'How Men Can Navigate Modern Male Beauty Standards in a Healthy Way

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Beauty standards can be a fickle thing. Most women are well aware of the impact that the need to be attractive can have on their physical and mental health, and the rise of social media influencers and other factors means that men face some of the same pressures.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good. In fact, this article is about to discuss some ways that men can look more attractive. But the key is balance. There’s a difference between caring about how you look so you can feel more confident about yourself and taking things to the extreme to the detriment of your well-being and happiness.

So, here are a few ways that men can feel more comfortable with their appearance.

Learning to Like Yourself

So, before discussing style choices and ways to make yourself more physically attractive, it’s important to tackle the elephant in the room. Body image issues are increasingly common among men, and these issues aren’t solved with a new haircut and losing a few pounds. They represent a far more pervasive issue.

As mentioned earlier, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to like how you look. But assigning value to attractiveness can be problematic, and it’s unfortunately common. Pretty privilege is a real thing for everyone, and many people feel as though they have less worth if they aren’t as muscular, youthful-looking, or as thin as they’d like to be. 

Assigning too much importance to these parts of life is where a lot of people struggle with their confidence. Some people are able to work through minor body image issues themselves, but many people require professional help to allow them to feel better about themselves as people, as well as how they look.

There’s also the fact that genetics play a part in our appearance, meaning we can’t necessarily change our appearance in the ways we might want to. There’s only so much we can do to look like movie stars and supermodels, and the most important skill to develop is the ability to be confident in our own skin, rather than trying to chase trends.

Developing a Personal Style

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No matter what you look like, one of the best ways to level up your look is to develop a personal style. Again, trends come and go, and something that was massively fashionable a couple of years ago might look dated now.

So, use trends to inform and inspire your style, not to dominate it. Craft a wardrobe that you love, that you look good in, and that you feel confident in. Feel free to experiment with different styles and think about what you like the most.

You can then build a style that, while it might borrow from certain trends or styles, is also uniquely representative of you. This is one of the easiest things you can control and can make a massive difference.

Physical Fitness

Modern male beauty standards are more extreme now than ever before. Look at the difference between Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man (2002) or Hugh Jackman in X-Men (2000) and modern superheroes like Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and, well, Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) or other more recent X-Men films. 

The superhero physique went from looking fit and athletic but achievable to extremely muscular or obviously dehydrated. So, should you aim to look like a modern superhero? For most people, these results are almost impossible to achieve without steroid use and/or an extreme regimen. Even celebrities can’t maintain these extreme looks.

However, working out and getting fit will do wonders for your confidence and your appearance, as long as you approach it in a healthy and realistic way. Even if all you can do is add an extra hour to your weekly activity, you will become healthier, and you may see physical benefits.

Depending on your circumstances, you might have different goals. You may want to lose weight or gain muscle, and your workout regimen and diet should reflect this. The key for many people is consistency.

Battling Hair Loss

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One of the most common insecurities for men is hair loss. Again, this is often a genetic condition, and it can be especially troubling for younger men. But there are solutions.

The simplest solution for many men is to do the big shave. The bald look can look incredibly attractive and can be a cheaper and easier way to accept male pattern baldness. Some men prefer to choose hairstyles that disguise their hairlines, looking more youthful for longer.

Of course, you don’t have to accept hair loss if you don’t want to. Many men find that hair restoration treatments that prevent further hair loss or allow them to regain their hairline are a great boost to their self-esteem. 

The most important thing is that you’re happy with the end result, whether it involves luscious locks or not.

Personal Grooming and Hygiene

Another good way that men can take control of their appearance without risking their mental or physical health is by focusing on their personal grooming and hygiene.

Men, take some tips from the ladies and think about skincare. Use cleansers to keep your skin clean and clear, and use moisturizers twice a day to help your skin stay healthy. This should be a part of your daily routine, as it keeps your skin clean and healthy and improves your general hygiene. It’s also important to wash regularly and thoroughly.

One very common style choice among men is beards. Beards have often been described as makeup for men, and facial hair can make men look very attractive. This does come with a caveat, however.

Uncared-for facial hair can just make it look like you haven’t groomed yourself properly. If you want to grow a beard, you should look after it. Keep your facial hair neatly trimmed and nice and clean. Use beard oils and conditioners to make sure it looks its best. 

This way, you can be confident with how you look every time you catch yourself in the mirror.