By: Lee Kynaston
Looking good doesn't have to cost a fortune. MSN Him shares our top tips for looking great on a budget.
According to a recent survey by trade magazine The Grocer, sales of grooming products are falling for the first time in a decade. With household finances squeezed and talk of a double-dip recession, grooming gear is one of the first things to bite the dust when belts tighten.
The irony is that, with the job market more competitive than ever, now's precisely the time you really need to invest in looking good. So here are a few ways to save on your grooming bills without compromising on results. And no, you won't have to go without deodorant, water anything down or do a smash 'n' grab at your local pharmacy.
1. Get yourself a shaving brush
Shaving brushes might seem like something out of your granddad's washbag but they're actually one of the most useful - and cost-effective - pieces of grooming kit you'll ever own. Not only do they whip up a fantastic lather, vastly reducing the amount of shaving cream you need per shave, the bristles actually exfoliate skin so you can ditch expensive face scrubs. They'll also improve your shave by helping lift hair in readiness for cutting. Men-u do an inexpensive Pure Bristle Brush for just £8.99, available from Boots. Store it upside down (so water drains away from the brush) and it'll last for years.
2. Remember, less can be more
Most men tend to think that when it comes to applying skincare products more is more. Not so. Eye creams, for example, often contain potent active ingredients and using too much on the delicate skin around the eyes can leave it red and irritated. Never use a blob bigger than a grain of rice around each eye. The same goes for serums - the tiniest amount can go a long way.
3. Slow down stubble growth
This year you'll spend an average of 60 hours in front of a mirror shaving. That's 138 days over the course of your lifetime or more than 2,000 football matches you could have watched. It's also a serious drain on your finances. Since there's a good chance you'll be using an aftershave balm each time, you do why not invest in one which actually slows down stubble growth so you don't need to use it as often? Clinique Post-Shave Soother Beard Control Formula, £17 for 50ml, contains an ingredient that not only slows stubble growth but makes it finer and hence easier to cut too. Win/Win.
4. Make your aftershave last longer with moisturiser
The average eau de toilette will last about six hours once it's on you but since it doesn't evaporate as quickly off oily or well-hydrated skins, you can increase its longevity (and hence use less of the stuff in the long run) simply by ensuring skin is properly moisturised. Just apply a little unscented moisturiser to your neck or chest, wait a few minutes for it to be absorbed and then apply the fragrance.
5. Stretch your shampoo - and get better results
According to trichologist Philip Kingsley we waste a lot of shampoo simply by not applying it properly. He advises thoroughly soaking hair first (wet hair will need less shampoo) and applying a small blob to your palms, rubbing them together and then smoothing the shampoo over your hair. Never apply directly to your head as it's the easiest way to overapply. As for conditioner, save money by applying it only where it's needed - in most cases this is at the tips, where hair is driest.
6. Double up
We all love a 'two-for-one' and rooting out dual-action or multi-function products is one of the simplest ways to save some dosh. Shampoos are the obvious choices (Head Shoulders anti-dandruff 2-in-1 Shampoo Conditioner, £4.79 for 500ml, is a great buy) but look out too, for products like L'Oreal Men Expert Pure Matt Exfoliating Gel Wash, £6.05 for 150ml from Boots. A facial wash which also contains a built in exfoliator, it means you can dispense with a separate scrub altogether.
7. Make your blades last longer
With a pack of four replacement blades costing up to a tenner a time, your razor is probably the biggest drain on your pocket, grooming-wise. You can extend the life of your blades a little by giving them less of a job to do (ie by making sure your bristles are properly softened with hot water and a decent shaving cream) and by keeping them scrupulously clean. But it's also worth looking at The Razorpit, £16.95. One of this year's cult grooming products, it's a bit like a barber's blade-sharpening 'strop', helping remove blade-blunting debris and prolonging the life of your blades for up to 150 shaves.
8. Protect your parfums
With the average fragrance costing around £30-40 a bottle, your smellies can amount to a significant investment. But if you want them to last and to retain their true smell you need to treat them with respect. As with fine wines, fluctuations in temperature can impair the smell and strength of a fragrance, as can light, so store them in your bedroom rather than in the bathroom and tuck them away in a drawer or keep them inside their original box. Unopened they'll last five years so snap up scents after Christmas when special coffrets (box sets) can be picked up for bargain-bucket prices and squirrel them away.
9. Borrow from the kids
If you're a new dad, grooming products are often a luxury that goes out of the window along with lie-ins and Saturday golf. The sliver of silver lining is that you can swipe your kid's baby products. The pick of the bunch has to be Sudocrem - the nappy rash cream - which is brilliant for treating spots, sunburn, eczema, razorburn, intimate 'manchafing' and those annoying little shaving cuts. At £1.99 for a 30g tube (from Boots) it's as cheap as chips too. In fact, don't wait for the baby, just buy some.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
