When you're in your early 20s, you learn a lot of valuable life skills that you take with you for the rest of your life.
Some of the most valuable skills men can pick up are related to grooming themselves. In the awkward teen and college years, men can sometimes get away with not knowing things like how to apply cologne or how to start a skincare routine.
But by the time you turn 25, there's really no excuse. It's time to straighten out your grooming routine.
Here are 6 grooming skills every guy needs to master before they turn 25.
SEE ALSO: 8 essential etiquette rules every guy should follow at the barbershop
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How to shave properly.
How to apply deodorant correctly.
It's part of your normal morning routine: You shower, brush your teeth, and apply your underarm antiperspirant or deodorant every day. But it turns out that the time of day you apply your antiperspirant does matter a bit.
The best time to put on your antiperspirant or deodorant is at night, right before you go to bed. That's because it takes time for your antiperspirant to work its magic and close your armpit's sweat ducts.
After this process happens, good antiperspirants and deodorants usually last 24-48 hours, so you'll have plenty of dry times ahead after application. If you're concerned your morning shower will remove the antiperspirant effects of the night before, worry not: they'll continue working their magic, as the aluminum salts have already clogged the sweat ducts at that point.
How to apply cologne correctly.
Fragrance is tricky. The oils are designed to be absorbed and melded with your skin's natural oils, creating your own unique scent. That can't happen when you apply it to your clothing, so you should never apply fragrance to anything but your skin.
The ideal place to apply cologne is the area between your chest and neck, inclusive of both. A bonus is that some men have chest hair, which can trap some fragrance oil, increasing how long the smell might last on their skin.
As for amount, remember the cardinal rule of applying cologne: less is most certainly more. "Cologne should be discovered, not announced," as Art of Manliness says. Overdo it, and you'll give everyone around you a headache.
Finally, after you apply the cologne, pat it on your skin, but do not rub it in. Rubbing it in can cause it to be absorbed by your skin more quickly, and it can even distort the scent.
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