Award Winning Grooming

‘Its time to take a look in the mirror!’

It’s February so you know what that means? Awards season is upon us! Looking good is always imperative, but what happens when you have an event where he needs to pull out all the stops? Here at The Grooming Guide we hope that with our timeline to 5-star Skin you too can be red carpet ready! Simply introduce a couple of the following products into your grooming armory and whether you’re in Hollywood or Harlesden you will be ready for your starring role.

A WEEK BEFORE
Join the increasing number of guys who are succumbing to The Facial. In order to balance and refresh your skin and help it to recover elasticity, having the treatment a full week before the big day will give your skin ample time to recover from any possible breakouts. There are a wide range of facials available at your local spa, from anti-aging to deep-tissue intensive, so be sure to inform your specialist of your needs so that they can tailor your experience. Whilst we rate Dunhill as one of the leading facials in the capital,  but quality facials for men are now available in many locations nationwide.

TWO DAYS BEFORE
Once your skin is in tip-top condition, you will want to keep it that way. An easy way to maintain your post-facial “glow” by adding a good scrub to your arsenal. We chose Elemis Energising Scrub (£27 for 75ml at John lewis), where the tiny beads will make light work of unclogging pores and sloughing away dead skin. However, proceed with caution: whilst scrubs will do wonders for evening out your skin tone, never use just before an important engagement! No-one wants to arrive red faced at dinner or on a first date!

THE NIGHT BEFORE
Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate! Your skin should drink up all the moisture it can get in order not to look parched and sallow. Drink a pint of water before your face hits the pillow and consider sleeping with with an intensive moisturiser the night before the event. We found Rodial’s Dragon Blood Hyaluronic Moisturiser (£45 for 50ml at Rodial) to be excellent for getting blood circulation up and boosting your radiance the next morning.

ON THE DAY
It’s finally here! For the big day, you don’t need to work too hard, after all you’ve prepared. Simply use a gentle face wash to slew off any excess oil or environmental pollutants. Clarins Men Active Face Wash Foaming Gel (£19 for 125ml at House of Fraser) is good for making pores look smaller and getting rid of grime without drying you out.

FINAL TOUCHES
Before you leave the house, apply your secret weapon…a serum! These new high-tech forumulas don’t sit on the skin, instead instantly absorb instantly and ensure your skin looks perky (even if you aren’t). We like Stri-Vectin Tightening Serum (£79 for 50 ml at Mankind), but check out these for more ideas:

http://thegroomingguide.com/six-of-the-best/six-of-the-best-serums/

To boost the effects of the Serum, use a brightening cream. But remember, whilst its great to shine like a star, no-one want to look like an oily rag…so opt to MATTIFY! If you have oily skin, Kyoku’s Oil Control Lotion For Men (£43 for 50ml at Boots) will do the trick.

FAKING IT
Smart guys know how to fake it and now add healthiness and colour without looking orange. We rate Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Healthy Bronze (£21 for 50ml at Kiehl’s). If you’re feeling braver, then use a matte powder to deliver effortless coverage and ensure you look your best when the cameras come out- Guerlain’s Terracotta Matte pour homme Bronzing Powder (£38 for 11g at Selfridges) seems like the best on the market.

We hope that this routine is simple enough to be adapted to any big occasion, be it your first date, business merger or even your wedding day.

Coming soon, award-winning hair….

Nick Cox

9 February, 2015 Tags: award-winning, Brightening Cream, Bronzing powder, Dunhill, Elemis, Energising Scrib, Facial, Facial Fuel, guerlain, kiehl's, Kyoku, Rodial, skin, Strivectin, Tightening Serum