By Owain Williams
Courtesy Angus Miller
There is no denying that skincare is confusing.Even for men, who have just a fraction of the dedicated product choices of women, there are countless options for countless ‘skin types’ and problems. In some ways, this seems great - after all, we all have different skin and there seems to be a product available for every eventuality.
But in reality, the myriad of products available serve only one purpose - to confuse us.
It doesn’t need to be this way.
Of course, there are those of us who have medical skin conditions, who would benefit from professional advice. But for the vast majority of men, there are just a handful of products and routines that will provide you with the healthy-looking skin you want. These products don’t need to come with gimmicks, they don’t need to contain cutting-edge ingredients and they certainly don’t have to say ‘For Men’ on the packaging.
In this article, we explore the importance of men's skincare and offer some advice on the daily products and routines that will give fantastic results.
The Importance of Skincare
If you are reading this article, the likelihood is you are in the ever-growing proportion of men that see self-care as an important part of their lives.
Ask any man why they look after their skin and you will get all sorts of different answers. However, these answers usually fall into one or more of three categories:
- Wanting to look great
- Wanting to feel great
- Wanting to protect their health
A solid skincare regime will help you achieve all three of these goals.
The Importance of Simplicity
Great skincare is all about striking the balance between doing enough to support healthy skin, whilst not doing so much that you potentially overload and damage your skin. Consistency is also a very important factor, as doing a small amount every day will eventually pay bigger dividends than doing a large amount just occasionally.
Finding an effortless and simple to manage skincare regime will make it significantly easier to follow. This is especially important for the modern man who is often short on time. You can make your skincare regime much easier by keeping all your products in one convenient location and setting up subscriptions to your favourite products to ensure you don't run out.
Skincare: What Counts?
The Importance of Simplicity
Great skincare is all about striking the balance between doing enough to support healthy skin, whilst not doing so much that you potentially overload and damage your skin. Consistency is also a very important factor, as doing a small amount every day will eventually pay bigger dividends than doing a large amount just occasionally.
Finding an effortless and simple to manage skincare regime will make it significantly easier to follow. This is especially important for the modern man who is often short on time. You can make your skincare regime much easier by keeping all your products in one convenient location and setting up subscriptions to your favourite products to ensure you don't run out.
Skincare: What Counts?
So, what really counts when it comes to skincare for men?
The team at GQ suggest a super simple 3 step process:
The team at GQ suggest a super simple 3 step process:
- Cleanse twice daily
- Exfoliate twice weekly
- Moisturise
Cleanse
Cleansing is the fundamental starting point for any good skincare regime. Not only does regularly cleansing help you clear dirt, grime and pollution away from your face, but it also helps remove the layers of moisturiser and other products you use, stopping them from building up and clogging your skin over time.
Most recommend cleansing twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. This is a good starting point, but ultimately you will need to listen to your skin. If you feel the indeed to cleanse more, then do. You may also need to cleanse less if you find that your skin is becoming dry from repetitive washing.
Regular cleansing requires a gentle, natural and sulphate-free cleanser that is kind to your skin - such as our award-winning face wash.
Exfoliate
The process of exfoliating helps to buff away dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling smooth and soft.
However, over-exfoliating can actually dry or cause some damage to your skin and lead to future issues. This is especially true if you use an exfoliator that contains rough materials or beads. Therefore, when using a dedicated exfoliator, it is important to use this sparingly, usually 1-2 times a week or as the instructions recommend.
An alternative to this is using a facewash that both cleanses and very gently exfoliates – Dr Jackson’s 07 Face Wash has been formulated with that goal in mind, fruit acids found in pomegranate’s red seed arils function as a mild exfoliant and a natural alternative to harmful microbeads, allowing you to exfoliate every day without the potential of damage.
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Protect
Cleansing and exfoliating will help you clear your skin of all the dirt and remove dead cells that build. Once you have cleaned this all away, it is time to add a layer that will help protect your skin against negative influences.
