Most of my conversations these days start the same way:
“Have you seen that Tiktok where…?”
So, bear with me as I treat you like a slightly bored friend or family member who loves me enough to indulge my enduring opening refrain.
Because for awhile, all I was seeing on Tiktok was a trend where (mostly) women own up to the high maintenance things they do in order to be low maintenance.
The list is varied but mostly includes skincare and wellness-y type things, including but not limited to:
- Spending hours in the salon chair every couple months to get their roots touched up or highlights added
- A semi-permanent tint for your eyelashes
- Eyelash extensions (lotta focus on lashes on the ol’ TikTok!)
- Eyebrow lamination
- Quarterly teeth whitening
- Various serums, creams, and medspa-grade procedures that cost as much as a monthly car payment
I loved getting a behind the scenes peek at other people’s routines, and definitely took notes on what I might want to try for myself (I currently have a tab open in my browser for researching good brow lamination spots!).
It would be great to see more guys tackle the “work smarter, not harder” beauty routines that these women do.
After all, when you look good, you feel good! And when you feel good, you take on your day with more confidence.
Whether you’re embarrassed about seeming too “into” self-care, or you just don’t know where to start, I thought I’d share some steps in my own routine to de-stigmatize taking care of yourself in order to feel more confident.
So, here are a few of my own personal “high maintenance to be low maintenance” things:
1. Laser hair removal
Maybe this is TMI, but I haven’t shaved my armpits in over a decade, and wow is it freeing.
Splurging on laser hair removal in my twenties is one of the best thing I ever did for myself to compress my maintenance routine, full stop.
It’s not an insignificant investment of time or resources, as the process took several sessions over a period of months, but it’s a permanent update.
So, once you log those hours? You’re all done.
2. Investing in quality hair products
I shower every day but only wash my hair once or twice a week.
On these wash days, I haul my velcro rollers out from under the sink, plug in my salon-grade blowdryer and go to town.
RELATED: The Best Hair Dryers for Guys
I set every section of blown-out hair with a surprisingly expensive hairspray and let the rollers cool while I get dressed and do my makeup.
While the price tag on the products add up, they last forever, and the routine gives me more days I don’t have to wash and dry my hair, which ultimately gives me more time back in my mornings.
Total game changer.
3. Botox every quarter
I started with Botox a few years ago when I noticed that the fine lines around my eyes and mouth weren’t just there when I smiled. They were there all the time.
Now, I pop in for Botox when I’m visiting family in Wisconsin from a great practitioner as it’s way more affordable in the Midwest than NYC.
At first, I felt weird ‘fessing up—I may have even lied a couple times and claimed I was meeting a friend for lunch when really I was sneaking off to my injector—but now my family knows that visits home mean quality time with loved ones and freezing my face with cosmetic injections.
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Now! Let’s talk about how to upgrade your grooming routine…without guilt or judgment.
Lest you get on your high horse about how women are so vain and will spend gobs of money on dumb things, hold up.
First thing’s first.
Each and every “high maintenance to be low maintenance” routine can and should be viewed through the “I like women who don’t wear makeup” fallacy.
Love a “natural” beauty who doesn’t take forever getting ready and always looks fresh-faced? There’s a good chance she achieves that natural look through high maintenance to be low maintenance routines.
And if doing things like getting gel manicures for our nails makes us feel like we can present our best selves to the world while shortcutting our beauty routine, that sounds like a pretty good deal to me!
And second, men spend plenty of money to boost their own confidence!
It’s just that often, this spending comes in the form of things, not services.
An expensive watch that makes you feel like you’re joining the cast of Succession every time you strap it on, for example. Or sneakers you set an alarm to bid on just the chance to buy them.
The tl;dr?
You’re not above splurging on yourself, either!
There are plenty of ways for a man to spend money on himself that isn’t watches and cool sneakers that can make him feel that same confidence boost.
Let’s talk about them!
So, what high maintenance habits could you do to help you be low maintenance?
And remember, low maintenance here is basically code for Help you wake up and leave the house each morning feeling confident
Here’s a couple our team can think of:
1. Hair restoration surgery
Definitely a commitment both financially and time-wise, but if walking around with a receding hairline or thinning hair wastes mental energy in your day, every day?
Then doing something about it feels like it could be a great investment.
Or maybe your problem is the opposite one, and you could take me up on my favorite high maintenance activity—laser hair removal!
While you probably are inclined to leave your pits situation intact, what about your back hair?
What about the hair on the back of your neck that seems to grow faster than the rest, making you look shaggy a week before your scheduled haircut?
Getting that hair removed for good could help you look and feel your best with less stress.
2. Putting your life on hold for a mindfulness retreat
Consider doing something different with your PTO this year.
Booking a getaway to a wellness retreat like the Hoffman Process or Canyon Ranch may not be as “fun” as a traditional vacation, but it could be more impactful.
I know, I know. Taking few days to a week (or more!) away from your usual routine to thoughtfully consider how you want to show up in your life feels like a high maintenance woo-woo thing that only celebrities do.
But! It could also be just what you need to realize that you’ve outgrown a job, or a relationship, or your attitude toward your body.
Even a weekend away to a local meditation retreat will improve your mental well-being and help you smash that ‘life reset’ button.
3. Botox and fillers to keep your face from looking craggy
If you find yourself spending more time during Zoom calls staring at the lines and wrinkles on your face than you do participating in the conversation, it may be time to bring in the big guns.
And by big guns, I mean small needles.
Minimally invasive procedures like Botox injections, or fillers like Juvederm, can reduce wrinkles and add volume to areas of your face that are slowly deflating as you age.
RELATED: What Guys Should Know About Getting Botox
Unlike laser hair removal or hair restoration, this habit is an ongoing one. But if you can set aside funds for fantasy sports every season, you can set aside funds that help you feel more confident in your appearance.
4. Investing in a smart tracker to inform your wellness
As the business mantra goes, What gets measured gets managed.
I know plenty of folks who swear by the Oura ring for tracking their health, but there’s plenty of options out there, including Fitbit and Whoop.
If you’re someone who loves to dig into the data, set goals, and track their progress, investing in one of these functional accessories could be a great fit.
5. Leaning into community support
Springing for a nutritionist, a trainer, a personal stylist, or simply joining a community forum focused on personal development (like SG’s Friends With Benefits!) will help you shortcut the process to your lifestyle goals, and is definitely a “high maintenance to be low maintenance” habit to consider.
Yes, you’re still the one who has to eat better, work out harder, and get dressed in the morning, but all of that is way, way easier when you have an expert helping you along the way.
More lifestyle level-upping shortcuts from SG HQ:
The Annoying Secret to Better Skin
How to Stick to A Reasonable Bedtime Routine
How to Be Social When You’re Not Drinking (Or Trying to Drink Less)
