Cleanse

The first step on achieving great skin is washing it and to understand the big necessity of it, besides the fact that it helps remove the dirt, it helps prepare your skin to receive the treatments you’re going to put on after. Even if it is only a moisturizer, it’s still a treatment, and by the way, a very important one.

So you can pick different types of cleansers, like gel, a cream, foam, etc. And choose between some mild washing one’s, and others that can be harsher. It will depend of your skin type. But for combination to oily skin, you should use an oil-free, non-comedogenic cleanser that foams up. This means it has good washing properties, and if to that, you add salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, it will be better, because it will help prevent breakouts.

When washing your face, you should also, not use cold water, because it will difficult the remove of the dirt and oil out of your face, but you shouldn’t also use hot water, because it may not only burn your skin, but will dry out too much. You should instead, use tepid water, which is kind of just warm water, at your body temperature.

The face should also be washed two or three times per day, being one in the morning and the other one in the evening before going to bed. If you feel the need to refresh by mid day or when you get home, you should do it too, but you have to be reasonable. If you feel that you may be drying out your skin too much, you’ll have to moderate this third wash, or see if it is because of your face washer. Dry skin will increase the production of sebum, and then lead to more breakouts and aggravate your oily skin.

Don’t go over 12h without washing your face and treating it, that’s one of the secrets.

You also need to be careful about the fragrances, so look at the ingredients and try to find products that only have the word Fragrance on the bottom. Otherwise you can have an allergic reaction if you have sensitive skin.

So this is the first step, and a major one, because it’s the beginning of all the next following ones. So you want to leave a clean slate otherwise it won’t work as effectively, and as a matter of fact if you don’t wash your face properly, and put on a moisturizer and other kind of treatments, it will only add up to the dirt existent and aggravate all your skin conditions.

There are some things that inspire me to look out for my skin, and take care of it, and trying to invest more time, on it. We all know that college can be very overburdening, or even if you’re working, sometimes you just don’t have the spirit or the time to just go and take some time in the bathroom, going through all those steps. So, to help you with that, I’ll try to inspire you, and suggest some tips on how to make you look good for the holiday season. Every man wants to look good in the pictures… 

So when I think of skin care I immediately think of that glowing skin… yes, we men should have a glowing skin, meaning that, if you have dry skin, oily or combination, you should balance it so we all can meet in between, with a healthy look.

A guy who I think appears always with healthy skin, especially on “Nurse Jackie”, is Peter Facinelli. He must keep his skin very moisturized, and take care of it, because of the demanding roll he has on the vampire movies, Twilight, that I believe, may require him to keep his complexion spotless and even looking, even without all the make-up to turn them pale white.

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So Trying to achieve that goal, and the look, of other celebrities that always sport perfect skin, I’ll go by steps, to create a solid skin care routine. I may also say that I’ll aproach combination, and oily skin types, that are the major concern of skin, in men. So the major topics for perfect glowing skin are:

• Cleanse
• Exfoliation
• Tonic
• Moisturize
• Protect
• Intensive at home treatments
• Life style

The combination of all these topics, will lead you easily to perfect healthy skin. For the beginner trying to find basic information, at first it may sound complicated, but once you turn it into a personal routine, and personalize your own skin care habits, It will be much easier.

In the next few days I'll discuss the topics one by one, so, keep visiting

Schwarzkopf Gliss Asia Straight Serum

Well, being always in search for something that may tame frizzy hair, without making it look oily or stiff, awhile ago, I found this product, that is not new in the market, I'm sure some of you have tried it already. Being Schwarzkopf a professional brand, with a big reputation among professional hairdressers, I thought I would take it to consideration, so I bought it and tried it.

I did used serums already, claiming that they worked on frizzy hair and split ends (which I don’t have, my hair is too short to get split), and I t was a cheap one, and by the end of the day, my hair would collect grease around the full coat of silicone that the serum left on my hair, so I didn't really loved it. Only when, after washing my hair every single day, it felt a little dry, I would put some of it, but only a little amount, very very little.

After this experience I was expecting this new serum to do the same. And I was wrong! This serum has a runny texture, with a bit of a berry smell, which is not very manly, but it fades right away (which can be a down side), and after applying it to towel dried hair, and then blowdry it, will leave your hair feeling very smooth, and natural looking.

