Best 9 skin care tips for men

Best skin care tips for men

Having a nice and clean skin is not for women only, as a man you must have a healthy skin and here are some tips that absolutely will help you:

1. Turn down the heat

Hot water is not your friend when it comes to smooth, healthy, dewy skin. A hot shower may wake you up but it's a not-so-nice wake-up call for your skin, as the high temperature triggers dryness, itching and flaking. The longer you languish, the more natural oils you are stripping away. So, if you're determined to brave the heat, make sure you keep it brief and limit the shower to less than 5 minutes.

2. Moisturise!

Moisturiser is not just for the ladies. Men's faces tend to be oilier than women’s but it's still good to moisturise daily to stop skin drying out and to help avoid wrinkles. A light lotion or hydrating gel is probably enough if you have normal to oily skin. For drier skin, use a heavier cream. Also remember to apply when the skin is still damp which is the most effective way to trap moisture in the skin.
 

3. Soften for a close shave

A close shave can feel and look great but make things easier on your skin with a wet shave. The best time is right after the shower when any coarse hair is soaked and more flexible. To avoid razor burn, bumps or ingrown hairs that irritate your skin, opt for shaving gels rather than foams as they soften the hair. You can avoid red, itchy skin by shaving in the same direction as the hair grows. Also, don't scrape your skin more than you need to.

4. Don’t get in a lather

Lathering on the soap strips away your skin’s protective oils. If you have sensitive skin, a cleanser is a better option to avoid drying and flaking. Avoid anything with sodium lauryl sulfate, which tends to foam and can dry you out. Look for milder, moisturising ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, sunflower or soybean oils, or petroleum jelly. For oily skin, try natural cleansers with bacteria-fighting abilities such as citrus, tea tree oil, or eucalyptus. Remember your face, hands, feet, groin and underarms are the key targets for cleansing. The rest of the body can be rinsed off with water.

5. Skip the alcohol

If you're prone to dry skin, experts recommend mild moisturisers that contain no perfumes or alcohols. Shaving scrapes away the top layers of skin cells, so using an alcohol-based moisturiser can sting or irritate your skin further. Aftershaves were originally developed to kill germs and fend off infection caused by shaving nicks. These days, with modern, safety razors, the chances of a cut are far less, so you can go easy on the cologne!

6. Don’t rough your skin up

When drying the finer skin on your face, go easy with the towel and pat your skin dry rather than a vigorous rub. Rubbing too hard will just irritate your face and dry skin out. Also avoid abrasive implements like scrubbing sponges or brushes. These will strip away a layer of natural oils. Pat your body dry too and don't forget to slather on the moisturiser.


7. Forget fragrance

Bear in mind that most skin care product fragrances are not natural and contain man-made chemicals. These can irritate and dry your skin, especially if it's sensitive in the first place. If in doubt, opt for unscented lotions and cleansers, or look for natural aromas like citrus or lavender.

8. Curb crow's feet

Women aren't the only ones looking to avoid wrinkles. If you're bothered by crinkly lines around your eyes or mouth, a moisturiser that contains hyaluronic acid may help smoothe skin. Research suggests deeper wrinkles or crow's feet may benefit from anti-ageing eye cream that contains retinol or glycolic acid. These are natural ingredients that work by stripping off the outer layers of dead, dry skin. Retinoids can irritate your skin and you may notice redness or stinging at first but these side effects usually go away. You will also need to avoid the sun or wear sunscreen when using them as they may make skin more prone to sunburn.

9. Shield skin from sun

Sun damage is one of the main causes of age spots and wrinkles - not to mention skin cancers. Some exposure to the sun is important to top up on vitamin D, but over exposure is not a good idea. The sun's rays are strongest between 11am and 3pm in the UK, so try to stay out of direct sunlight during that time. When you go out, protect your skin by applying a  minimum SPF 15 broad spectrum protection, which means it protects from both burning rays and the skin-ageing rays.

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