For decades men have been plagued by the stereotype that skincare is exclusively for women. This shows when on average, men have a very basic or entirely non-existent skincare routine. Women however, can have a before-bed skincare routine that takes up to an hour.
This is partly due to the fact that culturally it isn’t seen to be masculine to care about these things. As a result, men are not taught how to properly maintain the healthy skin. Another factor is that companies simply haven’t advertised skincare for men and solely focused on women.
This is slowly starting to change, as companies like Nivea have created products specifically for men, along with advertising to go with it. Branding like this slowly starting to change the perception of men’s skincare, which has been neglected in the past. Companies like Albiva are taking it one step further by creating products for the health of skin regardless of gender, age or skin type, therefore further removing the stereotypes of yesteryear.
This change is being welcomed by many people. The skin is not only the largest organ of the human body, but also the biggest determiner of confidence and deserves the appropriate amount of care.
Get Started With a Simple Care Routine
Beginning your journey of skincare doesn’t need to be overly complicated or daunting. Here are a few simple things to focus on to get you started.
Cleanse
The first step in any skincare routine is cleansing. All that you would need to do is choose a cleanser. An affordable cleanser with great reviews is the Clear Skin Salicylic Cleanser from misumiskincare.com.
Then gently massage the cleanser onto your skin. Once you’ve done that wash it off with warm water. If any excess cleanser still remains, use a cloth to remove it. It’s important to know your skin type as different cleansers use different oils. Argan oil is better for oily skin than something with a milky formula which will leave your skin even more oily.
You should also avoid any cleanser that strips your skin of its natural oils, or damages the first layer of your skin. Cleansers help to remove excess oil, dirt, sweat and dead skin cells from your skin. They also create a clean foundation for other products such as moisturizer.
Moisturize
The next step is to moisturize your face which is a much quicker process than cleansing. The application of the product is similar to the cleanser except you don’t wash it off.
Moisturizers hydrate the skin, improve skin texture and mask imperfections. Be aware of the amount that is used. You want it to be soaked into your skin in order to moisturize, not coat your skin in an oily sheen. If you use too little then your skin won’t be hydrated which might lead to dry patches and irritation, this is caused by dry skin. If you use too much you run the risk of breakouts, especially if using the incorrect formula.
For oily skin it is recommended to use a gel formula and for dry skin a creamier formula is preferred. Moisturizers are also available in day cream and night cream. Day cream protect against dust, bacteria and environmental pollutants. Night creams generally use chemicals such as Retin A which works to repair and prevent any damage to the skin.
Sunscreen
To ensure that all of the effort from the previous two steps are not done in vain. It is essential to apply sunscreen before leaving the house. This is particularly important for anyone suffering from sensitive skin.
The sun has many negative effects on the skin including premature aging, reducing the elasticity of the skin and leaving it looking dry and weathered. Even if it does not look sunny outside, the rays of the sun still penetrate through the clouds.
When buying sunscreen, look for something that contains SPF 30. Ingredients such as avobenzone, octisalate and oxybenzone as these chemicals are protective against the suns UVA and UVB rays. More importantly, sunscreen can protect you against skin cancer, which affects more than 2 million people every year worldwide.