This serum hasn’t really made the frizz walk away totally, but it certainly made the hair much easier to manage. Definitely a staple!

Dove Visible Effects body lotion

Well, over with the summer, and beginning with the winter, it's still important to keep your skin moisturized. Now that the moist level in the air is lower, the dry and cold wind on your skin, can be quite drying and damaging, therefore the importance of hydrating your skin, even though it's covered by the winter layers of clothes. This moisturizer, I've bought, a few moths ago, will help you do that.

The Dove Visible Effects body lotion, it's a moisturizer that claims to help moisturize the deep layers of your skin, where the beauty of skin begins. It has a multi-layer complex, that at first analysis, can be perceived as a heavy moisturizer on your skin, that will leave you with a greasy feeling, but it's quite the opposite. The texture of this lotion is a bit thick, but it's well absorbed into skin, and fast, leaving you with a soft feel , and with what it seems to be a barrier, maybe caused by the dimethicone. The smell is the part I don't really appreciate, because at first it smells good, like every dove lotion use to, by after a few applications it starts to be a bit overpowering, because I prefer a more fresh scent. But overall the lotion it's quite good, specially when you need that little boost of moisture.

Brad Goreski Grooming secrets

Well, as you may have seen, one person that inspires me in the look department, is Brad Goreski. For those of you that don’t know who he is, I’ll make a little presentation.

Brad Goreski is a stylist, former-assistant of stylist Rachel Zoe, that was born in Ontario, Canada. He then moved to LA to study History at the University of Southern California, and while doing so, he had the opportunity to intern for Vogue and W magazine in New York, following up, after he graduated, to be Vogue West Coast assistant. After that, and with some admiration of the Star Stylist Rachel Zoe, he managed to get a spot as an assistant, achieving this way, an amazing resume, that a few would desire. To add to that, he has become quite popular in the media for his incredible personal style, being a breath of fresh air into the male fashion world. The eyewear and the bow-ties are a staple!

But what does he do to maintain a good skin and nice appearance. Well, there are a few things that he shared, and that you could use.

Natura Bisse: NB Ceutical Intensive Tolerance Booster: Well this serum that he loves, he say’s helps reduce the redness on skin. And that is what the product is for, and to solve some other skin problems, like, skin sagginess, anti-wrinkle, anti-oxidant and is skin soothing. This product has some key ingredients on it to achieve those effects, has Fermentus Glaciarum extract (anti-wrinkler), Pikea Robusta (anti-inflammatory), Amaranthus Causatus Seed extract (source of anti-oxidant) and Vitamin F (Omega 3 and 6).

The price is around 197€

L'Oréal Elnett Satin Hairspray: A very famous hairspray, well loved by the stars, that will hold your hair and taking care of it at the same time. Brad uses this product to stle his hair as higher as possible. “The higher the hair, the closer to GOD... Isn't that what they say?”

Price 6€

Bliss Steep Clean Mattifying Toner Pads: He uses this to deep clean his pores before he cleanses his skin. This are mattifying pads that help you achieve an oil-free and shine-free look, and preventing blemishes.

Price, 47€

Byron B Putty: He uses this product to give his hair texture, from the line of hair care of his own hairdresser Byron Williams.

Clairisonic brush: Well, I’ve never tried this one, but I’ve heard great reviews about this. It gives you a great exfoliation, helping you remove any dead cells and dirt out of your skin. “It actually makes you feel like you’ve had a facial”.

Crème de la Mer: Well this product needs no introduction, as it is super famous for its properties of soothing the skin, and actually healing. This crème is used by a lot of celebrities, including Brad. “I'm a huge Crème de la Mer person”

Neutrogena dry body oil: It’s a light body oil, that claims to quickly absorb into skin and locking the moisture, leaving your skin soft.

Other than this, on the show, Brad Goreski mentions, that he does some treatments with Lactic acid and Glycolic acid too, which are chemical peeling agents that help to renew your skin, making it look more even.