The skincare industry tries to sell this to men under many different terms such as ‘face protector’, ‘hydrating gel’ and ‘skin energy booster’ - most of which are moisturisers under a different name. Fortunately, once you realise this, it becomes easier to find quality alternatives to gender-branded products, offering you a much greater range of choices.
A good moisturiser will calm irritated skin, which is especially important after shaving. It can also help reduce the signs of ageing such as wrinkles by hydrating the skin, minimising their appearance.
Most modern men who care about their appearance watch what they put into their bodies, often choosing more natural, healthy foods. This is also a good approach when deciding which moisturiser to use - look for one which uses nutrient-rich, natural ingredients to feed your skin.
You may want to choose a different moisturiser for use after each cleanse. This will mean you have one dedicated moisturiser for the day, which will help protect against daily stresses, but also have one dedicated moisturiser for the night which is richer in nature and deeply hydrates helping your skin regenerate whilst you sleep.
One factor which is often overlooked when it comes to protecting men's skin is the accumulative damage that the sun can have. This is especially true during the warmer months when the skin is directly exposed to sunlight.
Applying sun cream can be one good way to mitigate the risks of sun damage. However, you may also choose to use a quality moisturiser that contains SPF to give you easy, daily protection, just watch out and avoid SPF creams that contain oxybenzone, octinoxate and nanoparticles, which are known disruptors and can irritate the skin, and swap for cleaner alternatives.
Eyes
So far, we have covered the absolute basics of men's skincare. In reality, if you follow the three steps we have outlined above (cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise) on a consistent basis you are likely to see visibly healthier skin. Most men don’t necessarily need to do any more than this.
However, if you are a grooming addict and want to take it one step further, targeting the skin around your eyes can be a great way to make yourself look more energised and refreshed. This is especially true as we grow older and the stresses of life take their toll.
Using a simple toning eye gel on a daily basis can help lift tired eyes, revive your skin and help you look well-rested.
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Beard Care
Ok, so this isn't strictly about skin, but beards are an unavoidable part of a daily self-care grooming routine. We clean our beards when we cleanse our skin, and we moisturise them when we apply moisturiser to our faces.
For those that want to up their beard game, adding oil to your routine will help soften the hairs, give them a smoother look, and can help tame even the wildest of face warmers.
To do this, simply cup a few droplets of quality, natural beard or face oil in your hand and massage into your beard.
Water, Sleep & Stress
Again, we are deviating a little from the brief of ‘what a man should put on his skin’, but we have an important point to make.
Even with some of the best skincare products on the market tucked away in your bathroom cabinet, you are unlikely to have healthy, attractive skin unless you make the right lifestyle choices.
Drinking enough water is a powerful way to help give your body what it needs to maintain and repair your skin. Sleeping enough will also give your body the time it needs to undo any damage your skin encounters.
Stress can have a negative impact on your skin (and the rest of your body), so finding ways to unwind and reduce your stress can also be a great way to improve the look and feel of your skin.
Cleansing is the fundamental starting point for any good skincare regime. Not only does regularly cleansing help you clear dirt, grime and pollution away from your face, but it also helps remove the layers of moisturiser and other products you use, stopping them from building up and clogging your skin over time.
Most recommend cleansing twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. This is a good starting point, but ultimately you will need to listen to your skin. If you feel the indeed to cleanse more, then do. You may also need to cleanse less if you find that your skin is becoming dry from repetitive washing.
Regular cleansing requires a gentle, natural and sulphate-free cleanser that is kind to your skin - such as our award-winning face wash.
Exfoliate
The process of exfoliating helps to buff away dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling smooth and soft.
However, over-exfoliating can actually dry or cause some damage to your skin and lead to future issues. This is especially true if you use an exfoliator that contains rough materials or beads. Therefore, when using a dedicated exfoliator, it is important to use this sparingly, usually 1-2 times a week or as the instructions recommend.
