Men thrive on efficiencies. But hair, and all its complexities requires a little more time and financial investment than most men care to give it.

An improved hair-life can be as simple as purchasing the right products for your hair type and style, and avoiding the allure of the hottest hair trends, when in fact, a classic style is what suits you best.

Whether you’re going grey or still rubbing 2-in-1 shampoo through your tiring mane, these six common men’s hair mistakes can be remedied quite easily and quickly, before they kill your look altogether.

You’re Growing Your Hair Too Long

While it’s appealing – the thought of luscious, long Italiano locks – most guys don’t have the stamina to grow their hair long. Maintenance – styling and cleaning – is much more gruelling, compared to shorter styles, so that eliminates the no-fuss guy straight up.

Then there’s age, which plays games with your hair. Some 60-70% of men will experience male-patterned baldness in their lifetime. That means, there’s a good chance you’re on your way to bearing a helmet head. there. The key? Don’t style your hair like you still have a full head of hair (comb overs aren’t cool). It’ll make your hair look thinner, and the balding more noticeable.

Instead, embrace the Bruce Willis-look; either cutting your hair into a cool short style or shaving it all off à la buzz cut.

You’re Using Way Too Much Product

Product overuse – such as excess amounts of gel, pommade and wax build-up – not only feels uncomfortable, it’s excessive – like wearing to many branded pieces of clothing at once, and gives the impression that you’re an amateur at this thing called ‘grooming’.

The solution? Less is more. Start with a small amount of product, rubbing the product through your hands and distributing it evenly throughout your hair before moving on to sculpting a style. Avoiding clumped ends, which just make you look greasy and unwashed, apply to the roots of the hair and then moving down the shaft to tip. Remember: you can always add more, so start little.

Don’t Try To Bend It Like Beckham

While we’re big on giving you the hottest celebrity hairstyles of the month or key hair trends for men’s fashion week, don’t adopt a new ‘do simply because David Beckham does, and we tell you it’s cool. Most men have different hair types to celebs and models.

So, rather than arriving at the barbers with your heart set on a style, have a chat to man behind the chair about your hair’s thickness, texture and any quirky traits. That way, you can decide on a cut that suits your hair’s natural state, and your lifestyle.

You’re Cutting & Colouring Your Hair At Home

Going grey or the need for a hair change has many men colouring their hair – and at home. While it’s proven that women prefer men with natural-coloured hair, going grey or style boredom can make men do extreme things: full bleaches resulting in fried, yellow hair; hair that is too dark for the complexion, and block-coloured tones that look anything-but natural, meaning everybody knows your hair is dyed.

Best see a professional, then. They can advise you on coverage, highlights and cooler tones which make you look younger and more natural. Otherwise, like George Clooney – embrace your inner silver fox. Another no-no: don’t cut your hair at home, either. Even hairdressers go see other hairdressers for their next cut or colour.

Try Dual-In-One Products

The use of cheat products is a disaster for hair health. 2-in-1 shampoos and conditioners sound too good to be true, because they are. It defies what actually happens to hair when you wash it. Shampooing opens up hair cuticles releasing product and dirt build-up. Conditioning, however, closes the hair cuticles and injects some much needed moisture back into the hair shaft.

A cream that claims to do the two functions at once isn’t doing a proper job. So, ditch the dual shampoo and fork out the extra $5 or $10 it costs to buy shampoo and conditioner, separately. Stuck for time? Use the extra five minutes in the shower productively: clipping toenails while the cuticles are soft, is a good one.

Don’t Be Afraid Of Change

Style is cyclical. The Seventies has certainly shimmied its way back – to the future, these past few seasons. And so has the Nineties, and suddenly we’re teenagers again sporting basketball sneakers, faded jeans and even a baseball cap. But, hair is something that needs to keep up with the times. Your hair sets the whole tone for your look, regardless of your clothes.

Rocking a navy wool suit with brown monk shoes and red windsor knot tie, and a bowl cut, or step, or even a mullet? Your expensive threads won’t save you from being coined a bogan. While these are extreme examples, if you havent changed your hair since 1992, 2002 or even 2012, maybe it’s time for change? You know what they say…

The post Most Common Men’s Hair Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Personal Style appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s no secret that there are certain rules and etiquette that must be followed when on an aeroplane. But what happens when you don’t follow those rules? Well, you could be facing a hefty fine. And when we say hefty, we mean hefty…

According to One Mile At A Time, The Federal Aviation Administration has just given its biggest-ever fine to date. One passenger, who flew from Dallas to Charlotte in the US on an American Airlines flight back in 2021, will now have to cough up a whopping US$81,950 – which is roughly $109,821 in Australian dollars. Why?

Well, she allegedly threatened to hurt flight attendants and then spat at, headbutted, bit and tried to kick crew members and other passengers. Jeez – no wonder flight attendants are being trained to kick passengers’ asses…

Obviously, that’s deplorable behaviour but according to Compare Travel Insurance Australia, there are a number of other things that could get you a huge fine and potentially even arrested…

First of all, there’s “fooling around”. Let’s be honest, it’s a little enticing, the thought of joining the ‘mile-high club’ but you can absolutely be arrested for a ‘sexual act charge’; with the maximum sentence in Australia being 18-months jail or a $5500 fine, according to Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia.

Then there’s getting drunk. If you get inebriated to the point where you cause a commotion or you drink liquor that wasn’t provided to you by flight attendants – say, like the duty-free alcohol you bought at the airport – you can get fined or arrested; just like in that hilarious scene from the film Bridesmaids.

RELATED: Australia’s Olympic Athletes Continue Our Long Tradition Of Bad Behaviour On Planes

And for those of you who have a dark sense of humour, be warned: reign it in when you’re flying. If you make a violent joke or any sort of reference to a bomb (even as a joke), not only can you be evicted from the plane, you can be fined up to $5500, be given a criminal record and you could even be banned from flying with that particular airline ever again – which would really suck if it was Qantas and you had a ton of frequent flyer points.

