Soap Style

"I always want to look presentable," says Jensen Ackles (Eric, DAYS), a 6-foot, 175-pound Texas native. By his own admission, however, he's not big on what's trendy in fashion. Formal occasions mean looking in his closet, choosing either his charcoal gray or olive green suit; and zeroing in on a shirt and tie that appeal to him at that moment. "I'm not into spending an hour in front of the mirror. What matters is that what I'm wearing fits and feels good."

Most of Ackles' clothes are purchased by him at the mall. "I'm not a particular store shopper," says the hazel-eyed, dark blonde heartthrob. "But I do like Hugo Boss because his stuff fits well, and Abercrombie & Fitch has a lot of comfortable clothes. I'll buy things when I'm out and about and not looking for anything specific."

How does he dress when he's not in front of the camera ? "Khakis or jeans and a T-shirt or sweater---and a hat. I always wear hats." Among his collection are cowboy hats, baseball caps, and stocking caps.

"More than anything else, I've accumulated a lot of T-shirts." Ackles says, "and I don't want to get rid of any of them."

Even so, once a year he does go through his things, tossing items which he no longer likes. His brown, leather cowboy boots are another story. "I've had them for about four years, and I wear them to work and to kick around. I also must have my running shoes."

He owns three pairs of Adidas running shoes and purchases new ones before the old ones are worn. "I'll buy a new pair because I like them," he adds.

Ackles isn't a fan of electric razors, preferring a no-frills number that he uses with any kind of shaving cream that's around. "Just so long as it's something that doesn't smell bad," he says. "Usually I'll buy whatever is on sale." The same goes for the way the actor selects his shampoos and conditioners.

Ackles' only concession to vanity is using Oil of Olay lotion. "My mother has always used it, and she got me hooked," he says. "If my skin is dry, I'll put some on my face after I shave."

When he attended high school, Ackles was heavily into sports. "I played just about every sport you can think of," the handsome 20-year-old recalls, "including baseball and lacrosse."

To fill the void these days, he goes to the gym at least four to five days a week. "I try to work out almost every day on the treadmill for 25 minutes, and I'll lift weights for about 30 minutes," Ackles says. "I just do what I'm in the mood for."

Luckily, Ackles doesn't have a weight problem, so he can indulge in his favorite craving: Gummy Bears.

"I don't smoke," he says. "I'm not old enought to drink, but I love Gummy Bears. I have to make myself stop eating them because I can easily eat a pack or two at a time." When he's out of Gummy Bears, he'll head straight for the refrigerator shelf that holds the yogurt.