Theo Ngobeni, creative director at Mr. Slimfit and one  of SA’s most stylish men, shares the key grooming routines he lives by.

1. HAIR

I’m balding and have been since my  university days. Back then, I invested  in hair clippers and kept it super short,  and today I shave my hair twice a week.For guys with hair, the principle of  staying fresh still applies, particularly  in summer when you’re out socialising  a lot more. If you’re growing your hair, don’t go  full caveman. Discuss management  with your barber, and use good quality  styling products to keep it tidy in that  awkward middle phase.For me, your barber and tailor are on  the same level of importance. You need  to have great relationships with both  because the work they do contributing  to you looking your best is instantly  noticeable and on display.

2. FACE

The key here is finding products that  work for you and then sticking with  them. I’ve had many offers to partner  with cosmetic brands, but after trying  the products, they just didn’t leave my  face feeling as good as my established  routine does. My daily routine is simple. I use a  face wash, followed by toner and then  a moisturiser. In addition, I apply an  exfoliating scrub twice a week. The  simplicity of this routine makes it  easy to stick to.

3. BEARD

Beard care is critical, but it’s an often  neglected part of many guys’ routine.  Dry, twiggy-looking face fur can be  easily addressed with a little beard oil.  I massage it into my beard, then use a comb and brush to neaten it up a bit.  Every two weeks or so, I use my hair  clippers to shape it, cutting away stray  hairs and attending to split ends. My style identity is rooted in attention to detail and tidiness, but if you have  a more ‘macho’ style identity, you may  want to let it grow out more naturally.  This doesn’t mean you neglect to care  for it, though.

4. BODY HAIR 

The hair on my body grows quickly and  in places I’d rather not have it grow, so  I have to groom regularly.Some guys may have no issues with  body hair, but there is a limit to what  is generally tolerable. If you have  extreme back, chest or neck hair, use  hair clippers to keep it cropped. This  goes for ear and nose hair as well.There is an added dimension to this  issue: that of your partner’s preference.  My wife has no problem with the body  hair that bothers me, so we had a chat  about it and found a middle ground.  Ultimately, it is your decision, though,  but it is good to get the views of your  significant other.

5. HANDS AND FEET

These are two neglected grooming  zones, which is significant, because  many women have told me that hands,  in particular, are an indicator of what  type of man you are. Whether that’s  factual is definitely up for debate, but  that doesn’t detract from the widely  held perception. A mani and pedi are great, but they  aren’t essential and often too time  consuming for your average guy. It  certainly is for me, but I’ve found that  twice-weekly trimming of my nails and  regular moisturising does the job.  Ensuring your feet don’t smell is  another challenge, especially for guys  who enjoy going sockless or wear secret  socks. A little talcum powder applied  directly on to the feet or in the shoe (if  you’re sockless) usually does the trick.

6. COSMETIC PROCEDURES

Options such as threading, laser hair  removal, micro-needling or teeth  whitening are a personal choice. Men in urban centres have moved  past the stigma procedures like this  used to have, while it’s slowly being  eradicated in townships through exposure and information. I’ve considered laser hair removal and while I haven’t pulled the trigger  yet, one thing I know for certain is  that I won’t compromise on the quality  of service. Do your research and find out exactly what the procedure you’re  considering entails and also who the  best practitioners are. I’d rather save up for longer to visit the best in the Business than live with the potential consequences of cutting corners.

Photography: Instagram