‘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.