Easy Grooming and skincare hacks EVERY man needs to know....

It’s Movember!

Mo-vember - what is it all about? It is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. So in honour of the males in our lives here are some "must-knows"..... As a skincare consultant, I find that guys are looking for personal care tips and really want to look their very best too, it’s not just the ladies. Read on for my best “handsome” tips for men, from the manliest of men, to metro and everything in between!  By the time you are done reading this, you should have all the info you need to look your very best…..

Washing your face

First off let’s talk about the basics. Washing your face. Washing your face is ESSENTIAL. Ideally you should be washing your face twice a day.  Morning and night - ps allowing the shampoo to run down your face in the shower does NOT count as one of these times! When you are looking for a facial cleanser you want to avoid bar soap, when soap lathers it can strip your skin from it’s natural oils causing dryness and leaving your skin feel tight and dehydrated. You want to pick a cleanser specific to your skincare needs, whether this be acne, sensitivity, aging skin, etc. If you want some specific recommendations, click here to download your personalized skincare recommendations.

Shaving

Regardless of if you shave daily or are growing out the ultimate stache for Movember there are a few things you must know about shaving. Firstly you should replace your blade after every use. This is important! Reusing blades can lead to the transfer of bacteria which can lead to infection AND also cause acne and clogged pores.  It’s important that you use shaving cream or foam, or you can try a multi use cleanser that can also double as shaving lotion - for example Rodan+Fields Soothe Gentle Cream Wash can do double duty.  If you are prone to redness or razor burn try Soothe 2 Sensitive Skin Treatment following your shave, this will help nurture the skins natural delicate barrier and prevent ingrown hairs, razor burn and dryness.

Eye cream

Eye cream is not just for the ladies! Your eye area is one of the first places to show your age and is prone to fine lines and wrinkles. The area around the eye is thinner and therefore prone to stretching, which can lead to crows feet. Using a cream specifically for the eye area  that contains powerful peptides can minimize the appearance of wrinkles and visibly firm the under eye area for a younger look!  If you are prone to dark circles or puffiness under the eye area you also might want to consider an eye cream with CAFFEINE AND PHYTONUTRIENTS to visibly reduce puffiness and improve under-eye brightness.  Regardless of the eye cream you are using it is important to apply it correctly! You want to use the ring finger and gently tap around the orbital bone. For more info regarding eye creams check out my earlier blog post where I covered all things EYE CREAM.

 

BLACK HEADS AND CLOGGED PORES

WHAT IS A CLOGGED PORE? A build-up of excess oil combined with debris and dead skin cells deep within the pore. This can lead to visible congestion, stretching and enlarging of pores. 

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? Often flat and enlarged at the surface with slight discolouration. 

WHAT IS A BLACKHEAD? A clogged pore that forms a plug at the skin’s surface. 

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? Once exposed to air, the plug oxidizes and turns black. Stubborn blackheads appear dark, hardened and raised at the surface. 

Now let’s help find you a solution!!!

Enter the latest technology on the fight on clogged pores…. Rodan+Fields Pore Cleansing MD Tool!! Check out more info about it here 

Hydration

If your skin is not getting the sufficient amount of water, it can turn your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling - NO ONE WANTS THAT! ALL skin types need hydration!!  When skin is dehydrated, it creates more oil to make up for the missing water. This often leads to breakouts, irritation, dry patches, dullness, and wrinkles. I recommend adding a serum that contains HYALURONIC ACID and GLYCERIN to your skincare routine.  Their main function is to retain water to keep your tissues well lubricated and moist. Hydrating ingredients are generally appropriate for all skin types. They are water-soluble, so they won’t clog pores and they don't contain alcohol so they won’t actively dry out or irritate the skin surface.  

Hands and Feet

When we are talking about skincare we absolutely cannot forget about your hands and feet. These can be prone to dryness, roughness and cracking skin. If you are noticing that your skin is sucking up moisturizers like a sponge, more than likely you will need to exfoliate that dead skin in order for your hydrating product to work more effectively. I recommend exfoliating your hands, feet (and your face too) 2-3 times per week. You want to scrub them when they are dry (if they are really sore you can wet them slightly) and then scrub for 1-2 mins followed by body hydration product.  

SPF

Men and women are both prone to skin cancer. So it is absolutely vital that you never leave the house within applying an spf moisturizer to your face. Summer or winter you should be protecting your skin with an SPF.  UVB rays are weaker in the winter, so you may not get sunburned as easily, but the UVA rays that cause wrinkles, premature aging and damage are JUST AS STRONG!  My biggest tip is use a daily moisturizer specific to your skincare concerns - dullness, sensitivity, acne or wrinkles.  Look for something with a minimum spf 25.

Masking 

Masking is all the rage for women AND men. Doing a mask at least once per week can target your specific skin care concerns. Whether this be acne, redness or sensitivity , or blasting those brown spots, there are masks to address all types of problems.  If you are looking to target more than one problem, why not multi-mask?!? Apply different masks to select areas on your face. To find out the perfect mask solution for you click here.

Above Pic: former NFL QB and Heisman trophy winner Matt Leinart using Redefine anti-aging mask

Well that's it guys! I hope that you found this information helpful. If you have any questions please leave me a comment or send me a message. To find the perfect combination for all of your skincare needs click HERE to download your personalized skin solutions recommendation.