Redefining Man-Power

Who says men have to be rough, rugged and everything that comes with that (calluses, body odor, greasy hair) around the edges?

Today’s modern man knows how to take care of himself. Looking good is not just about succeeding in the boardroom (or the bedroom!), but is also about taking pride in oneself and celebrating the goods given to you. Are men worrying about keeping up appearances? Absolutely. And it’s about time.

There is no certain “type” of man who likes to indulge in manicures, facials and massages. Gone are the days when sipping bottled water made one look like a fop. While the term metrosexual has garnered much play in pop culture, the phenomenon of the Metro Man also has opened doors for men of all ages and occupations to embrace their beautifying side.

Miami-based Beauty Expert Bryan Durocher says that the “spa break” is one avenue of relaxation busy men take in lieu of longer vacations. “There is a definite trend that has been happening slowly over time,” Durocher says, “and with the advent of celebrity and masculine men representing products for grooming the average guy has been given permission to take care of himself and know it’s ok.”

In the workplace it doesn’t cut it to merely be a guy anymore and do the golfing go-rounds in order to properly network. Men must stay well groomed just to keep up, not only appearances, but with the job market.

“We are in the midst of a youth driven culture and men are taking care of their appearance to be competitive in the workplace,” Durocher says. “Boomer men are competing with Gen X and Gen Y men in the workplace in addition to women and these groups have no stigma about grooming and appearance.”

Massages and pedicures are the top two ways men like to spa. Multi-use products, no foreign investment to women, such as shampoo and body wash combinations are becoming the numero uno product choice for men today.

Take, for example, Lawrence Rizzo, 41, a mortgage broker who divides his time between Miami and New York City. He felt the need to “keep up or get left behind” when it came to maintaining his looks once he graduated from college.

“Not only do I feel it is ok to look good and still be a man but part of being a man is looking good,” Rizzo says.

A self-proclaimed “big fan” of massages and other spa treatments, Rizzo tries to go once a week for the works. He even went so far as to join a private men’s club in New York City in 1997, where a manicure is inclusive with membership. At first Rizzo scoffed at the ‘cures but then he grew to love them. Although he adds, “I still refuse the polish, and if I were to guess I ALWAYS will, but the manicure itself is very enjoyable.”

Miami-based television personality Louis Aguirre is aboard the massage boat, as well. Aguirre, 40, thanks David Beckham for making the metrosexual a household name. Aguirre also says his feet require pedicures or else they look like “they belong to Fred Flintstone.”

“Let’s face it, chaffed, callused, dry peeling feet are just not sexy,” says Aguirre.

Amen to that!

High powered executives are warriors of an urban kind. For them, being well-groomed is essential to forge ahead in the competitive world of business. Kyle Mendes, Vice President of Business Strategy for Steiner Management Services, L.L.C. uses Elemis grooming products daily. “I use the Elemis Smooth Results Shave Oil and Ice-Cool Foaming Shave Gel every day,” says Mendes “It gives me the closest and smoothest shave ever.”

But it's not just the urban executive who has started caring for his skin. Steve Reppert, local artist and the Chief Preparator for the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami swears by the Elemis Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream, "My skin used to get very dry and I have found that since I started using skincare, it has completely transformed!" Reppert admits that many of the guys on the crew would laugh if they read this but he doesn't care, "After a long day of building a new exhibition, there is nothing better than relaxing in a hot bath with a little bit of Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak and then having your feet massaged with some instant refreshing gel!" Reppert also notes an unexpected benefit from using the new Elemis creams, "I sometimes get psoriasis on my hands and I tried some of the Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream on a couple of dry areas. It completely cleared up." Sadly this cream is not available on prescription so it makes for expensive treatment, but Reppert says he doesn't care as long as it works.

Of course, there are still those guys that won't peel away that macho mask and put on a face mask instead! But that's okay. We are redefining Man-Power one man at a time!

