A man’s skin is just as vulnerable as a woman’s. Exposures to the sun and air pollutants influence his skin too. In fact, men spend more time outdoors, causing the skin to become tanned. A facial scrub may be used twice a week, unless the skin is sensitive. Scrubs actually help to remove tan, as they get rid of dead skin cells, along with their contained pigment. Apply the scrub and rub gently on the skin with small circulatory movements. Wash off with water. Scrubs are easily available. There are many natural ingredients on our kitchen shelf that help to lighten skin color over a period of time, like saffron, cucumber, lemon, almonds, turmeric, yogurt, buttermilk, tomato, etc.

Here are some home remedies for lightening skin color:

Mix ground almonds with curd. Apply on the face. After 20 minutes, rub gently on the skin with small circular movements and wash off with water.

Add a few strands of saffron to warm milk and let it stand for a couple of ours. Then apply it on the skin, using cotton wool. It is said to lighten skin color over a period of time.
Add a pinch of turmeric (haldi) to curd and apply daily on the face. Wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes. You can also mix dried and powdered lemon peel with it.

Mix cucumber and ripe papaya pulp with curd. Lemon juice can also be added. Apply on face and neck, twice a week and wash it off after half an hour.

Apply face pack once a week. Mix 3 teaspoons oats with one teaspoon each of honey, curd and lemon juice, or egg white. Apply on the entire face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off after half 20 minutes.

The process of ageing is slightly different between men and women. The rate of ageing of a man’s skin is steady. It ages gradually and at the same rate, while a woman’s skin begins to show sagging and other ageing signs markedly after menopause, mainly due to the fall in estrogen levels. Collagen, the supportive layer of the skin, also has a lot to do with ageing. Men have higher collagen content and this protects the skin better from sagging early. The collagen decreases with age in both men and women, but at different rates. Many other factors also play a role in ageing. Exposure to UVA and UVB radiation from the sun accounts for almost 90% of the symptoms of skin ageing. Many skin changes that were commonly believed to be due to ageing, are actually the result of exposure to UV rays, which not only affect the outer layer of the skin, but also penetrates the inner layers. This leads to degeneration of the skin’s supportive tissues. The skin becomes vulnerable to dehydration, lines, wrinkles and sagging. Other extraneous factors that hasten ageing of the skin are mainly related to lifestyle and habits, like stress, smoking, alcohol, as well as neglect of skin care, especially in terms of sun-protection and moisturization.

Two of the most important aspects of a daily routine are cleansing and sun-protection. Cleansing at night is of utmost importance, to remove all the pollutants that have been deposited on the skin during the day. Men spend more time outdoors, in the sun. The application of sunscreens before going out in the sun plays an important role in preventing UV ray damage. With age, the skin care routine should also include nourishing and exfoliation. Nourishing provides the emollients, which helps the skin to hold moisture. So, as the skin’s oil-gland activity decreases, nourishing assumes more importance. The application of night creams, with a light massage, also helps in providing the skin with ingredients that improve skin texture. A nourishing cream which contains antioxidants like wheatgerm oil, or vitamin-rich ingredients, help to keep the skin looking younger and can also have a rejuvenating effect. Weekly exfoliation with scrubs helps to remove dead cells and this itself boosts the skin’s cell renewal process. The youth of the skin depends on the efficient renewal of healthy new cells. Due to advanced skin-care techniques, it has been possible to formulate products and incorporate ingredients that have greater age-control benefits.

Men require skin-care routines that are simple and not too time-consuming. A light cleansing gel or face wash can be applied on the skin and wiped off with moist cotton wool, or washed off. It should leave the skin cleansed, without causing moisture depletion. Moisture keeps the skin youthful. Rinse the skin well with plain water and dab on a skin tonic to tone and refresh the skin. This can be a pre-shave routine. If the skin is oily and prone to blackheads, a cleansing scrub should be used, rubbing it gently on the skin, using circulatory movements and washing it off with plain water.

For shaving, choose a gentle, creamy, emollient product. This softens the hair, making shaving much easier. It also leaves the skin smooth and supple. Most after-shave lotions are alcohol-based. This has a drying effect on the skin and has also been known to cause rashy after-effects. A non-greasy after-shave cream would be ideal. Keeping this in mind, we have formulated an after-shave cream for men. It contains sandalwood, which is a powerful antiseptic and has a soothing effect on the facial skin. It also has a natural fragrance, which is suitable for men. Moreover, the cream helps to keep the skin moisturized. Men are going in for facials in a big way these days. The interest in stress-reduction values of facials and the current trend towards fitness and youthfulness have made salon treatments more popular. Weekly salon facials, with professional massage and other techniques, also go a long way towards delaying the ageing signs and rejuvenating the skin. A salon facial can be a real treat and a great way to unwind. Apart from maintaining skin-elasticity and resilience and delaying the sagging of the skin, facial massages also help to improve the normal functions of the skin, including that of cell-renewal. Face, head and body massages also have great value in terms of inducing relaxation and reducing stress. For oily skin and eruptive conditions, a facial treatment with clean up should be done, instead of massage.