HEALTH AND GLOW

Shaving is the most typical start to a man's day. Getting a good shave involve skin’s sensitivity- how the skin reacts to razors and shaving products. The following tips will help not only get the shaving you crave, but also leave your skin looking and feeling its best.

1. Avoid shaving in the morning. If possible, let your skin wake up a while. This allows the "puffiness" you encounter from fluids collecting in your skin during the night to recede, thus allowing you to get a closer shave when you do begin the task.

2. Wet your beard thoroughly with warm or hot water before shaving. Well-soaked hair is much weaker and that makes it much easier to cut.

3. Use a facial cleanser or scrub to eradicate dead skin cells and open up the pores of the skin to prepare it for a close shave. 

4. Thoroughly massage shave cream into stubble for one or two minutes before shaving. Use only the best shaving cream. Note that the best shaving cream doesn’t have a lot of foam. A vitamin and Aloe Vera based shave cream will provide a close soothing shave and protect against razor rashes and burns.

5. Use a sharp high quality blade. Shaving with a dull blade is responsible for many shaving cuts as it drags over your face and catches your skin along with the hairs of your beard. Also change the blades often and never use a disposable razor more than once.

6. Rinse the blade often in hot water when shaving and use slow short strokes. Take your time.

7. After shaving, apply an oil-free moisturizer to soothe and protect the face. If you prefer an after-shave, check the label for alcohol. Dryness and stinging sensations are by-products of most after-shave products whose primary ingredient is alcohol. It may feel good at the time, but alcohol based after-shaves are actually irritating to many complexions.

Remember, the ultimate shaving experience comes with providing antioxidant protection, so toning and balancing the skin and restoring essential natural moisture is essential.

Since men's activity spectrum is wide, they get exposed to the sun, wind and pollution to a great extent. The skin care needs of men do differ from those of women to some extent, but these differences are not so great. 

The skin of men is naturally oilier with larger pores and is thicker and rougher with copious hair growth. So an appropriate skin care routine is needed for men. To begin with, men should realize that proper skin care isn't going to occupy hours of their busy day. A few minutes a day is all that is necessary. 

Men skin care products tend to be lighter and less complicated chemically, and are designed to promote maximum soothing and healing of freshly shaved skin. Use of the products depends on one's age. As one gets older, the skin tends to dry up, mild cleansers with more moisturising effect are to be used. Use an effective sunscreen regularly. For the face, use a face wash depending on your skin type.

Men's skin care usually involves using a cleanser, shaving cream, conditioner, a toner, and a moisturizer.

Cleansing

Deep cleansing with some natural cleanser keeps pores clear and also promotes health of the skin by getting rid of pollutants and germs. Cleansing should be accompanied by moisturizing. This will make the skin look and feel its absolute best. While cleansing a scrub may be used. This will help to remove the dead cells from the skin surface. The scrub should cleanse without damaging your skin.

Moisturising

A routine of applying moisturizer can have a dramatic impact on the skin's overall look and feel. Application of a moisturizer on face and neck is a must especially after shaving. Apply lotion within a few minutes after showering when skin is more accepting of moisturizers. Vitamin E serves as a good moisturizer. Specially formulated men's moisturizer is best.

Toning

Toning is another important step to maintain good skin for men because they spend most of the time outside so pollution affects skin easily. Use a specialized astringent tonic with glycolic or alpha hydroxyl acids. These reduce the pore size and help avoid ingrown hairs. Natural toners are all the more beneficial in retaining the elasticity of the skin.

Other than cleansing and moisturising, men can also use  face masks which strengthen skins elasticity and gives the skin a youthful appearance. There are so many different kinds of masks for all types of skin. Occasional exfoliating treatments ( to remove the dead cells, which cause the skin to look dull) with the use of masks and packs help revitalize tired skin and impart a fresh look and glow.

Do a facial once in a month after the age of 25 to maintain a wrinkle free skin. This will also help to keep away skin related problems like acne, pimples etc. With a few exceptions, the same procedures and techniques are used in giving facial treatment to men as are used for women.

