Plastic Surgery,Skin Care,Cosmetic Surgery

Archive for June, 2008

#1 Keep it clean.

Men have approximately 15% oilier skin and significantly larger pores than women do. Basically, this means you get dirtier. It is very important; no matter what skin type you have, to clean your face every day. Deep cleansing is important. It keeps pores clear, skin healthy and you looking good.

Cleansing products should be as chemical-free as possible. Deodorant soaps shouldn’t be used on your face. They cleanse with harsh ingredients and leave a detergent film behind. This may irritate your skin and will clog your pores. Go natural.

A good scrub is essential for healthy skin. It will remove dead cells and smooth the surface of your face. The scrub should be strong without being damaging. Stay away from scrubs that contain rough elements like ground bits of nut or seed extracts. They will tear and damage the skin. A good scrub will invigorate you, not hurt you.

Moisturizing is a necessity. Again, the product with the least amount of chemical additives is the best. Always use a light moisturizer on your face after cleansing and shaving and don’t forget your neck!

For an intensive moisture treatment use pure vitamin E, or aloe vera oil. It is available in liquid form, or just break open a capsule and apply the oil directly to the skin. This is a great under eye treatment. Remember it is very important to moisturize this sensitive area of the face. It is one of the first places to show age because the under eye skin secretes no necessary oils on its own.

#2 Keep it toned.

Because men are outside more than women are, environmental debris and pollutants are more a factor to their skin’s health. Toning helps keep the skin clear and firm.

As skin ages, it needs to work harder to maintain its elasticity. Astringents and toners with glycolic or alpha hydroxy acids work the best for toning the face. These acids actually can reduce the pore size, and help avoid ingrown hairs. They are aggressive and have quick results. Remember to look for a product that is not photosensitive (sensitive to light).

#3 Treat your skin.

Depending on your skin type (oily, dry or combination) and the time of year, there are different products that treat and enhance your skin. Different treatments will have very different results. It is important to know your skin’s needs.

All types of skin need to be exfoliated. This is the removal of dead skin cells that form daily. This is an essential part of skin treatment.

After shaving, you need to moisturize with a product that has absolutely no alcohol in it. Avoid heavy fragrant after-shave products too, as they can irritate the skin.

Skin that is too shiny doesn’t look healthy, just greasy. Blot the excess oils away. Blotting papers or a light powder that will give you a more natural finish are both good options to try.

Don’t forget about your lips. Find a balm that has an SPF of at least 15 in it. Peppermint oil has a nice feel and keeps the lips looking luscious.

#4 Protect your skin.

Healthy skin is young looking skin. There are preventative techniques that can promote the best skin possible and keep it looking its best longer. Remember that your skin is a mirror of your overall body health.

Here are the key techniques:

Avoid over exposure to the sun.

Sun damage leads to hyperpigmentation (brown spots) which can develop into serious skin disease. Excessive exposure can also exaggerate and thicken fine lines. Use an SPF 15 or higher on all exposed skin, especially on your face.

Stay in shape.

Exercise promotes capillary functioning which can decrease premature aging. It also increases oxygen to the tissues which keeps skin looking young.

Eat right.

Keep vitamins such as C and E in your diet regimen.

Everything in moderation.

Too much of anything is never a good idea. Stay away from excessive alcohol, smoking, fatigue and stress. Not only can these factors lead to premature aging; they also decrease facial circulation making you look older.

Michele Probst. “Skin Care Tips for Men.” BestStuff.com. 22 Sep. 2009 [http://www.beststuff.com/family/skin-care-tips.html].

For too long, the concept of “men skin care products” has been placed on the back burner. For most men, other things just seem to crowd out the idea of “skin care”. The idea of natural skin care for men seems almost sissy. Au contraire mon frere! A face-full of healthy skin is a commodity you can’t afford to waste.

So here’s what I’ll do for you. You can read this article, and get practical how-to advice about men skin care products and no one will know! It will be our little secret.

Close the Sale

Most men have this mistaken idea that men skin care products consist solely of soap, shaving cream, and some aftershave or cologne. The phrase “skincare” conjurs up images of women with cucumber eyes, trying to keep their skin feeling soft and pretty. But what man really cares about “soft and pretty” skin?

But I know a lot of men who care about first impressions. They care about being able to close a high-end sale, or confidently lead a group of associates, or give killer-presentations. They care about RESPECT. And respect is harder to attain when you look like your 14, but your really pushing 40. And those little red dots sprinkled on your face and neck certainly don’t help your case.

Believe it or not, but a good skin care regimen is actually more important for a man than it is a woman. Women don’t regularly take a sharp blade and scrape it across their cheeks, chin, and neck. That constant irritation can make skin itchy, red and irritated. Throwing on those alcohol-based aftershaves and colognes afterwards can make things even worse.

Talk about a solid return on investment! That 30 seconds you take in the morning and evening to properly care for your manly man skin will pay you dividends on your overall health, and your ability to “wow” at those first oh-so-important impressions.

A man with a healthy, young-looking complexion (but with an experienced face) is going to feel more confident about that getting promotion, or delivering that effective sales-speak to potential customers. Give yourself an emotional and physical edge on your competitors.

Go Below the Radar

Although they are an absolute necessity in order to nurse razor-burned and irritated skin back to health, high-quality men skin care products are very difficult to find. I say “high-quality” because most of the men skin care products being offered are not specifically designed for the unique needs that a man has.

You might as well be putting cucumbers on your eyes too…because your getting the woman’s formula in a new package. If there are any changes at all, it’s most likely just a new scent. At least they’re smart enough to figure out that YOU don’t want to smell like lavender.

If, by some miracle, the products were different, I would still not recommend that you use them. Why? Because they are full of chemicals and petroleum-by products that don’t help your skin, and are even worse for your total body’s health.

You need natural skin care for men. You need men skin care products that contain healthy ingredients to effectively soothe, and moisturize your skin, nullifying the effects of daily shaving.

What are the ingredients you should look for in your natural skin care for men products? Brazilian Babassu wax (as opposed to cancer-giving paraffin), and witch hazel. Both of these act to relieve both the razor burn that you have and the dryness and itching.

Natural skin care for men should always include these two ingredients, the witch hazel especially. Look for naturally processed witch hazel, not synthetically re-created.

You should also be on the lookout for Capuacu butter as an ingredient, because it is also especially good at treating dry, itchy, inflamed skin. It has even been proven powerful enough to be helpful in healing eczema.

As a rule, if the product you’re using isn’t produced by a company that includes all-natural ingredients as part of their mission statement, move on. Go below the radar, and use natural skin care for men products from companies who are smaller in scope.

In my experience, if the huge mega-skin care companies would spend just half of their marketing budget on research and development, their products would be infinitely higher-quality.

Your Bottom Line

In this economy, it’s important to make the best impressions on your customers, boss, and coworkers. Everyone’s skin (including mine) could use something. If you don’t eat healthy foods, your body will remain unhealthy. If you don’t use men skin care products that are healthy, your skin will remain blotchy, irritated, and wrinkled.

Taking 1 minute a day to attend to your skin’s needs is an incredibly simple way to boost your confidence, and maybe even your bottom line. To see the specific ingredients you should look for in your natural skin care for men products (including more details on the ones I’ve already mentioned), and where to find them, visit my website hyperlinked below.