The paradigms of care and external body health have changed, it is no longer only women who give relevance to their appearance, especially, appearance of their skin; at present, the market for products intended for this purpose, have opened up space for a wide range of options for men, most of them quite expensive. Fortunately, there are homemade, natural and very effective alternatives that promise equal or better results.
What should male skin care look like?
The basic routine to maintain the good condition of the male skin includes washing the face and shaving; however, this is an understatement. To begin with, shaving properly requires a series of measures if you want to preserve the health of the face:
- Use foam, cream or gel to shave, after having showered or wash the face with warm water because the pores will be open, avoiding allergic reactions and irritations.
- Moisturize the skin after shaving with lotions that also offer soothing and restorative action.
Regarding the care of the rest of the body, maintaining hydration will be crucial – repeating the same steps, in the event that it is men who shave completely – since as the years pass and the action of external factors, the skin loses softness and elasticity.
In this sense, body creams will be as important as facial creams, betting on those dermatologically approved and that adapt to the type of skin; sunscreen cannot miss, especially, in the athlete who enjoys outdoor sports practice, recommending those with SPF between 20 and 50, although the exact figure will depend both on the hours of exposure, as well as the sensitivity and phototype of the skin.
Also, harmful habits such as sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diets, smoking and abuse of alcohol consumption should be avoided, after all, nicotine contracts blood vessels compromising the amount of oxygen received, while drinking too much generates dehydration. Optimal rest will be as essential as avoiding prolonging hot showers that dry out the skin.
Home remedies to care for male skin:
Whoever said that masks, poultices, lotions, creams and tonics were a women’s thing, was simply wrong; like the cosmetics sector, there are numerous natural recipes with which to take care of men’s skin.
Because shaving is something elementary in man, two natural tonics of great effectiveness in skin care are suggested below due to their antibacterial, antiseptic, antiviral and antifungal properties.
1. Thyme tonic and tea tree essential oil
It is prepared with:
- 250 ml of distilled water.
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves.
- 10 drops of tea tree essential oil.
The preparation consists of boiling the distilled water, removing from the heat and incorporating the thyme leaves so that they are macerated for half an hour. After the time, strain and pour into a bottle or sprinkler – preferably in glass – and add the drops of oil, stirring vigorously. The result will be used after shaving and is preserved for at least a week, without refrigeration.
2. Sauco flower tonic, lavender oil and vegetable glycerin
The necessary ingredients are:
- 1 cup of water.
- 1 tablespoon of sauco flowers.
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin.
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil.
The procedure begins by bringing the water into a saucepan to the fire, once it breaks the boil, remove it from the heat source and add the elderflowers so that they detach their properties; being cold strain and pour the infusion into a bottle where the drops of oil and glycerin will be added. When using, it is important to shake very well and refrigerate to maintain its properties.
Additional measures:
- Bathe in nim or sandalic soap.
- Cover the complexion with fresh cherry pulp before sleeping, letting it act for 15 minutes and rinse using fresh water.
- Fast carrot juice and cooked beets, as it provides natural iron and returns uniformity of color to the skin.
- Make turmeric part of meals.
- Massage the skin daily, with sesame or coconut oil.
