Groomed for success

Once upon a time, it was men who queued for the bathroom. Behind locked doors, 'the fairer sex' primped, preened, spritzed and sprayed. But all that's changed. Now, men are as concerned about their appearance as women. (As confirmed by a survey carried out by this very magazine, not so long ago, which revealed that men, on average, spend 3.1 hours a week on grooming rituals.) But although increasing numbers of men now know how to self-tan, how to recreate Ant & Dec's spiky 'do's' and some have even heard of liposomes and nanospheres many still have some basic skincare and shaving concerns. However, unlike women, most men don't sit at their father's knee, picking up tips on grooming and shaving so there's a lot of misinformation. Here, then, are some answers to thorny male beauty problems (NB All products except where websites are listed should be readily available.)

My skin's like an oil slick. What should I do...?

What a lot of men don't understand is that if you over-stimulate the skin with excessively cold or hot water, you also stimulate the sebaceous glands. Men's skin tends to be oilier naturally, because of testosterone production, so twice a day (morning and night), use a facial wash to remove the excess oil gently but effectively. Even oily skins need moisture but don't use a rich cream choose a light lotion or oil-free moisturiser. The good news? Oilier skins age more slowly! For cleansing, try Champneys for Men Multi-Action Anti-Shine Face Wash, £6.50 (at some Sainsbury's or on-line at www.champneys.com), Liz Earle For Men Cleanse & Polish, from £11 (mail order www.lizearle.com), or Clinique Liquid Face Wash Regular Strength, £13.50. To quench skin with much-needed lightweight moisture, Biotherm Homme Aquapower Moisturiser, £25, Nivea For Men Rehydrating Moisturiser, £7.33, Kiehl's Facial Fuel Energizing Moisturiser (www.mankindonline.co.uk), Simple For Men Hydrating Daily Moisturiser, £4.88, or Liz Earle For Men After-Shaving Moisturiser, from £6.50, are perfect.

I get terrible shaving rash. Is there a solution?

Showering before shaving helps, because it stimulates the lymphatic system; the face can be quite puffy, first thing, which makes it harder to get a close shave. Showering drains fluid, so you're less puffy which equals: closer shave. Try to get into the habit of shaving only in the direction that hair grows. The neck area is particularly vulnerable to shaving rash, where the collar rubs against it. An old-fashioned 'alum stone' available from gentlemen's barbers is great for soothing skin; made of natural alum salts they sanitise skin to prevent razor burn and rashes; you run them under the tap, then glide the stone over the skin.

Blackheads yuk! Can I blitz them?

Blackheads are plugs of sebum, which has oxidised on the surface of the skin. The best way to get rid of them is to have a professional 'men's facial', every now and then, when they'll be extracted properly. Experts I've spoken to don't recommend anyone tries extracting them at home; that tends to stretch the pore, so then you're left with open pores... After you've had them blitzed, use a facial wash every day and exfoliate, once a week, with a facial scrub, to keep them at bay. Check out Champneys Multi Action Exfoliating Face Scrub, £6.50, Clinique for Men Face Scrub, £14.50, or Liz Earle Naturally Active Men's Face Scrub, from £6.50. Alternatively, try one of the pore strips on the market: stick them on your chin, or nose, after shaving, pull and hey, presto! Blackheads blitzed.' The names to know: BiorŽ Ultra Deep Cleansing Nose Strips, £7.99 for 6, or T-Zone Clear Out Face Pore Strips, £4.98, or Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Nose Pore Strips, £4.39.

I have very touchy skin. How can I calm it down?

Alcohol and fragrance have a sensitising action, so putting alcohol straight onto open pores, post-shaving, is a trouble-trigger for many men. Ideally, go for products that are unfragranced, or have minimal fragrance. Be sure, always, to shave in the direction of beard growth; shaving against the growth irritates the skin. And pat skin dry after you've washed it, rather than rub at it! Applying moisturiser helps, too, because dry skin is often more sensitive. Try DeclŽor Men Soothing Aftershave Fluid, £24, Liz Earle Naturally Active After-Shaving Moisturiser, from £5.50, Simple For Men Hydrating Daily Moisturiser, £4.88, or Aramis Lab Series for Men Razor Burn Relief Ultra, £23.50.

I have ingrown hairs. What can I do to prevent any more?

In-grown hairs happens when beard hair curls back on itself because it can't find a way to the surface. Keeping skin exfoliated regularly helps keep the surface clear of dead surface cells, which makes the hair able to ÒescapeÓ better. (See above for scrub info )

Is there a way to tackle a spot?

Danger, danger, warning, warning: don't squeeze! If you can possibly let the spot calm down, without squeezing, you will avoid angry red marks and even scarring. In addition, squeezing spots pushes the infection deeper, and you often get a crop of spots around that area, afterwards. The best thing I've found to treat an emerging spot is a dab of lavender essential oil, which is naturally very antiseptic. It also helps to use a deep cleansing mask, once a week, to draw out any impurities. And a tip: only touch your face when your fingers are clean, as hands carry so many bacteria.

How do I get a perfect shave?

First of all, try shaving in a steamy bathroom. It can also be helpful to place a hot flannel on the beard zone, to soften it; a dab of shaving oil massaged into the skin can also help. Always shave in the direction of hair growth, to avoid in-grown hairs. Use shaving foam or gel, or invest in an old-fashioned badger hair shaving brush, which not only creates a great lather if you use it with shaving soap, but helps achieve a closer shave. Either splash with cold water or use a cold flannel to close the pores, followed with moisturiser because essentially, shaving dries out the skin. An alum stone see above can also be ultra-soothing.

So, good looking: now you know

Visit Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacey's website www.beautybible.com for a whole host of beauty recommendations and reviews. Their current beauty books The Green Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Being Naturally Gorgeous and The 21st Century Beauty Bible are both available to buy at all good bookshops and through www.amazon.co.uk