Gone are the days where you found only the shaving cream, soap and after shave lotion as men's facial make up needs. But the current generation are more conscious about their appearance and have graduated from being admirers of beauty to being good looking themselves. They are willing to use cosmetics to improve their overall look without worrying that their 'macho' image might be called into question.

Now these perception have gained momentum due to the availability of various products especially aimed at providing skin care for men. More and more companies have seriously started concentrating on this vast unexplored market.  Recently several beauty firms have started offering a range of beauty products for men and beauty salons and massage clinics have introduced skin treatment techniques to cover the male needs. Men's magazines have slowly introduced information on men's grooming topics that existed only in women's magazines before. 

Young guys look up to not only just male models like Upen Patel, Arjun Rampal etc, but also have embraced cricket stars like MS Dhoni and movie stars like Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar etc as their role models.

For Glowing skin

·         A facemask of egg white and honey gently removes the tan from your face.

·         Mix oats with honey, yogurt and ground almonds. Apply this in your face, leave it for five minutes and wash with lukewarm water.

·         Cucumber is a natural cleanser. Mix cucumber juice with milk and use it instead of a cleanser.

·         Take 1/3-cup cocoa, three teaspoons of heavy cream, 1/3-cup ripe papaya, 1/4-cup honey and three teaspoons of oatmeal powder. Mix it all together. Apply on your face. After 10 minutes, wash your face with warm water. This is best for oily skin

·         For oily skin, apply a mixture of grapes, lemon and egg white. Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water. While lemon acts as a natural cleanser, grapes will soften your skin and egg whites will tighten it. Don’t be alarmed if your skin tingles.

·         Cut the lemon and rub the wedge all over your face. Leave it for about 20 minutes, then rinse off with cold water. This will refresh your face. Avoid doing this if you have dry skin.

·         Mix honey, lemon and vegetable oil .This mixture is a good moisturiser for dry skin. Apply this mask for 10 minutes.

·         Apply the mixture of honey and milk on the face . This will make your skin glow.

·         Prepare a mask by mixing a slice of pumpkin with egg yolk and milk. Let this mask set on your face for 30 minutes for a glowing skin.

·         Mix half-a-cup honey to your bath water for soft and smooth skin. 

·         For a soothing body pack, prepare a paste of mint leaves and almonds. Mix it with warm water and apply all over your body. Leave it till it dries and rinse with warm water.

·         Buttermilk dabbed on skin for 15 minutes will soak up oil from your skin without drying it.

·         Carrot juice applied daily fades blemishes.

For dark underarms and neck

·         Apply lemon juice mixed with cucumber juice and a pinch of turmeric daily. Leave this on for 20 minutes.

For removing facial hair

·         Apply a sticky paste of egg white blended with sugar and corn flour. When it dries, gently peel it off. Repeat this three to four times a week.

·         Thin apple slices rubbed onto oily skin will help in controlling oily shine.

·         For supple skin, apply a ripe smashed banana on your face for 20 minutes daily.

·         Cauliflower juice applied on warts regularly will make them fall.

For a fair skin

·         Try this natural bleach. Mix orange peels (sun dried and powdered) with milk. Apply this paste for 25 minutes and wash off.

·         Mix half teaspoon dried curry leaf powder with multani mitti  (fullers earth) and apply on the face. Wash it after it gets dry.

·         Apply the mixture of tomato juice and honey on the face and neck , wash it after 15 minutes.

·         Apply the mixture of carrot juice and basin. Leave it till it dries and wash the face.

·         Add two teaspoon of tomato juice with 4 teaspoon of curd and apply on the face.

·         Add a pinch of yeast with 2 teaspoon of cabbage juice and apply.

·         Mix 1 table spoon of barley powder with half teaspoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply it on the face and wash after 20 minutes.

·         Mix pineapple juice and carrot juice together and apply it on the face and wash it after 15 minutes.

·         Mix vinegar and rose water in equal quantities and apply.

