Giveon's Golden Rules of Grooming
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"I used to just get out of the shower and get dressed," admits singer-songwriter Giveon. Nowadays, his priorities are a little different. He is fully committed to his grooming routine, so much so that it takes precedence over everything else in his getting-ready hierarchy.
Late last year, wrapped in a plush robe in his luxe suite at the Ritz in Paris, France, Giveon let Esquire behind the scenes of his routine as he prepared to attend the VIP opening party of Le Grand Numero de Chanel, an immersive exhibition detailing the history and impact of iconic Chanel fragrances. He had flown in from London to attend the exhibition, which is open to the public through January 9 and has attracted a who's who of global celebrities, beauty ambassadors, and fragrance enthusiasts—all things which could describe Giveon himself.
He wasn’t always so tapped into grooming, though. Like many men, “relationships helped” him understand things like skincare when he got a peek at the products the women in his life were using. But that doesn’t mean he was naive to it. “I think I was always into grooming, but I never really said it for what it was,” he tells me. “I would just think, I like to look clean.” In recent years, he’s embraced his love of grooming. “It actually determines my mood. Everything just starts to look better when I feel fresh. Even the fashion looks better.”
Growing up in L.A., he intuitively knew how being well-groomed would play against the jeans-and-a-T-shirt style he favored—and still does. “I like to wear a lot of my T-shirts worn and faded with nice pairs of jeans. It’s intentional, but I love the juxtaposition [of that style with sharp grooming]. It looks like I don’t care, but then you see, Wait, everything is clean. He has a manicure. You have to look a couple of times.”
As his passion for grooming rose in tandem with his celeb status, Giveon has learned a thing or two about how to stay looking fresh no matter what time zone he’s in or whether he’s wearing one of his beloved T-shirts or something straight off the runway. Thankfully, he’s willing to share.
Nail It
“I’ve been getting regular manicures and pedicures this year. It’s simple, but everyone notices it, especially women. Everyone says I have nice hands now—that’s a bonus. It’s so easy and it’s therapeutic. You literally just sit there. I think they’re catching on with other guys, too.”
Be Your Own Hairspiration
“I’ve always loved having a nice haircut. It’s funny, in my free time, I literally watch haircut videos on YouTube. It’s an ASMR thing. I’ll type in 'afro taper' and just watch it on my phone. I like the idea of hair being faded and lined up clean. It’s calming. I get my hair cut once a week and then I have a full routine. I pick it out, but when I pick it out I look like a microphone so I have to create some type of texture. I just take a towel and I’ll lightly press it down. I’ve never seen anyone do that; I swear, I invented the towel method. It’s simple and takes five to ten minutes. I don’t use any product, just conditioner when I shower.”
Follow Your Nose
“The more I started traveling, the more I got into fragrance. The thing that caught my eye first was hotels—when they have a signature scent and it makes you enjoy the stay more. Romantically, women love if I smell good, too. Chanel was a pioneer in fragrance and mixing it with fashion as a whole. I wear Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum every day, but I want to start switching it up. I don’t really like musky, masculine smells; I like a more feminine, flowery scent.”
Send Bags Packing
“I love eye masks but I don't use them enough. I should use them more. I use them when I'm going to be on camera or in front of people. If I'm going to a bookstore, thrift shopping, or dinner, I don't really add that part to my routine, but I want to eventually get to a point where I have my own full spa treatment that I do to myself.”
Find What Works For Your Skin
“My skin is very sensitive, but I can't remember the last time I had a pimple on my face. The tricky thing about skincare is that it’s not one routine fits all. I used to exfoliate at least once every eight days or so but it was drying my skin out. Now I use No1 de Chanel Powder to Foam Cleanser, No1 de Chanel Revitalizing Serum and No1 de Chanel Revitalizing Cream every day. I’ll use No1 de Chanel Revitalizing Eye Cream when I feel like I didn’t get enough sleep. At the end, I do the No1 de Chanel Serum-in-Mist. And I always keep the Boy de Chanel Lip Balm in my pocket, but I lose a lot of them. I’m reckless with it.”
Moisturize Creatively
“I hate lotion. It takes so long and you've got to rub it in. Instead I use oil in the shower, while my body's still wet. The water doesn’t even have to be on, my skin just needs to still be wet and it moisturizes me.”
Take It To Go
“I take my home routine with me when I travel. I pack it up and do everything I'll do at home. Every time I get makeup and grooming, they always compliment my skin, so I just keep doing what I'm doing.”
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