The importance of appearance for a man of high value
Imagine the following situation: You're talking to your potential future boss and everything is going great...until you point to your resume and he sees your dirty, unkempt nails.
Or you're in the middle of an amazing dinner and you lean across the table to say something charming... and the person next to you is hit by a cloud of bad breath.
Often, during pivotal situations like job interviews and first dates, when the other person doesn't know you and doesn't know what a nice guy you are; your success or failure comes down to a few small details of how you present yourself. In these moments, it doesn't matter just getting ready and combing your hair if you ignore the details. Maybe you thought the other person wouldn't notice, but they do.
Why do details matter so much? Because, as the saying goes, "How you do anything is how you do everything." Dirty nails don't just mean you've given up on your dream of becoming a hand model. They mean you're ok with letting little things slip away. Small things that can have potentially bigger consequences in the future...
How to be a high-value man taking care of your appearance?
The good news is that it's never too late to start paying attention to details in personal presentation, such as personal hygiene. Fortunately, if you're not doing some of them, it's easy to change that reality.
1. Pay attention to extra hair
Once you reach a certain age you have to accept the fact that your body no longer confines hair growth to "designated hair areas". Suddenly, you find yourself with hair sprouting everywhere, like the unruly hairs that grow on your ears, nose and eyebrows.
If it's starting to look like you're creating earplugs or a spider is trying to escape your nose, then it's time to act. You might think it's unmanly to trim your eyebrows, but once they take on a furry shape, it can look like you have two Gremlins living above your eyes.
2. Take care of nails
Nothing is a quicker indicator of someone's hygiene than the state of their nails. Untrimmed, disheveled or dirty nails are a sign of general lack of care, but also a health hazard, especially if you are preparing food for people.
Next to the face, hands are often one of the most seen parts of the body when talking to someone in person. All you need to do is trim your nails regularly, occasionally scrub them with a brush, and clean underneath.
3. Perform oral hygiene correctly
It's easy to convince yourself that flossing is a personal decision. But not quite. When you brush regularly but neglect to floss, you leave tiny bits of food between your teeth - and that food starts to rot and build up bacteria that can make your breath pretty hideous. It's a problem for anyone who is close to you, but especially anyone who is kissing you. Do your gums and social life a favor and start flossing.
4. Take care of the beard
Having facial hair is like owning a car: once you decide to have it, you must take responsibility for maintaining it, otherwise it becomes a risk. One problem is simply neglecting to trim/brush/comb your beard or mustache.
The other issue is more insidious: when you DON'T DECIDE what you're doing with your facial hair. For some reason - perhaps because facial hair is one of the few accessories for men - once you start growing your hair out you can get very irritated if it's growing without a clear purpose.
Is your intention to grow a beard or are you just not taking care of and trimming your hair? Make a decision and start caring for it to keep it along the way, otherwise trim or scrape.
A tip here, don't shave your beard above its natural line. Many men end up doing this because they think it's right, but it's not ideal. It's like a man wearing a half shirt expecting you to ignore his little tummy hanging down below (sorry to get that look in your head!).
Cutting the natural beard line where the bottom of your jaw meets your neck can really help cover the double chin in a neat way.
5. Don't go overboard with hair products
There are many things in life where "less is more". Hair products are usually one of them. If you applied your styling gel or cream liberally, it didn't work well enough or your hair was too wet when you applied it; try using just a little of the product and make sure you look at your hair closely (maybe use an extra mirror to see the back of your head) to make sure everything works properly.
6. Use a mild perfume
A subtle, pleasant fragrance can work very well. Notice I said smooth. If you get into an elevator and people can tell what your perfume or cologne is, then guess what, you've failed at subtlety. The fact is, wearing too much, even the most sophisticated perfume, makes it smell unsightly and that will ruin your chances of making a good first impression.
It's easy to get used to your own scent, so you can get help from honest friends. Ask them if their colony is too strong. You can also try using less and ask if they can still smell it. If they can, maybe you don't need as much as you thought.
7. Hydrate your lips
It's very hard not to notice someone's lips and mouth when you're talking to a person. So even if you've combed your hair perfectly and trimmed your facial hair, if your lips are dry and chapped, they'll distract whoever is talking to you.
At the very moment you are telling a story, people are not going to hear how you managed to dive alongside sharks or help a woman who gave birth in an elevator. Instead, they will be looking at your chapped lips. The key here is to use lip balm regularly (preferably with SPF) and try to avoid excessive sun exposure.
8. Don't forget your toenails
While you might avoid showing your toenails at the office or on a first date, there's always the inevitable outdoor barbecue, pool party, or trip to a river. And what that means: wearing flip-flops or sandals.
It's great to give your toes some oxygen and maybe some sun. But are they ready for public viewing? Are they scaring children and passersby?
Most men don't pay much attention to toenail hygiene, probably because they think "they're out of sight, no one is watching". But when you stretch your shaggy and untended toes, it can draw a lot of attention from people around you. All it takes is a little trimming and sanding, and you're good to go.
Conclusion
For our society, appearance matters and there is no escaping it. Many men want to prove their worth through their attitude, dignity and intelligence, which is wonderful! But believe me, appearance is our calling card.
Before a person gets to know you more deeply, the only thing they have is how you look and what message you are sending out to the world. We human beings are constantly judging each other. Often, it's not out of malice, it's just human nature, but it has a big impact on how we perceive others and whether they made a good first impression.
As you can see, even if you've taken the time to put on a nice outfit and style your hair, there are some small details that, if you don't pay attention, can really sabotage your image. But the good news is that these little things aren't terribly easy to do, and most don't require more than a few minutes of your time.
