Skincare can seem like a complex topic to the uninitiated, but it doesn’t need to be anything other than straightforward. There are certain skincare essentials which every man who really cares about their appearance should have at their disposal, and in this post we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to those staple men's skincare products.
While your core skincare items, such as cleansers, scrubs, and moisturisers, will typically be used more frequently, other products can be used as little as once or week or even less. Once you have found a product of each type that works for you, building an outstanding skincare routine, which will have you looking and feeling your best, is a total breeze.
Check out our comprehensive guide to the 7 men’s skincare products every man needs to have.
The 7 Men’s Skincare Products every man needs to have
1. Face Mask
A face mask is a treat for your skin, the kind of product you only need to be using once per week or a couple of times per month to see the benefits. To use an analogy, you might brush your teeth every day, but they never feel quite as clean as after you’ve been seen by the hygienist at the dentist. Likewise, you may cleanse and moisturise every day, but face masks do these jobs more thoroughly than a daily routine can ever manage alone.
Cleansing face masks such as Charcoal Mask absorb deep lying impurities by penetrating deep into the pores, mopping up dirt and grease and allowing it to be washed away.
Moisturising face masks, on the other hand, can be used overnight or left on the face for longer periods of time to impart deep nutritive benefits.
2. Exfoliating Scrubs
Exfoliation is a vital part of any skincare routine, no matter your skin type. If you suffer from dry skin, the benefits of exfoliating will be obvious, allowing you to remove the dead skin which builds up in areas affected by dryness.]
If you have oily skin, however, exfoliating is arguably even more important, as the excess sebum produced by your skin can build up in the pores, causing blockages that lead to blackheads and cystic spots.
For those with sensitive skin, scrubbing can be a cause of irritation, so chemical exfoliants may be preferable.
3. Cleanser
Cleansing is your daily skin maintenance, removing dirt, oil, environmental pollutants, and any products which have built up on your skin throughout the previous day. Go 24 hours without cleansing and, if you’re like most people, your skin will punish you.
Try to find a cleanser suited to your skin type. For those with oily skin, you’ll want something the thoroughly cleans the skin of sebum while imparting a matte finish. For those with drier skin, you may require a cleanser with conditioning properties so that the skin is not stripped of too much moisture. Those with sensitive skin may benefit from a fragrance free cleanser, which sidesteps irritation.
4. Eye Cream
The skin around your eyes is a little different to other areas of the skin. Thinner, and more densely packed with blood vessels, the skin under your eyelids is commonly extremely sensitive, and is often one of the first areas of your face to show the signs of tiredness, dehydration, or irritation. For this reason, having a product designed to deal with problems specific to your eyes is a smart idea.
Eye creams and balms usually impart cooling and soothing benefits, while often containing ingredients which narrow the blood vessels at the surface of the skin, reducing the appearance of dark patches.
5. Serum
Serums are like a multivitamin for your skin, designed specifically to deliver intense benefits, while being extremely quick and easy to apply.
Most serums have one major element in common: they’re densely packed with nutrients and antioxidants, which combat against environmental damage, help to keep your skin in optimal health, and slow the signs of ageing.
6. Moisturiser
Moisturising replenishes the hydration lost in the process of exfoliating and cleansing. This process plumps and firms the skin, as well as forming a light protective barrier over the skin which helps to guard against the dirt and bacteria which contribute to breakouts and blemishes. Everyone, no matter their skin type, should moisturise at least once per day, and if you have drier skin, you may need to moisturise even more frequently.
7. Blemish Treatment
Breakouts are more or less unavoidable. Everyone experiences them sometimes. Those with an oily or combination skin type are likely to experience them more frequently, however, even those with dry skin will have breakouts occasionally.
When your skin breaks out, it behaves slightly differently to normal, and needs be treated somewhat differently accordingly. Pimples (yellowheads as opposed to blackheads) are always caused by bacteria, and when your skin breaks out, it means that bacteria has infected a sebaceous gland on your skin. Blemish treatments usually contain mild acids which sterilise the affected area. This both stops the initial infected gland from getting worse, and stops it from spreading to other areas. For this reason, they’re the most effective way of rapidly dealing with breakouts.
If you like this content, check out our easy 4 step men’s skincare routine, our best face washes for men, our favourite razors on Mankind, and our favourite moisturisers. As always, for more grooming expertise, keep up to speed with the Mankind blog.