An alternative to this is using a facewash that both cleanses and very gently exfoliates – Dr Jackson’s 07 Face Wash has been formulated with that goal in mind, fruit acids found in pomegranate’s red seed arils function as a mild exfoliant and a natural alternative to harmful microbeads, allowing you to exfoliate every day without the potential of damage.
BUY
Protect
Cleansing and exfoliating will help you clear your skin of all the dirt and remove dead cells that build. Once you have cleaned this all away, it is time to add a layer that will help protect your skin against negative influences.
The skincare industry tries to sell this to men under many different terms such as ‘face protector’, ‘hydrating gel’ and ‘skin energy booster’ - most of which are moisturisers under a different name. Fortunately, once you realise this, it becomes easier to find quality alternatives to gender-branded products, offering you a much greater range of choices.
A good moisturiser will calm irritated skin, which is especially important after shaving. It can also help reduce the signs of ageing such as wrinkles by hydrating the skin, minimising their appearance.
Most modern men who care about their appearance watch what they put into their bodies, often choosing more natural, healthy foods. This is also a good approach when deciding which moisturiser to use - look for one which uses nutrient-rich, natural ingredients to feed your skin.
You may want to choose a different moisturiser for use after each cleanse. This will mean you have one dedicated moisturiser for the day, which will help protect against daily stresses, but also have one dedicated moisturiser for the night which is richer in nature and deeply hydrates helping your skin regenerate whilst you sleep.
One factor which is often overlooked when it comes to protecting men's skin is the accumulative damage that the sun can have. This is especially true during the warmer months when the skin is directly exposed to sunlight.
Applying sun cream can be one good way to mitigate the risks of sun damage. However, you may also choose to use a quality moisturiser that contains SPF to give you easy, daily protection, just watch out and avoid SPF creams that contain oxybenzone, octinoxate and nanoparticles, which are known disruptors and can irritate the skin, and swap for cleaner alternatives.
Eyes
So far, we have covered the absolute basics of men's skincare. In reality, if you follow the three steps we have outlined above (cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise) on a consistent basis you are likely to see visibly healthier skin. Most men don’t necessarily need to do any more than this.
However, if you are a grooming addict and want to take it one step further, targeting the skin around your eyes can be a great way to make yourself look more energised and refreshed. This is especially true as we grow older and the stresses of life take their toll.
Using a simple toning eye gel on a daily basis can help lift tired eyes, revive your skin and help you look well-rested.
BUY
Beard Care
Ok, so this isn't strictly about skin, but beards are an unavoidable part of a daily self-care grooming routine. We clean our beards when we cleanse our skin, and we moisturise them when we apply moisturiser to our faces.
For those that want to up their beard game, adding oil to your routine will help soften the hairs, give them a smoother look, and can help tame even the wildest of face warmers.
To do this, simply cup a few droplets of quality, natural beard or face oil in your hand and massage into your beard.
Water, Sleep & Stress
Again, we are deviating a little from the brief of ‘what a man should put on his skin’, but we have an important point to make.
Even with some of the best skincare products on the market tucked away in your bathroom cabinet, you are unlikely to have healthy, attractive skin unless you make the right lifestyle choices.
Drinking enough water is a powerful way to help give your body what it needs to maintain and repair your skin. Sleeping enough will also give your body the time it needs to undo any damage your skin encounters.
Stress can have a negative impact on your skin (and the rest of your body), so finding ways to unwind and reduce your stress can also be a great way to improve the look and feel of your skin.
Men's Skincare: Summary
Great skincare doesn't have to mean countless or expensive products. In fact, picking a small number of higher quality products – those coming from nature and backed by science, is more likely to have a positive impact on the health of your skin. Your skincare regime is important, but can also be time-consuming. Keeping it simple increases the likelihood that you will be able to follow it on a daily basis.
It can take a little time and testing to find the right mix of products, processes and lifestyle choices that work for you. So, take notice of how your skin looks and feels and make the relevant adjustments accordingly.
Buy your uncomplicated skincare routine here