There are more oil glands on your face in the areas identified as the "T-Zone". The T-zone is across the forehead, down the nose and on the chin. Since these areas have more oil glands they can tend to get shiny before any thing else. Even if the rest of your face is "normal," you can still suffer from mid-day shine. There are several things that you can do to help prevent this. Regular use of a drying masque (like the Camphor Masque) helps absorb excess oil. You should be using the masque on your entire face according to the recommendations for your skin type. However, and especially during the summer, you can use the masque an additional 1 or 2 times a week--just in the T-zone. Apply the masque to the forehead, nose and chin (if necessary), allow to dry for 10-15 minutes and rinse off. Follow with toner and moisturizer.

Another solution is to use the Purifying Serum underneath your moisturizer. It helps prevent oil from forming.

If your skin is oily all over--not just in the t-zone, you may need to adjust your products to provide more oil prevention.

Blackheads are simply clogged pores. This generally occurs when you overdry the surface of the skin by using too strong or harsh a cleanser and/or too rich of a moisturizer for your skin type. The best way to prevent blackheads is to use products that are properly formulated for your skin type. Regular use of a masque and scrub will also help prevent (and remove) blackheads. It generally takes 6-8 weeks for your skin to complete a full cycle. That means if you start using the right products now, it may still take a good 6-8 weeks before you notice an improvement. You can remove your own blackheads but we recommend using care. After a hot shower (the steam opens the pores and softens the blackhead) gently press around the edges of the blackhead. If the blackhead is mature, it will slide right out. You should NOT press too hard. If it doesn't just come out, skip that one and try another. If you press too hard you can bruise your skin and leave a mark that was worse than the blackhead or you can break the blackhead below the surface of the skin and it will turn into a very painful pimple that will take a long time to go away. Using the Camphor Masque will help draw blackheads to the surface of the skin and regular use of an exfoliant (Honey Almond Scrub or Therapeutic Buffing Creme) will keep the surface of your skin clear so blackheads are less likely to form. The Magic Black Mud Masque is also excellent for deep cleaning and if blackheads are a chronic problem for you, adding the AHA Cleanser and Toner (twice a week is generally enough) will help keep the problem under control.

Dark shadows can be improved. Dark undereye shadows are often caused by thinning skin under the eyes. This is frequently caused by heredity but can be aggravated by wearing contact lenses, allergies, pollution and not enough sleep. Because there is no bone directly supporting this skin and it is so delicate it often darkens as you age even without the above problems. This area is also often overworked by rubbing irritated eyes. Undereye Lightening Gel contains botanicals that gently help rebuild these delicate undereye tissues and gradually help lighten dark undereye circles. It should be sparingly applied directly onto the dark shadow and allowed to dry. This product is cumulative in nature--continued use will increase the improvement.

Puffy eyes can be a real problem. They are generally worse in the morning and can be aggravated by sinus/allergy trouble. Fluids become trapped in the delicate eye tissues and swell. The Soothing Eye Gel actually helps shrink the puffiness. It should be used very sparingly and applied directly onto the puffy area. If you suffer from extremely puffy eyes, you may need to use the Soothing Eye Gel for several days until you notice some improvement.

If you have extremely puffy eyes, you may also need to use the Firming Eye Gel--once the puffiness shrinks you may be left with unattractive sagging of the area. Using the Soothing Eye Gel, followed by the Firming Eye Gel helps improve the overall look of your eye area.

Because there is no bone underneath the eye, this area tends to be one of the first to show signs of aging. The Firming Eye Gel tightens and firms the area, reducing signs of aging. By super-hydrating the eye area (without puffing the eyes up) gradual improvements are seen in the firmness and texture of the eye area. The Firming Eye Gel should be applied very sparingly on the bone all the way around the eye (including above the eye). Gently pat in and allow to dry. If the area is also puffy, use the Soothing Eye Gel first to shrink the puffiness. This product is cumulative in nature--continued use will increase the improvement.

Ingrown hairs can not only hurt and look unattractive, but they can also leave dark discolored marks when they finally go away. The best thing to do is to prevent as many as you can. Using an electric or single bladed razor will help reduce the likelihood of general ingrown hairs for most people. If you have a very heavy beard, curly hair or oily skin, that may not be enough.

What actually happens with an ingrown hair is the hair starts to exit the surface of the skin and turns and re-enters the skin. This can be caused by a number of things. Obviously if you have curly hairs they are more likely to turn and curve back in, but if your pores are clogged by dead surface cells this can force the hair back into the skin as well. Regular (2-3 times a week) use of a scrub (Honey Almond Scrub works best, however, if your skin is extremely sensitive, the Therapeutic Buffing Creme is a good alternative) can help eliminate this problem. After cleansing, apply the scrub to your damp face and gently (using your fingers) rub over the entire area, being sure to rub the grains (still gently) into the areas that are prone to ingrowns. Still using your fingers, gently rinse all the grains away. (This is MUCH easier to accomplish in the shower.) The grains rub away dead surface cells that accumulate on the skin and can clog pores. This allows hairs to escape to the surface.

If you've suffered from ingrown hairs, you know they can also leave a dark mark when they've finally gone away. These dark spots can be treated with the Advanced Lightening Creme to gradually lighten and fade them away. Dot directly onto the dark spot (after cleansing and toning) and allow to dry. Use daily for best results. Be sure and follow with a sunscreen as the Advanced Lightening Creme has active ingredients that increase sunlight sensitivity.

We will be adding additional questions and answers to this section over the coming months. If you have questions (or answers) that you think belong here, please send them to Order-Inquiry@afe4men.com.