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Perfect Skin from Inside Out Module 20

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Module 20: MAN! YOU LOOK GOOD: SKINCARE FOR YOU OR

THE GUY IN YOUR LIFE

Table of Contents

Module 20: MAN! YOU LOOK GOOD: SKINCARE FOR YOU OR THE GUY IN YOUR LIFE .................... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 2

This Module includes the following: ............................................................................................................ 2

20.1. Male Skincare Routine ....................................................................................................................... 3

20.2 Surviving Daily Shaving Heroically ...................................................................................................... 4

20.3 Taking Care of your Beard and Moustache ......................................................................................... 7

20.4 Hand and Foot Care for Men .............................................................................................................. 9

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Introduction

There have long been stereotypes about men who take pride in their appearance. However, it is just as

important for a man to take care of his grooming as a woman. In some ways, a man needs even more

maintenance on a daily basis, especially when it comes to shaving. The way you look after yourself does not

only reflect how much pride you take in your appearance, but it also affects your overall health.

This Module includes the following:

20.1 Male Skincare Routine

20.2 Surviving Daily Shaving Heroically

20.3 Taking Care of your Beard and Moustache

20.4 Hand and Foot Care for Men

20.5 Tame your Mane

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20.1. Male Skincare Routine

Is a Man’s Skin Different to a Woman’s?

Men’s and women’s skin are almost the same, however, there are some clear physiological differences, such

as a man’s ability to grow facial hair. Men also have a thicker dermis;this is the skin’s lower layer and larger

sweat and oil glands. Even though there are some slight differences between a man’s skin and a woman’s skin,

it does not really affect any of the basic skin care needs.

The exact same skincare product formulations which reduce or prevent premature ageing, mend dry skin,

lessen dark pigmentation spots, reduce pore sizes, reduce acne, and reduce the oily shine work the same for

both males and females.

What Products to Use and When to Use them!

1. Cleanse. Washing the face with water is not enough to achieve a clean face. When the face is completely

clean, there is room for other products to work. Wash the face using an irritant and fragrance-free cleanser

that is water soluble. Avoid using any kind of bar soap on your face, even if it is advertised as a cleanser. This

will help remove any debris or oil on the face.

2. Shave. When shaving your face using a standard razor, use a shaving cream or foam that is irritant and

fragrance-free. If you use an electric razor to shave, another procedure is needed. Look for natural creams that

will less likely cause your face to react or break out.

3. Apply aftershave. Either using your clean fingers or a cotton wool pad, apply a gentle aftershave to the

areas that have been shaved. Look for irritant and fragrance-free products as your face is more delicate after

shaving. For better results do not use an aftershave and look for a soothing treatment instead that is full of

anti-irritants, antioxidants and other essential skin-repairing ingredients. Such ingredients in a soothing lotion

will help strengthen the surface of the skin and at the same time reduce any redness or spots that may have

been caused by shaving.

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4. Apply sun cream. After you have shaved or washed your face, apply a broad spectrum SPF 20 sun cream.

Even if it is not sunny, you should always wear a sun cream to prevent premature ageing and dark sun spots.

Be liberal with your cream and apply it to your face, neck, chest, and any other area of skin that is exposed.

5. Use an exfoliant. Once you have finished washing your face in the evening, apply an exfoliant over your

face and neck. A good exfoliant will help remove any built up dead skin cells that might be clogging your

pores and make way for new skin growth. When your face is damaged by the sun, it becomes abnormally

thicker. Your skin will also be more prone to acne, which complicates things more. Exfoliating for men is

essential as it makes the shaving process a lot easier and at the same time reduces skin irritations caused by

shaving.

6. Apply Treatment Products. Apply a product such as a serum that is full of antioxidants, soothing agents,

and skin-repairing ingredients. You could also apply a well-formulated moisturiser, which should be applied

before your sun cream. Men, especially those who are outdoors a lot, need to keep their face moist and

protected. A serum is good because it penetrates the man’s thicker skin and also helps promote new skin

growth.

20.2 Surviving Daily Shaving Heroically

Even though men around the world have been shaving for thousands of years, they still make mistakes.