My advice? Just sit back, enjoy your flight and don’t cause trouble for the poor flight attendants; who will actually give you special treatment if you do this one simple thing…

• Flight Attendants Are Now Being Trained To Kick Your Sorry Ass
• No More ‘Playing Babysitter For Adults’: USA Cracks Down On Rude Passengers

The post What You Can Be Fined For Being A Dickhead On A Flight appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As you get older, your relationship with fitness may change. You may consign yourself to a life of submission, believing that because your body is ageing, there won’t be much you can do to fight the inevitable and keep your body thriving as it did when you were younger.

But that isn’t the case. Just take a look at Terry Crews, Mark Wahlberg, Greg Norman and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. These men prove that if you commit to keeping fit, you can get results. Your only enemy is your mind.

Rich Roll, an American ultra-endurance athlete who, at the age of 55 continues to buck the trend and prove that older people can indeed keep up with their younger brethren, has recently taken to Instagram to share some words of wisdom.

Rich hasn’t been a superfit human his entire life, either. In fact, it wasn’t until he was approaching his 40th birthday when he was unable to walk up a flight of stairs that he decided enough was enough, and he was going to make himself better.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by rich roll (@richroll)

One of Rich’s most valuable teachings is to “train where you are.” This doesn’t mean using any space you find yourself in as a place to work out, such as in your home or in a hotel. Instead, he means to train based on your current physical state and to not compare yourself to a younger version of yourself.

“It’s hard to resist comparing your current self to your fittest self,” he begins. “As we get older this becomes nothing more than fodder for self-flagellation, the pace clock and GPS watch no longer a tool but rather an instrument of dread.”

“Let it go. Accept your current state whatever that may be. Let go of measuring metrics to past performances. Root your feet in the present moment and embrace that reality as a foundation upon which to enthusiastically build.”

He goes on to talk about how simply committing to a training program, no matter the exercise (you should always just perform exercises that you feel comfortable doing) is far more beneficial than how hard you go. “Consistency wins. This is true regardless of age, but the older I get the more central it has become,” he relates.

“What you do daily and incrementally far exceeds in importance the volume/or intensity of the output. Day in day out. Rise. Repeat. Sustainability reigns supreme.”

His final lesson relates to placing greater importance on areas you may have overlooked in your younger years. For most youngsters walking into the gym, the goal will be to lift as much weight as possible, despite the numerous experts telling us to leave the ego at the door (and that lifting lighter and training to failure can be just as, if not more beneficial.”

As you get older, you really need to be focusing on the little things that, when done correctly, add up to result in a much healthier you, both physically and mentally.

RELATED: One ‘Minor Tweak’ To Your Morning Routine Could Massively Increase Your Gains

“Youth permits leniency. You can get away with a lot. But age does not forgive, it reveals.”

“What was overlooked is never denied overtime. So what may have once been secondary or optional must now take centre stage: nutrition, recovery, sleep, core work, functional fitness, stretching – the laundry list is long but you get the idea.”

RELATED: Chris Hemsworth’s ‘Secret’ Fitness Hack You Should Add To All Your Workouts

“It’s the annoying stuff that sucks time away from ‘the workout’ itself that must become ‘the workout’. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way on this one, now managing significant lower back issues I know could have been prevented.”

Rich’s post has received thousands of likes and comments, virtually all of them reaping praise for his teachings.

“Nicely said. I’m 10+ yrs up on ya and it’s harder work now for fewer gains but I’ll be damned if I’ll give up. Simply can’t put a price tag on good health and all one can do is be aware of what could be lurking and work to prevent it,” says one user.

“Accepting my new normal at 62. My body has spoken. Kinder gentler approach to fitness. Running is off the table. Walk, Bike, Swim, Yoga, Hike. It’s all still good,” says another.

It can certainly be difficult to take Rich’s advice onboard, especially if you’ve already got into the mental state of believing that no matter what you do, you won’t be able to fight the signs of ageing. But, if you can accept that you won’t get results overnight, then you’ve already conquered half of the battle.

Keep going. Never give up. And you’ll soon realise how much better you feel in yourself. Even if you don’t end up with that elusive six-pack.

• American Man’s Incredible Transformation Proves It’s Never Too Late To Get Ripped
• This Sage Training Advice Is The Wake-Up Call You Need To Make Serious Gains

The post Most Important Fitness Tips From A 55-Year-Old Athlete appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Women aren’t the only ones with blonde ambition. From natural blonds like Ryan Gosling to bleached boys like 2016 Kanye West and all the way through to Adam Levine and Justin Bieber, light locks of all kinds are in right now.

Your hair will fall into one of three categories: a natural blond, a kind-of-blond-but-not-quite shade that needs some tweaking to turn blond, or a nowhere-near colour that needs a drastic overhaul in order to get golden. If you’re the first, you’ve got it made.

What To Know About Men’s Blonde Hairstyles

Blond is a delicate hair colour, meaning it’s not something you can dye and ignore. If you’re not willing to do the work, don’t dye it in the first place. Blond only looks good if you’re prepared to put the proper maintenance into it.

Leave It To The Professionals

It sounds like a fun way to exercise your DIY muscles, but inevitably, your favourite clothes will end up with bleach spots and suddenly one of your eyebrows is white. This is a job for the pros. A hairstylist can help you choose the right shade for your skin and teach you about the aftercare necessary to keep your hair healthy.

Learn What ‘Tonality’ Means

This is where a stylist can help, but it never hurts to have your own understanding. If you were a white-blond child, cool blondes will complement your skin tone. If you had dark blond hair that has evolved into a deeper shade, you can usually wear icy or golden hues. If you have brown hair, gold-blonds will be best.

