How the Winners of GQ’s Celebrity Grooming Awards Get Ready in the Morning
Best Scruff:
Justin Hartley
For this year's GQ Grooming Awards, we caught up with the star of NBC's smash hit This Is Us, now in its third season, to ask how he maintains his perfect scruff. Turns out the secret is making beard maintenance as easy as possible.
GQ: Tell us a bit about your morning grooming routine.
Justin Hartley: I just try to keep it simple. Being on the show, I have to keep consistent facial hair and hair on my head for long periods of time. For me, a beard trimmer works. You just set it to the same length each time, and you can just do that every day and not have to worry too much. It's an interesting thing, this constant relationship you have with your facial hair. I think shaving's a very personal thing. You can change your look with a razor blade easily. I look at facial hair as, like, makeup for men.
What about when you're off set?
When I'm not at work, I think it's more of a relaxed look. My beard's probably a little longer, probably a little messier, but as far as being clean and kempt, I think I stay on my game. Anyone that's ever spent time with me can probably attest to the fact that I'm probably—I don't know if I have a problem, but I'm probably the cleanest person on the planet.
What's influenced the way you like to wear your facial hair?
I think if I were to be honest with you, it probably has to do with me trying to look older. At a certain time in my life, I hadn't quite grown into my face. I was like, I need to look a little older. The parts that I wanted to do and the roles that I wanted to take were all for older guys. That was a few years ago, and now I don't think it really matters as much.
—As told to Tom Philip
Grooming Hall of Fame:
Lionel Richie
How does the man who wrote “All Night Long,” sold 100 million records, and won four Grammys spend his days? He's on American Idol, yes. He launched a home-goods label, too. But there's another thing—something bigger and more permanent—that demands daily attention: his mustache. Lionel Richie is the latest inductee into the GQ Grooming Awards hall of fame.
GQ: What do you do before you leave the house?
Lionel Richie: I'll tell you. I was in a hotel in Mobile, Alabama, and the fire alarm went off. I go over to make sure it's really serious. I look down and there's all the fire trucks and they're looking up at me and I'm looking down at them. Okay, what was the first thing you think I would think about? I'll make it easy for you. I need to take a shower. And then I had to put the lotion on. To make a long story short, by the time I was ready to go downstairs, it was over. And that's when somebody said to me, “Your grooming will be the death of you.”
The mustache takes a lot of work?
I had kids on American Idol ask me, “Man, what do you do to get your mustache so good, good, good?” And I said, “Oh, I tweeze.” And they said, “Tweeze?” I said, “Yeah.” So when you have what I call dead time… I mean, there's nothing worse than being in a hotel and “What's on television?” There's boredom. And there's a big 10x magnification mirror. Oh, man! Turn that mirror on thy face. You know?
How often do you see a hairstylist?
If I'm real—three weeks. The main thing is, I'm always freaked out about cutting. I don't know whether I'm just OCD—I'm all messed up. But you know, I talk to every strand on my head. I know them personally. As long as it looks natural, like it's not a haircut, it works.
—As told to Zach Baron
Best Hair:
Jermaine Fowler
The actor and comedian added a role in a critically acclaimed film (Sorry to Bother You) to a résumé that also features the feel-good sitcom Superior Donuts. We talked to him about his hair.
GQ: What's the story behind your hairstyle?
Jermaine Fowler: I have a twin brother—his name's Jerome. Growing up, he always had his hair grown out. My mom used to do it in cornrows, gel twists, that stuff. I always had straight, normal, low-cut hair. And I was always jealous. So when I started growing my hair, Jerome started cutting his. We switched up. Now I'm the more high-maintenance brother.
When did you realize you had found your look?
After I cut my dreadlocks. I cut them right before my stand-up comedy tour. I wanted a look that was low-maintenance, so I decided to cut them and go with a small Afro. After a while it started growing, and I realized not a lot of people have my hairstyle on television and in film.
What does your hair maintenance look like now?
Right now my hair is basically just pulled apart, two-strand twists. The preparation is pretty simple. I get some Hask Argan Oil 5-in-1 Leave-in Spray and do some two-strand twists while it's still wet. Let it dry for a little bit, pull it apart—and that's the look.
Why do you like this style?
It's easier to maintain natural hair, and with what I do, I can't be worried about my hair all the damn time. I'm happy. I work my ass off, so having a look that's maintainable is extremely important. People should embrace their natural look, how they were born. We're all unique.
What are the three or so hair tools you couldn't live without?
I need my hair pick. I have this aloe vera spray I put in my hair. I use a natural oil, a little tea tree oil, for my scalp, just so it doesn't itch as much.
—As told to Brennan Kilbane
