Skip to main content

College Grooming 101

college grooming 101
Image used with permission by copyright holder
So you’re back at school and settled into dorm life. Beyond the basics of toothpaste and a razor there are some key college grooming products that you should have on hand. Most are available at the local drugstore so there’s no need to apply for another student loan.

Let’s start with the shower. The most important thing to get, after flip-flops for the shower, is body wash. It’s much less gross to tote a bottle than to cake up you new shower caddy with a bar soap. Get your semester off to “the freshest start” and try AXE White Label Night Body Wash. Study these notes of grapefruit, lavender, cedarwood and praline. It Smells so nice you won’t need a separate cologne.

There will be days that washing your face with the same product you wash your feet with just won’t cut it. College life is full of cramming for exams and smoky frat parties. And let’s face it that pillowcase won’t be washed until parents day weekend. Dirt, stress and a college diet can cause acne to flair up. Stay one step ahead of a breakout and use Neutrogena Men Skin Clearing Wash. It’s a gentle, oil-free formula with 2% Salicylic acid that will unclog pores minimizing pimples and ingrown hairs.

Clear skin is important. Clear eyes are too. Arrive bright eyed and bushy tailed to class. Sooth and refresh tired eyes after pulling an all-nighter with Rohto Cool Eye Drops. Speaking of cooling off. If you’re living on campus you don’t have any control over the temperature situation. Dorm rooms can be overheated causing dry skin and cracked lips. Stock up on lip balm like this one from Everyman Jack. Enriched with vitamin E this balm has an SPF 15 that’s perfect for the sunshine of University of Florida and the biting cold of the University of Michigan alike.

Maybe you took some things for granted living at home, like access to your Dad’s grooming kit. The Tweezerman G.E.A.R. Essential Grooming Kit might cost a little more but think of it as an investment in your future. It has all the tools you need to stay on top of hang nails, stray hairs and runaway brows none of which are big hits with the sorority sisters. And when you’ve mastered Grooming 101 visit Grooming Lounge. They have all the men’s grooming products you’ll need to succeed in the real world.

Jennifer Ryan Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jennifer Ryan Jones is a fashion and grooming expert who contributed regularly to The Manual and AskMen.com. Her past…
We swear by this serum for reducing dark circles around eyes
a close up of a man's eyes

When it comes to taking care of your skin, it is important to have a few products in your medicine cabinet that will help you look and feel your best. If you suffer from dark circles or puffiness under your eyes due to lack of sleep, age or dehydration, there is an easy way to fix this common skincare concern. The Caldera + Lab The Eyecon is a men's eye serum that was created to help reduce fine lines, dark circles and puffiness. If there is one skincare change you should make in 2024, let it be adding this product to your routine.

Why you should buy the Caldera + Lab The Eyecon Serum
There are several different ways to get rid of under eye bags. You can use a few different home remedies or purchase this serum that will give you a more youthful and well-rested complexion. With a combination of peptides, adaptogens and rich plant stem cell extracts, this nourishing eye serum addresses fine lines, dark circles and puffiness, while also hydrating the under eye area. It offers an aloe scent and is free of gluten, aluminum, parabens and silicones, so it won't cause irritation when used with other products.

Read more
Upgrade your daily routine with products from these amazing Black-owned grooming brands
Check out these quality men's grooming products
Man using face cream

Recently, we have been shedding light on Black-owned businesses, from Black-owned fashion upstarts to Black-owned beverage brands and everything in between. We are continuing to learn how to support Black communities, and one way to do that is to patronize Black-owned businesses, especially in the grooming industry. Black culture has had a huge impact on grooming and beauty, but there are still many great Black-owned businesses that still don't get as much recognition as other legacy brands.

Below, we shine a light on several Black-owned brands that are putting out some of the best grooming products for men. These professionals not only fill voids for Black skincare left in the mainstream personal care aisle but also strive to make the world a little bit better than they found it.

Read more
Hair products 101: Get all-day texture and hold with the best hair paste for men
Give your dew volume and flexible hold with these hair pastes
Two containers of Fellow Barber Texture Paste.

Hair products can be confusing to navigate — do you need hair paste? Hairspray? Hair gel? Hair paste hits a magical middle ground between a hair gel and a hairspray. You can apply it strategically like spray without losing hold anytime something touches your hair. It also has the long-lasting strength of a gel without getting hard and crunchy. Paste is the best option to keep your hair's natural texture and allow it to move around a bit throughout the day. A good paste allows you to tweak your style anytime you catch yourself in a mirror and see that something is just a little off, because if we're being honest that happens to all of us. 

We rounded up a list of the best hair paste for men available now. Their properties and functionality vary a bit because, like a fingerprint, we all have unique hair. Half the battle of achieving the hairstyle you want is finding the product that works best for your hair. That can be a daunting task with so many pastes on the market so we've narrowed down the options for you. Just remember, we can help you find the best product to achieve your new hairstyle but we can't stop your mom from criticizing it.

Read more