A Skin Care Routine for Men in 5 Steps

While a lot of men may be less inclined to invest their time in a quality skin care routine, the fact is that men’s skin needs just as much care and attention as women’s. As there are differences in men and women’s skin, skin care for men shouldn’t simply involve using products designed for women.

Many issues that both men and women experience with their skin are easier to prevent with proper skin care than to eliminate once they’ve happened. The proper skin care procedures with quality men’s skin care products will maintain the health and stability of the skin, preventing skin problems such as acne, dryness, or wrinkles from arising.

How is Men’s Skin Different?

The main difference between male and female skin is hormonal and comes down to testosterone. While women do produce some testosterone, it’s only a fraction of the amount in the average male body. Testosterone affects the skin by stimulating sebaceous gland activity. These are the glands which release oil and sebum onto the skin’s surface so men’s skin is often oilier than women’s. Men’s skin can also be 20-30% thicker because of more collagen and elastin.

Natural oils can keep the skin moisturized and prevent wrinkles but can also result in acne, clogged pores, and an unwanted shine on the surface of the skin.

Men’s grooming is also very different from women’s. Many men shave regularly, which can deplete the skin’s moisture barrier. It’s important to take care of your moisture barrier so that your skin can protect itself and does not become susceptible to external factors. Men who are very active in sports or who work outdoors will also experience more oxidative stress on their skin.

What a Man’s Skin Care Routine Should Involve

Men’s grooming and skin care routine should involve many of the same principles as women’s such as proper cleansing and giving the skin the nutrients it needs. Men’s skin care products can be found in a range of prices, just like women’s. The key is to find the right product that works for you and your skin, and follows the proper steps for optimal skin care: regularly cleansing, exfoliating, hydrating, and toning.

Don’t let the number of steps scare you off. With a bit of practice, a proper skin care routine will take less than 5 minutes in the morning and evening.

Step 1: Cleanse

As a part of a proper cleansing, it’s essential to clear away airborne impurities and soil from the surface of your skin. Once the surface of the skin is clear of excess oil, airborne impurities and soil (without irritating the skin), then your skin can be properly cleansed and exfoliated to remove accumulated dead skin cells. A good facial cleanser for men is a cream cleanser that contains natural, non-pore clogging oils. The particles of the oil can adhere to the oil and dirt particles on your skin’s surface to easily be cleaned away with the face wash.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Exfoliating should always follow cleansing in order to remove dead skin cells and renew the top layer of the skin. This helps unclog pores and remove any bacteria. Gentle daily exfoliation with a mild lathering cleanser will have better results for your skin than harsh weekly exfoliation.

Step 3: Optional Shave

The best time for a wet shave is after exfoliating. When the skin is cleansed and exfoliated, there is a lower chance of irritation from razor use. You should opt for an alcohol-free shaving cream or better yet, use your cream cleanser from step 1.

Step 4: Hydrate

The application of moisturizer should always follow cleansing and shaving to prevent any dryness and to protect the skin from harsh environmental factors. A good moisturizer for men is one that not only hydrates the skin but also nourishes and protects the skin. It should contains antioxidants and vitamins. Contrary to the common notion, even if your skin is quite oily, a facial moisturizer for men is the key to improving your skin’s health.

Step 5: Tone

A hydrating toner should be the last step in any man’s skin care routine. A good alcohol-free toner will be non-irritating, calm and firm your skin while also protecting it from excess bacteria, and help the skin heal.

All skincare products should be designed specifically to work with each other, within the prescribed skincare steps and with the skin’s natural system.

Repeat

For best results, practice this twice daily. Ideally, once in the morning and once at night. A proper daily skin care treatment will consistently prevent any issues before they happen. Also, these preventative measures will keep it healthy. Think of it has exercise for the skin (the body’s largest organ).

While men and women are different and any skin care regimen should reflect that, men need to focus on their particular habits and treatment. A regular, daily regimen is about basic cleanliness and doesn’t need to cost a lot. But just soap and water won’t cut it. Skin care for men made for and tailored to the skin of men (and not women) is very important.