Some of the most common questions I'm asked (often times privately) from men is related to improving their skin.
What should I do to clear up bad skin? What should I do to make my skin look healthier? Do I have to have buy lots of products to make a difference? Do you use moisturizer? Which one? These are just a few of the common questions that I often am asked regarding men's skin care.
To make life more simple for you...
To take some of the guess work out of trying strange methods to get better skin...
To save you time doing skin care research...
I've decided to offer you some of my own easy, simple but effective strategies I've discovered over the years that have kept my skin nearly flawless.
I'm in my early 40's and people often comment on how good and healthy my skin looks for my age.
If you let me help you by following as many of these strategies as you can, you will see a noticeable improvement in your skin almost instantly.
Here are my top ten easy men's skin optimizing strategies.
#10 STOP SMOKING If you happen to be a smoker, this has got to be your first priority, not only for you skin, but for your overall general health.
My family has had incidence of smoking-related emphysema and know too well the effects of smoking on the body.
Tobacco smoke has over 4,000 harmful chemicals, including:

• Nicotine:stimulates blood clotting which leads to strokes and heart attacks.
  
• Tar: contains at least 50 known carcinogens
• Carbon Monoxide: reduces the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry, and starves the cells

SKIN RELATED:

• wrinkles: smoking damages collagen/elastin fibers making it less resilient and speeds up the development of cracks and lines
• impaired circulation: less oxygen, less blood flow, less life.
  
• skin cancer: increased risk, as well as greater recurrence after treatment.
  

#9 STOP DRINKING EXCESSIVE SODAS AND ALCOHOL Although studies have shown that moderate consumption of certain types of alcohol is beneficial for heart health, here are some negatives to overconsumption:

• Alcohol and sodas dehydrate and deplete vital skin nutrients needed to prevent wrinkles and aging
• There is often a connection between heavy soda/alcohol drinkers and unhealthy diets
• Alcohol dilates facial blood vessels and develop spider veins

#8 CLEANING, EXFOLIATING, AND RESTORING This may seem fairly obvious, but it can be as easy to forget as brushing your teeth.
(Which I don't advise!)

• Wash: removes dust/dirt accumulated during the day and stops the oil-glands from getting clogged, swollen and potentially infected
• Exfoliate: a good scrub removes the top layer of dead skin to reveal the healthier and softer skin cells (Keratinocytes) beneath.
  DON'T OVER DO IT! If you scrub too much or too hard you can damage your skin.
  
• Restore: use a quality face moisturizer after washing/exfoliating to replenish moisture, promote healing and protect/prevent damage due to dry skin.
  You can take it one step further by using a quality skin serum before you moisturize.
  

It can be good to wash and restore twice a day, but exfoliate only once.
I prefer to do all three at night so I don't sleep with junk on my face all night.
#7 SHAVING: WARM TOWELS, COLD TOWELS AND PRE/POST SHAVE SPECIFIC PRODUCTS Shaving is awesome, but can be like clear-cutting a forest for your facial skin.
These tips work best for me:

• Pre-shave: use a hot towel for one minute to open up the pores; use a pre-shave lotion to soften skin and hair
• Shave: use a fresh, clean and sharp razor.
  Rinse often.
  
• Post-Shave: use a cool/cold towel to close pores and reduce swelling.
  Finish with a high-quality face moisturizer or after-shave lotion.
  

#6 TAKE TIME TO FIND AT LEAST ONE SKIN PRODUCT YOU REALLY LOVE THE TEXTURE AND SCENT OF This may be frustrating or annoying to you, but it will pay you back benefits.
Like any other product, if you really love it, you will use it more often that a product that is just functional.
I'm really into good scents, so I like products that I can't wait to catch a whiff of.
This creates a routine, which is what your skin needs.
#5 MOISTURIZER AND SUNSCREEN Particularly in hot and dry climates, you need to be using a moisturizer, especially for your face.
As you well know, the sun is incredibly harsh, drying and even burning.
There are tons of good moisturizers to choose from that also include sunscreen.
+15 spf is the bare minimum for sun protection, and I think using a +30 or higher is even better for the long term.
TIP: This is a great way to start a conversation in store: ask for help choosing a moisturizer with sunscreen.
It's a great way to break the ice! #4 EXERCISE One of my favorite topics: most guys like to exercise to some degree, so I'm confident you'll jump right on this one.
Knowing that it's good for your whole body including your skin is even more reason to train hard! #1 benefit of exercise on the skin: promotes healthy circulation by increasing blood flow, keeping skin cells full of blood.

• Blood carries water and nutrients in
• Blood carries waste out

Your blood is cleaning your skin from the inside out.
#3 NUTRITION: PARTICULARLY GREENS Easy: You are what you eat.
You can see it in your skin too.
To feed yourself and your skin, look for:

• foods rich in Vitamin C: help produce collagen to feed the skin
• omega-3 and omega-6: fatty acid oils that are awesome for skin
• vitamin E: it's an antioxidant that helps protect.
  Almonds, avocados
• Zinc-rich food: helps to repair.
  Pumpkin seeds, wheatgerm
• Vitamin A: helps new skin grow.
  Eggs, milk, fish
• Iron: help skin tone.
  Sesame seeds, apricots
• B-vitamins: energy, skin glow.
  Get it from beef or spinach!

I also like to do green super-foods, wheat grass and chlorophyll.
Sure it can taste nasty, but after a while the benefits outweigh the negatives.
(Write to me if you want some suggested brands...
I've tried many) TIP: Supergreens give me crazy energy instantly! #2 SLEEP This also should be an easy add to your regimen because it's it's fun.
Let's look at the effects of a lack of sleep first:

• fatigue
• loss of memory/impaired thinking
• risk of car accidents
• sedentary lifestyle/weight gain
• depression/moodiness
• dark circles under the eyes

You need at least six hours, preferably seven or eight, and the quality of your sleep must be good.
(This is harder for me as I like to read the iPad before bed which can lead to restless light sleep..
arrrghh.
) BENEFITS:

• improves complexion
• removes dark circles, gives the body time to clean, repairs and rejuvenates
• collagen production is accelerated

Good sleep is better for you than any commercial product.
Get good sleep first, then start purchasing skin-restoring products.
#1 WATER: THE SECRET WEAPON OF GOOD SKIN I've seen water completely change a persons whole complexion! The human body is 60% water and every system in your body is affected by your water level.
BENEFITS:

• water in an internal moisturizer for your skin
• carries nutrients to the cells
• flushes toxins
• regulates temperature
• increases metabolism = fat burning
• protects organs

I'm a bit hardcore with water.
I try and drink 4 liters (1 Gallon) of water a day.
Yes, you pee a lot with that much intake.
But I have a ton of energy and great skin.
Get in the discipline, and make sure you get enough vitamins to restore what you've lost.
By following all of these tips, you will notice very quickly an improvement in your skin.
Your skin is the largest organ on your body, so it makes sense that you should be diligent to take extra care to protect and improve it.
It is also the one of the first things someone notices about you and first impressions are extremely important.
From the inside to the out and beyond, you want to project health, life and strength!