5 winter-survival grooming essentials for men

Any man of style worth his collar stays knows that he can’t follow the rest of the pack and hibernate for the winter, casting most of his grooming regimens aside until spring. Preserving the handsome is a year-around job.

To help you do that, I’m recommending a half-dozen of my favorite products that can keep any guy in shape from head to toe. Winter weather is much harsher than summer’s, so it doesn’t make sense to slack off at such a critical time.

Incorporate some of these products into your ritual, along with exercise, healthy eating, dietary supplements, and lots of good water. The economy and weather might be dismal, but your appearance doesn’t have to be.

What it is: Gillette Fusion Power Razor

Where it is: AtHisBest.com

What it costs: $9.99
Why it’s important: It’s a sad day at my crib when I’ve run out of cartridges for this, the king of disposable razors. Wet shaving is better for the skin than dry shaving, especially in the winter, because it provides the many benefits of water. Shaving helps exfoliate dry, dead skin from the face, which is more likely to occur in winter’s harsher weather. The beauty of this five-fold blade is that it ensures a clean shave through stubble with a single swipe. There’s a special blade on the reverse side made just for trimming mustaches, goatees and special-attention areas such as near the ears and just under the nose. Each blade head lasts for quite a few uses, making it perhaps the best value among disposable razors on the market. For under $10, you get the razor and two cartridges.

What it is: John Masters Organics Moroccan Clay Purifying Mask

Where it is: Beautorium.com

What it costs: $30

Why it’s important: .Everything else might look weather-beaten this time of year, but your face doesn’t have to. Like living room carpet, everybody’s face needs a good deep-cleaning on the regular. Whether once a month or every two weeks, this product does a great job cleansing pores. Formulated for oily and combination skin, it sucks out impurities and dead skin that cause blackheads, pimples, ingrown hairs and razor bumps. It purifies and balances without drying, thanks to ingredients such as sunflower, lavender, and an anti-inflammatory ingredient - oat beta glucan - that also protects against UVA damage and stimulates collagen production.

What it is: Jack Black Protein Booster Skin Serum

Where it is: AtHisBest.com

What it costs: $60

Why it’s important: Yep, we’re parking on the face with one more product because your face is your number-one billboard. It’s never enough to just wash your face, especially in the winter. Nourish, protect, and heal it and it will be one of your biggest assets for decades. Serums just might be the best over-the-counter products to maintain a healthy complexion, and this one is one of my favorites (along with Erno Laszlo’s and La Mer’s). It also may be the most environmentally correct. It contains ingredients such as peptides, certified organic green tea and omega-3 antioxidants, and natural sorghum stalk. It’s also free of colorants, parabens, and fragrance. The result is a vegan, high-performance potion that firms, strengthens, smoothes, moisturizes, and protects skin. And it makes aftershave and moisturizer unnecessary.

What it is: Juara Invigorating Coffee Scrub

Where it is: Juaraskincare.com

What it costs: $37

Why it’s important: Beneath all those warm layers of clothing, your skin is crying for moisture. You would be wise to apply lotion or cream from neck to toes every day in winter months. But first, you’ve got to eliminate scaly, flaking skin caused by cold, dry weather and clothing that chafes. The solution? A scrub that does the job without irritating or burning. This might be the most man-friendly body scrub on the market. It’s a paraben-free, one-step shower - no need for a cleansing bar or body wash because it contains gentle, sulfate-free cleansing agents. It stimulates circulation and, when used in the morning, has the added benefit of an invigorating java aroma courtesy of fresh Indonesian coffee beans.

What it is: Bond No. 9 Riverside Drive

Where it is: Apothica.com

What it costs: $135 for 1.7 ounces

Why it’s important: There are colognes, and then there are colognes. What separates the men from the boys of men’s fragrances are the ones that are sophisticated without being stuffy, uncommon but not bizarre, and lasting yet never overpowering.  The New York-based cult brand Bond No. 9 makes such scents. And this one, in eau de parfum concentration, is one of my favorites. With notes ranging from pineapple to basil to sandalwood, it combines a diverse range of olfactory categories: earthy, woodsy, spicy, fruity . As such, it’s a liquid microcosm of The Big Apple. Riverside Drive will put you in a New York state of mind. And what could possibly be wrong with that?