60 DoD Week 3: Hygiene

Use this thread to post your 60 DoD progress. Where are you succeeding? How will you maintain? Where are you failing? How will you persevere?

60 DoD Week 3: Hygiene

/u/SorcererKing asked me to write a post on hygiene to complement the 60DOD challenge. If you're working toward increasing your SMV and you're nailing assertiveness, fitness, nutrition, wardrobe, etc., it may benefit you to consider your hygiene.

Yeah, we're all clean motherfuckers that look and smell like a high value dude, right? Um, ... maybe.

Let's get started. My goal is not to turn you into a preening metrosexual. But a little metro won't hurt you.

Teeth

First thing we're going to look at are your teeth. Teeth are a window to your hygiene. Crooked, yellow teeth = bad. Straight, white teeth = good. Now there's genetics at play here, and some things you can't change, right?

Over the years (I'm an old dude), my teeth have taken a beating from life. For the past 15 years, my teeth have suffered from age. A few years ago, I looked in the mirror and here's what I saw: a couple rows of yellow, discolored peas, highlighted by a chipped front tooth adjacent to a brown, dull root-canaled tooth. To the point where I didn't like to smile, because I was ashamed of my teeth. When my wife and I went to marriage counseling (counseling didn't work, surprise), the counselor asked me what I would like to change about myself. Immediately, I said "my teeth." So saved money to fix my teeth. A couple of crowns later, and a good teeth whitening, and I have a smile that gets complimented regularly. So own your shit and fix it.

Gonna cost you some money, so start saving. Trust me, its money well spent.

As far as whitening, I went and had the molds made of my teeth and walked out of the dentist office with whitening trays and whitener. The whitener is fairly pricey when getting it from the dentist, so I've started getting it from Amazon at a substantially-reduced rate. I use this, but I'm sure there's other products on the market.

And brush your teeth a few times a day. If you spend the time and money to work on your teeth, you'll floss them at least daily. Why spend time and money if you're not going to maintain shit? Plus, your breath will be fresher. That, and an Altoid or two.

Nails

Your fingernails need to be clipped and cleaned. People notice this stuff. You're getting frisky with your ladyfriend, she's not turned on by your claws. If you wear flip flops in the warmer weather, clip those talons. You won't be able to climb trees as easily, but your socks will appreciate it.

Hair and Shaving

I don't have any, so who the hell am I to tell you aboout what to do with your hair? But get it cut regularly, and stylishly. If you're graying and you don't like that look? Color it. And wash and condition it.

If you're balding, clip that shit. Male pattern baldness can be a killer to your self-esteem. I shave my head every day. I use conditioner instead of shaving cream. Its cheaper, I get a closer shave, and it moisturizes my pate. You do you, though.

I don't have any good stuf to tell you about hair products. One of you hair farmers likely have much more experience.

Beards? When growing your beard out, its going to itch at the 2-week mark. If you have clippers, trim the ends (a 1/8" guard will likely be perfect here). Clipping the ends will likely improve the itch, because the ends are blunt from constant shaving, coarse, and tend to "poke" you. Once past the 2 week mark, the itching should improve. I'm old and gray, so I color mine. Just For Men works for me, some folks may have a reaction to it. Do the arm test that's suggested in the instructions, then you'll know if you'll have an allergic reaction. And pick a more natural color. Don't be Billy Mays. Coloring your gray will likely give you a more youthful appearance. Again, you do you. Keep your beard looking neat.

Skin

I don't spend an inordinate time worrying about my skin and I keep skin care fairly simple. I use Aloe and moisturizing lotion. Nothing bad will come out of lotioning up every few days when you get out of the shower. I sometimes play around with the tanning lotions. I also suffer from rosecea, and have a prescription for metronidazole that I use whenever my rosecea flares. Take care of your skin. Its your body's largest organ.

Shower

I take two showers each day. Gotta keep myself clean, never know when my lady is DTF. If I'm going out to dinner or staying in for dinner at home with the missus, I follow the old dating rule: wash yourself 3 times, then you'll know you smell clean. And wash your damn jungle rot alligator feet. Remember Stinky Feet Girl from The Game? Don't be Stinky Feet Girl.

Grooming

If you expect your woman to keep her nether regions groomed, set an example. Rid yourself of the Chewbacca look. I use Magic Shave cream. If you use a cream, wait the recommended time and wipe down with a wet cloth in the shower. If you use clippers, use a guard or be fucking careful. That's tender skin on your boys. You can cause serious damage if you're not careful. I know this. Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement. Use good judgement.

If you have chest hairs peaking out around your neckline, shave that shit or pluck it.

Ear hair, nose hair. Pluck or clip that shit. Trim those Andy Rooney eyebrows while you're at it (a little coconut oil/argan oil will tame those crazy caterpillars over your eyes).

Groom yourself, bro. Groom yourself.

Cologne

You're a high value man. You're taking care of your body, your hygiene, your wardrobe. Smell better. Wear cologne. I'm not going into the best colognes. You'll have to experiment and see what smells good on you. But pick it out yourself (or with the help of the counter girl/lady).

Conclusion

Focus on your hygiene. Others will notice. And you'll look and smell better. Which ain't bad for self-confidence.

A thing I do in my house is that we have a no fart, no burp rule. You want to fart or burp, go somewhere else. In my family, we follow the Third Date Rule. Meaning, if it happened on the second date, would there be a third? We're dating here. Something to consider.

Your woman is going to test you. "Who are you wearing that cologne for? Why are you suddenly obsessed with your cleanliness? What's up with the teeth whitening?"

STFU. And smile. Your teeth look great.