Softmaxxing is the foundation of real aesthetic improvement. While hardmaxxing gets the attention (surgery, peptides, aggressive interventions), softmaxxing delivers 80% of the results for most guys. It’s the optimization of what you already have through grooming, style, fitness, and basic health fixes.
Table of Contents
The beauty of softmaxxing is simple: it’s accessible, reversible, and won’t drain your bank account. Most importantly, it works. A guy who masters these fundamentals will outperform someone with better bone structure who neglects them.
Let’s cut through the noise and focus on what actually moves the needle.
Start With Your Foundation: Body Composition
Before worrying about eyebrow shape or hairstyle, your body fat percentage matters more than almost anything else. Facial aesthetics are hidden under excess fat. Your jawline, cheekbones, and overall facial structure won’t show until you’re lean enough.
Get to 12-15% body fat if you’re serious about improving your appearance. Research published in Evolution and Human Behavior found that facial adiposity (fat) was the strongest predictor of perceived health and attractiveness in male faces. Not bone structure. Fat distribution.
This means consistent training and dialed-in nutrition. You don’t need a complicated program. A basic aesthetic workout routine focused on compound movements and progressive overload will get you there. Pair it with a slight caloric deficit if you need to cut, or maintenance calories if you’re already lean.
Losing facial fat correctly comes down to overall body fat reduction. Spot reduction is cope. Your genetics determine where fat comes off first, but it will eventually reveal your facial structure if you’re patient.
For most guys, dropping 15-20 pounds reveals an entirely different face. Hollow cheeks appear. The jawline sharpens. Eye area becomes more defined.
Skin Quality Separates Average From Elite
Clear, healthy skin is non-negotiable. It signals youth, health, and genetic fitness. A guy with great bone structure and terrible skin will lose to someone with average features and glass-like skin.
The basics matter more than expensive products:
Sunscreen daily. UV damage ages you faster than anything else. A tinted sunscreen works great because it evens skin tone while protecting. Mineral-based options with zinc oxide provide broad-spectrum protection without the estrogenic concerns of some chemical filters.
Tretinoin if you can get it. This is the gold standard for skin improvement. It increases cell turnover, builds collagen, reduces fine lines, and improves texture. Start at 0.025% to build tolerance. Studies in the Journal of Dermatological Science show tretinoin significantly improves photoaging markers within 12 weeks.
Simple cleanser and moisturizer. You don’t need 10 products. A gentle cleanser (CeraVe, La Roche-Posay) morning and night. A basic moisturizer with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. That’s it for most guys.
Address specific issues. Acne? See a dermatologist for topicals or isotretinoin if severe. Hyperpigmentation? Add azelaic acid or vitamin C. Redness? Niacinamide helps.
If you want that glass skin look, consistency beats product hoarding every time. Skin improvement takes months, not days.
Internal factors matter too. Sleep quality directly impacts skin repair and collagen synthesis. Hydration keeps skin plump. Managing stress reduces cortisol-driven inflammation and breakouts.
Hair: Get This Right Or Everything Else Suffers
Your hairstyle can add or subtract multiple points from your looks. The wrong cut makes a 7 look like a 5. The right one does the opposite.
Find a style that complements your face shape and hair type. Consult with an actual barber who knows men’s cuts, not a chain salon. Invest the extra money. Show them reference photos of what you want.
For guys with straight hair wanting more texture, sea salt spray adds volume and creates that effortlessly styled look. Apply to damp hair and let it air dry or blow dry with your fingers for natural movement.
If your hairline is receding or thinning, address it immediately. Hair loss prevention in your 20s is infinitely easier than trying to regrow hair later. Finasteride and minoxidil are the proven options. Earlier intervention = better results.
Keep hair healthy with quality products. A good shampoo and conditioner suited to your hair type. Avoid over-washing which strips natural oils. Most guys can get away with washing 3-4 times per week.
Eyebrows Frame Everything
Neglected eyebrows kill your aesthetic. They’re literally the frame for your most important features.
Get them professionally shaped once, then maintain at home. Don’t go too thin. The goal is cleaning up strays and creating definition, not creating Instagram brows.
For guys with sparse or light brows, getting thicker, darker eyebrows involves minoxidil application and potentially castor oil. Minoxidil works the same on brow hair as scalp hair. Apply small amounts carefully to avoid eye irritation.
