His Skin Maketh a Man
There was a time when beauty aids and skin care products were considered only women’s requirements. No longer. Men’s skin care is as important as women’s, and today there is a wide range of men’s skin care products to take care of men’s skin. Skins of the two genders have only limited differences and the main among these is the higher content of elastin and collagen in men’s skin. These are what make men’s skin thicker. Besides, men’s skin is oiler as well, since their sebaceous glands work round the clock.
Today’s man is not indifferent to skin care. He too would like to protect his skin from the ravages of sun, wind, or cold, and is ready to use available skin care products towards that end. It is more difficult for men to have that perfect skin, because of the perennial attack on his skin by the shaving razor. As such, the use of after shave lotions, and shaving gels rich in vitamin, are obligatory in the case of men for proper skin care.
Though women are together with men in every arenas of life today, men are still found to be the species with more inclination for outdoor activities. More men are still found playing golf, fishing, or doing construction work. These activities expose the skin continuously to sun. To ensure skin care, men should apply sunscreen lotions on all such occasions when the skin comes directly in contact with the sun.
General guidelines for men’s skin care
To have a skin that is clean and not rough, face should be washed regularly in the morning, and later when going to bed.
Skin should be scrubbed with something slightly gritty, to remove the dead surface layer of the skin. This will also help in opening the facial pores and thus would help in getting a good close shave.
Good shaving is all important for men as a part of good skin care. While shaving, skin should be first splashed with warm water, and the shaving cream well massaged on to the face, which will help better blood flow on the outer surface of the skin. Make sure that the shaving blade is sharp enough and shave only in the direction of the hair growth. Shaving in the opposite direction may cause skin irritation. Shaving in both directions is also likely to have a negative effect on the skin. Above all, one should not shave in a hurry. A hurried shave will aid in getting cuts and bumps and stubbles.
Skin constantly needs moisture and so men should use a good moisturizer that is a good skin conditioner as well. In men’s case this is important also for balancing the skin dryness that may ensue from the use of some shaving products. One that contains aloe vera or vitamins would be ideal for the skin. After shave lotions should also not contain alcohol, which would tend to make skin dry.
Skin on the other parts of the body like elbow, arms and feet should also be kept washed and moisturized.
For men also, the best proactive skin care is a balanced diet, exercises, and keeping off alcohol and tobacco. These are the required prophylactic standard for keeping every body organ fit, including the skin that covers it all.
