GQ’s guide to grooming your face

Wash

There are grooming products we think you need to invest some cash in. Face wash isn't one of them. Just wash mornings and nights with Cetaphil (available at most drugstores). It's not fancy, and it doesn't need to be.

Cetaphil cleanser, $12, available at cetaphil.com

Think of using face scrub like taking out the trash—do it a few times a week to dispose of the dead skin on your face. We like Alba's, which has tiny buffing beads and smells like the beach, all for twelve bucks.

Alba Botanica Sea Algae Enzyme Scrub, $12, available at albabotanica.com

A moisturizer is your first line of defense against wrinkles like Ronnie Wood's. (Well, that and staying off heroin.) We dig this one because it absorbs quickly. Plus, the pouch packaging means it travels easily and rolls up so you get every last drop.

Ernest Supplies Matte Moisturizer, $25, available at ernestsupplies.com

How to face the brutal cold

Your body dehydrates when it struggles to stay warm, so drink lots of water. To stave off raccoon eyes, I use an SPF of 30 or more; brand doesn't matter. My final secret is face-saving vitamin E. When I skip it, I notice a difference in the quality of my skin the next few days."

-"If you use a razor, it will always look weird. Instead, stick with a pair of simple tweezers." (At GQ, we like these from PockeTweez.)

-"To keep things looking masculine, pluck only from the bottom. If you're unibrowed, don't tweeze farther than your inner eye."

-"You're yanking these guys out from the root. There will be irritation. Rub in some aftershave to avoid little bumps." —Ramon Padilla of N.Y.C.'s guy-friendly Browhaus salon

PockeTweez, $28, available at pocketweez.com

Never pluck these; you'll get a nasty infection. This trimmer whacks hair quickly and painlessly.

Philips Norelco, $15, available at usa.philips.com

Start fracking your forehead

Instant Fix does exactly what it claims to do: turn shiny skin matte in reflective regions like your forehead and nose. Keep it in your desk drawer. When you catch your forehead—or even your bald head—glinting in the mirror, reach for it.

Anthony Instant Fix Oil Control, $28, available at anthony.com

Next time you crack open an IPA, tell wifey you're doing it for your future together. IPAs are loaded with silicon, which means one or two of them will help keep your skin higher and tighter. (Then she'll probably crack one open, too.)

Lagunitas IPA, $9, for a six-pack lagunitas.com

"An occasional zit can be caused by genes, sweat, even dairy and sugar. When you break out, try an oil-free 2 percent salicylic-acid spot treatment by Neutrogena. It works overnight. If the zit is really deep, head to your dermatologist for a prescription or a quick-fix shot of cortisone."—N.Y.C. dermatologist Sapna Westley

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Gel, $8, available at neutrogena.com

Dropping a C-note on serum? Damn right. Start using it in your twenties or thirties for Dorian Gray–like effects down the road. This stuff helps prevent wrinkles and clears up dark patches, and it made us look like we got five more hours of sleep than we actually did.

Colbert M.D. Stimulate: The Serum, $140, available at colbertmd.com