Why the Oatmeal Exfoliating Bar is an Anti-Aging Powerhouse!

Oatmeal is known for its soothing, anti-aging properties, and is perfect for even the most sensitive or acne-prone skin types. It works as a natural cleanser, exfoliating and removing dead skin cells, while still leaving skin hydrated. Thanks to lipids and protein content, oatmeal is a perfect moisturizer.  It can help relieve signs of aging because it both exfoliates and hydrates. 
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, oatmeal is also perfect for helping alleviate symptoms of eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. It calms irritated and itchy skin for a soothing relief. Oatmeal is one of the only natural ingredients that is certified by the FDA for health claims and labeling.
Our Game Day Oatmeal Exfoliating Bar is modern take on an old world classic. It scrubs away dead skin to help improve skin tone and texture, and even out any blotchy patches. Made with the finest natural ingredients in the U.S.A. 

Essential Moisturizing for Men

With talk of six-packs around the corner, it’s time to discuss the two most important steps to proper skincare in the upcoming hot summer months: moisture and sunscreen.

You wouldn’t go a day without drinking water, would you? Well, moisturizer is like water for the skin, keeping it hydrated, healthy, and young. And no, those brews you had with the bros at happy hour don’t count. With age and sun damage, skin sags, loses its elasticity, and begins to form wrinkles. Heat dries out skin, enunciating the look of fine lines and wrinkles, so it’s important to keep yourself and your skin hydrated year-round. Moisturizer plumps skin giving it the hydration it needs, and you the confidence of a fresh face.

The biggest defense against premature aging and other skin damage is SPF. Dermatologists recommend applying a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF to protect the skin against its dangerous UV rays and radicals. Although the signs of damage may not be apparent while you’re young in your 20s and 30s, they will be later. Luckily, with our skincare you don’t need to worry about both steps. We’ve got you covered with our Moisturizer: Hydrator + SPF30+ that gives you both benefits of a moisturizer and sunscreen in one. Apply in the morning and at night, and throughout the day if you’re getting lots of sun.

Why do you NEED our Pre-Shave?

Most guys stiffen up when they hear the word pre-shave. What is it? Why do I need to use one? Is it really that important? Guys are just lost when it comes to proper skincare, but the easy answer is YES, you should use a pre-shave. It will help to prevent razor-burn, make your shave more comfortable and ours evens help keeps your skin clear. Need any more reasons to consider adding one to your daily skincare arsenal? 

Much razor burn and irritation due to shaving comes from the lack of proper preparation of the hairs and skin. When you shave with a razor blade, you are not only cutting the hairs, but also also shaving off the top layer of skin. Not prepping the skin properly can lead to tug-and-pull, ingrown hairs and cuts. All of these factors are major contributors to razor burn. A pre-shave such as our Invigorating Scrub will help soften and stand the hairs, to make it easier for the blade to cut through them cleanly. It will also help to prevent and eliminate ingrown hairs which lead to infection and scrub away dead skin that clogs the razor and can lead to further shaving discomfort.

Our Pre-Shave: Invigorating Scrub is a complete face-wash with exfoliation properties. The scrub works to clear away dirt and grime from deep inside the pores to keep skin clean, clear and healthy. It is packed with Alpine Willowherb Extract to help regulate the skin's oil production which will help clear away and prevent breakouts and acne.

There is just no reason that you should not use a pre-shave. If you are serious about keeping your skin strong, clear and healthy, look no further than our Pre-Shave: Invigorating Scrub! 

What is the Game Day Advantage? Pear Cactus Extract

The aim of the Game Day line is to provide high-performance skincare with unsurpassed anti-aging to men who are serious about their health and lifestyle. What makes Game Day such an effective line when it comes to skincare is that we make exclusive use of the revolutionary Pear Cactus Extract. Pear Cactus Extract is one of the world's best kept anti-stress secrets. It naturally smoothes and calms the skin, reducing stress. Stress is one of the major drivers of aging and reducing it will help keep you looking young and healthy. 

As you age your body loses it's ability to retain moisture, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. Pear Cactus Extract is an anti-aging powerhouse as it contains peptides which have an anti-aging effect by hydrating and firming the skin. This helps to reverse and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles by plumping the skin to restore it to its natural moisture levels. Pear Cactus Extract is also packed with anti-oxidants to promote healthier, stronger skin.  

The Game Day line is based around this rare, super-ingredient due to these factors that lead to healthier stronger skin. Choosing any Game Day product and using it daily will make sure that your skin gets an ample amount of Pear Cactus Extract and you will know that it is protected and will be strong and healthier for years to come. 

Complete Guide to Helmet Skincare

Many Spring sports including baseball and lacrosse require you to wear helmets, either partially or for the entire game. Springtime also inspires another helmet activity: Outdoor Biking. Of course helmets serve a vital purpose, however, they can compromise your complexion. Remember to disinfect your helmet after each use to prevent old germs from permeating the skin. 

