Building a skincare routine can be intimidating for anyone, especially when you walk through the aisles of your local beauty retailer and see the plethora of options to choose from. Maybe this is why we, men, shy away from building a solid skincare routine or worse, don’t use any skincare at all. Let’s break down the essentials for a routine focused specifically on your skincare needs and provide a guide on how to get started – first by knowing your skin type. In general, male skin is thicker, oilier and ages differently. Our skin is, on average, approximately 20% thicker than female skin. It contains more collagen and has a tighter, firmer appearance.

Know your skin type

We are disposed to the same skin types as women, which means men can use women’s skincare products. Ingredients are not focused for specific genders, but they are important when it comes to knowing your skin type:

● Normal skin

Those with normal skin don’t have specific visible issues, such as breakouts, oiliness or dry patches. Skin also doesn’t react adversely to the introduction of new skincare products or changes in the weather. However, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be using any skincare products. Vitamin C and other skincare ingredients can be very useful to maintaining your healthy skin’s cycle, getting rid of dead skin cells and improving your overall skin tone.

● Oily skin

Oily skin is the consequence of overproduction of sebum and is common for those of us with beards. It’s a general misconception that those with oily skin need to strip away the oil and skip moisturizers. However, doing so can dry out the skin and initiate oil glands to create more oil to battle dryness. Moisturizing is an essential step in skincare routines for any skin type, even oily.

● Dry skin

Dryness is caused by lack of oil in the skin. In order to get rid of dry skin incorporate two key steps in your skincare routine: exfoliation and moisturizing. The goal is to exfoliate away the flakey dead skin cells sitting on the surface of the skin, then replenish your skin with moisture. Hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient to look for in moisturizers as it can hold 1,000 times its weight in water.

● Combination skin (dry and oily)

Most find that they have combination skin and it is the most confusing to understand. Certain areas of the face are oily, and others are dry. The best advice for this would be to focus on skincare that will “balance” your skin.

● Sensitive skin

Can’t tell if you have sensitive skin? Do you feel irritation after shaving? Or when you try a new product? Sensitive skin can be identified by experiencing unpleasant sensations, such as itching, burning, tingling or pain. Sensitive skin needs to be addressed with simple, non-irritating and gentle skincare products.

How to layer products for a good skincare routine.

In order to have the best skincare routine, sequence matters. Several steps are needed in order to ensure great skin now and later. Nothing is easier than consistency.

Cleansers

Cleansers are the best way to wash off dirt, dead skin and impurities from your skin and are essential for any skin type. Save time by keeping your cleanser, and even your exfoliant, in the shower! Remember to choose a cleanser that’s right for your skin type.

Exfoliants

Exfoliate when your skin feels rough, dull or dry! Exfoliating helps remove dead skin cells that can lead to clogged pores. However, unlike cleansing, you shouldn’t exfoliate every day. Try incorporating an exfoliator into your routine 2-3 times per week. If you have a beard, the best time to exfoliate is before shaving, as doing it afterwards may cause irritation. It can also help provide a closer and cleaner shave.

Exfoliation is also a great way to prevent ingrown hairs and help your moisturizer sink into your skin better.

Acne treatments

It all starts with the pores and hair follicles being clogged with dead skin cells which can then cause the sebaceous glands to overproduce oil. Cleansing and pores-focused skincare products are the solution to purifying your skin.

Serums to fight against oxidative stress

A face serum delivers high concentrations of key ingredients to your skin. Serums can also help to fight off oxidative stress with antioxidants such as vitamin C or retinol.

Oxidative stress is the imbalance between free radical production and your body’s ability to detoxify their effects with antioxidants.

Eye cream

Having trouble with wrinkles around your eye area? Or are you not able to sleep well and it’s starting to show? Eye creams address fine lines and wrinkles and/or under-eye puffiness and dark circles. Dr. Brandt Skincare has a few solutions.

Moisturizers

Moisturizers are a must have in any skincare routine. They help to keep skin from feeling dry and also helps with irritation from shaving. Maintaining a healthy level of moisture is essential in preventing signs of aging. If the feeling of a “heavy” moisturizer is a turn off, look for lightweight lotions or gel moisturizers.

Sunscreen

Whether you are mostly indoors or outdoors, sunscreen is a must. Outside, being exposed to the sun means receiving UVA/UVB rays which have an impact on drying your skin and also premature skin aging. Indoors (and even outdoors), harmful blue light from screens (television, computers, phones, tablets…) also has a negative effect on your skin. Look for a 100% mineral sunscreen, which is suitable for all skin types, with at least an SPF of 30 and one that protects from HEV/blue light.