THE IMPORTANCE OF SKINCARE

OK, how many of you cleanse, tone and moisturise EVERY morning and night??? Exactly, that number is limited! But, you probably whinge when you get spots, right!

Skincare is one of the most important aspects of daily life, as skin is the largest organ in the body, providing protection to the rest of the vital organs therefore it is essential that we look after it. In today’s society, male grooming is worth over half that of the female industry, which is a staggering amount of money (and products), when you think no-one you know probably uses (or would admit to) using moisturiser cos their skin gets dry! Nonetheless, skin care is vital.

Skin is the first thing a girl (or guy) sees when she looks at you...Physical attraction is primarily the determining factor in whether you get laid or not! So, what can you do to look after it? Well, skincare starts with diet, and whatever you put into your body, and how you treat your body will show on its casing! But that is a discussion for the really vain and can be covered at another time!

Looking after your skin, only takes ten minutes, twice a day. Everyone showers every morning or night or both...skincare should be part of that routine. And it needn’t cost the earth either!

Firstly, after each shower, ensure the whole body is moisturised, as water (especially certain soaps) can really dry the skin out. So try to avoid soap, as it usually contains lanolin (very drying chemical) when showering, and if possible, use shower gels with “natural” infusions (jasmine, jojoba, shea butter or coco butter) as these are all very moisturising to the body. Then once towel dried use a moisturiser over the body. I would fully recommend a cheap one (Palmers Coco Butter around £2.99 from most big stores) is amazing for moisturising, and smells all chocolatey so chicks will be throwing themselves at ya with the smell alone!

And as most guys shave daily, the face is even more important! Ingrown hairs, can be another cause of spots, so make sure your pores are as open as possible when shaving, and a good way of doing this is shaving after you shower. The heat from the shower opens the pores, meaning less chance of spots.

Cleanse the skin with a suitable cleanser, again, don’t use soap on the face as its generally too harsh. And men tend to prefer using a gel cleanser (as do some women) but it is vital to be right for you. Follow this up by a toner (although this is not essential to be done twice daily) as toner helps to improve skin texture, by closing pores after cleansing. This also ensures that the dirt and grime getting in there is limited meaning, less chance of spots occurring. And the final stage of the routine is moisturising. Not only does this protect the skin from environmental damage such as pollution, air con, central heating, wind and sun damage, but it also keeps the skin soft, by putting products into the skin, which in turn helps to keep you looking 19! If possible, your choice of moisturiser should contain an SPF of 30, to prevent, not only skin cancer, but wrinkles too.

Remember though, it is imperative the products are suitable to your skin type (if unsure, ask someone, a girlfriend, sister, pal, beauty therapist, at a cosmetic counter) for help on diagnosing your skin type. And as said before, you don’t need to spend a fortune on this stuff - just as long as it’s right for you.

So, now you know how, you can go and be soft!