Men?s Skin Care and Grooming
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printer-friendly version| by Virginia Alexander More and more men today are taking an active approach to looking better. Taking care of grooming habits and skin is the number one way to look younger, healthier, refreshed and better groomed. My male clients represent many professions. I love the way they are singing the praises of looking better and feeling better. Good grooming us just good grooming whether you are male or female, right? While it seems logical to think so, there are differences between the genders and between individuals that make the finding the right grooming techniques an individualized process. For instance, men?s skin is thicker than women?s, making it tougher and somewhat more resilient. Furthermore, the oil glands in men?s skin produce more oil than women?s, giving men more ?natural moisture,? which is a good thing and the main reason their skin will look younger for longer as they age. Because of differences such as these, men have different needs for their skin. Fortunately, skin care practices and products designed for men have been increasing in availability. Maintenance for Men Maintaining your skin is like maintaining your car or bike: it makes sense and keeps it looking good. A man?s skin is approximately 20 percent thicker than a woman?s, and is typically firmer because it?s richer in collagen and elastin and benefits from more active sebaceous glands. Men?s skin tends to be oilier, but it is also more prone to dehydration because of regular shaving. (Shaving is an exfoliation process; it removes the surface dead skin cells as well as the hair.) More and more men are turning to skin care professionals for help with skin care and personal grooming solutions for an entire range of skin and body concerns so they can have healthy skin and look better and younger. As with all skin care, there are products designed for your specific skin type. It is essential that you know what type of skin you have before purchasing any type of skin care program. Determining your Skin Type Most people fall into the following categories: normal-combination skin, dry-sensitive skin, or oily skin. Some of us battle with acne or occasional breakouts. Simple skin-type test In the morning, wash your face. Do not apply toner, moisturizer or anything else to your skin. Wait about an hour and take four pieces of white tissue paper; gently press one piece on forehead, one on your chin, one over your nose and one on your cheek. The results: ? Dry/Sensitive: No oil will appear on the tissue. Skin feels tight after you wash it and can appear flaky or dull. ? Oily: Oil appears on every piece of tissue paper; skin will appear shiny. Skin may also be crusty or flakey around nose. ? Normal/Combination: The tissues placed on the forehead, nose and chin have a little oil, but the cheek area is dry. Once you know your skin type, choose products designed for your skin?s needs. Acne is a skin condition, not a skin type. It can be caused by many factors. We usually think acne is caused by extremely oily skin, but in reality any skin type can get acne. Acne can be caused by hormonal changes in the body as well as external factors. It is a skin condition generally causing bumps and eruptions under the surface of the skin. Sebum and debris get trapped under layers of dead skin cells, causing irritation and redness. Your physician should be the one to determine what type of acne you are experiencing, as well as the treatment that is best for you. Men?s Skin Care and Grooming About 97 percent of men shave, and about 78 percent said that their skin gets irritated by shaving. In order minimize shaving-related problems, try the following suggestions. 1. Get your beard thoroughly wet with warm water. (The shower is a great place to shave.) The steam softens the hair and opens up the pores, allowing a cleaner, closer shave. 2. Use a shaving product (cream or gel); it softens and lubricates the hair for a cleaner shave and creates a glide factor for your razor. 3. Always shave in the direction that the hair grows; it helps reduce the risk of razor drag and cuts the hair off at an angle that reduces the risk of ingrown hairs. 4. Avoid repeating strokes; this is one reason for razor burn. 5. Rinse your face well (don?t just wipe down with a towel) and then pat dry with a clean, dry towel. 6. Apply non-astringent aftershave to soothe the skin and close down the pores. 7. Finish with a moisturizer formulated for your specific skin type. 8. Frequently replace shaving blades. A sharp blade ensures a closer, cleaner shave. If using an electric razor, clean often to kill bacteria. Razor bumps are really ingrown hairs. The hairs are often curled back into the skin rather than grown out. These ingrown hairs can cause painful, unsightly red bumps. There are two solutions of choice if this is a problem for you. The first is to use an exfoliating product when washing your face; this helps open up the clogged pore and allows the hair to come out naturally. The second is a product that is found over the counter called Tend Skin. Hair Removal Essentials for Every Man The ?unibrow??the single eyebrow growing from the outside edge of one eye to the opposite end of the other?is a very scary thing. Not only is it very distracting, but it also makes your eyes look heavy and actually ages your appearance! A simple fix is to shave or wax the hair right over the nose, creating two unique brows instead of a single line of hair. Brush your eyebrows up; this gives a more open eye look. At a men?s grooming seminar, I had the guys all brush their brows down and look in a mirror, then brush them up. Every single man saw a vast difference in his appearance. The main thing they all said was that brows brushed up made them look much more intelligent. Try it for your self. It?s good for a laugh, and it will also help you remember to take that small, painless grooming step once you see the difference. Bushy brows that grow in various directions look like caterpillars. When you get your hair cut, a good stylist should also trim your brows. It only takes a second and makes a significant difference in your appearance. Nose hair can create another very distracting situation Nose hair trimmers can be purchased in any drug store for under 20 dollars. I recommend using them once a week. Nose hair removal makes a huge difference in your appearance. At the same time, check for hair growing out of your ears; a nose hair trimmer will take care of ear hair in seconds too! Excess Body Hair Many men find that they start to grow excess body hair as they age. This is even more prevalent with hormonal changes. Temporary hair removal techniques include tweezing, shaving, depilatories and waxing but more permanent solutions, like laser treatment, are also available. Laser hair removal is becoming more popular with men who want permanent hair removal on the face and body. Lasers work by targeting the pigment in the hair follicle and injuring it so that the hair falls out and cannot grow back. Depending on the size of the area treated, laser treatments may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Only a certified dermatologist or doctor should do this type of treatment. Entire Body Maintenance Use an exfoliating cleanser on your body in the shower. It?s a very good idea to use a pumice stone gently on dry rough dead skin on the heels of your feet and elbows. When used on a daily basis, you will reduce the dead skin build-up and actually feel better. Don?t be afraid of a moisturizer, there is a big difference between moisture and oil. Don?t use an oil-based product. Use an unscented moisturizer when after you dry off from a shower. This will keep your skin looking and feeling better. Men?s nails should be cut with wide clippers, straight across; I keep a nail brush on the sink for my male clients, as well. Using a nail brush keeps the nail bed clean and helps the cuticle and blood flow. When you dry your hands, use the towel to push your cuticles back to help prevent hangnails. I give my clients a list of things that make grooming simpler and easier so they can become a daily ritual. One of the best gifts a man could receive is a gift basket with these products: ? Wide nail clippers (for fingernails and toenails) ? Nail brush ? Hair clippers with a guard for beard and sideburn trimming ? Nose hair trimmer ? Small scissors (for wild hairs) ? Cleanser ? Aftershave toner ? Moisturizer ? Exfoliating face and body wash ? Pumice stone ? Electric razor or safety razor and blades ? Loofa or bath net (for body cleansing) I always add a nice shampoo and conditioner when creating a gift basket. That way they have it all. If you don?t think they will know what to do with everything, add a copy of this magazine and open it to this article.  Virginia Alexander is a production stylist for film and television and has successfully worked in the industry for over 25 years. She educates celebrities on skin care, makeup and wardrobe style. Five years ago, she began working with individuals that have had WLS; she has created skin care programs, makeup looks and restyled looks for post-operative patients. You can learn more about Virginia and her services at www.ipcosmetics.com. Virginia Alexander?Celebrity Image Stylist: defining your image to suit your character. Life is a stage, hear the applause...you earned it!July 2006 |
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