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The dermis, the outer layer of every person, the largest organ on the body, and it should be getting more love. The skin, once an overlooked facet of a man’s grooming routine; the self-care routine once neglected and even disapproved. The notion of why a man should take the time to look cleaner and healthier beyond shaving was frowned upon and considered a waste of time.
Thankfully times changed, and leaps and bounds have sprouted up beyond the regular visit to the barbershop; thankfully, men grooming practice has gone far beyond the usual hot towel shave and face massage. Ailes of men’s cleaning, hair grooming, and beard oils have sprouted up, creating a feature to the skincare industry that extended well beyond the once woman-dominated section. The main issue is finding the products that best suit a person’s skin for the best results. It has now become a staple in today’s self-care industry.
Skin Care and Water
The most basic and minimum effort a man or woman can make is this first step. Your skin and your whole-body benefit greatly. Drink water! Drinking at least eight glasses of water helps the body to break down and eliminate toxins. Though a contested statement, the benefits of drinking more water outweigh the possibility that it does not improve the skin. Many testimonies speak to the benefits of increased water consumption. Even people that suffer from acne have reported an improvement in their skin.
It is a long-term process, do not rush and drink two gallons, and expect to have a newborn’s skin. It is part of a more extensive regimen to bring out the best possible for you. Think of it this way; the human body is composed of up to 70 percent water. Intaking more of it can only help.
Men Versus Woman Skin Care Products.
When starting a new skincare routine, an individual might suddenly find themselves giddy at the perspective of their new health care regimen. Then as pushing their shopping carts to the health care aisles suddenly find themselves overwhelmed by the myriad of choices. Options on beard oils, lotions, creams, soaps, scrubs, hair products line the shelves. Which one works best for the individual. Is there even a difference between men’s and women’s products?
Firstly, yes, men and women should use different products. Men with thicker skin generally contain more oils, have denser hairs. Women, on the other hand, have less hair and thinner skin. Secondly, healthy skin comes in four general types. It is essential to know which product best targets a person’s skin. Sebum plays a considerable role in that determination; once the individual understands this, they can shop with confidence.
- Sebum: is an oily or waxy substance found on the body. Usually produced on the scalp and face, it can occur on the rest of the body except for the feet’ palms and soles. The sebaceous glands secrete the sebum on the skin. It mixed with lipids and sweat in the hair follicle and pushed to the surface.
- What does sebum do: It acts as an element that helps keep the skin moisturized and a waterproofing system. It keeps water in the body, helping maintain skin health. It also serves as a shield preventing infections and bacteria from quickly entering the body. Too much or too little sebum affects the type of skin.
- Normal/Eudermic: the term used to refer to balanced, healthy-looking skin. It looks not too oily or too dry.
- Dry Skin: This is a skin type that contains less sebum than normal skin. Then the result of fewer sebum results in a lack of lipids that skin requires to retain moisture and thus maintain a healthy resistance against the elements.
- Oily Skin/Seborrhea: The term describes skin with heightened sebum production. The overproduction produces a glossy shine over the visible pores.
- Combination Skin: A combination of the different skin types present on a body. It is possible to find a variety of skin types on the scalp, face, etc.
If a person is unsure of their skin type, it is best to consult with a dermatologist; now, armed with the information tackling the health care aisle isn’t so daunting.
Grooming
As a term for self-care, grooming encompasses all facets of skincare. These activities include skin hydration, lotions, soaps, scrubs, and oils; many activities make self-care a complete process. The long list makes grooming sounds like an eternal task; fortunately, the routine takes only minutes, and your skin will thank you for as long as you wear it.
Skin Hydration: as stated above, water plays a massive role in keeping the skin healthy and with some bounce. To be precise, a sign of dehydration is itchiness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Avoid these with water.
Lotions: These miracle creams have been a staple in skincare; these lotions offer various effects; these include moisturizing, hydration, protection from the sun, protection from insects, skin beauty, and repair. Make sure to look at the contents so that the ingredients best suit your particular skin.
Soaps: The soap industry has grown with skincare in mind. As such, soaps now are directed at particular types of skin. Then it is common practice to have a body soap and a soap for the face. The added benefit of using the proper soap keeps the skin looking healthy and clean.
Scrubs: These health care lotions contain soaps and granular components like sugar to clean the skin and remove dead skin cells.
The proper combination of these elements will make sure your skin looks healthy and with that more youth full with an age-defying appearance.
Beard Care
Beard growth and care have become a staple in men’s grooming. The quest for an epic full beard that would make the members of ZZ Top jealous is now within people’s reach. With proper beard oils, time, and care, a luscious full beard is just a matter of time before the person looks like a Viking figure come to life.
Beard Oils: These are applied to the skin and the beard hair. Its goal of beard oil is to help grow and fill in gaps by stimulating hair follicles. It will also prevent beardruff, help keep your beard smelling good, looking reasonable, and manageable throughout the day.
Beard Wax: It serves the same purpose as beard oil, though the oils float within bee wax. This benefits a longer life span of the product per application.
Beard Balm: This is considered a combination of both oils and wax but usually evaporates quicker during the day.
The Art of the Shave
Shaving has seen many changes; the straight blade itself has gone from a single sharp-edged blade held in hand; to cartridge held razors that make shaves easier. The more modern razors are easier on the skin by allowing more hair removal with fewer strokes across the face. One of the side effects of the razor shave is the loss of essential oils on the skin. These are replenished over time by the body, but irritation might set in before this happens. It is necessary to use the proper lotion to reduce razor burn and irritation.
Shaving soap: though not as prevalent today, the soap bars used in conjunction with a brush and hot water create a thick lather. The soap was for men and held scents like sandalwood. These are still available today and can found according to skin type. When used with a brush can offer an exfoliating effect on the skin.
Razors: These are single-use blades for shaving. Though now found not only in their single-use form, the disposable cartridge gained popularity as a more comfortable, less accident-prone shaving tool. The disposable cartridge has changed and gone from two blades to five and offers multiple options in its moisturizing strips.
After Shave: The once harsh lotion focused on preventing infection, but it was rough on the skin. The more modern lotions disinfect and produce a cooling sensation on the skin, helping to prevent irritation and razor burn.
Oils: A recent addition, or more likely an old classic brought back; these help the skin replenish the loss of the oils and sebum during the shaving session. The idea is to bring relief. Usually containing some natural vegetable oil like coconut, these can offer a different option than the traditional aftershave.
The Key to Age-Defying Skincare Routine
The final step in a person’s routine is protection. The sun, our source of light and heat, is also one thing that most affects the skin. Then the sun’s harmful rays and their ill effects can be held at bay using sunscreen. Look for these with a high SPF to block these harmful rays and keep yourself looking young. Wear sunscreen every day if possible.
Determine your look
With the plethora of information, it is a matter of determining their look and establishing their preferred grooming method. Tackle that self-care aisle and look great.
References
https://mafficlinics.com/2017/08/skin-care-for-men/
https://blog.fendrihan.com/2013/06/skin-care-for-men-why-it-is-important/
https://www.healthline.com/health/dehydrated-skin
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This content is brought to you by Richard Kennedy.
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