For too long, the concept of “men skin care products” has been placed on the back burner. For most men, other things just seem to crowd out the idea of “skin care”. The idea of natural skin care for men seems almost sissy. Au contraire mon frere! A face-full of healthy skin is a commodity you can’t afford to waste.So here’s what I’ll do for you. You can read this article, and get practical how-to advice about men skin care products and no one will know! It will be our little secret.Close the SaleMost men have this mistaken idea that men skin care products consist solely of soap, shaving cream, and some aftershave or cologne. The phrase “skincare” conjurs up images of women with cucumber eyes, trying to keep their skin feeling soft and pretty. But what man really cares about “soft and pretty” skin?But I know a lot of men who care about first impressions. They care about being able to close a high-end sale, or confidently lead a group of associates, or give killer-presentations. They care about RESPECT. And respect is harder to attain when you look like your 14, but your really pushing 40. And those little red dots sprinkled on your face and neck certainly don’t help your case.Believe it or not, but a good skin care regimen is actually more important for a man than it is a woman. Women don’t regularly take a sharp blade and scrape it across their cheeks, chin, and neck. That constant irritation can make skin itchy, red and irritated. Throwing on those alcohol-based aftershaves and colognes afterwards can make things even worse.Talk about a solid return on investment! That 30 seconds you take in the morning and evening to properly care for your manly man skin will pay you dividends on your overall health, and your ability to “wow” at those first oh-so-important impressions.A man with a healthy, young-looking complexion (but with an experienced face) is going to feel more confident about that getting promotion, or delivering that effective sales-speak to potential customers. Give yourself an emotional and physical edge on your competitors.Go Below the RadarAlthough they are an absolute necessity in order to nurse razor-burned and irritated skin back to health, high-quality men skin care products are very difficult to find. I say “high-quality” because most of the men skin care products being offered are not specifically designed for the unique needs that a man has.You might as well be putting cucumbers on your eyes too…because your getting the woman’s formula in a new package. If there are any changes at all, it’s most likely just a new scent. At least they’re smart enough to figure out that YOU don’t want to smell like lavender.If, by some miracle, the products were different, I would still not recommend that you use them. Why? Because they are full of chemicals and petroleum-by products that don’t help your skin, and are even worse for your total body’s health.You need natural skin care for men. You need men skin care products that contain healthy ingredients to effectively soothe, and moisturize your skin, nullifying the effects of daily shaving.What are the ingredients you should look for in your natural skin care for men products? Brazilian Babassu wax (as opposed to cancer-giving paraffin), and witch hazel. Both of these act to relieve both the razor burn that you have and the dryness and itching.Natural skin care for men should always include these two ingredients, the witch hazel especially. Look for naturally processed witch hazel, not synthetically re-created.You should also be on the lookout for Capuacu butter as an ingredient, because it is also especially good at treating dry, itchy, inflamed skin. It has even been proven powerful enough to be helpful in healing eczema.As a rule, if the product you’re using isn’t produced by a company that includes all-natural ingredients as part of their mission statement, move on. Go below the radar, and use natural skin care for men products from companies who are smaller in scope.In my experience, if the huge mega-skin care companies would spend just half of their marketing budget on research and development, their products would be infinitely higher-quality.Your Bottom LineIn this economy, it’s important to make the best impressions on your customers, boss, and coworkers. Everyone’s skin (including mine) could use something. If you don’t eat healthy foods, your body will remain unhealthy. If you don’t use men skin care products that are healthy, your skin will remain blotchy, irritated, and wrinkled.Taking 1 minute a day to attend to your skin’s needs is an incredibly simple way to boost your confidence, and maybe even your bottom line. To see the specific ingredients you should look for in your natural skin care for men products (including more details on the ones I’ve already mentioned), and where to find them, visit my website hyperlinked below.
