Get in the Habit with this Easy-to-Follow Skincare Routine for Men
To many men, skincare seems unnatural and- they won’t admit it- intimidating. You might have been looking at your partner’s Cosmo guide, and thinking it’s a cult you probably won’t catch yourself dead in, or you’ve been up and down your local drug store and ready to pluck whatever is on top of the ‘face’ shelf.
As a guy, skincare hardly tops the list of things you’d be worrying about, right? And what guy actually has experience in anything beauty-related?
If there is one thing you should know about skincare, it is just as important to men as it is to women! We get it- there are a myriad of skincare products for all sorts of problems and conditions, and it can get overwhelming. Your everyday skincare routine (or lack thereof) probably consists of splashing your face with water, grabbing a bar of soap, lathering up, rinsing, and you’re on your way.
This guide will help you build an easy-to-follow, daily skincare routine that will not only protect your skin but will keep you from looking like a senior citizen in your early 20’s or 30’s and do wonders for your next selfie.
Making it a Habit
Skincare is not just something you do to take care of skin problems like acne, dryness, sunburn, or wrinkles. It’s a daily regimen that keeps these problems from happening occuring.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body, providing protection over your internal organs, and that is why you should take good care of it. The age-old adage goes, “Prevention is better than cure,” and a good skincare regimen assures you of that. Caring for your skin is more than just vanity- it’s about staying healthy.
An effective skincare regimen is really more than just lathering your face with soap and rinsing it for that squeaky-clean feeling (trust me, you’ll want to avoid that). It takes consistency and a level of commitment. Once you see your glow-up after a few weeks of following a skincare routine- trust me, you will never go back.
Beginner Skin Care Routine
If you have never washed your face outside of taking a bath, and have never even thought about moisturizer, then this is for you.
1. Wash up with a Cleanser
The term ‘squeaky-clean’ is only something you should associate with clean floors or bathtubs. It is not something you want your face to feel. Cleansing your face is the first step to your routine. Use a facial cleanser that removes dirt, sebum, and dull skin, but has moisturizing properties to prevent dead skin cells.
Aesop Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk is a perfect start to your cleansing routine. It works on all skin types but suits dry or sensitive skin best as it is a gentle cleanser packed with botanicals. Make sure to shake the bottle to incorporate the ingredients and apply it to your face and neck.
If you are acne-prone or have oily skin, it’s best to go with gel cleansers or foaming cleansers. Brickell Men’s Clarifying Gel Face Wash for Men is a cruelty-free organic facial cleanser that contains aloe which is very effective in fighting acne and gotu kola extract which boosts collagen production and lightens scars.
If your skin is normal, consider yourself lucky! Your skin does not get too oily or too dry, you don’t have sudden breakouts or bumpy skin. But that does not mean you should skip cleansing. Clinique Face Wash for Men is a gentle cleanser that works for normal to dry skin types. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser is another lightweight, oil-free gel cleanser for normal to oily skin types. It foams up quickly and contains a high concentration of potassium which provides hydration.
2. Pamper your eyes with eye cream
You probably do not give much thought to your eye area, if you haven’t been following a regular skincare routine. The thing is, your eyes take the most toll on age, health, and even emotions. The skin around your eyes is very thin and sensitive, and is one of the first places that shows aging, making you look like old Uncle Bob. It needs to be moisturized and hydrated just as much as the rest of your face does.
“But doesn’t moisturizer take care of that?” you might ask. Not the eye area. For your pretty peepers, they get their own special moisturizer which comes in the form of eye creams. Eye creams are formulated so that they are easily absorbed by the eye area, yet not too harsh to cause reactions or unpleasant sensations.
Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is a great moisturizer as it nourishes and visibly hydrates your skin. It’s great once you see those fine lines start to make an appearance. It’s a great all-purpose eye cream to get you started.
If you’re the kind of person who stays up late every night, you’ll find RoC Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream for Dark Circles & Puffy Eyes a great choice. It’s hypoallergenic so you won’t have to worry about possible flare-ups, and it contains retinol that smoothens the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and reduces under-eye puffiness.
3. Keep hydrated with moisturizer
Finally, you’re ready to moisturize your face. What you want your moisturizer to be doing is working just as hard as you- protecting your skin from dryness, reinforcing your natural skin barrier, reducing sebum, and blurring those fine lines. In choosing a moisturizer, you generally want something that fits your skin type and targets problem areas.
For all skin types, Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer is a great choice. It’s very lightweight and absorbs quickly without the feeling of stickiness or heaviness. It contains natural ingredients such as sea parsley and blue algae extracts, and you can use it both day and night.
If you’re looking for something to specifically target anti-aging while moisturizing, go for Oars + Alps Face Cream. This is a great multi-purpose cream that contains aloe leaf juice and Vitamin E which moisturizes and fights free radicals. It’s very travel-friendly and doubles as an eye cream which can save you time if you’re on the go without having to skip a skincare step in your routine.
If you have dry or sensitive skin, you’ll want something gentle and fragrance-free. Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for Dry, Sensitive Skin is a product highly recommended by dermatologists and prescribed by most physicians to combat dryness and maintain skin elasticity, preventing inflammation or irritation.
4. Protect Your Skin with Sunscreen
We cannot stress this enough: save your skin by using sunscreen every day. It’s a non-negotiable step in skincare.
Every day, you are constantly exposed to UV rays, especially when you spend time outdoors. Whether the sun is scorching hot, or it’s a cloudy day, UV rays still get absorbed by your skin. Not wearing sunscreen builds up damage to your skin, and your skincare regimen will be rendered useless, if not ineffective.
Most moisturizers come two-in-one with SPF to save you the trouble of having to reapply sunscreen throughout the day. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and the rating beside it indicates how long it takes for you to get sunburned with sunscreen on versus without.
Let’s say you typically get sunburned within 30 minutes after direct sun exposure. If you use an SPF 30 sunscreen, you multiply the 30 minutes by 30, and you get 900- the number of minutes you are technically protected from getting sunburned. However, since sunscreen usually gets wiped off before then, it is still best to reapply every two hours.
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30 is great for all skin types, particularly those with acne or dryness. It’s oil-free and fragrance-free and highly recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.
If you have dry skin, you’ll find Supergoop! Superscreen Daily Moisturizer SPF 40 more up your alley. It’s a lightweight moisturizer that packs SPF 40 while giving you intense hydration.
If you have sensitive skin or allergies, go for Raw Elements Face and Body Certified Natural Sunscreen. It’s an all-natural sunscreen that is cruelty-free, reef-safe, water-resistant, and 95% organic. You won’t have to worry about bad reactions as this is organic and does not contain any allergens, such as nuts, soy, or gluten.
5. Invest a Little Bit of Time
This basic skin care routine will only take you about 5 to 10 minutes. It’s one of the quickest things you can do at the start of your day, and then at night right before going to bed. Spending just a little time each day will keep your skin healthy and help you look younger.
Start Loving Your Skin
Remember, your skin is the largest organ protecting your body! That’s why it needs just as much care and attention as everything else. We’ll be honest: skincare can cost a lot. But the benefits of this investment outweigh the costs.
If you don’t want to pledge big-time yet, start little by little, like switching out your bar of soap for a facial cleanser. Once you get into that habit (and see the improvements in your skin), you’ll find yourself wanting to commit more than you’ll admit! Plus, your future self will thank you for it.
