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After a long run or a hard workout, your skin could still feel disturbingly dry. Usually, we would just shrug it off and take a quick hot shower to get rid of the icky feeling. You’d step out of the shower and feel fresh again. What if this wasn’t the case? What if your skin still feels unusually rough and flaky?
Most men wouldn’t care to think about these seemingly minuscule issues. After all, people have more things to think about other than the state of their skin or their appearance. However, you should know that not doing anything about your possibly dehydrated skin can lead to the formation of wrinkles and other skin issues.
Unfortunately, looks matter to many people as they can be the determining factor for first impressions. No matter what the setting is, whether it is a date with your girlfriend or a business conference with company directors, having smooth and bouncy skin can easily impress anyone. So, what can you do about moisture-deprived skin?
One of the things you can do to prevent dehydrated skin is by using anti aging products for men. With that said, you might want to start using a lotion in your daily life. This is because they are packed with loads of moisturizing agents that your skin would need to keep that youthful look and texture.
But, what should you look for in an excellent lotion? Don’t worry since we will have a thorough discussion regarding this topic in this article. We will also tackle how lotions can help deal with dehydrated skin and how you should use one in your daily routine. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Why should you use lotions more often?
Although some people would say that using lotions is unnecessary for your skin, experts would like to say otherwise. They instead stress the importance of moisturizing products in maintaining the quality of our skin. For instance, lotions provide your skin cells with essential nutrients and sufficient hydration.
With healthy skin cells, your skin barrier will be able to effectively fight against free radicals and any invading bacteria. Moreover, healthy skin allows better protection against the sun’s harsh ultraviolet (UV) rays. But of course, a lotion alone will not be enough to keep our skin healthy. You would also need to have a healthy lifestyle.
If you don’t hydrate your skin regularly, you will expose yourself to the risk of having dehydrated skin. As we said earlier, the lack of skin hydration can lead to the development of wrinkles, acne, and potentially more severe issues.
But, do not confuse dehydrated skin with dry skin type. To know if your skin is dehydrated, doctors recommend checking if you have the following symptoms: sunken eyes, itchiness, dullness of the skin, and increased appearance of wrinkles (Cherney, 2018). Additionally, if you have skin conditions like eczema, please consult a doctor and do not rely on moisturizers for treatment.
What should you see in a great lotion?
You may now want to get yourself a lotion after learning how much it can help your skin. But, what even are the things you should look for in a great lotion? When choosing one, you must be sure that it has its moisturizing constituents. Without these components, whatever you are getting is not a lotion—let alone a moisturizer. So, here are some of the ingredients you want to see in a lotion for your anti aging skin care routine or any kind of routine you may have.
1. Emollients
Emollients are essential ingredients in any formula of a lotion or other moisturizers because of their chemical properties. Specifically, emollients hold properties to improve skin elasticity, skin permeability, and skin texture (Purnamawati, et.al. 2018). As these substances are usually in the form of fatty acids, they are often very effective in treating dry skin and balancing the amount of sebum in your skin.
An excellent and fascinating emollient you may want is squalane. This compound is interesting as it mimics the nature of squalene—a lipid naturally produced by your skin to generate sebum or oil. It can also bring the previously stated benefits that an emollient can bring. Moreover, squalane is an antioxidant, which gives it the capability to protect the skin against free radicals. It can also improve skin repair and boost collagen production to keep your skin smooth and bouncy (Higuera, 2020).
Aside from squalane, another alternative you can look for is jojoba oil. This particular oil is noteworthy because of its ability to soothe any redness or itchiness your skin may have. It can also balance oil production and retain skin moisture. You can also find this jojoba oil often used along with shea butter in skin care products (Rud, 2022).
2. Humectants
Another necessary element of any lotion is its humectants. These chemicals exemplify emollient properties such as improved skin barrier function, skin elasticity, and skin permeability. On top of that, humectants also can increase water absorption from the skin’s dermis to its epidermis (Purnamawati, et.al. 2018). This means that they can effortlessly retain and provide moisture to your skin’s outer and inner layers.
One extremely proficient humectant recommended by experts is glycerin. As one may expect, glycerin can help provide and retain skin moisture. It can also improve skin barrier function, repair, and skin elasticity (Pompe-Moore, 2022). Plus, it has a smaller molecular size than other humectants. This makes glycerin a better choice for oily skin as the skin absorbs it much faster, and it can treat the deeper sections of the skin without much trouble.
Another remarkable humectant that experts love to include in lotions is hyaluronic acid. You may have heard of this ingredient before due to the rave it received in the previous years. And, it is understandable why. Hyaluronic acid is efficient in providing and preserving water in your skin, just like glycerin. However, it has a bigger molecule size than the mentioned alternative.
