Five common grooming mistakes most men make

Many people concentrate so much on dressing well and staying fit but forget about their physical appearance.

Physical appearance isn’t just about how you dress but also about how neat and presentable you are.

So before you hire that personal shopper or hit the gym, you should know that tending to your grooming needs is extremely important.

Here are some grooming mistakes most men make (or even take lightly) and how to avoid them.

BUSHY EYEBROWS

Bushy eyebrows are not cool. Walking around with bushy eyebrows draws unnecessary attention to your face and this doesn’t speak well about how clean you are, rather it makes you look very unkempt.

Imagine speaking at a business meeting and you are getting all the attention you desire, only that the attention is directed to that part of your face just above your eyes.

With that in mind, you should keep your eyebrows always well-trimmed and well-groomed, because, they can change the way your face is viewed.

You can always do this yourself or visit a salon. Once they are trimmed, you will need to maintain them.

INFREQUENT HAIRCUT

Some leave their hair untrimmed and uncut for weeks, sometimes months, convincing themselves that ‘how others see me isn’t important, how I see myself is everything’.

While that mantra is true in most situations, it doesn’t have anything to do with grooming.

You should do well to keep your hair neat and presentable. You shouldn’t wait until it is overgrown or full before getting it trimmed and well-groomed.

Whether you opt for short hairstyles that can be styled quickly and are easy to maintain, or you choose to go for more dramatic haircuts as a way to express your personal style, we have only one advice for you — have a haircut frequently.

PUBIC HAIR

We still live in a world where some men think it’s okay to keep pubic hair. While men are busy obsessing with their looks, they have the tendency to overlook the grooming and hygiene of their private parts.

Having ungroomed genitals can be very unhygienic and certainly an intimacy killer.

A survey conducted some time ago suggested that while most women like chest hair, so many women prefer men with a healthy patch of pubic hair but not a forest.

Since men expect their wives or girlfriends to keep their pubic hair shaved, there’s no reason for you not to shave or trim yours as well.

You should trim your pubic hair or shave them completely with care because male genitals are very sensitive. It is always advisable to use the right products.

AVOIDING THE DENTIST

A regular visit to the dentist is statutory. For decades, dentists have urged all adults to schedule preventive visits to the dentists once every six months.

While some may not consider this a grooming essential, you should know that neglecting oral hygiene is not good for your health and your image.

Bad breath can kill your confidence and a lot of men aren’t cleaning their teeth the way they should.

In order to improve your confidence and the way you look, you need to have a good smile. Having stained teeth will have a negative effect on your confidence, appearance, and image. Maintaining good dental hygiene is therefore of utmost importance.

BELIEVING GROOMING IS FOR GIRLS

Many believe grooming is too girly. They are wrong.

Paying attention to how you look and looking after your skin, hair, nail or dental hygiene isn’t going to dent your masculinity or make you less of a man.

Style legends and true gentlemen of the old such as Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly always cared about their appearance.

Modern gentlemen like David Gandy, David Beckham, and Nick Wooster have followed suit.

These true gentlemen spend time grooming every morning, making sure they look good, smell good and feel good about themselves.

Kobi O. Mbagwu (Mr. Kobi) is a professional image consultant, menswear blogger & entrepreneur. He blogs at Mrkoachman.com