It’s easy to jump out of the shower, throw on some clothes and head quickly out of the door. For many guys, this is the standard “getting ready” routine. However, this rushed regimen can wreak havoc on your body’s largest organ: your skin. Just like your hair needs a regular cut and your nails need periodic trimming, your skin needs some attention, too. Here are some tips for keeping your skin looking fresh and healthy:

Photo Credit: @danisvlogging

Daily Cleanse

Skip the bar of soap and hot water mix, and instead cleanse your face with a good quality facial scrub every morning. A lot of guys just try to keep it simple, hence the bar of soap, but the combined effect of hot water and soap can dry out your skin, which only serves to increase the wrinkles and age you. Not good!

Use a Daily Moisturizer

Once your face is nice and clean, apply a daily moisturizer. Ideally, pick one with sun protection factor (SPF) so that not only do you moisturize your skin well but you’ll also protect it from the harsh rays of the sun. Moisturizing every day will help you feel fresher and look younger, and give you softer skin. There are many moisturizers for men out there on the market, so test a few and you’ll quickly see which one is right for you.

Invest in a Quality Razor

Shaving, a daily event for many men, can leave your skin tight, dry, and, if you’re not using the right equipment, irritated. With the right tools, however, you can lessen the effect. Invest in a good quality razor and you won’t be disappointed. Choose one that suits the condition of your skin and beard, be it sensitive or extremely coarse, and avoid cheap, drugstore razors at all costs. Splash some warm water on your face — maybe even squeeze in a quick facial scrub too — to open up those pores, then apply a moisturizing shaving gel before you get started.

Drink Water

You’ve heard it so many times before but it really is true. Drinking a healthy amount of water will keep your body, and your skin, well hydrated and looking its best. Winter weather and temperatures go in particularly hard on the skin, as spending more time in the heated, indoor air can cause your skin to lose moisture. Dehydrated skin can look wrinkly and dry, so make sure you find time for those eight glasses of water a day.

Eat Right

Finally, a healthy diet can also help improve the quality of your skin. Make sure your diet includes the recommended five fruits and vegetables each day. Fruits and veggies are high in antioxidants that will help protect your skin from damage. Carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach and foods high in vitamin C — namely kiwis, blueberries, and papaya—are especially high in these powerful antioxidants so pack them into your meals whenever possible. Then watch how your skin thanks you later on!

With the right products and approach you can whip your skin into a fitter, healthier-looking protective layer in no time at all. You’ll look good but feel great! It all starts with a face scrub!

 Image by gerlos, used under Creative Commons license.