Ask any man what their skincare routine is and they’ll probably tell you that they either splash a bit of water on their face in the morning and if they want to step it up a notch, they use some bar soap.
Now am I generalizing? You bet. I know that there will be some men out there who are really into their skin and they have their skin care routine down.
But for a lot of men, they struggle. Why? Before I get into that, let me tell you a story.
Not too long ago, my nephew was using my shower and he spied the tiny facial brush that I had there.
The conversation went something like this….
“Hey auntie what’s this? (his face peeking out from behind the shower curtain).
“ It’s a brush for your face”.
“Why are there two sides?”
“One is for when you use a cleanser and the other side is for when you want to exfoliate the dead skin from your face.”
“Oh” was his reply. At that point, I left the bathroom only to hear him screaming my name again.
Yes, Kaiden? I said when I returned.
Um Auntie, do you remember where you got this?
“I do Kaiden. Why?”.
“I want one, can you get me one?”
He was nine at the time.
The moral of the story? If a nine-year-old can recognize the importance of good skincare so should you (and it’s never too early or too late to start).
However, the reality is that most men neglect their skin. Why? Simply because a lot of guys don’t see the importance of having a good skincare routine.
Or, maybe you do but don’t know where to begin.
I want to help demystify the process that is creating a skincare routine.
It doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming, but it will make a world of difference in how your skin looks, how others see you, and how you perceive yourself.
And if you’re still wearing a face mask ( even on occasion), it can really have a big impact on your skin (and not in a good way).
In this post we will focus on:
1. the benefits of a good skincare routine,
2. how to determine your skincare needs, and
3. how to get started with morning and nighttime skincare routines.
BENEFITS OF A GOOD SKINCARE ROUTINE
So why do you need one in the first place?
Some top arguments…..
- Fights aging (dark circles and wrinkles make you look older)
- Skin remains smooth, healthy, and hydrated (key ingredients to looking younger) &
- Boosts your confidence (think about how acne-prone teenagers feel and then think about how they feel when their skin clears up).
Having a proper skincare routine is that good.
“Skincare is Skin Health” Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams once said that “Skincare is Skin Health”. Just as we pay attention to what we put into our body to keep it in optimal health, the same should apply to our skin.
DETERMINE YOUR SKINCARE NEEDS
Before choosing any products, It’s important that you first understand your skin and what it needs.
There are a few basic categories that your skin can fall into but honestly, use this as a guideline. Depending on your environment, the time of year, or where you’re currently residing, your skin can cross over into many of these categories.
Normal
Your skin doesn’t really have any issues, it’s not overly sensitive, dry, or oily.
It’s well-balanced in terms of moisture and sebum levels (sebum is the oily substance your body produces in order to protect your skin’s moisture barrier and also prevent your skin from becoming too dry).
And you can use a variety of products on your face.
Dry
Your skin feels tight and itchy (especially after washing) and is prone to cracking.
When you have dry skin, it means that it is lacking the natural oils (sebum) that act as a barrier to your skin.
Without these oils, or when your sebum levels are very low, your skin exhibits the symptoms above.
It can also appear dull, lacking a natural radiance and sheen.
Oily
If your skin is oily, it means that it is producing too much sebum (oils). This means your skin can oftentimes look greasy and shiny. You are also prone to larger pores and acne.
Products that are noncomedogenic (meaning it doesn’t block your pores thus making you break out) work well for oily skin.
Combination
Means just that. Your skin can be oily in some places (like your T-Zone- bridge of your nose, forehead, and chin area) and dry in other areas, like your cheeks.
Sensitive
Your skin gets easily irritated (prone to redness, itchiness, and burning), and can’t take products that have a lot of ingredients.
Products that contain natural ingredients such as clays, honey, soy, aloe vera, oats, and goji berries may work well for you.
So once you’ve determined where your skin might fall on the spectrum let’s take a look at how to get started.
HOW TO GET STARTED- YOUR BEST SKINCARE ROUTINE
So let’s just get this out of the way. What really is the best skincare routine for you?
Well, come close. A little closer. Almost there… Want to know what it is?
It’s the routine that you’ll commit to and stick with.
I’ll say that again. It’s the routine that you’ll stick with.
If you think that you need to be using 85 products a day to get the best skin (and this is why you don’t currently have a routine), then let’s debunk this right now.
The best one for you is the one that you’ll do day in and day out. And it doesn’t have to be time-consuming.
When it comes to the products, you may have to do a bit of trial and error first before you find the ones that best suit your skin.
But when you do, you’ll find that it won’t take long to see the results of your efforts. Your skin will thank you. And so will everyone else who notices.
So let’s now take a look at the steps.
MORNING ROUTINE
Step 1- Cleanse
Do me a favor and don’t fight me on this OK?
Cleansing is your super important first step to removing the sweat and bacteria that can accumulate on your face while you sleep. This helps to prevent clogged pores and your face from breaking out.
You want to look for a gentle cleanser, one that is not overly harsh.
That “tight” feeling you can often get when you cleanse means that you’re stripping your face of its natural moisture barriers, a definite no-no.
TIP: Products containing retinol can help fight signs of aging by treating fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture, you name it. It’s a star ingredient to have in your skincare products.
When it comes to cleansing, think of your face as your canvas. It needs to be clean before you put anything else on it.
