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A Man's Guide to Buying Skincare (or How to Stay Looking Younger For Longer!)

Long gone are the days when a quick shave with soap and a splash of cheap aftershave was the mark of a man, those 1970's aftershave commercials which inspired that look have been consigned to the history books. The modern man has a mass of shaving foams, after shave balms and moisturisers, eye creams and anti-aging products to choose from.

What to buy?

With this choice, it can be bewildering to navigate through all the products available. The man's shopping process needs to be quick and easy. With skincare, it is probably best to keep everything as simple as possible. All you need are five products as follows:

1. A wash off cleanser - a gentle and mild cleanser will clean skin but not leave it dry like soap can.

2. A light moisturizer (preferably with a sun protection factor). Try and find a moisturizing cream that doesn't have a strong perfume as these are more likely to be suitable for use by those with sensitive of skin.

3. Cooling eye gel if you are feeling a bit worse for wear. A good eye gel or cream will help to reduce puffiness and the fine lines around the eyes. Be gentle when applying however as too much pressure will stretch the skin.

4. An exfoliating cream used once or twice a week is a good addition and takes very little time. Used regularly this will gently invigorate the complexion, by helping to remove dead skin cells which can accumulate on the surface.

5. A quality shaving cream. A top quality concentrated cream with a high proportion of glycerine for an extra soothing and moisturising shave is a good idea. The cream should be applied to the face and lathered up with a good quality shaving brush that has been dipped in warm water. This produces a profuse lather which will soften the beard for a more comfortable shave.

Buy an eau de toilette spray which all ranges from Calvin Klein to Hugo Boss manufacture and use it on your body as the alcohol in a traditional bottle aftershave can dry out your skin if applied to your face. When it comes to shaving, a weighted razor and badger hair shaving brush combined with a rich shaving cream provide the closest finish and will moisturise your skin as you shave. Always shave in a downward direction, not against your skin as this will cause soreness.

Where to shop

Men's skincare from Clinique and Lancome offer the same technology and packaging with their products as women's skincare. Although the perfumery/makeup department is usually the domain of women, these companies have invested lots of money in to creating and marketing these ranges for men, so the assistants are trained to be helpful and not condescending. Just be certain to only buy what you intended and better still ask for samples before buying.

Off the high street, the internet provides an excellent way of avoiding those Saturday crowds. Not only that but on-line retailers are extremely competitive on price and service.

With regard to shaving, Edwin Jagger offers a contemporary range of Gillette Mach 3 compatible razors and badger shaving brushes. Even though the Edwin Jagger contemporary range can be more expensive than your average department store shaving kit, you can be assured of excellent design and craftsmanship which can be felt in the quality and feel of their products turning shaving from a chore into a pleasure.

Isn't it time you started looking after yourself by investing in a good cleanser, moisturizer and eye gel, not forgetting a once a week exfoliating cream, you will look all the better for it!

Linda Garrould is an eCommerce consultant and also runs www.iadoreyour.com luxury gifts and jewellery store for men and women. Why not visit their Mens Gifts and Grooming section and maybe sign up for their regular newsletter which is packed with gifts, grooming and pampering ideas for Birthdays, Christmas and other special occasions.

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