Dating can be daunting at any age. However, mature dating comes with extra jitters, self-consciousness, and uncertainty. Following the same personal hygiene habits from your youth may have become tiresome.
If you want to get back into the dating game, the first step is to ensure optimal personal hygiene. Just as you’d take a bath, dress up, and make every little effort to look good before going on a date as a young man, you should be mindful of your appearance and body odor when you embark upon mature dating.
Without further ado, let’s discover the top nine hygiene tips that will ensure you look and smell great while showing how you care about your partner.
Winning at Mature Dating: 9 Hygiene Tips for Older Men (hint: ladies, feel free to share this on your social profiles)
If you’re up for mature dating, you should start incorporating the following personal hygiene habits into your routine.
1. Take Care of Unpleasant Body Odor
Like anybody else, you may have a unique scent. This natural body odor, caused by bacteria reacting with sweat and sebum on your skin, changes as you age.
One study showed that 2-nonenal, a substance naturally found in body odor, increases with age. This substance is notorious for producing an unpleasant, greasy smell. What makes it worse is that you may not always be able to sense bad scent on yourself.
The first line of defense against foul body odor has to be daily showers with a cleansing and deodorizing soap followed by an antiperspirant. You may use cologne before heading out for a nice, refreshing touch.
You should also pay special attention to the groin area. Trim the hair down there regularly and keep the area dry and fresh-smelling with a body powder.
You must also know that the food you eat on a daily basis can determine how you smell. Try to avoid eating garlic, onions, and spicy food items that contain volatile organic compounds. These may make your sweat particularly pungent.
2. Groom Your Facial Hair
Facial hair can play an important role in attracting women, given that you stay on top of the grooming game. The fact that the hair of your mustache and beard has grown white doesn’t mean you can’t look stylish and classy.
As a good rule of thumb, you should put more effort into grooming your beard if it’s longer than usual. When you take a shower, make sure you shampoo your beard and comb it for a polished look. Also, don’t forget to check the hair for any food particles after each meal.
If you want to go the extra mile with facial hair grooming, you should consider investing in good beard oil. Apply it daily to enjoy soft, well-nourished hair. An added benefit of such oils is that they keep the skin underneath moisturized as well to give a youthful look.
3. Get Rid of the Unwanted Hair in Your Nose and Ears
It is not uncommon for people to witness hair growing in unusual places, including the nose, ears, knuckles, and back. Ear and nose hair, in particular, can get quite unruly, making for one of the biggest turn-offs for women.
You can clip away the extra hair with a nose or ear hair trimmer. This method is easy, cheap, and can quickly be done at home. However, if you’re looking for a long-term solution, you might want to consult a professional for laser hair removal, waxing, and/or electrolysis.
4. Say Goodbye to Dry, Flaky Skin
Wrinkles in old age are expected. However, you can still age gracefully with them as long your skin looks healthy and moisturized. Nobody likes the sight of dry, flaky skin.
If you’re facing this problem, it’s time to stop using deodorizing soap on your face. Save it for the groin and underarms. Try washing your face with a soap-free cleanser that locks in the skin’s natural moisture. After washing your face, apply a good-quality moisturizer that suits your skin type while the skin is still damp.
5. Take Proper Care of Your Scalp
To make sure your hair looks healthy and organized, you need to take good care of your scalp. If you have a dry, flaky scalp, an anti-dandruff shampoo will be your best friend. Make sure you read and follow the instructions on the label carefully. You can find a variety of shampoos to get rid of dandruff in the market, each containing different active ingredients for fighting scalp flakiness and dryness.
6. Eliminate Bad Breath
Bad breath is another huge hygiene turnoff that can ruin your experience of mature dating. Unfortunately, it is also hard to sense in oneself. On top of that, a wide range of health problems that increase the chances of bad breath accompanies the natural aging process. These include gum disease, dry mouth, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
One of the most reliable ways to keep bad breath at bay is by seeing your dentist regularly. Ideally, you should go for a dental checkup after every six months to keep oral issues in check.
It goes without saying that you should also brush your teeth twice a day for two full minutes. It’s also best that you floss and clean your tongue because the accumulation of bacteria and food debris can lead to bad breath.
7. Trim Your Nails Regularly
One of the most important hygiene tips is to keep your nails clean and trimmed at all times. You can use a round-blade clipper to give your nails a nice shape and smoothen out any rough cuticles on your hands and feet.
Unfortunately, many senior men struggle with brittle and discolored nails. If your nails are yellowish and look unsightly, you’d want to take care of them before going out to meet a potential partner. To ensure there are no underlying health issues, get your nails checked by a dermatologist. It is imperative to follow the instructions of a professional for optimal nail care.
8. Ensure Your Feet Smell Good
Stinky feet are another major turnoff you’d want to avoid at all costs. If your feet usually smell gross after you take off your shoes, it’s time to do something to get rid of the unpleasant odor.
A simple way to go about this is by cleaning and scrubbing your feet properly after taking a shower or indulging in a sweat-producing activity. You may use a pumice stone to scrape off the dead skin cells from your feet. Once done, use a clean towel to dry your feet. Don’t forget the skin between the toes while you’re at it.
You can then apply some foot powder or baby powder to keep your feet smelling fresh. In case your feet tend to get sweaty quickly, you should consider rolling on an effective antiperspirant before going to bed.
Another way to keep your feet dry is by wearing socks made of breathable, synthetic, antibacterial fabric. If you work out on a regular basis, consider wearing street shoes after the session. You can also put odor-control insoles in your shoes.
Let’s Make Your Mature Dating Experience a Pleasant One!
Mirai Clinical is dedicated to helping seniors look and smell good so they can win at mature dating. We have a full range of cleansing and deodorizing soap bars, body washes, shampoos, and face washes that will help you take your hygiene game to the next level.