Take Your Time

If you’re starting out dark and looking to lighten up, be patient. Trying to do it all in one go, especially if you’re aiming for a trendy platinum colour, is a lot for your hair to handle. Instead, gradually get lighter over a few months. It will be an exercise in patience, but you’ll be better off in the long run.

Protect Your Blonde Investment

Sun, water and hot tools will hurt your hair. Create a customised hair care regime for your specific blond needs, including consistent trims, blond-specific shampoo, regular deep conditioning treatments, and a UV protective spray.

Do NOT Bleach Your Hair If…

Your skin tone is darker: blond hair will highlight your imperfections.
You have ultra-thick, curly, or coarse hair: it will require multiple processes, and you’re likely to do serious damage.
You are balding: use a product like Rogaine, or are otherwise afraid of losing your mane – hair damage or loss is a risk with bleach no matter what, so it’s unwise to take the plunge if you aren’t prepared to accept the potential consequences.

The post Best Blonde Hairstyles For Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Looking for the best small SUV to buy in Australia? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve cast a considerate eye over the huge number of small SUVs currently available in Australia to determine which are the best, and ultimately, which are the coolest.

Small SUVs are fast becoming the most popular category of vehicle for Australians, and it’s easy to see why. The vast majority of small SUVs will have high roofs and low floors, so packing stuff into the back, or the kids into the rear seats, is struggle-free. And, while most probably won’t be able to truly venture off-road (let’s be honest, your vehicle will probably only ever stray from the tarmac a handful of times) they will at least offer some extra ground clearance, should you feel adventurous.

So, which are the best small SUVs Australia plays home to? We’ve rounded up seven top-performing models, hailing from a variety of countries including South Korea, Japan, Germany and France. All of these small SUVs offer fantastic looks and great drive quality, along with a few extra niceties to help convince you to part with some cash.

Audi Q3 Sportback 

Fuel Economy: 7.2 – 8.2L/100km
Price: From $58,195 Driveaway

Of the ‘big three’ German car manufacturers, it’s Audi that gets rewarded with a space on this list for the Q3 Sportback. The sleeker, more streamlined sibling of the regular Q3, the Sportback sees the roofline taper at the rear. It also gains a longer, lower and wider body than the standard Q3.

A sedan on stilts it is not, however, as the Q3 Sportback still functions as a commendable small SUV and one that gives you a luxurious experience inside, along with plenty of equipment as standard. Such equipment includes a suite of driver aids, 20-inch alloy wheels, an electronic tailgate, a push-button start and wireless Apple CarPlay.

You may also assume that the sloping roofline would eat into the cargo space, but you’d be wrong. The Audi Q3 Sportback actually offers the same 530-litres of space as the regular Q3, and this increases to 1400-litres with the rear seats folded down.

And you’re going to want to pack it up and take it on a serious drive, as the drive quality is exemplary. The lower body compared to its sibling means the centre of gravity is lower, allowing it to handle far better in the bends. You get ample power from the standard 1.4-litre TFSI engine, but a more powerful 2.0-litre unit is available for those who absolutely need a bit of extra grunt.

You’re also able to spec your Q3 Sportback with Audi’s excellent Quattro four-wheel-drive system, should you actually want to take it properly off-road when you’re road-tripping around Australia.

Peugeot 2008

Fuel Economy: 6.1 – 6.5L/100km
Price: From $38,954 Driveaway

While Peugeot’s may have once been viewed as a real budget vehicle option, they are now a far more formidable competitor on the road – the 3008 is one of our outright favourite SUVs to be released in recent years. Styling has improved tenfold, causing the words ‘Peugeot’ and ‘good looking’ to now be used regularly in the same sentence.

That same thinking applies to the smaller 2008 SUV too. The most recent version of the Peugeot 2008 has received a much-needed overhaul, bringing it up to par with its larger siblings. This means it’s longer, wider and taller than its predecessor, making it a far more capable small SUV in the process.

The Peugeot 2008 is available in three trim levels in Australia: Allure, GT and GT Sport, all of which are powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine. The GT Sport does give out the most power, however, and would be our pick if you can afford it (the Allure and GT share the same 96kW). With the base level Allure, you do get a good amount of equipment as standard, including keyless entry, reversing camera, automatic LED headlights and some safety aids.

The company’s i-Cockpit may divide buyers, however, with some feeling the steering wheel is too small and others thinking it works perfectly. The 3D dashboard is definitely cool (we’ll hear no argument to suggest otherwise) which sees the instrument cluster almost floating.

Cargo space is great for a car of this size, so you shouldn’t have much trouble getting everything you need into it for a weekend, or even a week, away.

Kia Seltos 

Fuel Economy: 6.8 – 7.6L/100km
Price: From $28,290 Driveaway

Kia is another car manufacturer that proves you shouldn’t necessarily fall back on the ‘safe’ options from Germany or Japan, as the South Korean carmaker has been churning out some incredible machines of late. The Seltos is a perfect example of that, being a small SUV with head-turning looks, a decent amount of kit as standard on the base model and a far more premium experience than you’d initially assume.

Being the guys we are, we’d opt for the Sport or GT trim levels, but if you settle for the S baseline model, you’ll still be well rewarded with the likes of Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, driver safety aids, a reversing camera and cruise control. If you want alloy wheels, then you’ll need to be looking at getting at least the Sport trim.

If you’re a petrolhead, you’ll likely want to steer clear of the Seltos, as it isn’t exactly the quickest thing on Australian roads. But if you live in the city, or you’re not bothered about how fast you get to your destination, there’s actually much to like. The actual driving experience is rather pleasant, with light steering but plenty of engagement from the wheels.

