5 Face Care Mistakes Making You Look Older
At first glance, “face care” may seem like a term that’s been traditionally relegated to the realm of women’s cosmetics. However, guys really should be a lot more conscious of taking care of their skin. (Plus, women don’t mind the results, especially when you also pick up a gym routine and stick with it.) Good skin care helps you look youthful and encourages you to get in shape. So try to sidestep these mistakes when you’re pampering that mug of yours.
1. Not Wearing Sunscreen
Forgetting about sunscreen may be the biggest sin of all when it comes to skin care. Next time you stroll outside, remember that the sun has the power to scar, weather, rupture and permanently discolor your skin, even from 92 million miles away. According to the American Cancer Society, UV rays not only cause cancer, but they can also contribute to liver spots, burns inside your cornea, and cataracts forming over your eyes. Lingering in the sun too long is a surefire way to turn your face into a lined and leathery mask. And don’t equate skin that looks prematurely aged with a rugged, manly look. You’ll just seem tired and worn out. It’s easy to forget to wear a hat and sunglasses to protect yourself, especially if you live near the beach or are always going on adventures. So don’t forget. Years from now, you’ll be glad you made the effort.
2. Ignoring Moisturizers
Just like you always put on sunscreen when you’re going outside, you also need to make sure you’re moisturizing. We get it – that might sound like something your friends will make fun of you for. However, you don’t need to buy moisturizers scented like grapefruit and hibiscus and tamarind blossom. L’Oreal puts out a men’s moisturizer line that’s received rave reviews. If nothing else, just stop washing your face with a bar of soap. Find a product with anti-aging properties that you like, and rub it over your face once in the morning and once at night. Applying it regularly will help you smooth away any crow’s feet forming around your eyes, and make you look years younger.
3. Neglecting Your Teeth
This category better fits under “face care” rather than “skin care,” but it still deserves a mention. Please, people, brush your teeth twice a day. Work it into your routine after you moisturize in the morning and in the evening. Remember, your mouth is one of the dirtiest parts of your body. (The Harvard School of Dental Medicine identified more than 615 types of bacteria festering in your mouth. You read that right. 615.) Your smile is often the first thing people notice about you. Imagine how that first impression would go if your teeth erupt into view like mossy tombstones. Instant turn-off. Meanwhile, a Crest-enhanced smile has the power to charm people at once. So move flossing, brushing and rinsing to the top of your hygiene priorities. As with using sunscreen, you’ll thank yourself for taking care of your teeth.
4. Never Trimming It Up
5. Fearing the Serum
Face it: No matter how beefy you get or how great your dressing style is, the first thing people most likely notice about you is your face. Do your eyebrows look wonky? What’s going on with that dead tooth? Has he honestly shaved off his sideburns? These are among the questions that people ask themselves upon meeting a stranger, and they will be asking this of you, too. “But I don’t have time for a regular grooming regimen,” you say. “My money’s better spent elsewhere,” you say. You hedge, my friend. You do have the time. You do have the money. You just think that there’s nothing manly about face care. And how wrong you are.
If you didn’t agree with anything in this article, at least make the following your main takeaway:
