Natural Skin Care Tips for Men

The skin is the largest organ in the human body and one of the
hardest working. Not only does it provide a waterproof,
protective container for the organs inside the body, it has
several functions that are utterly vital to human life - skin
regulates body temperature to prevent fever or hypothermia, it
screens out a number of unhealthy pathogens in the environment,
and it repairs itself relatively quickly from potentially
compromising injuries.

In light of all that skin does for the body, the case for proper
skin care seems to be a strong one, but frequently skin is the
one organ people seem to think they can let take a beating. Hard
work, a little too much sunlight, bad diet and other factors can
cause quite a bit of damage to the skin, much of which is
actually very preventable. Men in particular seem prone to
developing roughed up skin, but there are fortunately many ways
that men can take better care of this incredibly important organ.


The Basics

Healthy, natural skin care begins with control - specifically
controlling what the skin is exposed to. Like any other organ,
the skin is part of the body and needs nutrients to survive. In
particular, water and vitamins C and E seem to be the most
desirable nutrients to focus on. Healthy skin requires water to
properly perform the sweating function so regular intake of water
is once again a key to a healthy body.

Vitamins C and E help reduce the impact of sun exposure, which
means they play a critical role in reducing the incidence of skin
cancer. As for minerals, the most important is Selenium (found in
whole grain foods and eggs), which again helps the body ward off
the development of skin cancer. For some, healthier skin can
indeed be had for the addition of a glass of water, a piece of
fruit, and two slices of whole grain toast every day.

Apart from diet, exposure control requires thinking about the
environment your skin will be a part of. Sunlight can be healthy,
both for emotional well-being and for vitamin D exposure.
However, UV radiation can and does cause skin cancer, and every
sunburn you receive magnifies the risk. In addition, sunburns are
painful and debilitating any way, so avoidance is entirely
prudent. An all natural, high SPF and UV blocking sunscreen
lotion does not take long to apply and can play a key part in
regulating the skin's exposure to the sun. A hat can provide
shade to the face and prevent overexposure to the nose and
cheeks, while a light, long-sleeved shirt significantly reduces
the amount of exposed skin. Again, the key is taking small steps
that will lead to big rewards.

The Shave

While men aren't alone in having to shave troublesome body hair,
they do have a marked propensity for having to do so on the most
frequently exposed part of the body, the face. Shaving takes a
toll on the skin as it literally involves dragging sharp blades
over the surface of this sensitive organ. Couple this with the
fact that many men seem to believe that proper shaving care is
hot water before and after the scrape and you have a recipe for
chronic skin problems.

In the case of shaving, a little extra effort can leave facial
skin healthy and vibrant rather than dried out and irritable.
First, don't use ordinary soap. Bar soap is great for getting
the hands clean or a quick scrub in the shower, but it has a
tendency to deplete natural oils the skin needs to stay healthy.
This can lead to either excessively dry skin or excessively oily
skin as the body tries to overproduce in compensation. Instead,
use a naturally lubricating shaving lotion - there are many
natural and organic shaving creams out there, such as those made
from sunflower oils.

Additionally, give the cream time to work. As it sits on the
face, it softens the skin and the hairs, making the shave easier
on the body. Some users find that a shaving hairbrush whips up
much more lather, so you may consider using this as well.
After-shaves and balms help soothe the skin and the best ones
should include a moisturizing element as well. This extra time
should only add a minute or two at most to the shaving routine
but in cumulative effect should have a major benefit on the
skin's health and appearance.

The Extras

Up until now our focus has been on how to change an existing
routine to help take care of skin, but there are other
considerations as well. One of these is considering what
treatments can be added for good skin care. It's all well and
good to replace soap with gentle cleansers and trying to eat
healthier, but sometimes even these good efforts don't take care
of everything.

Organic and all natural moisturizers are one addition, as are
nutrient gels. The skin is often the last part of the nutrition
cycle; so adding a little vitamin E based moisturizer certainly
can't hurt. Additionally, clay based facial masks can help with
nasty bags under the eyes caused by long nights or poor
nutrition.

Natural skin care doesn't require long retreats to exotic spas.
As with most healthy lifestyles, healthy natural skin care just
involves taking positive steps and making small but helpful
changes to the routine we already have in place. It's not about
a radical new exfoliant, but replacing harsh aftershave with
natural, healthy balms. And as with most healthy habits, the best
results come from the long-term effort, so stick with it and get
the healthy skin you deserve.