The 5 steps all men need to follow for perfect skin

Sales-reps make "calls" on us ALL the time, and before they come out with their pitch, they like to ask us a bunch of questions about our business. 

This is advantageous to them for two reasons; one-- they get to try and butter us up by seeming so interested in our business, two-- through this they are able to glean info from us about which of their products/services we would be the most likely to buy.

Often the sales-reps will come in with inaccurate, pre-conceived notions about our business. The most glaring of these misconceptions is their idea of what our clientele's men to women ratio is. They just about fall out of their chairs when we tell them that our clientele is split almost 50/50 amongst the sexes. 

However, I don't know why it is so surprising to find out that men also care about their appearance? (Perhaps Philadelphia is the anomaly here, since we have a large population of proudly well-groomed men-- but somehow I think it is probably the same in any major city.) 

This got me thinking though-- just as the random sales reps under-estimate my male clientele, I think that I too have been under-serving my male population by often featuring women-centric posts here. (Men might care about their appearance, but it's doubtful they are interested in the hair trends of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"...) 

To rectify my mistake, I want to show my loyal Philadelphia men some love by sharing the 5 steps they absolutely need to be taking everyday to ensure perfectly perfect, manly skin.

1- Wash your face

If you do nothing else-- cleansing is the single most important thing you can do for your face, and this should be the first thing you do every morning, and the last thing you do every night.

Washing your face is the basis of your skin care regimen, but that doesn’t mean rubbing the same bar of soap you use for your body, all over your face. (Those types of bar soaps are usually too drying for your facial skin.) Instead, you should use a face wash that is specific for your type of skin.

The intrinsic attributes of men's skin makes it especially important to wash appropriately. Men’s skin typically has large pores and very active oil producing glands. While these glands are critical for keeping the skin naturally moist, they can often produce too much sebum, leaving your skin feeling greasier than an oil slick. Neglecting to wash away the excess oil and dirt can clog pores, which leaves the skin prone to breakouts, blackheads, and all sorts of other nastiness.

A basic face wash can work just fine, but you should look for one that is made for your skin type (dry, normal, oily, etc.) and is strong enough to cut through the grease, while gentle (and affordable!) enough to be used twice a day.

2- Exfoliate

Sometimes cleaning the skin just isn’t enough...

Washing your face gets rid of the surface oil and dirt, but what about all that nasty stuff deep down in your pores?

Exfoliating is key because it helps dislodge debris that normal washing can’t touch. You should exfoliate a few times a week, and you can use either a good scrub, or even a rough towel. (Be wary of scrubs such as St. Ives "Apricot Scrub", as most are too rough and will cause microscopic tears in your skin. Vigorously drying your face with a rough towel is a safer way to help shed the top layers of dead skin.)

By regularly exfoliating, you will help smooth the skin and eliminate the dullness that results from normal pore clogging and dirt buildup. (Exfoliation also softens hair follicles for a closer, less-irritating shave, and keeps your pores clear so that in-grown hairs can be prevented. Plus, any skin products you use will be able to be absorbed into the skin easier.)

3- Moisturize

After washing (and possibly exfoliating) your face, moisturizer is the next critical component. Between constant facial expressions, environmental factors, and the annoying aging process, skin easily becomes drier and experiences a loss of elasticity.

Showering and shaving open up pores and allow precious water to escape, but a light moisturizer can fix everything. Facial moisturizers replenish the skin’s moisture content, and by allowing the skin to be more supple and moist, razor burn can also be prevented. (You can skip step 5 if you use a daily moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or higher.)

4- Protect your most delicate skin (eyes and lips)

There are two places on the face that men almost never pay attention to: the eyes and the lips. However, these are the two facial areas with the most delicate, fragile skin!

One of the first visible signs of aging comes from the skin around the eyes. The soft, thin layer of skin that surrounds the eye is especially prone to developing creases and crinkles long before other parts of the body begin to show their age. All of this can be prevented with regular use of an eye cream. To smooth and protect this skin, eye cream needs to be dabbed gently on the edge of the bone around the eye to maximize effectiveness and prevent irritation. It will slowly absorb and spread to the fragile areas that need it most.

 Because the lips lack both oil glands to keep them naturally moist and melanin to provide protection against harmful UV rays, they are easily prone to severe dryness, cracking, bleeding, and burning from exposure to the elements. Regular application of chap stick (even better if you use something with a hint of SPF!) once a day can help keep your lips healthy and soft.

5- Sunscreen

men traditionally spend less time caring for their skin than women do, despite the fact that they spend more time outdoors damaging their skin. The sun is in the sky, casting down it's dangerous UV rays all year long, and to protect your skin from it's #1 aging/cancer enemy a sunscreen needs to be used daily. (As previously mentioned, you can pair this step with #3 by using a moisturizer that has a SPF of 30 or higher.)