Where the Seltos can often trump its rivals is in the cargo space arena, with just under 500 litres to play with on the lower models (thanks to a space saving spare wheel). This decreases to 433 litres on the Sport, but you do get a full-size spare in return.

Toyota C-HR

Fuel Economy: 4.3 – 6.6L/100km
Price: From $34,550 Driveaway

Riding high on the fact the RAV4 is the best-selling SUV in Australia, Japanese carmaker Toyota also has the C-HR (Coupe-High Rider) small SUV, which is targeted firmly at a younger audience. You only need to take a look at its rather more expressive styling to pick up on that fact.

As with its larger sibling, the C-HR is available in two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive variants, along with a choice of power units, including hybrid. There are three trim levels to choose from: GXL, Koba and GR Sport. The Koba and GR Sport are pretty well matched on paper (they even cost the same), but the Koba will appeal to those who value a bit of luxury in their vehicle, while the GR Sport, as its name suggest, is Toyota’s attempt at a ‘hot’ small SUV.

Standard equipment on the baseline GXL is great for the class, with dual-zone climate control, active cruise control, satellite navigation, parking sensors on both ends, alloy wheels and a reversing camera, to name but a few. The Koba and GR Sport do give you more in return for their higher pricing demand, but if you’re not able to go for either of these, you shouldn’t feel hard done by.

Space for rear passengers is pretty decent, but it must be said, the cargo space does fall short of some other cars on this list, with a maximum of 1,112-litres being available if you fold the rear seats down. Although, because you don’t get the intrusion of the wheel arches, the 300-odd litres you get with the rear seats up may not be so bad after all.

None of the C-HR trio are going to be what you might call ‘fast’, but economical they are most definitely. Despite the GR Sport gaining the ‘GR’ moniker, it seems to be just for show, rather than for outright performance.

Nevertheless, the Toyota C-HR is an exceptionally cool small SUV in Australia and one you should definitely go and take a look at if you’re wanting to buy into the segment.

Volvo XC40 

Fuel Economy (Petrol version): 7.7 – 8.0L/100km
Price: From $53,140 Driveaway

Volvo has been an absolute king in the SUV space in recent years, with the XC90 and XC60 both proving to be exceptional vehicles in their class, and the smaller XC40 SUV only continues that winning formula. It’s available in four variations: Momentum, Inscription and R-Design, all with petrol-powered engines, or the plug-in hybrid, or fully electric Recharge.

The Momentum and Inscription come with the Swedish company’s turbocharged T4 engine, delivering 187hp, while the R-Design gets the more potent, supercharged T5 delivering 248hp, and comes with four-wheel drive as the only option. We know which one we’d go for.

No matter which trim level you get, the interior is an incredibly comfortable and pleasant space to find yourself. In classic Scandinavian style, it’s all very minimalist, and we have to say, we love it. It’s incredibly functional and practical too, not least because you get a huge amount of space in the cargo area, but because Volvo has included other rather genius touches. These include a hook inside the glovebox to carry your takeout bags and a removable bin inside the centre console.

Volvo has long been known for its driver safety technology and it’s very much a similar case in the XC40. You do get a good suite of technologies as standard, such as automatic emergency braking, but there are still some others on the options list you may want to take a look at.

But, as an incredibly good-looking and practical vehicle, as well as being one that’s fun to drive, the Volvo XC40 is perhaps the best small SUV in Australia.

Volkswagen T-Cross

Fuel Economy: 5.4L/100km
Price: From $30,990 Driveaway

Volkswagen is no stranger to the SUV market, with the Touareg and the rather excellent Tiguan on its books. The T-Cross is the more compact SUV sibling in the lineup and is joined by the more expensive and faster T-Roc. In terms of styling at least, think of these two models like the Volkswagen version of the Audi Q3 and Q3 Sportback, respectively.

Australian buyers of this small SUV have a relatively simple choice, with just two models on offer: the 85TSI Life and 85TSI Style. Both get the same engine; a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged unit, which is mated with a seven-speed auto box. The Style, however, does get some extra goodies as standard over the Life, which is why you’ll need to pay around an extra $5,000 to drive one away (there are option packs available for the Life if you want to add some extra kit).

Realistically, the T-Cross will favour those who live in the city due to its rather lacklustre power output. However, that’s not to say it’s a bad car, far from it. The T-Cross manages to provide an incredible amount of space inside, is well-priced for what you receive and has some excellent safety features.

Inside it’s a rather premium experience, with soft-touch materials in places and nice finishes on others. Cargo space is good too, and the clever boffins at Volkswagen have incorporated a sliding mechanism into the rear seats so that they can move forward to allow for extra space in the back. With the rear seats down, you get a total of 1,465-litres of space, which is seriously impressive when you consider the size of the T-Cross.

Either variant of the T-Cross represents great value, but if you can, we’d recommend the Style, purely for the extra equipment you get. It also brings the option of upgrading to the R-Line package, which brings bigger alloy wheels and various aesthetic upgrades inside and out.

MG ZST

Fuel Economy: 8.9 – 9.2L/100km
Price: From $25,490 Driveaway

MG has slowly but surely been getting into the hearts and minds of the Australian consumer, with the ZS proving particularly popular since it launched in late 2017. Since then MG has introduced two new versions of the ZS, to be sold alongside the budget SUV hero. There’s the electric-powered ZS EV, which starts at $44,990 and the ZST, which takes the $22,000 ZS Excite platform and gives it new styling and a new powertrain.

While those two new models suddenly introduce some serious competition for MG, they certainly still offer plenty to whet your appetite and demand your consideration.

We’re going to focus on the ZST here, which is available in four different trim levels: Core, Vibe, Excite and the range-topping Essence. What you should notice right away is there isn’t much to separate the four in terms of styling, save for some different alloy wheels on each, and the Excite and Essence get black trim.

