For those of a certain age, skin care for men wasn’t really a discussion point. We can remember weekends at the beach where guys almost treated a severe sunburn as a badge of honor.
Today, however, men are placing a greater focus on skincare for their face, and that includes during their time spent at the beach or on the water. Slathering up exposed skin with zinc oxide, wearing insanely large-brimmed hats, solar eclipse-safe style sunglasses, and covering as much of the skin as possible in UV-blocking fluorescent garments, doesn’t scream, “Hey ladies!” in a good way. Therefore, I want to share with you a more attractive and more effective plan for preventing solar damage to your epithelial cells, and I call it The Regimen.
The Regimen — Before The Beach
We can sometimes forget that the sun is pretty hot. With that heat comes dehydration, potentially exacerbated by the sort of beverages consumed while on a beach getaway. So, one of the key things that you are going to want to do before even packing up the car or truck is to drink plenty of water. 75% of Americans are estimated to be chronically dehydrated, and when your largest organ (ahem…your skin) doesn’t have proper hydration, it is going to suffer greater damage when exposed to the sun’s rays.
The recommended amount of water to drink each day seems to vary from publication to publication, but 120 ounces is a good target to aim for, especially if you are going to be doing a lot of sweating or physical activity. Also, while there may be water in all beverages, things like coffee and alcohol can actually have a net negative impact due to their diuretic properties. After your insides are properly hydrated, try adding a moisturizer and lotion to your skin to help keep the outside of your skin nice and satiated.
The Regimen — At The Beach
When it comes to protecting your skin at the beach, most people are going to suggest some form of sun protection lotion to be applied as soon as you arrive. While studies have shown some alarming facts about some of the ingredients used in sun protection lotions —with known adverse effects for humans and the environment — you can make your own decision on the use of these products. If you do decide to apply a protectant, make sure you are re-applying it throughout the day. If you can block the damaging rays from bombarding your skin, you can help avoid the ravaging of your dermis from UV light. This will lead to less damage to your skin and an easier exposure to counteract.
However, one mustn’t only consider the effects of the sun on skin at the beach, but also the water you will inevitably find yourself submerged in. If you are at the beach near a body of salt water, imagine what all the salt is doing to your skin. Salt causes an extraction of water from any surface it finds itself on, and if that is your skin, you are going to want to wash off that salt as soon and as often as you can, upon exiting the briny deep. Add in microscopic biologicals that can exist in the water at higher temps and cause potentially fatal effects, and you realize pretty quickly that you should be taking care of your skin for more than just preventing rapid aging of the skin, but also helping to keep your body secure from nasty pathogens.
Again, the same as with hydrating before going to the beach, you are going to want to continue to hydrate with plenty of fresh water while at the beach, especially if enjoying an adult beverage when sitting comfortably at ease in your colorful beach chair.
The Regimen — After The Beach
After the day’s festivities have come to an end and you are at home, staring in your bathroom mirror to survey the sun’s damage, you are going to want to keep chugging that water. The quicker you replenish any lack of hydration, the quicker your body will be able to get to work at repairing itself.
This is also when the real heavy lifting of cleaning and revitalizing your skin is going to come into play. A good and thorough shower to help remove any dirt, salt residue, sunblock, or face paint, will be key to prepping your skin for the rejuvenating products that are key to getting your skin back to its A-game. Plus, if you do have a sunburn, a cold shower could be really refreshing. Make sure to use a good face scrub, face wash, and toner to get your face as clean as possible.
After the shower, you are going to want to start applying some form of moisturizer to help replenish the depleted stores of moisture in your outer skin layers and help give your skin the elements it needs to fight off the results of the day’s battle with the great solar menace that is the sun.
The better you take care of your skin, the better your skin will take care of you. For many men, the idea of using multiple products to take care of your skin instead of just a bar of soap sitting in a dingy ceramic dish seems like overkill. However, this is the face that will be presented to all who you meet in the future. A good skin care regimen for after the beach and as an everyday solution to self-care will help you age gracefully and gentlemanly. Instead of like a catcher’s mitt.
