Grooming the Groom for His Big Day

While it is commonplace for brides to want to look stunningly attractive on their wedding day, grooms have started taking greater pride in their appearance and are moving beyond the basics of shaving and passing a comb through their hair to embracing more sophisticated personal grooming techniques.

While it is true that many guys remain casual and un-fussed about their appearance on a day-to-day basis, the run up to their wedding can nurture a sudden desire and indeed obsession to look good and this is only fair! If you expect your fiancée to look good for you on your big day, you’re going to have to say goodbye to that ‘wild, unkempt look’ and exude “sharp and sophisticated”. And its not just about her; the better the look, the more confident you will feel and this will be reflected in those priceless wedding photos.

Contrary to popular misconception, there is nothing un-masculine about taking care of your looks. In fact ancient Indians were aware of the advantage of male grooming long ago.

Along with the stylistic ritual for women was a definitive list of dos and don’ts for the male beautification process. This included advice on beard trimming, moustache shaping and facial massage to help define the features!

As in the past, today many men too want to feel and look good and this is especially true at the time of their weddings when they know a lot of attention will be on them. Ask any woman what qualities she likes in a man and you can bet “proper grooming habits” will top the list. No wonder men are starting to pencil in grooming salon and spa visits into their schedule alongside their gym regimes and nights out with the lads. We are n an age where macho males who do the huff and puff routine on the treadmills, lift weights and sweat it out at the gym are now also applying facemasks, having manicures and are up to scratch with the latest grooming products on the market!!

Given that Asian males are arguably the vainest species on the planet, many would be interested in sprucing up their look for the big day. Sadly, though, grooming is alien to most men even today because unlike women, guys aren’t automatically inducted at a certain age into the ABC of good grooming. We walk you through this fine art to have you looking like a million dollars for your wedding day. After all, who doesn’t want to look their best? So take a deep breath, shed your pre-conceptions and inhibitions and read on…!

SKIN CARE & FACIALS

Perhaps the best place to start is skin care. One of the most common causes of tired, unhealthy looking skin is dehydration, both on the surface and within your body. To combat this get in the habit of drinking at least ten glasses of water a day. Using a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer routine in the run up to the wedding will work wonders for the skin. A facial cleanser will remove the excess grime and dirt from your skin, toning removes excess oil and dead skin cells and closes the pores so that new bacteria will not enter and cause spots and blemishes. Moisturizers help hydrate the skin and give it a healthy glow. A quick skin assessment at their department store counters should determine the best products for you.

In addition to the above-mentioned regime, a series of professional facials will work wonders for you; it leaves you feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and grime-free. Though you might look red-faced for a few hours after your first facial, (have one a couple of weeks before the wedding) your skin will gradually adapt and the magic of the facial will show through.
A variety of facial treatments abound from deep cleansing, firming and rejuvenating facemasks, which work wonders on tired skin. Exfoliation treatments are also becoming popular with bridegrooms, which break down and remove the dead skin layer from your face, revealing a new layer of healthy looking skin. Your chosen grooming salon will be best placed to advise you on your skin type and the correct sequence of facials you should go in for.

A few more words of skin care advice. Always cleanse your skin before workouts. If you go to the gym with squeaky-clean skin then you’ll sweat clean after exercising. This is particularly useful if you can’t get to a shower immediately. The salty post workout residue will be less damaging for your face. Cleanse your face before going to bed. Consider this to be your last daily exercise. If bacteria is allowed to do its dirty work on your face overnight, you will look so much the worse in the day time. Lastly, quitting smoking is a sure fire way of restoring that healthy glow to your face.

FOOLPROOF SHAVING

A clean shave is the part of the look that brings it all together. Applying a sharp metal blade to your face cuts hairs but also removes microscopic layers of skin and can cause redness and irritation. And contrary to uninformed beliefs, you should not abuse your face to get a close shave; Here’s the perfect mantra for a silken, smooth shave:
Before attacking the razor, use a facial cleanser to eradicate dead skin cells. Stubble should be wetted with warm water before shaving. Thoroughly massage shave cream into the stubble. “Shaving creams are adequate, but you’ll be better off borrowing a bit of salon conditioner from your girl to truly soften up the hairs. Using a fresh, sharp blade, rinse it often in warm water when shaving and use slow, short strokes. Shave in the direction the hair grows. Shaving against the grain can cause redness, rashes, razor burn and ingrown hairs. After shaving, apply an oil-free moisturizer instead of an after-shave lotion. If you must use aftershave, get an alcohol-free one, which won’t dry out your skin.

