If there’s anything I badly wanted to talk about is men’s hygiene. I will not sit here and pretend like I don’t care about men’s self-care. I would be lying.

I for one believe that men have been neglected a lot when it comes to grooming or self-care. It seems like such things are only tailored for women.

In fact, most of the articles or blog posts shared online only cover women and it got me asking;

“WHAT HAPPENED to MEN?”

Well, I am taking this responsibility with a full chest and to carry all men reading this with me as we talk about, “Men’s Hygiene”

Let me hope you enjoy and learn from me as I enjoyed writing it.

Shall we!

Dear men,

Taking care of yourselves isn’t something extra. It’s a basic thing yet Men’s Hygiene often boils down to a shower and a spirizt of cologne.

Like that’s not enough.

Good hygiene isn’t just about looking decent – but it’s about confidence, health and respect for yourself and people around you.

Why is Men’s Hygiene Important?

To all men, your hygiene as a man is important because it directly affects your health, appearance and how people around you perceive you.

For starters, good hygiene prevents infections, skin conditions and body odor.

Don’t say men’s hygiene is vanity. I mean it’s all about staying healthy, clean and presentable.

You either take it or leave it but I said what I said.

Enough of rambling

let’s get into it,

Men’s Hygiene.

Face first: Skincare doesn’t mean $1million of products.

It doesn’t need you to have a drawer full of face serums, cleaners or creams. For your information, soap and water alone won’t cut it with.

So, this is what you have to do;

• Wash your face with an authentic cleanser. I didn’t say use body wash nor dish soap, not whatever is there. Do it twice a day. Morning and evening when going to bed
• Moisturize your skin especially if your skin feels tight or flaky after washing it. It’s hungry for hydration. A basic unscented moisturizer will get the job done.
• Sunscreen. Use it every time you step out of your house. They say “black” doesn’t crack but that’s a lie. Use sunscreen regardless of your race because the UV damages your skin.

Feel free to take care of your face so that it’s clean and free from irritation. You gotta look 20 in your 40s haha!

Oral hygiene

To be frank with you my friend, this is a non-negotiable for me and you can’t fake it.

The market has a lot of mouth wash brands, but trust me or not, no amount of it will cover up poor oral hygiene forever.

You can achieve good oral hygiene by doing basic things like;

• Brush your teeth twice a day. Take your time to clean your teeth instead of rushing as if your house just caught fire.
• Floss. Most people have a terrible mouth breath because they only clean 60% of their teeth by brushing and forget flossing.
• Replace your tooth brush. If you over use your toothbrush, it gets weak. Kindly replace your tooth brush after 2-3 Months.

Having clean teeth gives you more confidence when talking to people in public.

It will also affect your overall health appearance when you smile.

Body care

I don’t know about you but, I smell good because I care. Your personal scent is so powerful.

It’s one of those things that people first notice and one of the things they forget last.

This means that your first impression really matters regardless who you associate with.

You will be judged for that. Here are some of things that I do on the daily to help me smell fresh;

• Shower regularly. Now, if you are active or sweat prone. I advise you to use soap or body wash that doesn’t strip your skin dry.
• Deodorant is non-negotiable. For those who sweat a lot, you need an antiperspirant to begin with.
• Keep body hair trimmed. For those who want to keep body hair like pubic hair or armpit hair, wash it properly to get rid of the bad smells.

One of the things people forget most is washing between your toes.

Those places gather a lot of bacteria which ends up causing a bad smell.

Hair and beard

Whether you’re clean-shaven or love keeping your bread on, groom it with intention.

• Use shampoo at least two times a week to clean the dirt. You can use more than three times if you sweat a lot.
• Condition your hair so that it’s kept, healthy, soft and easy to comb.
• Use beard oil if it’s itchy or soruffy. Trim the edges to give your beard a shape.

Hands, Nails and Feet

As a man, you don’t need a mani-pedi, but you need clean nails and smooth hands and feet that do NOT scare someone.

• Moisturize your hands more often especially if you work with them
• Cut your finger nails short so that they don’t collect games.

Clothing and Laundry

There’s no way you can shower yourself way out into dirty clothes. All you need are clean clothes.

• Wear clean underwear everyday
• Ensure to wash your clothes when they get dirty
• To cut out the bad odor from your shoes, give them a break and let them sit out.

Clean is attractive but well groomed is respectful. And smelling good? Is common courtesy!

So take a good five minutes and a good soap or body wash to clean your body.

FAQ: Is using cologne a substitute for gold hygiene?

No. Cologne hides odor but doesn’t fix it. If you are not a clean person, cologne just mixes with body odor and that’s a terrible combo. Always start with good hygiene first.