Alka Punia, expert in 100 % natural products gives tips for the Ayurvedic Men’s grooming
With technological advancements to growing selfie fad – Grooming essentials are not restricted to only women these days. Men’s are equally conscious of their looks and appearance and wants to explore and follow the latest trends in beard & moustache grooming, hair styles and shaving tips and techniques for a flawless vibrant skin. And why not be?
And this has led to a lot of brands coming out with dedicated range of shaving and beard care essentials, hair styling gels & creams etc. that too in the name of ayurvedic, herbal, organic etc. Do not buy products only by looking at their fancy green or brown packaging, read ingredients. Buying skin care products is same as buying eatables because what we apply on skin makes way to our blood stream reaching our vital organs so make efforts to know- whether the product you are buying is really natural, organic or ayurvedic? Here is a quick brief on men’s grooming needs –
Shaving Needs – Shaving is a delicate art and for a safe close shave you must shave in the direction the beard grows and never against the grains. Use a good quality razor preferably with not more than 3 blades if you are very new to shaving.
Always wash face with luke warm water followed by a toner and after shave balm. It is important to follow the process of cleansing, toning, and moisturising even when you are shaving for a healthy itch free skin. In terms of finding natural products – Shaving soaps are preferred over shaving gels/ foams as gels and foams are made with a base which is synthetic. Use Shaving brush made with horse hair for a better shaving experience.
Beard Needs –Beard Care is a care for both beard and skin beneath the beard. Beard hair is typically coarse so unruly, itchiness, dandruff are problems often experienced by men. A full beard normally becomes tangled and unruly thereby problems like dryness, acne or inflammation can be compounded when the skin beneath the beard is left unnourished for long. Look for Natural cold pressed Light & non- greasy oils that helps nourish and smoothen the hair, lay in one direction, and helps it grow. It takes care of not only beard but also the skin beneath the hair where acne, itchiness are common problems.
Brush your beard every day. Use clippers to keep it even and clean as you grow it in and wash it, along with your face and the rest of your hair, when you shower. You can use beard oil to soften it and increase its shine. A couple of times a week you should use a razor to shape the edges of it to your preferred style. When you buy a beard oil- know about the product and its ingredients before buying.
Hair Styling Needs – Products like styling gels and creams can harm the scalp and affect hair growth so it is advisable to let these products not come in contact with the scalp at all. Their usage impacts the overall health of the hair strands as well so reduce their usage to bare minimum. Use light and non- greasy oils like jojoba, cucumber seed, water melon seed etc for styling hair. Just 1- 2 drops of any of these oils when applied on wet hair can give your hair needed shine and softness.
Avoid using blow dryers heat as it burns the moisture in the hair making it dry and rough. Apply/massage cold pressed oils like coconut, hempseed, black cumin, almond, flaxseed etc 2-3 times a week before wash to minimise the side effects these hair styling gels and creams.
Author: Alkaa Punia is an expert on 100% natural products and has her own brand ‘Snaana’ which is the first-of-its-kind all-natural skincare brand in India. Snaana’s products are not only 100% chemical free but are also 100% preservative free. Alkaa Punia believes that there is no need of exposing our skin to chemicals and preservatives, even in small quantities, and her brand proves that skincare products can be made without including any chemicals at all and keeping them truly 100% natural.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not represent those of the GlobalSpa.