Tips for your feet

Women want not only healthy feet but pretty feet. Many women wear high-heeled or pointy-toed shoes that only add to foot pain and problems, including painful bunions. Women also often spend long hours on their feet, which can cause the feet, ankles and legs to become swollen and tired. The following tips are recommended to follow at the end of a long day.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The average person, engaging in non-strenuous activity, walks approximately 4 miles every day and about 115,000 miles in a lifetime.

• More than 70% of all people in the United States will have painful foot problems at some time during their lifetime.

• Foot care is much more than a pampering treatment to help you feel good it is an important issue; the earlier we start proper foot care practices the better.

TIPS FOR HAPPY, BEAUTIFUL FEET

• Wash feet daily. Rinse off all soap and dry thoroughly, especially between toes.

• Trim nails straight across, and not too short. Don't cut out or dig at corners.

• Wear shoes that fit properly and are made of leather or canvas. Sandals are good.

• Switch shoes from day to day.

TREAT YOUR FEET

• Dry feet thoroughly, especially between toes and massage the feet and ankles with a cooling menthol and camphor gel to improve circulation. We recommend the Elemis Instant Refreshing Gel, which contains Arnica and Birch, two ingredients recognized for reducing swelling and relieving pain and discomfort.

• Spa Bath – Invest in a foot spa. At the end of the day fill the foot spa with warm water and add a dose of your favorite bath soak, we recommend Elemis Aching Muscle Supersoak. Soak feet for ten to fifteen minutes to ease tension and improve circulation.

• To keep feet free from dry skin and callus's use a foot file or pumice stone around the heels and balls of the feet after soaking

• Those prone to athlete's foot or fungal infections under the nails should spray feet between the toes and under the nails with a natural Tea Tree Spray such as the Elemis Tea Tree SOS Spray. Tea Tree is an ingredient known to be one of nature's strongest antiseptic and anti-fungal agents.

• Moisturize feet every night before bed with a rich moisturizing lotion or nourishing oil such as Elemis Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt. Monoi leaves are a precious secret of Polynesian women, who have been using this ingredient for centuries as a nourishing treatment for excessively dry skin and damaged cuticles.

• When treating the toe nails, always cut them straight across and not too short to prevent in-grown nails. If you do have an in-grown nail see your podiatrist, do not attempt to dig into the corners of the nails or cut down the side.

• Rub cuticle remover into the cuticles and gently push back the cuticle with a rubber ended hoof stick or orange wood stick wrapped in cotton. When pushing back the cuticles make sure to soak the feet first to soften the skin and push back gently. Pushing too hard on the base of the nail (the nail matrix) can cause permanent damage and ridging in the nails. Do not be tempted to cut the cuticles, this makes them more raggedy and look worse in the long run.

• Ridging in the nail is usually caused by trauma to the nail matrix, often the ridges will grow out but if the trauma is severe the nail may be permanently ridged. To reduce the appearance of ridging use a buffing paste and soft buffer twice a week to improve smoothness and shine. Buffing the nails is great for nail health as it improves the circulation, as well as leaves the nails beautifully shiny.

Stretch Mark Tips

Stretch Mark Tips

Stretch marks arise when the skin is permanently damaged and stretched. While Stretch marks are most often caused during pregnancy or puberty, they can also arise after a significant weight gain or loss or if you body build. While the only way to truly get rid of them is through laser surgery, there are several Stretch Mark Treatments and Stretch Mark Creams for prevention and reduction.

What can you do for stretch marks?

Prevention Tips

As any doctor will tell you, prevention is the best medicine. While it's challenging to reverse the effects of stretch marks, it is possible to help prevent them. When the color of the stretch mark is red there's a better chance of reducing the permanent damage, but when it's silver in color, it's virtually impossible to remove.

Japanese Camellia Oil

For prevention during pregnancy (and even puberty), start applying Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil (Made with Japanese White Nut Camellia Oil) to the skin, which improves elasticity as the skin stretches to prevent Stretch Marks. Nicky recommends Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil.