How many hairs do you think the average man has growing on his face?

25,000

How many hours on average do you think a man spends shaving in his lifetime?

3,000

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1. Make sure the area you want to shave is thoroughly wet. One of the secrets to achieving a great close

shave without causing any razor burn or irritation to your skin is to make sure the area that you plan to shave

is completely wet. Your facial hair has the amazing ability to absorb 30% of its own volume in moisture.

When the hair becomes swollen due to water absorption, it becomes weaker and therefore it is easier to trim,

cut or shave. Taking a shower prior to shaving is ideal as this will make sure that your beard or moustache has

been properly moistened. If it is not possible to take a shower, wash your face well and then place a warm-hot

wet towel over the face for a few minutes. This last technique is the one that traditional barbers prefer to use.

Never shave your face when it is cold or dry as these are the two leading causes of shaving rash and razor

burn.

2. Find a quality shaving cream or foam and stick to it. Look for a shaving cream or foam that contains a

high level of lubricants like silicones and moisturisers. The best kind of shaving creams or foams make a

creamy lather. The more lather the better as it means fewer nicks and less irritation. When you have a good

shaving cream it also means that your blade will last longer. The main function of your shaving cream is to

help lubricate the face to allow your razor to glide effortlessly and smoothly across the skin’s surface. Shaving

cream also helps to lock in the moisture into the face’s hairs to help them remain soft and upright ready for

cutting. Ideally, you should allow your shaving cream to stay on your face for approximately 1 minute prior

to shaving.

3. Get a good shaving brush. You need one for a number of reasons. Firstly, it assists in raising the facial

hair so you can achieve a close shave. Secondly, it also helps in creating that rich creamy lather. In addition

to the above mentioned, it also helps to remove any dead skin cells on the face, which will in turn reduce your

chance of getting any razor bumps or blemishes. Your shaving brush should have bristles that have a good

balance of resistance and softness.

4. Use circular motions to apply your shaving cream. Always end each stroke upwards to assist in lifting

the facial hair up.

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5. Make sure you use a high quality razor and regularly change the blades. There are many razors on the

market, there are good ones, but there are also many poor quality ones. You need to buy a good quality razor

with a sharp blade. A sharp blade is necessary to cut through the hair and also scrape off at least two layers of

your skin’s surface. If your blade is dull, your face will look blotchy and feel scratchy. It really depends on

the toughness of the beard as to how many times you change the blade, but if you shave daily, it is

recommended to change it every 2-5 shaves.

6. Rinse off your razor blade properly in hot water. Do this prior to shaving and in between every couple

of swipes. Running it under water will clean all the shaving cream, dead skin and hair that have accumulated.

7. Use your razor the right way. Ideally, you need to shave in the same direction as your hair’s growth.

Begin at the sides, move to the moustache, and do the chin last. Your chin’s hairs are the strongest and

toughest, so leaving them to the end will give them more time to soften.

NB: Avoid shaving against the direction of your facial hair growth. It may give you a closer shave, but it does

have a few drawbacks. Not only do you run the risk of cutting yourself, you also risk cutting the hair below

the skin’s surface, which will cause ingrown hairs. Also, do not press too hard while shaving; instead allow

your razor to do all the work.

8. Get a closer shave. If you want achieve the same kind of shave that the barber does, you need to apply

more lather from your shaving brush and be sure to keep everything moist. Just be careful not to shave your

face too much. If you over-shave, you will just cause your skin to become irritated.

9. Clean your blade thoroughly. This will rid the blade of any hairs, oils, shaving cream and skin. It is not

necessary to clean your razor with alcohol to get rid of the bacteria. Shake the razor dry, but never wipe its

blades with a tissue or towel as this will just result in it become duller quicker.

Post Shaving Care

1. Cleanse the face and soothe the skin. After shaving, your skin is at its most vulnerable, which is why you

need to take extra special care. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and use a specially formulated face wash

that contains a high concentration of tea tree oil as this will help prevent you from getting any post shaving

rash or spots. Another excellent product to use is witch hazel as it has excellent astringent properties and heals

and soothes the skin at the same time.

