Written By Tyree Hicks
They say, “The devil is in the detail”. We tend to agree. You could have the dopest outfit, a nice ride, and all the game in the world, but when you don’t take good care of yourself, people notice. Sometimes it’s not your fault. Sometimes, you just get used to the way you do things, and you don’t have a “real one” around to tell you where you went wrong. So if you’re not sure if you’re missing some of the key components to complete your “Fresh”, keep reading and we’ll try to point out a few blind spots you could be missing.
Facial Hair
While your barber may sculpt your hairline with the detail of Michelangelo’s David, be sure to invest some time in your beard and neckline. An overgrown neckline can leave you looking disheveled and can do a huge disservice to your beard. You also have to think beyond the cut. What does that mean? Make sure you’re using products that are healthy and effective. Products that don’t strip your hair of its natural moisture. We would insert a shameless Scotch Porter plug here but, you already know we got you covered.
Dental Care
Everyone is guilty of skipping a dentist appointment or two, but bad dental care can come back to haunt you. Brushing is cool, but it isn’t enough to keep your daily latte fix from leaving your teeth stained, and yellow teeth — not what’s up. So what can you do? Visit a dentist at least twice a year. Get your teeth cleaned thoroughly. Floss after every meal, rinse after you floss. Thinking about whitening? Fixed trays don’t adequately cover your teeth as they miss the hard-to-reach crevices in between. Choose an at-home whitening kit with custom moldable trays, which will help evenly distribute the bleaching chemicals for consistent and thorough coverage.
Body Grooming
We all have different body types and grooming preferences, and that’s fine. What you like is what you like, but it’s not always appealing to those you’re trying to attract. Be mindful of this when it comes to “manscaping”. You may not think to have back and shoulder hair is a problem, she may think otherwise. And what about your pubes? The air down there can get thick, and pungent if you don’t keep it clean and dry. (Try Fresh Meat). If you’re not into the whole Brazilian bald vibe, no problem, but at least clean up your “infield” a little, so it doesn’t look like a 1970’s Hustler mag shoot.
Nails and Hands
It has long been somewhat taboo for a guy to care about his feet and hands. That’s why so many men who do care, only visit the nail shop with a girlfriend or a close female friend. And while women do like men who exude masculine qualities like being handy around the house, or being good in bed, you’d be hard pressed to find one who says she loves a man with dirty hands and overgrown toenails. Who wants to be touched with long dirty nails, or be seen with a dude wearing sandals with busted ass toes?
Pro tip: If you’re not comfortable with the visit to the shop, invest in a nail care kit, clip your toenails and soak your feet. You may not see the difference, but she will, and that counts for something.
