Hygiene: The truth about clear skin

There is a major secret about clear skin, one sitting right in front of our eyes. This method involves a bit more work than quick fixes, which makes it still considered a "secret." If you've done your research you may know what I'm alluding to. The gene pool left some of us with clear and heavenly skin or like me, you were hit with an acne problem during your teen years. In addition to solid skin care, there is an infallible answer to clearing up your skin. Change up your diet.

The conversation of having clear skin and my own clear skin had been brought up to me several times in the last few months. I've specifically found the majority of the questions coming from females. They want to know exactly what I do to keep my skin so clear. With no attempts to be modest, I genuinely think I have decently clear skin, I don't think it's spectacular in any regard. In an attempt to help and share advice, I had went into depth about every little detail for my skin care. Whether it be getting facials, finding the right products, or making sure to stick to a schedule. However, I realized something rather recently. I hadn't been telling them the full truth. The secret to my skin is my incredibly strict diet. In addition to my diet, if I didn't touch my skin all the time I'd probably be able to view my skin the same way as they do. Sadly, I'm only human and should go back and read my own skin care posts once in a while.

My test of a clean diet started up a few years ago on a whim. I was met with results much sooner than I expected. All my tireless work to clear up my skin rattled out of my head and the diet began to click. I felt incredibly stupid to not have tried a cleaner diet before, but I did get there eventually. Not so shockingly, my skin began to reflect on the outside the changes my body felt on the inside. A cleaner diet is a simple concept we tend to overlook when it comes to skin care. The foods we eat heavily affect the nutrients our body is able to process. A simple solution to a problem plaguing teenagers. It's simple enough to still make me feel stupid, of course cutting back on crappy food will make you feel and look better. This news is often overlooked by young men and women as they may be searching for an immediate answer. Clear skin doesn't have to be immediate as long as you know you are chasing the right path.

Think about how much sugar, alcohol, or simple carbs you'll consume a day. Now add those up to a week, a month, and years worth of time. A diet with a heavy amount of any of the examples listed above will build up. It becomes a problem ending with having bad health and bad skin. Often with tips, people want a fast or an easy answer. While not quite fast, cleaning up your diet involves testing and failing. It's considerably easy and cheap in comparison to throwing money at the next "it" product. Cut back on sugar for two weeks, add more vegetables to your diet, and drink only water on weekdays. Allow a little bit of patience into your life and you'll see results sooner rather than later. In the case you don't clear up your skin while changing your diet, you'd end up with a successful failure. This type of "failure" is successful for two reasons. Finding out your skin issues are genetic and learning a better way to approach them and feeling better in your day to day life. There is a no lose option with changing your diet.

I'm not asking you to look up a healthy diet and follow the first option religiously. I'm asking you to be prepared to fail and learn. All the healthy approaches you attempt to take in your life will come from a good diet. Clear skin, good physical shape, dental care and so on will all stem from a good diet. You'll need to contribute to each of those problems separately, but they all wrap back towards a healthier lifestyle.

Change your diet and WashYourAss

- Noble

Hygiene: Wash your face

I always love starting posts with such a silly title. I hope my readers will look over and consume the content before reacting, but hey this process makes it a little bit more intriguing. On the topic of the actual post, to the women reading this, 99.8% of you are probably safe, read this post for the laughs. To the men, get your shit together, because this'll probably be true for more than half of you.

A handful of men may be prepared to question me or lash back at me. Washing your face is obviously putting water in your hands and running it over your face continuously. How hard could it possibly be? Well you are in luck, because this post will end up being the perfect one for you.. The first method to legitimate skin care is discussed in a past post here, Hygiene: Skin Care and the Products for you. Without me going too far into detail and repeating myself, the title is incredibly self explanatory. For those of you newer to skin care I'd recommend giving the linked post a read before continuing further with this one.

Depending on your skin, you have the option of washing it twice a day every day. The key is finding out what works for your method of skin care and sticking with it. Before I go any further, most men should know washing your face is not only a treatment for acne. Your face gets oily or dry and you need to take care of it. In addition to having your specific face wash, if you wear a beard, by a damn beard wash as well. Your beard is sensitive hair. which women aren't going to find it attractive if every time they lean into kiss you they are met by an eels oily texture or one as dry as British cooking.

