Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Grooming Resolutions You’ll Actually Keep

Start the New Year with these easy grooming resolutions. You don’t have to break the bank or add hours to your morning routine to feel accomplished. Consider these simple reminders and make this your best-looking year yet. We promise following these tips will be way easier than cleaning up your diet or fixing your finances.

Say Cheese

Recommended Videos

Plan on quitting smoking? Whiten your pearly whites and you’ll brighten up your whole face. Reward yourself at the dentist with a pricey laser treatment or DIY with Crest 3d White Luxe Professional Effects Whitestrip Teeth Whitening Kit. You’ll start seeing results in just three days and a super bright smile by the end of the month.

Clean up

Not all-facial hair is created equal. If it’s your first go at cleaning up your brows, you may want to have them shaped by a professional. The trick is to keep your brows looking as natural as possible and never over-tweeze. The Panasonic ER430K Vacuum Ear/Nose Trimmer will help you get rid of unruly nose and ear hair, as well as any runaway beard or mustache hairs. It comes with a mirrored cap to help locate strays and a vacuum system to whisk away fresh cut hairs.

Be smooth.

Leave the nicks, cuts, razor burn and bumps in 2015. Keep your razor armed with a fresh blade to minimize the bloodshed and irritation. Set yourself up with a Dollar Shave Club subscription and you’ll never be dull. Choose one of three blades: The Humble Twin, The 4X or The Executive. They’ll land on your doorstep exactly when you need them.

Protect yourself

You’ve come a long way baby. You know you don’t have to settle on a greasy sunscreen or a moisturizer that doesn’t contain an SPF. Hydrate and protect your skin every single day, including the winter months with Neutrogena Triple Protect Face Lotion with sunscreen SPF 20.

Get organized

Clean out the medicine cabinet. Ditch anything you’re not using and replace products that have seen better days. Travel light this year. Gather all your crucial grooming supplies and stash them in Owen and Fred’s “Hey Handsome” Shaving Kit. You’ll streamline your daily routine and be ready to jet at a moments notice.

Jennifer Ryan Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jennifer Ryan Jones is a fashion and grooming expert who contributed regularly to The Manual and AskMen.com. Her past…
Upgrade your daily routine with products from these amazing Black-owned grooming brands
Check out these quality men's grooming products
Man using face cream

Recently, we have been shedding light on Black-owned businesses, from Black-owned fashion upstarts to Black-owned beverage brands and everything in between. We are continuing to learn how to support Black communities, and one way to do that is to patronize Black-owned businesses, especially in the grooming industry. Black culture has had a huge impact on grooming and beauty, but there are still many great Black-owned businesses that still don't get as much recognition as other legacy brands.

Below, we shine a light on several Black-owned brands that are putting out some of the best grooming products for men. These professionals not only fill voids for Black skincare left in the mainstream personal care aisle but also strive to make the world a little bit better than they found it.

Read more
Want to get rid of your unibrow for good? How to choose the right hair removal method for you
Bearde

Not everyone feels the same way about facial hair. For some, the unibrow is viewed as a harbinger of good luck and fortune — just look at footballer Eric Cantona for proof of this phenomenon. But for others, shaping eyebrows is a full-time job, requiring costly monthly removal sessions. While the unibrow certainly has its share of admirers, having a little extra hair between the eyes isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. 

Whether you’ve been struggling to figure out how to get rid of your unibrow or another irritating patch of fuzz, a small area of unwanted hair growth can lead to big headaches. Many hair removal methods have a reputation for being not only painful but expensive. A single body waxing session could set you back hundreds, while laser hair removal services command prices into the thousands. And even simple interventions such as shaving can add up to the tune of $200 per year or more. But which is the most effective solution? Well, that all depends on your needs. Ahead, we’ll break down some of the most common hair removal methods to help you determine which is best for you. 

Read more
Experts explain the best grooming routine for every stage of beard growth
What to do during each of the stages of beard growth to maximize your facial hair appearance
Man with a beard standing on the beach.

Embrace the process. You’ve probably heard this advice during fitness classes or when embarking on personal growth initiatives. Experts tell us the wisdom also applies to beard growth stages — yes, there are stages.

“Beards go through various stages of growth, each requiring specific care and attention,” said Dr. Hamdan Abdullah Hamed, MBChB, a board-certified dermatologist based in the UAE and co-founder of PowerYourCurls.com, a platform dedicated to providing natural hair care solutions for people of all hair types.

Read more