Basic Skincare for men
Please refer to our article on skin types so that you know which of the following products during this article would be suitable for your type of skin. If you think you may have a skin condition then please have a look at our article on skin disorders.
We at modern grooming offer a loads of male grooming advice and support for men's problems; and skin care for guys is a constant problem for some. We all know people suffer from it, but naturally if they are dealing with it with good products and tips, then you probably won't even know about it! That's the key. I know many famous and not famous people who suffer terribly with skin conditions, but with treatment and the right products, they still manage to look and feel good.
If you develop and use a good basic skincare routine, it can help delay the signs of aging and enhance the current condition of your skin. If you then move on to adding in extras from the advanced skincare range to target specific problem areas, you can further improve the way your facial skin looks. (For body skin care please see article)
Depending on your age you may also want to refer to our other articles- looking good at 30 and looking fine at 50 for more specialist advice.
There are three mains steps to good male skin care and that is cleanse, tone and moisturise. Because of all the different products on the market, there are many different names given to products within each of these categories that can make it seem quite confusing but in a nutshell you can think of it this way – cleanse refers to washing your face with a face wash or scrub, tone means using a lotion or astringent to tighten and close the pores and moisturise means using a cream, lotion or serum to finish with.
The procedure should run as follows – you use warm water for the cleansing part as this opens the pores and allows a deep down clean to remove all the oil, dirt and grease that has built up over the day or night and then the cleanse closes the pores before you apply the moisturiser to avoid the pores getting blocked with the product. If you can do these quick three steps every morning and night then you will end up with radiant, healthy looking skin and can prevent outbreaks of spots and first signs of aging.
Choose your products based on the type of skin you think you have a mix in products that may also give you the type of skin you want. For example, you may have very dry skin but may want to prevent spots so you would choose a cleanser and toner which is anti-bacterial and spot preventing but then finish with a really thick moisturiser to combat the dry skin. Mix and match as you feel appropriate. Your skin requirements may also change depending on the time of year of what age you are.
Here is a brief product guide and links for the items available in each of the three steps:-
Cleanse
Facial washes - require water and then can be applied with your hands and as well as removing dirt and grime they will soften the skin and beard ready for shaving (pur:phuel)
Solution - will need to be wiped over the face using cotton wool (Phytomer)
Cleansing bars - have better ingredients so wont dry the skin like soap and usually have a specific property like spot fighting or pore refining (Lab Series For Men)
Cleansing wipes – cleansing lotion already on a wipe so no need for water or cotton wool etc
Facial Scrubs – mix with water and rub onto face then rinse with clean water. Try a scrub once or twice a week. Exfoliating particles remove ageing dead skin cells and excess oils that clog the pores. Used regularly they also help prevent ingrown hairs and shaving bumps (Korres)
Tone
A toner will remove excess oil, help close the pores and freshen the skin. Use directly after your facial wash or any time of day to remove excess oil and shine.
Toners are normally applied to cotton wool and then wiped all over the face concentrating on t-zone where sports normally form -chin, nose and forehead (Baxter of California).
Moisturise
Keep your skin looking great with products that protect, nourish and rejuvenate. For oily skin try an oil-free moisturiser to re-hydrate and protect the skin without overloading it or for tired dull skin try a rejuvenating moisturizer (men-u).
Moisturisers can come in small capsules for a more concentrated hit, creams, serums or lotions. Either way they should be applied to fresh skin after being briefly rubbed in the hands to warm and stimulate the ingredients. Rub lightly into the face while giving your face a mini massage which will also help to tighten the skin and prevent wrinkles. Always rub in an upwards direction avoiding the eyes and mouth.
There are some specific moisturizing products such as capillary clear which reduced redness of skin, fade away which can help with dark patches or discolored pigmentation, acne treatments for severe spot treatment (Dermalogica) and morning after rescue gel for after those heavy nights out (Elemis).
If you want specific treatments for the eye area or want some night treatment formulas then please go to advanced skin care.
Also see our article on vitamins and supplements to treat your skin from within as well as out.