At some point, the shelf got crowded.
Not all at once. It happened the way most things do — a gift set here, a "this one's supposed to be better" swap there, a few things you bought because the packaging looked serious. Now there are seven products you rotate through without a system, and half of them are almost empty but not quite empty enough to throw out.
That's not a routine. That's just stuff.
The Short List is about fixing that.
Over the next eight weeks, we're going category by category — face, beard, body, hair, shaving, fragrance — and making the case for keeping it simple. Not because simple is trendy. Because simple is what actually gets done every day.
Why fewer things work better
There's a version of self-care that requires research, a dedicated shelf, and fifteen minutes every morning. That version works great for guys who enjoy that. Most guys don't.
For everyone else, the goal is maintenance. You want to feel clean, look put-together, and not think about it too hard. That's a completely reasonable thing to want, and it doesn't require a complicated system to get there.
What it does require is knowing which few things are worth keeping — and being willing to let the rest go.
What this series covers
Each week focuses on one category. No rankings, no affiliate disclaimers, no "top 10" lists. Just a straightforward look at what the category actually requires, what to look for in a product, and how to build it into a routine that sticks.
Here's the lineup:
- Week 2 — Face wash
- Week 3 — Beard care
- Week 4 — Body wash & deodorant
- Week 5 — Hair
- Week 6 — Shaving & aftershave
- Week 7 — Fragrance
- Week 8 — The full list, all in one place
The only rule
If it doesn't earn a spot in your daily routine, it doesn't belong on your shelf. That's it. That's the whole framework.
New post every Friday. Start here, and by September you'll have a short list that actually works.