Taking Care Of Your Skin Like a Man. 

Looking good and having great skin is something that men are finally admitting to aspiring to. The rugged and whether beaten look is of a bygone era, where macho ruled. The idea of a man putting a moisturising cream on their face is no longer incomprehensible.  Men are taking more interest in their appearance these days and us girls couldn’t be happier about it. That is of course until our men start stealing our skin care products!

Aside from the obvious difference that men have an excess of facial hair, the other key difference between men and women, is that men tend to have more oil glands. This  makes for oilier and thicker skin. The fundamentals of how we treat our skin are the same. We need to protect it from the sun by using sunscreen daily, cleanse daily, moisturiser and avoid smoking.

Here is everything you need to know to get the perfect shave and look after your skin:

Most men find a comfortable way to shave and stick to it. The most common problems I come across for men are razor burn, razor bumps, ingrown hairs and minor cuts.

• Shaving on a dry skin with cold water will cause razor burn. The best time to shave is post shower, when the pores have softened from the heat and steam of the shower. Alternatively, use a hot towel to soften the skin, just like they do in a barbers shop.
• Always shave in the direction of the hair growth.
• Eliminate ingrown hairs by using a cleansing wash that contains salicylic acid, it helps to unclog pores. Use this prior to shaving and not after.
• Wise men will use a shaving cream that contains aloe vera to help with sensitive skin.
• Keep in mind that your diet has a large part to play in how your skin reacts to shaving. By eating a healthy diet, your skin is going to be more resilient and better able to deal with shaving.  Food that causes inflammation in your system, will cause your skin to be more inflamed or irritated post shaving.
• Electric shavers are less likely to irritate than if you use razor blades, however the shave might not be quite as good.
• If you suffer with razor burn, don’t close shave , it will only irritate your skin further.
• After shave is used primarily used to prevent any infections from cuts that may occur while shaving. The problem with after shave is that most of them contain alcohol which is incredibly drying on the skin and should never be used on a sensitive skin. Try using an after shave balm instead such as Clinique ‘Post Shave Healer’.
• Laser hair removal is a good option for those pesky few hairs that go further up onto the cheek than the obvious hair line.

For those of you that are sporting the current fashionable beard trend, the key thing to remember is that facial hair wicks moisture from skin so you are more likely to suffer with dry patches. Try using a beard oil to avoid these dry patches, it will not only help your skin, but it will give your beard a shiny, conditioned and groomed look. Treat your beard hair as you would the hair on your head, you need to use a shampoo and conditioner on your beard also. If dry flaking skin is a problem I recommend the Kevin Murphy Luxury Wash.

Finally, regular facials will deal with any issues that crop up along the way. We recommend once every 4-6 weeks. For further information contact us on [email protected] or ph: 016766411