Since soap is highly alkaline, it can wash away moisture as well as dirt. Instead, choose a cleansing product made with natural oils and herbs. These products maintain the skin’s acid balance without drying it. It’s also important to exfoliate. Dead skin cells accumulating on your face can make you look less than your best. Take a few seconds to rid your skin of this lifeless layer with an exfoliating scrub made from fruit enzymes, finely ground rice bran, or almond meal.
For men with dry skin, use the scrub once or twice a week. Those with oily skin may want to lightly exfoliate daily.
Once your face is clean, protect it from the elements. Slather on a natural moisturizer. Then reach for the sunscreen—even if you aren’t heading out for a day in the sun. Since sun exposure is the primary cause of premasmarture wrinkles and skin cancer, choose a mineral-based product boasting at least an SPF 15.
You can also foster healthy skin with an antioxidant-rich diet (high in brightly colored fruits and veggies) and skin-friendly supplements. Studies show that taking supplemental essential fatty acids, plus vitamins C and E, can help prevent premature wrinkles and uncomfortable, dry skin.
shaving secrets
Is shaving a chore that leaves you with nicks, bumps, and redness? Traditionally,
dots of toilet paper and styptic pencils have been man’s only relief in this daily blood sport. Yet shaving doesn’t have to be an exercise in pain. Here’s how to get the perfect shave.
- Choose a moisturizing shaving cream based on a natural lubricant like aloe vera, which won’t clog your razor. Apply and wait a few minutes for the emollients to soften your beard.
- Change blades often since dull blades can result in nicks and cuts.
- Shut your mouth! Instead of stretching your skin by opening your mouth, pull the area you are about to shave taut with your fingers.
- For more control, wield your razor with short stokes instead of long, sweeping motions.
- Rinse well. Wiping away those last traces of shaving cream with a towel leaves an invisible film that can clog pores and irritate freshly shaved skin.
up top
Has your hair seen better days? Sun, chlorine, and detergent-based shampoos will
dry your hair. What’s more, many conventional hair care products may contain unwanted synthetic chemicals and preservatives.
For healthier hair, opt for a natural shampoo and conditioner containing ingredients like soy protein, pure plant oils, soapbark, or rosemary.
If hair loss has got you down, consider saw palmetto. This herb blocks the action of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that has been linked to both hair loss and prostate enlargement. Available in capsule form, the typical dose is 160 mg twice a day. Look for a standardized supplement containing 85 to 95 percent sterols and lipids.
beat the bugs
The return of summer means the return of mosquitoes, black flies, and ticks. While red, swollen, and itchy skin is no fun, there are some natural remedies available.
Look for citronella and other natural bug-repelling ingredients in topical products.
If bugs do bite, soothe infected areas with tea tree oil applied with a cotton swab or ball.
selected sources
- The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs by Mark Blumenthal ($79.95, Thieme, 2003)
- “Anti-Wrinkling Effects of the Mixture of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Pycnogenol, and
Evening Primrose Oil . . .” by Ho-Song Cho et al., Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 10/07
- “Skin Aging and Its Treatment” by L. Baumann, Journal of Pathology, 1/07
- “The Structure and Function of Your Skin,” American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, www.aocd.org, 2002
