Men’s Skincare Made Easy: Simple Steps to Effortless Skin
In recent years, men’s skincare has evolved from a niche interest to a basic requirement. No longer confined to the realm of female beauty, men are increasingly recognizing the importance of maintaining healthy skin. Whether you’re combating the effects of regular shaving or addressing the fine lines and wrinkles that seem to be creeping up here and there, a well-rounded skincare routine is essential for every handsome man.
This article will guide you through the basics of men’s skincare, hopefully offering some useful tips and product recommendations to help you achieve your best skin yet. Let’s dive into the world of men’s skincare and discover how you can elevate your grooming game.
1. Why Men Should Care About Their Skin
Gentleman. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you have skin too. Not to mention, it goes without saying that your health comes first. So, it doesn’t make sense for a fine lad such as yourself, who is trying to be their best and focuses on all aspects of health, style, skills, and money, to neglect their skin. So allow me to give you three reasons why you should most definitely care.
Reason #1 – It’s the Key to Looking Young
Your skin is the largest organ in your body and is the one that is not only visible to everybody, but is exposed to all the elements in the world, be it the dry heat or the cold winters. So you can understand that your skin is quite likely to ‘take a beating’ and need some care from time to time.
Over time, your skin WILL (not “can”) develop signs of aging including fine lines and wrinkles as well as other concerns such as dark spots, uneven skin tone, dryness and irritation. Aging is inevitable my friends, but only the best of us can control how it affects us. This can happen as early as your late 20s and 30s, so by just including a few steps in your routine, you can keep that handsome face of yours, well, handsome.
“Aging is inevitable my friends, but only the best of us can control how it affects us”
Reason #2 – You Don’t Want Skin Cancer
Now I understand that skincare is often seen as a predominantly female-focused industry, with an overwhelming amount of products and routines targeted towards women. However, taking care of your skin is just as important for men as it is for women. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, “men have thicker skin with less fat beneath. A man’s skin also contains more collagen and elastin, fibers that give the skin firmness and keep it tight. Research shows that these differences make men’s skin more likely to be damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. A study conducted in the Netherlands found that men’s skin reacted more intensely to UV rays than did women’s skin. A separate study reached the same conclusion.”
“Research shows that these differences make men’s skin more likely to be damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays“
While UV rays can be beneficial to you for things such as Vitamin D production in your body, overexposure can cause your skin cells to mutate and develop cancer. I’m fairly certain nobody wants that, so make sure you do what you need to to protect yourself. We’ll talk more about suncreen in the upcoming sections below.
Reason #3 – Confidence
Holistically tying in with all the points mentioned above, if you take care of your skin properly, you will reduce the number of concerns associated with your skin such as aging, as well as the likelihood of developing skin cancer. All of this is going to make you look and feel better.
When you feel better, you’ll walk with that extra step in your stride, maybe pop your collar as you strut down the street (don’t pop your collar please). Long story short, who doesn’t want to look and feel their best? As most ladies will tell you, a confident man is a better man.
“A confident man is a better man“
2. Understanding Your Skin
Before we delve into products, routines and whatnot, we just need to understand one thing first, and that’s your skin type.
Understanding your skin type is crucial to determining which skincare products will work best for you. Everybody’s skin is a bit different and has it’s own unique needs, especially if you really want to target those issues and see the best results.
As far as skin types are concerned, without getting too bogged down in all the details, we generally have about 5 types:
Normal Skin:
Rather well balanced skin that you don’t find noticeably oily or dry. Minimal imperfections.
Dry Skin:
Characterized by skin that is flaky and can show signs of cracking based on how severe the dryness is. This is usually exacerbated by overly hot or cold weather conditions. It may sometimes be itchy, but on the bright side, people with dry skin usually have smaller pores, so acne is less likely.
Oily Skin:
Much like dry skin, this one should be pretty clear to identify. Your skin will generally be quite greasy and shiny due to the excess oil produced by your body. This is more due to internal reasons, such as genetics and/or hormones, resulting in more oil (sebum) production. Those with oily skin are more prone to things like blackheads and acne due to the often larger pores in the skin along with the excess oil.
