Men’s skin care

To some man, skin care would seem an alien topic. A few years ago it would haven been even more alien than it is now. But more and more men realise the skin care isn’t only important for women, but also for them (that’s why you see markets flush with man skin care products too). And although the male skin is very different from the female, the differences in skin care are limited.

Skin care for men starts the same way as it does for women, with cleasing. Water soluble cleansers are preferred. The cleansing will help in removing the dirt, grease and pollutants from the skin, and it also prevents pore clogging. Because male skin is oily by nature, cleasing makes an important part of man skin care procedure. It should be done at least once every day, but it would be better done twice a day. Don’t use soap, a cleanser is better.

A second big part of ‘man skin care’ has to do about shaing. Two of the most important skin care products are shaving foam/cream/gel and after shave lotion. When you are serious about skin care you need a proper selection of shaving related equipment and products. When you are choosing shaving products, you should take your skin type in consideration. You should avoid alcohol-based aftershaves. And if you want to do a proper shaving job, you will need to use a good quality razor. It’s preferred to use swivel-head razors because they are known to reduce cuts. But, it’s not only important to have these products and equipment, you also need to use them properly. Be gentle when you use 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.