·         Mix curd and cucumber juice and apply it on the face.

·         Apply the mixture of coconut water and thick pineapple juice.

·         Make a paste with 1/2 teaspoon of milk  powder, 1/4 teaspoon of egg white and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and apply on the face.

For dry skin

·         Make a paste with egg yolk, olive oil and lemon juice. Apply it on the neck and face, wash it out after 10 minutes.

For oily skin

·         Take a mixture of oatmeal and egg white and apply it on the neck and face

·         For glowing skin, use basin or green gram powder mixed with milk instead of soap.

·         Apply the mixture of raw turmeric and cream of milk on the face and wash it after 20 minutes. It will make your skin fair.

·         Apply the mixture of honey, basin, cream of milk and olive oil as a face pack.

·         Apply the paste of fenugreek with milk on the face and let it dry. Wash off with luke warm water.

·         Make a paste of red sandal wood and apply it on the face every day for glowing skin.

·         Make a paste with red sandal powder and coconut milk and apply on the face for soft skin.

For Black Spots

·         Make a paste with mehndi and oil and apply on the face

·         Make a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and glycerin and apply it on the spots

·         Apply the paste of turmeric and curry leaves on the face and wash it after 15 minutes.

·         Apply a mixture of mehndi and turmeric. For a piece of turmeric, 2-3 leaves of mehndi are used

·         Grind dried basil leaf, neem and mint (100 gm each). Add some turmeric powder and rose water to make it in a paste form and apply it on the spots.

·         Grind betel leaf and add a little coconut oil and apply it on the spots

·         Soak a chappathi  in milk overnight . Make it into a paste and apply it on black heads. Repeat for several days

·         Make a paste of saffron and add some honey, apply it on the face to remove black spots.

To remove black spots

·         Apply a paste of turmeric and basil.

To remove wrinkles on the face

·         Apply a mixture of sandalwood powder, rosewater and glycerin. Wash with cold water after some time

For pimples

·         Apply a mixture of turmeric and neem on the face.

·         A mixture of crushed mint leaves and oats will reduce pimples. Leave this for 20 minutes and wash it with warm water.

·         Mix thick curd, turmeric and two drops of oil. Apply on the face.

·         Crush garlic and take the juice and apply it on the face daily to reduce pimples

·         Make a paste with sandal wood and turmeric and apply it on the face.

DRY SKIN

Facial Pack For Dry Skin

Make a paste with two raw plantain and a table spoon of honey. Apply this pack on the face for 20 minutes and wash it when it becomes dry

Make a paste with equal parts of oats, badam and honey. Apply it on the face. Wash it after 20 minutes

Make a paste with a gauva and a spoon of honey. Apply on the face and wash after 20 minutes.

Whisk one egg white till it thickness, then whisk in 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil. Apply on the face for 20 minutes and wash off  with warm water

Fruit Cream Mask For Dry Skin

Fresh Cream

Ripe Strawberry - 2

Make a paste with the strawberry and mix it with fresh cream. Apply it on the face and wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes.

OILY SKIN

Facial Pack For Oily Skin

Peel two apples and make a paste with one table spoon of honey. Apply it on the face. Wash out after 20 minutes

Apply a paste of a fully ripe tomato on the face and wash it after 20 minutes

Mix 2 teaspoon of Fullers earth with 2 teaspoon of chilled rose water to a  thick paste. Apply on the face with a brush, avoiding the delicate areas around the eyes. Leave it on for about 20 minutes or till completely dry. Rinse with warm water. The results is a pinkish youthful skin.

Facial scrub for oily skin

This scrub helps to get rid of the dirt and the superficial dead skin but it should not be used more than once a week and never on dry skin. Mix 2 teaspoon of fine bran with a quarter of dried yeast and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice along with a table spoon of water. Gently massage the thick paste so formed in the skin, particularly  on and around the nose and the chin area, using a soft brush; avoid applying around the eyes. Wash off after 1-2 minute using warm water.

