6 Grooming Tricks That Will Actually Make You Look Hotter

There is a difference between looking groomed and looking like you have been groomed. The former is the goal. The latter usually involves too much product, an overly sculpted beard, and a haircut that belongs to somebody else. 

The most effective grooming changes are often the least obvious. A better haircut can alter the proportions of your face; hydrated skin can make an otherwise tired complexion look considerably healthier; a touch of concealer can erase the evidence of a late night without announcing itself. The trick is knowing where to intervene and, more importantly, when to stop. 

Celebrity makeup artist Mauro D. Hernan approaches men's grooming with exactly this philosophy. “The sexiest grooming is almost invisible,” he says. “You shouldn’t necessarily see what has been done—you should simply see a man looking incredibly well.” 

Here are six changes worth making. 

The right haircut does more than tidy up your hair. It can alter the way your entire face is perceived, which is why finding a good barber is less about loyalty to a particular style and more about finding someone who understands your proportions. 

“A great barber is an architect for the face,” says Hernan. “He understands bone structure, proportion and personality.” A skilled barber knows where a haircut needs volume and where it needs restraint, how the hairline sits against the forehead, and whether the cut works with the shape of your jaw. 

The same thinking applies to facial hair. Stubble can add definition to a softer jaw, while a moustache can introduce character and draw attention to the centre of the face. On another man, going clean-shaven may be the better choice if a beard is obscuring strong cheekbones or a defined jaw. 

So bring the reference photograph, but don't ask your barber to reproduce it literally. Your face is the starting point. “Ask your barber to translate the inspiration onto your face rather than reproduce it literally,” says Hernan. That distinction separates a good haircut from one that looks borrowed. 

Good skin changes the way everything else looks. Hair appears sharper against a healthy complexion, facial hair looks cleaner, and even a simple white T-shirt seems more considered when the person wearing it does not look dehydrated. 

“Everything starts there,” says Hernan. His approach is straightforward: cleanse, hydrate and protect. The objective is not an elaborate routine but skin that looks fresh, comfortable and healthy. 

Hernan also makes a case for treating skincare as a ritual rather than another chore. He points to Dior Beauty and Chanel as examples of brands that understand the sensory side of skincare, from texture to application. That matters because a routine you enjoy is one you are more likely to maintain. 

There is no need to accumulate a bathroom shelf of products you will use twice. Start with the essentials and pay attention to what your skin actually needs. “Beautifully hydrated skin makes everything else look more luxurious,” says Hernan. 

There is still a curious reluctance among men to acknowledge what makeup can do, even when the desired result is simply to look more rested. The answer is not a full face. It is knowing where a small amount can make a difference. 

Hernan recommends using a little concealer beneath the eyes, around the nose, or anywhere there is redness, followed by the faintest touch of blush to restore warmth to the complexion. “You are not creating another face; you are simply bringing energy back into your own,” he says. 

The important part is application. Concealer should disappear into the skin rather than sit visibly on top of it, while blush should recreate the warmth of a healthy complexion rather than look like colour. 

It is particularly useful on mornings after too little sleep, before an important meeting, or whenever your face is telling a different story from the rest of your outfit. Once you understand how little you actually need, the idea becomes considerably less intimidating.

Brows are easy to overlook because the best grooming tends to be invisible. They frame the eyes and influence the balance of the face, but that does not mean they need to be reshaped into submission. 

Hernan's advice is to brush them into place, remove the obviously stray hairs, and leave their natural character intact. “Grooming should enhance the face, not erase its personality,” he says. 

That principle is worth applying beyond the brows. Men's grooming has become increasingly sophisticated, but sophistication does not have to mean precision for its own sake. Your face should still look like your face. 

A little tidying can make the eyes appear more defined and the overall appearance more polished. Beyond that, put the tweezers down. 

Some grooming mistakes are only visible from a few feet away, which is precisely why they tend to survive. Dry lips, neglected nails and rough hands are rarely the first things you notice about someone, but they can undermine an otherwise well-groomed appearance. 

“Dry, flaky lips can undermine an otherwise immaculate appearance,” says Hernan. His solution is simple: use a lip scrub once or twice a week, followed by a nourishing balm. The finish should be soft and healthy rather than visibly glossy. 

Hands deserve similar attention. Keep nails short and clean, and use hand cream when your skin is dry. These details become particularly noticeable when you are sitting across a table from someone or reaching for a drink. 

Hernan compares the process to polishing your shoes: “People may not consciously register when it has been done beautifully, but they certainly notice when it hasn’t.” Good grooming often works in exactly this way. It is less about adding something dramatic than removing the small signs of neglect.

"Scent is invisible grooming," says Hernan. "It is the final layer and perhaps the most sensual because someone has to come close to really experience it." It should never be an afterthought either: "A fragrance should feel like an extension of your personality rather than something you have simply sprayed on." 

He's also a fan of changing it up. Rather than wearing the same bottle for years, "change your fragrance according to your mood, the season, or where you are going." 

Hernan points to Dior and Chanel for classic elegance, Tom Ford for something darker and more sensual, Maison Francis Kurkdjian for modern sophistication, Creed for heritage, and Amouage for the depth and richness associated with Middle Eastern perfumery. 

He is particularly drawn to oud, whose woody, smoky, and leathery character can make it an especially compelling choice for evening. But its intensity makes restraint important. Maison Francis Kurkdjian OUD Satin Mood offers a softer interpretation, while Amouage Interlude Man takes a darker route through incense, amber, woods, and smoke. 

At the more extravagant end of the spectrum is Clive Christian No.1 Imperial Majesty, with only ten 500ml bottles produced and presented in Baccarat crystal with an 18-carat gold collar and five-carat white diamond. It is perfume as a collectible object rather than everyday grooming. 

Most men, thankfully, do not need to go quite that far. Two or three considered sprays are enough. “A beautiful fragrance should never chase someone across the room,” says Hernan. “It should give them a reason to come closer.”