
That having been said, the virtues of having a (nourishing) daily grooming regime are indeed aplenty (and truly deserving of a feature unto themselves) while the paramount role that skincare continually plays in influentially going hand-in-hand with being deemed both well put-together and sartorially astute is beyond reproach.

Be that as it may, I’m here today to champion the notion that grooming — which is far too often either carelessly neglected, overcompensated for (read: showers of cologne), or simply relegated to the annals of personal responsibility — need not be perceived as such a chore whilst likewise hastening you to the active pursuit of investing in both a well-curated dopp kit and the development of a fully-fledged daily regimen of your own that will not only pay immediate dividends but also bring an indulgent touch of elegance (and a true sense of occasion) to what is otherwise a (profoundly) mundane affair.

For you see, should you fail in properly addressing the ever-evolving needs and uniqueness of your skin— in its character, upkeep, nurturing and deteriorative prevention — you may very well be quickly spelling doom for not only any future prospects and your overall health and well-being but also that of your otherwise highly cultivated sartorial persona and its fastidiously curated accentuating wardrobe.
What I am ultimately alluding to is that your current stable (or lack thereof) of grooming staples may well not be serving you as well as they should be as well as that going beyond the basics — to steadying yourself to the task of fine-tuning your grooming regimen — should be considered a nonnegotiable prerogative for any self-respecting (and style-conscious) modern gentleman.
As such, I believe daily grooming should be held in the same quintessential daily regard as is getting dressed, keeping fit (read: working out) and eating healthy.
Framed in such a manner, the importance of a healthy grooming regimen that goes beyond a simple moisturizer, one that replenishes, smoothes, nourishes and that can even perhaps undue the ravages of time, in addition too that of curating a fine vessel (i.e. dopp kit/wash bag) in which to house all the tools of the trade that ensure its tangible feasibility, cannot be truly overstated.
Respectively hailing from contemporary mavericks such as Malin + Goetz , Aesop and Clinique as well as revered heritage labels in the vein of D. R. Harris, Buly 1803 and Kiehl’s alike whilst also being ably positioned to work wonders whether day or night, in the warmth or cold, and against a variety of harmful plights such as air pollution, environmental toxins and natural aging, herewith are the grooming staples (most being presented in practical travelling sizes) that every gent should have in heavy rotation — to clean, lather, buff, scrub, shave, stimulate, smooth and prevent — that are about as close a guarantee as you are likely to get in regards to keeping your skin looking as well kempt and reassuringly soft to the touch as is your signature form of dress is in all its glory, sustained deportment and (ideally) timeless fashionability.
Each is, after all, a specialized wunderkind that has been purposefully crafted to — in the grander scheme of personal style —work in tandem with a healthy diet and lifestyle in helping you age with considerable grace and dignity in tact while you tend to those little details today that will enable you to reap benefits in spades for decades to come.
And as luck (or fate) would have it, the following products are all well-positioned to help you in every such measurable regard should you choose to pursue their services today…
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DOPP KIT: Maore & Giles .$325. — I -- Clinique Dark Spot Corrector . $48 . — II — La Mer Facial Cream . $120 . — III -- Penhaligon Deodorant . $20 . — IV -- Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream . $85 . |
DOPP KIT: Ted Baker .$99 — I — Kiehl's Facial Fuel . $18 . — II — Malin & Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant . $14 . — III -- Ursa Major Recovery Cream . $48 . — IV -- Kiehl's Aging Eye Repair . $30 .. |
Whether its an innovative double-edged safety razor from Rockwell Razors (review below) or a luxurious specimen from London’s grooming stalwarts D.R. Harris (a revered heritage label with a royal warrant beloved by both British royalty and gentlemen alike), an invigorating shaving serum from Australia’s Aesop (which will render your skin a smooth canvas primed for a close shave), a pure badger brush and handsome mahogany shaving bowl (both of which will bring a touch of elegant to your shaving routine), an all natural styling foam (that holds and packs a punch), a precision manual nose/ear trimmer (to keep the small outliers tidy and presentable), a divine tortoiseshell folding comb (that will ensure you continually cut a dash even when on the move), or but simple dry hair texture powder that can instantly reinvigorate your locks with an instant injection of energy at but a moments notice, every gentleman would do well in availing himself of a fine contingent of exquisite shaving and haircare products alike those above (many of which I currently employ myself) that not only arrive with my seal of approval but also both positive reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations aplenty. |
——-- 1. Both moisturizer and/or hand cream can be used to smooth out erratic hairs and untidiness when matters atop your head take a turn for the worse and you are left in dire straights ——-- 2. If you are amongst those who, and for the lack of a better word, manscapes, it may be of interest to learn that you can use a (hair) conditioner in lieu of shaving cream when addressing the general state of affairs below the belt (Bonus: it saves your nether regions from the cooling splash of menthol that is present in most shaving creams) ——-- 3. Indulged in onions or garlic at lunch/dinner? Chewing on parsley after the fact can help conceal bad breath if you don’t have access to either a mouthwash or toothbrush ——-- 4. Carelessly nicked, cut or scraped yourself? (Black) Pepper or a styptic pencil can be used to seal small gashes should bleeding persist and there is no (ideally liquid) bandaid in sight (just sprinkle it on the wound and watch in amazement as it makes quick work in becoming a makeshift seal) ——-- 5. Suffer from chafing, acne outbreaks, or visibly dry skin? Vaseline can help prevent the former (apply some on your thighs/chest/armpits in the heat), Visine negate the second (stop outbreaks in their tracks by applying directly upon the zit), while a dab of organic virgin coconut oil will supplement the latter by energizing and hydrating your skin like a moisturizer. |
6. Shaving your neck (and taming its erratic hair growth) is an often overlooked grooming charge that will not only ensure you continually look sharp and dashing but also extend the life of your haircuts by days (if not weeks) ——-- 7. Its best to avoid threading (or worse yet, excessively grooming/cutting) your eyebrows. The alternative? Simply comb them straight and finely pluck any strays that land outside the natural shape (or contour) of your brow (i.e. arch) ——-- 8. Suffering from a recurring issue with dark spots, sagging or puffiness in your eyes? Dark spot correctors (as well as specialized eye de-puffers) are notable remedies in such a regard as is taking measure of staying properly hydrating during the day and/or turning to the simple hack of applying a frozen spoon (taken from your freezer) or a jade roller to the area in question — the latter two of which will instantly firm up the skin and give relief to sagging or puffy eyes in an instant ——-- 9. Applying a detoxifying clay mask (once a week) is a habit you should strongly consider adopting as it will coax out the oil from the deepest recesses of your face whilst tightening pores, reducing redness and dryness, restoring evenness to your complexion, and ultimately providing better balance (especially for those with excessively oily skin) across the broad facial spectrum — it is about as close a "reset" button to continually looking good that one is sure to find ——-- 10. And last, albeit certainly not least, many gentlemen swear by the renowned mental (and energy) sharpening powers of Berocca vitamin supplements…and so should you. (Bonus: They are also well known to be amongst the finest hangover cures in existence) ——-- |

