Manscaped for Summer – Part 2

Vagaro’s Ultimate Guide to Men’s Summer Grooming

July is the peak of summer’s swelter, so it’s a perfect time for men to take control of their grooming habits to beat the “wear & tear” of summer. Because personal grooming is more gender-inclusive these days, the modern man has an abundance of choice when it comes to personal care. In this Part 2 of Vagaro’s Ultimate Guide to Men’s Summer Grooming, provide summer care tips that you can bring into any season to help you look—and feel! —your best. Be sure to check out Part 1 of this series, featuring tips on men’s skin care and facial hair grooming.

Men’s Hair Care

Seasonal hair loss isn’t just an old wives’ tale! According to the American Hair Loss Association, in the peak of summer heat, hair enters the telogen phase at elevated rates. That means it’s more prone to shedding. While shedding slows with cooler weather, during the summertime, it’s important to be proactive in protecting your hair with hats, bandanas, and proper grooming habits.

Grooming Tips

• Visit Your Barber! Regular trims will keep you feeling refreshed and cool all summer, and you’ll get more mileage from your hair products. Regular trims will help you stay on top of your scalp health too, because longer hair holds sweat, oil, and dirt against the scalp. Use the Vagaro Marketplace to find and book a barber for your summer ‘do!
  
  
• Use Moisturizing Shampoos. This seems counterintuitive, since during the summer, hair gets sweaty and the scalp produces more oil. That’s the body’s way of trying to keep parched hair lubricated! Invest in a good moisturizing shampoo, and you’ll experience less dryness and itching. Ask your barber for their recommendations!
  
  
• Exfoliate Your Scalp. In the summer, sweat and oil accumulate on the scalp. Shampooing can only go so far. Scalp build-up can lead to dull hair, clogged follicles, and an itchy, flaky scalp. Removing dead skin cells allows your scalp to breathe and stay healthy, as well as fighting seasonal hair loss. Scalp exfoliation is an add-on service offered by many barbershops, salons, and spas!
  
  
• Try a Dry Shampoo! Sun, heat, and protective head gear (like hats) stimulate the scalp’s sebaceous glands, producing more oil. Dry shampoo is an easy way to beat the grease trap and keep your head feeling (and smelling!) fresh and clean.
  
  

Vagaro Top Hair Care Picks

• American Crew Daily Moisturizing Shampoo
  
  
• Rockaholic by TIGI Bedhead Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo
  
  
• LUSH Superbalm Scalp Treatment
  
  
• Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo
  
  
• Bumble and bumble Surf Spray Texturizer
  
  

Hands and Feet

Summer means outdoor sports and flip-flops! Here’s how to keep your hands and feet in tip-top condition in the summertime and beyond.

Grooming Tips

• Treat Yourself to a Man-ly & Pedi. When you don’t know where to start a grooming routine for your hands and feet, leave it to the professionals! Use the Vagaro Marketplace to find a nail shop or spa that can help you get your hands and feet in great shape. Then create a maintenance routine for upkeep between visits.
  
  
• Clip Your Nails. That means fingernails and toenails! Ideally, this should be performed weekly, to address accumulated dirt and to prevent ingrown nails. When clipping, try to cut straight cut across the nail. Clipping curved can cause the sides to grow into the skin.
  
  
• Use Epson Salts. A weekly foot soak with Epsom salts will relieve foot muscle aches, deodorize your feet, and kill bacteria.
  
  
• Exfoliate with a Pumice Stone. Use a pumice stone in the shower or bath to remove dead skin and calluses, making sure to moisturize feet after showering.
  
  
• Clean, Moisturize and Deodorize. Sweat, oil, and sun tend to dry out hands and feet. Feet are especially prone to bacteria build up, and viral or fungal issues such as verrucae (plantar’s warts) or Athlete’s foot. Hand and foot moisturizers, antibacterial washes, and antibacterial deodorizers keep hands and feet smooth and healthy.
  
  
• Practice Foot Hygiene. Plantar’s warts and Athlete’s foot are highly contagious, especially in places like public pools and showers. Make sure you’ve got flip-flops or aqua socks when you use public spaces where viruses, bacteria, and fungus thrive. Don’t forget that shoes can also be a hotbed of bacteria, sweat and dead skin cells. Make sure to use a light dusting of antibacterial foot powder to keep insoles clean and dry.
  
  

Vagaro Top Hand and Foot Care Picks

• Manscaped Foot Duster Cooling Deodorant Powder
  
  
• LUSH Peppermint Foot Cream
  
  
• Baby Foot Exfoliating Foot Peel for Men
  
  
• Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer
  
  
• LUSH Pumice Power
  
  

Men’s Body Grooming

The rest of your body deserves the star treatment, too! Summer is an ideal time to overhaul your grooming routine to make sure you’re protecting your body against the sun and swelter. Here are some grooming tips to try out in the summer and keep up through the seasons.

Grooming Tips

• Try Dry Brushing to Exfoliate. Using a natural brush with a long handle, start at your feet and work your way up, using circular motions. This exfoliates dead skin cells while boosting circulation. Then hop in the shower to ensure dead skin cells don’t clog pores.
  
  
• Shower Frequently. Not only are showers refreshing in the sweaty summer months, but they also helps control body odor, clogged pores, and body acne breakouts.
  
  
• Body Hair. If you go au natural, make sure you’re using a mild body wash that removes oil and dead skin cells from body hair. In the summer months, the accumulation of sweat, dead skin cells, and bacteria can lead to skin irritations and rashes. Try trimming or waxing body hair in summertime to stay cooler and make deodorants more effective. Use the Vagaro Marketplace to find a waxing specialist near you!
  
  
• Wax Wisely. If you go for a waxing treatment, take a hot shower or bath beforehand to open pores and soften hair. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever about 30 minutes before your appointment to make the process less painful, and make sure to follow aftercare instructions.
  
  
• Use Deodorants, Antiperspirants, and Chafing Products. Body odor is caused by the commingling of proteins and fat in sweat with bacteria and dead skin cells. Deodorant controls odor, while antiperspirant controls sweat and odor. Chafing is the rubbing of fabric or skin against skin where sweat, hair, and dead cells are present, often between thighs, underarms, or in the groin region.
  
  
• Cold Sores. Intense sunlight can reactivate the virus causing cold sores, so make sure you keep topical treatment handy if you’re prone to cold sores and fever blisters. Steer clear of the amino acid arginine, which triggers cold sores and is present in peanuts, whole wheat, oats, chocolate, and soybeans.
  
  

Vagaro Top Men’s Grooming Picks

• Woody’s 3-N-1 Triple Threat Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash
  
  
• Grooming Lounge Super Powder
  
  
• Manscaped Crop Preserver Anti-Chafing Ball Deodorant
  
  
• Clubman Pinaud Powder
  
  
• GIBS Grooming Wipes
  
  
• LUSH Dirty Body Spray
  
  

Make sure you don’t miss Part 1 of Vagaro’s Ultimate Guide to Men’s Summer Grooming, which focuses on men’s skin care and facial hair grooming tips. Then, use the Vagaro Marketplace to find local service providers to help make sure this summer, the hottest thing on the beach is YOU!

Header Image: Giorgio Trovato via Vagaro, Livermore Barber Shop

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