Inside you get slightly more premium materials compared to the budget ZS Excite, and a heavily updated selection of technology and gadgets. Space has improved too for passengers, although cargo space remains the same as the more wallet-friendly ZS at 359-litres.

As for the drive, there’s much to like again, with decent throttle response and a better suspension setup to make your journies that bit more comfortable. The ZST also receives MG’s ‘Pilot’ safety suite of driver safety technologies, with practically anything you can think you might need being included. Essentially, you’re going to feel safe when driving one.

The post Best Small SUV Australia 2022: 7 Cool Compact SUVs appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Us men don’t talk about it nearly as much as we should, but pornography is absolutely endemic in our society, mostly thanks to the Internet. Indeed, as much as one-third of all the data transferred across the Internet is porn.

Indeed, according to a 2017 report from the Huffington Post, porn sites receive more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined per month. And the hours we spend watching porn? Pornhub Analytics pegged it at 5,517,000,000 hours in 2018 alone for visitors to their site. In other words it’s increasing.

More to the point, porn addiction is a particularly big problem for men. It’s not particularly well-defined and there are no universally accepted diagnostic criteria for porn addiction, but estimates say that around 1.5% to 3% of the adult population of the United States meets the criteria for compulsive pornography use. It’s a big problem.

But, what exactly is porn addiction, how can you tell if you’re addicted and ultimately, how do you cure a porn addiction? Allow us to reveal all.

What Is Porn Addiction?

Porn addiction refers to, as per Medical News Today, “a person becoming emotionally dependent on pornography to the point that it interferes with their daily life, relationships, and ability to function.”

Porn addiction is often closely related to a masturbation addiction, with each fuelling the other.

DMARGE has previously spoken with Samantha Jayne, Channel 10’s relationship advisor to The Bachelor all about porn addiction. She said excessive consumption of pornography can alter your brain chemistry, “causing major issues in relationships, reducing confidence levels, increasing anxiety and impairing sexual performance.”

“The overstimulation [brought on by excessive porn consumption] results in a heightened expectation of self-gratification rather than an intense experience of togetherness—and that equals bad sex.”

Porn Addiction Symptoms

This one’s fairly straightforward. Apart from any addiction being a weakness to get over, “Several studies have found that internet porn in particular is killing men’s sexual performance, to the point where sexual enhancement drugs no longer work,” says Samantha Jayne.

Even worse, “Long term use of porn,” she says, “Can inhibit a person’s ability to emotionally connect with another person, leading to a very superficial relationship with a lack of true intimacy and feelings of isolation and emptiness.”

This has resulted in us as a species, “Getting worse at staying present (as we are) so caught up in this virtual world.” And when we stop connecting we stop intimacy, “And as a result it impacts the quality of sex.”

Luke Vu who specialises in pornography and internet addiction, has previously told DMARGE about other symptoms of a porn addiction. They include:

• You repeatedly fail at your attempts to control your porn use
• You regularly use more porn (or more intense porn) than intended
• You use porn as a means of avoiding negative emotions or problems
• Your porn use is interfering with your daily life i.e. work, study, relationships and health

What Happens If You Leave A Porn Addiction Untreated?

Like any problem that’s left untreated it can get worse. Those using porn excessively could be neglecting their own personal relationships as they’re supplementing a genuine connection for a sexual one. This neglect then leads to relationship breakdowns or divorce.

On the career front, Vu says it can affect your work performance if you’re spending countless hours and nights in search of the “perfect” porn clip – getting fired for porn addiction is very real these days.

The other side is that excessive porn use has some unique consequences. For some, their sexual interests change. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but it can be bad. Vu says you could find yourself seeking out porn that doesn’t align with your values or worse, that’s considered illegal.

How To Stop Porn Addiction

So if you can get addicted to porn, how do you cure a porn addiction?

Samantha Jayne says, “At first porn can appear to be self-soothing and bring about instant gratification. It can be used to mask uncomfortable feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, boredom and used to block out other unwanted emotional feelings and escape from reality, which may seem harmless at first. It’s not.”

Step two; “Replace the old negative bad habit (porn) with something more positive. Exercise, meditation, yoga all come to mind. Or simply get out more and spend time with real people.”

Understanding it is a prevalent issue in modern society, many men are banding together on Internet communities to share advice and help each other kick their kinky habits.

It points to a greater mindset shift among young men that not only accepts men being more honest about their problems, but also a shift to healthier, more sustainable conceptions of masculinity.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Book Of Leaders | (@book.of.leaders)

There’s no shortage of porn addiction advice on Instagram and TikTok, but perhaps the best community is Reddit’s /r/pornfree, where men (and women, for that matter) share their trials and tribulations with overcoming porn addiction.

One great analogy shared on /r/pornfree illustrates how difficult it is to overcome porn addiction: “Being a porn addict with a phone and trying to quit is like being a recovering alcoholic who always has a bottle of vodka in his pocket. It’s absolutely insane. No wonder this shit is so hard.”

RELATED: High-Class Escort Reveals What Men Really Want From Sex

Unlike some communities like the infamous anti-masturbation subreddit /r/NoFap, /r/pornfree is free of some of the pseudoscience and covert misogyny that other communities or popular culture indulges in.

For example, one /r/pornfree user talks about using the HALT technique used by narcotics and alcohol recovery communities as a thought exercise to ‘check themselves’ when they feel a relapse coming on.

“Am I: H- Hungry? A- Angry? L- Lonely? T- Tired? Often, in times when we are feeling any of these 4 things, it makes us more vulnerable to go towards the vices we cling to for that sweet, sweet dopamine rush.”

It’s stuff like this that demystifies porn addiction for us average blokes without delving into toxic behaviours or falling into shame.

How To Train Your Brain To Stop Watching Porn

Recovery from porn addiction is always possible according to Vu. “Brain patterns are changeable and you can always break old habits and form new and healthier habits,” he says.

