Undateable: The Grooming Edition

There are so many things that make a man undatable.  I'm sure you can create an indepth list, but take it from me, a girl who finally found love after being single in NYC for years.  Ladies let me tell you, it all begins with grooming. Here's my list of what makes a guy undateable from head to toe and yes, everywhere in between if you know what I mean. If the subject has a uni-brow or brows waxed to perfection he is undateable. There is no excuse for a uni-brow. If there was a woman in his life at some point, she would have helped him take care of this situation. So chances are, he looks stupid and has no clue about dating to begin with. Or maybe he actually likes it. Don't barbers normally do something about those? And Guido brows... don't get me started.  They're a strict no, no. This normally signifies that he'll always be more prim and proper than you are in every way. Undateable.

If the subject has dirty fingernails he is undateable. Dirt underneath the nails, bitten cuticles and uneven (ouch) bitten nails equals unsanitary conditions. I'm not saying all men should be lining up for weekly manicures, but the way they take care of their hands often signifies how they like to represent themselves.  And he wants to touch you?  Forget about it.

If the subject takes longer than you to get ready he is undateable. Ladies, do you really want to sit around and wait to go out while Romeo primps? Ew, no. Undateable. Shit, shower and shave.  After all, he is a man.

If the subject doesn't understand how to maintain the land down under he is undateable. You know what I'm talking about. Trim? Shave? They need to do what they have to do, but neatness is necessary. This is 2011 and you know you're keeping it up so why shouldn't he?  No one wants to get lost in the forest while trying to find the goods.

If the subject wears a "wool sweater" year long (or ever) he is undateable. Yes, they're out there... men with hairy chests, shoulders and backs. Their body surrenders to the hair and they accept it! Not OK. There is no excuse for anyone to be that hairy or close to it. Men, I'm not saying to go wax your body, but severe maintenance is necessary. Do you really think a girl wants to run her hand on your chest and get tangles in your nappy hair?

If the subject's toe nails scratch you between the sheets he is undateable. It's as simple as a toe nail clipper. Please.

So ladies, watch out for these types of men. For some you may be able to tell if they're undateable right away. Others may surprise you as you get more intimate, but hey, it's all part of the dating game.  Right?

What other grooming habits make men undateable?

New Spring Shades from Butter London

Normally when I go get manis and pedis I very rarely bring my own shade.  (Mostly due getting them randomly on the go and forgetting to put my color in my bag.) Therefore, I'm always forced to choose between a wall of OPI and Essie colors, which don't get me wrong, I love, but in the wonderful world of nail color, there's so much more out there – like Butter London for instance. I first discovered Butter London a few seasons ago backstage at NY Fashion Week and was introduced to the Creative Director, Nonie Creme.  This Spring, Nonie was inspired by impressionist style prints that graced the Spring/Summer 2011 runways and created a palette that she calls "muted/greige."

“There is a strong move toward ‘retro’ colours this season, with many designers looking at Halston era glamour and style. This collection is all about “pops” of colour that feel unique and edgy but relevant – our trademark," Nonie commented.

The colors include Lady Muck (greyish periwinkle), Dosh (molton apple green), Teddy Girl (pale retro bubble gum), Hen Party (sheer opal, which I like as a top coat) and Blagger (cobalt blue).

Introducing the Man-i-Cure

Last week I received a press release for a Man-i-cure from the first OPI Concept Salon called the Rob|B Salon in Studio City, CA.  It caught my attention not only because I love writing about men and grooming, but because I've been wanting my boyfriend, Joe to get a man-i-cure and pedi with me for quite some time and he wants nothing to do with it. The man-i-cure break down:

• Cleansing – the first step to any manicure (male or female) is soaking and cleaning the nails. This is important because dirt, bacteria and illness causing germs can live underneath the nail and this is a great way to rid your fingers of this.
• Shaping – ideal for keeping each nail looking uniform and a great way to rid the nails of rough edges, hangnails, rips and tears.  A must have step for men who want their nails to look even.
• Cuticle work – cuticle care and maintenance help build the overall health of the fingers and nails but is very often overlooked by men. The cuticle needs to be hydrated and properly nourished so that it can promote a healthy nail bed.
• Hand care – exfoliation treatments such as sugar scrubs are an effective and easy way to get rid of rough skin leaving behind a much smoother hand.  Hydrating lotions are also applied to moisturize the hands so that they become much softer.
• Nail Buffing – designed to completely smooth out the nail and offer a low shine, this step leaves the nail looking extremely healthy.

I think it's important for men to keep up their hands!  What do you think of men getting manis?

Tried & True: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips

Getting manicures is a pain in the butt because unless I get CND Axxium (the gels) my polish always chips within two to three days.  Therefore, I find myself getting a polish change and a manicure in one week because I can't stand the thought of having unkept hands.  I've heard about the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips, but was very skeptical about them until I gave them a whirl.  Now, they're my latest must have. As usual, I had my weekly manicure on Wednesday and all my polish chipped by Friday so my nails were neatly manicured and instead of opting for my weekly polish change I decided to try out the strips.  The kit comes with detailed instruction (even though the process is pretty self explanatory), a mini nail file with different surfaces, wooden cuticle pusher and about 14 strips.

I opted to try the leopard print design (hey, why not?) and while applying them I was also conversing with my best girl friend on the phone.  Since they're strips, you don't have to worry about concentrating too hard on messing up.  I have extremely tiny nail beds, which is why I was skeptical about these strips working for everyone, but because the kit came with a few different size strips for each hand, I was able to match them up best I could to my nail beds and throw the extras that were too big out.

The steps were simple, buff, peel, apply and file.  After I stuck the strip on, lining it up to my nail bed, I was left with quite a bit of length at the end.  I like to keep my nails really short and square with rounded edges.  To remove the excess, I filed it away and around the shape of my nail.

All in all it took about 20 minutes and I do think they can accommodate people with different nail bed sizes and nail shapes.  Is my DIY mani perfect?  No, I have some spaces around the edges, but they're barely noticeable.  I'm anxious to see if they really last the 10 days they claim to.

Essie Embraces the NY Yankees

I'm so excited for baseball season, as a dedicated Yankee fan I'm looking forward to attending the games, but as you may already assume, yes, I'm in it more for the fun than the love of the game itself.  If you're a die hard Yankees fan or just a gal like me who doesn't mind having a few beers in the stadium behind short stop, (best view in the house), you can show your team
appreciation for these champs with your manicure.

According to the 
Daily News, Essie changed the names of two colors in honor of No. 20, Jorge Posada. A 
bottle of white newly named "Posada Pettitte Connection" and a navy blue called "Midnight Cami" is now called "Bronx Bombers."  Why you ask?  Essie took notice to the fact that Posada paints his nails with Wite-Out to help pitcher, Andy Pettitte, see 
his signs.

Sorry Mets fans, looks like we won't be seeing any colors honoring 
Johan Santana or the delectable David Wright any time soon, or hopefully ever.