Boost Your Energy

Drink plenty of water
Reports show that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration is the number one cause of daytime fatigue.

Sleep
Make sure you get plenty of sleep each night (seven or more hours at least).

Eat Healthy
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources. Eat small amounts often to boost metabolism and keep energy levels high. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine as this quick high causes a sag in energy levels and dehydration later on.

Exercise regularly
Even when really tired exercise boosts blood circulation, which provides oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles making you feel energized.

Minimize Stress
Avoid being overworked or overstretching yourself. If necessary cancel a few after work engagements or cut back on the kids after school activities. If necessary take a day off work to pamper yourself and catch up on much needed R&R. Take a “mental health day!”

Relax
Learn better ways to relax. Try yoga or meditation.

Take time for yourself
Pamper and de-stress, try taking a bath with Elemis Pure Retreat Bath Soak or apply a hair treatment and a facial mask like Elemis Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask. Both are great pick me ups and promote relaxation.

Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and drug use
Also, limit caffeine and refined sugar ingestion. Each increases fatigue in the long run.

Look Attractive Even In A Crowd

Want to look attractive with a glowing and smooth skin? Then start with some basic skin care treatments that will make you look simply stunning within a few days. Healthy skin is the most important thing that changes you completely. Healthy skin imparts you with such a glow that even if you are tired for the entire day you look ever young and fresh at the end of the day.

Whether you are a lawyer or a doctor or a professor, healthy skin is a necessity for all. Skin care treatments decrease the wrinkles on your face and body and stops skin from drying up at any time. While you take care of your skin, you need not visit any spas and healing centers. You can simply follow the four daily basic steps like cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing in your home to freshen your skin considerably.

Four basic steps of homely skin care treatments

Cleansing is simply a daily step that removes all dust and dirt from the skin. For normal skins 2-3 times is necessary while for oily skin you 4-5 times is good. Cleansing include cleaning your skin with creams, milk, lotions, foams, oils, gels and liquids. Using cotton pads dipped in these items is an affordable way. Exfoliation includes cleaning with a scrub like synthetic puff or natural sponge. Shaving by men is a great way of exfoliation.

Toning includes dipping cotton pads in astringents or applying fresh cucumbers with cup of yogurt and cleaning your face. Also you can apply tablespoon of honey and lemon juice and rub it in outward and upward strokes for excellent results. The last stage of skin care includes well moisturizing the skin to bring a healthy glow to it. Apply moisturizer specially to dry areas to notice the change in few days.

Tips to have the best skin

Men have 15% oilier skin than women and also significantly larger poles. So the main step to have a clean skin is washing your face, neck and hands regularly with cold water at an hour interval.

Following are some important skin care tips for all:

- Clean your skin with cleansing products to get the best results.
- Scrub your skin regularly so that the dead cells can be removed from your face.
- For getting intense moisturizing treatments use pure Vitamin E and Vitamin C or aloe Vera oil.
- Take special care of the skin under the eye, as it is the most sensitive and tender skin part.
- While toning use astringents that contain glycolic or alpha hydroxyl acids. The acids actually reduce the pore size and help avoid ingrown hairs.
- People with oily skin should always carry blotting papers and light powder pouches that will seep away the oil from the skin and give you a fresh and natural skin.
- Always take care of your lips and apply balm with SPF and peppermint oil in it to make them look luscious.
- If you want the perfect skin during Laser treatments, stay away from excessive alcohol, intense fatigue, tiredness, smoking and stress.

Saving your skin from the intense UV rays of the sun are important. Whenever your skin is supposed to get exposed to sunshine apply some branded sunscreen lotion to your face, neck, arms and other exposed part of your body to stop tanning and pre-mature wrinkles.

With these excellent skin care tips start taking care of your skin to look forever young, fresh and attractive.

