Men's Skincare Routine, The Basic Beauty Products we all Need

Skincare used to be something very foreign to me. I didn't know much about it and I didn't care to invest my time or money on it. That was until the last few years when I did get slightly obsessed with Lush's skincare range. Now although I think some of Lush's products are fantastic, I equally think that some are not worth the time. For me, Lush's products are a treat for sure, but I find a lot of them serve more for aesthetic purposes to show off on Instagram, instead of being good quality products with long term benefits. This doesn't apply for ALL of their products though as some I still do love, but, there isn't enough variety on offer from Lush compared to what's on the market from other brands. It wasn't until this year that I realised this, prompting me to branch out, and, try new things. This got me excited. So in this post I give you a run down of my 3 favourite skincare products that I've discovered throughout 2020, as being the bare necessities I think we should all invest our time and money in. Nothing fancy or over the top though, just the essentials for that sweet, sweet youthful skin!

I used to actively avoid skincare because I thought I wasn't the target consumer. I hate to say it, but I thought it was just for girls...don't you love being conditioned by gender norms?! I now realise how ridiculous that is because the target consumer is anyone who will give this multi billion dollar industry more money! Skincare is for everybody, no matter if you're a man, a woman, someone non-binary, or, anyone in between. It's for all of us. Not to sound like I'm in an AA meeting, but, I'm Liam, I'm a man and I love skincare!

It's great to see skincare brands making an effort to break the stigma, and, encourage guys like me to join in on the fun of flawless skin. Although, I'm not sure if they're helping or harming their campaign efforts at times by branding certain beauty products as "just for men". For gosh sake it's silly. The contents in these 'male only' products is literally the same ingredients as products geared towards women, so I think their efforts are just feeding into toxic masculinity. It's just making guys more insecure about trying different skincare products that don't have that male only branding, but also brands are missing out on potential earning from men. The marketing of gendering these products really does work though. It fed into my decision making for a long time about whether to dabble in beauty products that weren't geared towards my sex. The brands that advertise this way are bloody geniuses at it, but, it's a load bullshit! How different I am now that I'll happily give brands all the money they want for the promise of "skin looking younger in 10 days"...

I do think some brands are starting to see that they're missing out on an untapped customer base, so are wanting to show that it's okay for men to look after their skin. Obviously to normalise it, and maybe a slight financial motive? The companies who haven't advertised a range of unisex products need to open up their product line and make their products more male friendly. Both to make the beauty sphere more inclusive, but also because they'd be idiots not to! Whether that is making a line of male products similar to what's available for women, or just advertising all their products as unisex... If they can do something to encourage more guys to dabble in skincare, they'll be changing what gender means for the better, and they'll be making a nice penny for their efforts. Win-win.

So now what you're here for... These are my go-to beauty products; the 3 products I will stick with no matter what, are, 1. Hyaluronic Acid, 2. Niacinimide and, 3. Moisturiser with SPF. I've featured these 3 key products below.

1. Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, The Ordinary

I've had a good time with this little guy. If there's any product that popped up the most when I was doing my skincare investigation many months ago, it was Hyaluronic Acid (HA). I purchase mine from The Ordinary, which is currently my favourite skincare brand! The magic of this product is that it keeps your skin so well hydrated. It does this by attracting moisture from the air around you and can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water. Not only that, it's a moisture retainer so when you've applied a moisturiser later on, it keeps that moisture nicely locked into your skin too. HA is a naturally occurring molecule in the body, which I think is why this product is so well tolerated. I personally have had 0 issues with it. As I use The Ordinary's HA, it also comes with vitamin B5 in the bottle. When applied topically this vitamin can enhance hydration and tone down any inflammation of the skin.

So if you want plump and juicy skin (who doesn't?), then this is for you! It's pretty useful long term too because it's no secret that as we get old, our skin gets drier - which is often why we get those bastard fine lines and wrinkles! So HA helps to prevent this, or at least slow down the process.

