UrbanUpdate

When I look back at photos of myself in college, I cringe. I used astringent as a cleanser and spent four years with dry and dehydrated skin. Then there are the yellow teeth, and the razor-burn cheeks. I bad bad bad bad haircuts that didn’t flatter me, not to mention dry, poofy hair. I didn’t know any better! There’s one photo of me, drunk, with Cheez Whiz smeared on my face like a mask. If you didn’t know, that is basically the opposite of a face mask. I had fallout pimples for a month after.

But look at me now! Imparting grooming advice on Gentleman’s Quarterly dot com! Let my failures be your gain: Whether you’re a freshman or grad student, don’t let college be an excuse to look like a dehydrated, poofy-haired, yellow-toothed sloth. You’re spending all that time and money to craft a future, and a few well-intentioned grooming habits ought to be part of that foundation, too.

Here, then, are five ways you can look (and smell) great, and with little lifting required. After all, you’ve got enough on your academic and social calendar. Just don’t make the same mistakes as me, or every last photo from “the best years of your life” will haunt you.

Put Your Best Face Forward

You’re going to have a weird schedule in college. There will be late nights, early mornings, and little semblance of a routine. One regimen you should absolutely hold onto, though, is a simple 3-step skincare routine: cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. Every day when you wake up and before you go to bed (so, twice daily), wash your face to clear away excess oil and grime from the pores. Twice a week, follow a cleansing with a gentle exfoliator to scrub away dead skin cells that might also clog pores, and to keep the healthiest cells at the surface of the face. Then, after each cleanse (and exfoliation, when applicable), follow with a nourishing moisturizer to re-hydrate the skin and protect it from environmental wear. Better yet, use one with SPF to protect yourself from harmful (and skin-aging) UV rays, year round.

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It’s OK to be a little lazy in college. You’ve got the rest of your life to work your ass off. But please oh please don’t let this compromise your A+ grooming game: If you know already that you’ll neglect certain grooming habits—like getting a fresh razor or toothbrush—then it’s in your best interest to let those things come right to your door. Brands like Harry’s and Goby send replenishment precisely when it’s needed. With Harry’s, you can get fresh razors, shave cream, and recovery balm at whatever intervals you need (thus preventing razor burn, infection, and ingrown hairs). With Goby, you get a new toothbrush head for your rechargeable brush every 3 months. (That’s the ADA recommended turnover time for a fully effective and hygienic brush, thus preventing plaque, cavities, bad breath, and gum disease.) While we’re on the topic, why not peep our suggestions for an oral hygiene overhaul?

Don’t Let ‘Em See You Sweat

All that coursework (plus balancing your social life) can be stressful. But you don’t want to show it through attention-grabbing physiological displays. It’s one thing to block your underarm smell with an everyday deodorant, but it’s even better to avoid pit stains altogether. Most antiperspirants will permanently stain your clothes, though, and since you haven’t got the budget for a new wardrobe, grab a non-staining antiperspirant instead. Old Spice Invisible Spray will prevent perspiration without staining the clothes.

Drop Daily Shampoo from Your Schedule

If you shampoo your hair every day, you'll dry it out and get a nice bout of dandruff at the same time. Your hair is healthiest and easiest to style in the day or two following each shampoo. That’s because the natural oils in your scalp nourish the hairs and keep everything healthy. Shampoo strips the hair of excess oil and good oils, so it should only be used every other day or two. Instead, just rinse the hair and use a daily condition to keep it nourished—and always follow a shampoo with conditioner to restore it to a healthier, more hydrated state. (On the in-between days, the conditioner will also strip any excess oils without drying out the hairs.)

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Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQCollegeGrooming