Written by Menswear Style in Beauty on the 22nd August 2014

Men don’t treat their skin with the tender loving care it deserves. Aside from regulating your temperature and protecting every organ of the body, the skin also stores water and other essential vitamins. 

If you have just recently made a startling realisation of your skin’s importance, here are skin care tips that you can do now. 

Cleanse 

Admit it; you thought a bar of soap was good enough to keep your facial skin clean. While a regular soap will remove dirt at a certain level, it will also leave your skin dry. If you think dry skin is somewhat acceptable, you’ll immediately change your mind once you know the condition can lead to wrinkly and flaky skin that will make you look old. 

To avoid this undesirable situation, pick up a gentle cleanser. It will thoroughly wash away grime and dirt while cleansing your pores from accumulated oil.

Exfoliate 

After daily cleansing, the next step for a healthier skin is exfoliating. In a nutshell, exfoliating is the simple process of banishing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin to reveal new skin cells underneath. Think of the process as a microscopic metamorphosis. 

'Let the old give way to the new'  

While the skin exfoliates on its own, the process tends to slow down as we age. In order to give our skin a helping hand, select exfoliants with visible beads and gently rub it on your wet face. Do the same process for twice a week to enjoy a smoother and younger looking skin.

Moisturize 

Men need to moisturize their skin more than women. Aside from rough physical activity under the sun, men in general do not take care of their skin until problems occur. As a result, the skin is left starving from nourishment and moisture after decades of neglect. 

The easiest way to address this issue is to generously apply moisturizer. Using moisturizing creams and lotions will keep your skin hydrated. Other than that, a moisturized skin will give you a smoother shave while preventing nicks and irritation. When you are ready to buy, look for products with shea butter, glycerin, petroleum and vitamin E.

Use Sunscreen 

If you were able to take home a moisturizer with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher, then you are in the right path. However, carrying a separate sunscreen bottle with a higher SPF can be beneficial. 

Sunscreen is your protection against the harmful UVA and UVB rays that causes burns, irritation, dehydration, deep lines and skin cancer. If you don’t want to suffer from these preventable conditions, apply sunscreen every day.

Drink Water 

As simple as it may sound, following this step is crucial to keeping your skin healthy and hydrated. Your skin will thank you for your conscious effort of drinking eight glasses of water every single day. 

Eat Healthy 

While what you do on the outside matters, your skin will still reflect your overall health. To keep your skin healthy, one of the best things that you can do is to eat fiber rich meals and avoid fatty, greasy and sugary foods.

*Moisturize, Cleanse, Sunblock & Water images via Shutterstock

Our 2014 Skin Care guide for men, featuring "how to" tips and recommended daily regimes and the best products on the market today.