No need to overcomplicate things. The best skincare for men is both easy and effective.
It is a joy to see a rugged man with radiant, healthy, fresh, clear skin that’s free of inflammation, blackheads and weird bumps. This can be achieved with the utmost efficiency and utility with quality products. No stress or complex routines necessary.
The main benefit of healthy skin (beyond, let’s be honest, looking hotter) is to prevent and minimize skin precursor lesions that will result in major skin texture disfigurement later in life.
In other words, healthy, resilient skin ages more slowly. It will have fewer complications as it ages — complications that require the emergency intervention of aggressive, conventional treatments that require stitches and leave scars. The kind of scars and indentations that aren’t so sexy and will not look like a bad-ass, close call with a bear.
Here’s a look at the do’s and don’ts of skincare for men.
What not to do:
- Go overboard. The first mistake many men make is over-cleaning their skin with a harsh cleanser in an attempt to get their pores squeaky clean. Ironically, this causes more congestion and even unnecessary irritation.
- Tone up. Toners are also not a good idea, as they result in the same end. Basically, avoid acids, astringents and products for anti-aging, acne and large pores. Less is more when it comes to cleansing.
- Use soap. Never use a hand, body or dish soap (Yup, I’ve known men who did this!) for your face. It will strip your face of beneficial, natural oil and throw oil production out of balance. Plain warm (never hot) water, steam, a bit of coconut oil and a gentle washcloth is completely sufficient.
- Use masks and “manly” products. Avoid popular clay masks and cleansers with “masculine”-smelling essential oils, like tea tree, peppermint, cedar and all citrus, as these all have a dehydrating final effect. Hydration is the single best thing we can give our skin that promotes healthy skin function, so inadvertently drying out our skin is not the right direction to go.
- Wash with cleansing wipes. Avoid cleansing wipes altogether, as they are chemical cocktails, ineffective and dehydrating. Cleansing wipes are not a viable shortcut hack.
- What to do:
- Do less. Minimal cleansing allows your skin to do the job it was made for.
- Hydrate. Instead of drying out your skin…hydrate and feed it. Use a hydrating serum with Dermal Nutrients and antioxidants, and your skin will thrive.
- Protect and moisturize it. Look for a moisturizer rich in lipids.
- Shield yourself. Always wear sunscreen.
- Exfoliate wisely. A monthly enzyme pack for exfoliation is worlds better than over-scrubbing aggressively; this will only strip skin and create an oil imbalance.
- Beware of the aftershave trap. Not all aftershaves are good for your skin. A good aftershave is plain, food-grade aloe vera gel, followed by an unscented, plain, lipid-rich moisturizer.
- Clean it up. Consider scheduling a professional Deep Pore Cleansing Session to extract stubborn blackheads and keep skin looking fresh. You only need to do this once a year or so. Consider it routine maintenance, like an oil change for your face.
Really, it’s simple. Avoiding the above pitfalls will keep your skincare uncomplicated by preventing issues altogether. It is worth tracking down the right serum, moisturizer, sunscreen and exfoliator, so you can keep your skin looking gorgeous today and down the road. Stay loyal to the right products and ingredients, and they’ll do all the work for you. Then you can just enjoy the benefits: effortlessly fantastic skin. Schedule a complimentary consult with me and I will get you lined up so you can focus on other things.