2. Rinse your face with cold water. Wash your face with the coldest water you can bare and pat it dry with

a fresh clean towel.

3. Use an after shave balm or lotion. Did you know that when you shave, you could be removing up to two

layers of your skin? There is no other activity that you do on a regular basis that does such a thing, which is

why it is essential to always apply a high quality moisturiser post shaving. Look out for an after shave lotion

that has been specially designed and formulated to work as a balm or moisturiser. This will help any moisture

that has been lost during the shaving process and at the same time soothe the skin.

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20.3 Taking Care of your Beard and Moustache

There are people who recommend having your facial hair taken care of professionally and then there are those

men who will never let another person near their face with a pair of scissors or trimmers. When it comes to

trimming your beard and having it look good, you have to make sure you have all the right equipment. Another

decision you will have to make is what you are going to use to maintain your beard or moustache. Will you

use a pair of scissors or will you use a beard trimmer?

Trimming your Beard and Moustache

If you decide to use scissors for trimming your beard, you will need to invest and purchase a pair of

professional scissors used by barbers.

If you decide that you want to use beard trimmers on your face, it is a good idea to go for a rechargeable

model.

You will also need a decent wide-toothed comb when trimming your beard. It is essential to note that if

you also need to trim your moustache, you will also need a fine-toothed comb.

One thing to remember is the difference between trimming a beard and shaving it. When you shave a

beard, it is necessary to wet it so it absorbs the water and it cuts better; however, when trimming a beard,

you should never do it when your beard is wet as your wet is considerably longer and after it has

eventually dried, you might discover you have over-trimmed it.

If you decide to go with a pair of scissors and a comb, you need to first comb carefully through the beard

and then with the comb at the end of the beard, cut all the excess hair on the outer side of the comb. It

does take some getting used to, but it is better to trim little by little instead of cutting off too much.

You also need to pay attention to the sides and try and maintain a balance between the two. The best way

to go about this is to begin at one ear and trim downwards towards the chin. Then repeat exactly the

same step on the other side.

If you choose to use a beard trimmer, most have a trimming guide that is adjustable. By simply adjusting

the trimming guide, you can easily control how closely the trimmer will cut your beard.

If you want to trim your moustache, you will first need to comb it downwards in a straight direction.

Using either your scissors or beard trimmer, begin in the middle of your moustache and carefully trim

one side and then move to the other side of the mouth and repeat.

A moustache usually looks its best when it is allowed to grow up to your nose, which is why it is

recommended not to trim the top.

Once you have trimmed your moustache and beard, you need to continue with the maintenance to make

sure it stays tidy.

Use a trim razor to remove any random stray hairs. It is not advised to ever pluck them.

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Keeping your Beard Clean

You should treat your beard like you would your hair, therefore it needs to be washed on a regular basis

using a mild shampoo.

After you have shampooed your beard, you have the choice whether you want to use a conditioner or

not.

Make sure you rinse the beard well as failure to do so could possibly result in flaking. The hairs of your

beard are really coarse, which is why conditioners usually have less of an effect on the beard compared

to your hair on the head.

Pat dry your beard gently with a clean towel. Some men use a blow dryer to dry their beard, but it is not

necessary and actually it may be too harsh on your skin and cause skin irritations or blotches.

You can use a wide-toothed comb to remove any tangles in your beard and keep it looking neat and tidy.

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20.4 Hand and Foot Care for Men

Caring for your hands and feet is not just a woman’s thing, it is also for men. At the end of the day, no one

likes rough hands and feet and as you have already learned uncared for skin, hands and feet can lead to certain

health problems.

Men’s hands tend to be harder than women’s, but that does not mean they have to stay that way. Soften their

hard edges by using a body scrub when in the shower and gently exfoliate the dry skin away. The continuous

moisturising of your nails and cuticles with creams and lotions that contain natural lactic, malic, or glycolic

acid is essential as these all help keep the hands smooth and supple.

Your Finger Tips

Soak your fingertips in lukewarm soapy water. This will help soften the cuticles. Take the orange stick

that is used to push back the cuticles and gently move them away.

Dry your hands well.

