10 Tips for Men’s Self Care for 2020

At the heart of nearly all our self-care and grooming advice is one simple tenet: try something new. A new hairstyle can give you a fresh start, a new facial hairstyle can transform your persona, and a new skin care regimen will keep the signs of aging at bay. With 2020 comes the perfect opportunity to start anew: Here are ten grooming resolutions for the New Year to help you in your quest!

Try a New Facial Hair Style

We have a term for the guy who experiments with various hairstyles—and facial hairstyles, too. He’s a Grooming Idol, and he never looks the same from one year to the next. When it comes to facial hair, it’s as simple as growing your mustache slightly fuller and longer than the rest of your scruff, or vice versa. Or, you can try shaving parts of your scruff to carve out a new look, like a thinner mustache or a marooned one (by shaving the little bridge between the ‘stache and beard). Your face is a canvas, and a new year is an opportunity to try something different and adventurous. And, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, why not try a goatee? Seriously. And if you hate it…shave it off.

Level-Up Your Skincare Routine

Hopefully, in the last year or five, you learned the importance of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your face. We’re not going to explain that importance here and now, but we will encourage you to take your regimen to the next level and incorporate something more proactive, like a serum (to brighten and tone your complexion), a toner (to balance oil levels), or a mask (to deeply nourish skin or deeply cleanse the pores). You could even book your first facial to see immediate benefits to your complexion. You’ll see and feel the results, and other people will notice, too!

Use SPF, on the Daily

We hate to harp, but this one requires harping. No matter the season, the sun emits harmful ultraviolet rays that mutate and damage our skin, and it can accelerate wrinkling, discoloration, and even lead to skin cancer. So, this is the year you finally incorporate SPF into your morning regimen—and reapply midway through the day. Get an SPF30 moisturizer (or higher) with broad-spectrum coverage (to thwart both UVA and UVB rays), and keep a body SPF at the ready, too.

Use Retinol, on the Nightly

Whereas you’ll wear SPF by day, now is the time to apply a retinol product at bedtime. These vitamin-A derivatives are proven to repair skin and reduce wrinkles, fine lines, pore size, acne, dark spots, and more. They keep your skin looking firm, even, and bright, though they require patience (roughly 90 days, and indefinite usage), and can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. (It’s remedied by cleansing in the morning, and applying SPF). This is the single best way to keep yourself looking more youthful longer and reversing stubborn signs of aging. So, in advance of the new year, book an appointment with your esthetician to discuss the best retinol option for you.

Store and Replace Your Products and Tools Properly

A lot of your grooming regimen can stand to be more hygienic. Consider how you tote your toothbrush or razor when you travel. Or how you store your razor between shaves. Are you replacing your blades every 6-8 shaves, or every few weeks? Are you replacing your toothbrush (or the replaceable head) every 3 months? Are you cleaning and drying your beard trimmers properly? This is the year you show yourself—and your products—a little extra care and consideration.

Stock More Than One Scent

With all due respect to your signature scent, it’s high time you mix things up. Perhaps a nighttime scent, something more sultry or flirtatious, to counter the universal appeal of your everyday fragrance? You might also consider a spicy or woody winter fragrance against an otherwise fresh or crisp summery scent. Just like your appearance, fragrance is a way to express yourself or project a specific message and attitude. As a complex individual, you have more than one message, and than one expression—so get yourself more than one scent to reflect your dimensions. After all, there’s a whole fragrance wheel out there, with all kinds of scent “families”.

Moisturize Everything

The term “skin care” has come to mean “facial skin care”, and thus neglects the rest of your skin—the most of you. That’s a lot of ignored skin that needs nourishing, especially if you are prone to long, hot showers. So, stock up on body lotions, foot creams, hand balms, body oils, or anything of that variety. This is the year you stop dry elbows, hangnails, and cracked heels once and for all.

Switch Up Your Styler

We don’t mean to question your comforts: It was hard enough to find the perfect hair product that suits your texture, density, and desired result. But, without having to change your barber or actual hair style, why not try a new hair product? Maybe a pinch of shine will give your hair the body and definition it’s been missing. Or perhaps a dry-shampoo paste is all that’s separating you from the re-workable, touchable texture and volume you’ve been after. There’s a good chance your current styler is limiting one thing while maximizing another; so just try something new to explore new potential. The worst case scenario is that you confirm you were right all along.

Consider the Safety Razor

In the spirit of switching things up, we challenge you to abandon your cartridge shave (or your electric trimmer) in favor of the safety razor. A safety blade minimizes dragging, and cuts as close to the skin as possible, while also reducing the likelihood of bumps and breakouts for those prone to shaving agony. You’ll feel like a shaving pro as you glide the weighted handle around each angle, and you’ll feel like a budgeting pro once you realize how inexpensive it is to maintain the practice: mere pennies or nickels for each fresh, sharp blade. Just be sure to invest in a sturdy razor itself.

Come Into The Spa – It’s Not Just For Women

You don’t have to be concerned about booking a spa appointment as a man, especially when it comes to your self care. You’ll be surprised to discover just how many men go to the spa for a regular massage, facial, or wax! At Botanica, we love all of our clients and strive to make it the best and most tranquil experience possible. Call us today to make your 2020 self care resolutions happen starting with us!