Glenn O’Brien has done a ton of cool things. He was editor of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, and then the first Editor-at-Large in magazine history at High Times.
He produced and starred in Glenn O’Brien’s “TV Party,” which David Letterman called “the greatest TV show ever,” and he wrote and produced the film “Downtown 81,” starring Jean-Michel Basquiat. He has also worked as a stand-up comedian and an advertising creative director and copywriter.
But most importantly, Glenn O’Brien is a noted expert on YOU. He knows what looks good on you and, most importantly, what doesn’t.
We spoke to Glenn about when growing a beard doesn’t work, how to handle thinning hair with style, and the new 2015 Dove Men+Care Hair and Face range of products.
What are you doing with Dove?
They wanted someone to talk about their new line of grooming products and it’s something I know about. During the whole awards show season, we’re talking about how men can achieve the looks that one sees on the red carpet and improve their looks. I like the old sort of Renaissance Man idea, where you might not know everything about everything, but you know something about everything. It makes for a well-rounded person. And Dove is here to help you look like you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t, as far as grooming.
Out of the entire line of Dove Men+Care Hair and Face products, which is the best product? What is the one that a guy can’t live without?
For me, speaking as somebody who’s not in their 20s, I think the hydrating products are really important. Because that’s something that most men who aren’t in show business or in the public eye tend to maybe not take care of their skin. Somebody threw a figure at me, like 50% of men never wash their face. The Dove Men+Care Hydrating Face Lotion, if you do that every day, you’re going to see the results. You might see the results in a month, but you’ll really see the results in 10 years.
As a stylist and creative director at varying points in your career, what do you place more emphasis on: emulating what’s hip or cool, or embracing a natural strength?
Good style is always personal, not just trying to look like everyone else. It’s going with what you’ve got and what you want to project. That’s the way I approach it.
What’s the most common male grooming mistake you see, amongst all ages, all ethnicities? Is it a unibrow? Is it neck hair?
I think in the general population, I think you see a lot of guys, now that we’re living in the new age of beards, you see a lot of guys trying to achieve a false jawline by trimming their beard, and thinking that is going to cover up for being a little overweight or whatever, give them a crisp jawline. Usually it backfires. And it just makes them look, like, you know, worse. It’s surprising, because you see it on a lot of sports anchors and people you think would know better because they get a lot of public exposure, but I guess nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news.
People keep sending me free bottles of booze and recipes to go with them, and I keep noting that many of the cocktails developed to promote liquor brands are extremely good…all the better to market the product, after all. I just wish I could tell you the name of the genius who came up with this week’s drink, because I think it’s really superb.
