Men's Ultimate Grooming Blog

Our Best Skincare Advice

2008-03-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

#1 - Keep it clean
Men have approximately 20% oilier skin and significantly larger pores than women. Basically, this means you get dirtier. No matter what skin type, you have to clean your face every day. Deep cleansing is important. It keeps pores clear, skin healthy, and you looking good.

Cleansing products should be as chemical free as possible. Deodorant soaps shouldn't be used on your face. They cleanse with harsh ingredients and leave a detergent film behind. This may irritate your skin and will clog your pores. Go natural.

A good scrub is essential for healthy clean skin. It will remove dead cells and smooth the surface of your face. The scrub should be strong without being damaging. Stay away from scrubs that contain rough elements like ground bits of nut or seed extracts. They will tear and damage skin. A good scrub will invigorate you, not hurt you.

Moisturizing is a necessity. Again, the product with the least amount of chemical additives is the best. Always use a light moisturizer on your face after cleansing and shaving and don't forget your neck! Hydrate and nourish your skin. Don't neglect the delicate area around your eyes. You should use a moisturizer specifically for this area. It is one of the first places to show age because the under eye skin secretes no necessary oils on its own.

#2 - Keep it toned
Because you spend a lot of time outside, environmental debris and pollutants are a factor in your skin's health. Toning helps keep your face clear and firm.

As skin ages, it needs to work harder to maintain its elasticity. Astringents and toners with glycolic or alpha hydroxyl acids work the best for toning the face. These acids actually can reduce the pore size, and help avoid ingrown hairs. They are aggressive and have quick results. Remember to look for a product that is not photosensitive (sensitive to light).

#3 - Treat your skin
Depending on your skin type (oily, dry or combination) and the time of year, there are different products that treat and enhance your skin. Different treatments will have very different results. It is important to know your skin's needs.

All types of skin need to be exfoliated. This is the removal of dead skin cells that form daily. This is an essential part of skin treatment. This should be done 2-3 times per week.
After shaving, you need to moisturize with a product that has absolutely no alcohol in it. Avoid heavy fragrant after-shave products too, as they can irritate the skin. Hydration is important.
Skin that is too shiny doesn't look healthy, just greasy. Blot the excess oils away. Blotting papers or a light powder that will give you a more natural finish, are both good options to try. An undetectable product with anti-shine is desired for a flawless look.
Don't forget about your lips. Find a lip balm that has an SPF in it.

#4 - Protect your skin
Healthy skin is young looking skin. There are preventative techniques that can promote the best skin possible and keep it looking its best longer. Remember that your skin is a mirror of your overall body health. Facial survival is the key. Here are the key techniques:
Avoid over exposure to the sun. Sun damage leads to hyper pigmentation (brown spots) which can develop into serious skin disease. Excessive exposure can also exaggerate and thicken fine lines. Use products with SPF 15 protection on all exposed skin, especially on your face.
Stay in shape. Exercise promotes capillary functioning which can decrease premature aging. It also increases oxygen to the tissues which keeps skin looking young.
Eat right. Keep vitamins such as C and E in your diet regimen.

Everything in moderation. Too much of anything is never a good idea. Stay away from excess alcohol, smoking, fatigue and stress. Not only can these factors lead to premature aging, they also decrease facial circulation making you look older. It is important to use products that are nutritious and healthy.
Like most men, you might not be sure what all of the different products do. Well, believe it or not, all of these types of product are necessary for healthy, well-groomed skin. Just be sure to always use products designed specifically for men! Here's a quick guide for you: Facial Wash - Don't use soap! Soap strips the natural lubrication from your face. MUG only carries made-for-men cleansers that break down dirt and grime without drying the skin.

After Shave - These products contain ingredients to sooth and calm skin after shaving. They also contain moisturizers. Continued use will make shaving easier and smoother.
Moisturizers - Keeping your skin moisturized is the best way to keep your face young-looking and healthy. Use twice a day - after shaving and at night after cleansing.
Exfoliators/Scrubs - Exfoliating removes dead skin cells and ingrained dirt. Doing this 2-3 per week will soften and brighten the skin. It'll also make shaving much smoother.
Toners - Removes excess oils that can clog pores and refreshes the skin. Use after shaving
Visit our Face Category and check out all the great face and skin care products we've got.

