If there is one phenomenon I can always count on, it’s the mid-to-late January realization that routine is, truly, the best way for me to operate. It always seeps in as the days start to get lighter and I find myself crawling out of holiday commitments and the inevitable slump that follows the always-busy holiday season. 

Settling Into a New Routine

Routine is the solution–waking up not too long after the second snooze, budgeting the time to stop for a coffee on the ride into the office on a day or two of the week when I’ve earned the extra treat. Of course, it bleeds into the day, and the emphasis on a solid routine is often the best barrier between my work life and my personal life, especially in the era of work-from-home. That being said, the morning is where it all starts.

After my first experience with MANSCAPED™, I’ve found myself reaching for the dopp kit that holds their razor and all the goods that go with it – truthfully, more than I had anticipated. This has nothing to do with the product–I just thought it would be hard to break my routine, even if it’s for my own self-betterment. Adapting a routine is hard, but it is often the catalyst for growth. So, given my experience with the brand, I wanted to give their new Ultra Premium™ Collection a try, and expand my territory when it comes to routinely taking a little extra care of my body and skin.

Building a Grooming Routine

It’s not as easy as flipping the switch, though. A good routine takes research. Not unlike most other angles in my life, I can be very picky when it comes to the quality of goods I use in my daily routine, which can make sourcing even the most generic daily-use products a difficult task. Some of the high-level boxes that a self-care product have to check for me are as follows:

• A strong foothold in ethics–for body care, that means a fairly strict stance on anti-cruelty, rid of additives like paraben and unnatural dyes, and when possible, sourced from natural or vegan ingredients.
• A pleasant smell–but definitely not an overpowering scent. Growing up in a household with a few sensitive noses, I try to be extra cautious with smells that may be abrasive to those a little more sensitive than me. That being said, a good, clean scent that elevates the experience of use and lingers pleasantly through the day is a big selling point for me.
• A low barrier to use. I am lucky to not have needed to employ any heavy-duty or medicated products in my day-to-day life, but often settling for the easiest application instructions has trained my mind to expect a fairly minimal sequence of events. An upgrade in product for me would also have to mean a minimal lift when it comes to changing up my routine.