Beauty care (face) regimen for men -- without the fuss

[ittoogami]

I am male in my mid-30s and want to start a beauty care (face) regimen to maintain my facial skin quality and good looks (well, at least the skin quality). I'm driven by the new Bravo TV show, 'queer eye for the straight guy,' whose stalinist-like beauty care remedies make me feel like i better get my act together before i'm sentenced to mid-life of rough, dry and unglowing facial skin. But, I don't want to spend two hours/day applying creams, ointments, gels, lotions, and moisturizers. What types/brands/regimens do you recommend for post-razor shaving in the morning and a pre-sleep application in the evening? Money is almost no object.

[danya]

Dear Itto,
Welcome to BeautySurg.com!
The absolute simplest skin care routine is sunscreen in the morning and a vitamin A cream (like prescription Retin-A) at night. Those are the 2 creams proven to improve the appearance of your skin and deter facial aging.
Should take 2 minutes, not 2 hours. Be sure when you get your prescription for Retin A that you are advised in how to use it properly, or let me know if you need some help. As an alternative to Retin-A, you can use over the counter creams containing Retinol.
Let me know how it works....
Danya

[ittoogami]

danya,

thanks for the quickest reply ever witnessed in a message board. i appreciate it.

i have two follow-up questions. first, do you recommend any sun screen brands and spf levels? and, as i'm sure most people are wondering, even if i am only outside a little during workdays, is sun screen application really necessary? second, what should i apply after shaving before sun screen, and after screaming when i cut myself?

thanks again,

[danya]

The brand of sun protection doesn't really matter as much as what's in the product. There is a difference between sunscreen and sunblock. Sunscreens contain only chemical properties that absorb and disperse the UV light (just like a "screen" door filters the sunlight). A sunblock actually physically reflects the UV rays, so it doesn't penetrate the skin.
The 3 most common ingredients that are physcial sunblocks are zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or Parsol-1789. (There are a few other ones, and some available only in Europe, but if you look for those ingredients you'll be fine).
You should use sun protection every day (that's why it's one of the two essentials for skin care), even if you dont plan to be outside. UV-A rays penetrate through window glass, so you can be aging your skin even if you're not being tanned or burned by UV-B rays.
And... I saw your other post about thinning hair (but haven't had a chance yet to reply). Be sure to apply sunblock to your head and/or wear a hat. There are shampoos that claim to provide UV protection, but the jury's still out on that one.
If you're really red and burning after shaving, look for something with a little hydrocortisone (not stronger than 1%). Avoid products with alcohol in it (which aids in evaporation, but can really make you burn even more).
danya

[danya]

Oh, and don't forget to check out our skincare store for some of my favorite sunblocks...
http://beautysurg.com/shop/skincare.html