It's been stuck in our heads for too long now that women spend a lot of time and effort finding and using good skincare, while men have been taught to just - grab a bar of soap.
In the past, it wasn’t seen as 'manly' to muck around with lotions and potions. Let’s leave that mindset in the past where it belongs, times have changed and we all know that good skincare and good hygiene for male-identified people are as important to health as exercise and eating properly.
Genetic Dating
Reality is, and here's the biologist coming out - genetic fitness (Frontiers in Eco+Evo) is often determined by what we can see. If a male bird has the bright, clean plumage and their bro has the dull, ripped feathers, which one is going to get the attention?
Absolutely, it’s the dude with the bright feathers - they are declaring their ability to obtain resources or food, their good health, their superior genetic fitness, and their lack of ticks. Isn't that what all potential mates want? I mean, yeah I'm pretty solid on the 'no ticks' criteria.
When you take care of your skin and look after your hair, other people take note. We don’t walk up to a potential partner and say, hey babe - wanna show me your 23andMe results? Nay nay, we advertise those results by showing off our fabulous skin, that sweet scent, and our shiny, healthy hair.
Hay-lo
It’s not just the dating world where looking healthy matters, at work, school, with family, even random encounters - like doctor's visits or interviews - basically, any time you’re meeting another human, you’re subject to the Halo Effect.
The Halo Effect is a phenomenon where people that look good, get a free pass to pretty much screw up at everything else and still leave an amazing impression.
Simply Psychology explains how this cognitive bias influences others’ perceptions of attractiveness, intelligence, and even personality traits.
You don’t have to be Zoolander either, being attractive isn’t just for the really, really good-looking. Looking good (as we know) is mostly down to looking healthy.
When you put in a little spark of effort, it can totally change your appearance - and apparently, your intelligence, trustworthiness, friendly-ness and hey maybe the tax bracket too.
Is it all in the mind?
Think about the last time you felt incredibly confident and powerful, we can safely say it’s unlikely you were having a bad hair day or your face was breaking out.
Feeling attractive boosts confidence and confident people are generally more successful in the thing they’re trying to do.
Fix Up, Look Sharp get it, that’s why they fund an outfit for male-identified people who need to make a good first impression at an important life event. They know the value of giving access to not only the free high-quality clothes but to a stylist with the fashion knowledge - someone who knows whats appropriate for which event.
Yup, they will have you looking sharp and putting your best foot forward to succeed in no time! If you or someone you’re thinking of could do with the Fix Up, Look Sharp treatment, fill in a referral on their website.
This is just one of the important not for profits that Two Dudes partner with, they donate 10% of all product purchases to their partner charities on your behalf.
With Two Dudes - “it’s not only about looking after yourself but looking out for the dude beside you too.” Dude, thanks.
Speaking of the mind
Men's skin and hair care are more important than ever, not only does having healthy skin and hair show off your 'no tick status', it feels damn good. But, when discussing health, mental health is top of the list of talking points.
Male-identified people in Aotearoa are notoriously prone to the mantra “outta sight, outta mind”, not only is that dangerous for reproductive health (read. ya balls dude). It’s also incredibly scary for men's mental health - NZ men's suicide rate is 3 to 4 times higher than women's (Fact Sheet).
A skincare routine may not sound like the way to beat depression, but studies have shown, that practising self-care, (looking after your body and doing things for yourself), can decrease depressive symptoms and motivate lifestyle changes.
Yeah that’s cool and everything but no one’s got time for skincare
Two minutes a day to get that face looking younger, a few minutes in the shower to give your hair all the bounce and you’re done. Like all habits, once you do it enough you can switch on the autopilot and get yourself Zoolander good-looking without even thinking about it.
Start with a wash and some face cream, Two Dudes have simplified it, because yeah - no one wants to spend all day fluffing around with skincare.
Slap on the day stuff to own the day, the award-winning night stuff before bed, and you’ll sleep like a baby - just one more way that looking after your skin improves your health.
Now there's no excuse to invest in your skincare routine and in doing so your health (and dating prospects, intelligence, confidence, happiness, credibility - the list goes on).
Once you get a good routine in place, it’ll slip right in next to brushing your teeth and everyone will be saying how healthy you’re looking lately.
You don’t need to have skin issues, be the super suave fella, the running late dude or the noob - just like the guys at Two Dudes say - “If you’ve got a face, you qualify.”
(Watch their explainer video, it’s 3 minutes you won’t regret).
To celebrate our collab with these awesome dudes, Strangers is offering a launch special - put together your own kit and knock 20% off the price.
Buy 2 x Two Dudes products and save 20%.