Those concerned about their porn habits can use these steps to curb consumption.

• Monitor your use – especially if it exceeds a few hours and you begin watching it at work or during breaks
• Understand your use and the reasons why you shouldn’t be using it
• Assess what is your reasonable/manageable amount
• Be deliberate with your use – set a time, set safe categories and define what the red
  flags are
• Accept and learn to deal with urges as you attempt to cut down – think about the consequences or use distractions like sports or other hobbies to replace porn

A few male celebrities have also been forthcoming about their struggles with porn addiction. Back in 2018, Chris Rock talked candidly about his porn addiction, joking that he was “15 minutes late everywhere” during his Netflix comedy special Tamborine.

“When you watch too much porn, you know what happens? You become, like, sexually autistic… You have a hard time with eye contact and verbal cues… You get desensitized. When you start watching porn, any porn will do. Then, later on, you’re all f*cked up and you need a perfect porn cocktail to get you off.”

RELATED: The One Winner In The Will Smith vs. Chris Rock ‘Smackdown’

More recently in 2020 during a podcast interview, The Rock shared some of the strategies he’s used to address his porn addiction, namely getting off (pun slightly intended) social media.

“One of the things that I’ve done in the last whatever year, not just going to therapy, I’ve kind of gotten off social media. I got off all social media. I don’t watch pornography anymore. I’m like, my brain is like ‘ahh’. Like, I’m focused, man. Now, so, a lot of stuff on YouTube or, what is it, Instagram, I got like a company that puts that stuff out.”

Of course, not all of us can afford to subcontract our social media use to a dedicated company – nor do we suggest that cutting out social media is a sure-fire solution to curing one’s addiction to porn – but it definitely can’t hurt to put your devices down a bit more often if you’re struggling with porn addiction.

Terry Crews is another big name who’s gone on the record about his porn addiction. As Men’s Journal reports, Crews went live on Facebook in a series of videos titled ‘Dirty Little Secret’ to chat candidly about his journey.

“You know, for years, years, years, my dirty little secret was that I was addicted to pornography, for years… I think it’s a worldwide problem, but pornography, it really, really, messed up my life in a lot of ways. Some people deny it. They say, ‘hey man, you can’t really be addicted to pornography, there’s no way’. But I’m going to tell you something, if day turns into night, and you are still watching, you probably got a problem. And that was me.”

“It affected everything. I didn’t tell my wife. Didn’t tell my friends, nobody knew. But the internet allowed that secret to stay and grow. My wife was literally like, ‘I don’t know you anymore. I’m outta here.'” Crews almost facing divorce was his wake-up call. He continues:

“That changed me. I had to change because I realized, ‘yo, this thing is a major, major problem’. I literally had to go to rehab for it. And the thing [that] I found was that by not telling people, it becomes more powerful, but when you tell, and when you put it out there in the open, just like I’m doing right now, to the whole world, it loses its power.”

“I’ve been free of this thing going on six, seven years now. Thank goodness. But now, it’s become my battle to help other people who are going through the same thing.”

Porn Addiction Help

What can you do if you think you’re suffering from porn addiction? Well, if it’s particularly distracting, it might be worth talking to a therapist. Healthline also shares some tactics to gain control over your porn viewing on your own.

“Have a plan – choose another activity or two that you can turn to when that powerful urge hits. When you want to view porn, remind yourself how it has affected your life – write it down if that helps. Consider if there are any triggers and try to avoid them.

“Partner up with someone else who will ask about your porn habit and hold you accountable [and] keep a journal to track setbacks, reminders, and alternate activities that work.”

Good luck, kings.

• What Is The Average Penis Size In Australia?: Everything You Need To Know
• How To Get Instantly Better In Bed, According To An Australian Male Escort

The post Porn Addiction: Causes, Symptoms & How To Cure It appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Ask anyone who’s a fan of comic books and comic book films – hell, ask anyone who likes films in general – and you’ll get a number of reasons as to why The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is ten times better than the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

Sure, the MCU is not perfect; The Incredible Hulk and Thor: The Dark World aren’t great but those films aside, very early on, Marvel Studios – the film production company behind the MCU – nailed the fine art of producing brilliant films that seamlessly intertwine with other films in the franchise. They achieved this through subtle references and not-so-subtle cameos as well as the beloved end-credits scenes that hint at what’s to come.

Plus, most of the MCU films, are enjoyable as standalone films. Off the top of my head, I can name multiple MCU projects that are well-written, action-packed, witty, feature incredible performances from the cast and were well-received by BOTH critics and fans – Iron Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, WandaVision… Just to name a few.

Then, on the other side of the coin, we have the DCEU which began in 2013 with Man of Steel. Don’t get me wrong, Man of Steel is a good film but the films that came after it – with the exception of the first Wonder Woman film, which was awesome – really ruined what could’ve been a great franchise.

Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Aquaman… all these films have basic plots, barely likeable characters and are just clearly trying (and failing) to copy the MCU. In my opinion, Warner Bros. – the film production company behind the DCEU – should cut its losses, start from scratch and build a new DC extended or cinematic universe.

And they should do it with films like The Dark Knight, Joker and The Batman. Why? Because all of these DC film adaptations were extremely grounded in reality, had compelling plots, beautiful cinematography, phenomenal performances, thrilling action scenes and were wonderfully dark; which sets them apart (in a good way) from the fun and camp tone – that’s incredibly hard to reproduce – that most MCU films have.

Obviously, as The Dark Knight trilogy came to an end years ago and Todd Phillips, the director of Joker, confirmed that Joker was definitely a standalone film, Warner Bros. can’t incorporate these extremely successful DC film adaptations into a cinematic universe. It can, however, start one with The Batman; which was practically just released and is already more successful and well-received than any DCEU film.

