Stumped, confused and not really sure what to get that man in your life for Christmas but would like to give subtle grooming and styling tips to? Worry no more as Chris Salgardo, President of Kiehl’s USA has written a book that is the answer to your problems in MANMADE: The Essential Skincare and Grooming Reference For Every Man. He tackles those awkward issues from body odor and grooming to makeup and even lifestyle choices. We sat down with Chris to talk about what inspired him to write his book, what he describes as the five types of guys and why this book would be very beneficial for any man in your life.

What inspired you to want to write this book?
This has been a true passion project for me. As I’ve gotten more public exposure as President of Kiehl’s, I’ve had men coming up to me, in one of our stores, at an event, or even on the street or at the gym, asking me about skin care and shaving. Maybe they’re going through something personally—being laid off or getting divorced--and are looking for a way to make a change and improve their confidence, or maybe they never learned how to shave properly. I realized that even with the Internet and social media, where you can find the answer to nearly any question, most men still don’t know who to ask their basic grooming questions. I wanted to write a really useful resource for those men, to help them get those questions answered, and help them put the best, most confident version of themselves forward. That’s what inspired me.

Your book is a bible every man should own and read. You cover everything from body odor to makeup and of course, skincare. Will there be a sequel to the book, possibly covering more taboo topics?
Right now, I’m just focusing on getting Manmade into men’s hands! As a first-time author, the writing and editing process, and then heading out for a book tour and meeting the public at book signings, all while still doing my day job at Kiehl’s, has been unbelievably rewarding, but also incredibly hectic. However, now that I’ve done it once, and seen what’s involved, I definitely would like to do a second book. I’d like to explore the Manmade lifestyle further, or create a similar guide for all the amazing women I’ve met over the years.

Knowing that no two men are alike, why was it important for you to create your 5 archetypes to speak to?
My five archetypes--The Modern Gentleman, The Hands-On Man, The Extreme Dude, The Rebel Artist, and The Renaissance Man--really cover everybody, because it was important to me to address any man that reads my book. How readers reference these archetypes is truly up to them: they can either put themselves into one of these categories, or find pieces of themselves in a few different archetypes. Or, they can feel like a Rebel Artist one day, and a Renaissance Man the next. Personally, I identify with elements of each of them. If I’m getting ready for a corporate meeting, I’m definitely a Modern Gentleman. But when I’m on my motorcycle, I’m an Extreme Dude, and then when I work on my house or garden, I’m a Hands-On Man. It’s not about putting men in specific boxes, rather, it’s about giving them specific grooming and lifestyle tips to complement the lifestyle they lead, or lifestyle they want to lead.

Why is MANMADE the perfect gift for that special guy in your life this holiday season?
It’s the first of its kind, an all-encompassing guide for every man, covering all the bases from shaving, to skincare, to hair and grooming. It’s never too early or too late to start paying attention to your grooming habits, and even if you think you know everything about grooming, you’ll find something in the book that will up your game. Most men just don’t do enough to protect their skin. They either don’t want to, or don’t think they need to, and then they wake up one day looking older, and wonder what happened! This book presents the basics of skincare and grooming in a simple, straightforward way so that both the men who barely splash their face with water, and the men with a standing barber appointment can learn something new.