To keep his body in shape, Mr. Goreski likes to go to the gym early I the morning before work, and in the afternoon, he goes to Pilates. It’s a routine that seems to work…

I just would like to say, that this are product that I didn’t tried myself, so this is not a review, I just wrote what they claim to do, and why Brad Goreski chose them. Except for the peeling agents, that I did tried myself, and maybe later I’ll do a review on it.

Garnier Essentials Tonique

Well, this is not an essential item in your skin care routine, because it doesn't add much as a skin care product, it only makes you feel fresh, smells good, and may have some active ingredients that might work, but not make a huge difference. If you have a sensible skin type you don't want to build up much to your face.

So I wanted to try this product as it says it has pro-vitamin B5, which is panthenol that in contact with the skin and absorbed, transforms in pantothenic acid. This component helps lock in the moisture in the skin, retaining water, resulting in a much softer and elastic skin. So no harm in that, only making your skin look good and healthy, I would say.

After I applied the product to my face, having an oily skin type, I actually noticed that the smell was quite refreshing, and not overpowering, very pleasant, and the effect on the skin, was actually a bit moisturizing. Not very much so, because it will not do as much as a lotion, but enough. It also helps remove the dirt out of your pores, which is something good, after a day in the city.

The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that, this actually leaves my skin oily quicker, but not that much, so I started to apply it only at night. So I would say this is a product more suitable for dry to normal skin, and a good one. Not excellent, but good.

Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer

After I tried the Garnier Body Summer lotion, I guessed that this one might be good too, and quicker. I don’t really have the patience to apply a gradual self-tanner until it reaches a nice dark color, at least a noticeable one. By summer I want a tan, more than a “glow”, as people call it, so I bought this one, for something like 10€, I’m not sure.

It is a face and body lotion, and has a nice smell, kind of like the gradual tanner from Garnier. It’s a sweet smell, but not so overpowering, and covers up the smell of DHA (the self-tanning agent). On the bottle you can read that this product will give you a nice, natural looking tan, and that it has a guide color to help you see where you’ve applied. Well, when I read that I didn’t knew how was I suppose to feel, because a guide color maybe welcome sometimes, but I wasn’t expecting it form that product. But turns out that the so claimed guide color, was a slight shade of orange/brownish, very pale that you couldn’t even see on your skin. Guide color can sometimes ruin your clothes, but be very useful, to avoid the streak look, but in this case, I don’t even know why they even bring up that subject.

So I apply the lotion at night, because I don’t like the smell of this lotions, and I hope to wake up a shade darker, and I did. The color is very natural, kind of a brown, but with a warm hue, If you push it, you can get a bit orange, but nothing very serious, only after 3 or 4 coats. I don’t usually go beyond the second coat in 4 or 5 days, so it turns out nice.

As it is a lotion, it leaves your skin very moisturized and soft, and helping your tan, to last for like 5 days. On your face is also very good, not causing pimples and developing a nice color too. On this body part, though, the tan lasts less time, because I exfoliate quite often, and the face creams with chemical peeling agents also shortens your face tan, so I apply the Garnier Natural Bronzer, to my face at day time, mixed with my daily moisturizer and apply it.

Overall is a good product for men, because it will give you a natural color, and leaves your skin very smooth. As for the body hair part, I don’t find no problem at all, you just need to spread it well with your finger, and don’t forget to exfoliate those areas, because they can build up after some applications.

Garnier BodySummer Lotion

Although the summer has already arrived, and you can tan your skin more easily and naturally, it is always possible to achieve a darker tan helping to enhance the one you got on the beach. For those, like me, who have a lighter skin tone, a help achieving a healthier skin tone, is always welcome.

A few years ago I found this gradual self-tanning lotion that turned out to be my second experience with self-tanners (the first was with Nivea for Men Summer Look), and therefore my lotion of choice for this purpose. Like many products from Garnier, this is of excellent quality and is inexpensive, costing about 4 €.

Starting with the package, it has a color that at first may scare you because it has an orange hue, which goes against the prejudice that exists about the self-tanning, that turns the skin orange. As for the smell, the packaging states that the aroma is a light apricot scent, which there's nothing soft about it, being quite overpowering. The smell is a bit sweet, which does not necessarily mean that it is bad, just not suitable to apply by day time and leave the house, because turns out to be a little strong. Furthermore, there goes the usual smell of DHA, which together with the sweet smell of the lotion, leaves a scent of cookies, that turns out not to be totally disgusting, because you will get used to it, but for those who know the smell, can detect miles away we are using self-tanner.

