The market for skin care for men is increasing rapidly because men are becoming increasingly aware of their looks. Although those who would like to be known as ‘macho’ will not admit to it, they too are using male skin care products. Not every woman likes the scruffy look, and men are finding that caring for their skin can help them win the woman of their dreams.However, there are limits to what they will do to improve the way they look, and how their skin feels to their partner, and they tend not to focus too much on skin care treatments. That is the reason for skin care products for men being very easy and quick to use, just before they rush off to work or a disco.Women try to look good for work, while men don’t bother unless…there is a woman they like, when they will do whatever is necessary! However, a man will still be looking for something they can just quickly splash or smooth on without it taking up too much of their precious time. What are the forms of skin care products that men would use?Shaving ProductsThe most obvious are shaving products because, while make-up is what women do to get ready for a night out, shaving is what men do. They will either have clean, smooth face, wear so-called ‘designer stubble’ that women tend to refer to as ‘sandpaper-skin’ or even a beard or moustache, though these have lost their popularity in recent years.If you check out all the guys around you, you will see that most of them are smooth-shaven while the rest have ‘designer’ stubble more akin to sandpaper. Not that the ‘sandpaper look’ should be knocked, of course, because it does attract some women, but that doesn’t mean that they should neglect the health of their skin, and that could certainly be improved by using the appropriate skin care for men.Among the shaving products you can use are mousses and creams, and you acn also get dry shaving lotions for electric razors. After-shave products include skin conditioners, perfumed lotions and fragrances. None of them are difficult to apply and they only take a moment to do so – so they won’t hold you up! Their advantages are well worth the short time it takes to apply them!Skin Care ProductsSo let’s talk about you now and not the other guys that could end up losers if they don’t follow your lead. There are more skin care products for men other than just shaving lotions. The dead skin cells on your face can be removed using face scrubs, and the new skin underneath can come through and give you a new, fresh and glowing look, and make you look years younger which is what women like – women like that. They can make you look years younger.There are also tonics available that remove excess skin oil (sebum) from your face and protect you from getting whiteheads and blackheads due to your pores blocking up with dead skin cells and oil. Most women would prefer their men to have smooth, fresh, clean skin rather than a face covered in pimples or oil. Every cosmetics company markets its own skin care products, Another type of product that can be very successful with a man is shea butter, in particular those men that are exposed to outside weather conditions can can be damaging to their skin, such as strong sunlight, heavy rain that washes off their natural oils, and drying winds. By using a shea butter product you skin will retain its moisture and feel really smooth when your opponent’s skin has dried up and feels really rough. Believe me – that is not what girls like.Although men are not under the same pressure as women to look after their skin properly, and likely feel it a waste to spend money on skin care products for men, they will eventually regret it in a few years time. Many men believe that they are being macho by not using these types of products, but the cosmetics houses did not develop them without there being a market for them and the fact is that men’s skin needs more looking after than that of a woman!You are more liable to be exposed to pollution and other chemicals while at work, and to be out in the rain, hail and snow. Skin care products for men are made with that difference in mind, which is the reason for the skin care products used by women having little effect on you. You men must have your own skin care products: each sex is different, their skins being just as different as any other parts of their bodies.It’s one thing wanting a woman to admire you from a distance, but quite another if you want her real close to you – that’s when the state of your skin is very important. You will be able to get ahead of the guys that don’t use anything by splashing or smoothing on any of these scented products for skin care meant for men – and they certainly do what it says on the tin. Definitely!
What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime
What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.
As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.
That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.
Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.
Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.
Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.
Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.
That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.
Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.
Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.
My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.
Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.
And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.
All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:
• Farm eggs
• Fresh vegetables
• Cow’s milk
• Freshly baked bread
• Coal for our open fires
Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.
Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.
Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.
Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.
My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.
The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.
Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.
Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.
People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.
In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.
Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.
• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.
• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.
• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.
On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.
Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.
We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.
Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.
My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.
Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!
He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.
But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.
Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!
Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.
We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.
Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.
Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!
But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.
Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.
Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.
And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.
All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.
He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.