I apply this serum after my cleanser; around 8 - 10 drops, which might be a bit overboard, but my skin loves it! I don't use a toner, but if you do, then that should be applied prior to applying the HA. 

2. Niacinimide 10% + Zinc 1%, The Ordinary

Me and Niacinimide have become good buddies. It was this product that I got the most excited about prior to purchase and truthfully, it hasn't let me down. Although this serum is known as Niacinimide, it's actually a form of vitamin B3. When used topically, it is known to benefit the skin in a multitude of ways. The most common uses for why people use this product, me included, is to regulate sebum production (fancy term meaning it can control oil build-up); reduce pore size and unclog your skin; and, reduce any redness. So really this is a wonder product that people use for all sort of reasons. It's even used medically in hospitals to help people with burns and inflammation of the skin!

As the Niacinimide I purchase is from The Ordinary, the company also adds zinc into this serum. If you didn't already know, zinc is a mineral that can boost our body's immunity. Of course getting it from food is important, but when you apply it topically your skin is getting a concentrated immunity boost! So it can help keep the enemies at bay...like SPOTS.

This is a great product. Since using it, the most significant change I've noticed is how much healthier and clearer my complexion looks. It wakes up my skin, gives it a lovely shine and makes it just look
f r e s h.

Now I will admit that there is a lot of content out there promoting this product as magic, and it does come close. However, because of so much hype online it could influence your expectations too high. Now Niacinimide can do a lot, but like any serum it won't be able to solve everything. What I would say is to give it some time to do it's magic and it will reward you for your patience. I would say maybe 2 months of regular use and you'll probably see a difference.

In the beginning it had more of a placebo effect for me. All it really did the first week or so was make me look shiny and I was like, is this health?! As the weeks past though I could see how much clearer and nicer my skin was looking and then I realised, okay THIS is health.

Initially I was using this serum once in the morning and once at night. When running low one time though I decided to just use it in the morning only and not the night. I've stuck to doing this ever since and it's offered the same results for me as doing it twice a day. I now apply around 6-7 drops all over my face every morning, directly after using Hyaluronic Acid.

3. Bulldog Protective Moisturiser with SPF 15


Okay, the final product of discussion: a protective moisturiser. I think we all know the benefits of moisturisers are to, well, moisturise. It's an easy thing we can all do to achieve baby soft skin. I've found using one especially important because although I normally have combo skin, it often goes dryer after I shower and dry in the colder days and months (being in the UK, that's often). I use Bulldog's protective moisturiser because it's cheap and cheerful and has added antioxidants, but honestly I think using any moisturiser will do the job for you. I do however recommend this Bulldog moisturiser as it leaves my skin feeling and looking really great, as well as keeping it hydrated all day long. It's also important to moisturise to protect your skin barrier. I apply this twice a day, both in the morning and evening after using the previous named products above.

Now using a moisturiser isn't the main point I wanted to discuss, but rather what is inside this moisturiser and many others. I'm talking about S - P - F, or, Sun Protective Factor. SPF protection is something we all know to wear on hot days and in the summer months, but did you know it is recommended by doctors to wear SPF daily? That's because the sun's UV rays can pierce our skies even when they're flooded with clouds, and when we're in the winter months. SPF protection used to be one of those pesky things I knew I should have been applying but never did. Now however I see the light (cheeky sunlight pun).

If you're asking why is this so important, well, our sun's UV rays are extremely fierce and relentless. From a health stand point, by wearing SPF protection daily you're going to reduce your risk of getting one of the most preventable cancers: skin cancer. From a cosmetic standpoint SPF protection is incredible at protecting your skin from sun damage, which is a massive cause of premature ageing. Things like sun spots, wrinkles, skin discolouration and just the general youthful look of your face can effect your skin without this protection. No one wants that.

