A Face Map

Frequent readers of Ape to Gentleman will be aware of our continued advice on not just men’s grooming and skin care but also the advocacy of an all round healthy lifestyle; including exercise and diet. It’s not solely about looking good on the outside, but eating well and exercising regularly to be healthier on the inside – this, then assists with a best possible complexion.

To back up our claims we have enlisted the guidance of Amanda Ursell, a renowned UK nutritionist who complied some expert nutritional information for us. We have added our field of expertise with some grooming tips – and combined the two into an interactive face map. View your areas of concern, on the Ape’s face below – to learn how to eat and groom better.

Dry Skin


Problem: Dry skin
Solution: Omega 3 essential fats
Eat more: Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Seeds, Nuts

Dry skin may be your body’s way of telling you that you are not getting enough essential fats in your daily meals and snacks.We need omega 3 essential fats found in oily fish like salmon, fresh tuna and mackerel and omega 6 essential fats found in nuts and seeds to help to keep the cells in our skin ‘waterproof’.Too few in our diets may lead to dryness. Research shows that they have a potential role to play in helping to dampen down redness and inflammation of skin in people who have psoriasis and dermatitis as well as acne.

Grooming tip: avoid using drying soaps and products with alcohol, opt for a gentle face wash and shaving cream. Moisturise twice a day – morning and night.

Fine Lines & Wrinkles

Problem: Wrinkles and fine lines
Solution: Vitamin C
Drink more: High quality orange juice

It is hard to reverse wrinkling, but you may be able to slow up the formation of further wrinkles by changing the way you eat.

There are several things you can do. Vitamin C found in citrus fruits like oranges, orange juice, berries, peppers, dark green vegetables and even potatoes are vital for anti-wrinkling skin programmes.

Vitamin C is crucial for the production of collagen, one of the so-called connective tissues in the skin, which help to give it structure. When collagen production slows up as we grow older, our skin is more prone to developing fine lines and wrinkles.

Grooming tip: keep your skin hydrated by using a moisturiser frequently. Choose one with an SPF in it, which will provide sun protection preventing against ageing of the skin.

Skin thinning with age

Problem: Skin thinning with age
Solution: Boost your intake of Silica
Eat more: Oats

Any cereal made with oats like porridge, oatmeal, and oat based muesli’s will give us silica, another trace mineral that herbalists have used for years to beautify skin.

Our skin contains the highest amount of silica anywhere in our bodies, indicating importance to skin health. It seems to be needed to make the spongy cells that lie between collagen fibres, helping to stop them getting tangled, a process involved in thinning the skin.

Grooming tip: keeping the skin hydrated and protected is key to a healthier complexion. A good moisturiser will ‘feed’ the skin with essential and beneficial ingredients.

Fair Skin

Problem: Fair Skin
Solution: Keep out of the sun and eat a diet rich in red, yellow and orange pigments
Eat more: Oranges, tomatoes, watermelon, carrots

The orange tinge that fair-skinned people get through eating a lot of carrots is down to an accumulation of their orange pigment called beta-carotene.

Scientists have shown that this orange super nutrient also found in mangos, apricots, sweet potatoes and pumpkins seems to help to protect against sun damage.

One theory is that it acts like a parasol in our skin, helping to scatter harmful rays as well as boosting the action of sun-protecting creams.

Working beta carotene-rich foods into your daily meals could prove a real inside- out skin-saver.

Grooming tip: fair skin burns easily in the sun. Opt for a higher factor SPF if you’re in the sun, 30 or above. For daily protection use a moisturiser with SPF built in, all year round.

Dark circles under eyes

Problem: Dark circles under eyes
Solution: Swap caffeine and alcohol for…
Drink more: Chamomile Tea

A lack of sleep and feeling tired can trigger dark circles. When this is the case then turning to a simple remedy like chamomile tea may help.

Chamomile tea contains super nutrients, which according to medical herbalists, act on the same areas of our brains as anti-anxiety drugs and may help you have a better nights sleep when drunk just before bedtime.

Cutting back on caffeine and having your last caffeine-containing drink eight hours before you go to bed can also help to improve your chances of getting to sleep and sleeping well.

So too can avoiding alcohol at bedtime. One glass of wine may help to relax you, more than this can interrupt deep sleep and leave you feeling exhausted.

Grooming tip: the skin around the eye is delicate and the first area to show signs of tiredness. Try an eye roll-on for immediate cooling relief, to reduce puffiness. If dark circles persist, a dab of concealer is a good option.

*Amanda Ursell is a qualified nutritionist with a post graduate diploma in dietetics. Amanda studied at King’s College, London University where she gained a 2:1 BSc degree in nutrition and the Associateship of King’s College (AKC).