5 Easy Skin Care Tips for Men

Now establishing a skin care routine doesn’t always mean makeup, although more men have taken to wearing products we traditionally think of as for women. Instead, it means recognizing that a skin care regimen for men can help your face in the long run. According to statistics, the sale of men’s skin care kits increased by 30 percent year-over-year in 2021. Increasingly, more salons and spas are seeing men take advantage of their services.

What goes into a men’s skincare routine? Use this guide to discover five easy skin care tips for men.

Know your skin

Before you embark on a skin care routine, it’s important to understand what kind of skin you have. Generally, men’s skin is thicker and tougher than women’s skin. The types of skin include:

• Normal: Clear and not sensitive

• Sensitive: May burn after using certain products

• Dry: Can be flaky, itchy or rough

• Oily: May feel greasy or look shiny at times

• Combination: A mix of both dry and oily

Knowing what category you fall into will help determine what skin products you should purchase.

Wash your face

Don’t overlook what is arguably the simplest step. Men should wash their face both in the morning and at night to clean the dirt and oils that build up over the course of the day. Many men make the mistake of using a harsh bar soap or face scrub. Instead, products that contain gentle cleansers will clean and hydrate the face without drying it out.

While your face is still wet, apply a moisturizer to help seal in the fresh feeling and prevent lines from developing in your face. If you have normal or dry skin, look for a face lotion that is oil-based. If you often get breakouts or have oily skin, use a water-based moisturizer.

Cut down shaving

The average man will shave more than 20,000 times during his life – with some pulling out the razor at least five times a week. Scraping a sharp blade across your skin that much isn’t optimal for maintaining a fresh face. Some razors shave too close to the skin, leading to razor bumps or ingrown hairs.

Before shaving, make sure your hair is wet. Use a single- or double-blade razor to avoid cutting too close to the skin. Lather with moisturizing shave cream and rinse the blade after every pass. Immediately apply aftershave when finished but be careful to use one that is alcohol-free so it does not dry out your skin.

Protect your face

There is no “best” anti-aging skin care routine; instead, there is a combination of steps men can take to help keep their faces looking fresh and healthy. The sun can be a damaging, and often forgotten, irritant to your skin. Men should apply sunscreen on a daily basis to reduce the risk of sun damage, which can lead to irritation, extra blood vessels, and in serious cases, skin cancer.

Other anti-aging methods include avoiding smoking, getting good sleep, and adding in a retinol cream to help boost cell growth and collagen production. Visiting your experienced and friendly salon or spa for a men’s facial is another great way to keep your skin fresh.

Try new things

Since every man’s face is different, there’s no one solution for how to get clear skin. For men who are interested in developing a skin care routine, it’s important to experiment and take note of how certain products affect their skin.

Here are some products you should consider working into your skin care routine:

• Face wash

• Eye cream

• Hydrating body cream/lotion

• Beard gel

• Acne cream

• Facial wipes

• Lip balm

Be wary of solutions that claim they are among the best products for men. Since everyone’s skin is different, with everything from age to ethnicity to location playing a factor, you may have to experience some trial and error to determine what works best for you. Starting off with samples or subscribing to a men’s skin care service is a great way to discover what you like.