Take a nail file and file your nails in one direction to help add shape to the nails. If you really want to

make your nails look attractive, use a buffer to add shine to the tops.

Hangnails

If your cuticles are dehydrated, it causes very small pieces of skin near the sides of your nail to break.

This can be extremely painful as they are still attached to your living skin.

Prevent hangnails from occurring by keeping your cuticles well-moisturised. Massage them on a daily

basis in the evening with either vitamin E or jojoba oil.

Avoid both picking and biting your hangnails. This will lead to the hangnail tearing and becoming more

open, leaving it prone to infection. Instead, take a pair of nail scissors and snip off any dead skin;

however, you must make sure you do not cut too close to the skin otherwise this will cause irritation.

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Paronychia

If your job requires you to keep your hands immersed in water often or you are regularly in contact with

chemicals, you are putting yourself at more risk of developing a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection which is

known as paronychia. Those who bite their nails habitually are also susceptible to this condition. This painful

skin infection happens when organisms enter a small space that is between the nail and surrounding skin area.

Soaking your hands in lukewarm water with a few drops of tea tree oil might help ease the pain and reduce

the symptoms if there are no abscesses visible. If you leave it too long and untreated, it is possible you will

lose your nail, so it is advisable to go to your doctor.

To get extra protection when wearing rubber gloves at work, pull on a pair of cotton gloves and wear them

underneath to ensure your hands to not get affected by the rubber.

Foot Care

How many sweat glands do you think each foot has?

Each foot has a whopping 250,000 sweat glands, which makes them an extremely valuable route and an outlet

for getting rid of the body’s toxins. However, when such exit points are blocked by dead layers of calloused

skin, they cannot escape, which is one of the leading causes of smelly feet. Even though you might think that

pedicures are purely for women, they are not; in fact a great pedicure for men can fix a number of foot

problems such as:

Calluses and Corns

When an excessive amount of pressure or friction is placed over the bonier areas of the foot, the skin naturally

acts to protect and as a result thickens and hardens. If such hard areas develop on the soles of the feet, they

are commonly known as calluses. If they are of a smaller size with a hard centre and appear on the tops or

sides of the feet or the tips of the toes, these are known as corns.

If you discover you have a corn on your foot, never try to cut it away, as this can easily lead to infection.

Instead, you need to regularly exfoliate your feet, concentrating on the areas where the corns and calluses are

and eventually they will disappear by themselves over time.

Causes of calluses and corns include:

Overly sweaty feet

Footwear that is too tight

Footwear that is too loose

Tight socks or stockings

Foot deformity

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Plantar Warts

Plantar warts are not like regular warts. Instead of growing outwards they grow inwards through the sole of

the foot, which is otherwise known as the plantar. You can treat these as at home by continuously applying

either thuja oil or salicylic acid.

Athlete’s Foot

This is a fungal infection of the foot, which is scientifically known as tineapedis. It is very common and very

contagious, which is why you should always wear shoes when you go to the gym and flip flops in public

showers or baths. To treat your athlete’s foot, you need to always make sure your feet remain clean and dry.

Wash your feet in lukewarm soapy water and make sure to dry your feet thoroughly, especially in between

the toes.

Use tea tree oil and apply it directly onto the affected areas of the foot. You can also add a couple of drops of

tea tree oil to a footbath and allow your feet to soak. It may be necessary to give your immune system an extra

boost, which is why doctors and podiatrists will often recommend probiotics.

Sweet Feet

Sweet feet is the polite and oxymoronic name for smelly feet. To prevent your feet from smelling, it is

necessary to bathe your feet every day in warm soapy water. Be sure to dry them well afterwards to avoid

athlete’s foot. Make sure you change your socks on a daily basis and after having worn your shoes for long

parts of the day, air them out for at least 24-hours.

Another way of preventing smelly feet is to always wear socks that have been made out of natural materials

like cotton instead of nylon. Additionally, if you are prone to suffering from foot odor, you should wear either

canvas or leather shoes that allow your feet to breathe properly.