New Stuff Going down

2008-03-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Our new barbershop is sure getting a lot of action. We've been working hard to get that thing rolling and have neglected the blog for a while. But we're back so make sure you check back here often.

New Hot Deals

2008-03-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

Hey, we just put up some new deals on MUGonline.com including a free Woody's shoe shine sponge. Make sure you check it out here.

The Ultimate Grooming Manifesto - Part III

2007-08-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Our lines of premium man care products are priced so that you get the most for your money without feeling you’ve paid too much or too little for what’s important to your life. We proudly feature brands such as Woody’s Quality Grooming, which resurrects the old school grooming styles of the classic American male and combines them with 21st Century health technology.

We also feature Billy Jealously and Anthony Logistics face and hair products, among the very best of their kind ever invented.

There’s a lot to choose from, and that’s why we’re here to help with our Ultimate Grooming Clinic advice and tips. Look for them all around our site – they’ll make you laugh, think, and come to the best decision about what’s right for you.

It’s simple: when you look better and feel better, your life improves, and you live longer. Who doesn’t want to live a long, happy life while becoming more attractive to others? That’s getting the best of any man’s life.

That’s ultimate grooming.

The Ultimate Grooming Manifesto - Part II

2007-07-23T16:25:00.001-07:00

Growing up is hard to do.

For a man in his prime, there’s a satisfaction in respecting his body as much as he respects the value of his car, his apartment, or his electronics. The care and nurturing of the skin, eyes, and hair makes a deliberate impact on the appearance of his body and his self-image. Because let’s face it: what’s the point of all those stomach crunches is you’re not willing to groom the presentation a little bit to complete the deal? You wouldn’t let the paint job on a sports car rust away, and you shouldn’t ignore the finer points of gentlemanly upkeep.

We believe the deliberate care of the body is the last full measure of the man determined to get the most out of life. We believe attention to detail and self-respect breeds self-confidence, itself probably the sexiest quality a man can possess. To that end, we proudly carry only the finest merchandise available to help any man look, smell, and feel his best, both to himself and those around him (including and especially to the ladies).

The Ultimate Grooming Manifesto - Part I

2007-07-17T13:38:00.001-07:00

Men's Grooming 101 - Part I
- So what’s your body worth? You’ve got one body to last all your life, and exercise and diet are only part of the deal. When you’re ready to bump your grooming up to the premium level, we’ve got what you’re looking for.

How much is your body worth to you?

How much time and money do you spend taking care of yourself?

We don’t mean the workouts and the eating right. We mean the real meticulous attention to detail that separates the no-more-tears-shampoo boys from the fully balanced conditioner men. We mean the commitment to respect your body and understand how it works.
The truth is, a man’s body is probably the greatest machine every created (besides the body of a woman, but appreciating that is a subject for another time). As we grow older, a man’s body changes – you know that much. But starting from about the time we enter high school, everything we do to our bodies has a lasting result. The kid gloves come off and the real consequences begin.

Where do I start?

2007-07-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

One of the most common question that we get at our store and online goes something like: "With so many different products and brands, how do I know where to start?"

That's a good question and that's why most of today's bestbrands have combo kits that feature their best selling products. One of our favorites is the Sharps Usual Suspects Kit.

This set is especially cool since it comes with products for shave, face, body, and hair all for $45.00. This is one of the best selling items in our retail store and it tends to get customers hooked on the Sharps Barber and Shop brand.

Late

The Ultimate Headshaver

2007-07-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

If there is one brand that's been getting major attention lately it's been Headblade; and it's because of the award-winning design of their razors. While manufactures we're competing to see how many blades they can fit on a razor for shaving your face, the guys at Headblade realized that the handle usually gets in the way when shaving your head. That's why they designed their razor to follow that natural curvature of your dome. They didn't stop there, however, they followed up with a specifically formulated shave lotion just for your head and many other lotions and potions including Headslick, Headlube, and Headshade. Bottom line, it's the absolute only way to shave your head.

The Best Shave Ever?