As for color, it is a gradual self-tanning, so the color takes a few days to be able to see. For me, the version that I used was the dark skin tones, and it takes about three days to get some shade, which is visible after one week, but not very dramatic. Only a winter glow, to remove the gray tone of the skin. If you do not exfoliate your skin and keep applying it, the tone starts getting more yellowish, and I only recommend to apply until it reaches a certain shade of tan. Less is more, and in this case, a light color, turns out to be natural and warms the skin tone.

The lotion is rich in vitamin E, and with no doubt leaves the skin very soft and is a great addition to the product. For men with body hair, this lotion is quickly absorbed, and you need only to wait for a few minutes (4 or 5 min) for the lotion to dry, and does not accumulate in the hair, avoiding the stains. However, I noticed that the hair may darken slightly after repeated uses, because, as the skin peels, the hair will remain for a little more time.

Personally I apply at night, waking up each day with a slightly more tanned look, and removing the smell of self-tanner in the shower. It is undoubtedly a great solution for the winter, but for summer months it gets boring, because the results are not as dramatic as you wish, and I end up not having the patience to wait for the results. Finally, it is necessary to warn all that is necessary all the usual care that you have with self-tanners, although some of them, with less concerning.

Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture Lotion

Sometimes my skin, altought it's a little bit oily, tends to become dry, and I feel the need to apply lotion in the winter time. It gets much softer and even looking, after I moisturize it, and less oily too, if the lotion doesn't cause that effect in the first place.

So I picked this particular lotion, with no special reason, only to try it out, and I ended up quite satisfied.

The smell when the product is still in the bottle is not very pleasant, it reminds me a chemical sent with, what I believe, is rose perfume...but when applied on the skin, the smell is actually quite refreshing. Not girly, kind of a neutral scent, which is not very manly even, but ok. But that's not an issue, beacause it' not an overpowering smell that interfers with your normal perfume, and it fades away.

Your skin does gets more soft and even, not oily, because the lotion absorbs very fast, and your skin starts to reflect the light, which, for me, is a sign that is moisturized. I was scared at first because in the ingridients there's Paraffinum Liquidum and Lanolin, that would make my skin breakout, but that fear was overcomed, beacuse it didn't.

The Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture Lotion, does have an ingridient that makes it not a everyday lotion for me, and I will consider if I'll use it in summer time, which is Lactic Acid, that has a peeling effect, maybe that's why the company claims that it leaves the skin smoother. I noitice that it interfears with the self-tanner, that it goes away quicker, but I do use it after the weekly exfoliation to turn your tan more even.

Besides that, It's a very good lotion, that really leaves your skin looking good! Apply it after the shower, because that's when your skin is more receptive to the lotion and helps lock in the water that's still in the skin.

L'Oreal Paris Exfotonic

Although I use a loofah when I bath, and actually that usually do the job, sometimes I need a little bit more exfoliation, so I went for the search of a scrub. I use scrub, normally to turn my skin softer and more even, and it really helps if you have acne on your body, preventing it from appearing like you do on your face. To prepare your skin for self tanner is also very helpful to have a nice scrub to peel any dead skin cells.

So I decided to try out this one, as it not only was a mechanical scrub, it also has a chemical peeling agent (AHA).

 

First of all the smell is incredibly refreshing, and it lasts on your skin after the shower, not being over powering though, and the texture of the scrub, is very good. It sure does a good exfoliation, and after you use it, you really notice a big difference on your skin, felling softer and toned. I also found that is very suitable for oily skin types, because the scrub doesn’t leave an oily film after you wash it. It actually has a foaming agent which removes the oil out of your skin.

Definitely a good purchase if you need a scrub.

TRESemmé Flawless Curls Lotion Créme

Like I already said, I do have a curly/wavy hair that sometimes makes me lose calm when it gets to the long side. So I tend to look for products that fight back the frizz, and make my hair look decent. As I don’t really like the gel look on a regular basis and day time, because it can be perceived as trying too hard, I try to manage the hair in other ways.On the supermarket I was looking for a product that would fit what I needed, and I saw the TRESemmé Flawless Curls Lotion crème. It’s a brand that has a good reputation, the same reason I bought the shampoo, so I gave it a try.

