The New Dad Survival Kit: 5 Father’s Day Essentials For Men Behaving Dadly

About Lee Kynaston
Grooming Guru Lee Kynaston is one of the UK’s best-known and most knowledgeable male beauty experts, with over 20 years experience of writing about men's skincare, haircare and fragrance. 

Has the new arrival worn you out? Looking more Uncle Fester than perfect father? No worries, treat yourself to these five products for Father’s Day and you’ll be looking like your old self in no time.

According to the office of National Statistics, there were 625,008 live births in England and Wales last year. Add to that all the babies born in Scotland and Northern Ireland and the total is nearer to 700,000. That’s a lot of newborns, a lot of nappies and a lot of tired-looking dads. And while we’re not diminishing all the hard work mothers put into parenting, fathers are important too. After all, being a new dad is probably the toughest job you’ll ever face. It’s certainly the most demanding one.

Fatherhood often means less sleep, less ‘you time’ time and less time to spend looking after your own appearance. And while how you look might not seem like a priority when you’re up to your neck in nappies, in some ways it’s the time when self-care is most important. For one thing, appearance is inexorably linked to self-confidence. When you look good you tend to feel good about yourself and when that happens you’re more likely to exude confidence and give out positive vibes – which is good news for you and for your new arrival as they look up at you from their crib.

Problem is that stress and lack of sleep can play havoc with a man’s skin, so it’s little wonder a new baby can leave you looking a little worse for wear. Low-level daily stress raises levels of the hormone cortisol, which can trigger skin-damaging inflammation, increase oil production (leading to blocked pores and breakouts) and aggravate any skin conditions you already have. It can even negatively affect the functioning of hair follicles, having a direct impact on your barnet.

Not getting enough kip, meanwhile, can lead to eye bags and dark circles and disrupts the skin’s overnight repair cycle, hindering collagen production and cellular repair. Little wonder, then, that becoming a new dad doesn’t just make you feel tired but can make you look tired too. On top of that, the average age of first-time fathers in the UK is now around 33 – an age when (how shall we put this?) skin isn’t quite as youthful or resilient as it used to be.

Thankfully, correcting these problems is easier than you think: all you need are the right tools for the job. This is where our New Dad Survival Kit comes in. This carefully curated selection of products will ensure you look your best even when you’re feeling your worst. Invest in one, two or the whole lot of them, and don’t feel bad about treating yourself to them for Father’s Day rather than waiting for someone else to treat you: You’re a man, not a machine, and by taking care of yourself you’ll be in a much better position to take care of those you love.