THE NFL season may be over, but that doesn’t mean the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver Stefon Diggs is slowing down—at least on the self-care front. Known for this eclectic take on style off the field just as much as his moves on it, Diggs knows a thing or two about how the right look, grooming and self-care practices make a difference—not just on how you look, but you feel. And he leaned on them heavily in what turned out to be a pretty crazy season.
We caught up with Diggs to find out exactly what goes into his pre- and post-game self-care routines and discovered just how seriously he takes them. Here’s how he takes care of his skin, his hair, and everything else.
Men’s Health: You’re already an off-field style icon. What’s your secret?
Stefon Diggs: I go in with the mindset of trying to get some of my ideas down around Wednesday or Thursday, and then on Friday have my final decision. But sometimes I like to do a real last minute decision. I think some of the best outfits are the last minute ones where you just put together some of your favorite items and just rock out with it.
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I’ve been into style since I was young, but when you’re young, you don’t have the money to buy the most stylish things. Money doesn’t buy style. I wanted to look nice with what I had. And you had to make it work. I like to go to a thrift store and buy a $19 black jean jacket that you don’t even know where it’s from. I get enjoyment out of that.
How does your grooming factor in?
I’ve got to get my mind right. I like to, at least, wash my face and do my skin routine. And then I’ll get my hair cut as close to game day as I possibly can so hopefully I’m a little fresher. I like to take my time with it. It’s a process. It’s actually a real process for me to get ready. It’s something I’m serious about.
Do you always go to the same barber?
I have somebody that flies out to me wherever I’m at, whenever. I have to have him there. If he’s not there, I’m going to be feeling a little different just because I don’t feel as sharp. So yeah, I fly him out. He is a good friend of mine too now.
I don’t really use too many hair products. I put the hair stuff into my barber’s hands. I might use my little sponge, but we’ll see here and there.
You mentioned your skin routine. What’s it like?
I got face pads, I got cleansers, I got oils. The night routine is a little more thorough. Before I go to sleep, I use cleanser and moisturizer. I’ve bounced around a little bit with moisturizers, but [I like] Aveeno. It made me feel the most comfortable because it’s light. It doesn’t feel as thick and that’s what I prefer. Twice a week, I put on a black face mask that I like to peel off. I sweat a lot with football so I might get a lot of blackheads [and the mask helps with that]. I always put it on and say, “Yep, I’m more ready right now.” And it’s really just me just sitting there scrolling on my phone waiting for the mask to dry. I go to bed and wake up with some good skin. I’m a brand new man.
How does your facial hair factor in?
I have my barber use my King C Gillette trimmer [when he cuts my hair]. So it goes into a process of geting my face right first and then we’ll focus on my hair. One thing at a time. I’ve got to keep my facial hair the same. I tell everybody I have a beard in training right now, a goatee in training. So it’s damn sure a process. But I don’t switch anything. I stay consistent.
What else goes into your pre-game routine?
I take my Duolingo class. I really just be chilling. I try not to do too much that would put me in a worrisome mindset. I’ve got to focus on the game. I’ll go into the stadium listening to old school R&B, and then I won’t listen to real turn-me-up music until I get on the field. I try to stay as mellow as possible. I’m superstitious, but I try not to be, if that makes sense. Because if I fall into the superstition of, “Oh, I ate a bowl of cereal and five gummies before the game, let’s do that every time,” it might not fare well for me.
What about your post-game routine?
That’s when you really got to take care of your face and your body, too. I get two massages a week. I have two IVs a week for recovery and hydration. You can imagine how tired I am after the game, like worn down. So I feel like the IV brings me back to life. I’ll get an immune system boost, too. It’s easy to get sick when you’re so damn tired but you’re not getting as much rest. When you get IV, you wake up a new person and you get a little burst of energy.
I feel like the body follows the mind, too. So if I feel good alongside taking care of my mind, with my face, with my skin, with my hair, I got to take care of my physical to make sure I’m okay as well.
How important is this routine to you?
It’s all about confidence and I need to feel confident. I play how I feel, like I’m one of those players that I play with a lot of passion. I put my heart on my sleeve and I love it there. I’m comfortable there. So I’ve got to feel good when I get out there. I got to have the right cleats, I got to have the right mindset. So it’s a lot that goes into it. And once I’m there mentally I feel like I can take over the world.
Garrett Munce writes about men’s style and grooming. He’s written for Esquire, New York Magazine, Spotlyte, and Very Good Light and held staff positions at GQ and W. Follow his skincare obsession on Instagram at @garrettmunce.
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