How to Care for Your Face (Males)

Shaving and Trimming

As a guy, you may have been taught that washing your face with a bar of soap and scrubbing it dry are the only steps you need to take to care for your face. Taking care of your face doesn't have to be a big ordeal, but adding a few more steps to your routine can make a big difference if you want healthy-looking skin. Cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, and shaving will leave your skin looking and feeling great.

Part 1 of 3: Cleansing and Exfoliating

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   Find a cleanser that works for your skin type. A good cleanser will help deep clean and remove debris in the pores that can lead to blemishes. Don't just use a bar of body soap, which can dry out your face and cause it to flake or create irritation. Look for a cleanser made with natural cleansing substances that is geared toward your skin type, whether it's dry, oily, or in between.

   • The oil cleansing method is a great natural way to cleanse your skin. It sounds counterintuitive, but using a combination of natural oils clean your skin will get rid of the dirt without irritating your face.^[1] This is an excellent choice for people with any skin type, especially if you have acne.
   • If you'd prefer to buy a cleanser with ingredients specifically geared toward treating acne, look for a cleanser that contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzyl peroxide. These have antibacterial qualities and are said to be effective in treating acne.^[2]
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   Wash your face once a day. Washing it more often than once a day can dry out your skin. Decide to cleanse your skin every morning or every night, but not both. If you want to freshen up in between cleanses, splash cool or lukewarm water on your face without using cleanser.

   • Don't use hot water. Hot water dries out your skin, so use cool or lukewarm water instead.
   • Pat your face dry instead of scrubbing it with a towel. Handling your facial skin roughly will cause it to loosen over time.
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   Don't go to bed wearing sunscreen or other products. If you slathered on sunscreen during the day, it's best to wash your face before bed. The sunscreen you use may have ingredients that can cause breakouts if left on the skin overnight.^[3] On the other hand, if you didn't sweat or use sunscreen during the day, it's fine to give your skin a rest and skip a day of cleansing.
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   Exfoliate every few days. Using a facial scrub or facial exfoliating brush every few days will get rid of dead skin and dirt that doesn't come off with your daily wash. Exfoliating leaves skin brighter and healthier. It also helps prepare your face for shaving by softening the hairs and skin, making for a smoother, closer shave with fewer nicks and less irritation.

   • When you exfoliate with a scrub, rub the scrub into your face using a gentle circular motion, then rinse.
   • A dry facial brush is another very effective way to exfoliate. Purchase a brush made specifically for use on the face. Before you cleanse, use the brush to remove dead skin. Make sure your skin is dry when you use the brush, as it won't work as well on wet skin.
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Part 2 of 3: Moisturizing and Protecting Your Skin

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   Use a daily moisturizer. Whether you use a cream, a light oil, or another product, it's a good idea to moisturize your skin every day after washing. Doing so will help your skin retain its elasticity and keep it from feeling uncomfortably itchy or getting too flaky. Choose a good moisturizer that's right for your skin type.

   • If your skin is on the dry side, choose a moisturizer with ingredients like olive oil, argan oil, shea butter, and lanolin.
   • If your skin is oily, choose a moisturizer with lighter ingredients that won't sit on your skin all day.
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   Moisturize around your eyes. If you don't moisturize any other part of your face, at least rub some cream around your eyes. The skin there is more apt to start sagging over time, and using cream will keep it looking fresh.^[4] Moisturizing in this area is especially important for older men, but it's never too early to start incorporating this into your routine.

   • You don't have to go out and buy an expensive cream. Use some of your regular moisturizer or dab some coconut oil around your eyes.
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   Moisturize your lips. The skin on our lips doesn't have as many oil glands as the rest of the face, so lips are prone to getting dry and cracked very easily. Use lip balm or a swipe of coconut oil to keep your lips in good shape. You may need to use balm more often in the winter.
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   Use sunscreen. Facial skin can get easily damaged by sun exposure, so it's important to use sunscreen every time you go out. You can kill two birds with one stone by using a moisturizer with an spf over 15 in the winter and 30 in the summer. Don't forget to protect your lips from the sun, too.

   • Wearing sunglasses in the summer also helps to protect the tender skin around your eyes.
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Part 3 of 3: Shaving and Trimming

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   Use a good razor. Whether you like to be completely clean-shaven or you wear a mustache or a beard, you'll need to shave parts of your face every few days. Get a sharp, high-quality razor to do the job, rather than getting the cheapest kind you can find. Your skin will feel and look better if you use a razor designed for a close, even shave.

