By:Kipax96

9 Pre-Date Grooming Moves You Should Be Making

MASHA MALTSAVA

If you're meeting another human being, then congratulations! With umpteen dating apps to choose from, Netflix, food delivery, and porn as far as the eye can see, you’ve managed to secure yourself one-on-one time with another person and make it out of the house long enough to see it through. Good for you! Now all you have to do is not screw it up.

Easier said than done. Because you only get one chance to make a first impression. So from the second you say hello, there's nothing but obstacles standing in the way of you landing a follow-up date. Most of them are outside your control (how could you know "shrimp" was a trigger word?) That's why it's important that you control the things you can. Case in point: your pre-date grooming routine. By getting a proper one in place, you're removing one date-ending obstacle, maybe more. Here are nine tasks guaranteed to put your best self forward:

1. Shower (Sans Shampoo)

Yes, you should shower before your date. This is not a . But what you might want to think about is forgoing the shampoo when you do. That’s because while yes, it’ll make your hair smell great, shampoo will also strip follicles of their natural oils, leaving your mane especially susceptible to frizzing out and otherwise not looking its best. As that may the last thing you want on your big night, wash your locks a day or two beforehand instead.

2. Get Your Skin In Gear

Besides the clothes on your back, your skin may very well be the first thing your date is going to see when you finally meet up. So, you need to be sure that it has never looked better. Whether that means doing your darnedest toget rid of acne, hunting down blackheads with reckless abandon or simply applying a touch of moisturizer is up to you.

3. Sit Down For a Trim

Hear us out on this one. Now, a lot of guys would say that you should never get a haircut the day of, since you never know exactly how it’ll end up. And frankly, we agree; besides being risky, a full-on haircut may come off a little try-hard to the person you’re trying to impress. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stop by the barbershop. This time, though, ask for a touch-up, specifically around your neckline, which’ll make your ‘do look fresh and new—even if it’s been weeks since you last got a proper cut.

_4. Clean Up Your Beard, No Matter How Big or Small _

Proud of the hair you’ve managed to grow on your jaw? Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you to shave it. This is 2016, after all; we may very well be at peak beard. But what you are gonna want to do is tame the wild forest on your cheeks. The keys to doing so: scaled back bushiness and a freshly shorn neckline. And if you need inspiration on that, you can look toJustin Timberlake.

5. Pay Attention to Down There

Is it in any way certain that you’re going to get lucky tonight? Not at all. But do you want to get caught with your pants down if you do? Also no. So it’s not a bad idea to bust out the trimmer to get everything downstairs looking its best. Just do it a few days ahead of time—you need a buffer to ensure the scratchiness subsides before the big day.

6. Prune the Other Odds and Ends

Ears. Nose. Brow. Back. If you are one of the unlucky men that is prone to growing wild, excessive hair in one of these places, it’s in your best interest to get that situation under control before leaving the house on any given day, let alone a first date. In case you don’t know where to start, here’s a tutorial.

7. Yes, Your Nails Non-Negotiable

Like we said from the start, the key here is making sure that there you’ve done away with anything your date could find offensive, in hopes that you might get an unimpeded shot at wooing. And though they might seem unimportant to you, who knows, maybe your date’s got a thing about hands. So give your nails a clip and get rid of any gunk that may be residing underneath them. Hell, maybe even go get a manicure. It certainly couldn’t hurt.

8. Get Your Sweat In Check

Here’s a little known fact about antiperspirant: for it to have it’s best effect, you should apply it before going to bed. This gives active ingredients the time they need to work before you need to face the day. So be sure to apply your stick or spritz of choice well ahead of time, so that you don’t end up sweating through your shirt by the end of the date.

9. Freshen Up

When you meet up, do you shake hands? Hug? Try one of those awkward cheek kisses? If your date's whiffing a less-than-ideal odor coming from your mouth during any of the three, it's hard to bounce back. So use everything in your arsenal to make mouth stink disappear before heading out the door.