There are those who believe a man’s morning grooming routine consists of little more than brushing teeth and jumping in and out of a shower. There are those for whom this routine might be accurate.

But I am not that whom. I love my morning routine and I love all the things that go along with my routine. So, when I look for products that can make that routine more enjoyable, I get a little excited. “What are you talking about? What in the world could possibly make being awake early in the morning enjoyable?” Well let me answer that, because there are actually a few things…

Beard shampoo, because your beard isn’t the top of your head

I had no idea that beards needed a different cleaning product from the rest of my hair. But beard shampoo is no joke. One, it smells delicious. Two, it keeps your beard from drying out and your face from feeling like it is covered in straw all day long. If your objective is to have a beard so soft that your kids ask for you to tickle their face with it before they fall asleep, you want to be using a beard shampoo.

Beard oil you’d want to drink (but don’t because it’s beard oil)

So you have a soft beard because you use beard shampoo. Now what?

For approximately half the year I am a fully bearded man. The other half of the year I still get asked for identification if I’m trying to buy alcohol. Well, here’s a beard oil that smells like Bay Rum, which the description for the product describes as “masculine.” I describe it as smelling like something I’d put in my eggnog at Christmas time which makes it even more valuable.

As a beard grower, beard oil has become as important a part of my morning routine as telling my kids to hurry up and finish the cereal because it’s time to get out the door and get to school. It keeps your beard shiny and smelling like something yummy.

Well-named deodorant that brings you joy

I remember one morning grabbing the deodorant nearest me as we left for the day. That deodorant happened to be my partners. I was used to having deodorant names like Extreme Chill or Wild Night for my products and was awestruck when I read hers: cocoa butter kiss. That was so much better than mine. I liked the smell of hers and loved the name. So, I started using it more. I was desperate to find a deodorant that: 1. Worked. 2. Smelled good. 3. Had a cool name.

Enter a natural deodorant by Herban Cowboy! The name of this particular one is “Wild” but it is worth noting that when your brand name is Herban Cowboy you can name it anything and have it come out smelling like, well, wild.

Face shaver, because hair grows where it wants (not where you want it to)

When left to its own devices, my beard grows as it wants. And now that there are a few stray grey hairs in it that refuse to follow any kind of order, I need to be shaping it more regularly. A face trimmer provides all the necessary attachments to do just this.

Try not to go too far up the head though. A face trimmer should probably be kept for face areas. Get yourself a specific hair trimmer if you’re adventurous enough to cut your own hair and shave your favourite hockey team’s logo into your hair.

Nail polish, because dads and other men can love it too

I first applied nail polish to my awfully manicured hands when I was in high school. Even before nail polish I used liquid paper which was important before computers were everywhere. Whenever I had a period without class, I’d sit in the hallways with friends and add colour, usually to only a few of my fingers.

Then I went a full ten years without painting them and those were empty years for my fingernails. They were bitten mercilessly and I cared little for them. And now I’m back to adding colour because my fingers type so much during the day that the deserve to be pampered and showcased too.

Check out Well.ca’s Men’s Shop by clicking here!

What does your morning routine consist of? Let us know in the comments!