Basic skincare for men

I was just out shopping recently, and I was looking for some perfume. But during the course of looking for my perfume (in the end I bought YSL L'Homme), I explored Lucky Plaza and Suntec City, and I came across a mind-boggling array of men's skincare products.

I was a little overwhelmed by the array of facial foam, shaving gel, aftershave balm, toners, night cream, day cream, moisturisers, exfoliating gel, purifying masks and facial scrubs. Besides there being so many different types of skincare / facial products, there were also so many brands to chose from. L'Oreal, Nugeno, Clarins, Clinique Lab Series, Zirh, Neutrogena, Gatsby, Nivea, Laneige, Vichy, Dermalogica and the list goes on and on.

So, I started asking myself, "What is all this about? What do all these things do for my skin? What is a good skincare regime? Which are good products?" And as I started my research, and buying my skincare products, I slowly started to make sense of it all.

1. Differences between guy's and girl's skin?

From what I've read, the difference between guy's and girl's skin lies in the sebaceous glands and sebum. The sebaceous glands are tiny oil-producing glands commonly found in human skin.

These glands produce a oily fluid called sebum - which help to prevent evaporation of perspiration, and keep skin and scalp supple. Sebaceous glands are much more prevalent in guys skin, larger and more active. In simpler terms, guy's skin is typically about 15% more oily than girl's. Also, we have significantly larger pores, which may be easily clogged up with excess oil or dirt :)

Also, there is the rather obvious difference problem of facial hair, and shaving it is another painful process which guys have to go through. Shaving often leads to razor burn, razor bumps, cuts and ingrown facial hairs.

2. What is a good skincare regime?

a) Clean

Given the extra oil in our skin, we guys have to take extra care to make sure there is not excess oil or dirt on our skin which will clog up our pores and give us pimples. Facial foam and facial scrubs help to remove excess oil, and keep our skin clean and clear. Typically I don't spend too much on facial foams or scrubs as they are the most basic of all skincare products.

Typically, for normal to oily skin, you should wash with facial foam about once to twice a day, and use a scrub about once to twice a week. Don't use facial scrubs too often as they can tend to be quite rough and cause irritation to the skin.

b) Tone

I just started toning recently, and I think a large majority of other guys don't really do this as well. I usually apply the Vichy Homme toner that I bough with cotton wool, and I find it cleanse s and freshens the skin more than face wash, as well as shrinks pores. This is not surprising, as toners are designed to penetrate pores, refresh and cool your skin while clearing away excess oil, impurities and dead skin cells.

Toners also restore the skin's natural pH balance. When you wash your face, the pH balance of the skin is changed (depending on how acidic or alkaline the facewash is), leading to your skin having to work to restore pH levels; this process of skin can take up as much as half and hour or more. By using a skin toner, the pH level of your skin is restored instantly.

c) Moisturize

We all need to moisturize our skin from the damaging effects of the sun's rays, pollution in the air, humidity and changes in temperature, which may leave skin flaky or dry.

Moisturizing keeps the skin supple and hydrated, protects it from the damages of the environment, helps skin cell regeneration and helps remove the signs of ageing - fine lines and wrinkles.

Most of the time, moisturizers come in a cream or a gel form. A good moisturizer should contain the essential ingredients for good skin (as mentioned in my previous post on Skin Food) such as Vitamins A, C and E, essential fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants and plant extracts. A good moisturizer should contain all these ingredients, as well as not be too oily.

I use Nugeno's Face Lifting Cream in the morning right after I wash and tone. It keeps my skin feeling "protected"

d) Exfoliate

Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells by scrubbing to reveal the newer, younger skin beneath. The exfoliation process removes all the dead skin on your face, unclogs your pores, keeps your skin clean and "fresh" and prevents acne. Another small little benefit is exfoliation exposes the hair follicles on our face, which allows for a better shave.

I use the Nugeno Men Deep Exfoliating Gel. By slowly massaging into my skin in a circular motion, the gel seems to melt away all the surface impurities and dead skin, leaving my skin feeling newer and fresher. Exfoliating about once a week should be just fine.

Once again, the range of products for each of this steps is simply too much for me to go into much detail on. Also, there's the question of dry skin, sensitive skin, oily skin and combination skin, to further complicate things.
However, I think no matter what skin type or what skincare products you use, these 4 steps are still essential for a good skincare regimen. Also, 8 hours or sleep a day and 8 glasses of water will ensure proper rest and hydration.

Live well!
Tim