Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes-Head Part 5

We're soon coming to an end to the head part of our Heads and SHoulders Knees and Toes Series, there's only so much of the head we can talk about. I do hope you're getting something out from these posts.

Today we're gonna look at the second part of the three step facial care process; toning!

This particular step is a bit of a controversial step with two camps in the cosmetic world disagreeing on the validity of this.

In one camp made up of cosmetic companies, beauty experts and dermatologists, say that toning is absolutely essential and a crucial part of the facial care process. Benefits include balancing the skins PH level after a facial wash, calming the skin, removing residue dirt and make up and facial wash and reduce size of pores.

In the other camp, also made up of cosmetic companies, beauty experts and dermatologists, say that toning is absolutely unnecessary and that a good facial wash, one that suits your skin removes the need for a toner. A good wash is supposed to balance and calm your skin, remove all dirt and should be washed out easily. Reducing the size of pores they say can also be done by moisturizers.

Another point of contention includes the drying effects of skin due to alcohol content of the toners, but critics of this are quick to point out the many varieties of toners available in the market without alcohol.

So there's a lot of debate as you can see; but what does it mean for Everyday Men who want to look good but don't want to study the in's and out's of men's fashion? I say ignore the debate get a toner, especially if you have oily skin. Its not too expensive (many good value mid range products out there), and if you're not happy with the toner, stop using it. Simple as that cos at the end of the day its about how you feel and what works best for you!

Head Part 4- Facial Care

In men’s fashion and style, the inescapable part of the body guys have to look after is the… … face!

Yes, you can wear the most precious clothes, put on the most expensive colognes and have the snazziest hairstyles; but if you have a face that screams neglect and unclean, you will not leave a good impression.

The problem is, when it comes to facial care, men nowadays seem to be bombarded by various adverts from spas and cosmetics companies that scream out so many ways on how guys should keep their skin youthful. In addition, we also are further confused by the hundreds of skin care regimes that women use- no wonder most men don’t even want to find out more about taking care of their face.

However, there really are only a few basic steps that guys need to be concern about… … and here they are:

WASH

TONE

MOISTURIZE

Yup! That’s about it. No fuss and not very complicating.

The fact of the matter is most men only need to worry about three parts to facial care; the only part that men sometimes need help in is how to go about the simple three steps. You see, there is a jungle of products, information and opinions on how men should take care of their skin; take for example, the first step of the three step regime, WASH.

Facial wash or cleansers come in many shapes and sizes; they can be found in supermarkets, pharmacies and department stores. And in that order, the price of the cleansers tends to rise as well. I would suggest avoiding supermarkets as in my experience, supermarket tend to not carry good cleansers. Having said that, department stores can carry the really high end stuff, but they also have ones that are good for value. Whether you are searching in the pharmacy or department store, do not be afraid to try out the product (if it’s allowed) and feel how your skin feels. If it feels tight and stretchy after a wash, it’s probably too strong for your skin.

As you need to know what kind of skin you have before you buy a suitable cleanser, here’s a rough guide for you. But do ask the consultant (if there is one) to verify your skin type!

Dry Skin- Skin is rough to the touch and easily irritated- Skin tends to flake, chap, and appear dull- Skin feels thin, tight and uncomfortable- Skin pores are small

Normal Skin- Skin is neither too oily or too dry- Skin is usually free from blemishes and not problematic (from acne etc.)- Skin feels smooth to the touch- Skin pores are small and clean

Oily Skin- Skin feels greasy and looks shiny especially on the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)- Skin is prone to blackheads, acne, spots, blemishes- Skin is thick and dull, and generally not affected by harsh chemicals and weather- Skin pores are large and congested

Combination Skin- Skin feels rough and tight on the cheeks and eye area, but greasy and shiny on the T-zone area- Skin is prone to blackheads, acne, spots and blemishes within the T-zone- Skin is a combination of both dry and oily skin- Skin pores are large within the T-zone area, and small elsewhere

Sensitive Skin- Skin feels dry, itchy and tight- Skin is red and blotchy when irritated and burns easily when exposed to sunlight- Skin reacts badly to weather and chemicals- Skin pores are small

Cheers

EMS

A light-hearted break from the series

How are men and women different? Their haircut tells the difference-

WOMEN:

Woman2: Oh! You got a haircut! That's so cute!

Woman1: Do you think so? I wasn't sure when she gave me the mirror. I mean, you don't think it's too fluffy looking?

