Smooth Skin

Daily shaving can be very hard on the face. That's why natural shaving products often contain anti-inflammatory and antibacterial herbs, such as arnica, sage and chamomile, which promote skin repair. Before shaving, leave the shaving cream on your face for one full minute to allow the skin to absorb its moisture and to soften the hair. If you nick yourself, smear the cut with a bit of wheat germ oil to stop the bleeding and then apply tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic. Rinse and apply a non-alcoholic, fragrance-free aftershave that provides nourishment and prevents irritation and dryness. Look for products containing lime, aloe and goldenseal for healing and sage and horsetail for their astringent properties.

Beardless Basics

Excessively dry skin will take away from the smooth-shaven look you want to achieve. Essential oils can assist dry skin by preserving the skin's natural moisture barrier. Just 10 drops of either Roman chamomile, lavender, rosemary or carrot seed oil mixed with about three-quarter cup (175 ml) of carrier oil (sesame or almond oil) work well to combat scaly skin. Apply the oil while your skin is slightly wet and let it penetrate for at least 15 minutes. Then wash as usual. Eating food containing omega-3 essential fatty acids (flax and pumpkin seeds, walnuts) or supplementing with flax seed oil will help prevent and treat dry skin conditions from the inside out.

The other extreme is oily skin, with clogged pores and pimples that can make hair removal difficult. The likely culprit is overactive sebaceous glands. The herb lemongrass has antibacterial properties to reduce facial inflammation and also acts to "degrease" the skin and regulate the oil glands. You can make your own infused lemongrass wash. Use one part herb to three parts boiling filtered water, brew for 15 minutes. Then cool and it's ready to splash on your face. Otherwise add a couple of drops of lemongrass essential oil to one tablespoon (15 ml) of a carrier oil, such as almond, and apply to the face sparingly.

Another deep skin cleansing treatment that has been used for centuries is clay. Mineral-rich clay or mud comes in many types and colours depending on where it comes from. Kaolin and bentonite are two popular kinds. All skin types can benefit from clay's ability to remove dead skin, absorb toxins and impurities, but because of their absorbent properties, clay masks are particularly useful for those with oily skin.

Removing Body Hair

Many men would prefer to have less or no back and chest hair, and there are a few safe methods of hair removal to try, depending on your comfort level. First, clip your chest hair to see how it looks. If you like the effect, continue clipping. While you have the scissors out, you may want to trim your ear and nose hair. Use safe, rounded-tip scissors and only trim as deep as you can see with a mirror to prevent any damage. Dry shaving is another option for body hair. It will thin the hair evenly and make it less obvious.

Waxing and sugaring are inexpensive, natural methods of removing unwanted body hair. To start, your hair must be at least a quarter-inch (five mm) in length. For any easy, sugar-based home recipe, put a small amount of honey into a glass container, heat it in a pot of water until it is warm and liquid. Wash the area you're applying the honey to and dry it gently and thoroughly. Then apply a thin coating of the honey to a small skin area, place a strip of muslin or cotton material on top until it sticks, then quickly pull off the material and remove the hair.

Unlike shaving, waxing or sugaring can be done every three to six weeks. The hair regrowth will appear thinner and over time, the hair follicles will become damaged and no longer able to produce hair. Let's face it, men don't shave just their faces anymore.

Hair removal has become a whole body experience!