There's a version of grooming that involves twelve products, eight steps, and a serious time commitment. This isn't that. This is the version for men who need to be presentable, want to feel sharp, and have about eight minutes of total time a day to spend on it.
The principle is simple: a few good habits done consistently outperform an elaborate routine done occasionally. Here's how we'd build it.
Morning — five minutes
1. Cleanse (60 seconds)
A splash of cold water and a gentle face wash — sulphate-free, no fragrance, the same one you'd use if you had sensitive skin even if you don't. The point is to start the day with a clean canvas, not to deep-clean.
2. Moisturise (30 seconds)
One product. Light, fragrance-free, with SPF 30 or higher built in. SPF is the single highest-return skincare habit a man can have — UV damage is the main driver of how aged a 45-year-old face looks. Spend properly here. £20 buys you 90 days of protection.
3. Beard oil, if applicable (20 seconds)
Three drops, rubbed through. Covered in detail in our beard care piece.
4. Hair (90 seconds)
The biggest mistake is using too much product. Pea-sized for a pomade or paste, dime-sized for a clay. Rub between palms first so it doesn't apply in clumps, then work through dry or damp hair from the back forward. Style with fingers, not a brush, unless you're going for a specific finish.
5. Deodorant + the smell test (60 seconds)
An antiperspirant in the morning will see you through a normal day. If you wear cologne, one or two sprays — chest and inside of forearms, never on the neck where it overpowers. Cologne should be discovered, not announced.
The best grooming routine is the one you'll actually do. Three products done daily beats twelve products done sometimes.
Evening — three minutes
1. Cleanse, again (60 seconds)
The day puts oil, pollution and sweat on your face. Cleanse them off. Same face wash, same cold water. This is the most-skipped step and it shouldn't be.
2. Moisturise without SPF (30 seconds)
You don't need SPF at night. A simple, slightly richer moisturiser will help your skin recover. Many men just use their morning one again — that's fine too.
3. Brush the beard, if applicable (60 seconds)
Boar bristle, downward strokes, sixty seconds. Removes the day's tangles and keeps the hair trained.
4. The five-second mirror check
Eyebrows ok? Nose hair under control? Anything stuck where it shouldn't be? Catching it tonight saves a "why didn't anyone tell me" moment tomorrow.
Weekly — fifteen minutes total
Once a week, do the things that aren't worth doing daily:
- Exfoliate — once, gently, on a Sunday night. Resets your skin.
- Trim nose hair, ear hair, and eyebrows. Use the smallest scissors you own.
- Clip and file fingernails. Short, square, slightly rounded at the corners.
- Check the back of the head with a second mirror. Most men have a small grow-out at the neckline by the second week of any cut.
Monthly — at the chair
Once a month, somebody else does the harder work. A barber for the cut, a beard sculpt if you wear one, and — if you want to keep pushing the standard — a proper hot towel shave every couple of months as a reset.
The travel kit
Five items, fits in a wash bag:
- Face wash (decant into a 50ml bottle)
- SPF moisturiser
- Beard oil (small)
- Hair product
- Deodorant
Everything else is supplied by the hotel. You won't miss it.
None of this is about vanity. It's about showing up looking like you've thought about it — which, for a few minutes a day, you have.
