It’s time for the strong half of humanity to say goodbye to the stereotype «cosmetics are only for women.» Of course, every man is confident in his natural attractiveness and does not see the need to spend time at the mirror. And in vain.
Women are not the only creatures who have to take care of their skin. In order for the face and body to have an attractive appearance, they need proper care. And men’s skin is no exception, it is also susceptible to aging processes, stress and irritations that worsen its appearance.
Modern researchers devote a huge amount of time and effort to the development of cosmetics for the strong half of humanity. So it’s time to debunk the myths that many of our men still believe once and for all.
Myth 1. It is enough for a man to have shaving products in the bathroom
No matter what men say about cosmetics, but they were at the origins of its creation. The first shadows were created by Max Factor. It was a tightly compressed «pancake» of henna-based powder. And the first sunscreen was invented by Benjamin Green, but it was not very convenient to use it at that time: the cream was red, sticky and poorly absorbed.
It is believed that men owe their youthfulness to this procedure. But nothing irritates the skin more than daily shaving. Dermatologists claim that shaving thinns the stratum corneum, impairs the protective function of the skin and causes it to experience constant stress. Therefore, after shaving, she needs moisturizing and softening so much. This is what the efforts of cosmetic assistants – lotions, gels, creams and balms are aimed at. The most versatile of them are gels (shaving gel, Biotherm Homme, foamy shaving gel, Clarins Men). They do not contain alcohol, which means that they prevent the skin from drying out, due to the content of aloe and menthol, they refresh and soothe the skin and do not leave an oily effect.
Before shaving, it is important to use a scrub (Clarins Men Active Face Scrub). Firstly, men’s skin is subject to severe keratinization, so it often needs deep cleansing, and secondly, the scrub not only removes dead particles, but also softens the bristles. And it’s better to shave on an empty stomach. After eating, the blood rushes strongly to the face, and it’s easy to damage the already thin vessels. Moreover, the hairs should be shaved strictly in the direction of growth in order to avoid their ingrowth.
Photo #2 – Myths and truth about men’s cosmetics
Myth 2. In case of a problem, you can use your beloved’s cream
Men’s skin ages slowly, maintaining elasticity and tone for a long time, and all thanks to a dense skin, an abundance of collagen and intensive blood circulation. But as soon as the collagen fibers begin to break down, the face becomes covered with deep wrinkles and folds, optosis (blurring of the oval of the face) appears, which is difficult to correct. And in this case, a women’s cosmetic bag is not an assistant. The structure of male and female skin is different, which means that the care products should be different.
For example, men’s cosmetics for the eye area are aimed at removing puffiness and dark circles (Clinique Men toning gel for the eye area), while women’s cosmetics are aimed at intensive moisturizing and smoothing wrinkles. In men’s cosmetics, lighter textures are used that are easily absorbed into «thick» skin (Dior Homme light anti-aging facial serum), and in women’s products there are fatty components that will not bring any benefit to men’s skin, whose sebaceous glands work one hundred percent.
The best help will be products with specially developed «male» formulas: antibacterial cleansers with anti-inflammatory action (Payot Homme antibacterial gel), moisturizing emulsions after shaving that make the skin soft and smooth (Normactiv Cg revitalizing emulsion, Vichy Homme), deodorants that counteract the growth of bacteria (1Million deodorant, Paco Rabanne).
Myth 3. There is nothing more convenient than comprehensive care
Especially popular among men are «3 in 1» products that combine shampoo, conditioner and body gel. But such care is best used only in emergency cases like a business trip. With frequent use, such drugs do not provide the hair with the necessary nutrition and hydration, which is important. After all, it is the cavaliers who are most susceptible to hair loss.
Special shampoos for men contain anti-dandruff substances, various complexes and extracts against hair loss, as well as a large number of moisturizing components that prevent dry scalp (mild shampoo for sensitive scalp SP Just Men, toning shampoo against hair loss Dercos, Vichy Homme). It is these supplements that provide the hair with health and give it a well-groomed appearance.
Myth 4. Once I chose a fragrance – and I remain faithful to it. Why experiment?
Each of the men is trying to find something in the fragrance that is close and understandable. The style of men’s clothing does not imply much scope for self-expression, but perfumes give the image of individuality. In addition, the fragrance is designed to attract the opposite sex. And every year there are new products that allow you to do all of the above more effectively. Sporty, active males will suit fresh citrus compositions with the aroma of lemon, grapefruit or orange, for romantic men – spicy compositions with combinations of pepper, ginger and cinnamon, for real macho it is better to stop at classic compositions with notes of sandalwood.
