men skin care

Have you started with a new skin care routine, men?? {Five Series}

July 15, 2014 Swati 3 Comments

So, two weeks back sometime I had mentioned that Garnier has come up with a new campaign #SayNoToBars specifically targeted at men for their lack of skills or interest at personal grooming. Today, I would like to talk about why is it really important to use a face wash instead of a soap.

Now, I have done a post on how is a soap different from a bar and how a man’s skin is different from a woman’s. So, assuming that you have read both of those posts, I would say I am extremely thankful that Garnier and other brands now a days are coming up with men-specific ranges. So, let me just go through five specific reasons why a face wash trumps the soaps.

Hygiene

Soaps are handled by all family members unless you have one specifically for yourself (which in every case I would recommend) and imagine the number of germs accumulating by being handled by so many people!! Face wash is a squeeze and go. And, you do not have a soap case to clean and cover every time you use it.

Travel-friendly

So, damn easy to pop and go. You can have on in your laptop case and use it at the office after a polluting ride on your bike (unless you are a car freak)! And, of course, it doubles up as body wash when you are out of station.

Made specifically for your face

The face skin is different from the body and much more sensitive and needs to be handled with care. Thus, a face wash which has been specifically designed for your face instead of a bar has all the actives which will provide a deep cleansing and moisturizing wash. The ingredients will keep your skin soft and young, as well.

Soap is alkaline and skin is acidic

So, coming to a little more technical ground, our skin has a pH level of 5.5 where as all the soaps are alkaline which is why if you use a non-regulated pH product on the face, it will damage and dry out your skin and make you age faster.

Your Acne might be due to soaps!!

The difference in the pH levels of your soap and skin can cause the sebum of your skin to get washed off thereby allowing bacteria to breed on your skin and causing breakouts. Face wash helps prevent such breakouts.

These are just the starting reasons why you might want to shift to face washes. so, what are you waiting for?

Do men in your life take care of their skin? {Skin Care}

August 26, 2012 Swati 14 Comments

Well, at present, I just have my father and yes, he is very conscientious about his skin. He uses anti-aging cream from Garnier and does love to try out various things 😀 In fact, yesterday, he was telling me how I completely filled up his closet with my products!!! I keep a stock of products in Delhi so I won’t have to travel with my toilet kit and even then, every time my toilet kit weighs more than my clothes!! Yeah, I am weird.

And, since their closet is full, mom and dad decided that they will use up my products!! And, my mom is one who doesn’t really bother a lot. So, the duty falls into dad’s responsibilities. So, yesterday, we fell into talking about things and I said that don’t forget to do the same things with the neck as your do with the face and my dad was like “ya ya, otherwise it will look different na”!! And, honestly, I was astonished 😀

So, do you have any men in your life who look after their skin as well? And, speaking of which, I got a mail saying my haul has been dispatched and I am looking forward to recieveing it…yay!! I just can’t wait to start using the products, more so the shampoo. Oh yes, that also reminds me that I have got to go for a hair cut on Monday or Tuesday!!

How does a man’s skin differ from a woman’s? {Skin Care}

January 15, 2012 Swati 4 Comments

Last week, I spoke a bit about tips to shave. That made me thinking about how different is a man’s skin as compared to that of a woman’s? So, I shall share a bit about that today and hopefully, that should convince your better-halves and “boys” to take care of their skin. Technically speaking, there is not much of a structural difference in a man or woman’s skin. But, there are some significant points to think about.

Rough Skin

Men have really rough skin. Why? For one, they have 25% thicker skin than women (Source). The top layer of their skin is naturally thicker. Secondly, they have to shave everyday or on alternate days. That removes the lipids from the surface of their skin. Then, they have more facial hair and also suffer from ingrown hair because of improper shaving routine.

Having said that they have thicker skin, I would also add that their skin loses its thickness with age where as the thickness of a woman’s skin remains constant till her menopause stage.

Oily Skin and Sebaceous Glands

You would be surprised to know that they have lesser number of sebaceous glands which produce sebum which makes the skin oily. But, their secretion of sebum is more than women and consequently, the skin of a man is 15% oilier than that of a woman. And, because of that reason, they are more prone to acne and blackheads. Also, their pore size is bigger than a woman counterpart.

Exposure to Environment

Men are generally more exposed to the natural forces like sun, wind, rain, dirt and pollution and they do not really take care of their skin because of which their skin is more sensitive. And, their skin is more dirty and there is more chance that their pores can get blocked resulting in more acne and blackheads.

Also, the amount of anti-oxidants in a man are far less than that of a woman so they are more likely to suffer from cancer. And, they are also not very devoted to sunscreen which increases the risk.