Woman2: Oh God no! No, it's perfect. I'd love to get my hair cut like that, but I think my face is too wide. I'm pretty much stuck with this stuff I think.

Woman1: Are you serious? I think your face is adorable. And you could easily get one of those layer cuts - that would look so cute I think. I was actually going to do that except that I was afraid it would accent my long neck.

Woman2: Oh - that's funny! I would love to have your neck! Anything to take attention away from this two-by-four I have for a shoulder line.

Woman1: Are you kidding? I know girls that would love to have your shoulders. Everything drapes so well on you. I mean, look at my arms - see how short they are? If I had your shoulders I could get clothes to fit me so much easier.

MEN:

Man2: Haircut?

Man1: Yeah.

Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes!- HEAD (Part 3)

Today we’ll be discussing---











It’s one area that some guys actually don’t learn much about until they start losing hair sometime in their late 20s. Then they freak out and do one of two things: one, overkill learning all they can about hair loss prevention/hair care, two get wigs or do combovers. If you happen to be one such guy, DO NOT DO THE LATTER!!!

There are many hair care tips out there, they can be found on many websites, I’ll list a few of them at the end of this post.
Meanwhile, I’ll drop a few general everyday tips.

1) PRODUCTS
It pays to know what sort of hair type you have and subsequently purchase correspondingly appropriate products i.e. oily hair, dry hair, damaged hair etc.

Most products you can get at pharmacies and supermarkets, but once in a while, do check out what your salon has to offer (but no need to get the most expensive product line available).

Don’t be afraid to use different products till you find one that suits you, buy the smaller size bottles first as this will allow you to experiment if you need to. Be sure to read the labels and know if the product suits you.


2) WASH AND CONDITION
Do wash your hair at least every second day, if you live in a humid country and tend to perspire a lot, I would suggest washing every day.

Take about a minute to wash your hair. Remember to massage your scalp and not just your hair. This is so that blood is circulated in to your hair follicles for healthier looking strands.
• For your sides, move your finger tips in light brisk forward and backward motions
• Move your thumbs circularly for the back of your scalp
• For the crown of your head, move all fingers like how a spider jumps up and down (not a very assuring image-spider on head)
• Take note of other massage moves your stylist uses when shampooing your hair, even better, ask for tips
Note: Your hair should not feel too dry and tight after your wash; if so, it may be a sign that your shampoo is too strong.
Condition your hair after washing; this is essential as washing tends to strip moisture from the hair along with all the dirt and grime. Make sure you are using an appropriate conditioner especially if you have oily hair.


3) STYLING PRODUCTS
Use the same or similar products that your stylish uses to style your hair. You should not have to use too much product on your hair; in fact you should be spending around five minutes styling your hair. If your everyday hairstyle is too fussy, change a style.

If possible, choose styling products that are mild and even moisturizing for your hair. Note: if you have dry or damaged hair, avoid alcohol based products as it will make your hair even drier.


4) SUN BURN
Like skin, hair can be damaged by too much exposure to the sun too. Wear a hat/cap if you need to be in the sun a lot.

Sincerely EMS

P.S. Like what you see so far, do drop me a comment and if you need personalize suggestions, do drop me an email.

Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes!- HEAD (Part 2)

4) ASK FOR ADVICE
Any decent hairstylist should know what kind of hairstyle will suit you. Try not giving too much instruction to the hairstylist, instead ask their opinion (but do feel free to make adjustments as you see fit). Alternatively, let them know what kind of lifestyle you lead and ask them to recommend you an appropriate style, e.g. if you live a rather active lifestyle, ask for something short.

On another note, ask for sample books (most salons will have them) that shows the various hairstyles available. Which brings me to my next point…


5) YOU ARE NOT BRAD PITT

Yes, Mr Pitt may look good in a Greek God d.. .. you might not. Many a person will make the mistake of seeing a hairstyle of a fabulously looking star in a magazine and deciding “Damn! I want that look!” Unfortunately, you may not share the same facial shape and features as the famous personality.

However, if you insist on giving the look in the magazine a go, at least let the hairstylist have a look and ask for his/her opinion.


6) AFTER THE CUT
Take note of how the hairstylist styles your hair, ask him/her to slow down and explain to you if need be.

NOTE! For many haircuts, you will notice that the hairstylist will actually blow dry your hair to shape it and then apply product. Many men skip this step and end up not having the hairstyle not fulfilling its best look.


