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Skin Care For Men – no longer an Oxy-moron
Rock and Roll Manager, Jack Oakey lives in Auckland and is in his 40s. Not being comfortable with cosmetics and ‘girl’ stuff, he had to be persuaded to take on this brief but is now cleansing and moisturising like a true metrosexual. Being a man is great. We get to bond over beer and sports, we’re allowed to like ‘guy stuff’ like good tools and expensive toys, and we generally respond well to statements like “ roll up your sleeves”, “get stuck in” and “get your hands dirty” (of course we do - it usually means we’ll get to stretch out on the sofa watching telly afterwards). But ask us about the distinctly non-manly topic of men’s skin care and there’s a good chance we might feel our masculinity is somehow being questioned. After all - it’s a fairly safe bet that our fathers did not teach us the benefits of a good cleansing and moisturising regime; that Collin Meads doesn’t exfoliate before shaving and that Sir Ed would never have contemplated a spray on tan or a body wax. We’re men for goodness sakes! Isn’t skin care for girls? More pulling power than a car….. It appears not. Despite the fact that many of us have yet to discover the benefits of caring for our skin, a hell of a lot of us are well on the band wagon already. Take our bro’s in the UK for example; research by Boots (the UK pharmacy retail chain) reported that men’s skin care is the fastest growing sector within the cosmetics and beauty industry, having grown 800% since the year 2000, and men spent a massive £88m on aftershave and £65m on skincare products in 2006 alone. Their research also reveals that nine out of ten men think cosmetics and clothes give them more pulling power than a car – proof indeed that beliefs are changing. Cosmetics industry studies have found that compared to women, men tend to be loyal customers, are willing to follow suggestions and want a basic, consistent routine to follow. We will use skin care – just tell us why and how. Irrespective of our similarities to easily trained puppy dogs, the “metrosexualisation” of world’s male population is bound to be a gradual process. Given most men’s lack of understanding or interest in anything remotely feminine - getting them into the shops to purchase skin care could remain a challenge for cosmetic manufacturers and retailers alike. Let’s face it, two million years of hunter gathering - sans skin care – is not something that is going change easily. The girl influence With many years and dollars spent on women’s skin care products, some industry analysts suggest that it is largely women behind the growth in men’s skincare. One cosmetics industry study found that “25- to 45-year-old career-oriented women with university educations and money to spend” were involved with both the purchasing of men’s skin care products and encouraging and influencing their male spouses/partners to do the same. The reason being that “she and her spouse/partner need to look good to fit in with the social group she aspires to be a part of”. Coupled with men’s skin care purchases by mums, sisters, girlfriends and wives, it’s clear that women are playing a part in influencing the growth of men’s skin care. It’s not complicated On closer inspection men really have nothing to worry about; skin care is not about make up or perfume – it’s simply about looking after our skin - thereby showing the world we’re more handsome, witty and charming than ever before. Fortunately, good skin does not only come from a gazillion different products – life style plays a big part in it too. Regular exercise, drinking lots of water and eating well go a long way towards attaining and keeping great skin. In terms of what products we should be using and how we should be using them – it’s pretty straight forward. A simple daily routine with small number of products will help eliminate such nasties as oily or dry skin, shaving rash, ingrown hairs and blackheads. And as the first thing people see when they look at you is your face – not your abs (great news for many of us!) - here’s a daily routine for those of you ready to do something good for your skin Personal Skin Care Routine (for guys) WASH Daily: Simply wet your face, lather on the soap, and rinse with warm water. Do use a foaming facial cleanser or gel. Don’t use regular soap - it tightens and dries your skin. Weekly: use an exfoliating scrub to remove dirt, oil and dead skin - but only do this once or twice a week as the micro beads can act like sandpaper and remove healthy skin. SHAVE: If you’re a shaver, go for shave oil or cream, a clean and good quality multi bladed razor, shave with the grain using short strokes rinsing the blade often. Rinse when finished. MOISTURISE: Use a light moisturiser designed for the face to replenish the natural lipid balance. OPTIONAL: Sun block. Eye cream (for it’s “anti aging” properties, helps remove puffiness and/or dark circles). Toner 
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