How to Look More Refreshed Everyday

Grooming basically amounts to looking like you’re healthy and refreshed – but there are some days when this isn’t so easy. If you’re finding that you often look a little on the tired side, then it’s worth evaluating your lifestyle and grooming regimen to figure out exactly what’s causing the problem. Let’s consider some of the ways in which you’ll be able to look more refreshed every day of the year.

Working Up a Sweat

Working up a sweat helps to open up your pores, and will purge your body of harmful substances. The easiest and best way to do this is through exercise – hit the gym (or track, or trail) as hard as you can, work up and sweat and then transfer to the sauna. After you are appropriately drenched, you can make a quick transfer to the shower before drying up and going home. As well as boosting your health in general, a good sweat will improve circulation and strengthen your skin – which will in turn boost your immune system and keep you looking refreshed and awake.

Keep Hydrated

A lack of moisture in your skin will hugely inhibit its ability to do its job. Skin cells rely on moisture to function properly, and thus keeping hydrated is crucial to preserving the function of the skin. The body has a powerful inbuilt mechanism for delivering water to your skin cells; drink enough water. While consuming eight regularly-dispersed glassfuls of water throughout the day won’t guarantee an end to skin problems, doing the opposite will guarantee that they get worse!

Cut Back On Vices

While there’s no requirement that you need live a monastic life in order to look your best, most of us could stand to cut back on a few substances which we know will do us harm. Alcohol will dehydrate you and interrupt your sleep (which, as we’ll see, is bad news for your skin and general demeanour. Smoking, as well as causing a number of adverse health effects, will restrict blood-flow and limit the production of collagen, the protein from which your skin is largely made. Look more refreshed everyday by cutting back on vices.

Shave Properly

Before trimming your beard, it’s worth opening up your pores in the steam of the shower. Trim things back with a stylish straight razor or shaving set, as a dull one will have an unwanted abrasive effect on your skin as it pulls the hair follicles around. Apply a pre-shave oil and use a shaving cream. If you’re sporting a heavy beard, be sure to keep it under control with regular sculpting and waxing.  

Keep a Supply of High-Quality Clothes

You never know when you’re next going to need to up your game when it comes to your clothing – an impromptu meeting, an unexpected date or a surprise interview all demand a superior sense of attire. That’s where a freshly-ironed white shirt and jacket is essential. The more of them you have hanging in your wardrobe, the better – wear them throughout the week and then iron them all at once.

Keep Things Tidy

If you’re not a naturally organised person, then it might take a special effort to organise your wardrobe – but once you’ve set aside the necessary time and gotten the job done, you’ll find that life is considerably less stressful. What’s more, you’ll be able to access the supplies you need to look and feel your best at the drop of a proverbial hat.

Accessorise

The little touches are what’s going to set your wardrobe apart and make you look more refreshed everyday. Fortunately, you don’t need many of them to make maximum impact – just keep them refreshed. Shoes should be regularly and pro-actively shined; coats and jackets should be given to your dry-cleaner at the end of each season; and watches and men's jewellery collections should be cleaned and buffed before they’ve a chance to deteriorate.

Don’t Neglect Your Eyes

Puffy, swollen eyes are a sure indicator of fatigue. Bloodshot eyes are a sign of a lack of hydration, which can be addressed directly using appropriate eye-drops. Bags under your eyes can be removed using a special Baxter of California under- eye complex, but if you’d prefer a more natural remedy you might try chilling a teaspoon overnight and then pressing the rounded side gently against your eyes. This will cause the blood vessels to contract, which in turn will reduce swelling.

 

 

Style Your Hair

If there’s one thing likely to undermine your energetic appearance it’s an unkempt mop of shaggy hair. Get on top of things and look more refreshed everyday by trimming it, and thinning out heavy sections. Opt for a pomade that suits the natural qualities of your hair; lighter creams often yield better results than older-style thick gels. It’s worth considering the amount of effort that you’re willing to put into your hairstyle. If your ‘do' requires an hour’s preparation every time you get up in the morning, it’s probably not worth the effort. But, to take a less extreme example, if you find yourself skipping the stages of grooming that would get the best from your hair, it’s probably best to keep things simple and low-maintenance.

 

 

Get Enough Sleep

It should go without saying that the easiest way to look more refreshed everyday is to actually be refreshed. And this is the function of sleep. Few of us get the seven to eight hours that we really need every night – and even those of us that do don’t stick to the rigid schedule that’ll grant us the best possible results. Try to get to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Special devices like the 'Fitbit' have made this task much easier – but there are freely-available apps which serve much the same purpose. Don’t spend your week catching up on the missed sleep at the weekend, and dedicate an hour-long period before bed to drifting off – avoiding the bright lights of your bathroom and smartphone screen. You’re sure to feel more alert and awake during your day that way – and, crucially, you’ll look it!