Getting set for a date doesn’t come with instructions. Which is good because you have a habit of throwing away the diagram that comes with the dresser, crouching over the heap of materials with an Allen wrench in your hand and then scrambling around on the internet for advice. Oh, hello there. Is your current pre-date grooming ritual similar to your furniture assembly process? Does it involve a lot of swearing and sweating before stepping back to admire your work and realizing that a key piece got put in backwards? Have you only got an hour till go-time? We’re here to help.
Work with What You’ve Got
Don’t introduce unnecessary last-minute complications. Are you just now remembering that she mentioned building a bird feeder when you were setting up the date? This is not the time to dash out and buy a shirt with flamingos on it or pull up a YouTube video on homemade falcon tattoos. Don’t shove your entire wardrobe into the washing machine load of laundry or search for “10-minute dry cleaners/wizards” within a mile radius of your apartment. Unless you just finished dealing with a sewer leak – in your closet – you are going to have to go with what you’ve got. And we’re talking more than clothes here. This isn’t the time to start a juice cleanse or learn how to do a backflip. You can think through some of your life choices later, but if you are wondering how to get rid of dark circles under eyes, your current options for this date don’t include getting a week’s worth of good sleep. If all your shirts are balled up in a heap in the corner, here’s a list of quick fixes. Don’t do anything rash.
Clean Yourself Up
Maybe this isn’t your first shower of the day, but a date’s a good reason to double dip on cleanliness. Don’t fall prey to the temptation to douse yourself in scent and congratulate yourself on getting away with one. That’s just masking the uncomfortable disgust of nooks and crannies with the kind of assault on eyes and nostrils that isn’t fooling anybody. Beyond its hygienic properties, a shower’s a good way to loosen up and relax. And while it’s taking the knots out of your neck, maybe the shower is also steaming the wrinkles out of your shirt. Hopefully, you are working with a good skin care routine, but this is not the time to experiment with something that is going to lead to a breakout. Play it safe with a battle-tested charcoal face wash.
Keep Yourself Clean
You’ve cleaned your skin, but now you’ve got to protect it. You aren’t stepping from the shower straight to the date and every second that ticks by, the situation gets a little stickier. Grab that gel moisturizer for oily skin. Apply some fragrance and antiperspirant – not enough to seem like you are hiding something or that you are trying to shove the crust of deodorant into your shoulder socket, but enough to clamp down on the residue of an anxious Uber ride. If a bottle of cologne feels like foreign territory, give a quick scan through a comprehensive guide.
Also Read: How To Know Your Skin Type?
Take Care of that Hair
When people throw the word “well-groomed” around, they are probably talking about the handling of the hair. Because hair can be shaped and shaved, it’s a showcase of personal maintenance. Don’t do anything extravagant here. Don’t overdo the product or decide that this is the time to test out shaving your head for the first time. Deal with those nose hairs. Take a comb to that beard. Unless it’s a costume party and you’re wearing a lab coat, avoid the mad scientist look.
Get that Fresh Breath
Brush your teeth. If you stress-ate some liquorice or tossed something back to loosen up, the evidence doesn’t need to be the first thing that comes out of your mouth. Maybe get some floss action in there just in case that bit of lunch salad that’s been lurking in a crevice, pokes its leafy little head out just as you sit down and smile at your date for the first time.
Dress for Stress
If you are going to be sitting on a patio in the summer, think about how you might inadvertently put those pit stains on display. If you are doing one of those paint workshops, maybe pass on the white linen pants. Don’t squeeze into anything that is going to lose a button once you sit down and start shoveling in pasta.
Add the Finishing Touches
If you have a bit of flair and a bit of time, this is the time to try it out. Wiggle your toes in that pair of hummingbird socks that had slipped your mind. Don’t write out cue cards, but it’s not a bad idea to have something to say. Give yourself a once-over. No matter how wavy your hair or provocatively tailored your shirt, it’s hard to look suave with your fly down.
Check out this snazzy dresser! Put together with the right amount of polish and a proper understanding of torque, who wouldn’t want to see if this kind of home fixture stands the test of time?