Skincare and the modern man
The days when skincare was synonymous with feminine beauty are well and truly gone. In today’s world of the metrosexual male, well-groomed men place a high premium on their skincare and this is reflected in the vast range of men’s grooming products on the market. These include everything from male makeup to shaving accessories and laser hair removal, once the preserve of the fairer sex.
Differences in skin quality
Compared with women’s skin, the male epidermis is typically much oilier and more prone to damage by exposure to the sun. These are two reasons why women’s skincare products are unsuitable for use by men.
Cleansers
Men used to rely on normal soap products to wash their faces but soap, as women have long known, tends to dry the skin and cause premature ageing, in addition to blocking the skin follicles. Modern face washes designed for men remove the relatively high amounts of dirt and oil and leave the skin smooth and clean.
Exfoliation agents
Face scrubs for men are designed to aid exfoliation, opening up the pores and allowing the skin to breathe. Exfoliation, as well as flushing grease and dirt from the pores, softens the hair follicles of the face and makes shaving easier.
Moisturizers
Moisturizing is not, as widely assumed, just for men who suffer from dry skin, since exfoliation, cleansing and shaving are all procedures that can leave the skin dry. Moisturizing products are now available for all skin types. Good moisturizing lotions for men incorporate a Sun Protection Formula (SPF) that protects the skin from solar UVB and UVA rays.
Shaving kits
Well-groomed men have to shave regularly, usually twice a day, and therefore a high-quality shaving kit is essential. This will include an open or straight razor, shaving foam, aftershave lotion and cotton for cuts. The modern man often packs concealing cosmetics as well to hide marks and scars on the face to effectively camouflage shaving accidents.
Laser hair removal
Most women, it’s fair to say, go to great lengths to remain smooth and hair-free, using various combinations of shaving, plucking, pulling and waxing. Clinics are, however, reporting a significant rise in men opting for laser hair removal. Men often experience excessive growth in bodily hair due to high testosterone levels, but ethnicity, age and genetics also play a significant role.
In this type of treatment, pulses of laser heat target hairs, attracted to pigmentation in the follicles and damaging them until growth stops. It usually takes several sessions, typically eight, for growth of body hairs to slow significantly or stop altogether. The rise in highly-rated laser hair removal in Minnesota and other cities across the States is proof, if any were needed, that men are embracing the procedure in greater numbers than ever before.
There is now a much more open attitude in men towards a whole range of cosmetic procedures and beauty treatments. These procedures make them feel better about themselves and generally more confident, and skincare is just the start of a growing trend.