Clear skin is truly a blessing to have. People with spotless, acne-free skin all their lives take that for granted. We folks with potholes and speed breakers often wonder how these people have clear skin. In case you’re wondering, the previous sentence was a metaphor for blackheads, pimples and acne. Anyway, in this blog, I will share 15 steps to get that clear skin you’ve always wanted. Let’s get right into it, then!
15 Essential Steps For Men To Get Clear Skin
1) Wash your face (at least) twice daily:
Wash your face with lukewarm water. It’s the ideal temperature for a face wash. Too cold causes your pores to close, not letting the dirt and excess oils collected in them be removed. Too hot, on the other hand, doesn’t need an explanation. You’re going to burn yourself! Be gentle on your skin, though; you don’t want to lose the good oils, do you? You should follow a healthy habit of washing your face once in the morning and once at night.
2) Moisturize your skin daily:
Moisturizing your skin twice a day is a very healthy practice. It has countless benefits for your skin in the short and long term. Moisturizers keep your skin hydrated, which enriches its quality as a result. It’s good to moisturize once during the day. However, applying a moisturizer again before bed is what a gamer would call a “pro gamer move”!
3) Exfoliate, mate:
Exfoliation is a process that requires barely 2-3 weekly. Although, do not exceed that number. Exfoliation clears dead skin cells that block the minute pores on your skin. It takes a couple of days or longer for new dead skin cells to emerge. Chemical exfoliators are advisable as they’re way more effective than their physical counterparts, such as scrubs, microbeads, etc.
4) Drink plenty of water every day:
Stay hydrated all the time, literally. Keep water handy wherever you go. Drinking water flushes out the toxins from the body. This is key to increasing blood flow and, thus, making your skin glow. Also, drinking ample amounts of water is directly related to acne reduction. Who doesn’t want acne-free skin, after all?
Don’t know how much water you should consume? A good rule of thumb is to drink ½ to 1 ounce of water for each pound you weigh. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink 80-160 ounces of water daily.
5) Eat healthier:
Maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet is key if you want clear skin. Reducing the consumption of sugar and dairy products is advised. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and as far as veggies are concerned, the greens are what you SHOULD NOT cut out of your meals. On the contrary, eat as many leafy vegetables as you can. Also, a vitamin-rich diet is ideal. Vitamins A, C, D, E and K have been pin-pointed by various studies as the go-to vitamins for skin care. Each has its unique health benefits. Eat healthy fats such as biotin (vitamin B7) and Omega-3. Reduce the consumption of foods that are rich in iodine.
6) Avoid touching your face:
Much dirt and bacteria get collected on our fingers and palms daily. When you touch your face without washing your hands, the bacteria directly enter your face. This leads to the rise of new acne, allergic reactions, etc. So especially when you’re outdoors, make sure your hands and face are not in contact with each other.
7) Get good sleep at night:
Our body needs sleep to rest and regenerate. The repairing process of our internal, involuntary functions occurs when we get some shut eye. Skin repair/healing is one of those functions. While the major work is done internally, the results are externally visible for all to see. Not getting a good night’s sleep leads to dark circles; it highlights blemishes and scars (if you have any) and makes the skin appear dull. So it’s best to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night. Avoid sleeping face-down as it leads to premature wrinkling, whereas sleeping sideways also applies pressure to your face, leading to lines appearing occasionally. Sleeping on your back is the best and healthiest sleeping position.
8) Avoid drinking & smoking:
Drinking a lot of alcohol is harmful to your liver and causes liver failure in the future. Like that wasn’t bad enough, alcohol dehydrates the body, negatively impacting the skin by reducing its elasticity. If you’re still going to continue drinking, the least you can do is rehydrate yourself.
Coming to smoking, avoiding it is a must. Although, completely quitting is the best for your health. We all know smoking tobacco leads to lung cancer. That’s bad, like really bad. Moreover, smoking cigarettes causes the numerous chemicals they contain to decrease the blood flow in your body, especially the blood flow toward your face. This leads to discoloration of your skin, speeding up the aging process and leading to premature wrinkles. All in all, what a nightmare!
9) Steam your face (and body, if possible):
Regular exposure to steam is good for your skin. Facial steaming can be done at home itself. Just get a bowl or utensil of freshly boiled water, lower your face (not too close, though!), let the steam take over, and do its magic. Steam opens up pores, making cleaning the dirt, germs and bad oils from deep within easier. If it’s feasible for you, using a sauna is a fine way to expose the rest of your skin to steam and the shower after this sauna session will deep cleanse almost all the pores on your body. Majestic feeling!
10) Get a skincare routine:
An entire skincare routine may seem tough to follow at first but trust me, it pays dividends in the long AND short run. It is worth every bit of time you put in. Face cleansers, moisturizers, exfoliators, SPF (sunscreen), masks (preferably mud/clay masks), eye creams, toners, etc., are all a part of a good skincare routine. I repeat myself; IT’S WORTH THE TIME AND effort.
11) Groom your facial hair regularly:
When beards aren’t groomed, it becomes a playground for dirt and bacteria. Not pleasant to think about, right? Not keeping beards clean causes facial allergies and acne. The simplest way to keep your beard clean is to use a face wash or shampoo it with your scalp while bathing. It’s important to ensure that you don’t wash it too much as that would take away natural oils needed for moisturizing and maintaining the good health of the beard. Beard grooming kits exist solely to help you maintain your hygiene levels. It’s recommended to use them.
12) Shaving after a bath is better:
For the men who prefer a clean-shaven look, consider shaving after a bath. After a warm water bath, your skin’s pores have already opened up, and the dirt from within has been removed. Before shaving, splash lukewarm water on the face instead of cold water. Pores shut tight when exposed to cold conditions. Before you begin using your razor, use pre-shaving gel, cream or a mousse, this maintains warmth and moisture levels, which leads to a closer shave. Once you’re done shaving, splash cold water on your face and wipe it before applying aftershave for a cool, fresh feeling. It also works as a disinfectant on cuts that you get while shaving.
13) Leave your pimples alone:
This one’s a rather difficult step to follow. Popping pimples is a tempting act. Seeing them all day long, or even for days at a stretch without popping it, seems like too much of an ask sometimes; it’s annoying and distracting. However, here’s why you should control your temptation. Firstly, popping pimples causes scars on your face that take a long time to heal and may even be visible all your life! Secondly, a popped pimple is practically an open gateway for germs and bacteria to enter. That could lead to more acne, infections or even worse, depending on what gets in. Finally, popping pimples increases inflammation in that area, which isn’t good for the skin. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to leave these annoying, uninvited guests untouched; after a point, they’ll show themselves the exit door.
14) Add dark chocolate to your diet:
Dark chocolate has a high percentage of cocoa, 70%. Cocoa contains antioxidants called flavonoids which slow down and even prevent aging to a considerable extent. Flavonoids also protect the skin from sun damage, which is caused by the harmful ultraviolet rays that the sun emits. However, you should note that dark chocolate should be consumed during the daytime instead of at night, as it contains quite an amount of caffeine (precisely 12 milligrams per ounce of dark chocolate). Caffeine takes away a chunk of your precious sleep. You don’t want that.
15) Work out regularly:
Last but not least, exercising your body regularly is very important. Working out regularly increases blood circulation, which boosts your immunity level and leads to vibrant, glowing skin too! It’s important to have a bath after working out as it makes sure that all the harmful toxins get washed out of your skin and don’t clog your pores.