From smart routines to recovery hacks, this season is all about grooming smarter, not harder.
Aah, yes, it’s finally here — Dezemba, the Big Days, Festive or whatever term of endearment you use for South Africans’ favourite time of year. The excitement is palpable and out-of-office modes feel long overdue.
Whether you’re planning on enjoying languid beach getaways, festivals, chilled shisanyama days or a bumper-to-bumper club schedule, this year, it’s all about finding a bit of balance and keeping your routine in check while having a good time.
You’ve worked hard all year and it’s time to enjoy a little downtime, so it’s only natural to want to work smarter, not harder when it comes to maintaining your grooming routine. Prioritise skin protection, health, and speedy recovery with multi-use products that streamline your routine, overnight potions that help with skin recovery, and SPF-infused formulas.
The groovist’s cheat sheet
Navigate festivities like a pro with quick-fire hacks for a carefree grooming routine.
1. Do wear hybrid SPF formulas to make sun protection easy, with tinted sunscreens or skincare infused with SPF properties such as lip balms, serums, and primers. Use a tinted SPF for lightweight coverage that will even out skin for a fresh-faced appearance and wear better in humidity. Add some concealer for coverage on unwanted blemishes or dark circles.
2. Do take lip care seriously and keep chapped, dry, cracked lips at bay. Invest in lip service with hydrating, restorative properties — go for pocket-friendly sizes and buttery, emollient lip balms, lip oils, and overnight lip masks with nourishing ingredients such as squalene, hyaluronic acid, and amino acids that will help hydrate and provide skin-barrier support.
3. Don’t skip hydration of any kind. The festive season can be hot and long, so make sure to keep both your body and skin hydrated. Moisture-rich facial mists, hyaluronic-acid serums, and lightweight body lotions will help with recovery and maintain your skin’s moisture level and a healthy glow.
4. Do lean on multi-use products to simplify your grooming routine. These are your friends on busy days when you need to get up and go. Update your arsenal with tints, balms or two-in-one serums that can be used on the lips, cheeks or cuticles for an effortless look and easy grooming.
5. Get an emergency grooming kit to help skin and body recover. Just as you have go-to hangover remedies, you should also have a kit of trusted products, such as overnight masks, cooling muscle balms, and eye creams, that can soothe sensitivity, revive tired eyes, quench dehydrated skin, or combat body aches.
Trending: Swagged out
Try these 3 street-approved trends this festive to be the coolest gent on the block.
Headscarf combo: No cooler way to keep up with your sun protection than by adopting this styling hack. As seen on celebrities and street sartorialists, printed silk scarves are combined with hats for a cool twist. Whether you choose a cap, bucket hat or beanie, fold the scarf into a triangle; wrap it around the head, covering the hat and back of the neck; and secure under the chin.
Artistic braids: This is no time for boring hairstyles — add an artistic twist to your braids or dreadlocks.
Place colourful beads at the end of short braids, twists or dreads to channel your inner island boy or take your cue from rapper ASAP Rocky and add intricate braided designs, slogans or shapes to cornrows.
Bling overload: There’s no “too much” this season, especially when it comes to accessories, so don’t hold back.
Don’t be afraid to use statement shades, earrings, ear cuffs, chains, or faux piercings as the finishing touches to your routine.
