Sporting a youthful veneer is a common aspiration of any ageing generation. Whilst our female counterparts have spent many a year exploring the world of anti-ageing products and treatments, we're just starting to take heed.
There's never been more pressure on us chaps to look sharp and invest pride into our appearance. The rise in uber groomed male celebrities and our ever increasing tabloid society has led to an era of male grooming conformance. Today we're talking anti-ageing, what it's all about, how to approach the matter and how to avoid an expensive mis-adventure.
I think we can safely say that we're all aware of the fact that prevention is better than cure when it comes to anything human-health related. This counts for our skin-care too. Keeping your skin looking fresh and healthy isn't all that difficult, just a couple of minutes every morning can get you on the right track and bring your face back into form. So, to help you clear the smoke screen shadowing your take on age defying skin-care, we've enlisted the help of Steven O'Neill, men's grooming expert and editor of Sartorial Male, one of the country's most popular male grooming blogs, to give you the low-down on lines and wrinkles and how to prevent the onset of an ageing complexion. Here's what he had to say.
- Keeping your skin looking fresh and youthful doesn't take Einstein's level of intelligence. The earlier you start, the easier it is. My first tip - drink more water. Hydrating from within is the most important part of any successful skin-care regime. Keeping the skin's cells hydrated will maintain their appearance and prevent their deterioration.
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Keep your skin clean - to minimise blocked pores and breakouts use a facial cleanser. Retaining a
clean complexion minimises the risk of unsightly spots and maximises the effectiveness of your skin-care products. I recommend Anthony Logistics' Glycolic Facial Cleanser, £18.25/237ml. It removes any excess oil, reduces shine and leaves the face clean and hydrated. - Toner - people often question me about the importance of toning the skin. Toner basically removes any dirt which
may be left behind by your cleanser, or indeed, removes any residue from the cleanser. My take on this is simple, if you live in a hard water area, use a toner, if not - don't bother. Hard water areas suffer the effects of mineral rich water, leaving these minerals on your face will reduce the performance of your products. I recommend Baxter of California's Herbal Mint Toner, £18/300ml. Simple, gentle and effective toning. - Use a serum twice weekly (before bed) to turbo charge the skin and keep wrinkles at bay. I recommend Karin Herzog's Vita-A Combi Oil, £22.50/15ml. It's packed full of Oxygen and age-defeating properties which will keep you looking fresh and youthful - long-term.
- Use a decent, preservative-free, facial moisturiser. All products have preservatives within them, but choose something which utilises natures finest preserving qualities rather than chemical, shelf-life extending nasties. My favourite has to be 3Lab's M Cream, £194.95/2oz. The price point may well appear pretty steep but it's a worthy investment. 3Lab's range of hero products have, within, the most developed anti-ageing ingredients which tackle the issue head-on.
So, in layman's terms, keep your face clean, drink plenty of water, don't become too obsessed with it and keep your eye on The Grooming Clinic's expert blog for the latest information.
Best,
Steven
The Grooming Clinic's Expert Panel