CLEAR COMPLEXION. Facial care for men is more important than you may think. And it isn’t just a woman’s issue, real men also do facials
There are a lot of products and procedures for a guy’s facial care, but a full-on facial is the ultimate. A proper facial at least once a month, however, is always complemented by a good daily regimen of cleansing, and deep cleansing from time to time. It’s also key to consistently use the right moisturizer for your skin type. While the daily routine for men and women are similar, men cannot do exactly the same things. The biggest difference between the two is the fact that a man shaves his face on a regular basis. More often than not, a man’s skin is thicker and oilier than a woman’s. Thus, men really should never use products that are designed for women.
But what comprises a facial treatment/spa experience? Can we do it by ourselves? Here are the essential step-by-step tasks that major brands employ in their clinics, but you can also do these at home.
1. Cleanse
Any treatment that concerns the skin usually begins with getting the dirt or oil off your skin. Thus, the first step to an effective facial is by lightly scrubbing with a cleansing cream. You must leave the product on your skin for at least two minutes to give it time to dissolve dirt and oil. Then, just wipe your face with a clean cloth, cotton wool or facial tissue. As an alternative, wash your face with your choice of facial foam according to your skin type and make sure you rinse thoroughly.
2. Exfoliate
To remove deep-seated dirt and dry skin, you need to moisten your skin with warm water and use a facial scrub, particularly the ones with micro-beads. Gently massage the product onto your face. Just make sure that you avoid the delicate area surrounding your eyes. After a while, rinse off with lukewarm water. Your skin will feel revived instantly, but do not exfoliate too frequently as it can suppress the growth of new skin cells.
3. Steam
This is the part where the hot steam opens your pores. If you have problems with blackheads and whiteheads, you can remove the gunk inside by the tried-and-true pinching. Also, use a 5x zoom, or more, mirror to really see all the blemishes that need to get sorted. When doing this by yourself, place a basin of boiling water in front of you. Then, lean over the basin and cover your head with a towel so that the steam will reach your face, and stay in that position for about five minutes.
4. Mask
Instant masks are available from a variety of grooming brands, but it’s sometimes better to let a spa pro do this for you. If you do it at home, just follow the instructions on the product that you are using. If you have an oily face, it is advised to choose an exfoliating or clay-based mask. If your skin is dry, what you need is a moisturizing mask.
5. Close Your Pores
When the mask feels stiff and dry, you can now rinse it off completely. It is best to remove the product with warm water. Your pores tend to open up after being in contact with steam or warm water; to prevent dirt from entering your pores, you need to close them. To do this, splash your face with cold water, concentrating on the areas where your pores are quite large. Dry your skin by dabbing with a soft towel.
6. Tone
In order to refresh your skin and get rid of excess oil, apply a facial toner on areas that are prone to acne and other blemishes; with special attention given to your nose, forehead and chin. If you have extremely dry skin, you can skip this step, because sometimes toners can make your skin even drier.
7. Treat Your Eyes
Treating those eye bags is as important as the rest of the facial treatment. Apply a generous amount of eye cream or gel on the areas surrounding your eyes and rub in a circular motion.
8. Moisturize
After the cleansing, rinsing, steaming and toning, your face is now ready to get moisturized. Considered the most vital step as it is essential to keep your face moist at a considerable level, apply a good amount of moisturizer all over your face and neck while massaging it. This is important in keeping your skin soft and supple and your complexion even.
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