7) STAY OPEN TO STYLING PRODUCTS
Though you can get a wide range of hair styling products at your local supermarket, once in a while, do try what the salon has to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much better your hair looks with the salon products.






8) COLOURING

If you are keen to try colouring, do keep to natural colours as something too extreme may provoke a negative response from your employer, parents and people in general (unless of course you happen to play in rock band and need to look the part). Strongly recommend though that you get the hairstylist opinion on this.

Of course a general rule is, fair skin use strong colours, dark skin use lighter colours.



9) NOT WHAT YOU WANT? IT’LL GROW BACK.
If you do not like your resultant hairstyle, don’t stress yourself out! Give the look a few days to a week, most likely it’ll somehow adjust to something you’re comfortable with. Your friends will also become accustomed to it; remember, it’s never as bad as it looks (unless you’ve just given yourself a neon green Mohawk, then it’s probably as bad as it looks).

Keep in mind that hair will grow back, three weeks to a month from your hair cut, it’s time for another one (there are always wigs too)!

Next-Hair care!


Sincerely EMS

P.S. Like what you see so far, do drop me a comment and if you need personalize suggestions, do drop me an email.

Men's Fashion First Series- Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes!- HEAD (Part 1)

Ok, I thought that it’d be good to start comprehensive head to toe styling tips for men’s fashion.

As there are so many areas on one’s body that can be styled, a structure is in order. A familiar childhood nursery rhyme, Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes: to symbolize a top down approach to styling tips for men’s fashion.



Today we’ll start with… … HEAD!

More specifically, hairstyles! Yes, in styling and men’s fashion, the crown of one’s head is probably the area most fussed over, for the obvious reason that it is the most apparent area that people will look at.



If I were to go into what kind of hairstyle would suit each and every face shape and feature, I probably will be finishing up this post in about a month’s time. Instead, I think I would drop some tips on how to get an appropriate haircut.

1) EXPERIMENT
The first thing you have to understand is that a haircut that does not REALLY suit you is not the end of the world. You should try different hairstyles from different hairstylists. However, after a while, I do suggest that you decide on a hairstylist that you are comfortable with and patronize him/her on a regular basis. I say this because, like a family doctor, a regular hairstylist will more likely understand your hair texture, hair line, face shape and facial features and propose an appropriate hairstyle. Let’s face it, its always a pleasure to see a familiar face.

2) AVOID LOW END BARBER SHOPS
This may sound snobbish to some people, and if you really are happy with what you friendly neighborhood barber can offer you, then ignore this advice. The reason I say this is because, low end barbers generally do not have the necessary training to personalize a hairstyle to you.

3) AVOID HIGH END SALONS
Ha! Thought I was a snob who blows on my manicure finger nails and speak in pompous French accents? Hell no! Low end barbers =no skill. High end salons= overpriced and overkill. C’mon, do you really need a hundred dollar haircut? And how much difference is a hundred dollar haircut downtown compared to a $15-$30 dollar haircut somewhere in the suburbs?

To be continued....

Sincerely EMS

P.S. Like what you see so far, do drop me a comment and if you need personalize suggestions, do leave me an email.

Don't be a fashion victim (Men's Fashion Victim that is)

When it comes to fashion and style, we men are kinda like women. We all want to look good, to feel good about ourselves so that we can feel confident and assured when we face our colleagues, friends and even loved ones (even though we don't want to admit this insecurity sometimes).

And like women, when we start to feel conscious about how we look, we start experimenting with various looks... ... and that's where the trouble starts. Like all learning curves, we usually start with mistakes, I remember I used to wear sport sandals with socks, thinking it was a unique look. And in Singapore's really hot (average of 32 degrees celcius) and humid (tropical climate)weather, I even wore layers!

I did wish I had a 'consultant' to help me with this, but I'd never admit it publicly though!

The problems that did not allow me to dress appropriately were the following:

1) Lack of self confidence and identity
2) Perceived lack of money (we'll be going into this in later posts- looking good does not require much money)
3) Desire to look like people in the entertainment business (Will also post about this later)

So in the following years, through a series of trial and error, I finally was able to settle on styles that I was comfortable with and looked good on me.

In the upcoming posts I will elaborate on my lessons learnt and give suggestions on how you can look good with little effort.

Cheers!

EMS

P.S. Like what you see so far, do drop me a comment and if you need personalize suggestions, do leave me an email.