial role in personal hygiene. They help control body odor and reduce sweating, helping you feel fresh and confident throughout the day.
Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant: What's the Difference?
While the terms are often used interchangeably, deodorants and antiperspirants serve different functions. Deodorants work by neutralizing the smell of sweat by killing the bacteria that cause body odor. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, also reduce sweating by blocking your sweat glands.
Best Deodorant:
Deodorant kills odor, antiperspirant kills sweat. Antiperspirants use aluminum to block your sweat glands, aluminum is poison. Find an aluminum-free natural deodorant. (Sometimes you will need to detox your armpits for a few days before switching to a natural deodorant or a rash may occur.)
Extra tip: Washing your armpits daily, and trimming your armpit hair can enhance the effectiveness of your deodorant, as it allows the product to come in direct contact with your skin.
Oral Care: For a Healthy Smile
Maintaining good oral hygiene not only gives you a beautiful smile but also contributes to your overall health. The right toothbrush and toothpaste can make a significant difference in your oral care routine.
Best Toothbrush:
When it comes to toothbrushes, the best choice often comes down to personal preference and your specific oral health needs. However, an extra soft sonic toothbrush like the Colgate 360 Toothbrush can be a good choice for most people. It's gentle on your gums and teeth while effectively removing plaque. It also works just as well as the very expensive rechargeable options on the market. And while motorized options can provide additional cleaning power, a manual toothbrush used properly twice a day can also be just as effective. Remember to replace every 3 months.
Extra tip: A metal tongue scraper, and alcohol mouth wash will do wonders for your breath after brushing in the morning. Before bed, flossing after brushing will help keep tartar at bay between dental cleanings every six months.
Best Toothpaste:
Any Fluoride-Free & Peroxide-Free Toothpaste that has been approved by a reputable dental organization should do the job. Remember, despite the marketing claims, all toothpastes essentially work the same way. They remove plaque and food particles from your teeth, provide fluoride to strengthen your teeth (No, Fluoride is poison), and freshen your breath. Any additional claims such as whitening or gum health are usually just words and should not be the primary reason for choosing a toothpaste.
Best Mouthwash:
Any Alcohol-Free & Peroxide-Free & Fluoride-Free Mouthwash. Alcohol & Peroxide kills your good mouth bacteria and Fluoride is poison.
And that's a wrap! This extensive guide covers all you need to know about the best grooming and hygiene products for men. Remember, while these products can help you look and feel your best, nothing beats a balanced diet, regular exercise, and enough sleep when it comes to maintaining your overall health and well-being. Here's to looking good and feeling great!