   • If you use disposable razors, be sure to choose a brand that makes razors with double blades. These are more efficient and create a cleaner shave than a single blade.
   • You can get an electric razor if you don't need a very close cut. These razors should be used on dry skin.
   • A straight razor will create a close, precise shave. If you decide to purchase a straight razor, it will take some practice to develop the skill to shave without nicking yourself.
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   Wash your face with warm water. The warmth of the water will soften your skin and hairs, making it easier to shave. It's also important to cleanse your skin to get rid of dirt and bacteria on its surface in case you accidentally nick yourself shaving.
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   Apply shaving cream while your face is wet. This will lubricate your face so that the razor glides smoothly over its surface. Don't shave your face dry or without cream unless you're using an electric razor.

   • Try to find a shaving cream or gel without a lot of chemicals, which can dry out or irritate your face.
   • Let the shaving cream sit on your face for a few minutes to further soften your skin and hair before shaving.
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   Use the right shaving technique. It's not necessary to apply pressure to the razor when you draw it across your face. If the blade is sharp enough, the razor will do the job for you. Make sure you're shaving with the grain of your hairs, rather than against it, for a safe and effective shave.

   • If you're shaving off stubble that has had several weeks to grow out, trim it using beard clippers first. Get it as short as possible before shaving.
   • Dip your razor in warm water to unclog it every few minutes while you shave.
   • Pull your skin taught as you shave to get the closest possible cut.
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   Rinse your face when you're finished. Use cold water to soothe your face and reduce bleeding from any nicks you might have gotten. Pat it dry with a towel - don't scrub.
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   Apply moisturizer. Use a moisturizing product that will soothe irritation from the shave. Be sure to use a product that doesn't contain ingredients that could sting your face after shaving.
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   Trim your facial hair. Use a sharp beard trimmer or scissors to trim your remaining facial hair into shape to keep it looking neat.

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How our father raped us — daughters

By Ola Ajayi & Fisayo Ogunwale

Ibadan—Oyo State Police Command has arrested a man who allegedly defiled his two under-aged biological daughters and two of his nieces, all between 14 and 17 years.

The crime was allegedly committed at Moniya in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

Though the suspect, a herbalist, denied the incest allegation, saying he was being held for a crime he did not commit, the confessions of the four girls took many people at the state police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan by surprise as they narrated how the father had sex with them at different times.

While parading the suspect, identified as Tajudeen Awoniyi, Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammed Katsina, said the accused person had carnal knowledge of his own daughters whenever he was drunk.

The commissioner alleged that the suspect would give black soap to the other two nieces before having sexual intercourse with them one after the other.

Nieces’ story

The children, aged between 14 and 17.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday, one of the victims (names withheld), said: “My sister and I are the nieces to Tajudeen Awoniyi.

“His daughters came to our house and asked us to follow them to their place. On getting there, her father told us he would give us soap by midnight which we must use to bathe.

“Around 1a.m., he woke me up, gave me a black soap and asked me to go and take my bath. After taking my bath, I went to him and he placed something under his tongue and asked me to sleep on a bench.

“He had sex with me. Afterwards, I was bleeding and he asked me to go to bed. By morning, he sent my sister and me out of his house.”

The sister, who is about 16 years old, corroborated the story, saying “after taking my bath at night, he tied my mouth with cloth so that people would not hear me when I cried.

“He had sex with me afterwards and by morning he sent me out of his house.”

He’s been sleeping with me since last year—Daughter

One of his daughters also said: “My father has been sleeping with me since last year. Whenever he comes home drunk, he sleeps with me and my sister (names withheld). He had slept with me three times now since last year.”

He once threatened my mother with cutlass—Sister

Tajudeen

The suspect’s sister said: “When I came back from where I travelled to, I did not meet my daughters at home. So I asked the people around and I was told that my brother’s children came to my house and my daughters went out together with them.

“I said they could not have slept in my brother’s place because it has been a while I saw him. The next day as I was about to pray around 6:30a.m., my brother showed up.

“I was scared because I usually get scared when I see him since the day he threatened my mother with cutlass to release his children for him when they were still little.

“So he told me that my daughters slept in his place and he had asked them to go back the next day. It was not until the third day that I saw my daughters. Someone staying around brought them home.

“One of them was holding her tummy. I later took them to the hospital where we found out about the incident and I had to call the police.”

The victims, who dared their father and told the police the whole story, further explained that they kept sealed lips for fear of being beaten by the herbalist.

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