Sometimes, men get a bad rap for being messy and unclean, particularly in comparison to women. You’ve probably experienced this stereotype in at least one area of your life, maybe by being criticized for your living conditions or your hygiene habits. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can combat this stereotype and present your most polished self to the world around you.
This guide breaks down a few of the key grooming and hygiene habits every man should integrate into his daily routine in 2024. Let’s take a look.
1. Don’t Forget Dental Hygiene
This one may seem like a given, but it may surprise you to learn that many American adults don’t take all the steps they should to ensure good dental hygiene. Take flossing, for example. According to a 2016 analysis of national health data, roughly one third of American adults weren’t flossing on a daily basis. The findings also found that men reported never flossing more frequently than women (39% of men compared to 27% of women).
There are a number of reasons that should motivate you to take good care of your dental hygiene: improving the overall look of your smile, avoiding bad breath, and avoiding cavities and other dental diseases. With that in mind, brush up on your oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day.
2. Step Up Your Wipe Game
Let’s just cut to the chase – part of everyone’s daily routine is a daily bowel movement. Everyone does it, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. That said, it’s essential to properly clean up after yourself to maintain proper hygiene and feel your best. While you could just use toilet paper, why not go a step above that? With products like Dude Products, you can.
3. Tame Your Mane
You don’t need hours washing and styling your hair every day – that’s unrealistic for anybody with a busy schedule and it can actually be bad for your hair. This is because shampoo is designed to clean your scalp and remove excess oils. However, over washing your hair (i.e. washing it every single day) can strip your scalp of its essential oils, leaving it feeling dry and irritated.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking after your hair in some capacity on a daily basis. Do your research on your hair type to see what kind of maintenance it needs. As a rule of thumb, however, brushing or combing it to tame any flyaway strands and give a more polished look is probably a good place to start. Not only will this grooming step make you appear more put together, but it will boost your confidence and allow you to tackle whatever your day may hold.
Check out 2024’s top men’s hairstyles for any length to get some inspiration.
4. Keep Your Pits Smelling Fresh
Again, this one may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth mentioning since many men struggle to manage their body odor. This is likely because body odor can stem from a number of factors, including excessive sweating, diet, or stress. When you sweat, there is a bacteria build-up in these sweaty areas, meaning the more you sweat, the smellier you get. When it comes to diet, certain foods that are high in sulphur can worsen your sweat’s odor. Similarly, stress can cause a person to sweat more because the apocrine glands – the glands responsible for bad sweat smells – become active in cases of severe anxiety and stress.
So, how can you combat bad body odor and keep your pits smelling fresh? By using deodorant and/or antiperspirant. It’s also important to know the difference between the two and when to use them. While a deodorant eliminates odor caused by sweating, an antiperspirant stops sweating altogether. If you’re concerned about chemicals in these types of products, don’t worry – there’s a wide range of effective natural deodorants, many of which are vegan and cruelty-free.
5. Wash Your Face
No matter what you have in store for your day, you want to make sure you’re putting your best foot – and face – forward. That’s why it’s so important to take care of your skin by washing your face every day. With such a wide range of skincare products available today, you’re spoiled for choice; however, having this many options can also make the process of curating your skincare regimen confusing and daunting. Depending on your experience level and existing knowledge of skincare products, your routine may look a little different. Here are some recommendations for three different levels:
· Beginner: Start with a facial cleanser, an eye cream, moisturizer, and some SPF. This will give you a solid starting point for taking care of your skin properly, rather than just splashing some water and soap on your face.
· Intermediate: At this point, you may want to integrate a chemical exfoliator, a serum or two, and masks to target specific skin concerns.
· Advanced: You’ve got the basics down, but you can still amp up your skincare routine by adding products like retinol, toners, and night creams. These products feature top-tier ingredients that will leave your skin glowing.
With these easy-to-implement grooming and hygiene habits, you’ll not only overcome the stereotype that all men are messy, but you’ll greatly boost your overall health and wellbeing. Not to mention, the confidence boost will enable you to handle any challenges your day might throw at you.
Kim Marks 
Nicola Holder