7 Grooming Rules Worth Breaking

Grooming tends to come with a strict set of rules—whether you learned them from your dad, social media, or maybe even this very publication. Cleanse your face morning and night. Wash your hair daily. Spray fragrance on your pulse points only. Some rules are useful. Some are outdated. And some are a lot less rigid than you’ve been led to believe.We spoke to a handful of skin, hair, and fragrance experts to see which grooming rules are totally fine to ignore—and what to do instead.1. Men should only use men’s productsYou’ve probably never second-guessed this rule. But the men’s skincare category is more of a marketing construct rather than a strict lane you need to live in. “Skin doesn’t differ significantly by gender in terms of what it needs to function well,” says Antony Nakhla, MD, a double-board certified dermatologist, dermatologic surgeon, and founder of Eighth Day. “What matters is the formulation and whether it addresses your actual concerns.” Yes, men’s skin tends to be thicker and oilier than women’s—but there are plenty of products that address this that aren’t marketed specifically to men. Consider this a permission slip to broaden your horizons and shop by your concern, rather than your gender.2. Wash your face twice a dayTwice a day isn’t a universal requirement. According to Dr. Nakhla, many men would do just fine cleansing at night only to remove the day’s buildup and simply rinsing in the morning. For some people, over-cleansing can strip the skin barrier, triggering more oil production and leaving your skin angry or sensitized. And while you’re at it, use a light hand and avoid aggressive formulas. “If your skin feels tight or dry after cleansing, you’re either cleansing too frequently or using the wrong product,” says Dr. Nakhla. “Either way, the answer isn’t to push through it.”3. Bar soap works fine for your faceYour face deserves a cleanser that gets the job done without leaving it squeaky and stripped. Translation: keep the bar soap below the neck. “Most bar soaps have a high pH that disrupts your skin’s acid mantle, the thin protective layer that keeps moisture in and bacteria out,” says Corey L. Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama. Instead, reach for a gentle facial cleanser to avoid tightness and flaking.KlurGentle Matter CleanserTower 28SOS Gel Facial Cleanser4. Scrub harderExfoliating is one of the highest-payoff steps in any skincare routine. It helps sweep away dead skin cells, unclog pores, and make your face as smooth as an ice skating rink. Plenty of guys think the rougher the scrub, the cleaner they’ll get—but this typically does more harm than good. “Aggressive physical scrubs—like walnut shells, harsh brushes, or scrubbing like you’re cleaning a pan—create micro-tears in the skin barrier, which shows up as redness, sensitivity, and eventually more breakouts,” says Dr. Hartman. The better move? Skip the power scrub and opt for a mild chemical exfoliant at a frequency your skin can tolerate.Dr. Dennis GrossAlpha Beta Universal Exfoliating Daily Peel - 30 PackEighth DayThe Resurfacing Tonic5. There’s one “right” way to apply cologneAdam Hurly, a longtime grooming journalist for GQ and the founder of the men’s grooming website Blue Print, says there’s a lot of “well actually” happening in the fragrance world these days. Well actually, you’re supposed to apply it this way. Well actually, you shouldn’t rub your wrists together after applying. Well actually, a fragrance’s worth is only based on its loudness. He advises tuning out the noise and going rogue. “What if—and maybe this is crazy—you did it however you wanted to? Apply it to your clothes if you so choose. Spray it in your hair for all I care. Layer, or don’t,” he says. “Despite what everyone else wants to tell you, with cologne, there are no rules.”6. Wash your hair dailyLots of guys automatically wash their hair every time they shower—which, for most civilized humans, is once daily. (Twice in the summer.) But many would be better off shampooing less often. “Shampooing too frequently can destroy the sweat and oil that protects our scalp and hair, which can invite problems like excess oil production as the scalp tries to reach balance,” says Parker Davis, a professional hairstylist and national educator at SACHAJUAN. How often you should wash your hair will depend on factors like hair type, how much you sweat, and how often you work out. For instance, guys with fine hair or those who crush a Peloton class every morning could use more frequent washing, while those with thick or dry hair can hold off for longer. “The best course of action is finding a shampoo regimen that best fits your personal lifestyle and your particular hair texture and density, which in most cases is far less often than daily,” Davis says.Living ProofPerfect Hair Day ShampooSachajuanClarifying Shampoo7. Use more product to fix your hairIf your hair refuses to do what you want, your first instinct might be to throw more product at it.That’s rarely the answer. “One thing that gives men trouble is the idea that product alone will produce the desired style, or simply that if it isn’t working, they just need more or stronger products,” says Parker. The missing ingredients are usually tools and techniques, not another fingerful of pomade or paste. “I teach my clients that we use products to support the style that we must put in place first,” he says. “This means using a blowdryer and brush or fingers to first set the style, then use products to help support what you do.” In other words, product is a supporting player—not the entire strategy.T3Featherweight StyleMax Professional Ionic Hair Dryer