Saving Face: Skincare for Men

It used to be entirely a women’s game, but over the last few years skincare for men has expanded rapidly. Being conscious about your appearance is perfectly normal, so rather than a quick wash in the shower, many more of us are taking the time each morning and evening to care for our skin.

This article is designed for the man who wants to take a different route, where good facial skincare is part of you. It’s not just for that man down the street, or the dad next door, it’s for any age group and all that you need is some time to yourself. Simply take note and build it into your morning and bedtime routine.

At any age, a well cared for facial routine will help defend against breakouts, prevent unnecessary irritations and for the older ones reading this article, stave off that ageing process. A daily routine, gives you time to yourself, and feels good. But don’t be complacent; be realistic about the time you have to commit each morning and/or evening. By doing so, it will allow you to select or enquire about the correct product for you.

You may know what skin type you have, but if not, it is one of the most important questions to be answered. By doing so, it will ensure you are investing in the product that will maximise your efforts and return the best results:

  • Dry Skin: Do you have dry flaky skin that is prone to itchiness? Do you get the feeling your forehead is tight when you lift your eyebrows or your skin may crack if you smile too hard? If so it’s likely you have dry skin.
  • Oily Skin: This is characterised by large visible pores, a shiny or greasy face and can be prone to breakouts.
  • Normal Skin: The most balances skin, not too dry, not too oily – it’s just right. Pores are almost invisible and you are not prone to too many particular skin problems.
  • Combination Skin: Most fall into this bracket, where dependent on the conditions you are facing, your face will react in a certain way, either by flaking (when it is dry and cold), or prone to being more oily when it is warm and sunny. Typically, you’ll be most oily through your T Zone (your forehead and nose), but may be drier on the rest of your face.
  • Sensitive Skin: You skin may be one of the above, but can react adversely and easily come up in a rash when using something your skin is not used to or that is perfumed.

In a nutshell, there a 5 steps to having a complete skincare routine: 1. Cleanser 2. Toner 3. Serum 4. Eye Cream 5. Moisturiser

Cleanser

So as boring and mundane as it sounds, this is the most basic and effective of steps and can be as simple as using a wet flannel with your selected product. Cleansing removes toxins and oils and debris, or bacteria transferred when you touch your face. By putting a small amount of product on your flannel and applying to anywhere above your neck line in small circular motions should do the trick. If you have a beard, it will need to be done a little longer, by spending more time working the product into the skin. Rather than using hand motions, use the pads of your fingertips more forcibly up and down the grain of your beard. Once completed splash your face with warm water, don’t dry it off as damp skin is best for the next step. The type of cleanser you use will be driven by your type of skin, but if you want something universal that is right for the majority of skin types, you could try Clinique for Men Face Wash.

Toner

This is a step that is often missed. If you think about it like painting a room, cleanser is cleaning the walls, toner is putting down the base paint. You simply pour the toner onto some cotton pads and sweep it across your face after cleansing. Remember, disposable cotton pads usually end up in landfill – buy reusable cotton pads that you can throw in the wash after use.

A good toner to start with is Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion.

Serum

This is a godsend for those of us who are concerned about the impact of ageing. It’s a gel like treatment with a light consistency but has a high concentration of performance ingredients. When it comes to purchasing a serum you should be focussed on your skin concern rather than skin type. When applying it to your face, put it in the middle and push outwards, e.g. on the bridge of your nose and then push outwards. There are many options in the market, but Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum works for a lot of skin concerns.

Eye Cream

Delicate is probably the best way to describe the skin around your eyes. Other than your lips, the skin under your eyes are the thinnest on your face. Which is probably why that area can look a little worn quicker than the rest of your face. Thankfully eye care creams are well developed and have a reasonably easy application process whilst easily tackling puffiness, dryness, or dark circles, whatever day you may be having. Whatever product is your preference, the application process is the same. Using your ring finger, use a really small amount of product, about the size of a grain of rice, and with your other ring finger slowly rub together. By using these fingers (being the weakest on your hand) it distributes the cream more evenly and reduces pressure on the skin. Starting from the outside of each eye, tap the finger into the skin around each eye moving slowly inwards continually tapping until the product is almost absorbed. Dermalogica is a good all round eye cream to start off with.

Moisturiser

The final piece of the daily routine. Ideally you should have two moisturisers – one for the morning and one for the evening. For the morning, you should be seeking out a lighter cream with an SPF for going outside. Nowadays SPF 30 is recommended to protect against skin cancer, as well as helping to keep those wrinkles at bay. If you have a lighter shade of skin, look for a formula that’s light and non-sticky, whereas if you have a darker complexion, a clear cream is best as it won’t leave a white cast. For those with dry skin, in the evening you should apply a richer moisturiser, enough to soak in to your skin. If you are at the other end of the spectrum with oily skin, a gel cream would suit better. Best to apply small quantities at a time to your fingertips, rub between your hands. Spread across your face with quick motions across the forehead, and downwards over your nose and cheeks, through to your neck. There is a huge market for men’s moisturiser and it will very much depend on your skin type. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is a good middle ground product.