The smell of it, it’s very similar to the Smooth Shampoo, kind of a sweet and fresh smell very pleasant. The texture, opposite from what I was thinking, that would leave my hair greasy to keep the frizz away, it did reveal a very light formula. It does lock the moisture on the hair, and that turns the fibers a bit more curly, but definitely tames the frizzy hair. As that happens, it also makes my hair less volumous and last a full day of wearing.

You just have to put it on, after towel drying the hair, and then style it like you u

se to. The more product you put, the more moist you are going to lock and the less volume the hair will get.

It’s definitely a help for someone like me, with curly hair that sometime doesn’t know what else to do.

Fake Tan for Men

The summer is coming and the white ghost skin hopefully starts to fade away. But although it’s important to catch a little sun, for a little bit, because it helps the production of vitamin D, the consequences of baking in the sun for a long time, are massive.

I’m not going to talk you about the risks of sun bathing, because we all know it by now. It’s such a talked about topic, and with a major importance that must not be forgotten. So an alternative to have a healthy looking skin during summer time, and all year around, it’s the Self Tanner. It’s not something to be afraid of, as some people may still be a little bit skeptical to the use of these formulations, but a long way has come since the very orange streaky look. I was one of those people who definitely were safe about this subject, so I started with a gradual tanning lotion. Actually, that’s an advance about the tanning industry, there’s out there a product suitable for everyone!

So, having a very pale skin, that most people do make sure to remember me quite often, I started trying to “fix” it, first by stop wearing sunscreen (big mistake) to get a subtle tan, and then applying a gradual tanner. Only latter I started using actual tanners.

In my point of view there’s nothing wrong with guys wearing fake tan, as I don’t even think it’s considered make-up (which I don’t think it’s wrong either). You just have to be careful, so it doesn’t go uneven or streaky. To avoid that, you have to follow a few steps.

Before Tan:

• Before you start your tanning session, you have to prepare your skin to receive the product.
• Shave and wax 24h before, or as a men, try to shave a little bit earlier, like, in the morning and then apply the product at night before bed.
• The day before, or in the morning, prepare your skin by exfoliating in the shower, with a scrub that doesn’t leave an oily film. Personally I use L’Oreal Paris Exfotonic, which contains AHA that makes a chemical peel too.
• If you scrub a day before, apply a moisturizer on the areas you intend to tan, so you have even hydrated skin.
• Don’t forget to exfoliate your face as well, and by shaving you are exfoliating your neck and part of your face too.
• This exfoliation and shaving, will remove dead skin cells that would come off and give you an uneven and dirty look. As the tanning agent will color the top skin cells that peel very quickly (aprox. 7 days), it’s important to remove most of them before the tanning session so the remaining top cells that actually get colored last as long as possible.
• Right before applying the fake tan, put some moisturizer on the dry areas of your body. Your wrists and hands, elbows, knees, ankles and feet. Don’t forget to moisturizer the skin around your nails, so it won’t turn orange (Major mistake by me!)

During Tan:

• If you are using a spray formula put a towel on the floor, because it can get very messy. If you have the chance, do it in the shower base or in the tub, so you can wash it easily.
• Don’t forget to use a mitt if you have one, or use latex or vinyl gloves to prevent the famous orange hands. If you are using a gradual tanner you can skip this step if you want.
• Start to apply the product on your legs and feet. This step is first because than you don’t have to bend yourself and risk ruining the tan of the upper body.
• Apply only on the top of your feet and be careful with your ankles so it doesn’t build up any product.
• Then apply on your chest, tummy, shoulders, neck and the sides. If you have body hair, there’s no problem at all. If you are wearing gloves, pass your finger through it and try to spread the product as well as possible. When using a spray, I do think it’s a good idea to spread it with your hands on those areas.
• Then apply to your arms and your face. When putting on your face, do it from the center of your forehead and spreading out, without building it up on the hair line. Do the same on your cheeks, nose and chin.
• At last, take off your gloves and rub in some product on the back of your hands. If you use powdery gloves, pass them through water and then apply the fake tan.
• Don’t forget to wash your hands very well if you are not wearing gloves or any protection, with a lot of soap.
• Then wait the product to dry and you’re ready to go. I do think it’s better to do all of this at night before bed, and then wake up with a nice color on, rather than walk around with the always existent fake tan smell (yes…no matter how covered it is, it’s always there).

