In the Venn diagram of life, there are only small and fleeting overlaps between the way a man feels and how good he looks. The anti-ageing effects of a well-earned holiday, for example, or the glow of newfound love come around only once in a while and are, unfortunately, the sorts of things no face cream in the world can possibly deliver. Holding onto the ephemeral, body-and-skin transforming magic of feeling amazing is, for many, the golden ring. That said, our grooming routines shouldn’t simply plaster over the cracks, they should positively affect our internal world just as much as the outer. In other words, the best routines offset the worst offenders: stress, emotional imbalance, inflammation, poor gut health and chronic lack of sleep. To that end, we’ve earmarked five products that will turn your grooming routine into a holistic ritual that will influence your mood and, as a consequence, your good looks.

While there’s a lot to be said for the placebo effect (positive and negative), Lyma, the world’s most advanced supplement, has enough clinical trials and peer-reviewed data to justify its price tag (£199 for 30 days’ supply). Moreover, it has been developed by Dr Paul Clayton, the world’s leading expert in an emerging field known as pharmaco-nutrition and fellow at the Institute of Food, Brain and Behaviour in Oxford.

Among the patented ingredients is ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of conditions. It is said to reduce cortisol (the biological marker for stress), anxiety and depression in addition to reducing body fat and boosting sperm count.

At bedtime, turn to Form Nutrition’s ZZZZs supplement, which combines 5HTP (the neurotransmitter that is indirectly involved in creating the sleep hormone, melatonin) with amino acids, magnesium and zinc to encourage deeper, uninterrupted sleep.

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Home-use LED (Light-Emitting Diode) masks have disrupted the way we think about skincare. Not only do certain wavelengths promote skin healing and regeneration but exposure to infrared light also has a tangible effect on insomnia, seasonal affective disorder and depression.

The slightly terrifying SpectraLite Faceware Pro by Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare boasts 100 lamps in red mode and 62 in blue to tackle ageing and acne respectively. Best of all, the recommended hit of three minutes means it’s the sort of high-performance treatment that won’t interfere with the exigencies of your waking day.

Caffeine might give you an instant boost, but one too many double macchiatos will invariably tip you over the edge. A much softer way to introduce clarity and focus into your working day is by using essential oils that have a psychophysiological impact by dint of their scent. A whiff of lavender, for example, will calm the nervous system. Conversely, peppermint and rosemary will have an effect on cognitive function and boost concentration, as demonstrated by EEG tests.

Focus + Concentration by anatomé is a blend of 25 different oils including ginger, frankincense, cinnamon, black pepper, clove and cardamom. Forego your usual eau de parfum and simply apply a drop or two to pulse points throughout the day in order to stay alert (minus the shakes).

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Sheet masks may have usurped their clumsy – and rather messy – predecessors, but their benefits go far beyond nourishing skin and scaring the living daylights out of small children. All sheet masks, regardless of whether they’re made from cotton or bio cellulose (like the ones from 111skin), require you to lie down and shut up for at least 15 minutes. This is no bad thing.

We advise using this time for a mindfulness exercise of breathing where you focus on making the exhale twice as long as the inhale. Not only will this 1:2 ratio quieten the mind, but it will also support the parasympathetic system and lower your blood pressure.

Scented candles aren’t just for fans of hygge or latent pyromaniacs, they can transform your dull grooming routine into a ritual of self-care. First, there is the demarcation of time alone that comes with the strike of a match. Then, there is the Proustian short-cut to your emotional world afforded by the scent itself. Choose your candle wisely and it can reverse engineer the foulest of moods.

Your scented candle doesn’t have to exude a generic floral arrangement or even a fragrance, per se. It can be something far more personal and evocative. Anya Hindmarch’s range, for example, includes smells such as chewing gum, pencil shavings, washing powder and tobacco. Jo Malone London incorporates sea salt into compositions while retaW goes for soap bubbles. Byredo’s Bibliothéque, a personal favourite, conjures up wood panelling, leather-bound books and well-thumbed pages.

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