Tag Archives: Tips

How to Shave

by on March 4, 2012 in Men's Grooming, Shaving Tips, Tips

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Shaving Basics
Easy to follow tutorial from one of our brand partners, New York Shaving Company.  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email us at info@urbancargo.com

Prep

Shave during or after a hot shower or if you shower at night, use a hot towel and wrap it around your face.  The steam from the shower / hot towel helps to open your pores.  Wash your face with face wash.  Lather Ultra Mild Face Wash is a great one that is gentle on your skin.  Eliminate buildup on your facial hair will help with a smooth shave.  Also some use a pre-shave oil, such as he New York Shaving Company’s Pre-Shave Oil to protect your skin and soften your facial hair.  Softer hair is easier for the razor to cut through.

Lather

Use enough shaving cream or shaving soap to generate a substantial lather.  This helps to soften the hair.   Kyoku For Men Sake Infused Shave Creme is an excellent shave cream.  It is a bit on the pricier end, but quite amazing.  If you are looking for other great shave creams but at a lower price point, click here.

Shave

Shave in the direction of hair growth to prevent ingrown hairs and razor burns.

Rinse

Use a warm towel or splash warm water on your face to rinse off any remaining lather

Protect

Use an aftershave, such as Baxter of California After Shave Balm / or a face moisturizer to finish because you are removing a thin layer of skin when you shave and need to rehydrate.

 

 

 

Prepping for Valentine’s Day

by on February 1, 2012 in Men's Grooming, Shaving Tips, Skin care, Tips


It’s that time of year again, the day that most men dread.  Yet, it presents a day full of opportunities, especially if you play your cards right.  Boys, there’s nothing quite like a romantic Valentine’s Day that can help seal the deal.  Put in a little work, and there will be rewards!

And to help you in your endeavors, there are three key essential grooming tips you must follow to get ready for the moment:

(1) Shaving: Yes, I know you get some extra high fives in the locker room for sticking with your Movember mustache through February, but I’ll tell you from personal experience that it can be quite painful to kiss a man with a lot of stubble. So if you want that smooch session to last all night, making sure your face is extra smooth that day is essential.

Kyoku For Men Shave Essentials is one of most raved about products and will be sure to get you ready for that end of the night kiss.

(2) Cologne: You may be desensitized to the smell of sweat from all those hours you put in at the gym, but we can smell it all. In fact, I still cringe when I remember the scent of a weight room filled with men while you guys just sit around like it’s a day at the spa. Invest in some good cologne to cover up any trace of sweat, whether it be from day of jitters or because you were sprinting to make it to your date on time.

Baxter of California Bravado 2 offers a great, light scent that keeps you smelling like a man without making your dinner smell like cologne.

(3) Lip Balm: This should go without saying.  I once dated a guy who always used to lick his lips before he kissed me.  And even though I found this to be an endearing trait in some ways, there’s something a little more romantic about lip balm than saliva to make your lips perfectly kissable.  Make sure to pick something that won’t make your lips waxy and not just something you’d pick up from a gas station.  And of course, use it regularly to ensure that you won’t have to pull out your lip balm right before you go in for the kiss which is sure to be a mood killer.

Anthony Lip Balm is great as it hydrates your lips without giving you a girly shine.

Grooming Tip: Use Hair Conditioner as a Styling Aid

by on December 11, 2011 in Men's Grooming

As any guy would know, it is very hard to find travel sized gel. Most of time when I travel I would bring mud, clay or pomade because I don’t want to check my luggage, so I need styling products that are less than 3 ounces. In general, the alternatives got the job done but I was never truly happy with the results. For certain hairstyles, mud / clay / pomade just don’t cut it. It doesn’t create that “wet” look and doesn’t hold shape that well when you have longer hair (after 2 to 3 weeks from your last hair cut). Always frustrated, I would build a full size gel from the grocery store – cheapest I can find, and then toss it before I travel back home. The gel is usually sort of blah, has this cheap smell to it, but gets the job done. You might ask, why not just buy the more expensive gel? Well I feel it’s just wasteful to buy an expensive full size gel and to toss it after a few uses.

Annoyed at doing this a few times, I decided to try using hair conditioner as a hair gel – my roommate suggested it to me, so one day I decided to give it a try – I used the Suki Daily Conditioner Revitalizing (in your Urban Cargo November box). It was the perfect hair gel. It was thick enough to hold the shape I wanted, had a great smell and was less than 3 ounces. Plus, I used it as a hair conditioner and shaving gel, so as you can see the Suki Product was awesome. The travel size is only $6.95 – bargain for the multiple uses. Some of you might be thinking “I’ll just spring for the cheap gel and toss it,” but seriously, it’s your hair, don’t ruin it with product of lesser caliber!