If you were embarrassed by the metrosexual trend in the early 2000s, cringed at the sight of over-waxed and over-glued meatheads, consider what they got right: skin care. Whether or not you spend countless hours a week in the gym, obsessing over new threads or looking at your reflection in car windows, consider skin care as a healthy and beneficial investment.

Face

Exfoliate once a week. It may sound like a hassle, but think of the photos you’d rather not be tagged in on Facebook. Breakouts and blemishes are embarrassing.

Maureen Pompette, Clinique counter manager at Macy’s in Johnson City, emphasizes the importance of matching the product to your skin type.

“There are two kinds of exfoliators. The first is mechanical, which is made up of tiny granules that, when rubbed gently onto the skin, dislodge and lift away dead skin. The second is chemical, which is usually reserved for the face and uses mild acids like alpha hydroxy to dissolve dead skin cells,” Pompette said.

If Clinique’s $18 exfoliating scrub is a bit out of your price range, consider Noxzema Daily Exfoliating Cleanser with eucalyptus for just $4.

Body

Try to opt for a scrub with a hardy granule to it, like sea salt or oatmeal, or even sugar-based versions that really buff the skin.

Kristy Rustine, counter manager of Shiseido at Macy’s in Johnson City, recommends a thorough scrub-down.

“Don’t be afraid to really go at it. Once your skin is wet, rub in big circular motions. Take a couple of extra minutes to focus on rough areas like the knees, elbows and the bottoms of your feet. Finish with a body moisturizer and prepare to be amazed at how remarkably soft and smooth you feel,” Rustine said.

If you have $42 for a salt scrub, Shiseido’s is a must-have. If not, check out Anthony Logistics for Men. It’s a sea salt body scrub, which nabbed Men’s Health Best Body Scrub in 2005 and costs $26.

Vitamins

As much as creams and lotions protect our skin, providing essential vitamins for the skin is just as, if not more, important. Throw more vitamin C into your diet with citrus fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, broccoli and leafy greens. These foods can replace the loss of the vitamins through the skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you can also take vitamin C supplements, 500 to 1,000 milligrams per day.

Vitamin E can be essential for blocking one of the sun’s most dangerous byproducts, free radicals. Start by consuming more vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and asparagus. While that is easier said than done, also try a supplement for convenience sake.

Tanning

If your goal this summer is to get as tan as humanly possible without turning your skin into a leather bag, consider UVA and UVB radiation. Your sunblock should block both types of the sun’s harmful rays. The only way to determine if a sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB radiation is to look at the ingredients.

Check the label for avobenzone, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Any good broad-spectrum sunscreen should have them, as well as a SPF of at least 15. When your tan is perfect, be sure to bring your exfoliating scrub to the beach house. Sunblock doesn’t block just the sun, so cleanse your pores after your day outside.

Taking care of your skin may not feel like the manliest task, but so what? It doesn’t mean rifling through Mom’s medicine cabinet, or the girlfriend’s for that matter. But consider the sensation of running your hand across baby smooth skin. You put your skin through a lot, so when it comes to the biggest organ of your body, spare no expense.