Men's facial care. Discover the complete guide to healthy skin

Quick, simple and to the point - that's what you can say about male grooming in a nutshell. Many men are not fond of taking too long to apply serums, creams, toners or masks. It's supposed to be express but effective. But can male facial care really be like that? And how different is it from the treatments women undergo at home? How to take care of a man's face, so that the wolf is full and the sheep is whole?

Men's facial care and the specifics of the skin - aging

Although we would like to say that men's and women's grooming should be no different, this would be not quite true. So let's make one thing clear - men also need to take care of themselves in order to keep their skin healthy and well-groomed. Cleansing alone is not enough, although for many people facial care for a man looks like this. Why this is a mistake, we will tell you in a moment. But now we will focus on how men's skin differs from women's skin. And why knowing these differences is crucial in choosing skin care treatments.

Men's skin has many advantages. It is thicker than women's by about 25%^[1], and has a greater number of melanocytes, so it is not as susceptible to mechanical damage and other external factors. In addition, it is less stretchy, more compact and resilient. And this combines with one thing - it does not age as quickly as women's skin. This makes anti-wrinkle creams for men a cosmetic necessity a little later than for ladies. However, completely forgetting about them is unwise. With age, the skin changes by leaps and bounds, so men may notice a rapid increase in wrinkles and fine lines. Are these all the differences? Oh no, this is just the beginning!

Men's facial care and hormones

Thicker epidermis is not the only difference that makes grooming different in men and women. Another is the amount of sebum, which makes men's skin more prone to the occurrence of acne, especially during adolescence. Testosterone is responsible for activating the sebaceous glands, while androgens in turn stimulate them to work intensively. Although this is most evident during puberty, over time men still have to contend with oilier skin. Add to that enlarged pores and blackheads, blackheads, pimples and, of course, acne is ready. Of course, in the absence of proper care. Male hormones are one thing, as another issue is the lack of cleansing and exfoliation, but also taking care of a high level of hydration. Yes, male facial care can do a lot.

How to improve the appearance of the face? A man does not have it easier at all

We know very well what women's facial care is all about. A man, however, doesn't have it easier at all, or at least he shouldn't. Even if you can't imagine introducing ten-step Korean skin care into your daily routine, you need to know that taking care of your skin in several steps, rather than one, is the absolute minimum you can do for it. What steps are necessary for male grooming to really prove effective?

Cleansing - the basis. This is the moment when you get rid of not only excess sebum, but also dirt accumulated during the day or at night. These can clog pores and cause inflammation.
Toning - a step not at all to be skipped! The right toner can mattify your skin, but most importantly, it will prepare it for further skin care by equalizing the pH level. Remember that the hydrolipid barrier in men is prone to a lot of loss, if only through daily shaving. A tonic can replenish them.
Peeling - once every two weeks it is worth getting rid of exfoliating skin that can clog pores. In men, extremely important - not least because of more dilated pores and thicker epidermis.
Moisturizing - that is, appropriate face creams for men. And these should be tailored to you, your skin and what signals it gives you. About that in a moment.
Shaving/beard care - no matter how long you've been wearing your beard, whether it's, say. 3-day beardor you get rid of it regularly, you need to take care to soothe any skin irritation. Areas such as the beard, cheeks or the skin above the upper lip are prone to damage, but which can be prevented or alleviated. We'll cover how to take care of your beard in another article.

Is it all there is to it? Due to the fact that men often struggle with bags under their eyes, men's facial care should also be enriched with an eye cream. Cosmetics for men also include serums or masks, which make the care complete. Now let's focus on the specifics!

Men's facial care - cleansing

Cleansing is essential both in the morning and in the evening. Washing the skin in the morning allows you to get rid of dirt accumulated during sleep, as well as sebum. In addition, it allows you to prepare your skin to receive the beneficial active substances found in cosmetics. If you wash your face with water, apply a cream and leave the house, you can expect that your skin will not revive at all. What's more - over time you will notice skin problems caused by clogged pores. The best way to cleanse a man's face is to use gentle gels or foams that do not contain irritants such as alcohol, parabens, silicones. Also avoid regular soap, which further dries out the skin. Even if you struggle with oily or combination skin, your job is to get rid of excess sebum and mattify your skin, not dry it out. Remember that water is life - you need it for your skin to work properly.

Men's facial care also includes toning

How to take care of facial skin? A man should also use cosmetics to tame problems and ensure that the skin is properly nourished. And in this, despite appearances, a toner can help. After cleansing, it is a good toner that can soothe the skin with panthenol or allantoin, take care of the hydrolipid barrier, for example, thanks to arginine and improve, fight free radicals - vitamin C, vitamin E or niacinamide. Especially natural cosmetics for men are a mine of excellent ingredients for people with acne-prone, oily, combination or otherwise problematic skin. It is worth finding a place for them in your bathroom.

How to improve a man's complexion? Scrub!

How to take care of a man's complexion? In addition to regular cleansing, take care of scrubbing twice a week. Scrubbing is not only an excellent cosmetic to support the skin cleansing process - it allows you to get rid of keratinized epidermis and reduce the risk of blackheads. On top of that, it guarantees better absorption of active substances, so the cosmetics you use are simply more effective. If you're wondering what facial cosmetics for men must be in your makeup bag, a scrub is certainly one of them.

Men's facial care - moisturizing cream

Facial cosmetics for men is not only a cleansing gel and scrub. It's also, or maybe even primarily, a good moisturizing cream. Even if you own combination or oily skin, you need hydration. Why? It's to rebalance your skin, reduce sebum secretion and, most importantly, provide the right level of hydration. One of the worst things you can do for your skin is to dry it out with toners with alcohol and not use a cream. The cream should be light, with plenty of hydration promoters, such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, urea or lactic acid.

Although we mention the bare minimum here, remember that a face serum for men or a good mask for men is an excellent addition to your skin care routine. You should also keep them in mind when choosing facial cosmetics. And all this to take care of yourself comprehensively and effectively...not necessarily quickly.

Source

^[1] https://www.ollie.pl/czym-sie-rozni-adam-od-ewy/