Combination Skin:
Those with a combination skin type will notice their skin is oily is some areas and dry in others. Typically, combination skin presents as dry in areas like the cheeks, but oily in the T-zone. What the hell is the T-zone? Well, it’s the forehead and nose (some people include the chin as well). See how it makes a ‘T’ ? The T-zone is typically oilier because it has more oil glands. There could be different degrees of severity here, but people with combination skin will notice it recurrently being the same way.
Sensitive Skin:
Last but not least, those with sensitive skin will notice that they are more prone to irritation and reactions when exposed to different things. These could be skincare products or just environmental irritants such as dust, pollen, extreme weather etc. You may find your face to sting/burn and become red after using some products. Even acts like shaving can cause redness, spots and in-grown hairs when you have sensitive skin (be sure to check out our article on Wet Shaving if you are at odds with your shaving routine).
Hopefully, you now have a better idea on the skin types and are better primed to identify your individual type. If you still can’t quite tell which type you have, I came across an article online from DermCollective where they detailed some tests you can do at home to identify your skin type.
Why is This So Important ?
Using the wrong products for your skin type can lead to irritation, breakouts, or other adverse reactions. Imagine having dry skin and washing your face with a strong, overly-drying face wash targeted for those with oily skin. You can say goodbye to any bit of moisture and bring camels for the desert that is now your face. Or imagine having sensitive skin and using a harsh product filled with different chemicals. Not pretty.
By taking the time to identify your skin type, you can ensure that you are choosing the right products to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. With this information, you will be poised to create an effective skincare routine that will actually help you achieve the results you desire.
3. Creating Your Skincare Routine
When it comes to establishing a skincare routine, simplicity is key. You really only need to do a few things. Of course this would vary if you have certain skin conditions or are older and need to do a few extra things, but it does generally come down to a few essential steps.
The Basics
Step #1 – Wash
- A face wash (also referred to as a cleanser) is the first essential part of your skincare routine.
- Cleansing your face ideally every morning and night will help remove whatever grime, dirt and oil you have built up on your face from the day.
- If you can’t do it twice a day, at least try to get it done once at night before bed so you clean everything from the day and don’t transfer it to your pillowcase for your skin to bathe in.
- It’s the same as washing your hands. It collects dirt throughout the day. You wouldn’t just leave it on there would you ?
Step #2 – Exfoliate
- Using an exfoliator such as a physical scrub or a chemical exfoliant (sounds scary doesn’t it?) will help slough off dead skin cells that don’t just come off when you use a face wash.
- You definitely don’t need to exfoliate daily as this can irritate your skin. 2-3 times as week will suffice.
Step #3 – Moisturize
- Moisturizing your face is really crucial to keeping your skin hydrated and healthy.
- Moisturize twice a day, morning and night after you’ve washed your face.
- In the morning, you should include a sunscreen or a moisturizer with sun protection factor (SPF) before you head out.
- At night you can use either a regular or intensely hydrating moisturizer for your skin to repair itself overnight while you sleep.
Step #4 – Protect
- Sunscreen is crucial for protecting your skin from the harmful UV rays we mentioned earlier.
- If there is anything you take from this article, let it be that you REALLY need to be using a sunscreen, regardless of how old you are.
- Sunscreens come in all forms and sizes – lotions, sticks, sprays. Regardless of what you use, just make sure you apply enough. That begs the question, “how much should I apply then?”. Which is a great question actually. Gizmodo actually has a pretty insightful video using a UV camera to test out different forms of sunscreens. Spoiler alert, lotions and sticks are better.
- Sunscreens also have different SPF factors, commonly ranging from SPF10 to SPF50. While we could have a separate article just on sunscreens and SPF, for simplicity’s sake, just know that depending on how long and how intense your sun exposure is, you’re gonna want a higher SPF. I would say go for at least a SPF30 for your day to day outings.