Before Tan:

• Use loose clothes and avoid sweating activities for 3 hours, as it can wash off the self tanner and leave a streaky look.
• Use a moisturizer the day after to maintain your skin smooth and moisturized. Your tan will last longer and stay better looking if you do so. Try to avoid oily lotions (with Paraffinum) and peeling agents, as Lactic acid or Glycolic acid. They will shorten your tan’s life.
• Make sure you exfoliate 2-3 times per week, so your tan will fade evenly. You can do it with the scrub, or if you use a loofah that will do the job. You only have to use de scrub if you want a more effective strategy to peel of any patches or an uneven tan.
• If you shave daily, you can use a gradual tan do apply to the area to even out the tone. Or try to mix the fake tanner with some lotion that will do the same.
• The color of your face and hands will come off first, than the rest of your body, so you might try the same strategy, of applying the gradual self tanner every two days, or whatever suit you.

A lot of celebrities use self tanner, and to list some of them, we have Hilary Duff, Miss Cheryl Cole, Olly Murs and Joe McElderry.

Cheryl Cole is known for using Rodial Brazilian Tan and Fake Bake

Hilary Duff uses Fake Bake to give her a nice color for events.

Olly Murs and Joe McElderry, both contestants on the UK X Factor, used the Vita Liberata fake tan on the show. I don't know if they still use the same brand, but they do present themselves with a nice looking tan.
Try out some fake tan and have fun!

LÓreal Elvive Full Restore 5 - Shampoo

Well, here's something I've been wanting to try for quite a long time, and now I got the chance.

Who never saw this shampoo's advertisement on tv?

Well, I bet it's hard to escape it, when you live in the UK, as the ambassador of the product is the fantastic Cheryl Cole. In Portugal, who was chosen to represent it in the advertisement was Evangeline Lily, but it didn't have the same impact, as her base of fans in the country is not very significant, She is only known.

Despite being a boy, and have short hair, who wouldn't like to have a healthy shiny hair like hers? In addition, she could sell anything, she's hot!

So, the shampoo, LÓreal Elvive Full Restore 5, claims to target weak, limp, lifeless hair and make it look replenished and fully restored. It is enriched with Pro-Keratin, a major component in our hair fibers, and the conditioning formula reinforces each hair fibre leaving it feeling strengthened and better able to resist daily styling.

As the first time, I've used it, I felt like the smell of it, was delicious, remembering me the original smell os L'Oreal products. And the packaging is also very appealing, the combination os colors and also the shimmery red that appears on the bottle when the light catches it.

Looking for a healthy, shiny hair, I applied the product. Is is very easy to apply, and it washes your hair very well, taking away any residue os styling products. As a damaged and dry hair shampoo, I thought it could leave your hair greasy, or at least weighted, but it didn't! It really makes what it says on the bottle. My hair feels smooth, shiny and weightless, keeping the freshness through the day. The only thing I dindn't like, was the fact, that I have curly hair, and it got a little frizzy, as it doesn't have a straightenig component, but I'll put styling products to turn it more manageable.

Overall, I tought the shampoo is really good, despite some reviews I saw on the internet. I strongly advise you to try!

Get your mojo back!

Normaderm Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care

Here we go, reviewing a new product which I really liked, and had used some years ago but by trying new products, I haven't bought it for some time.

This product is fromVichy, and it is a line for acne-prone skin and oily skin. When I used it for the first time, I had a favorable opinion of this product and thought it really left my skin more mattified and for a long period of time. I have kind of oily skin and I have some difficulty finding products that really let my skin less oily throughout the day. When I apply the product early in the morning, by lunch time the skin is already looking shinier. But with this product my skin remained cleaner for longer.

