Put Your Best Face Forward: Men's Facial Care

When it comes to caring for your appearance, skin care is one of the most important things you can pay attention to. The men's skin care market is full of men's facial care products, but what type is best for you? Read on to get all the insider information on how to wash, moisturize and care for your face.

Skin Type and Facial Products

One of the first things you have to do when developing your men's skin care regimen is to assess what type of skin you have, as there are facial products made for different facial types. The four skin types are:

• Combination skin, which tends to have a specific T-zone area. The T-zone area - across the forehead, down the nose and to the chin - is oily, but the cheeks tend to be dry.
• Dry skin, which may have flaky spots and feel or look rough.
• Normal skin/clear skin, which is even, free of blemishes and flakes, and often has barely visible pores
• Oily skin, which results in a shiny complexion, visible pores and visible blackheads, pimples or acne.

The Right Men's Facial Care Products

Your medicine cabinet doesn't have to be full of expensive facial products if you want to get clear skin. Stick with these four skin care products to get the most out of your budget:

• Astringent/toner
• Cleanser
• Moisturizer with sunscreen
• Shaving cream or pre-shave oil.

You may choose to use men's skin care products with anti-aging benefits, like eye creams or night serums, depending on your age and needs. You may also want to get a targeted skin care facial from an esthetician a few times a year.

The cleanser you choose will depend on your skin type. If you are prone to blemishes, opt for a liquid cleanser with benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Apply a dime-sized amount of cleanser to a wet face once or twice a day, and be sure to clean off all the cleanser with lukewarm water.

Because exposure to the sun's rays can cause skin damage, the easiest way to ensure you are wearing sunscreen each day is to choose a moisturizer that contains a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. After you cleanse your skin, apply a dime-sized amount of moisturizer in cream form for dry skin and lotion form for normal to oily skin to the face and any other exposed areas such as a receding hairline.

Before you shave, use a shaving cream with aloe or a specially-formulated pre-shave oil. Both will moisturize and soften the skin to prep it for shaving.

After shaving, apply an astringent, such as an aftershave lotion or toner. This will narrow the pores of the skin and leave you looking refreshed. It will also remove any last traces of oil or dirt that may have been left on the skin. If you have dry skin, avoid alcohol-based astringent facial products.

Resources

Fox, A. (n.d.). Get better skin in 5 steps. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from the Ask Men Web site: http://www.askmen.com/grooming/appearance/2_get-better-skin-in-5-steps.html.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2008). Dry skin. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dry-skin/DS00560.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2009). Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-care/SN00003.