If you sport facial hair, make sure to have it professionally trimmed by a barber the day before the wedding or on your wedding day so that all those stray hairs are tidied up into a look of distinguished panache.

BODY HAIR

Many Asian men “suffer” from bushy or joined up eyebrows and will be amazed how having them shaped up at a salon will sharpen their features and make them look that much better, Pain and puffiness are small prices to pay for well-defined eyebrows so get down there and demonstrate how much of a man you are! Trim your ear and nose hair on a regular basis. Nothing looks less appealing than hair escaping from the nasal orifice or sprouting from the ears. This is easily done with a nose hair trimmer bought from any good high street pharmacy or department store.

Consider trimming your armpit hair in warm weather. Less hair, less bacteria, less odor, it all makes sense! Groom your nether regions. There’s no need to go completely bald, but it is essential to do routine maintenance there too, especially if that’s the way your Mrs. likes it. Whether you want to go the whole hog from trimming to removal is a personal choice, but if you do, a whole host of options are open to you from waxing to electrolysis.

HAIR CARE & STYLING

Hair styling can be a nightmare for many men, and this could be especially true on the day when you really want to look your best. God forbid, you have a bad hair day, just when all your friends, family and the photographers decide to zoom in on you. Fortunately, some precautionary steps can put your mind at rest.

The best time for a pre-wedding haircut is a week prior to the wedding. Now is not the time to start experimenting with new hairstyles and colors! The idea is to look neat and fresh without looking freshly shorn. This will give your hair time to settle down before the wedding and in the nightmare event that you hate your cut, you can always do some damage control before the big day You need a manageable hairstyle. Generally speaking, short hair (not a buzz cut!) not only looks sophisticated but also is easy to care for and will sit well under a wedding turban, if you are wearing one.

Its worth paying your stylist a bit extra to come to your home on the day of your wedding and put your locks in his expert hands so that you will be looking your best. This guarantees that any “bad hair days “can be expertly sorted out. If this is a luxury you cant afford, be armed with the right styling products for the look you want to achieve. If your hair is naturally unruly, or you want to achieve a spiky or “out of bed” look, Fudge styling waxes and putties are perfect for the job and also come in a “matt” range for those who want a non wet look. If you have longer hair which you would like to set in a given style, work a small amount of styling mousse through towel dried hair, followed by a swift blow dry.
Weekly hair care in the run up to the wedding is also vital. Each person’s hair is different in texture, condition, length and thickness, so its important you choose a shampoo, which is best for your hair type. Those with dry, coarse hair or those who use styling products on a daily basis also need to condition their hair at least twice a week or go for an intensive conditioning treatment at their hair salon. This will nourish your hair and add luster to your locks.

NAILS & MANICURES

There will be lots of hand shaking for the groom on his wedding day, so nails should not be neglected. Until a few years ago, manicures and pedicures were widely considered a ‘Metro-sexual fad; Today, it has more to do with hygiene. All grooms should go in for a basic manicure and pedicure, which involves soaking the hands and feet, pushing back the cuticles and then cleaning, filing and cutting the nails. Not only is it hygienic, it will tidy up your hands and can be a nice and relaxing treatment.
Don’t forget to include your hands and feet in your weekly grooming routine. Clip your fingernails weekly. This should be obvious, but for a lot of men, it surprisingly isn’t. Rub light oils or cream into fingers, nails and cuticles to help moisturize them and keep them looking well primed.

GOOD DENTAL HYGEINE

Good dental hygiene means a dazzling smile. Clean your tongue when you brush your teeth (Indians have been doing this for centuries). This will remove the bacteria, which sticks on your tongue and is a primary cause for bad breath. Regular flossing, use of a good mouthwash  and chewing sugar free gum will all go a long way to giving you a Colgate smile!

DE-STRESSING

Wedding planning is stressful and to keep your sanity a good massage at a day spa, is a sure-fire way to reduce anxiety, tension and stress. You will literally feel your blood pressure dropping. You might want to keep things simple with a relaxing Indian Head massage, which will literally have you seeing things more clearly or go the whole hog with a holistic full body Swedish massage. Gym workouts, yoga, meditation and the ancient Indian breathing technique of “Pranayama” will all go a long way to helping you feel more relaxed and in control of any hungamas that surface in planning your big day!

 
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