If you have unruly brows that point in different directions, straightening them involves brushing with a spoolie and using a clear brow gel to hold them in place. Takes 30 seconds and makes a noticeable difference.
Teeth and Oral Aesthetics
White, straight teeth signal health and wealth. If your teeth are yellow or crooked, it’s dragging down your entire appearance.
Whitening is straightforward. Professional whitening through a dentist gives the best results. At-home options like whitening strips work but take longer. Avoid charcoal and other gimmicky products that can damage enamel.
If teeth are crooked, invisible aligners (Invisalign, clear aligners) are more accessible than ever. The investment pays dividends in confidence and attractiveness.
Basic oral hygiene matters more than most guys realize. Brush twice daily. Floss. Use mouthwash. Bad breath will tank any interaction regardless of how good you look.
Fragrance Creates Memory and Presence
Smell is directly linked to memory and emotion. A good fragrance elevates your presence and leaves an impression.
Don’t bathe in it. 2-3 sprays maximum. Pulse points: wrists, neck, maybe chest. The goal is for people to smell it when they’re close, not from across the room.
Find a signature scent that works with your body chemistry. What smells amazing on one guy might smell off on another. Sample before buying full bottles. Department stores will give you samples to test over a few days.
Layering matters. Use unscented or matching deodorant so you’re not mixing fragrances. The foundation is clean skin. Fragrance enhances, it doesn’t cover.
Style and Fit Trump Brand Names
Your clothes need to actually fit your body. Baggy, ill-fitting clothes hide your physique and make you look sloppy. Too tight looks try-hard and uncomfortable.
Everything should fit in the shoulders. Pants should break at the right length. Shirts should follow your body’s lines without being restrictive.
You don’t need expensive brands. You need basics that fit well. A capsule wardrobe of versatile, well-fitting pieces beats a closet full of random pieces.
Get your clothes tailored if needed. Taking in a shirt or hemming pants costs $15-20 and transforms how you look. Off-the-rack rarely fits perfectly.
Learn what actually looks good, not what’s trendy. Understanding different aesthetics helps you build a consistent style that matches your personality and lifestyle.
Posture Changes How People Read You
Slouching makes you look insecure, shorter, and less attractive. Standing straight with shoulders back opens your chest, makes you look taller, and projects confidence.
A study in Health Psychology found that upright posture increases positive mood and reduces negative mood compared to slumped posture. People read your body language before they consciously process your features.
Fix forward head posture if you have it (most guys do from phone and computer use). Strengthen your upper back and stretch your chest. Face pulls and band pull-aparts help. Chin tucks throughout the day reset your neck position.
Practice standing and walking with better posture until it becomes automatic. Film yourself or check mirrors. Most guys don’t realize how much they slouch until they see it.
Sleep Is The Foundation Of Everything
Chronic sleep deprivation makes you look and feel like garbage. Dark circles, puffy eyes, dull skin, and decreased facial attractiveness are all documented effects of poor sleep.
Research in the British Medical Journal using facial photographs found that sleep-deprived individuals were rated as less healthy, less attractive, and more tired compared to after normal sleep. Your body needs 7-9 hours for proper recovery and cellular repair.
Quality matters as much as quantity. Dark room, cool temperature, consistent schedule. Limit blue light before bed. Manage stress. Address snoring or sleep apnea if present.
The difference in how you look after consistent good sleep versus chronic sleep debt is dramatic. This is foundational to any glow up strategy.
Hydration and Diet Show On Your Face
Your skin is an organ. What you put in your body shows up on your face. Chronic dehydration makes skin look dull and emphasizes fine lines. Inflammatory foods can trigger breakouts and redness.
Drink enough water. Simple but true. Aim for half your bodyweight in ounces as a starting point. More if you’re training hard or in hot climates.
Diet impacts skin quality through multiple pathways. High glycemic foods spike insulin which can increase sebum production and acne. Dairy triggers breakouts in some guys. Excess sugar causes glycation which degrades collagen.
You don’t need a perfect diet, but cleaning up obvious issues helps. Prioritize whole foods, adequate protein, healthy fats, and vegetables. Minimize processed junk, excess sugar, and inflammatory seed oils.
Certain supplements can support skin and overall appearance. Vitamin D if deficient (most people are), omega-3s for inflammation, collagen for skin elasticity. Nothing magical, but addressing deficiencies matters.