That having been said, proper grooming remains one of the few fundamentally undervalued essential daily habits — one truly deserving of written daily ordinance in my opinion — that applies to one-and-all yet is too often neglected by scores of men en masse given there is no miracle panacea nor one-size fits all solution to permanently ascribe to — no simple or easy route of guaranteed success if you will.
And yet it somehow nevertheless stands to reason that most (if not all) of us are acutely aware that proper grooming is as essential to having style as is a perfectly cut and elegantly draped bespoke three-piece suit. So much so, in fact, that I would wager most would share my opinion that healthy skin, good oral/body hygiene and tidy grooming make a first impression that leaves just as much of an enduring mark upon the world (in bespeaking unto our character) as do our signature wardrobes — people will tend to remember you for an untamed mane or gangly finger nails as much as (if not more then) they will for your exquisite whole-cut Oxfords or perfectly fitted contingent of sports coats. Quantified in such a vein the importance of (at the bare minimum) moisturizing, hydrating, renewing and purifying your skin via all manner of grooming peculiarities (i.e. wet shaving, cutting nails, etc.) on a weekly (if not daily) basis should be readily apparent. | : The Drugstore/Budget Dopp Kit :J. Mclaughlin Dopp Kit ($68) | Buckler's Chapped Skin Remedy ($19) | Harry's Winston Shaving Set ($30) | Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer ($13) | Jack Black Lip Balm ($7.50) | American Crew Forming Cream ($13 ) | Ombra Sport Deodorant ($6) |

That being said, where should you begin?
Well, and beyond a fine facial moisturizer to build your foundation and curated dopp kit upon, by simply perusing this (admittedly beginners) guide, and investing in any manner of popular/tried-and-true products recommended therein, you will have taken that crucial first step in the right direction to either (1) fully realizing the importance of a fully-fledged (and unique) grooming routine and (2) further supplementing/upgrading that in which you already have in place.
These are, after all, proven grooming stalwarts that gentlemen worldwide continually swear by; revered building blocks that are widely considered to be amongst the most effective (i.e. well-documented with lengthy track records of success), streamlined and essential staples that every gentleman would do well in not only giving priority to but co-opting into his grooming routine so as to safeguard his future prospects.
All that having been said, grooming in itself needn’t be too difficult nor a tall task burdened by the notion of perpetual experimentation (read:. a lesson futility) granted you both endeavour to apply the effort needed and readily equip yourself with the finest tools of the trade (like those presented above) in which will help you sustain your healthy visage and minimize (perhaps even undo in some instances) the ravages of time.
To that I would say not likely as (at the moment) given the perpetual molecular development of youthful regenerative cells akin to Mr. Gray’s (without the aid of an aging portrait that is) remains a (natural) genetic impossibility.
What a well-stocked dopp kit will do, however, is dutifully aid you in aging with grace and dignity by means of helping ward off not only premature aging and the development of cancerous growths but all manner of invasive pollutants and free radicals that would otherwise see fit in plaguing your skin, shaking your confidence, and undoing your otherwise fastidiously curated sartorial persona.
An ounce of prevention, as they say, is worth a pound of cure after all.
Share your thoughts, opinions and grooming ad libs…
Share below or perhaps ask a question if you are so inclined and I will be sure to answer promptly…
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