Skin Care For Men

The Foreign Exchange

Have you ever met a guy whose skin looked so fresh you wanted to bite it? I have, and he was sitting next to me in class this morning! It made me wonder, since when did gentlemen start using skin care products? Women may have been using them for hundreds of years, but as far as I know soap and water have been the only option for men. You may have owned some sunscreen at some point but that was long forgotten in a drawer. Rough skin, a good tan and even callused hands are considered part of a mature man's charisma. But, nowadays, a new trend seems to have caught on where men's grooming products are redefining what masculinity really is.At first, I thought men who spent their time enhancing their appearance must look like someone out of Queer Eye For the Straight Guy. It turns out to be a total misconception. When asked what the motivation was to go through all the trouble of putting on chemicals, or so-called “nourishment,” my classmate’s response gives us an opportunity to understand the new definition of masculinity. “Your perspective on men's skin care is obsolete.

Takeshi Kaneshivo (金城武), who was elected the most popular male star in a Japanese survey, started using skin care products long before I did. This new model of masculinity encourages me to reshape my old thoughts.” He also pointed out that by using grooming products he was able to build up his self-confidence and self-esteem. This, he believes, is what makes a man extraordinary and is the key to being more successful with women. So how does the public respond to the fact that men are starting to care more about their appearance? According to the Nielsen Global Online Omnibus survey conducted in late 2006, 81% of the respondents in Taiwan agreed that it's common for men to spend time and money to make themselves look good, and around one-fourth of the male respondents gave feedback that showed they were spending more than before on skin care products and cosmetic treatments. Believe it or not, this is undeniable evidence that aesthetic standards in modern society are shifting.
To understand how skin care works, let’s take a look at some basic principles and tips.

1. The cleansing cream/foam is the easiest skin care product you can get your hands on.

Good ones can be found in groceries and drug stores, like COSMED or Watsons. Michele Probst, an expert celebrity makeup artist with over 12 years of experience, says that because men have larger pores and skin that is approximately 15% oilier than women’s, it’s much easier for them to trap dirt and dust with bacteria. When the skin starts to secrete oil, they will eventually turn into nasty zits. The original cleaning formula, water and soap, can no longer fulfill the role of keeping skin clean. But, before you rush off to the shop, take a skin test on PTT-mancare electronic board to determine your skin type. Knowing your skin type means that you can buy skin formulas and skin products that are suitable for you. If you still have no clue as to where to start, consulting a dermatologist on campus can provide more specific guidance on product selection and treatments, especially for people with zits. When you go shopping, remember to pay extra attention to the components which might cause allergy, and always ask for a trial package or sample before you actually throw money on a cleanser.

2. To keep skin healthy and resilient or prevent pores from clotting, specific caring and protecting techniques are required.

Although cleaning helps remove harmful residues from skin, a lot more needs to be done to perfect our appearance, and that is-toning and moisturizing. Pollutants from scooters and car exhausts accumulate on our skin over time and inhibit it from breathing properly. To be free of this menace, a toner is what we need. The role of the toner is to tighten pores, remove the chemical components left by the cleanser, and soften the face. Besides, the pleasant smell of most toners can help you forget your long day at work and even prepare you for sleep. Maintaining a fresh and supple skin throughout the day requires moisturizers that lock the water in. For instance, indoor workers are exposed to desiccating conditions. Air-conditioners and ventilators take water away from the epider-mis, and turn the skin dry and flaky. Eventually wrinkles will just pop out from nowhere. This is catastrophic since wrinkles, once they are formed, will never disappear unless cosmetic surgery or botox injections are used. By simply applying a moisturizer after the toner, these terrifying consequences can easily be avoided.3. Protecting your skin comes from knowing your real enemy, not the air or chemical pollutants, but the sun.

Don't be mistaken though. Maintaining your skin doesn't necessarily mean permanently avoiding sunlight. Inadequate sunlight exposure may lead to a deficiency of Vitamin D, something that can only be manufactured photochemically in skin. Conversely, overexposure to sunlight may cause sunburn, loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, and even skin cancer. But the solution is simple, just put on some sunscreen before going outside, that’s all you have to do!

Men! Taking care of your skin is not about following the trend or spending a large amount of money on the latest skin products; it is to relieve the skin of discomforts that come with aging and pollution. Give the above a try and feel the benevolent transformation on your skin. You will have a lot of people approaching you and asking you for the secret formula.