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Monday, April 2, 2012

The Ultimate Man~


Girls it’s not always about us, men need to equally know about skincare. There is absolutely nothing unmasculine about trying to have a good complexion. Your skin is the largest organ you have and it helps protect you from many elements in our environment. More importantly, your skin reveals a lot about your diet and general health. No matter how much time you spend in the gym, women look at your face first. Here are some quick tips and product recommendations to looking resilient, sexy , and masculine…….

1.       Always keep hydrated with water. Naturally, your drinks shouldn’t have calories. 

2.       Avoid too much sun exposure. By this I mean, avoid burning your skin. The sun will allow you to make vitamin D, which is helpful in keeping your skin healthy, but too much sun can cause skin damage and possibly cancer. 

3.       Cleanse your face daily to wash away dirt and dead skin (If you’re going to choose between cleansing, exfoliating, or moisturizing. Go with cleansing, it’s absolutely important.)Typically, men have larger pores and sebaceous glands, which produce too much sebum (a.k.a. oily sweat). To cut through the grease, I recommend using a simple bar of soap, such as Burt’s Bees Natural Skin Care for Men, Bar of Soap ($4) or Umbrian clay bar by Fresh ($35). The ingredients have no chemicals or junk that further damages your skin. Also, this step sets you up for a better shave. 

4.       Exfoliate. Exfoliation will make a big impact on your appearance. Try an inexpensive and accessible product like Baking soda. Apply a ¼-½ tsp to your hand, add a couple drops of water to make a paste, GENTLY rub your skin and wash off. So simple! 

5.       Shave. Always shave with hot water on moist (not wet) skin. This helps to soften your beard and lubricate the skin. I recommend shaving in the shower. Always frequently change your blades. To learn how to correctly shave, pamper yourself to a store called The Art of Shaving. I recommend their Traditional shave package ($35). This is basic enough to see the steps needed to learn good technique.  I know many professional men who are regulars and say it’s worth the cost.

6.       Moisturize. Make sure you moisturize after you cleanse, exfoliate, and shave. Many men feel that adding lotion to their skin will make them oily. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. When your skin feels deprived of moisture, your feedback system in your skin will want to produce more sebum. Unfortunately, the body produces too much and you’re stuck with a greasy face.
I recommend L’Occitane BAUX After shave moisturizer ($30). 

Don’t feel obligated in doing all of these steps every day, but listen to your skin and decide for yourself what works best for you. The products recommended are of great quality, because this is true, you don’t have to use as much.