- A lot of ‘day moisturizers’ now have SPF in them, so I would definitely suggest going for one of those so that you tick both your moisturizer and sun protection needs.
“If there is anything you take from this article, let it be that you REALLY need to be using a sunscreen, regardless of how old you are“
The More Advanced Stuff
Anti-Aging
- If you are over the age of 25, more so if you are over 30 years old, you want to start incorporating anti-aging products into your routine. This is because signs of aging unfortunately start around this time.
- You will have definitely noticed something about your skin, be it some fine lines, wrinkles or spots. If nothing else, you will certainly find that you don’t have the youthful face you once had.
- There are a plethora of products available in the market now for anti-aging solutions, as you can imagine it is a big market. However, some big-hitters here I would suggest would be a Vitamin C serum and a Retinol cream/serum. Using them 2-3 times a week would be enough.
- These will help brighten your skin tone, prevent wrinkles and fine lines, reduce dark spots and maintain the elasticity of your skin. That’s a pretty big deal if you ask me.
Alpha Tip
Some dermatologists would advise against using Vitamin C and Retinol together at the same time as they may be irritating and are likely to be less effective, given that they are both quite unstable to begin with. However, there’s no reason why these important ingredients should get sidelined. Simply use them on alternate days before you put your moisturizer at night. Easy as that.
Eye Care
- The state of your eyes contribute quite heavily to the overall look of your face.
- Given how the skin around your eyes are rather delicate, using dedicated eye creams can help address a number of issues.
- Eye creams can reduce the appearance of dark circles, decrease puffiness as well as diminish signs of aging including fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet.
Pimples & Acne
- While incorporating all the aforementioned basic steps will help reduce the likelihood of pimples and other breakouts, some of us may require more targeted treatments for their “zit-uation” (yes, I am a comical genius).
- Salicylic Acid is an ingredient that has been shown to help with acne due to its antimicrobial properties among other things. This is available now in cleansers, creams and serums.
- Benzoyl peroxide is another topical treatment that is popular for those with acne due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Depending on the strength (and where you are in the world), this will be available over-the-counter or on a prescription basis.
- Niacinamide is another ingredient, predominantly available as a serum, that helps with pores, blemishes and oil production.
To sum it all up simply, the table below should hopefully be a quick reference guide to your skincare regimen:
4. What Products to Use
Now that you have an idea of what to do, it’s time to get some goodies and start your skincare journey, but where do you start? I know it may seem like there is a seemingly infinite number of products and well, you would be right. So we will make try to make this as simple as possible and list a few good options at different price points for you to choose from. Some other criteria which was also used when selecting the products include:
- Well reputed by dermatologists and the astute skincare community
- Not absurdly expensive
- Generally well-tolerated by multiple skin types
- Predominantly good, clean ingredients
- Likely to available wherever you are in the world
I know there are a lot of skincare enthusiasts out there who will be fuming over their favourite product possibly not being mentioned here, but please remember that this is a relatively ‘beginner’ list for us men who would like to get the ball rolling with some simple, straightforward products. This should make things a bit less complicated, so you can take your pick and get started right away.
It is worth mentioning that when it comes to products, there really isn’t a significant difference between products for men and women, save for the packaging and scent. It’s skin at the end of the day, so the basics apply to all of us.
Face Washes (Cleansers)
Exfoliators (Physical)
NOTE: If you have very sensitive skin, you should take care when selecting and choosing physical exfoliants as they can be a bit abrasive and may not be for everybody. Check out the chemical exfoliants in the next section for more options.
Exfoliators (Chemical)
Moisturizers
Sunscreens
Anti-Aging Products
Eye Creams
Pimples & Acne
NOTE: While these products are a bit more acne/blemish-specific, maintaining your skin using the other products mentioned above are likely to also help with these issues (e.g. salicylic acid cleansers, exfoliators, retinols etc.)
5. Conclusion
Taking care of your skin is essential for men of all ages. With the right products and routine, you can achieve healthy, glowing skin that will have you looking and feeling your best. So don’t be afraid to invest in your skincare routine – your body will thank you for it.