Aside from me giving you a hard time, let's discuss the actual method to washing your face. Run some warm water over your face, open up your pores. Think of it as not being able to full clean a car unless you open the doors. Now comes the soap. My mother always relentlessly drove it into my head to use no more than a pea sized drop in your hand. Relentless might be a harsh word, but damn are Italian mothers serious about their soap. Actually I'd like to formally apologize, upon showing this sentence to my mother she corrected me by saying dime for your face.

Rub your hands together and give yourself a good wash. Your skin is sensitive, but not not enough to where you should be grazing over it as if it were a national treasure. You yourself are a national treasure cutie. Luckily I was able to drag you back in with a cheap compliment. Compliments aside, lets discuss the proper amount of force to use. Add pressure, not enough to cause yourself pain or discomfort. Know to apply enough force to properly exfoliate your skin. You aren't trying to get intel out of your face, relax a little bit. Ease up and apply the correct amount of pressure.

Wash your face and WashYourAss

- Noble

Hygiene: Wash your hair

I know what you may be thinking, you always wash your hair. How could this post be relevant to you? Well I may blow a handful of minds on this one, when you wash your hair don't just wash your hair.

Alright, let me elaborate so the idea makes a bit more sense. When you wash your hair you are not  washing only the hair itself. You wash your ears, behind your ears, and most importantly your scalp. There is a legitimate method and practice to washing your hair, shocking I know. As I grow older I find there are more correct ways to do everything. For example I didn't know how to properly brush my teeth until I was twenty. It's not that I didn't brush them or was plagued by cavities, I was just doing the practice of brushing them incorrectly.

This applies to bald men or men that carry short hair as well. Wash your damn scalp. It's still exposed skin on your head. If you are gonna wash your balls you have to wash your scalp. And this would apply to women as well, but let's be honest they've gotten us beat in the basic hygiene department. All one of my female supporters is probably flabbergasted right now, learning that men forget to wash their scalps.

Here's a quick guide.

Wash your hair and scalp as if you were massaging a puppy. That's it. Oh and use conditioner and oils every now and then to keep your hair and scalp in quick health.

Wash your hair and WashYourAss

- Noble

Hygiene: Manscaping

This question has existed as long as articles and posts have been made for men . Are you supposed to manscape? Well definitively the answer is, maybe. Before you lash out, let me say there is a good reason. It always has and always will boil down to preference. In the 70's men and women everywhere were sporting George H.W, George W, and Jeb's as far as the eye could see. For those of you that might be in your earlier teen years, imagine your front hedges, but every weekend no one comes to trim them.  For those of you in older generations, the baby seal look is popular right now.

The issue lies in that times change, with times changing preferences do with it. However, preferences don't make a certain style right or wrong. Manscaping doesn't necessarily have to come down to trimming or "shaping" things up. Manscaping first and foremost is about cleanliness. It doesn't matter what you rock, as long as you, and in certain cases your partner, feel comfortable with it. If you are walking around in your twenties as hairy as Cat Stevens, more power to you. If you are walking around in your fifties as smooth as newborn gazelle, again, more power to you.

Here's some shocking information, you know your body better than anyone else. Truly surprising I know, but after laying that huge bomb on you, let me discuss this just a bit further. Rock what you want to, again as long as it's clean. No one in their right mind is going to judge you for what makes you comfortable. But for an example we'll say you end up hooking up with somebody super judgmental. They decide that it would be funny for them to point at your pubic region and laugh before or after your deed. Maybe I'll get into bedroom, do's and don'ts in the future, but for now, if the laugh isn't mutual within the bedroom, there's a good chance you are a douche.

You liked this person a lot or maybe it was just a one night thing, regardless you find them laughing at you. There are multiple solutions to this scenario, make fun back, try and have sex regardless, or own it. I think y'all know which one is correct but I'll break each down quickly.

