Beauty Tips from a Man: What He Notices (and Doesn't!)

WARNING: The following beauty tips are from a man, therefore, should be taken with a big, hefty grain of salt.

Alright, now that the elephant in the (virtual) room has been spotted and smacked with a handy warning label, let's get on with the beauty tips, shall we? 

Skip to see beauty tips from a man and what he really thinks about your beauty. 

The truth is, no matter how much of a feminist or "you should love me for me"-type of woman you are, you still probably care what your heart's desire thinks about your looks. It's natural to want to look attractive for your mate. It's also natural to want to know if he actually even notices some of the beauty practices you spend cumulative hours on. Like, does he appreciate the fact that you spent an extra half-hour in the shower exfoliating and shaving every last inch of your body, not to mention racked up the water bill? This got us thinking, when it comes to beauty tips and tricks, what is worth spending precious time on in preparation for a big date and what isn't? 

We decided to investigate by asking readers what they do beauty-wise to get ready for a romantic night with a man. We mostly heard things like whiten teeth, fake tan, wax, apply extra sexy makeup and the like -- with the occasional "wrap your entire body in a big red ribbon with a big bow where it counts"-advice. We then took those practices to Ky Henderson, Editor-in-Chief of ModernMan.com and dating columnist, to tell us if all these beauty tweaks actually get noticed. Here he drolly offers some beauty tips for your next big night out. 





Tip 1: Don't worry about your nailsQuestion: Should I bother getting a manicure before our first date? Are you looking at my nails? 

Answer: "You should do it if it'll make you feel sexy and confident. But unless you're sporting horrific nail fungus, have a forest of knuckle hair, or get blinking neon rhinestones embedded in your nails, guys won't really notice your nails all that much." 











Tip 2: Make hair smell goodQuestion: I usually spend an hour straightening or curling my hair, do you care what texture it is? 

Answer: "It probably depends on the guy. Just make sure it's soft and smells good." 












Tip 3: Don't paint your faceQuestion: What makeup look do you think is sexiest? 

Answer: "Painting a whole new face on top of your face isn't attractive, so subtle makeup is good. Eyeliner and a subdued lip gloss are probably all you need. Maybe mascara. Watch out with foundation or powder or whatever it is you call it. If it's obvious you have it on -- and it often is -- it's not a good look." 

Tip 4: Don't have a unibrowQuestion: I can get crazy plucking my eyebrows in front of a magnifying mirror to get every little baby hair, are you looking at the shape of my eyebrows? 

Answer: "If you have a unibrow, gigantic caterpillars, or terrifying overly plucked crazy-chick brows, then yes. Otherwise, not really." 







Tip 5: Go easy on the perfumeQuestion: Do you love it when I wear perfume? 

Answer: "In very small doses, sure. We shouldn't be able to smell it unless we're pretty close to your neck." 

Tip 6: Have soft skinQuestion: I make sure to exfoliate all over my body really well, do you notice? 

Answer: "We like soft skin. But we don't think, 'Oh, she's so exfoliated!'" 












Tip 7: Only wear falsies on special occasionsQuestion: I like to apply fake lashes for a date to make my eyes look big and flirty -- do you find that sexy? 

Answer: "There's a fine line between flirty lashes and tranny lashes. Don't make them too ridiculously long and wear them only for special occasions." 



Tip 8: Lip gloss is your safest betQuestion: Date night is lipstick night for me, do you like it when I wear bold, bright colors to draw attention to my lips? 

Answer: "If you're all dressed up and it's a special occasion, sure. Or if your look is kinda punk rock it may also work. But don't overdue it. Also, a lot of guys find lipstick off-putting, so stick to lip gloss when possible." 




Tip 9: Don't stress about blackheadsQuestion: I'm convinced that my date cares about how clear my skin is, which is why I get regular facials. You are looking to see if I have blackheads, right? 

Answer: "Jesus. No." 

Tip 10: Shave the parts that countQuestion: I spend extra time in the shower shaving off everything. Is any body hair a turn off? 

Answer: "Depends where it is. Shave your legs and pits. Your ... area is more up to you as long as it's kempt." 















Tip 11: Don't be orangeQuestion: I apply sunless tanner to give myself a glow. Do you like me better bronzed? 

Answer: "Pretty much everyone looks better with a little color. No one looks better when they're orange. So make sure you're not orange."