This promises an innovation, with triple effectiveness, anti-blemish, shine and clogged pores. It has a peeling-technology, which actively reduces imperfections mattiffies and moisturizes for 24 hours.

Ingredients: Innovation is (allegedly) at the junction of three chemical peeling agents, salicylic acid, glycolic acid and LHA. Really this product has a large joint power of peeling agents, but do not expect dramatic results with just a few uses, because the concentrations are very little to allow a comfortable everyday use.

Smell / texture: The fragrance of the product is extremely nice. I would say that it is one of my favorite products smell, because it's kind and is very fresh, slightly reminiscent of watermelon, but not quite that ... The texture remains consistent enough for successful application and is easy to spread.

Results: The skin is instantly mattified and lasting a few hours after application, getting hydrated and without a whitish color that some creams leave. The scent of the product is incredibly refreshing and invigorating in the morning, without being too strong. The action against the roughness is also very good, noticeably reducing the blemishes in a few applications.

Overall, I think that is a good product and a good brand, and I will certainly buy it again. Althought there were already some years since the last time I've used it, I still love it. I advise you to buy and try if you have a tendency to oily skin and blemishes.

TRESemmé Smooth Shampoo

What I'm going to talk you about this time is hair care. I have a very thick and wavy short hair, that makes it a little bit of a nightmare to style and look good. In one hand If I let my hair to dry naturally it can turn very frizzy and unruly, and in the other hand if I let it dry with a blowdryer it gets a lot of volume, not looking good at all. So I’ve been battling with this problem, trying to find the perfect products to make it look decent.

As some part of my hair is wavy and some parts can be curly, I tend to use shampoos that claim a smooth effect, in the hope that they will take out some volume and give a little extra help trying to tame it. I heard about this brand awhile ago on tv, so when I knew they were selling it in the supermarket with a very low price, I had to give it a try, besides the popularity of the brand is definitely a plus.

At first the size of the bottle, for someone with short hair, can be a little intimidating, because I don’t need a big amount of product every time I wash it, but if the shampoo is as good as people say I might give it a try…

The smell actually, I found quite refreshing and the texture is a little bit of a gel mixed with a crème feel. It smells like pineapple-ish, kind of sweet, but it fades away when the hair is dry, which can be a good feature if you want to use other products that are not from the same brand and have the same smell. This TRESemmé Smooth shampoo has good washing properties, because it leaves the hair very smooth and moisturized, but it does has almond oil vitamin H to fight the frizz, that I though, left my hair a little bit heavy. If you have oily hair, I don’t think this is the right product for you, because, as my hair is wavy, I tend to wash it every day, so I can manage it after I wake up. But still washing it every day and having normal hair, by the end of the day it’s already greasy. Something that doesn’t happen with other shampoos and I don’t appreciate. But if you wash your hair every day or if you have dry hair, I found this product kind of good, as it leaves that little bit of (oil) softness, that actually helps taming the unruly frizzy hair as it claims in the bottle.

The shampoo leaves the hair quite shiny too, which is something that I like, so for that part I give it a good rating. It also has something in the ingredients that drove me into trying the shampoo that is the Hidrolized Keratine. Keratine is a major component of hair structure, so if a shampoo has this component on it, it may helps restore the damage hair, wich I don’t really know if it works, as my hair is short and doesn’t has time to get damaged, but still, I was hoping it did something special. It did leave my hair shinier, so maybe that had something to do with the keratin

Overall, it’s a good product if you want your hair smoother and if you want to tame the frizziness and the unruly hair, so I recommend it. It’s cheap and lasts forever. The only thing that a really didn’t like, was the fact that my hair gets greasy by the end of the day or at least, doesn't last for two days, because of the oils on it, to smooth the hair, but hey, you can’t have everything…

Avène Dermo K

Avène is a brand that specializes in products for sensitive skin, yet not only people with this specific type of skin such as atopic skin, or very intolerant, the ones that can and should enjoy the products of this brand. While we can say that our skin is normal, oily or dry, there are days in which areas of our skin feel more sensitive and there are routines that traumatize our skin and in these cases we need a product that can calm down.