Skincare Tips for Black Spots

• Make a paste with mehndi and oil and apply on the face
• Make a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and glycerin and apply it on the spots
• Apply the paste of turmeric and curry leaves on the face and wash it after 15 minutes.
• Apply a mixture of mehndi and turmeric. For a piece of turmeric, 2-3 leaves of mehndi are used
• Grind dried basil leaf, neem and mint (100 gm each). Add some turmeric powder and rose water to make it in a paste form and apply it on the spots.
• Grind betel leaf and add a little coconut oil and apply it on the spots

• Soak a chappathi in milk overnight . Make it into a paste and apply it on black heads. Repeat for several days

• Make a paste of saffron and add some honey , apply it on the face to remove black spots.

• To remove black spots... apply a paste of turmeric and basil.

• To remove wrinkles on the face, apply a mixture of sandalwood powder, rosewater and glycerin. Wash with cold water after some time

Choosing an Antiaging Eye Cream

When it comes to choosing an antiaging eye cream, the possibilities are endless. The choices range from high end department store brands, to affordable names brands and can be found in all shapes, sizes, and forms. So you can imagine that when it comes time to choose an antiaging eye cream that will produce the best results for you, the job is a tough one. Whether your target area is above the eye, below the eye, or the eyelashes, the possibilities are definitely there.

For the Eyelashes
Although not your ordinary antiaging eye cream, the products available for your eyelashes are enriched with a complex of lecithin along with plant extracts. It's meant to promote growth of the lashes, and is clinically proven to do so while conditioning your existing lashes. Many Internet websites and beauty stores carry this type of treatment, so your best bet is to shop around for particular differences in products as well as price.

Wrinkle Reducers
A few different kinds of antiaging eye cream can be found that reduce wrinkles while promoting healthy skin. Some of these wrinkle reducers are left on over night and then washed off, while others are meant to be used under makeup or as a lotion alone. The severity of the eye lines you are trying to reduce or smooth will probably make a big difference in which type of antiaging eye cream you decide to use. For more deep lines or crows feet, you will probably want to sue an overnight treatment, couple with a leave on treatment. And for softer lines that need just a bit of smoothing, a leave on conditioner should do the trick.

Age Defying Choices
In addition to worrying about wrinkles, lines, and brittle eyelashes, we simply want to defy our age. It's natural, as getting older means feeling older. What better way to feel younger than to look younger? With age defying antiaging eye cream choices, defying age is a possibility. The choices in this area include firming cream and glow enhancers but the line tends to also offer natural choices such as chamomile antiaging eye cream, and herbal treatments.

Many products offer multiple benefits in one treatment, while others come in kits and require multiple steps. The severity of your problem areas don't really matter as to whether a one step or multiple step treatment is the best choice, however pricing, time availability, and satisfaction should be the deciding factors.

Thalgo Silicium Eye Cream

Thalgo Silicium Eye Cream, rich in hyaluronic acid and marine silicium, lifts the eye area, effectively fills fine lines and wrinkles and corrects signs of fatigue (puffiness and dark circles) resulting in refreshed and younger-looking eyes. The fresh, melt-on-the-skin texture of Thalgo Silicium Eye Cream leaves a soft and velvety feel to the skin with no oily film. Infused with delicate aromatic rose tea.

Sothys Multi-Action Eye Contour

Sothys Multi-Action Eye Contour (All Skin Types) helps diminish the appearance of wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness and preserve the youth of the eyes.

Erno Laszlo Ocuphel
Emollient Eye Cream

Heal your delicate eye area with this intensive cream that saturates your skin with rich nourishment. Dromiceius, Carrot Seed and Sunflower Seed Oils deeply moisturize while Hyaluronic and Lactic Acids condition and smooth.

Decleor Expression de L'Age
Relaxing Smoothing Eye Cream

Expression de L'Age Relaxing Eye Cream is designed for the first signs of aging. It preserves the youthfulness of the eye contours by treating wrinkles, fine lines and expression lines, visible dark circles, dehydration lines and irritation.