Give Children the Gift of Simplicity This Christmas
I am making a pact with myself to keep calm and keep it simple this Christmas season. I really want to focus on the spirit of family and giving, rather than the hype of commercialism. I’m thankful my children don’t watch television; instead of asking for the latest toy, my son has asked Santa for a felting needle and wool (makes my heart swell). I’m putting more effort into the gifts I choose so I know they will be perfect and appreciated; less plastic and gimmicky, and more thoughtful and lasting. And “less” is definitely the key word here. I’m asking friends and relatives to be mindful of my less-is-more mantra as well (and I hope you’re reading this, Gramma).Focus on your child’s favourite things to help you select gifts. My daughter has always loved all things animal and insect-related, so gifts for her include animal or insect craft projects, subscriptions to National Geographic Kids or Owl Magazine, stuffed animals and bugs, and leopard print anything when it comes to clothing and accessories.Give them knowledge. Books are one of my favourite gifts to give as they are versatile and there are so many to choose from.Give them fresh air. Outdoor toys are a great investment, as well as incentive for outside play time in winter months. Snowball and snow block makers let kids create their own snowballs and forts. Sleds and magic carpets provide hours of sliding fun.Give them a green thumb. Indoor herb gardens and seed-growing kits teach children how things grow and how to care for them. It’s fun to grow something green in the winter months and kids love to watch the progress. They also get excited about eating the herbs they grow.Give them creativity. There are so many amazing crafty gifts out there, from DIY nightlights and door hangers to journal books and modelling clay. Fun fridge calendars or student organizers make great gifts too.Give them entertainment. Gift certificates are great for giving things such activities the family can do together – the movie theatre, the indoor pool or play centre, science museum and more.Give them treats. What could be better than a freshly-baked gingerbread man in their stocking? Maybe some gummy candies or caramel corn, but it doesn’t really matter, as long as they’re treats they love. You know them best, so pop some goodies in and wait for the toothy grins to appear.And do give them toys. Cute stuffed animals, handmade doll houses, puzzles, musical instruments and wooden train sets are classic toys children play with time and again. Get them solid toys that will stand the test of time so they may be enjoyed and then passed along to friends or family when outgrown.
Business Loans In Canada: Financing Solutions Via Alternative Finance & Traditional Funding
Business loans and finance for a business just may have gotten good again? The pursuit of credit and funding of cash flow solutions for your business often seems like an eternal challenge, even in the best of times, let alone any industry or economic crisis. Let’s dig in.
Since the 2008 financial crisis there’s been a lot of change in finance options from lenders for corporate loans. Canadian business owners and financial managers have excess from everything from peer-to-peer company loans, varied alternative finance solutions, as well of course as the traditional financing offered by Canadian chartered banks.
Those online business loans referenced above are popular and arose out of the merchant cash advance programs in the United States. Loans are based on a percentage of your annual sales, typically in the 15-20% range. The loans are certainly expensive but are viewed as easy to obtain by many small businesses, including retailers who sell on a cash or credit card basis.
Depending on your firm’s circumstances and your ability to truly understand the different choices available to firms searching for SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE options. Those small to medium sized companies ( the definition of ‘ small business ‘ certainly varies as to what is small – often defined as businesses with less than 500 employees! )
How then do we create our road map for external financing techniques and solutions? A simpler way to look at it is to categorize these different financing options under:
Debt / Loans
Asset Based Financing
Alternative Hybrid type solutions
Many top experts maintain that the alternative financing solutions currently available to your firm, in fact are on par with Canadian chartered bank financing when it comes to a full spectrum of funding. The alternative lender is typically a private commercial finance company with a niche in one of the various asset finance areas
If there is one significant trend that’s ‘ sticking ‘it’s Asset Based Finance. The ability of firms to obtain funding via assets such as accounts receivable, inventory and fixed assets with no major emphasis on balance sheet structure and profits and cash flow ( those three elements drive bank financing approval in no small measure ) is the key to success in ABL ( Asset Based Lending ).
Factoring, aka ‘ Receivable Finance ‘ is the other huge driver in trade finance in Canada. In some cases, it’s the only way for firms to be able to sell and finance clients in other geographies/countries.
The rise of ‘ online finance ‘ also can’t be diminished. Whether it’s accessing ‘ crowdfunding’ or sourcing working capital term loans, the technological pace continues at what seems a feverish pace. One only has to read a business daily such as the Globe & Mail or Financial Post to understand the challenge of small business accessing business capital.
Business owners/financial mgrs often find their company at a ‘ turning point ‘ in their history – that time when financing is needed or opportunities and risks can’t be taken. While putting or getting new equity in the business is often impossible, the reality is that the majority of businesses with SME commercial finance needs aren’t, shall we say, ‘ suited’ to this type of funding and capital raising. Business loan interest rates vary with non-traditional financing but offer more flexibility and ease of access to capital.
We’re also the first to remind clients that they should not forget govt solutions in business capital. Two of the best programs are the GovernmentSmall Business Loan Canada (maximum availability = $ 1,000,000.00) as well as the SR&ED program which allows business owners to recapture R&D capital costs. Sred credits can also be financed once they are filed.
Those latter two finance alternatives are often very well suited to business start up loans. We should not forget that asset finance, often called ‘ ABL ‘ by those Bay Street guys, can even be used as a loan to buy a business.
If you’re looking to get the right balance of liquidity and risk coupled with the flexibility to grow your business seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of business finance success who can assist you with your funding needs.