The product that I have been using is Avène Dermo K, that promisesskin care, while the avoids appearance of ingrown hair. This product is keratoreducing, emollient and prepares hair for the razor, facilitating its removal. At the same time, its constitution with copper and zinc reduces bacterial growth, reducing risk of infection and possible folliculitis. The thermal spring water helps soothe the skin reducing redness. Needless to say, is non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic.

The indications for the product, says to apply it at night, checking up effect in the morning. So that makes it easy to shave and avoids the ingrowing hair.

Personally I use both at night, when I remember (sometimes I am a bit forgotten) but especially in the morning after shaving. I do this, because this way I reduce the redness caused by the trauma of shaving, and the antiseptic properties to prevent folliculitis that becomes quite unsightly.

At first the smell is not quite pleasant, as the other products tha i'm used to use from this brand, but still, is very soft. The texture is a little bit runny, which is a plus, making it easier to aplly on sore skin, and has a little hint of green. Supposedly that contrasts with the red, turning the color of your skin a shade of brownish, instead of red, but this is quite subtle, you can't almost see any difference.

Overall a good product that I recommend, if you have problems with ingrown and even redness after shaving. Although specific to this problem also exist other products. The price is quite handy, I do not know for sure how much it cost, but is around 14€.

Skin care routine

There are lots of websites, books and brochures on this subject, including sites of commercial products. Usually a line of cosmetics is already presented with all the products and steps necessary for a healthy and good care, but what I think is important is knowing how they work and if they really are relevant. Each one of us eventually adapt a routine that is effective in our particular case, then choosing to adopt certain procedures and products that fit better, not necessarily having to resort to a whole range of products from the same brand.

So in order for you to have the best skin you can have and looking healthy and polished you might have to follow a few steps twice a day, on the morning and right before going to bed.

Wash: You have to start by washing your face with a good product. Try to find a good one that doesn’t dry out your skin too much, and if you have sensitive skin you might look for a product that is soapless, which is going to reduce the chance of your skin getting irritated. You can choose from a washing gel, to a gentle soap, like a glycerin one or Dove.

Shaving: This step must be followed after washing, or ideally after scrubing. Use a gel or foam, as desired for sensitive skins, if it’s the case, and change the blade regularly. Always shave in the direction of the hair growth to avoid ingrow hair. If you prefer a close shave you can make it after the shower, since the pores are more open and the most exposed.

Tonic: The next step, after you wash your face, is the tonic. You can pass it on with a cotton ball. Some people like because it has a fresh feel to it, but personally I believe it’s just another product you put on, with not much of an effect. Unless you can find one that really has astringent properties and that works for you.

The purpose of this product is the removal of dead cells, the reduction of sebum and reduction the visible size of pores. I think it’s optional, sometimes I use it, sometimes I don’t.

Moisturizing: You may be the last step to replenish moisture lost during the washing process and during the day / night depending on when you wash the skin. The moisturizer should be chosen depending on the problems they want solved, such as acne, oily skin, dry skin, wrinkles, tired, etc.. In most cases, men tend to have oilier skin than women, which becomes a bit inconvenient at times but not all bad. This is one of the characteristics that avoid the appearance of wrinkles in men. If you usually have ingrown hair, you should also use a good lotion for that purpose.

Sunscreen: Along with moisturizer or even if you can find one that has it on it, you should use sunscreen every day. It will prevent skin damage and also to prevent the skin from producing even more sebum, since it is one of the effects of the sun. You may become paler, but it is worth.

Scrub: Once or twice a week you should exfoliate, to avoid the formation of imperfections. The scrub will allow removing dead cells and impurities that can clog pores. So it is possible to achieve a more uniform skin appearance and without pimples or ingrown hair after shaving. If you have an acne prone skin you may prefer a daily scrub that allows you to control more effectively the appearing of blackheads.

Blog

Hello!

Men's Grooming Prescription is a blog about men's care in general and about sharing information. Here you can read some reviews about products I use, reflections on topics of interest and even aspects of world culture.

My professional area is linked to the health field, therefore my interest in this area, particularly with regard to dermatologic care. I live in Portugal, so some of the products and features discussed may be more related to my home country, though these days, I think it will not be a problem.

I chose to write in English because I would probably share the information with a greater number of people. However as this is not my first language, I now apologize for some misspelling…


Hope you enjoy it.