What is Simple Men’s Skincare
As a man (or honestly for anyone), taking care of your skin is just as important as it is for women. Honestly, no matter how you identify, you need to be taking care of your skin. Proper skincare can prevent acne breakouts, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and boost your confidence by giving you a healthy and youthful appearance. While a skincare routine may seem daunting at first glance, it’s actually pretty simple once you break it down into smaller parts. In fact, a straightforward routine can be just as effective as the fancy ones.
Here are some tips for creating a simple yet effective skincare routine for men.
Start with a clean slate. The slate is your face. The first step (and arguably one of the more essential steps) is to thoroughly wash your face. The usual frequency of this task is twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, with a gentle facial cleanser, although if that seems too daunting, start only at night. Washing your face at night rinses away all the dirt and other germs that accumulate on your face throughout the day. Select a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser that can effectively purge your skin of excess oil and dirt without leaving it over-dried and sensitive.
Use a toner. After cleansing, a toner is applied to rebalance your skin’s natural pH levels, effectively tightening your pores. Look for a toner that contains glycolic acid or alpha-hydroxy acids. These active ingredients exfoliate away any dead old skin cells resulting in brighter skin. Simply apply the toner to the palms of your hands and gently press the solution into your skin, being careful to avoid the eye area.
Apply a moisturizer. Regardless of your skin type, dry, oily, or combination, your skin needs moisture, and the specific formulation of that moisturizer depends is what’s actually dependent on your skin type. Moisturizers keep the skin hydrated and prevent dryness, flakiness, and irritation. This product should be applied twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, after cleansing and toning to restore the balance of your skin.
Use sunscreen. This is by far the most important step in your routine. Seriously, never skip this step. It doesn't even matter what else you’re doing if you’re not applying sunscreen. Excessive sun exposure leads to premature aging and skin cancer, all things that you don’t want. To protect your skin, you need to be applying broad-spectrum sunscreen daily (actually every few hours, but daily is a valid place to start). Look for a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and use it, yes, even on cloudy days. If you have facial hair, be sure to apply sunscreen to your beard as well.
Exfoliate regularly. Exfoliating your skin removes dead skin cells and unclogs pores. Your new skin underneath is smoother brighter skin, baby skin if you will. There are two kinds of exfoliators: physical and chemical. Both, when used improperly can be damaging to the skin so be sure not to overdo it - aim for exfoliating once or twice a week, depending on your skin's sensitivity.
Don't forget your lips: Your lips need love and attention too! They’re made of skin after all. Keep your lips moisturized with a hydrating lip balm that contains SPF to protect them from the sun. There are a plethra of options out there.
Incorporating these simple steps into your skincare routine can help to improve the health and appearance of your skin. Remember, it's of the utmost importance to be consistent and patient - it may take time to see results, but with a little bit of effort, you'll be on your way to healthy, radiant skin.
shaving skincare
Shaving is an essential part of many men's skincare routines, but it can also be a source of irritation, redness, and other skin concerns if not done properly. Healthy and smooth skin is totally within reach once you determine a few key points in this daily routine.
One of the first things you can do if you’re skin is looking a little mad after you shave is to take the time to actually prepare your skin. This means, wash your face. But like actually wash it, don’t just splash some water and call it a day. When you wash your face, use a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser and scrub off all that dirt, oil, and debris that has accumulated from the day. Then, if you’re feeling really fancy, exfoliate. Exfoliation removes all the dead skin cells on the outer layer of your skin and unclogs your pores so that you’re not accidentally pushing any irritating compounds deeper into your skin.
Next, be picky when it comes to choosing a shaving cream or gel. Like skincare products, your shaving products should also be tailored to your unique skin type. Avoid those yummy-smelling products since formulations with fragrances, dyes, and other potential irritants usually are not skin loving and may actually be the cause of your post-shaving irritation. Applying a thin layer of gentle shaving cream or gel to the skin before shaving softens the beard and creates a protective barrier between the skin and the razor. Not the best idea to be shaving without one.
After shaving, it's important to moisturize the skin. Moisturizing the skin acts as the final step and soothes any irritation the shaving may have caused. It also, as I’m sure you can guess, prevent dryness. Beard dandruff is avoidable.
In addition to following these steps, it's also important to use a sharp, clean razor when shaving to reduce the risk of irritation and nicks and to avoid shaving too often or too closely to the skin. Similar to that saying in the kitchen, the most dangerous razor is a dull one. If you’re shaving daily, maybe consider switching out that razor blade every few months.
