By this point in the year, the majority of students will have already begun Uni, and for the rest, it’s just around the corner. Starting term can be a tumultuous time, with all the new people to meet, new faces and places to remember, and hangovers to hide. The last thing you want to be worrying about, therefore, is making sure you have all the skincare, haircare, and general male grooming goodies you need. Luckily for you, in this article, we're taking you through everything you need to make starting Uni as smooth as possible. Check out our practical, affordable, back to Uni Grooming Essentials and pick some up for yourself.
Back to Uni Grooming Essentials
- Nailing your skincare setup
- Sort out your shower routine
- Get the perfect shave
- The unbeatable 3-step haircare routine
- Tricks up your sleeve
Nailing your skincare setup
University is about trying out new things and meeting new people first and foremost, and this means that for the majority of students, it's fairly normal to overindulge in questionable lifestyle choices (poor diet, booze, late nights, and so on). Most people will forgive you for this, but your certainly skin will not. For this reason, if you want to look your best, taking proper care of your skin should be a priority.
You can check out our simple men's skincare routinefor a more detailed breakdown of what you need to nail your skincare setup, but for the purposes of this article, we're going to condense it to two types of products: cleansing products, and moisturising products.
The cleansing element of a skincare routine usually takes the form of a facewash or cleanser, used daily in the shower or at the sink, which removes the dirt and sebum from your skin which builds up throughout the day. These are typically gentle enough that you can use them as frequently as needed without irritating the skin. As well as this, you can cleanse effectively in around 30 seconds.
You can add to this exfoliating products, used before cleansers 2-3 times a week for a deeper clean that also removes dead skin. Face masks, too, offer a deeper cleanse. Used 1-2 times per week, they penetrate into the pores, unblocking them and helping to prevent breakouts.
Moisturisers replenish the moisture and nutrients which your skin loses through both the cleansing process, and throughout the day. After cleansing, a light application of a moisturising product hydrates and firms your skin, as well as forming a protective barrier which helps to prevent breakouts.
Applying a serum before moisturising is a way to get a big payoff in terms of additional benefits for the skin, but without feeling heavy or uncomfortable on the skin.
Sort out your shower
Next on our list of back to Uni grooming essentials are Multi-purpose shower products. Functioning as shampoo-conditioners, or shampoo-bodywashes are fantastic additions to your routine, and ideal to take with you when you go to Uni. Perfect for throwing into a gym bag or when you're back home for the weekend, having a high quality multi-purpose shower product at your disposal is guaranteed to come in handy.
Alternatively, pick up a specialised shampoo such as the Kerastase Densifique Bain Homme, a thickening and revitalising hair cleanser which is fantastic for those looking to get a little more out of their hair.
Similarly, picking up a top quality conditioner will ensure your hair will look its best when you really need it to perform. Try the Jack Black Hair and Scalp Conditioner, another product formulated specifically for men which is both affordable, and provides an exceptionally high quality condition.
Get the perfect shave
Getting the right shave at Uni is about nailing down a few key products that you can be sure to rely on. While you might not have the storage space, financial reserves, or spare time to indulge in a full badger brush/cutthroat razor shave, you can closely replicate these effects with a couple of core products.
Firstly, use an exfoliating scrub to lift your facial hair and clear away dead skin and dirt. This step replicates the effect of using a shaving brush, prepping your hair for shaving, helping you to avoid irritation.
With the amount of mileage a typical razor gets, it makes sense to invest a little more in a razor you can be sure will do the job every time. Pair this with a top-drawer shaving gel and an aftershave balmyou'll be set to get a fantastic shave.
The Unbeatable 3 Step Haircare Routine
If you want to guarantee your hair looks its best before a big night out, it's crucial that you move away from the mentality that simply applying a styling product is enough. To get unbeatable hair, you need 3 key products at your disposal.
1.A pre-styler, such as a hair thickening tonic, a volume boosting powder, or a sea salt spray.
3.A finisher, typically a hair spray.
Tricks up your sleeve
It's no coincidence that your skin seems to have a habit of playing up right before an important occasion or big night out. Hormonal changes brought about by stress and excitement can play havoc with your skin's ability to regulate itself. It's for these reasons that it pays to have a few tricks at your disposal which can come to the rescue before your big night out.
- Oil control paper - this comes to the rescue if you suffer from mid-day shine, and easily tuck away into a laptop bag or gym kit to make sure you can always have them handy.
- Blemish Control - great for swiftly getting breakouts under wraps, blemish controllers rapidly treat spots, reducing redness and soreness before eradicating them altogether.
- Hand Cream - especially in the approaching colder months, dry skin of the hands can be an uncomfortable and unsightly nuisance. Thankfully it's easily avoidable with an emollient cream.
- Eye balm - perfect if you need a refresh after a late night, applying a small amount of eye balm helps to mask tiredness and make you look fresher and brighter.
- Concealer - for spots or dark patches from which no amount of blemish control or eye cream can rescue you, concealer does the trick. (Read more about concealer here).
If you like this content, why not check out our September Skincare, Haircare and Shaving Superheroes, and keep up to speed with the Mankind Blog.
Skin | Hair | Shave | Body | Hair Styling