The Details: Grooming and Maintenance
Nail care, ear hair, nose hair, neck line, hand care. These details seem minor but they’re noticed. Unkempt details signal low self-awareness.
Keep nails trimmed and clean. Get a decent nail clipper and file. Takes 5 minutes weekly.
Remove visible ear and nose hair. Small trimmer costs $15 and lasts years.
If you have facial hair, keep it maintained. Defined lines, even length, no scraggly patches. A well-groomed beard looks intentional. A patchy, unkempt one looks lazy. If you can’t grow a full beard, either go stubble or clean-shaven. A disconnected goatee works for some face shapes if you want facial hair without full coverage.
Update your basic hygiene essentials and actually use them consistently. Quality deodorant, decent body wash, proper hair products. The fundamentals that guys overlook.
Facial Exercises: Cope or Legit?
Face exercises (mewing, chewing, facial yoga) are controversial in the looksmaxxing community. The truth is nuanced.
Mewing (proper tongue posture) might help with minor changes over years, especially in younger guys whose bones are still developing. The evidence is mostly anecdotal. It won’t reshape your maxilla at 25, but proper tongue posture prevents mouth breathing and may subtly improve jawline definition over time. No downside to trying since proper oral posture is beneficial anyway.
Chewing hard foods or gum strengthens masseter muscles which can make the jaw appear wider. This works, but results are subtle and you risk TMJ issues if you overdo it. Not a game-changer but a minor optimization.
Facial yoga and exercises for wrinkle reduction have minimal evidence. Save your time and use tretinoin instead.
Strategic Softmaxxing Based On Your Weaknesses
Not every softmaxxing tip applies equally to everyone. Identify your specific weak points and address those first.
Overweight? Body composition is priority one.
Bad skin? Focus on skincare routine and derm visit.
Receding hairline? Start prevention protocol immediately.
Poor style? Upgrade wardrobe and get clothes that fit.
Undefined face? Get to 12-15% body fat.
The compounding effect matters most. Each improvement stacks. A guy who’s lean, with clear skin, good hair, proper style, and attention to detail will always outperform someone who only focuses on one area while neglecting others.
The Timeline: When To Expect Results
Softmaxxing isn’t instant, but results come faster than hardmaxxing options.
Immediate (days to weeks): Better haircut, wardrobe upgrades, posture fixes, grooming maintenance.
Short-term (weeks to months): Fat loss reveals facial structure, skin improvements from tretinoin and routine, muscle development from training.
Medium-term (months to a year): Hair regrowth from minoxidil, significant skin quality improvements, physique transformation, cumulative style development.
Long-term (year+): Maximum genetic potential reached for natural improvements, habits fully established, subtle changes like posture becoming automatic.
Consistency beats intensity. Better to maintain a solid routine for months than to go hard for two weeks then quit.
Common Softmaxxing Mistakes To Avoid
Doing too much at once. Start with 2-3 high-impact changes. Master those. Then add more. Trying to overhaul everything simultaneously leads to burnout and inconsistency.
Chasing trends over fundamentals. The latest skincare ingredient or style trend matters less than nailing the basics. Body composition, clear skin, good hair, proper fit. These always matter.
Neglecting one area completely. You can’t have terrible skin but great style and expect to maximize your looks. Address glaring weak points even if they’re not your focus area.
Impatience. Expecting results in days when changes take weeks or months. Trust the process and stay consistent.
Ignoring feedback. Ask people you trust for honest input. Better yet, take progress photos monthly. Your day-to-day view in the mirror isn’t reliable for tracking gradual changes.
Putting It All Together
Softmaxxing works because it optimizes everything within your control without surgery or aggressive interventions. Most guys have significant room for improvement in basic areas before considering anything else.
The hierarchy of impact for most guys:
- Body composition (get lean)
- Skin quality (clear, healthy, protected)
- Hair (style and prevention)
- Style and fit
- Grooming details
- Everything else
Focus on high-impact changes first. Master the fundamentals before optimizing details. Be consistent for months, not days.
The compound effect of multiple small improvements creates dramatic overall change. A 10% improvement in five areas doesn’t just add up. It multiplies your overall aesthetic improvement.
Start with one or two high-impact areas based on your current situation. Build from there. Track your progress with photos. Stay patient and trust that consistent effort on these softmaxxing tips pays off over time.