Because of this, they tend to stay longer on the surface of the skin and give more moisture to that particular area. While this may not be good for oily skin, it helps people with dry skin more with the extra hydration. In the end, you still want to choose your humectant based on the kind of skin you have.
How do you use a lotion in a daily skin care routine?
Incorporating a lotion into any skin care routine for men is much easier than you think. In most cases, you would want to use it twice per day—once in the morning and the evening. But, when do you specifically use the product? You can use a lotion right after you shower to ensure your skin preserves its moisture and not much of it is stripped away by your face cleanser or soap.
However, you must first let the lotion be absorbed by your skin before doing your skin care routine. If you plan to use it during your routine instead, you must apply any moisturizer last. Lotions are no exceptions. This is because you want to use a toner and serum first.
Toners are the second step right after facial cleansers in any skin care procedure. This is because they remove any residues left from your cleansing session and help other ingredients reach the inner parts of the skin. With their help, you want to use your serum next to maximize the benefits it would bring to your skin. Once the serum settles, you can finally use the lotion to balance your skin's natural oils and ensure your skin does not become dehydrated.
A tip you may want to know when applying your lotion is to not concentrate on one area only. Instead, evenly spread the lotion across your face to properly distribute hydration. Gently massage the product's content into your skin. You do not want to be aggressive when doing this, as it may irritate your skin. Lastly, do not over moisturize your skin to prevent further concerns, and always stick to the recommended frequency of usage.
What is the best lotion for men?
Looking for the best anti aging moisturizer for men can be a pretty challenging task. You would have to consider many things, and researching every available product is exceedingly time-consuming. To help you save time, we picked out the perfect moisturizer to eliminate those pesky wrinkles and prevent skin dehydration.
The Mantisfy Anti-aging and Repair lotion is made to efficiently treat dehydrated skin and improve your skin’s overall functioning. Moreover, it has a non-greasy formula equipped with citric acid for balanced oil control and reduction of dead skin cells.
On top of that, the Mantisfy lotion contains glycerin and butylene glycol to keep moisturizing all day, so you only have to reapply it in the evening. These humectants also keep your skin firm and smooth and treat the inner parts of the skin to prevent any formation of wrinkles. Its formula is also equipped with the emollient squalane to improve skin barrier function, skin elasticity, and skin repair.
Unlike other lotions, the creators of the Mantisfy have made sure to not include any harsh artificial fragrances that could cause irritation. Instead, the lotion’s subtle herbal scents come from its natural ingredients: salicornia and edelweiss.
These plant extracts contain powerful antioxidant properties, protecting your skin against free radicals and unwanted bacteria. They also help enhance skin protection from the sun’s UV rays. Lastly, the lotion is proven to be gentle and compatible with all skin types.
To use the Mantisfy, you simply have to follow the steps mentioned in the previous section. However, if you have oily skin, remember to only apply it once a day to avoid over-hydrating your skin. Otherwise, if you have dry or combination skin types, you can stick to the usual twice per day instructions.
Conclusion
Lotions can be used for everyone—even men can use them. Additionally, including one in your daily skin care regime can benefit your skin and overall quality of life. Remember to check the ingredients of the next lotion you'll buy, and don't forget to consider your skin type. By regularly doing your care routines and living a healthy lifestyle, you will definitely have flawless skin and impress anyone in any place you go!
References
CHERNEY, K. (2018). Is My Skin Dehydrated? Healthline. Weblog [Online]. May. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/dehydrated-skin (Accessed at: 8 April 2022 ).
RUD, M. (2022). Here's Why Jojoba Oil Is One of the Most Beloved Skincare Oils. Byrdie. Weblog [Online]. January. Available at: https://www.byrdie.com/jojoba-oil-for-skin-4783234#toc-benefits-of-jojoba-oil-for-skin (Accessed at: 8 April 2022 ).
POMPE-MOORE, G. (2022). Glycerin Is Widely Misunderstood—We're Here to Set the Record Straight, Weblog [Online]. February. Available at: https://www.byrdie.com/what-is-glycerin (Accessed at: 8 April 2022 ).
PURNAMAWATI, S., INDRASTUTI, N., DANARTI, R., & SAEFUDIN, T. (2017). The Role of Moisturizers in Addressing Various Kinds of Dermatitis: A Review. Clinical Medicine & Research, 15(3–4), 75-87. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5849435/ (Accessed at: 8 April 2022 ).
HIGUERA, V. (2020). What Is Squalane and What Are Its Benefits for Skin and Hair? Healthline. Weblog [Online]. October. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/squalane#_noHeaderPrefixedContent (Accessed at: 8 April 2022 ).