No One Wants to Cuddle a Cactus!

Hey Manscapers,

Before I begin, I would like to start by giving my amazing friend Deidre Miller a HUGE shout out for the incredible layout! It's still under construction a little bit, but I love what she's done to make my ideas a reality. Thank you, Deidre for keeping my blog look fresh! *because we both know I have no idea where to start* Make sure you click her button on the left hand side of the screen to check out her witty, fun, charming, funny, incredible blog on just about anything.

Good news! As this is my last post from the States for a while, you will be receiving updates from me a LOT earlier in the coming weeks. For those of you that didn't know, I'm flying back to the UK for 6 months tomorrow, so posts will have lots of great taste and British flavor for a while.

As far as this week goes, I know I promised to produce something *handy* for you but, alas, due to some scheduling issues, I've had to push that particular post back a couple weeks. In its wake, I've decided to attack an issue that I believe most men struggle with and often don't even know is an issue. Some of you will know what I'm talking about; dry skin.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all men should be so oiled-up that they may slip from your grasp when you go in for a hug, (I just got a mental picture of an old, Russian body builder with too much spray tan and baby oil... gross. WHERE'S THE DELETE BUTTON FOR MENTAL PICTURES?!) but I don't want to feel as if half of the skin on my hand has been rubbed off by sandpaper when I go in for a 'high-five,' either. Surely there is a happy medium somewhere?! I'm sure many of you ladies who read this blog can attest to the fact that you don't want to snuggle up to a man with rough skin. I mean, who want's to cuddle a cactus, right?!

So I'm about to bring the 411 on the 'ish. (Yes, I just said that.) Moisturizing daily is important for your skin's health! Not only does it help regulate the natural oils that your body produces, it keeps your skin smooth, soft, healthy in the sun, and free from bacteria. I know you never thought it was so important, but wait for you mind to be blown!

Since our bodies are over 75% water, it is important to keep the moisture regulated. Our skin is made up of 15% moisture and when dried out can cause cracking and even bacteria growth in the skin. This dryness can lead to dehydration and infection in other parts of the body when bacteria and infection are then able to penetrate the skin. Whoa. My mind=blown. I don't know how you're feeling right now.

One other thing to keep in mind; who wants to look old and haggard at the age of, say, 30? You guessed right: no one! Dry skin is the biggest cause of wrinkle growth. Try to wrap your head around that one! Next time you look in the mirror and think that your mug is lookin' a bit haggard ask yourself the last time you put some moisturizing cream on it. If it's less than two days, take 30 seconds to change that. Simple!

Another tip: put on lotion as soon as you get out of the shower. By moisturizing your skin as soon as you've washed it, you will lock in the moisture that your body has started absorbing in the shower. If you wait until your skin is completely dry the moisture will have already evaporated. Another benefit of moisturizing directly out of the shower? You'll use about HALF of the lotion you normally would. By putting on lotion when your skin is still damp, your skin will have less capacity to hold new moisture. Thus leaving less lotion to be absorbed with the same amount of moisture being locked in. BOOM! Life changed yet? I'm still going.

Many guys argue that they don't moisturize because they don't want to smell like a girl, but keep in mind that not all daily moisturizing lotions are scented. There are many great moisturizing lotions out there that either have minimal or no scent at all. (They even have ones with masculine scents!) Try not to choose a super cheap/ value brand moisturizer as they oftentimes just sit on the skin and your body has trouble absorbing them. Try to pick something that is of slightly higher quality or advertizes that it will continue to increase your skin's moisture as the day progresses. (Vaseline makes some great ones) Don't forget, if you try one that makes you skin feel too greasy or too dry, try another one. There is no try all, end all moisturizer. All of our skin types are different, but most moisturizers are pretty universal.

Hope that helps my Manscapers. Think on this, once you get into a routine of moisturizing after you get out of the shower, it will literally take less than a minute. It's all about forming habits. Plus, if all the great health and aging benefits haven't convinced you, I can't describe the amount of times people accidentally brush up against my arm and can't help touching my skin again because it's so smooth. (that sounded a lot creepier in print than it did in my head. Believe me when I say they are always attractive, movie star types. I wish.) I don't know anyone who isn't attracted to smooth skin. If nothing else, do it for the cuddle factor.

You heard it here first, Manscapers. It's all about lookin' good and feelin' good. As always, email me at manscapemonday@gmail.com or comment with any questions, comments, or ideas for future posts.

Don't forget to put in your email on the left hand side for email updates on new posts.

Keep lookin' good!