By: Dr Merin Liza Jacob, Co-founder, Green and Beige
It’s fairly common to hear women visiting salons for their monthly grooming session. It is also not unusual to see women having a skincare and hair care routine, either elaborate or simple, exfoliating their skin, using moisturisers, and nourishing their hair with their favourite products. However, the scenario isn’t the same for men. They often jokingly say that just applying ordinary oil works wonders for their skin, which cannot be more untrue. However, this mindset is gradually changing because harmful chemicals do not see gender before damaging skin and hair.
Like women, men, too, are impacted by factors like ultraviolet rays, pollution, etc., that result in wrinkles, fine lines, and dull, damaged skin and hair. But do not worry, we’ve got you covered. To help you gentlemen care for your skin and hair and ensure they are healthy and nourished, we have put together some tips.
Bring out your skin’s natural glow
If you’re wondering how to build an effective skincare routine, remember that cleansing is the primary step. Every day your skin gets exposed to dirt, dust, oil, and other polluting particles. It is crucial to ensure your skin is free of all that. In fact, simply cleansing your skin with a gentle cleanser will scrub away the dead cells and leave your face brighter. Always use a pore clarifying cleanser to remove the daily dirt and grime from deep inside without stripping the skin’s natural moisture.
The next step will be, to moisturise your skin. Choose a moisturiser that is right for your skin type. If you have oily skin, invest in a good quality oil-free face moisturiser that hydrates. If you have dry skin, choose a moisturiser with ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid that penetrate deeper and make the skin supple from within. With most of us now using a digital device like a laptop or a mobile phone for 8-10 hours a day, we also need to safeguard against photo ageing caused due to the harmful blue light emitted by such devices. Now your moisturiser can also protect you from these harmful effects by offering blue light protection. So next time you buy a moisturiser check the label to see if the moisturiser offers it.
While daily skin care is important, weekly rituals too should be part of your skin care regime. Do not miss exfoliating your skin with a mild exfoliating face scrub 2-3 times a week. This will help remove dead skin, de-tan and make your skin feel supple and fresh.
Groom that mane
Most men wash their hair daily, or every other day. If you also do so, it’s important that you use a mild hair cleanser that cleans your scalp and leaves your hair feeling clean and without removing its moisture. Using a harsh shampoo can damage the hair follicle, strip it off its natural oils and leave you with a frizzy mane. Always apply a soothing conditioner post hair wash to avoid drying out your hair from within. You could also use a hair mask for every alternate hair wash. Hair masks have a higher concentration of actives and penetrate better.
When it comes to styling, it’s recommended to avoid using a hair dryer to dry your hair or use heat based styling tools that subject your hair to high temperatures, making it brittle and prone to breakage. Letting your hair dry naturally is the best way to keep it damage free.
And last but not least, maintain good hair health by trimming and combing or brushing it regularly. Get a trim every six weeks, and brush your hair every day to avoid tangles. Neatly groomed hair elevates your overall appearance and confidence.
While beauty products are available in many forms like natural or organic, today the trend is to also adopt clean beauty. The world today, has moved on to clean beauty owing to its benefits on humans and the planet alike. Today skincare is taking care of one’s body with the same importance as one’s diet and psyche. The effects of ingredients in skincare to one’s body and the planet can no longer be brushed under the carpet. And skincare does not equate to beauty anymore. Skincare is taking care of the two homes everyone is blessed with. Our body and the planet.
So, are you ready to take a positive step towards skincare and haircare?
About the Author
A medical practitioner with a passion for clean and transparent beauty, Dr Merin Liza Jacob is the Co-Founder of Green And Beige, a skin, body, and hair care brand focused on sustainability, honesty, and transparency. At the helm of the unique brand, Dr Liza spearheads product development from the technical and medical aspects of both the ingredients and skin concerns.
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Surgery from Dayananda Sagar College of Sciences, Bangalore, Dr Liza is a practising dental surgeon for over 18 years and runs her private practise. At Green And Beige, she has balanced her knowledge of ingredients, their medicinal properties and her extensive initial work in the skincare and haircare segment to create offerings that are good for humans and the planet.
The brand stems from Dr Liza’s own experiences as a mother. Having faced skin issues for her child, Dr Liza prefers to use nature-based ingredients and co-founded Green And Beige with Abraham Marret and Jacob John, based on the same ideologies. With clean, efficacious, and transparent ingredients, she has managed her child’s skin challenges and is now bringing these trustworthy solutions to people facing such issues.