Think about it; it’s already been confirmed that two television series that are spinoffs from The Batman are in the works and one will feature Colin Farrell reprising his role from the film as Pengiun and the other will focus on Arkham Asylum, where the Riddler ended up in the film. This instantly connects the two shows to The Batman and sets up somewhat of an extended universe.

Then Warner Bros. should release a dark and grounded Superman film that matches The Batman’s gritty tone and features a simple reference to Gotham or perhaps a cameo from Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman (maybe she fled to Metropolis at the end of The Batman?), and a solid film universe will have been created.

Warner Bros. then needs to slowly introduce more DC characters in solo films – that are all blends of the detective, action, horror and psychological thriller genres like The Batman – before bringing them together in a film; like the MCU did with The Avengers.

In all honesty, the current DCEU is a pale imitation of the MCU but if Warner Bros. created a cinematic universe filled with well-written films that all have that grounded, gritty and dark feel to them, they’d finally have a worthy adversary for Marvel Studio’s franchise on their hands.

• All Batman Films Ranked & Where To Watch Them
• How All The MCU Films & TV Shows Connect

The post The DCEU Will Never Be As Good As The MCU Unless It Does This… appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Fade haircuts and the various types of fade haircuts that come under the umbrella term are fast becoming the classic go-to look amongst the legions of stylish gents.

If you’re unfamiliar with the fade haircut, it basically refers to long (or at least, longer) hair on top of the head, and short hair on the sides and back of the head. Whether you opt for a skin fade haircut, a taper fade haircut or one of the many different types of fade is entirely down to you – we’ll look at a solid selection of them in a moment.

The fade haircut is incredibly versatile, so is a suitable option for most guys when heading to the barber for a fresh trim. But what exactly should you be asking your barber when talking about fade styling options and, perhaps more importantly, how do you ask for a fade haircut, when it’s not as simple as just asking for a fade haircut? Allow us to reveal all.

How To Ask Your Barber For A Fade Haircut

When you’re sitting in the barber’s chair, you can’t simply ask for a fade haircut. Instead, you must tell your barber exactly what kind of fade haircut you want. The more precise you are, the more accurate they will be at delivering your wishes. The fade haircut can actually be broken down into various styles: low-fade, mid-fade, high-fade and taper-fade to name a few, but other slightly more obscure options include the undercut fade, pompadour fade and the skin fade haircut.

While it’s certainly true that the fade haircut will suit the majority of guys, your face shape will determine which specific style of fade haircut works best for you.

You can also choose the length you want your faded sides to be. Naturally, you’ll want to aim for as short as possible – some guys even choose to have no guard on the clippers to get a skin fade haircut – but a good starting point would be a number 1 over the ears, which gradually increases in length to a number 2 further up the sides of the head.

Ultimately, if you’re not sure exactly what type of fade haircut, or what length to get, ask for your barber’s recommendation, or take a picture with you of someone else’s hair that you like the look of. They’ll let you know if it’s possible.

Different Types Of Fade Haircuts For Men

What good is all this talk about the different styles of fade haircuts without some images and further explanation on them? Here are the best men’s fade haircuts to ask for on your next barber visit.

Low Fade Haircut

A low fade haircut is a perfect entry point into the world of fades, as it doesn’t require too much of the hair on the sides of the head to be removed. Instead, your barber will only cut the hair just above your ears. You can choose to have a hard low fade haircut, which will see your hair go from a grade 0 or 1 to a 3 or 4, for example, or it can be blended more naturally, going from a 1 to a 2.

Mid Fade Haircut

The mid fade haircut presents itself as being a great all-rounder. It’s less ‘boring’ than a low fade, but doesn’t have quite the same impact as a high fade haircut. As its name suggests, the mid fade haircut starts further up the sides of your head, roughly in line with your temple.

A mid fade haircut works with virtually any hair length on top of your head. Pair with a long pompadour, a short French crop, or even a buzz cut, and it doesn’t matter if you have straight or curly hair.

High Fade Haircut

The high skin fade haircut is becoming increasingly popular for men, although there’s no denying it works best for guys with short hairstyles. This allows the dramatic change between the fade and the hair on top to be seen more clearly.

A high fade haircut can be worn by guys with all hair types too, whether it be straight, curly, afro or Asian

Taper Fade Haircut

Taper fade haircuts provide a combination of the taper haircut and the fade haircut. These two styles on their own are often mistaken for one another, but there is actually much to separate them. A taper fade haircut doesn’t exhibit as much of a drastic change between hair lengths but sees the hair taper inwards as it reaches the ear. It also only tends to concern the hair just over the ears and at the neckline (although, you’ll find there are still many different types of taper fade).

A taper fade haircut, more often than not, shows skin and follows the hairline all the way around, so even the back of the hair is faded too.

A taper fade haircut sees the hair gradually get shorter and shorter as you move toward the ears, before blending in with the skin. It’s possibly the best fade hairstyle for all guys, as it works with all hair types and any style you wish to have on top. It can also work wonders for all face shapes too, as the taper can be modified to suit.

Temple Fade Haircut

Also known as the Brooklyn Fade, the temple fade haircut can have its history traced back to the 90s. Predominantly popular with black men with afro hairstyles, the temple fade haircut has since found its way into the haircut mainstream, where it is a viable option for anyone.

A classic temple fair haircut will see the hair fade abruptly from the temple and down towards the ear. Only the hair in front of the ear is touched.

Undercut Fade Haircut

The undercut fade haircut combines both the undercut haircut and a fade haircut, to create an incredibly modern hairstyle for men. The undercut haircut by definition already exhibits incredibly short hair contrasted with longer hair on top of the head, with no real in-between phase. Adding a fade into the mix helps to soften this hard contrast, by incorporating faded sides as opposed to having one length of hair.