Step 2- Eye Cream
Your eyes are one of the first places to show signs of aging so having a good eye cream in your arsenal is essential.
Armed with the right eye cream, you can treat fine lines and wrinkles, dark under-eye circles, puffiness, and even give your eyes a little boost of hydration.
Tip: When it comes to applying the eye cream, be gentle. The skin around your eyes is much thinner and more delicate. if you go at it too hard, you can damage your under eyes and cause more wrinkles (which is something we’re trying to avoid here).
Use your ring finger (it’s the most gentle finger) and lightly tap your under-eyes with gentle pressure.
Remember, your eyes deserve a little extra care so don’t skip this step.
Step 3- Moisturizer
If you think that wearing moisturizer means that you have to slather on super heavy, thick, goopy cream, then let me put your mind at ease.
The right moisturizer can not only prevent your face from feeling dry but can also help your skin stay hydrated.
Think of when leather dries out and how hard and crackly it becomes. You don’t want that for your face.
Plus when your face is hydrated, you look better and younger.
Step 4- Sunscreen
If there’s one takeaway from this entire post, it would be to ALWAYS wear your sunscreen.
IT’S THAT IMPORTANT. Why?
Excessive exposure to UV rays not only causes premature aging, but it can also put you at risk for skin cancer. Plus you’ll start to develop that aforementioned “leathery look” , another thing that we’re trying to avoid.
Even on a cloudy day or indoors, you should still wear sunscreen. Those rays can still get through, so make it part of your daily routine, and you’ll have yourself covered no matter what the weather or situation.
What about moisturizer with SPF?
The short answer is: it can work just keep in mind that the amount of SPF you’ll get on your face may not be the same as the amount indicated on the bottle.
What does this mean? Well, because the SPF is mixed with moisturizer, it can dilute its effectiveness. So if you’re going for a moisturizer with SPF look for one with a higher SPF number.
This will ensure that you’re getting more on your face.
You’ll also want to look for a moisturizer labeled broad-spectrum because this is going to protect you against both UVA and UVB rays.
Finally, if you want to make sure that you are getting full-coverage protection, then go for a separate sunscreen and put that on as the last step in your skincare routine.
NIGHTTIME ROUTINE
Step 1- Cleanse
Just like the am, cleansing is also your first step in your nighttime routine.
This helps remove dirt and other nastiness that accumulates on your face throughout the day.
Step 2- Exfoliate (Once a Week)
Another critical step, especially if you have dry skin. Regular exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells that build up on the surface of your skin. It can also give your skin a nice glow.
Another benefit of proper exfoliation is that it allows whatever you put on your face (moisturizers, and any type of serums, or toners that you may be using), to penetrate your skin more deeply.
There are two types of exfoliants you can choose from: physical and chemical. They’re both working towards the same goal but they do so in different ways
Physical Exfoliants
They work by using particles (basically anything that has a texture in it) to scrub the dead skin cells away from your face.
Products that contain for example fruit pits or nut shells would be considered physical exfoliants. However, you’d want to be careful using these as the larger shells can cause micro-tears in your skin (It’s like tiny little scratches on your skin).
Sugar scrubs are a good option because they are finer and more gentle on the skin.
Chemical Exfoliants
They work by using acids to loosen and dissolve the dead skin from your face.
Now don’t get alarmed by the word “acid”. The type of acids that we’re talking about here, like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), work perfectly for your skin and in some cases can be quite gentle.
Which one to choose? It really just depends on your preference and your skin type, but experiment with both of these to discover what your skin likes.
Step 3 Eye Cream
You can use the same one you use in your morning routine so essentially you’ll just be applying it twice a day.
Step 4- Night Cream
I know what you’re thinking. Do I really need a separate night cream? The truth of the matter is your skin care needs are different during the day than they are at night so yes, you do need a night cream.
At night your skin cells are repairing themselves so a good night cream will not only aid in that reparation, but it will also help to keep your skin from getting dehydrated.
Plus night creams also tend to be thicker than your day cream so a good one can seal in any other product you layer on your face, thus helping it to be even more effective at working while you sleep.
Lastly, ( I know I may sound like a broken record when I keep saying “good night cream”) but it can be instrumental in waking up with a healthy fresh-looking face rather than somebody who wakes up looking like they got two hours of sleep. Need I say more?
So what products should you use to help you get started? Below I’ve listed a few of my top picks for you to choose from:
CLEANSERS
EYE CREAM
DAY CREAM
SUNSCREEN
EXFOLIANT
NIGHT CREAM
FINAL NOTES
I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention your diet.
Amazing skin comes from the inside out. There’s no way around this.
So take care to take your vitamins, watch what you eat, and don’t forget water (and lots of it). Hydration is so important.
Finally, don’t discount a good night’s sleep. While we’re sleeping, our body has a chance to repair itself and as I’ve mentioned, our skin cells are renewing and rejuvenating. So learn to love your beds!
Guys, don’t ever be embarrassed about your skincare routine. Good skin is just as important for men as it is for women.
And to have healthy skin, we need to put the effort in.
In my next post, I’ll talk about how to adjust your skincare routine for winter.
But in the meantime drop a comment down below and let me know, what’s your skincare routine?
Xo Natasha