If you don't want to apply SPF protection yet still want to use other beauty products like some I've mentioned above (or even branching out and trying things like acids and retinols), I hate to inform you it's a waste of your time and money. The sun is the enemy when it comes to skincare. An SPF protector needs to be included in your skincare routine and when it is, all the other beauty products you use will work. Without SPF protection your skin will continue to be at risk of premature ageing and sun damage and no amount of Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinimide, retinol or other products can fix that. You just won't get the benefits your skin deserves because the sun is a *****. If there's anything I've learned about skincare, it's all about prevention! Look around for what SPF protection (or moisturiser with SPF protection included) will suit your skin, but opt for a broad spectrum that can protect you from the sun's UVA and UVB rays.

I hope this has been useful for all of you. No matter who you are, or how macho you are, give skincare a go. Your future self will thank you!

What are some of your top beauty products?

Liam

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How to be more Kind to Yourself.

Source: here.

It’s coincidence that I return back to the blogging-sphere on Mental Health Week 2020, as the reason I’ve been gone for some time, is because I’ve been dealing with my own mental health issues. The past 3-4 years have been the most difficult years of my life and although this post isn't going to explain to you what has been happening with me (which will come, so keep an eye out), it will hopefully enlighten you on something I practice that I believe we can all benefit from doing more of. What I'm talking about is the act of kindness - which happens to be this year's theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2020. So what is kindness and why does it matter?

Kindness is this sort of magic all humans innately possess, right? We radiate it, especially when we concern ourselves with our family and friends. Like when they're run down or feeling a bit shit, we're going to be there checking up on them and just lending our ears. Maybe even going above and beyond and doing something extra like making them food, because what's kindness if not a bowl of garlic bread and...actually just that? Basically we want to do something that's going to make that person we care for feel good because we have this instinctual drive to look after the people in our lives. This is all well and good, but I want to focus on that word; "them". Why are we so good at looking after others and being kind to them, but when it comes to ourselves it's like that setting turns a few notches down? Maybe it's because that's how we're taught to use our kindness. Maybe we just plainly don't know how to be kind to ourselves. Or maybe we don't believe we deserve this sort of self-love. Whatever the reason, it's time to change this because we all deserve that same sort of self-respect and kindness!

Source: here.

My Experience

Just like many of you, this idea of being kind and loving to myself feels a bit alien to me too, almost a bit uncomfortable - but that's not a good enough reason to not be kind to myself. These last few years I've been living in extreme distress from a variety of mental illnesses, from anxiety disorders, depression, paranoia, dissociation and more... The variety of symptoms I cope with can be very debilitating, but what I've realised upon reflection over the years is that the shame I inflict upon myself for living with these conditions can be just as bad as putting up with the symptoms. Putting it in simple English, when I shame myself for the things I struggle with or cannot do like 'normal' people can, I'm being unkind to myself for things that are literally out of my control. This shame damages my confidence and seeps into other areas of my life, but reducing this shame is something I can work on.

Now, just like any other skill, kindness takes practice. For me, it's an ongoing journey. Some days I tell myself in the most narcissistic way possible, 'you're fucking incredible, Liam' and other times I tell myself a simple, 'you tried your best and that's good enough'. And then there's the days when it feels like the most impossible thing to do, so I resort to convincing myself that I don't deserve any kindness. In fact today has been one of those days as I've been so incredibly anxious that being compassionate to myself has been a challenge, but I've tried. I've acknowledged how today has been emotionally exhausting and a struggle, but I have also accepted that I didn't choose to become so overwhelmed. In these uncertain and scary times of being in a pandemic I know I'm not alone in this feeling of anxiety, and to be honest I'm entitled to feel anxious right now and there is NO shame in that. Even though the anxiety today was paralysing at times, I still got things done, from getting dressed to basic house chores, from a quick home workout to some chill time reading. I should certainly acknowledge these things as big, as they are. I owe it to myself to say well done for completing these tasks and remind myself that it's okay not to feel okay. That goes for ALL of us.

