Simple Skincare & Beauty Tips ~ Just for You!
‘Man skin care’ would seem like an alien topic to some men. It would have been even more alien a few years back. However, more and more men are now realising the importance of man skin care (and hence you see markets flush with man skin care products too). Even though the male skin is very different from that of a female, ‘man skin care’ is very similar to the skin care for women.
‘Man skin care’ too starts with cleansing. Water soluble cleansers are preferred. Cleansing helps remove the dirt, grease and pollutants from the skin and helps in preventing pore clogging. The inherent oily nature of male skin makes cleansing an important part of man skin care procedure. Cleansing should be done at least once every day, even better if it is done twice a day. Using soap on the face is discouraged.
‘Man skin care’ revolves a lot around shaving. Shaving foam/gel/cream and after shave lotion are one of the most important man skin care products. Serious ‘man skin care’ requires a proper selection of shaving related equipment and products. One of the main considerations in choosing shaving products should be the skin type (since the degree of oiliness differs from person to person). Alcohol-based aftershaves should be avoided. Proper ‘man skin care’ also mandates the use of good quality razors. Here, swivel-head razors are preferred since they are known to reduce cuts. Besides these products and equipment, it is also necessary that you use them properly. Be gentle when using your razor. Do not scratch it against your skin; use a soft and smooth action (after all it’s a matter of removing hair, not the skin itself).
Male skin is generally thicker and oilier, owing to larger pores and more active sebaceous glands. However, due to regular shaving, the skin can get dehydrated quite easily. Hence moisturisers too form an integral part of man skin care. Moisturising gel or cream should be applied after shaving. In fact, some shaving foams/ gel have an in-built moisturising effect too. Moisturisers should be patted gently over the face and massaged gently using upward strokes.
Though a man’s skin is less susceptible to skin cancer caused by UV radiation, using a sunscreen is also an important man skin care measure. You can use a moisturiser that combines sunscreen with the moisturising effect.
Another good option for ‘man skin care’ is to use man skin care products which have natural ingredients like aloe vera, sea salt and coconut etc. Naturally antiseptic oils e.g. lavender, tea tree etc also provide good means for man skin care.
Man skin care is not as difficult as a lot of men think. It just asks for a few minutes every day, in order to give you a healthy skin for present and for future.
A diet is a plan, generally hopeless, for reducing your weight, which tests your will power but does little for your waistline
~ Herbert B. Prochnow
This is part two in our series of Basics of Skincare, Tools of the Trade. You can read part one here: Basics of Skincare, Tools of the Trade – Part One
What are moisturizers?
They come in many names, types and ingredients. From your real basic to eye creams, serums, wrinkle cream, day and night creams, anti-aging, dry skin, oily skin, acne. Each moisturizer type is meant to do it’s job working with the rest of what you apply. Serums are applied first, eye cream and then your moisturizer best suited for your skin type, your age and need. “Layering” your moisturizers makes best use of everything you apply; as you get older the more types of specially moisturizers and serums you will need. No matter their price tag, no one moisturizer will give your mature skin what it needs. Depending on your skins needs, age and even time and seasons all play a part in which moisturizer will be needed. Moisturizers are usually a lotion or cream meant to help your skin retain moisture. They also return some of the natural oils lost during cleansing /toning process. Moisturizers stay on your skins surface depending on type and ingredients and only penetrate just deep enough to help your skin renew itself. One of the big reasons why cleansing and moisturizing your face at night is so important. Moisturizers slow down moisture loss with a protective film. They also help offset any tightness and help plump up the fine lines so they are less noticeable, making your skin feel softer. Night creams generally are heavier than day creams. Eye creams usually contain active ingredients to tighten under your eyes, help fight dark circles and help smooth away fine lines and delay the formulation of wrinkles.
What are other products you would use in your skincare?
Other products are used to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells on the top layer of your skin so that it speeds up cell regeneration. They are not products you would use every day, most are used no more than twice a week. They include your mud mask, and other products that exfoliates made with ingredients like fruit seeds, oatmeal, clay for example. They help improve your skin texture and appearance. Masks are best used once a week due to the fact most are made with clays and can be over-drying. Most Exfoliates can come in different ingredients that make them not as hard on your face as clay masks can be. In fact you can find lots of recipes for both masks and exfoliates you can make with items found in your kitchen! Always test before trying anything new you create on the inside of your elbow and wait 24 hours before using on your face.
Check with your dermatologist if you got questions.
There you go! Next time you go to buy something new to help keep Mother Nature a bit longer away, I hope this helps.
Products we recommend for your anti-aging skincare routine:
Reviva Labs 5% Glycolic Acid Cream Exfoliation & Cell Renewal for Mature Skin
Light Skin Peel ~ All skin types!
Men’s Care Repair Moisturizer by Natural Empathy
Essential Fatty Acid (EFAs) Cream For Thin Delicate Skin
If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want
~ Elbert Hubbard
This is a two part series on what you need for caring for your skin the best way possible. Not many care for their skin, taking care of it takes time and not many really know or understand what that might take. Here is a quick run down of what you will need, to help your skin stay looking as young as possible.
Basics of Skincare -Tools of the Trade
Did you know for basic skincare the magic number is four? There are three basic steps you do twice a day and one step you do twice a week at most.
The three basic everyday skincare needs are:
1- cleansing
2- toners
3- moisturizers
4- would be your specialty products such as mud masks, exfoliation for example.
What are cleansers?
These are specialty formulated products meant to remove grime, and makeup from your skin, without over-drying it. They clean off old makeup, dirt, oils. They come in different types, creams, lotions, gels and bars of soap. Cleansing with a bar soap is one of the oldest most efficient cleanser, but it may not be the best for your skin. Creams and lotions are easy to use; just massage into your skin to lift dirt and remove with warm water or tissue it off.
What are toners, fresheners, astringents?
They are specialty formulated liquids mostly with alcohol as one of the main ingredient. Alcohol is usually the active ingredient in toners; it makes your skin feel fresh and cool because it evaporates quickly. It can also temporarily minimize your pores by plumping up the skin around them. The percentage of alcohol differs from product to product. In fact you may find that astringent, toners, and fresheners as part of the label for the same product. The three are pretty much interchangeable in meaning as well as product.
There are a few differences to point out, astringents usually have the highest percentage of alcohol and mostly used for acne care. There are water-based toners that are formulated especially for mature skin or any skin type that cannot tolerate the over-drying that alcohol can do. When checking labels, look for products where the word alcohol is closest to the last on the list of ingredients.
Products we recommend for your skincare:
The Skin Society
Skin Vision US
Men’s Skincare Lines
Ella Blue Skincare
The rest of this article will be posted in a few days. 
Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states
~ Carol Welch
