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Let’s face it, as we age our bodies and our skin don’t quite bounce back as swiftly when we stay out a little too late. Many of us know the symptoms all too well…the brain stops firing on all cylinders, the body feels lethargic and sluggish, and the skin…well…it doesn’t look good.

Dragons have great physical strength, subtle intelligence, they’re cunning and immortal, and they spit fire that can melt metal…but before you get all Lord of the Rings on me, let me redirect. When I speak of Dragon’s Blood, I’m actually talking the resin that comes from a tree in the Amazons.

Most of us likely associate sakè with sushi, bombers and a good night out with friends…unless of course you overdo it on the rice wine beverage. But, aside from being an integral component of a sakè bomber, it actually has many benefits for the skin and body.

Ask any man what his top daily annoyances are and for most, shaving will undoubtedly be somewhere on that list. It’s not so much the process or time it takes, but the sheer discomfort it often causes. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes there’s nothing like a clean shave (especially when someone else does it for you), but then there are those times when we have to contend with razor burn, dry skin, and ingrown hairs.

Though brief moments of stress have been shown to help increase focus, sharpen vision and prepare the muscles to take action (call it the animal instinct in all of us), chronic and acute stress actually lead to a range of physical and mental health issues.

What causes our skin to age? It’s the age-old question…no pun intended. Without getting too scientific it boils down to two primary factors: intrinsic and extrinsic.

When we want to tone up our muscles, strengthen our bodies and tighten up some areas we’ll call “not-so-firm,” we hit the gym to pump some iron. Our bodies also need iron to function – it carries oxygen throughout the body and helps our muscles store and use the oxygen. If the mineral is this essential to our bodies, what can it do for men’s skin?

As Hulk Hogan once said, “To all my little Hulkamaniacs, say your prayers, take your vitamins and you will never go wrong.” We all know the importance of vitamins in our daily diets – for many of us the phrase “take your vitamins” has been engrained since childhood. However, we’re rarely told how important they are for our skin.

Striking oil is like striking gold, but when it comes to our skin, oil is far from a desired discovery. Most of us have experienced it (some maybe on a daily basis), that unsightly oil slick on the forehead and nose, blinding onlookers when they glance our direction. Well, maybe it’s not quite that extreme, but nonetheless it’s a problem many people deal with.

Aside from its unsightly appearance, dry skin is just plain uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this time of year with its cold, dry weather makes the battle to keep skin hydrated seems to be an even greater challenge.

Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions – stop smoking, manage stress, eat healthier, get fit – could actually help your skin too. Hopefully that’s more incentive to stick with them long term.How do these help your skin? Improving each of the areas can reduce free radical damage, which causes skin aging among other problems. Let’s take a look at each one. Smoking – this is a major free-radical producer. It actually affects intrinsic (biological) and extrinsic aging. It is not only toxic to the skin and body, but it also dehydrates the skin and causes deep lines to form around the upper lip. Attractive huh? Stress – stress damages health at the cellular level and can eventually lead to DNA damage, which can result in dull skin, slack pores, aging, and stress lines. Poor diet – food impacts aging. Foods high in antioxidants – fruits, vegetables, nuts, and certain grains – not only trim the waistline they also help improve the skin. Exercise – exercise is of course essential to maintaining a tone figure, it also regulates circulation and the oxygen flow to skin cells. This process carries nutrients to the cells and keeps them healthy. Be careful though, excessive exercise can have the opposite effect because it causes oxidative stress created by free radicals.

Peels and enzymes – well peels in particular – can sound a bit scary if you don’t know what they are and how they work. What exactly are they and what do they do for our skin? In short, peels and enzymes are exfoliators and can help turn back the signs of aging.

Is Pepsi a good ingredient for healthy skin? Well no, but it does have an interesting link to one that is.