Welcome to Grooming Journals, where we talk to men across the country about one of their most intimate daily investments: Grooming.
This week, Moti Ankari opens up about his personal care regimen with our Style and Grooming Editor, Christian Gollayan. As a fashion influencer and co-founder of footwear line Ankari Floruss, looking camera-ready consistently has become second nature to Ankari, thanks to his full-proof grooming routine. And with more than 190 thousand followers on Instagram, he knows a thing or two about curating an attractive presentation, which is why he will serve as a panelist for our annual Grooming Awards. Read on to learn more about his grooming routine.
Occupation: Menswear influencer and Co-founder of Ankari Floruss
Age: 28
Location: New York City
Hobbies: Fitness, Dance, and Fashion
Skin Type: Normal to combination
Hair Type: Thin
Morning Grooming Routine
Being in the fashion industry, people always want to look their best. It’s not about looking a certain shape, it’s about how you present yourself. I learned that it’s important to groom yourself properly, to keep a fresh cut, to manicure your nails, and to practice proper skincare, because we’re being photographed all the time, and we’re presenting ourselves constantly on Instagram, so I take responsibility to look good every day.
Soap: Dove Body Wash Go Fresh Cucumber and Green Tea Body Wash
My grooming routine usually starts after my workouts in the morning, and I really like to use Dove’s body wash because it’s so refreshing and doesn’t dry out my skin.
Shampoo: Phyto Moisturizing Shampoo
I have thin hair, so I only shampoo once a week, and when I do, I use Phyto, which I like a lot. It’s super moisturizing. I almost never use conditioner, because I don’t want to make my hair brittle.
Hair Growth Product: Finasteride
This is a generic version of Propecia, which is an FDA-approved tablet that a lot of dermatologists recommend for men with thinning hair, but this works just as effectively. I’ve been using this since I was 22, and taking just one tablet every day has kept my hair looking fuller.
Cleanser: Chanel La Mousse Cleansing Cream-to-Foam
I recently got this Chanel cleanser, and I like using it during my showers, because it foams really well and is easy to take off, and leaves my skin feeling super clean.
Face Mask: He Time Face Mask
A facemask for men. Every time I do a face mask I’m always worried it will fall off because of my beard, but He Time gets it.
Eye Mask: Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Detox Hydra Gel Eye Patches
Then, I love wearing this cucumber eye mask from Peter Thomas Roth because it’s super cooling, and refreshing, and also helps depuff the skin under my eyes. I use it almost every day.
Serum: Skinceuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier
Just using a couple drops of this daily has helped remove the dark circles under my eyes, and my face’s redness has also gone away.
Sunscreen: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Cooling Water Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
Sunscreen is one of the most important parts of my skincare routine, and I do love La Roche-Posay’s sunscreen lotion because it’s very hydrating and doesn’t irritate my skin.
Moisturizer: VICHY Mineral 89 Face Moisturizer
This is a natural hyaluronic acid moisturizer. while it feels like a serum it acts like both a serum and moisturizer and is extremely hydrating. I was recently on a beach trip and I applied this both in the morning and before bed and I didn’t peel once.
Bronzer: Tom Ford Bronzing Gel
If I feel really pale, I turn to Tom Ford. I put it on using a cotton pad, then spread it on my face using a brush, and it just looks so good.
Powder: Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder
After I put on makeup, I love putting on Tom Ford’s powder, because it really takes the shine off my face. When people see me, they say, “Wow, you’re so tan.” Little do they know, I’m wearing makeup.
Lotion: Lubriderm Lotion With Shea and Coconut Butter
I love this lotion because it’s so affordable, smells great, and is super nourishing on my body.
Body and Beard Trimmer: Philips Norelco Multigroom Series 7000
I trim my beard once a week, and I use Philips’ clipper. I love that it has a lot of different attachments, so I can use it for my face and body.
Razor: Gillette Proglide
After trimming, I like to keep my facial hair’s edges neat by shaving it with Gillette’s Proglide razor.
Shaving Cream: Nivea Men Sensitive Shave Gel
I like to use Nivea’s shaving gel when cleaning up my whiskers around my neck, because it’s hypoallergenic and helps prevent ingrown hair.
Beard Product: Tom Ford Conditioning Beard Oil
My hair stylist told me that I needed to use a beard oil after trimming, and after using this beard oil from Tom Ford, I haven’t gotten any ingrown hairs since.
Hair Product: Kevin Murphy Rough Rider Clay
This works like a pomade, and I like to put just a little bit of this on my hair for a light hold.
Hair Product: Forte Molding Paste
So I mentioned the clay last time, and since then Forte launched a molding paste — which is UNREAL. Gives my hair bounce, volume, hold, and just a drop of shine and I feel my hair never looked better. Alex — who has over 5 million followers on YouTube and is known for his hair — and he really knows about the topic, too.
Hair Product: Kevin Murphy Powder Puff
I really do love Kevin Murphy products. He really understands the hair and how the product interacts with it. I will apply this on damped hair and blow dry till dry and my hair would get so much volume and feel fuller, too. This is great for those who feel like they have thinning hair.
Lip Balm: Dr. Barbara Sturm Lip Balm
I take lip care very seriously. It’s a bit pricey for a lip balm, but once you invest in a great lip balm — your lips won’t want to use anything else.
Body Serum: Boscia Body Serum
I never used a body serum until this year. and I honestly don’t know what I was waiting for. Your skin transforms into this hydrating glow immediately. It’s one of the best products I tried this year (and it just came out this year, too).
Evening Grooming Routine
Serum: Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum
After cleansing, I put on this Vitamin C serum, and it has helped reduced the appearance of my fine lines and wrinkles. It helps my skin stay tight.
Exfoliant: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Afterwards, I like to use an exfoliant, especially Dermalogica’s, because sometimes I get bad skin congestion, and this just helps me purge dirt that has been stuck under my skin. Ever since I started using this, my congestion is gone, and I don’t even have any breakouts anymore.
Moisturizer: Eve Lom Moisture Cream
This is a fantastic moisturizer. I use this one with my nighttime routine because it is a bit thick so you know your face will be fully moisturized.
Eye Cream: Revive Renewal Eye Cream
Finishing off my evening routine, I use a dab of this eye cream from Revive. My skin looks thick and watery right with all these creams and gel on my face, but I like to think of them as wearing a face mask. After an hour, my skin has absorbed all of them. I don’t even feel these products on my face anymore.