Your first thought might be to pass the comment by, and have sex regardless. If it's a one night thing, sure this option could be fine. Hell, maybe you are mind blowing in bed and leave them begging for more, only to shut them down for their earlier comments. It depends on how much you value this person or the night with this person. Option two might be taking their insults one step further and insulting them harshly. Maybe in this case you go after their appearance or their weight. To be completely honest with you, there isn't anything wrong with defending yourself, in fact I encourage it. They lit the fire and now you are keeping it burning. But as much as I'd like you to fight back, which will be another post coming later tonight, the third option defines what it means to be a man well.

Own it and leave. Again, that'll be a future post which I am really looking forward to writing but for now we'll wrap this up neatly. I can't tell you the countless time that I've been giving my friends shit or they've been firing back and somebody just agrees. How are you supposed to insult somebody that's agreeing with your insult? With the third option, you take the high road, they have no ammunition left to attack you, and they get denied a fun night. All because they weren't mature enough to appreciate the Bob Ross, abstract art, or fresh satin looks.


In addition to washing up and manscaping, don't forget to WashYourAss

- Noble

Hygiene: Wash your sheets

Only you and your washing machine know what happens on your sheets. Be thankful your washing machine can't talk.

The reason for washing your sheets isn't for the sole reason of it being time to wash them. Nor do you wash them just because they smell. Ask yourself honestly how often you wash your sheets. If it's once every two weeks, then congrats! Congratulations on finding something you need to change about your personal life. Frankly, you should wash your sheets at least once a week if not every few days. Think about it in comparison to brushing your teeth or washing your body. We wash our bodies about once a day, cleaning off the germs from the days or past evenings events. In addition to washing our bodies, we rarely wear the same dirty clothes. Humans don't sit in their filth so why sleep in it?

Even if you claim to be the cleanliest individual you know, part of that cleanliness is being aware of when it's time to wash your sheets. Maybe you only shower in the mornings, so your filth accumulates throughout the day and by the time you hit your bed, you'd have a days worth of germs on you. Let's say that you break this trend by showering at night. While that may be a temporary fix, but again, still doesn't mean you wouldn't accumulate germs in the evening. Losing skin or hair whilst you sleep could add to the long list of germs in your bed. This also doesn't include any tendencies you might have in your sleep.

The punchline of this post lies in the first paragraph. If you read the rest, thanks for supporting me, but also they were just deeper explanations for why you should clean up your living space. You don't shit where you eat, so why shit where you sleep?


In addition to washing your sheets, WashYourAss

-Noble

Hygiene: Skin Care and the products for you

There are hundred of variations in skin type along the range of dry to oily, including throwing sensitive somewhere in between. The issue lies in that you don't want to pick the wrong soap. Either you'll become as dry as Dane Cooks comedy or you'll end up as oily and slippery as your local politicians. The answer is actually relatively simple. Why not test? Set a reasonable budget for yourself for the week or the month and test new shampoos, lotions, deodorants, or body washes. You don't have to break the bank to find out what your skin needs. However, you will eventually find the product types for you. From there, that is when you start investing in the more expensive products. Your fancy body washes, your hair products from Rome, your unicorn tears, stuff of that sorts.

Avoiding the "shriveled raisin look." As I will touch on further in the post, unhealthy skin is visible to most. If you are walking around looking like street chalk, chances are somebody will notice it and you'll catch a few glances here and there. If you don't mind getting the looks, then pay no mind. However if you have a fear of strangers being judgmental, you should also pay no mind. Don't let the opinions and judgement of others control the way that you view or carry yourself.

Avoid resembling the creature of the black lagoon. To be honest, you can kind of get away with having dry skin, relative to having overly oily skin. Whereas dry skin will mostly be uncomfortable for you, oily skin will be uncomfortable for each party involved. At no point should your skin be oily enough that you can become a human slip and slide on any and every surface.

After that long ramble, where does our solution lie. Well, following up on the first paragraph, you'll need to test stuff out. And that's okay that it'll take time. With time you will gain more knowledge of the scents and needs for you body. And your perception of what you need will grow with you.

