Men, Why Skin Maintenance?
Jolene Schwartz
Your awareness of changes to your skin may come as a sudden surprise, but that change doesn't happen over night. We unknowingly torment our skin with environmental toxins during most of our lives and if you live in a city, exposure to gritty city pollution, smog and car exhaust is inevitable. A hectic business lifestyle exposes you to oxygen-depleted, recycled air on planes, trains and in office buildings, along with greater stress levels and increased daily exposure to sun. Outdoor hobbies expose you to extreme cold, heat, sun, wind, and rain and did I mention the everyday irritants like cigarette smoke, cleaning agents, even carpet and vinyl off-gassing effect your skin. The stamina of our 9 layers, 1/8" thick, skin is incredible and there is little we can do to stop the environment from confronting our skin every day, but there are ways to protect and repair the skin with new unique product formulations and technologies that offer better and more user friendly ways to make skin maintenance a simple part of every day life.
* Cleanse twice a day to remove dirt, dead skin cells and accumulated oils. Please note that aggressive cleansing does not benefit the skin; in fact it disrupts the protective shield of the outer most surface of the skin, the epidermis. DO NOT use deodorant soap; it is much too harsh and dehydrates your face. A gentle cleanser with warm (not hot) water is the best.
* Shaving after (or in) the shower is the best way to a smooth, irritation-free skin; warm water and steam soften the beard while making the skin moist and pliable. Hot steel cuts more efficiently so rinse the blade with hot water before you start. Products that provide a good lubricating barrier can make this a "hair-raising", but easy experience.
* Hydrate twice a day because cell renewal slows as we age causing less natural moisture to be manufactured while more surface moisture evaporates. A good moisturizer contains a mix of water attracting and water holding ingredients; today's new technologies are providing lightweight, non greasy alternatives. * Sun Protection is a daily must! Sun exposure is the greatest aggressor to the skin by far, and UV damage is the most under-rated assault to your body today. You may need a range of sunscreen products for your lifestyle; minimal coverage for everyday runs in and out of the house and office, and higher SPF coverage for weekends and sports, especially while driving the car. That gradation on the windshield is NOT sun-protection, it's just a smoke grey color, and the sun's reflected UVA deeply penetrates window glass ALL year long.
* Exfoliate 2-3 times per week. Exfoliation is the process of sloughing off dead skin cells to stimulate the growth of fresh cells while helping to unclog pores, and open pores lift beard hair for easier shaving. Exfoliants usually come in two forms; a granular scrub that removes dead skin cells from the surface, and a fruit acid or enzyme to break down the bonds between new and old cells, making it easier to remove dead cells to reveal smoother, healthier looking skin.
Environmental aging accounts for 70% of the dermal aging process; if you are diligent about your skin maintenance you have over 100 opportunities a month to calm, soothe and protect your skin from environmental assaults.
Start putting your best face out there Today ....................
© 2005 Jolene Schwartz
About the author:
Jolene is a licensed barber, cosmetologist, and salon owner,
specializing in men's grooming for over 20 years. She developed
her own line of men's products; "Face Tools" and "Tattoo ReNew
and her ecommerce site, http://appearancesformen.com
, features new products, trends, advice and Q&A articles.
The latest information and news on Anti-Aging Advice :
Procter & Gamble (PG) is linking laundry to fashion in what's billed as the biggest product launch yet for its Tide brand.
'Super Fruits' Like Tart Cherries may Provide Anti-Aging Benefits (PR Newswir...
A growing body of science suggests antioxidant-rich fruits can be a natural way to protect against the signs and conditions of aging.
ELIXIR International - The World's First Quarterly Anti-Aging Glossy Goes on ...
ELIXIR International is new - its the first quarterly consumer glossy to target the huge interest in anti-aging products and services. A 200-page Vogue-style magazine it is the only magazine totally focused on anti-aging for the high net worth consumer and launches in the UK and internationally in October. (PRWeb Aug 21, 2008) Read the full story at ...
Demand dor SkinLastin Soars On the Heels of Nanoderm Technology Breakthrough ...
Skinlastin's innovative and proprietary Nanoderm TechnologyTM is quickly gaining consumer praise because it embodies a powerful combination of proven anti-aging ingredients with an advanced delivery technology.
ELIXIR International - The World's First Quarterly Anti-Aging Glossy Goes on ...
ELIXIR International is new - its the first quarterly consumer glossy to target the huge interest in anti-aging products and services. A 200-page Vogue-style magazine it is the only magazine totally focused on anti-aging for the high net worth consumer and launches in the UK and internationally in October.
L'Oreal Profit Growth Slows as Shoppers Pare Spending (Update1) (Bloomberg.com)
Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) -- L'Oreal SA , the world's largest cosmetics maker, said first-half profit rose 6.8 percent, the slowest growth in three years, as European and U.S. shoppers pared spending on makeup and perfumes.
The Motts (Newstalk 1010 CFRB)
Paul and Carol Mott are a husband and wife team whose conversational choreography could win Olympic medals. Their talk show is like a roller coaster - emotional, funny, joyful, sad, and possibly angry all in the same show.
Christian Bautista (Manila Bulletin)
He failed to meet the standards of the judges of Star in a Million; his talent was not extraordinary enough to earn the title, or so thought the judges.
International experts to take part in Anti-Aging conference in Dubai (AME Info)
The latest innovative techniques in the field of anti-aging are set to be showcased at a conference to be held in Dubai this autumn.
Injectable beauty treatments shave years off face (Knoxville News Sentinel)
Karen Stone is a member of the BBC, the Beautiful Babes Club. To celebrate her birthday, Stone and her gal pals got together for a party. No candles were blown out, but some wrinkles were. The BBC joined about 50 other women for an injectables party a week ago at Medi-Spa in West Knoxville. Medi-Spa rolled out the red carpet, literally, offered valet parking and set up a spread under a tent that ...