Guys often think of their looks as something they’re born with and therefore have no control over. And it’s true to some extent – you can’t do anything about things like height or facial structure. However there are many things about looks, often overlooked, that are within your control. Let’s concentrate on those then shall we?
Here’s what you can do right now to be better looking:
1. Get lean(er)
Losing fat will make your facial features more apparent as well as making your body look better. Getting lean is not complicated and there are many ways to go about it. You can:
- Decrease calories
- Cut all carbs
- Start doing intermittent fasting (See the Leangains guide for a good primer on IF)
- Start doing fasted cardio
There are certainly other methods but if you combine any (or all) of the above with the discipline you need to actually carry it out, there is no way you won’t lose fat and look better.
For more information read: How to Lose Fat & Get Lean Faster (Top 7 Effective Fat Loss Methods)
2. Gain Muscle
To gain muscle:
- Go to the gym and lift weights
- Eat an above-average amount of protein (~1g/lb of body weight)
- If you are not gaining muscle and strength, eat more
There’s no need to get caught up in the details, especially if you are a beginner – just follow any basic training program that includes compound movements and focus on consistency. Within a few months you can have noticeably more muscle and be better looking because of it.
3. Dress more stylish
Guys may complain about genetics when it comes to fat loss or muscle gain, but dressing a certain way is always 100% within your control—anyone can dress just as well as anyone else. While some people may have an “eye” for it, style is basically just a skill that you can learn. Here are some good resources:
If you really have no idea what you’re doing, a good place to start is a plain v-neck shirt, dark pants that are snug but not too tight, sneakers and a watch or bracelet of some sort – boom – you already look better than 90% of guys.
4. Get a better haircut
Basically you want a haircut that is:
- Cool/”current”
- Makes your face look good
A pretty safe bet is short on the sides and longer on top – you can Google “men’s haircut 2015” to see what I mean. Another easy way to tell what kind of haircut is cool is to look at professional athletes, particularly soccer players.
Look at what haircut most soccer players have, then dial it back by about 20% and you’ll probably have a cool haircut. If you are losing your hair, then either shave your head completely or go for the “Jason Statham look”.
Besides making you look better physically, your haircut also says something about you. A good haircut says “I take care of myself and am at least somewhat aware of current style trends” where as a bad/messy haircut says “I don’t care about my appearance”.
5. Get a tan (If you’re pale)
This only goes for guys who are pale but getting a tan can dramatically improve your looks. Being tanned makes you look leaner (this is why bodybuilders wear artificial orange tanning in competition) and will bring “colour” to your face as well as improving your complexion.
6. Improve your skin complexion
Even if you are not that great looking facially, you can improve your looks by having better skin.
- Start green juicing or eating big salads (besides taking Accutane, consuming more vegetables is the single most effective things I’ve ever done to improve my complexion)
- If your skin is dry, moisturize it
- Get a tan
- If you have acne, check out my series on how to get rid of acne.
7. Optimize your facial hair
If you’ve never had a beard before (and can grow one) then try it out. You might look 100X times better, you never know. Many girls just “like beards” – if your genetics allow for it, then take advantage of this fact.
8. Whiten your teeth
Why do all movie stars have white teeth? Because it’s attractive. Brush and floss everyday and get professional whitening if you are willing to spend the money… otherwise, Good Looking Loser has a great guide to inexpensive teeth whitening.
9. If you wear glasses, switch to contacts
This seems like an easy one but for some reason there are still a lot of guys walking around wearing glasses. In 99% of cases a person will look better without glasses than with them – and most of the guys who do look good with glasses are just good looking anyway.
10. Get Piercings or a Tattoo
This will depend on you and your personal style, but don’t discount how much better looking piercings or a tattoo can make you. If you have a boring or “plain” face then adding earrings might make a huge positive difference. Many girls openly state how much they like piercing and/or tattoos… why not take advantage of it?