An Introduction to Skincare for Men

From the multiple skin care advertisements and all that you see in magazines or on the television you would think men don’t have skin. No seriously – it’s an absurd situation. I don’t think I’ve seen single  skincare product advertisement which has a man in it. And by skin care I don’t mean shaving and so on – there are more than enough material on that. But think about it – when was the last time you saw a moisturiser or face wash being advertised with men in the ads or anything about skincare for men?

This is a bit of a strange situation since – newsflash – men have skin. I have been thinking about it for sometime and find it strange and a bit dismissive that there isn’t any marketing or any kind of education on this. As a woman from a very young age I have been bombarded with skin care information, recommendations and what to use so I can look younger, better, fairer, yada yada yada. That goes to the other extreme. There is no such education geared towards men, men’s magazines don’t cover this stuff and this is why my husband still buys skincare based solely on how it smells.

And before I get yelled at with #notallmen, I am not talking about the guys who are super diligent with their skin care. This post is mainly aimed at guys my age, the thirty plus crowd. Most of the men around me, my husband, my friends, are not exactly updated on skincare so this post on skincare for men is aimed at people like them. (I am hoping the younger ones are more enlightened! If not, let me know and maybe I could do a post about that).

The idea for this post came up when I got sent a box of men’s skin care products. This is when I started thinking is do we need separate products or is this just a marketing gimmick?  What is different about skincare for men that requires different products? And what is the bare basic skincare regimen for men to follow? All answered in the post below. But before starting on these specific tips, have a look at the basic beauty and skincare information I think everyone should be aware of.

Shaving

Shaving is the one topic I didn’t want to dwell on for too long. This is for two reasons firstly I don’t shave my face and therefore have no real advice on this point. Secondly, most men seem to have the shaving routine down pat and probably don’t need any advice from me. In fact this is something that most men could actually advise women on. Thirdly, we have already written about shaving extensively and honestly, its not that different.

Summary: shaving is a lot of stress on your skin, treat it well.

Facial Hair

Once DJ started growing a beard and stopped shaving, I asked him if he is using a face scrub or anything to exfoliate. Needless to say, the answer was a big no. Men who shave regularly are already exfoliating since shaving helps exfoliate your skin. Once you stop shaving you need to ensure you use a face scrub at least once a week. I personally don’t think men need a different kind of scrub from what women use but men’s skin is hardier and thicker so a tougher face scrub may not be such a bad idea.

Summary: if you have a beard/ do not shave often, use a face scrub once a week. Dj has been using this facial scrub* from Admiral off and on but almost any facial scrub will do. I haven’t used this one but I did like their shampoo even though it was targeted for men.

Sunscreen

Of course there are exceptions but on average men spend more time outdoors than women. Sunscreen is a no brainer. Although I try and nag my husband and friends to wear sunscreen, it is a little tough to get them there. You already know my sunscreen recommendations and sunscreen everyday is a must. This is not about vanity or ageing – its about doing all you can to keep yourself healthy. There also seems to be a myth in the Indian community that you don’t need sunscreen if you are brown. I have no idea where this comes from but if you have skin you should wear sunscreen. End of discussion.

Summary: wear a 30 SPF (at least!) sunscreen everyday and reapply throughout the day if you are spending the whole day out.

Face wash

Men’s skin is oiler than women’s so washing your face at least twice a day is recommended. However, since most men don’t wear makeup a heavy duty cleanser is probably not required. I would recommend using a basic face wash like Simple which does the job well with no frills – thats all you need.

Summary: use a simple cleanser to wash your face once in the morning and once at night. If you have oily skin this  one from Sukin is pretty good.

Moisturiser

Like I said men have oiler skin than most women but if you feel your skin is dry, a moisturiser would work.

Summary: see how your skin feels and if its tight or dry after washing add in a moisturiser. I love Superdrug – super cheap, good quality and cruelty free!

Anti-ageing 

Men’s skin ages later than women’s but once its starts ageing the process is a drastic one. So men’s skin ages later but faster. I have already talked about retinol so start using retinol in the night.

Summary: wear some retinol just before bed. This is a long-term plan so don’t expect something different in a few days but stick with it and it pays.

I hope this is a useful post about skincare for men and not too intimidating. Please ask me any questions you may have – it would be fantastic to discuss some men’s skincare for a change! We love reading comments on our blog so we really appreciate anything you have to say. Come and say hi on our Twitter, check out our Instagram and like our Facebook page! Till next time 🙂

The Admiral products were provided to Fashion and Frappes as PR samples. 

– Anisha