Men’s hair has been through a lot already in the 21st century. Undercuts, the Hard Part, and Man Buns have all come and gone in just the last decade. We are getting more creative with our hair, this is a good thing – great even. But with interesting and longer styles comes maintenance. I still know plenty of men who wash their hair with the same bodywash they use on their arm pits. That’s not okay.

As a sex, we are also extremely active and tend to be more involved with extreme sports than our fairer counterparts. All that physical activity and stress, longer hair, and lack of maintenance does not go together well however.

Weak or thin hair is something that affects many men of all ages. For many, it can be soul-destroying.  And before you get to the point where you need a FUE hair transplant, you should look into your daily hair care routine.

This world doesn’t need any more weak or thin hair, so FactoryTwoFour has teamed up with Dove Men’s+Care and skateboarder/entrepreneur/author/YouTube star Andy Schrock to talk through why skateboarding is life, date night, and why proper haircare matters.

Andy, what makes you original?

What makes me original is that I do exactly what I want to do with my life. I have a lot of passions; skateboarding, making videos, writing, music… the list goes on. I used to think you had to pick one thing and make a career based on that, but eventually I threw that idea out the window and figured out a way to make a life for myself that I could incorporate all of my passions. I wake up every day and work hard everything I love in my life.

What are you excited about today?

Every day brings something new and I love that! Today I’m very excited to be planning my third company that is set to launch early next year. Also it’s date night! Which doesn’t happen enough, haha. I’m excited to go out to dinner with my wife!

What’s your next goal you are working toward?

I have quite a few goals I’m working toward right now. I’m writing a sequel book to the first book I published a few years back, I’m working on that new company I mentioned, but the biggest project on my plate right now is a full length DVD skate video for my first company ReVive Skateboards.

Why should I – or anyone – skateboard?

You should skate because skateboarding is fun! It can be whatever you want it to be. There are so many different ways you can skateboard; vert, street skating, freestyle, etc. Really whatever trick you can imagine, you can figure out a way to do it on your board.

It’s the ultimate therapeutic/creative outlet. There are no coaches or anyone trying to be the boss of you. It’s just you setting goals for yourself and is extremely fun and rewarding. It teaches you how to fail and how to get back up and try again.

I’ve never skateboarded. How do you recommend I – or anyone – start?

To start skateboarding is simple. Get a board, get on it, and try to have fun. There’s plenty of how to skateboarding videos on the internet to help with specific tricks, but really, there’s no wrong way to skateboard as long as you’re having fun.

Are you a shower once a day, or once a month kind of guy?

I am definitely a shower every day kind of guy. Showering and washing my hair every day is critical for having healthy hair and scalp. I spend a lot of time outside playing with my son, shooting videos or skating, and I don’t like to have the dirt or sweat sitting in my hair too long. Plus, Dove Men+Care’s extensive line of 2-in-1 daily shampoo and conditioners are specifically formulated to help make men’s hair stronger and more resilient – I’ve seen a difference since I first started using them.

How much more skating do you get in because you don’t have to separately shampoo and condition?

I spend a lot more time skating since I’ve been using Dove Men+Care’s 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner regularly. I have always been a fan of their products, but their 2-in-1’s cut down on the amount of time I spend washing my hair, which I can use to spend time with my wife and son, Ryden, edit videos or skate.

What have you learned from working with Dove Men+Care?

I learned quite a bit from working with Dove Men+Care, especially from their research study they conducted. In the study, 90% of the dermatologists agreed that men aren’t aware of how every day activities can contribute to hair fall and I was definitely one of those men. Nearly half of the dermatologists that participated in the study stated that UV rays and chlorine can contribute to hair fall. Knowing that beach days with my family, or even rubbing my hair too aggressively with a towel were causing damage to my hair was important to learn.

As I get older and balance more responsibilities, these are things I have to start caring about. The campaign definitely served as a reminder for that. Small adjustments like wearing a hat at the beach with your kids, or patting your hair dry with a towel are simple fixes that make huge a difference.

The post Andy Schrock Explains Why Your Hair is Sad appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Above is my travel kit, tossed into my bag every week as I head out on my next work trip. I take the same things with me on every trip, matching what I have in my home bathroom to be consistent. I even make sure that the products I use have travel friendly options, letting me grab and go even in my carry on, at a moments notice, but again, I live on the road so that might not be necessary for everyone.

Recently, I have not needed to carry a razor with me though. As a bearded man, I tend to rely on the every-now-and-then trim up of my beard and the neckline while home, but when on the road, it was not as big of a deal. That was then. Now, I am on the road almost every week, in multiple cities, meeting more people than ever before. It’s part of the new gig, and with that, comes the expectation of a professional look. So my kit had to change.

I needed a razor that not only was inexpensive and available wherever I might need to get a replacement but would not cause razor burn and red marks after use on a daily basis. And after some trial and painful errors, I found the Schick Hydro® Razors. These new designs from Schick hit the nail right on the head of what I needed.

So what caught my eye? Well, it was the reduced blade span in the new design. Blade span, or the space between each individual blade on a multi-blade razor, is one of the leading causes of irritation from shaving. So to find a product that has reduced that spacing to help minimize was key.

Also, the new Schick Hydro® series has options available that fit the needs of the skin. For me, the standard brand was fine, but for those with sensitive skin, the Hydro 5 Sensitive is available as well. So if for some reason, I start to get those little bumps, I will be able to switch to the Sensitive to ensure I am still maintaining my clean trimming.

So after a week of daily use, I was sold. The Schick Hydro® Razor was my newest addition to my kit, with the disposable for my carry-ons and the refillable cartridges at home. And alongside each one is my Edge Shave Gel, which lasts me forever and never irritates my skin. Overall, that’s a winning combination.

So the final reason I went with Schick Hydro®? Well, it’s accessibility. I can pick these razors up at almost every grocer big and small, as well as overseas when needed. And there always seem to be great coupons, like the Meijer mPerks discount. where shoppers can save up to $11 with their mPerks (Expires: 3/12/16). Now that is true value for a clean shave.

So there you have it. Beyond my normal, a new addition to my essentials. The rest of my kit will continue to adapt, but until then, I am set to keep that professional look even when on the road.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of HYDRO. The opinions and text are all mine.

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