Tips for every man’s skincare routine…

When most people hear about skincare, they probably automatically picture female products.

There are actually a range of men’s skincare products out there for us to benefit from - and we shouldn’t be ashamed to do so!

 Because men's skincare is so rarely talked about and promoted in the usual ways, not many people know about what to buy and how to use it. Lucky for us, our skincare products tend to be a lot cheaper too, which does seem unfair but also means we have no excuse not to use it.

So, let’s have a look at some tips for creating a quick, easy and effective male skincare routine.

Face wash  

First things first, you need to keep your face clean. In our busy day-to-day lives, it is not surprising that our skin is exposed to a lot of bacteria and environments that it might not like. So go out and get yourself a decent face wash that does the job, ideally with no harsh chemicals. Some terms to look out for with face wash and other skincare products are ‘non-comedogenic’, ‘paraben free’ and ‘alcohol free’. Your face needs washing twice a day, once in the morning to get rid of any bacteria that formed overnight and once at night to wash away the nasties from your day.  

If you live in a busy city this is even more important because of ever-increasing air pollution. We can’t see it but it wreaks havoc for our skin. These days there are even skincare products out there that specifically target and protect your skin from pollution in the air.

Shaving cream and electric razors  

Something to be aware of that may or may not strictly be classed as skincare is your shaving products. Although it is tempting to go for the cheapest shaving gel and razor out there - it will no doubt be damaging your skin, even if you can’t see it.  

Instead of going for a shaving gel, why not opt for a shaving cream instead? This way, you can shave while keeping your skin nourished and happy at the same time. The English Shaving Company offer a wide range of men's grooming and skincare products - you could pretty much buy your whole skincare routine in one place! They also provide a number of high-quality razors and electric beard trimmers, which are proven to be much kinder to your skin than the cheap ones you tend to see on the shelves.

Moisturiser

The next skincare product every man should have is a moisturiser. The dryer your skin tends to be naturally, the richer/thicker your moisturiser should be. On the other hand, if your skin is usually oily and shiny, there’s no good using a rich moisturiser as it will block your pores and risk causing spots.

Your job and daily routine will also affect the type of moisturiser you need. If you have a job that involves being outside for most of the day, make sure you invest in a heavy-duty moisturiser - you could even take it with you and apply it when necessary throughout the day. Whereas, if you spend most of your time in a stuffy office, moisturising twice a day is probably enough.  

Keeping your skin replenished and moisturised will also work wonders for preventing the signs of ageing - so it’s a win-win!

Sun protection  

A final skincare routine step that most men will probably think ‘pfft, really?’, is sun protection. This is important (yes, even in England) as the sun's UV rays can actually cause some serious skin damage. What’s scarier is that sun damage is usually completely invisible - it is later in life that it comes back to haunt you. So, wearing sun protection daily is a great way to prevent the onset of signs of ageing, if you start early. If it’s too late for that, wear sunscreen to prevent your wrinkles or age marks from worsening.

Many sunscreen products leave a white cast on the face after application. Ask about a lightweight daily sunscreen with SPF 30 that leaves minimal cast if you’re worried about having a deathly pallor. 

You are probably thinking that you don’t have time for this amount of skincare. However, if you are someone who needs their skincare to be super quick in the mornings, a lot of moisturisers these days include SPF, so you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Hopefully, this has cleared up some confusion about where to start, what to buy and how to use male skincare products. It is really not as overwhelming as it seems. Just wash your face, shave with good quality products and moisturise!