Has anyone ever explained to you why you should use warm water to shave?

Why warm water?

For Hair

Water, breaks down the hydrogen bonds that keep hair firm, therefore making the hair follicles fragile or weak.  Ever notice how quickly your hair gets soft once it gets wet?

For Skin

A slight increase in water temperature acts to kill bacteria on the skin, helps create a better lather, causes the pores to open, and makes the skin softer and more pliable.  This allows the hair to be cut easier and closer.  If the water is too warm, the skin can become sensitive to the touch, inviting irritation of the skin (ie. razor burn) after shaving.

So there you have it.  Who knew shaving was a science?

Shave warm guys!

…your last haircut?” 

Sound familiar? I’m sure a barber has asked you this question once or twice in your lifetime, and for good reason! It’s how we gauge how short we should cut your hair. You see, the average person’s hair grows approximately 1/2″ per month.

So the best way to get your barber to give you a haircut closest to the length of your last one, is to remember the time-frame of your last haircut.

This is perfect advice for a guy who is shopping around for a new barber, or always traveling. Trust me, this little bit of info shared with your barber will save you tons of frustration and money!

Did you know

Since this statistic is so high, I thought I would do my part in sharing a few food choices that help to fight bad breath. Hey, besides the fact that these food choices are very effective in fighting bad breath, it’s also important to me for my readers to NOT be included in statistics like this one!

See below…

• Cinnamon - has antioxidant and antiseptic benefits which work to prevent germs in the mouth from wreaking havoc on your breath.
• Citrus fruits - Vitamin C attacks bacteria in the mouth the same way it defends the body against the common cold.
• Spinach and parsley - both contain chlorophyll which has antibacterial properties that kill germs to freshen breath.
• Green tea - is rich in polyphenols, an antioxidant that protects cells from harm, including bacterial invasion.

**Also keep in mind that masking bad breath with mints can actually make your breath worse. These mints typically have a high concentration of sugars, which provide bacteria the energy they need to multiply and invade the teeth and gums. So focus on combining a healthy dental hygiene regimen that consists of brushing and flossing with a tweak in your food selections, and will be on your way to avoid being included in this gnarly bad-breath “statistic”!

Enter the newly designed Village Barber - Shave oil mixed with an amazing number of essential oils: Sweet Almond, Lavender, Juniper, Patchouli…the list goes on! What I find so great about this oil is that even with all of these natural ingredients, it still maintains the perfect balance of ”not too thick” and “not to watery”, not to mention a nice fragrance.

Combined with your favorite shave cream, your shave should be that much more comfortable! And for a limited time, TMR readers can enjoy 15% off of Village Barber products by using the code ‘TMR3″ at checkout. Enjoy!

Rating: ★★★★¾ 

Here we go!

• Baking Soda - Adding a few heaping tablespoons of baking soda to cool bath water makes a quick skin-calming remedy. Just limit your soaking time to 15 to 20 minutes, any longer makes for even drier skin.
• Oatmeal (yup, that’s right!) – Fill the tub with cool (not cold) water, add 1/2 to 1 cup oatmeal and mix in, this makes for a perfect skin soother!
• Aloe Vera – Available in almost every grocery store. Aloe Vera causes blood vessels to constrict, taking the sting and redness out of the sunburn. Simply slit open one of the broad leaves and apply the gel directly to the burn. Apply five to six times per day for several days.
• Drink Water -  As the sun “cooked” your skin, it also dehydrated it. Being well hydrated will help burns heal better and faster.
• Potatoes (yea, I said it!) - It’s a time-tested technique known world-wide. Take two washed potatoes, cut them into small chunks, and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until the potatoes are in liquid form. Pat the burned areas with the pulverized potatoes. Wait until the potatoes dry, then take a cool shower.
• Moisturize – Immediately after a cool soak, apply moisturizer. For cooling relief of pain and dryness, chill the moisturizer in the refrigerator before using. For even better results - choose a cream that contains aloe vera and green tea extracts to restore moisture, sooth your skin, and reduce inflammation.

