With summer around the corner, many of us will be turning our attention to our bodies. I’m a firm believer that we should focus on the amazing things our bodies can do, rather than what they look like, but equally I think feeling confident within our own skin is important, so I thought I’d share with you 5 tips to look your best and feel top of your game, regardless of your shape and size!
1) Trimming body hair & Manscaping.
Personally I don’t think there is anything wrong with a bit of body hair on guys, so I’m not suggesting you start waxing your legs or go for a full back sack and crack – but equally looking like a gorilla isn’t ideal. My rule of thumb is if you could plait it you know it’s definitely time for a trim! I always trim any excess body hair with a decent hair trimmer like this Men’s Trimmer from Panasonic. It comes with a handy body comb attachment to trim body hair down to a perfect length, and is cordless so you can use it over the bath or in the shower. The benefit of using a trimmer is that you aren’t going to encounter any ingrowing hairs or itchy regrowth!
2) To Tan or not to Tan?
Whilst I’m a fan of fake tan and tend to use it throughout the summer months, (my current favourite is Skinny Tan, you can check out my review here) I think pale skin looks fantastic so if a tan isn’t something that you think suits you, or you can’t achieve then don’t stress about trying to get one. What doesn’t look good is sunburn! I am always shocked at the amount of people I see on holiday with red shoulders, dodgy tan marks and peeling skin – so my main tip here is whichever way you decide to go, please use a decent SPF to protect yourself from sun damage and looking like a Brit abroad!
3) Feet.
I have strong opinions in this area, there’s nothing worse than seeing gross feet on display! Having just ran a Marathon my feet are not in the best condition, so I think the best look is to always keep them covered up, with the exception of the beach or pool, where I think a slider is a good option!
If you are showing your feet, I’d always combine it with wearing shorts, (flip flops and jeans combination should be banished).. And please give your feet the same care and attention you would any other part of your body. No long or discoloured nails, get them sorted!
Some great shoe options for summer are slip on pumps, light lace up trainers or woven loafers. Hidden trainer socks are great to keep your feet fresh, don’t wear synthetic shoes without cotton socks or they will start to smell.
4) Keep Beachwear for the Beach.
This is a continuation from my previous tip. With regards to clothing, unless you are on holiday in Magaluf, keep the neon vests and swimming trunks for the beach and opt for tailored shorts or chino’s with a light weight t-shirt or shirt.
If you suffer from sweat patches, avoid tight fitting tops, and go for something with a pattern which will be more forgiving. A loose fitting short sleeved shirt over a vest or t-shirt will flatter most body shapes and allow the breeze in to keep you dry. Weirdly I find that spray antiperspirants actually make me sweat more, and a simple roll-on like the one by Sure I talk about here is the best option for me.
5) Exercise and Eat well.
I’m not suggesting you spend hours down the gym or go on a strict diet, but doing some form of exercise and eating well will boost your energy and confidence.
As you probably know if you follow my social media, I love running – but I’m also a big fan of HIT workouts, and there are some fantastic workouts you can do in your own home on YouTube. My favourite is HasFit, Joshua the coach is hugely positive, non-threatening and has honestly transformed my attitude to fitness so do check him out and join in with his fantastic work outs. You can do them anywhere with wifi and a bit of floor space!
In terms of food, summer is a time to enjoy eating outdoors and roof top drinks, but there are always ways to eat more nutritiously and currently I am loving the recipes by Clean Eating Alice – they are all delicious and most importantly for me, simple easy and quick to make.
I hope you found these tips useful, please let me now your grooming tips and what makes you feel confident in the comments below. Bring on the Summer!
This post was kindly sponsored by Panasonic.
Outfit:
Shirt – Zara
Shorts – Topman
Belt – Vintage
Pumps – Vans
Sunglasses – Primark