It is important to wear a helmet for your general safety during various activities, however helmets trap heat and sweat and may lead to break outs. Remember to EXFOLIATE with Game Day's Pre-Shave: Invigorating Scrub after working out to rid your skin of any gunk that you acquired while biking.

Can’t cool off your head? Why not cool off your face? The Pear Cactus Extract and Black Tea Extract in our Charging Spray formula gives you a quick burst of energy by emitting vitamins and anti-oxidants into the skin, which both rehydrates your face and helps prevent U.V. damage. 

Helmets may provide some shade. However, to keep your skin looking youthful, make sure to wear SPF 30+ when outside for hours at a time. Game Day’ Moisturizer: Hydrator + SPF30+ is lightweight and dries quickly. This all-natural, oil-free formula won’t make your helmet wet or make your hands feel sweaty. Designed for the active male, the SPF30 lotion dries in seconds, therefore eliminating the possibility of a slippery, greasy palm. 

Running & Skincare

Spring inspires most runners to move from the treadmill to the track. While it feels great to be able to feel the warmth of the sun on your face instead of that chapped windburn, it is important to use SPF, as our skin has been hibernating all winter long. With a few simple skincare tips your skin will be protected and you will be able to enjoy the outdoors without a care in your head. 

1. Prevent

On runs, your may mouth become dehydrated, and your lips dried out. Game Day' moisturizing Mint Lip Balm + SPF15 revives your lips. And get this - it's waterproof, so no need to reapply as you sweat. 

2. Clear

When running outside be mindful that you are exposing your skin to various toxins. Pollen levels are increasing and the residue may seep its way into your pores, making it essential to exfoliate after a run. Use Game Day's Pre-Shave: Invigorating Scrub as a daily scrub go open the pores and clear out the toxins.

3. Restore

Cool off and replenish your skin, after your workout, with our Charing Spray: Energizing Facial Tonic. The Makandi-Root Extract in the energizing mist helps to break up free-radicals in the skin, which may lead to sun damage. 

What is Paraben Free?

Parabens are preservatives that have been widely used in the beauty industry since the 1920's. In fact, they are the most used preservative in daily care products. Paraben stop bacteria, fungus, etc. from growing in your skincare formula. New studies though have been pointing to their use resulting in health issues and negative effects. There is growing evidence that Parabens can increase your risk of getting breast cancer, even in men. Additionally there is also mounting evidence to support claims that Parabens have led to an increase in testicular cancer as they disrupt our endocrine system. Men have also showed signs of lower sperm counts which can be attributed to the use of Parabens.

Parabens are so popular in skincare products because they are cheap and effective at preserving the formulas. Despite this, there are still natural preservatives that can be used keep your skincare product fresh. When choosing any product to use on your body, check that they are Paraben Free before purchase. Companies that offer Paraben Free skincare, like Game Day, have taken the time to completely design their formulas from scratch to optimize natural ingredients and limit toxins for full skin health benefits. There is just no reason to use cheap skincare and put yourself at risk to the rigors of using toxic chemicals on your skin. 

The Fall Guide to Men's Skincare

The summer has come and gone and that means time for dropping temperatures and changing seasons. While the fall might be beautiful with the changing leaves and first hints of winter, your skin might not enjoy the change as much as your eyes. The changing temperatures can suck all of the moisture out of your skin so make sure you take these steps to combat any damage that may come your way. 

1. Shower in Warm Water

Hot water actually strips the skin of moisture. Due to this, change your shower situation for fall a bit. Everyone loves to bathe in a hot bath on a cold fall day, but try to limit your time in the shower to less then 10 minutes. Bring the temperature down to warm and with a limited shower time you will be taking crucial steps to helping your body retain moisture.  

2. Daily Moisturizer

You still need to keep using that daily moisturizer from summer. Just because the temperatures have dipped a bit does not mean that the harmful UV rays have gone anywhere... Make sure the moisturizer you use is formulated to hydrate and restore moisture to the skin. Also make sure you choose one with an SPF30 boost to protect against aging and skin damage due to the sun. Game Day's uses Pear Cactus Extract to deliver moisture to the skin and lock in in. Buy Now. 

3. Dealing with Chapped Lips

As the temperature drops, your lips will start to show signs of drying again. Chapped lips are uncomfortable and can have a drastic negative effect on your appearance if they start pealing. Additionally no one wants to be kissed by someone with chapped lips. Choose a natural lip balm with flavor and boosted with SPF. The flavor will make if "fun" to use and the SPF boost will protect some of the thinnest exposed skin on your body. Game Day's is made with natural beeswax and natural mint flavoring then boosted with SPF15. Buy Now.    

