Follow
I remember the “first time” I was alone, in the bathroom, about 14 years old, nervous, confused what to do, before I knew what happened, “it” was over, a mess all over the mirror. I wondered, now that I started, would I ever stop?
I am of course talking about popping my first zit! At fourteen, I thought by the time I was 21, I would be done with acne and grow up with amazing skin just like David Cassidy.
Now 32 years later, I am still popping zits and thanks to the combo of a teenaged girl and shaving, I have wrinkles, ingrown hairs and frown lines. Mix into the equation that I do triathlons, I have dried out skin from the pool, sunburn from running and wind burn from the bike.
Now unless you are new to Dad All Day, I think we established a long time ago that common sense and I don’t usually see eye to eye. When it comes to skin care, not only do I not have the time, it’s a little, um, like, how do you put it__________________ you fill it in.
Shaving off my man-stash added a new level of rashy, bumpy, burney misery to my skin. I look my age, which is the last friggin’ thing I want, so I started to research and was lucky enough to be able to talk with Dr. Jeff Benabio, Director of Healthcare Transformation, Kaiser Permanente, and Rady MBA Candidate.
One of the reasons I reached out to Dr. Benabio is because he is a consultant for Dove Men + Care, I use Dove, always have, my kids use it, my wife uses it, it’s a part of our families daily routine. I sweat and stink, like a longshoreman and having burned through a dozen different deodorants, Dove does the trick in a non-irritating formula, cuz’ honestly I have enough stuff irritating me all day, I don’t need my arm pits to join the party.
Dove now has a full line of skin care products for men from deodorant to post shave balm, and if I was going to “jump into the world of fine skin, I wanted to use something I knew and trusted, and again didn’t smell like a Frat boy.”
I am cool with man-scaping and general grooming, but when I went to the mall and looked at some stuff to wash my face I found things that cost $50 for a thimble full of lotion! The other stuff smelled a little too flowery, there are too many choices, which as I guy, is confusing and a non-starter. Dr. Benabio says you don’t have to spend a lot to take care of your skin. Absolutely not! Simply look for products specifically designed to work for men’s skin and don’t think you need products off the shelf of your wife or girlfriend’s salon.
There are days when a shower is something I get in around 3:00PM, because time is so limited, the idea of throwing on a head band like my wife and adding yet another thing to suck up time in my day isn’t appealing at all. The Dr. offers up this time saving advice, For many men, skin care is an afterthought or something they see as “unmanly.” Yup!!!! He continues “However, there are some great products on the market specifically designed for men, and they can be easily incorporated into their daily routine. Guys are already washing their face (at least in a daily shower) and shaving regularly, so why not incorporate these products to make that experience not only more enjoyable, but also beneficial.
Apparently us men folk are not only stinky, but dirty, my wife washes her face at night, I watch the news, if you want healthy skin washing your face is the way to go.
Think about everything your face goes through on a daily basis. Between a cologne spritz in the morning(only if I think I am getting some), a workout in the evening(he obviously doesn’t have kids), dusty winds and touching it with dirty hands throughout the day, it should be obvious that men need to clean up just as much as women (if not more!). Plus, a warm face wash at night is a great way to unwind and relax before bed – helping with a good night’s sleep. Scotch does the same thing, but isn’t all that great on your skin. The good Dr. recommends checking out the Dove face wash, which works for dry, sensitive and even regular old skin.
The Dr. let me in on a “man secret” I have been washing my man parts incorrectly for a few decades, lathering yourself up with your shampoo isn’t the best for your skin. You wouldn’t use toothpaste to wash your hands. They’re built for different functions. Men need to use a proper shampoo designed specifically to strengthen hair, remove oily build-up and nourish the scalp. Particularly in winter, dandruff can become an issue. Check out Dove Men+Care Fresh Clean Fortifying 2 in 1.
Dr. Benabio says As men age, their skin loses elasticity and becomes softer, more vulnerable and thinner. To top it off, oil glands become fewer and less productive as well. On their face!!! Man, you guys have other things on your minds today. He continues, It’s no secret that as men get older, there are some things they just can’t get away with as easily as when they were younger. Attention to skin care is no different.
Like any other part of your body, your skin needs attention and care, not a lot, it’s like a fourth child, a little attention will keep your skin happy. As we head into Winter, the damage increases as the weather gets colder . Your dry skin is caused by the cold air actually drawing moisture from your skin. Additionally, running the heater in your house, car and office – while quite comfortable – does dry out your skin. Cold air holds less moisture, therefore drawing it out of your skin (think of an evaporating puddle). As moisture leaves your skin, your body naturally pushes replenishment to the top – continuing a vicious cycle that leaves your skin cracked and dry.
Though a hot shower feels great after being out in the cold, it can actually do more damage than good to your skin. “The hot water and steam actually make it difficult for your skin to retain or regain moisture.”
Which brings us to moisturizing your skin. You need to not only moisturize your face, but protect it from the sun. My wife has a fancy moisturizer in a pink bottle that smells great and has SPF, not my deal, neither is dropping a ton on liquid gold so I can use the same stuff that Kanye uses.
You don’t have to break the bank to take care of your skin “! Simply look for products specifically designed to work for men’s skin and don’t think you need products off the shelf of your wife or girlfriend’s salon. Dr Benabio says, but you do need to moisturize. Especially during the winter when many skin-care issues flare up. However, for a variety of reasons, guys don’t like to “lotion up.” Let’s be honest, they’re generally more hairy and that doesn’t always mix well with lotion. Avoid that by using a body wash and other products with that extra level of built-in moisturizer.
While I don’t ever see myself using a loofa ever, the Dr. is right. Since I shaved off my crumb catcher, I went and got a few of the Dove products for men to add to my arsenal, lotion, face wash, post shave balm and my face feels good. The lotion has SPF, doesn’t smell like a 19 year old and the post shave balm soothes and doesn’t burn the hell out of my skin.
I make it a point to workout everyday to make sure my body stays healthy, with the good doctors tips, you can keep your skin healthy in about 4 minutes a day with products like Dove Men + Care that are designed for men that are easy to use, affordable and don’t suck up a lot of extra time.