A natural remedy to reduce the impact of smelly feet is to boil 2 bags of black tea and let them brew for

approximately 15 minutes. Afterwards, add 4 cups of cold water. Allow your feet to soak in the tea and water

mix for at least half an hour. Tea contains tannic acid, which will in turn help kill off some of the bacteria

responsible for making feet smell.

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are common in men between the ages of 14 to 40. They are painful and are often the result

of cutting your toenails incorrectly and too short. They are also caused by wearing shoes that are too small.

Another cause could be poor posture when the person tends to lean forwards, causing the corner of the nails

to curve in a downwards direction back towards the skin.

You can prevent getting ingrown toenails by trimming your toenails straight across with a slight curve. Do

not cut your nails too short and allow them to remain a little bit longer than the nail fold.

Ingrown toenails are incredibly painful and can lead to serious infections and even septicemia if they are not

treated properly from the outset. If you think you have an ingrown toenail, seek medical attention and never

try to dig the nail out yourself otherwise you will just make it worse.

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The Pedicure for Men

Soak your feet in a bowl of lukewarm water for approximately 10 minutes.

If you have problems with Athlete’s foot, add a couple of drops of tea tree oil into your footbath.

Using a nailbrush, clean your nails underneath and around. Also use the same brush to clean the bottom

of your feet.

Take a pumice stone, a foot file or a foot scrub and gently exfoliate your feet to remove dead skin and

any painful calluses or corns.

Dry your feet well with a clean towel.

Use an orange cuticle stick to push back the cuticles. Never cut them as this is likely to lead to infection.

Take a pair of straight-edged nail clippers and trim your toenails straight.

Give your feet a good foot massage using olive, coconut, or avocado oil.

12.5 Tame your Mane

Usually, men’s hair is easier to style and keep under control than women’s; however, a lot of men struggle

when their hair is thick and wavy. This particular hair type in men can be rather difficult to manage, but by

following a few simple guidelines, you will be able to maximise your cut and keep your hair under control,

making life a lot easier for you.

On average a man needs a hair cut every four weeks. Men’s hair tends to grow quicker than women’s hair as

it is usually kept short.

Looking after your Hair

If you have thick hair, you need to look after it properly. There are a number of men that do not invest in a

good shampoo and conditioner. However, these two basic products need to be of a high quality to ensure your

hair is kept in its best condition.

Most of the shampoos and conditioners on the market at the moment are not specific to one type of hair. They

cleanse, they moisturise the scalp, and promote healthy hair growth. A number of men can get away with not

using conditioner, but if you have thick hair, it is necessary.

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Getting the Right Cut

Opting for the right hairstyle is also very important. You need to be realistic. You need to consider how much

time you want to spend on it every day.

Instead of going with the latest fashion trends, ask your hairdresser for advice. They will give you tips about

what style to go for based on your preferences, face type, and how much time you want to invest.

Time Spent

Choosing a shorter style is going to save you a lot of time, especially in the morning when you are getting

ready for work. If you want a short manageable style that works for thicker hair, it is recommended to keep

the sides short, leaving a little bit of length at the top.

Achieving Texture

Wavy, thick or curly hair is difficult, but one thing that will make a difference is getting a cut which creates

texture. Therefore, it is not recommended to visit a barber. Barbers tend to give even cuts all over with clipper,

and this is not the look you are going for.

Achieve the illusion of texture through hair colouring. It does not need to be a bold colour. All it requires

is adding a few different tones as to avoid your hair appearing like one solid colour; this is especially

true for those men with darker black or brown hair.

You can either have your hair coloured free hand or put in foils. Highlight caps will not create this look

in men as it results in the hair colours being chunky.

Your Products

Frizzy hair needs a smoothing balm.

Try and apply your hair product onto dry hair. When there is moisture in the hair, your product will not

work as well as it should. Instead it will remain on the top of your hair, which will result in a greasy

finish.

Apply your product in small bits, so you know how much product you are applying. Make sure you get it

down to the roots.

Avoid strong hold hairsprays as they will make your hair appear dry.

When using a hair spray, keep it at a distance of about 10-15 inches away from your head otherwise you

will see the little balls of hairspray sticking to every strand of hair.