4. Drink more Water

Because the cold dehydrates you faster, skip the caffeinated drinks such as soda and coffee which can have a diuretic effect on the body and rob it of its moisture. Drink more water and juice to maintain fluids in your body. 

Alcohol in Your Skincare?

Have you ever picked up any skincare or daily care product and read the ingredients. Almost everything today contains alcohol, and for years contains alcohol. Since daily care became a thing, men have sworn by brand name products that are loaded with alcohol. While many companies claim that alcohol helps the active ingredients penetrate the skin to help, they in fact mostly use them to change the consistency and feel of their formulas to make them appeal to the consumer. Alcohol is an old world ingredient that should never be applied to the skin for any reason, including as an antiseptic (which even today medical professionals are steering away from using alcohol in this way).

In reality, alcohol strips the skin of its moisture and protective barrier. This is part of the reason why it eliminates acne. Do you really want to get rid of your acne at the expense of your skin health? There are so many natural ingredients that promote skin health that can defeat acne just as well. Additionally alcohol kills skin cells and your skin's ability to defend against free radicals. With UV exposure gaining so much negative press for the rigors they take on your skin, why on earth would you choose to use something with an ingredient that completely defeats the purpose of skincare? 

The worst you can use alcohol for though is as an aftershave. Why so many men choose to use, and swear by alcohol as a aftershave is purely due to the industry's history and no reason to change it based on the dollars. As long as it is cheap to make and people buy it, why change it.  After shaving, you need to HYDRATE this skin. Alcohol strips the skin of its moisture, causing the complete opposite effect of what you ideally want. There are so many natural antiseptics on the market there is just simply no reason to choose one with alcohol. Game Day's is alcohol free and a skin hydrating serum. 

There really is not much to debate or argue. Go to your bathroom right now and check if you are using product that contains alcohol. If you are, you should seriously consider switching to something a little more modern.        

Keeping Your Skin Clear after Workout

Did you know that the best way yo keep your skin clear, breakout and acne free starts before you even get a swear going? Proper skincare for active men is essential to clear, healthy, better looking skin. The sweat and dirt will clog your pores and leave your skin irritated. Not only is rinsing after activity essential, but knowing how to properly clear the skin is key to not only maintaining a clear, healthy complexion, but improving your skins overall health and appearance. When starting Game Day our goal was to provide skincare for men who want to look good. If you are in the gym, and eating right, you want to look good. Make sure you take careof yhe proper steps before and after to be looking good when your date arrives.

Step 1: Pre-Workout cleanse

The most important part of keeping your skin clear in the gym is cleansing before you workout. It clears off all the dirt and grime that has built up as well as hair product and other pore clogging elements. 

Step 2: Open the pores

The first step when you leave the gym is to sit in a steam room for a short period, rinse with hot water or use a hot towel to open the pores. Heat opens the pores, which will allow you to achieve a deeper rinse and clean. The heat will also help to purify your face will prepare the skin for the cleansing process. You simply cannot skip this step because when your body heated up as you were working out, tons of dirt, sweat and grime got into the pores. After your workout, they started closing, trapping in all of the grime. This wreaks havoc on your skin and leads to breakouts. Reopening the pores allows you to relieve your skin of this mess. Something to think about is washing your face before you workout as well. This removes a lot of the grime that you picked up over the course of the day, and keeps if off your skin and away from your pores as you begin to workout.

Game Day Step 3: Exfoliate

The next step is to grab an exfoliator. Exfoliators work deep into the pores to not only open them a bit more, but also scrub away dirt, dead skin and other pore clogging grit. Do not use an overly abrasive face scrub. Tons of people like the apricot scrubs and others with large beads in the exfoliator. While they feel like they are working, you are actually doing more damage to your skin as it roughs up the facial skin and can lead to far more abrasion then your face should be exposed too. Chose an exfoliator that is still gritty, but is not cheap and made to feel like it is working as opposed to actually working.

Game Day Step 4: Cleanse

Next, follow up with a cleanser. Now that your pores are open, the cleanser will be that much more effective cleaning the pores. Some guys reach for bar soap, completely disregarding a cleanser. DO NOT DO THIS! EVER! Your face and bar soap have different pH levels. Using a bar soap will actually increase your risk of acne and will attract bacteria. Bar soap also removes the natural oils from the skin and clogs the pores. Choosing a cleanser is crucial to your post-workout skincare routine. Look for cleansers that have Alpine Willowherb Extract is crucial as it controls the sebum production from your skin; thus, regulating oil levels and your pores. Game Day exclusively uses this hyper-ingredient in our Shower-Gel Cleanser.