Tonic for oily skin

Whisk one egg white until it thickens, then whisk in 1 teaspoon of honey. Finally add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply to your face and neck avoiding the delicate eye and lip areas. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wash with warm water.

Lemon Mask For Oily Skin

Lemon -     1/2 piece

Oatmeal -  1/2 cup

Egg White - 1

Make a fine paste with egg white lemon and oatmeal. Apply it on the face. After it get dry wash the face in hot water.

NORMAL SKIN

Facial Pack For Normal Skin

Take 1/2 cup of mustard and grind it in two litres of water. Make a paste of it with some rose petals. Apply it on the face and wash it off after half an hour.

Take the yolk of 2 eggs and add some honey and three drops of badam oil. Make it as a mixture and apply on the face. Wash it off after 20 minutes

Make a paste with a ripe papaya. Apply on the face and wash after 20 minutes.

Take one cup of curd. Add the juice of two lime to it and make a mixture. Apply it on the face. After half an hour wash the face with cold water.

Make a paste with one lime, 1/2 an orange and a cup of curd. Apply this pack on the face and wash it after 20 minutes

Make a paste with cucumber and coconut water. Apply on the face and wash after some time

Apply a paste with raw plantain and strawberry on the face. The face will look fresh.

Make a paste with turmeric and sandal. Apply it on the face. It helps to remove pimples and other marks on the face.

Mash or liquidise half an avocado pear with 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil. Apply the mixture to the face and neck avoiding the eye and lip area. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wash with warm water.

Take two carrots, one egg white and half cup of ,milk  Grate  the carrot and add the egg white and milk. Apply this mixture on the face for 20 minutes.

Take one piece of ripped papaya,  Half teaspoon  honey, one spoon  milk cream. Mix all these ingredients and make it as a paste. Apply this paste for 25 minutes and rinse off.

Make a paste with a handful of basil, a handful of mint, a piece of cucumber and a handful of curry leaf and apply on the face and wash it off after some time..

Soak 10 almonds for an overnight  and peal the skin. Make a paste with these almonds, a handful of rose petals and a pinch of camphor. Apply the mixture on the face. After 30 minutes massage the face with wet hands and wash the face. 

Toner for Normal Skin

This is a refreshing toner for normal skin. Chop up a small sized fresh cucumber and liquidize it with half a cup of yogurt. Apply the mixture for 5-10 minutes, and wash it off. The remainder can be stored in the fridge for future use.

Milk Cucumber Mask for Ordinary Skin

Salad Cucumber -  1

Milk Powder       - 1 table spoon

Egg White

Take the juice of cucumber. Mix milk powder and egg white in this juice. Apply it on the face. After it get dry, wash it out in cold water.

Anti- aging mask for blotchy wrinkled skin

This can be applied frequently. Mix 2 table spoons of oatmeal with half cup of milk and cook gently till it becomes soft. Stir in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and beat together. Allow to cool and then spread it over the face and neck. Leave it on, for about 25 minutes and then rinse  with luke warm water.

Face pack with rose

Rose Petals                                          -  5 (to be ground)

Multanimitti (fullers earth)                  - 11/2 teaspoon

Powdered Dried Orange Peals           -  a pinch

White of an egg                                  -  1/2

Rose Petals soaked water                   -  as required

Make a paste with the above ingredients. Steam the face and apply the pack. Clean the face after 15 minutes.

Rose cream

Rose Petals                              -   5

Lime water                              -  5 drops

Gram Powder                          - 2 spoons

Herbal Turmeric Powder         - 2pinch

Make a fine paste of the above ingredients with some water. Clean the face and apply the paste. After 20 minutes wash it off with milk and again clean the face with pure water. When the process is repeated for 15 days, the face will become soft and smooth.

Rose cream is also used for the clearing of black spots left after the pimples.

Carrot face pack

Grind a carrot and make it as a paste. Bleach the face with a lemon. After this, apply the paste of carrot on the face and wash after 20 minutes.

You can use orange juice instead of lemon juice. If your skin is dry, then add the paste of tomato and a little almond with carrot.

