We are doing a series of articles on facial skincare for men. The first article is on the Bachelors & the City main page (SkinCare issue). Having read that introduction, we will know take your through the important tenets of skincare. Over the coming weeks, we will continue with this special skinscare feature, so keep checking as you get started with your own skincare routine.
by J.G. Kiama
The three things that you need to do to your skin are to cleanse, exfoliate, and to moisturise it. You can cleanse your skin by washing it (with a face wash), as well as by using a cleansing lotion. A face wash is the most effective way of cleansing your skin, so the first thing that you need to do is to get a face wash.
Soap is no hope
Say goodbye to using soap on your face and find a face wash. Remember your chemistry lessons? With them in mind, check out the label of any soap. Better yet, do a litmus test on it and imagine what the strong alkaline stuff will do to your facial skin. How will it address your skin’s needs? If you have oily skin, or dry skin, or spot-prone skin, or if you are fighting wrinkles, what on earth will soap do for you? Remember: anyone can make their own soap at home, but a face wash is the product of several dermatologists. Just to make you say ‘no more soap’ consider this: soap begins its life as FAT (any fat – animal fat, industrial fat, waste fat), to which a strong alkaline is added. After that, the manufacturers might add more oil, as well as synthetic fragrances and whatever else. Soap is okey for washing your hands with in a public lavatory, but stay away from that stuff. Technology has moved on, and even if a face wash seems expensive, a bottle might last well over a month.
Choosing a Face Wash
A face wash can come in cream or gel form. They can be deep-cleansing, anti-bacterial, oil-fighting, dryness-restoring, exfoliating, and much else, so go out and find a face wash. There is no reason why a face wash should be gender-specific, so don’t be conned by those that ask for extra cash just because they have ‘for men’ written on them.
Face washes and skin types: There are face washes for different skin-themes. For instance, if your skin is pimple-prone, use a face wash that openly tells you about its anti-bacterial and “spot-fighting” abilities. They often help to prevent spots from developing and they can help ‘dry out’ spots that are in existence. A ‘deep-cleansing’ face wash is ideal for these purposes, but remember that spots are caused by a variety of factors (such as hormone levels, diet and stress), so a face wash will not necessarily make you spot-free. If your skin is oily, you do not need to use a face wash that promises to ‘condition’ or ‘restore the oils’ in your skin - such a face wash is for people with dry skin. If your skin is dry, don’t use a face wash that is aimed at people with oily skin, or you will end up with even drier skin.
Interchange your face washes: It is a good idea to have two different face washes, one for the morning and another for the evening. This is because your skin easily develops ‘resistance’ against a particular face wash; using two different ones minimises this effect. For example, you could use a deep-cleansing cream face wash in the morning and a gel-based face wash in the evening (or vice versa). Another alternative is to regularly inter-change the brands of your face washes.
What does a face wash do for your skin? Using a face wash dramatically improves the look and feel of your skin. The texture changes. Face washes help to combat skin roughness (this is often due to clogged pores), as well as targeting spots and would-be spots. Face washes, which are not as harsh or as merciless as soap, can help to keep wrinkles at bay. Remember, wrinkles flourish with dryness (which soap propagates), and if you use a face wash you are cleansing your skin without necessarily dehydrating it.
If you walk out of your house after waking up, without having cleansed your skin, you are sending an invitation to your pores to get clogged, and you are knocking at the doors of bacteria to set up zits on your skin. Your skin is always busy making oil and sweat, so you need to cleanse it when you wake up, so you can leave the house with clean pores. During the day, polluters, dust, and oil/sweat will sit on your skin. Arriving home and jumping into bed without having cleansed your skin is also asking zits and bacteria to RSVP you. Throwing water over your face does absolutely nothing towards cleansing it; you need a face wash (steer clear off soap, guys.)
Morning Routine
First thing in the morning, use a face wash. Of course, if you shave, fit this in before or immediately after the face wash stage. We will cover the topic of shaving soon. Wet your face first with warm water (this ‘opens’ up pores) then apply an amount of face wash on your skin. Massage the face wash against your skin for a couple of minutes. Target each area with circular motions. Rinse away the face wash, ensuring that no traces of it are left. Finish this rinse with cold water, which ‘closes’ your pores. Dry your face using something disposable, if possible (such as kitchen-paper), or a clean towel. If you use a dirty towel to dry your face, you might as well not bother washing it in the first place. Your skin is like a magnet, and bacteria from what looks like a clean towel will find it easy to cling onto your face and cause havoc. Kitchen paper is cheap and convenient, and it doesn’t leave residues – unlike, say, using a tissue or cotton pads.
After this, apply a face moisturiser. Remember, a face moisturiser is designed for the very purpose of hydrating facial skin without clogging it. Irrespective of your skin’s oiliness, you must nevertheless moisturise; there are gel moisturisers for oily skin which hydrate whilst controlling shine. If you have dry skin, use an intensive moisturiser. Moisturising is the key to avoiding wrinkles; the sooner in life you start moisturising, the better. Wrinkles begin in your twenties, guys, so don’t wait till you’re retired to start worrying about “anti-ageing creams.”
Dab the moisturiser around your face, creating evenly spread dots, then massage it in. Don’t leave it sitting on your skin – massage it effectively, until it literally disappears into your skin. Before you buy a moisturiser, test it on a small patch to check for allergic reactions. Through this test, find out if the moisturiser leaves a visible residue on your skin (for instance, if it has white pigments that don’t disappear you’ll end up looking like Casper the friendly ghost). Also, you want to find out what the moisturiser does with time – some can develop into a clear film on your skin, which is okey but it can look odd. A ‘for men’ moisturiser might not be a bad idea in this case, but the range can be limited.
Don’t forget to ensure that your moisturiser has a sun protection factor of at least 15 (hence SPF-15), to protect your skin against harm from UV rays.
That’s it. Avoid applying after-shave cologne on your face – why on earth would you want alcohol on your facial skin? Dab cologne behind your ear and on your neck, and you’re ready to go.
Evening Routine
Before you go to bed, you need to cleanse your skin. If you are exposed to high amounts of dust or pollutants during the day, or if your skin is oily, you will need to use a cleansing lotion first. A cleansing lotion looks like any lotion, but it is specifically designed to remove dirt and oil. Apply it generously onto your skin with your fingers, then remove it using a cotton pad. Have a look at that cotton pad – it’s now coated with dirt and oil. Phew. Imagine going to sleep with that stuff on! That’s the road to Pimpleville for sure. After this, use a face wash, as with the morning routine.
Your facial skincare routine will take 10 minutes or so a day. Within days, you will be a fresh-faced looking guy and people will be asking you what secret things you are eating.