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing the fade hairstyle you pair with your undercut fade haircut, as they are all worthy contenders, however, the high fade haircut will give the most eye-catching results. And, as is the case with the undercut haircut, the length of hair on top is down to your discretion too, as anything from short hair to long hair is allowed.

How To Style The Fade Haircut

There are several ways you can style your fade haircut. For a high fade – where the sides are short up above your ear – working some matte-effect product through the hair on top will give a tousled, stylish look.

Patricks M2 medium hold pomade will do the job here, offering a good amount of hold, but is pliable enough so that your hair will do exactly what you want it to. We’d recommend Patricks M2 for any fade haircut style.

A fade doesn’t necessarily mean the hair on top has to be short either, just as long as the sides are faded, you have a fade haircut. This means you can also opt for a pompadour hairstyle for a vintage vibe. A classic pompadour calls for a high-shine, so a pomade will be your friend here. Reuzel Blue is the perfect product for proving a strong hold and a high sheen.

You’ll want to add on some hairspray to really make sure your look stays locked in.

How To Maintain Your Fade Haircut

The main downside to rocking a fade haircut is that it will grow out and look unfaded pretty quickly. With this in mind, you’ll want to revisit your barber every two to three weeks to keep your hair looking its faded best.

Fade Haircut FAQs

Read Next

• Top Short Hairstyles For Men
• Curly Hairstyles For Men

The post Fade Haircut Styles For Men 2022 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Think your tap water is perfectly fine to drink? Think again.

Ok, so maybe that statement is a little harsh, but there are certainly pros and cons to drinking water straight from the tap, compared to say, drinking bottled mineral water or filtered water.

According to Healthline, the US has one of the safest public water systems. It is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency, which sets legal limits for the number of contaminants that can be in public water for it to be deemed ‘safe’.

But, safe doesn’t necessarily mean optimal. In order for the water that comes out of your tap to be stripped of its contaminants, some chemicals may need to be added. Some people believe these chemicals are not good for your gut health. Also, because tap water is stripped of minerals, it doesn’t necessarily pose any real health benefits (other than, you know, that pesky little thing, hydration).

So, what other options do you have? Well, according to health hacker Dave Asprey, mineral water is the way to go. Taking to Instagram, Dave tells us he drinks bottled mineral water because it (unsurprisingly) contains minerals.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dave Asprey (@dave.asprey)

He goes on to say, “there are studies that show that people who get more minerals and people who drink mineral water, live longer because our current food supply and all the chemicals in our food are depleting minerals in our body.”

“Your body needs minerals to make enzymes. Enzymes allow chemical reactions inside your cells to happen with less energy than just physical chemistry would predict. That means if you’re missing a mineral, your body isn’t able to do what it’s meant to do.”

“I’m getting sulphur, calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals that are in mineral water.”

While it should be common knowledge, as a quick biology lesson, your body needs a number of essential vitamins and minerals to function properly. The NCCIH says the minerals we need include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron and zinc, to name a few.

If your levels of any of these minerals are low, you can take supplements, but if you can get them from natural sources first, you’ll be doing yourself a favour. The same goes for essential vitamins. The majority of these can be found in food sources, but some, such as vitamin B12, can only be found in red meat, so those on a plant-based diet will need to take vitamins in order to keep their levels healthy.

Mineral water can be obtained directly from an outdoor source (where it will still likely undergo some filtration to remove impurities) or minerals can be added back into water in order to raise its mineral content.

Indeed, Healthline agrees with Dave’s comments, claiming that drinking mineral water can help to promote bone health due to it being a good source of calcium, adding, “in fact, studies have shown that your body can absorb calcium from mineral water as effectively as – if not better than – calcium from dairy products.”

Mineral water can also help to lower blood pressure because the calcium and magnesium it contains help to alleviate high blood pressure (something that is caused by a lack of these two minerals).

As with virtually any subject on health, there are some potential drawbacks to drinking mineral water. The main one is its environmental impact, more so because mineral water is most commonly bottled in plastic bottles.

For starters, there is the theory that microplastic content can build up in the water because the water absorbs it from the packaging. Healthline adds the long-term health effects of microplastics are still unknown, but animal studies indicate a large build-up can increase inflammation.

Ideally, you’d want to drink mineral water from a glass bottle if possible.

Mineral water is just one of the many types of water that can bring health benefits. If you don’t want to spend extra on buying bottles of it, or you want to reduce your environmental impact by refusing to buy plastic bottles (this is where tap water can be good, because it has a low environmental impact) then you can introduce your own water filtration system at home.

These water filters can come in various sizes and fall into various budgets. One of the most convenient types of water filter screws onto the end of your tap, and will then filter out chlorine, metals, bacteria and any microplastic content. If you want to get super serious with your water at home, you can invest in a machine such as Kangen. In fact, one user even comments on Dave’s Instagram post, asking him to share his thoughts on Kangen water.

Kangen is essentially its own name for a type of water produced by a range of machines, manufactured by Enagic. Kangen machines can convert tap water into acidic or alkaline water by a method known as electrolysis. Using Kangen machines allows you to select the pH level of the water, so you can select pH 9.5 for safe drinking water, or more acidic water for disinfecting surfaces around the house, for example.

Kangen machines aren’t what you would consider ‘cheap’, but they’re claimed to not only result in health benefits through the water you drink but lifestyle benefits too – improved hydration, thicker hair, greater mental clarity, for example.

There is a whole world of information for you to discover surrounding the various health benefits of drinking different types of water. The key takeaway here though is that you should really be questioning the water you drink out of a tap. It might be safe, but it might not actually be good.

• 3 Simple Health Hacks To Get In The Best Shape Of Your Life
• Pickle Juice Is The ‘Superdrink’ You Never Knew You Needed

The post Why You Need To Rethink Your Relationship With Tap Water appeared first on DMARGE Australia.