PRE APPLICATION HINTS

Clean the face with any cleansing lotion.

If the skin is dry, apply any moisturiser before using the face pack.

Pin the hair up fully or cover it with a cloth so that it won't come over your face.

Apply the mask equally on all parts of the face except eyes and lips

See that you don't make any movements to your face after you have applied the mask. (like speaking, laughing etc)

Don't use make-ups at least 2 or 3 hours after using mask.

Cleansing

Cleansing is the first essential step in your daily skin care routine.   

Cleansing the face 2-3 times a day; is adequate for normal skin. If your skin is oily a more frequent cleansing i.e. 4-5 times a day is necessary. If your skin is dry it is best to avoid frequent washing and you may have to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead of soap, which has a dry effect. 

There are several alternatives to soap and water cleansing. Cleansers can be in the form of creams, milks, lotions, gels and liquids. All are, a mixture of oil, wax and water which have been formulated to suit different skin types. A cotton -pad dipped in fresh milk available at home, is an equally effective cleanser.

The right way to apply cleansers and creams on your face is in an upward and outward movement. The skin should not be stretched, dragged or pulled. Leave the cleanser on for a minute or two so as to loosen the dirt and make up. Remove it either using a cotton wool or with a tissue paper, again using an upward and out ward movement. Finally rinse with water.

Masks

Basically all face masks have some sort of a cleansing action.  Various ingredients are used in the masks, depending on the skin type. Clay, form an important constituent of many face masks. They help to remove dirt, sebum, and dead skin so that the skin looks clean, soft and youthful.

Fullers earth is a special type of clay often used in face packs. It contains aluminium silicate. As it dries on the skin, it absorbs the superficial dead cells and blots up any excessive oil on the skin. It is therefore excellent for an oily skin but should not be used on dry skin. Kaolin is also a fine clay which has been used for tummy upsets because it absorbs toxins from the system. It removes grime, oils and dead cells. Kaolin is also best for oily skin and best avoided for dry skin.

Another ingredient of some of the masks is the peeling or the exfoliating agent-these remove the top layer of dead cells from the skin, leaving behind fresh youthful skin. Oatmeal and bran are the commonly used peelers. Oatmeal is obtained from oats which is rich in Vitamin B and Vitamin E.

Also added to many masks are natural ingredients-cucumbers, curds, lemon juice and Brewer's Yeast. It restores the acid / alkali balance of the skin.

Toning

The skin care products include cosmetics like skin fresheners, toners and astringents which basically contains alcohol and water. These products are used after cleansing the skin to freshen and tone up the skin, they also restore the acid/ alkali balance of  the skin. Having cleansed, wipe away any last traces of dirt or oil with a skin freshener or toner (cleansing milk) which suits your skin type. Non alcoholic freshener are for dry and sensitive skin. Those with alcohol (astringent) are for oily skin. People with combination skin should use toner and astringent.

Mosturising

Regular use of a suitable moisturiser benefits your skin. The moisturiser not only replaces the water lost from the skin but also prevents its loss to the surroundings. It protects the skin against the drying influences of the environment such as the effects of the sun, cold and heat. Tinted moisturiser are very helpful under foundation. It always keep the make up moist.

A moisturiser is particularly helpful for dry skins. Oil free moisturisers can be used for oily skins.

There are two types of moisturisers: Oil - in water emulsions and water -in -oil emulsions. The moisturiser you select should suit your skin type. For normal skins, a water based moisturiser containing a little oil is suitable. Sensitive skins and dry skins need moisturisers having a high oil content.

Protecting

The sun, is the environmental factor that is most harmful to the health and appearance of the skin. Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight can cause permanent damage to the skin. It can cause the skin to sag, lose elasticity and form wrinkles. Severe sunburn can even cause skin cancer.

Sunscreen and foundation protects the skin against the damaging ultraviolet rays. It also shields your face from direct contact with dirt or pollutants in the air and helps the skin against loosing its necessary moisture.