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” - Jennifer Dukes Lee

KINDNESS IS NOT LIMITED TO THOSE WITH A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS'S

To be 100% clear, we ALL deserve this sort of self appreciation, self-respect and self-love. It isn't just applicable to those of us who are mentally ill. NO, NO, NO. You don't think I don't see you all giving yourself a hard time? I do, and you do too. You probably do this countless ways, but let's start with what I think is probably the most applicable and universal theme right now...

Maybe you have put on a bit of weight. Maybe that's upset you so you're making yourself feel ashamed, but how does that help your self-esteem? Food is good and if you've put on a few pounds, well, I think that just goes to show you're doing this quarantine thing right! Just know you're not the only one putting on a few pounds, I certainly am. Now what you could start doing to be kinder is when you see yourself in the mirror, or better yet, when you're criticising yourself throughout the day, say 1 or 2 physical features about your body you like (but if you want to go to town on this, go for it). Then take it a step further and say why you are grateful for your body in terms of what it does for you. Like, it protects you, keep you warm, allows you to move - and it does all that even with those extra few pounds you put on. Learn to love your body in this way and see it as something more than just aesthetic because what your body looks like does NOT define your worth. And if you are worrying about that, see that weight gain as a story about all the amazing foods your body has allowed you to enjoy. I have no doubt this exercise probably sounds, and will feel a bit silly to do, but it's better than criticising yourself, right? And over time, it could make you feel more positive.

Now that's probably a relatable theme, but of course kindness is not limited to just this pandemic. We all have had issues going on in our lives that started prior to this lockdown and will continue to deal with these issues, and new issues, after. An example I most relate to that's been a lifelong struggle is social affairs. If you're like me, I often think about those times I haven't been up to doing anything social like attending an event, or, going to see family and friends. When I choose not to attend something social my initial thoughts are, 'you're a bad friend', 'why aren't you normal?' or something similar, but then I realise I need to be defending my own court and advocating for myself. Why? Well aren't my needs just as important to listen to? Y E S. So I do. I tell myself that we're all different, and, because I'm not as social as other people that doesn't make me any less than them - or any less capable. And for every time I do hang out with my friends and family, the quality of time together is much better as it feels less forced and artificial. I enjoy being around others, but, I also enjoy being alone with myself. So, if I want to be alone, I'm going to be alone and not feel guilty about it. Of course that might make it seem easy, but of course kindness can be a battle.

The Key to Kindness

The best way to go about being kind to yourself is to treat each time you're having a difficulty like you're going to your best friend for advice. If you were going to meet this friend and explain what's going on, what would they say? Would they tell you that you're worthless or maybe that you're, I don't know, F A B U L O U S?! I hope for the latter. 

That inner monologue you have inside your mind is something which you can evolve from being your own personal bully, and turning it into your own best friend, like in real life. You have to almost detach yourself and think, what would my best friend say to me right now? The key to kindness is taking off the lens you're used to looking through, and instead, putting on your friend's lens and seeing what they see in you.

Simple ways I try to be Kind to Myself

• When I catastrophize that something went wrong, like I made a fool of myself, I go out of my way to find something that went right, that I did right. This is how I take away the power from the bully in my head.
• When I practice yoga, I say (admittedly like a weirdo) my favourite qualities about myself.
• When I see myself in my mirror, I look for, and say aloud something cute about myself, like, 'hey bootylicious'.

I'm definitely not the master of self love, because kindness is a constant challenge. However, I'm working at it as I owe it to myself. And you also owe it to yourself, but if you think this might be too hard to start, then start gradually - and if you think you'll forget to, then maybe put some sticky notes up around your home to encourage you to keep going. I'm sure it will feel strange at first, but with time I'm sure you will appreciate shaping that mind of yours into your own best friend. 

I love this year's theme for Mental Health Awareness Week, because it goes to show that we all give ourselves a hard time - and none of us deserve that. So be kind to others, and be kind to yourself. Always.

How do you practice kindness?

Liam

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Resources:

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://www.rethink.org
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk