MEN-VS-WOMEN & SKIN CARE

Are Men really that different?

About six years ago, I wanted to do something special for my husband for Father’s Day. I called a close friend of mine to toss around a few ideas. I decided to take him on a Treasure Hunt for the day.

So, my definition of a treasure hunt is when you hide clues for someone in different places instructing them on what to do to find the treasure. To find the treasure you must complete the hunt. It may sound weird, but it was fun and absolutely worth it.

So, the day started out great! My plan was to get rid of the kids for part of the day so we could have hubby and me time. We ate a family breakfast, which, with five boys, a dog, and a cat running around was not the most coordinated – but we did ok. Once my husband finished breakfast, I gave him his first clue and the treasure hunt began.

Mid-day rolled around and it was time for the pampering part of the hunt. I turned an area of our living room into a spa atmosphere. After he read this clue, I immediately blindfolded him, walked him to the chair and took the blindfold off. His face was priceless…

To my surprise, he had NEVER had a spa experience, and he was not trying to get one this day. It took some convincing but I made it happen. I had to educate him on the importance of taking care of his skin (I will talk more about exfoliation and its benefits for men later).

When I started to give my husband a facial he became resistant. He said that facials were for women only and he was not a woman. I wondered how many men felt the same way as my husband. So, not only did I set the record straight (that men in general DO get facials), I was on a mission to seek and destroy the myth that taking care of your skin, namely your face was “just” a woman thing.

I gave him a mini facial and used the JLTC Deep Pore Charcoal Facial Mask to detox his skin from dirt and impurities, reduce the appearance of his large pores and remove the excess sebum that had been building up (which he completely fell in love with by the way). What was initially just a day filled with fun and pampering turned into a regular routine (facials, exfoliating, etc).

Prior to me giving him his first facial, my husband had no interest in ‘exfoliating before shaving’. He told me he had no idea that it would feel so good, clean, and refreshing (his exact words). He now uses the Coconut Scrub Pre-Shave Exfoliate before every shave (it removes the dead skin cells, lifts the hair follicles on his face making them easier to remove during shaving and helps prevents ingrown hairs).

Needless to say, (current day) if I don’t routinely give my husband a facial (his personal pamper time) he will make a point to let me know that he is due for one.

I learned firsthand that most men and women are not so different when it comes to “wanting” to take care of their skin. However, there is a difference when it comes to skin structure in men versus women and areas of concentration when taking care of it. The fact is, the majority of men are creatures of habit – no fuss, no muss.

So, what is a man’s skin structure?

• Men's skin is on average 20% to 30% thicker than women's skin (Rebecca Tung, MD)
• Have much more hair follicles due to more testosterone circulating in their bodies
• Contains larger and wider pores caused by many factors including genetics and age
• Contains more collagen which gives skin structure and smoothness
• Contains more elastin which keeps skin flexible, but tighter (meaning that the skin will return to normal shape after a pull)
• Denser supply of blood vessels (produces more sweat)
• More susceptible to attracting dirt in part because more men tend to work outdoors, play sports, etc.

I made it my mission to formulate skin care products just for men and educate them on the importance of taking care of their body and pampering themselves just like women. After all, you would not believe how many men have told me they don’t get facials, exfoliate, or have a general skin care routine.

So, the bottom line is, most men don’t take care of their skin the way they should. Maybe they are under-educated, uninterested, or simply don’t have the time. But I can affirm that it is not just a woman thing – and the more men become aware of the benefits of good skin care and routinely managing it, the better off they will be.