Why does my face look GREAT after i shave?

Shaving has an exfoliating effect. Use an electric razor to shave every few days, and just buy yourself some face scrub with exfoliating beads (Noxzema is decent stuff, and cheap). Also, moisturizer isn't just for girls! Having that beard prevents your skin from drying out by holding a little bit of oil from your hair follicles. Get yourself a bottle of Oil of Olay, or look for product lines marketed towards men, you can find them pretty easy around the holidays.