2007-01-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

The Signature Shave

How did we create the closest and mostcomfortable shave ever?
Through extensive research, trial and error, and combining the very best of
tradition and technology.

The tradition comes from the steaming hot towels that soften and prepare your face and multiple applications of hot lather.

The technology comes from the use of a fresh triple-blade razor and the most advanced shaving creams, gels and post shave solutions available.

Products that condition and heal the skin, provide superior protection against the blades, and allow an extremely close shave without irritation.

The result is a shave so relaxing, close and comfortable it almost defies belief.

Why did we take this approach?

The obvious reason was to give you the absolute best shave experience possible. We also believe, however, that the perfect shave shouldn’t only be available at a shop but should be an experience that one can recreate at home.

With the right techniques and the right products, you can do just that.

Shaving is no longer a chore, but a ritual that you will enjoy and look forward to.

Anthony Logistics Body Sprays

2007-01-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

Take Another Shot of Courage.

A new line of body sprays from Anthony Logistics hit the MUG shelves recently. Body Sprays are new for Anthony Logistics and an expanding line at MUG.

Anthony Logistics' Body Sprays come in four flavors that are intended either to reflect or instill a certain feeling. The four names are Courage, Strength, Spirit, and Energy.

We don't know for if the sprays are supposed to reflect how you feel at the moment or if, for example, a shot of "courage" is supposed to help you on that difficult job interview. Ultimately, like any spray or scent, you (or your wife or girlfriend) will probably determine your favorite. In my case, as you can guess, my wife's favorite is Courage.

It's easy to try them out without breaking the bank. All four are available in the Body Spray Sampler, which lasts longer than you might think. And the sample pack only costs $20. There really isn't a bad scent in the pack and, to be honest, I'm not convinced that Courage is the only one I want in my cabinet when the little bottles run out.

- MUG Product Tester

Woody's Meat and Potatoes

2007-01-02T21:32:00.000-08:00

Woody's Meat and Potatoes Cleansing Bar Packs a Punch!

From the pictures, the only thing that appears to set this bar of soap apart from the others is the unusual package: it's wrapped like a piece of meat.

The images on the MUG web site don't do it justice. The thing is huge. I was at the MUG store a couple weeks ago and saw one in real life for the first time. I thought "now that's a frikkin' bar of soap", and snatched one up on the spot (along with a bunch of other stuff I'll write about later on).

The first thought I had after unwrapping the beast was that I had better not drop it. No sooner did the thought occur to me when the massive thing slipped from my grasp and landed on my foot with an impressive, bone-crushing thud. This is a real man's soap and it announced its arrival in a manly way.

I lathered up and immediately noticed the citrus scent. I also noticed that, like the bar itself, the scent took after a large citrus fruit - a grapefruit to be exact. It was quite refreshing I must say, and in terms of cleaning up, it did the job just fine.

This bar also doubles as a shampoo. The last time I used soap as a shampoo was probably when I was ten years old, but this hefty monster produces so much lather that you have to wonder if there really is a bottle of shampoo in there too!

The last test was to see if it would fit in the soap holder in my shower. There was barely enough room for it and when I set it in there it immediately slid right out. I had to move some of my wife's stuff off the hangy thing to find room for it. It was then that I thought perhaps this London Broil Cut should be offered in two smaller Choice sizes instead.

Either way, Woody's Meat and Potatoes Cleansing Bar is a formidable addition to your routine and most definitely works as advertised.

- MUG Product Tester

Welcome to the MUGblog

2006-12-23T14:57:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the MUGblog, home of Men's Ultimate Grooming's news, alerts, and information related to the world of men's skin care, shaving, and grooming.

We'll start off with news regarding about our store in Mesa. We've taken the plunge into retail and couldn't be more excited about it. The store will not only help the bottom line for MUG as a company but it will give us a deeper knowledge about men's grooming services and, as a result, products.

All of the products we sell online are available at the store as well. The list is too extensive here but you can find it on our web site on the brands page.

One of the things we plan to do with the blog is to post reports about particular products we sell. Our staff is busy snatching up some of the stuff on the shelves at the store and they're starting to give some real good feeback we think our customers online would be interested in hearing. So stay tuned.