And of course, WashYourAss

- Noble

Hygiene: Picking

There is a certain vulnerability pertaining to these blog posts and I'm going to ask that you can carry the same clear and learning mindset into this post. First, admit to yourself that you are guilty of picking. Picking your nails, picking your nose, picking at acne or scabs. Hell, some of you are probably picking while reading this. And if you are completely free of guilt in this scenario, you might be a better man than I. Seriously, it's an impressive feat to be proud of. Now for those of you who are in fact guilty of picking, let have a quick talk.

Picking in terms of acne, I'll be frank on this one. From man to man, you have no idea what you are doing. You are not cleaning up your face by picking at acne and popping pimples. You are a not a dermatologist, well except for those of you that might be, I will stand corrected on that one. Before I get to my next few lines, there will be a whole other post about stigmas but for now, let's finish up this topic. Seeking a skin care specialist, asking what is right for you, getting a facial. Those things are not gay, nor feminine, nor will they make you girly! A man having good hygiene is incredibly attractive to the sex that you are trying to attract. Take the time to feel vulnerable, scared, or think that whatever I'm saying might be bullshit. And when you are done with that, go make an appointment. You'll think back to this post down the line and say, "damn, that goofy looking dude was right." A man with clear skin is a happy and confident man, and a confident man is an attractive man.

Picking in terms of nails, alright I'll be honest I'm incredibly guilty on this one. It's unsanitary, damages your nails, and is honestly pretty gross. Like myself though, that doesn't mean you can't be cured of your naivety in the matter. Just like with getting a facial, manicures and pedicures are not gay and they never will be. Take care of your nails just like you'd take care of your teeth or hair. Humans don't sit in their filth, no matter the man or profession, every body like to clean up. And that idea needs to be extended towards the care of your nails as well. Even if you view your nails as incredibly minor, in comparison with the rest of your body. It takes a few extra minutes to keep them clean and in good health. Let yourself be vulnerable, even just for a moment and do the research or make the appointment.

Picking in terms of your nose, stop that. Wiping or scratching are different things. If you absolutely feel the urge to shove your finger up your nose to try, because you need to see what it feels like to touch your brain, excuse yourself. Excuse yourself from your surroundings, run to a restroom and blow your nose or dig around with a tissue. On top of that please, please, wash your hands after. If you absolutely can not stop the urge of picking your nose, wash your damn hands after. No one in their right mind would shake your hand knowingly if they could see the germs you carry after a long days work. Now think about a days of work compared to someone who had just recently picked their nose. You sure as hell wouldn't be delighted to shake their hands in return, especially if their hand looks like it was an extra in "I am Legend."

And of course, WashYourAss,

- Noble

Hygiene: Wash Your Ass, seriously, read this.

In addition to the first post I think the second should also be pertaining to why this blog was started. Well the answer to that question can be found in the title of this page, wash your ass. It may seem like a hard concept to grab for those of you that might be older, of course you'd wash your ass. You'd assume washing your ass is just like putting on deodarant or brushing your teeth at the start of the day, it's just something you do. Well not often is it correct to assume. In my own personal case, I didn't know that I was supposed to wash my ass until I was sixteen years old. Yes, you read that right, no one had ever taught me, no one had ever told me, I found out from a comedy youtube video.

As much embarrasment as you might have felt for me reading that, imagine not knowing that information until you were sixteen. I figured that showering was enough. And now this might be a break for a few people, so look closely while I still have your attention. When I say wash your ass, it doesn't mean that you'd scrub down your ass just like the rest of your body. It means take the excess soap from washing your body, or even pump more soap into your hand, and wash the inside of your ass. Like you were karate chopping a soft taco. Think of all the residue, the sweat, the odor that can be trapped in those hairs.

Think for a moment about all the people around you that smell "good." Your significant others, your crush, how your dad has had the same scent for the past fifteen years. Think of how it makes you feel to be in their company, with this pleasant scent hovering near them, and atop that, all the memories that you equate to having great smellls. That's a pretty great image right? Now think of all those people if they smelled like week old cheese left out in the sun. That's what you smell like when you don't wash your ass.

Seriously, Wash Your Ass
- Noble