--- source_url: "https://www.themanual.com/grooming/the-soft-goat-a-softener-just-for-stubble/" title: Soft Goat Softens Stubble - The Manual mirrored_at: 2026-08-08T15:38:51.252Z host: www.themanual.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/www.themanual.com/grooming/the-soft-goat-a-softener-just-for-stubble/index" --- > **Original source:** https://www.themanual.com/grooming/the-soft-goat-a-softener-just-for-stubble/ 1. [Home](https://www.themanual.com/) 2. [Grooming](https://www.themanual.com/grooming/) 3. [Legacy Archives](https://www.themanual.com/grooming/legacy-archives/) You know what would really suck? Making out with Scarlett Johansson only to find that her face has the exact same texture as sandpaper. She’s one of [the sexiest women alive](https://www.esquire.com/women/the-sexiest-woman-alive/scarlett-johansson-2013-sexiest-woman-alive-photos), so you’d probably just deal and make awkward excuses as to why it looks like someone took a belt sander to your mug, but still, it would give you reasonable pause before going in for more. Ok, back from dreamland and apologies to Miss Johansson—we’re just making the point that stubble, while it looks desirable to the fairer sex, is hands down, the most uncomfortable male facial accoutrement for her to get all intimate with. Even worse than full on beards, which at least can be tamed with [a proper beard oil](https://www.themanual.com/grooming/beard-hygiene-101-defunk-face-muff-beard-buddy/). Your post-shave stubble is too short to be tamed by the softening elements in any elixir. Recommended Videos Which is why we’re pretty excited to have found The Soft Goat, a completely brand new product that buffs the scratch right off your 5 O’clock shadow. It’s a small textured pad that you gently rub in circular motion over your day growth for about a minute or two. It’s pretty harmless and the pad is hypoallergenic, though if you have extremely sensitive skin, it might make you a little red. The maker, who suffered stubble complaints from his lady friend, found that the sharp ends of hair grown can be sanded down to softer angles—the concept is equivalent to taking two pieces of sand paper and rubbing them together. Does it work? Pretty much. It doesn’t turn your face fuzz into mink fur or anything, but it certainly takes the edge off enough to keep the kissing going for longer than it would have otherwise. $11.99 for 3 pads (Enough to get you through at least 6 months of stubble) at [thesoftgoat.com](https://thesoftgoat.com/order-your-soft-goat/) Matt Bell is a travel and grooming writer. He’s endured Thai face slapping massages, swam in a cage with crocodiles and… [Read Full Bio](https://www.themanual.com/users/mattbell/) Why ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky Is Dead Wrong About Pedicures — and the Late Kobe Bryant Would Agree  ![Accessories, Formal Wear, Tie](https://www.themanual.com/tachyon/sites/9/2026/07/GettyImages-2236806402-1-scaled-e1785438356253.jpg?resize=650%2C390) If the name Dan Orlovsky rings a bell, you probably know him for two things. He’s the quarterback who infamously ran out of the back of the end zone in 2008 as a member of the Detroit Lions. The move is considered such a bone-headed move that when Cody Kessler did the same thing in 2016, pundits wrote that Kessler pulled a Dan Orlovsky. The name also might ring a bell because of his takes as an NFL analyst on ESPN. It turns out that there’s now a third reason why the name rings a bell. Earlier this week, Orlovsky said he’s completely against men getting pedicures. The subject came up after football fans learned that Florida Gators football coach John Sumrall, a no-nonsense tough guy, loves getting pedicures. Orlovsky appeared on Mike Greenberg’s Get Up show and made his feelings known. [Read more](https://www.themanual.com/grooming/why-espns-dan-orlovsky-is-dead-wrong-about-pedicures-and-the-late-kobe-bryant-would-agree/) The art of the summer scent: Smelling good in the heat with an expert ![Person spraying cologne on their neck](https://www.themanual.com/tachyon/sites/9/2023/01/smiling-man-holding-cologne.jpg?resize=650%2C390) I am a fan of a good scent. I write about cologne all the time and became a little obsessed with stacking fragrances and diving deep into the notes that build all my favorite scents. The top notes you smell right away, the heart notes that form the core of the fragrance, and the base notes that stick around the longest. As a matter of fact, Kevin Keller, co-founder of Fulton & Roark is who sent me down the obsessed path when he introduced me to the concept of stacking colognes a few years ago when I interviewed him for a different article on how to select the right cologne. So, now that summer is in full swing, I have been a little focused on what makes up a summer scent and how to keep it strong in the heat and humidity. So I reached out to Kevin and he hit me with some knowledge. I don’t believe in hard seasonal rules. Fragrance is personal. If you love a dark, smoky scent, you should wear it, even in July. You might just want to go a touch lighter than you would in the winter months. – Kevin Keller, Co-Founder, Fulton & Roark [Read more](https://www.themanual.com/grooming/smelling-good-in-the-heat-with-an-expert/) Dean Bell hits the road and talks men’s grooming ![Adult, Male, Man](https://www.themanual.com/tachyon/sites/9/2026/07/467260152_18474509020002295_3481520220538815510_n.jpg?resize=650%2C390) Dean Bell is a guy many people know from The Bachelor and The Bachelor in Paradise. He has since updated his image as an influencer searching for adventure. That search has led him to partner with Chevron this summer in celebration of the country’s 250th birthday. In addition to helping many drivers keep their engines in top shape this summer with his support of the gas, he is teaching us something he is adopting this season: Men’s grooming and skincare. As he gets a little older, he is figuring out, with the help of his wife (like most of us), the importance of taking care of his skin. But how is he doing that on the road this year? And how can we learn from his experience? That’s what grooming is at the end of the day when it comes to skincare. You are basically keeping to your skin as youthful as you possibly can. – Dean Bell [Read more](https://www.themanual.com/grooming/dean-bell-hits-the-road-and-talks-mens-grooming/)