Lips Don’t Lie
The metrosexual man has up his sleeves tricks, cues and DIYs that make his lips kissable.
As a gorgeous actor presents himself on the silver-screen, my friend exclaims, “Such pink lips!” Astonished, I look at her and then turn to the screen. It is Ranbir Kapoor. And, women are seen drooling over his luscious lips.
Gender roles are massively shifting. Today, gorgeous lips are not a preserve of women. Men have been actively seeking to amp-up their attractive facial features through routine lip care. The notion of wellness and care among men is witnessing expansion and is here to stay.
“Since lips do not produce natural oils like does your skin, keeping them hydrated and beautiful needs a few steps to be followed,” says Dr Nirupama Parwanda, Dermatologist and Founder, Zolie Skin Clinic, New Delhi. Also, this Valentine’s Day could be a ripe moment for ensuing that your meticulously cared for pairs help you kick start your proposal. Of course, your beloved can kiss and tell. UV GUARDS UV rays are a threat to our skin and can cause a lot of damage. Our lips are no exception to it. Choose a chapstick that contains at least SPF 15 or above. Its properties can contain orange as the fruit has photoprotection and nourishment properties in them.
DIY Tricks
Some men have dark lips. Smoking cigarettes exacerbates lip blackening. To reduce dark colour of lips, a DIY trick is to mix 1 tablespoon saffron with 1 tablespoon yogurt.
Mix a small teaspoon of saffron with some yogurt. Apply this mix on lips twice a day to reverse the damage from smoking and sun exposure. It goes without saying that quitting smoking is good for the suppleness of your lips. MOISTURISE Dryness brought on by a sudden temperature change can take a toll on the appearance of your lips. Using aloe vera can be very helpful. It provides proper moisturisation and also helps getting rid of impurities from mouth area.
One and the only way to hydrate is drinking plenty of water. Yes, even when the temperature runs cool and dry, drink water. Men experience chapped lips due to low levels of fluid intake. Keeping yourself hydrated the entire day is your elixir. Lip-licking is a common and bad habit. It worsens lip drying and makes them darker too. Use a chap-stick to curb drying every time. If you are ready to impress in this fashion, finding a valentine may become anything but serendipity.
Exfoliate
Dead cell build up must be removed through exfoliation. It could be done at least once or twice a week. A DIY exfoliating lip scrub is 1 tablespoon sugar with 1 tablespoon honey.
Mix both the ingredients well and then simply apply them to your lips and massage for three to four minutes and get smooth healthy lips. M en’s skin is essentially considered to have less sheen and nourishment. Therefore, we fork out ways given by Nicola Surbera, a men’s beauty blogger from Italy to keep a nourished skincare routine. Read on to improve the tone and texture with daily steps down a road as yet less traversed. The important thing is to have consistency and to dedicate some time to it in just five moves. Once made into a matter of habit, your mirror will tell you “there you go!” EYE CONTOUR Use an eye contour to combat fatigue and stress that is created around your eyes. Fatigue from staring at computer screen all day is detrimental to the thin, sensitive skin around your eyes. Eye contour is found in the form of gels and with aluminum applicators that give a vibrant look to your eye area. Before closing in do inculcate a healthy diet rich in vitamins, fruits and vegetables in your diet. Since all this does not involve finding a needle in a haystack, play it cool, guys! DAWN, DUSK CLEANING Wash your face twice a day: morning and evening. Make sure the water is warm to avoid drying the skin with too high or low temperatures. Use a cleaning product based on your skin type or alternatively also water. Avoid the soap as it can be aggressive on face. Dry with a gentle dab and not by rubbing the towel. The dabbing prevents any bacteria present spreading all over the face. MASK IT Face masks contain nutrients and are fundamental to protecting your skin and making your face glow. Apply them before going to sleep. This will help in absorbing the nutrients with maximum capacity and make the skin appear cleaner. In fact, face mask helps fight the tortures of daily smog, air pollution, dirt etc. Doing one cleansing mask per week and exfoliating at least once a month are time tested techniques. In fact, exfoliation or peeling, if done at short intervals causes formation of sebum and oily skin. DRINK WATER The body is made up of 60 per cent water and needs liquids. Drinking at least three litres of water is important for the health of your body and for a healthy and hydrated facial skin. If you engage in sporting activities, you will need to consume more water as physical activity deprives you of liquids that must be replenished. To keep a tab use an app or diary to pen down every glass of water you drink.
From the February 2019 issue of FHM India.
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