Collagen Density

So far, the above factors have been looking disadvantageous. so, let us talk a bit about why they still look younger as compared to a woman. That is because their collagen density is intrinsically much higher than that of a woman. Collagen maintains the elasticity in the skin and helps you look young. The age difference just by looks can go up to 15 years between a man and a woman of the same age (whoa!!! I am jealous).

And, the loss of collagen is more in woman as compared to a man because of the menopause stage. Otherwise, per year, both men and women lose up to 1% of collagen every year (Source).

Hydration Levels

Having said that regular shaving removes the lipids which hydrate the skin, a man’s skin is naturally hydrated as compare to that of a woman. During puberty, hormonal changes in a main lead to secretion of sweat which contains lactic acid which is a natural humectant and makes the skin look more hydrated. As a rule, men sweat twice more than women. And, their natural ph balance is acidic due to the presence of lactic acid in the sweat as compared to a woman.

Less prone to Pain

A man’s skin has lesser nerve fibers and consequently, they feel less amount of pain as compared to a woman. So, don’t let your men think they are too macho 😀 It’s naturally endowed to them. And, still, we bear all the pain 🙁

What do you say – a man’s skin is better or a woman’s?

Tips to shave for men {Skin Care}

January 8, 2012 Swati 2 Comments

We have talked so much about women skin care. So, I wanted to focus a bit on men skin care (wives and girl friends, take special note!!!). So, first of the main issues in men’s skin care routine is related to shaving. So, I am sharing some tips I read in a magazine (RailBandhu) recently.

Always use a clean and fresh blade. Discard the blade every monthly or depending ont he frequency you use the blade.
Always shave on moist skin. Dry skin does not provide the slip needed for the blade to glide and you may end up nicking yourself.
Splash your face with warm water and apply the shaving gel. Foam it nicely.
Wait for 30 seconds before you use the blade to give time to the shaving gel to soften the hairs.
Always shave in the direction of your hair. Avoid shaving in the opposite direction. It is generally very irritating for the skin and burns a lot.
After shaving, use an after-shave lotion to soothe your skin. Avoid the ones which have alcohol as they are drying and irritating for the skin. If possible, choose the ones which have essential oils in them or make some for yourself at home or ask your wives. They help soothe and calm down the skin better.
And, as a substitute for shaving gel, you can always use shaving oil. It helps the blade glide easily and softens the hair for easy shaving. And, it is free of unwanted chemicals too and keeps the skin soft and moisturized and prevents nicks and burns. Use any vegetable oil or create your own favorite blends at home.
And, for those who love using shaving brushes, try out this body shop wooden shaving brush which gives a perfect hold and really soft synthetic bristles which are amazing on the skin.

These tips are useful also for girls who like razors better than waxing (ok, not the wooden brush).

Top 5 Beauty Tips for Men {Guest Post}

October 12, 2011 Swati 4 Comments

Men and women have different needs when it comes to grooming. Unlike women, men cannot hide tiredness, acne or wrinkles with the help of make-up. The following tips will help men retain a more youthful appearance as they age.Skin Care
Men have specific skin care needs when it comes to staying attractive and looking young. Since men sweat more than women, their chances of collecting dirt and having enlarged facial pores are great. Put together a skin care regimen that includes cleansing your face regularly, exfoliating your skin and applying moisturizer daily, especially around the eyes. Look for all natural, fragrance free products to reduce irritation to facial skin. When choosing a moisturizer, look for a product that is right for your skin type. To keep skin looking fresh and to combat wrinkles, try making time to get a regular facial. Also, to keep your skin looking healthy and hydrated, drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Exercise
Staying active is a key factor when it comes to finding the fountain of youth. Exercise keeps men balanced both mentally and physically. Plus, not only does exercise build strong and healthy muscles, but it also inspires confidence and relieves stress. Exercise also induces sweat, which will aid in removing unhealthy toxins from the body.

Body Care
Remove unwanted hair from eyebrows, nose and ears at regular intervals. Waxing the chest is a good option to consider if you’re into the bare body look. Make sure to keep finger nails and toe nails trimmed and clean by getting a manicure and pedicure. This promotes an overall clean and well groomed appearance. Try getting a body massage to improve blood circulation, tone up the body and to relieve stress.

Hair Care
Consider a hair style shorter in length. Well groomed short hair-cuts give off a younger looking vibe and cleaner outward appearance. Make sure to use shampoo and conditioners to keep hair looking healthy and shiny. Styling products are also useful in taming wild and unruly hair.

Shaving
Shaving can be particularly hard on the skin. To get that perfect smooth shave make sure to exfoliate your skin first to rub away any dead skin. Make sure to shave right after a hot shower to soften the growth of hair and to get a clean, close shave. When shaving is complete, use an aloe vera based moisturizer that will tighten pores and it won’t dry out skin like most products that have alcohol in them can. If you have facial hair such as a beard or mustache, keep them trimmed and well-groomed.

About the author: My name is Muzammil Bashir.