**Final suggestion… There’s always the option of an over-the-counter pain reliever (i.e aspirin or ibuprofen); however, make sure to take with food and read the instructions on the bottle.

Have a great summer and be smart! 

*Sources – NewBeauty.com & Health.HowStuffWorks.com

Let me first say that within the category of ingrown hair solutions, I set the bar pretty high

With that being said, I tried Bump Down – Razor Burn Relief by Barc and found that it was only somewhat effective in getting rid of ingrown hairs. I have grown accustomed to seeing much faster results from products in this category and Barc unfortunately missed the mark.

I was also surprised and quite unhappy with the painful “bite” (no pun intended) it delivered where applied, especially after a shave. So if your looking for an ingrown hair solution to assist you in addition to proper shaving techniques, my recommendation would have to be to try something else.

Rating: ★★½☆☆ 

Lab Series Skincare for Men

Of course the more consistent you are with this product (like all others), the better results you will have. Priced at $50 for 3.4 oz may seem pretty steep, but keep in mind that this is an anti-aging system. Compared to the equivalent in a woman’s line, this is a steal!

Combined with the remaining pieces in the MAX LS  line-  Overnight Renewal Serum & Instant Eye Lift, you will be well on your way to having healthier looking skin.

Rating: ★★★★¾ 

I wrote an article several years ago about  men visiting the barbershop and claiming that their face was sensitive after they shaved.

Do you know what was the most consistent important recommendation I passed on to them? It was to keep the skin hydrated, with a moisturizer of course!  Sure, we must remember to maximize the moisture on our skin when shaving, but during the day and night, the skin also needs to stay moist. Consistently moist skin, gives the face the strength needed to handle the unforgiving nature of the sharp blade. So be sure to add that extra step, both AM and PM, because supple skin is also healthier skin!

Knowing how moisturizers work can help you select the best one for your individual skin needs.

In general, moisturizers are products that improve the function of the skin barrier. They usually contain ingredients that help increase the amount of water in the skin. Here are three categories that moisturizing ingredients may fall into:

• Emollients: molecules that hydrate the skin. Examples include oils or lipids, such as petrolatum or dimethicone.  (Products like: Eucerin, Intensive Moisture Balance by Dermalogica and Cetaphil)

• Humectants: molecules that attract water to the skin surface from deep in the skin and from the environment and that may also hydrate the skin. One example is glycerol. (Products like: Daily Moisture Defense w/ SPF 15 by Lab Series, Vitamin C Serum by Anthony Logistics and Enviroprotect by Raw Men’s Skincare)

• Occlusives: ingredients that provide a physical barrier that prevents water loss from the skin. Examples include petrolatum and lanolin. (Products like: Night Recovery Lotion by Lab Series, and Lanolin for Him Rejuvenating Night Creme by Wild Ferns)

Moisturizers help bring the outer layer of the skin back to as normal a state as possible by soothing the skin and filling in tiny breaks. They increase the water content of the skin and prevent excess water from evaporating from the skin’s surface and into the environment. The newest moisturizers also help replace fats that may be lacking in people with dry skin.

No one moisturizer on the market is perfect for everyone’s skin type, since there can be up to five different types (i.e., normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive). My general rule of thumb is to find one that you like and will use since the best moisturizer is the one that actually gets applied to the skin.

Since it’s quite possible that you have heard about this memory loss supplement, I’ll defer taking credit for introducing it to you. However, one thing that you may not know is that Ginkgo Biloba is also good for your skin!

“When skin is subjected to excessive inflammation through injury or poor diet, it may have a harder time recovering from acne and wounds, and may generally have an unhealthy look and overall loss of its youthful glow. Ginkgo biloba contains quercetin, a natural flavonoid and antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.” - Skin & Allergy News

Ginkgo biloba has also been found to improve the skin’s protection from UVB rays and improve the production of collagen, which helps to keep the skin firm and youthful.

So there you have it.

Better memory, better looking skin! Consider it the best $10 you’ve ever spent, but you have to remember to take it!