Game Day Step 5: Hydrate & Moisturize

The final step is to rinse with cold water and moisturize. This rinses everything away one last time while also closing the pores, completely finishing your post-workout cleansing process. You do not want to go walking around with open pores and undo all of the hard work making sure everything was clean. Plus, a blast of cool water feels good. Finish with a moisturizerthat has Argireline, which is also known as the “topical Botox” as it will relax the skin and protect it throughout the day. Without taking the proper steps to clean and protect your skin after you workout, you are just not doing your skin justice. Why spend hours in the gym to look good if you will just breakout. Proper skincare is the last step of the self-care process. Any guy who goes to the gym wants to look good, and taking care of your skin, just like pumping iron, will only benefit the cause.

4 Ways to Protect From UV Exposure While Driving

Just because the AC is on and your not feeling like your melting doesn't mean that your aren't! UV Exposure from the sun is an absolute menace to drivers, and many do not even know. No matter what season it is, you simply need to take steps to protect yourself. Dermatologists say that the reason taxi drivers age so fast is because they are in their car all day. Additionally, countries that drive on the left side of the car have higher skin-cancer rates on the left while it is a mirror opposite for countries that drive on the right. The facts are there and are hard to argue.

1. Driving Gloves

It might sound a bit weird, but your hands are right there front and center. Even if you have SPF on them, there is simply nothing better then completely covering up with some gloves. In the winter they will double to keep you warm, in the summer you will look like a boss, plain and simple. Make sure that they are leather and will allow you to grip the wheel. You are sure to turn heads and protect yourself. Check out these from Kent and Curwen. ($245)

 

2. High-Performance SPF Moisturizer

You simply cannot ignore it. Cover up with an SPF boosted moisturizer that you keep in your car. It will greatly hydrate your skin and increase your skin health, but you will also get the crucial UV protection that you need. Choose a minimum of SPF15 with a "chalky finish" and cover up from hands to ears, neck and face. Game Day's goes on non-greasy and is boosted with SPF30+. ($32) 

3. Sunglasses 

You'll have trouble driving without them at times so there should be a pair in your car for glare safety. That same glare though is also focusing straight into your eyes. You should have a pair of polarized sunglasses in your car and you need to use them. Just like skincare, if you try to be cheap the product will actually do more harm then good. The Tom Ford Franklin Aviators are the perfect sunglasses for Fall 2014. ($360)

4. Wear a Hat

This is especially important if you have thinning hair or have a sunroof or convertible. Your head will be exposed to the sun and you know that that can only mean one thing. Cover up with a hat and don't risk sunburn or skin cancer. This Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Petronas F1 Cap is the perfect play. ($40) 

Nutrition: Superfoods

We have touched on this subject before, but it's always nice to explore the benefits of constantly evolving "superfoods."  The healthy, powerful and delicious foods will increase metabolism and aid a healthy lifestyle.  Check it out!

1. ACAI

A fruit harvested in the rainforest of Brazil, hones a 10 to 30% more antioxidants than your normal antioxidant go tos (such as, berries, grapes, red wine).  Additionally, Acai boasts valuable minerals for anti aging and vibrant skin.  Talk about a super fruit! 

Acai is available in several health food and gourmet stores.

2. OATS

Extremely rich in fiber, so a healthy portion can help you feel full through the day.  Don't be fooled by the high carb content, this particular carb is great for boosting metabolism and burning fat.  Just make sure to pick up the unsweetened kind and dress it up with your favorite berries or a couple spoonfuls of yogurt for flavor!

3. ALMONDS

This superfood is rich in healthy fats to help you stay slim.  A handful of raw almonds can be a great snack on the go, both satiating and guilt free.  Almonds are packed with Vitamin E, Vitamin B, Dietary Fiber and Essential minerals. They also have polyunsaturated fats which are known to potentially lower cholesterol levels. Check local supermarkets for carefully portioned 100 calorie packed almond baggies, oh so perfect and convenient.

4. ORANGES 

Low calorie, and packed with flavor and vitamins  Yes, they are a great source of vitamin C, but did you know they are also a fabulous source of fiber?  Great for the digestive system and keeping you full!  In fact, according to Australian researchers, oranges make it to the list of their 38 most filling foods which can help you avoid overeating while absorbing vital nutrients. 

5. KEFIR

We're seeing it more and more in the yogurt and milk section of supermarkets, and that is because it is a wholesome mixture of both!  Kefir, tracing all the way back to historic Russia, is a tangy, yogurty drink made from a unique mixture of fermented milk and specific bacteria.  Kefir is one of the best natural probiotics on the market, improving digestion and natural immunity.  Now sold in a variety of flavors, give it a chance see the wonders it can work for you!

Incorporate these "superfoods" into your diet and lifestyle and experience the positive effects.  Share your experiences with us! And, don't forget to check back with us soon for more superfoods and lifestyle tips!