Use this, not that - Men’s Skincare Edition
Let me preface this by saying - skincare is for everybody. Skincare marketed for specific genders are nothing but marketing schemes because skin is skin. While men and women may have different skin needs (facial hair care, hormonal acne, etc), the ingredients and products needed to treat these concerns are not gender specific. So yes, fellas, you can steal the woman in your life’s skincare and not wake up with a vagina the next day.
Now that we got that out the way - I’m going to guide you through all the common skincare mistakes and product misusage that men make and how to correct it so you can have the glowing skin you deserve without having to sneak your sister’s skincare.
One of the biggest skincare mistakes that everybody makes, regardless of gender, is not wearing sunscreen daily (no matter what the time of year is). Hyperpigmentation AKA “dark marks” and acne cannot go away/heal, and will only get worse, without regular sunscreen usage. Reminder that you need at least 2 fingers full of product for full coverage (face, ears, and neck). SPF should be your face moisturizer for day. You do not need a moisturizer if you’re wearing SPF for the day.
So what are some affordable sunscreen options that leave ZERO white cast?
Another skincare mistake men make is using raw essential oils (like tea tree oil) as an acne spot treatment or ingrown hair solution. You cannot put raw essential oils on your skin. They’re entirely too harsh on the skin alone (and you can’t dilute it with water because oil and water don’t mix) and cause photosensitivity in the skin. This means your skin becomes even more sensitive to sunlight and if you’re not wearing sunscreen this means your dark marks and acne will get even worse. No more tea tree oil as aftershave. Here are some alternatives instead.
Post shave treatment (to soothe the skin and protect ingrown hairs immediately after shaving):
Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Mask ($52) - Before you cringe at the price, this is WORTH IT. Use this after you shave (after you wash your face, before you apply your moisturizer) and a few nights a week, and watch your acne go away.
Naturium Niacinamide + Zinc ($16) - You would apply this serum after you shave and wash your face, before you moisturize your face. This niacinamide will help calm and soothe your skin and the zinc is antibacterial so it will help prevent ingrown hairs from forming. You can use this serum every night to help even your skin tone and prevent acne.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ($30) - This is a treatment liquid you would apply after you shave and wash your face, before you apply your moisturizer. It contains salicylic acid to deep clean your pores and prevent acne causing bacteria and ingrown hairs as well as green tea to soothe your skin post shave. You can use this treatment liquid 2-3 nights per week to prevent and treat ingrowns and acne.
Spot treatment for ingrown hairs and pimples:
Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch ($12.99) - These are SO clutch for the pimples you just want to pop. After you wash and moisturize your face, put these invisible stickers on your ingrown hairs or pimples and let it sit for the day. By the end of the day you’ll see the pus sitting on the pimple patch, with the pimple or ingrown gone.
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Acne Treatment ($19.99) - Apply this spot treatment at night, 2-3 times per week on your problem areas or ingrown hairs.
Next, imma need my fellas to stop using Dial soap, Irish spring, African Black soap etc as a facial cleanser and get a real hydrating cleanser to support a healthy skin barrier. Your acne isn’t going away or your skin constantly feels too dry or too oily because you’re probably using the wrong cleanser with the wrong technique. You should be washing your face with cold water after you shower, every night (you can wash your face in the morning but it’s not necessary if you washed your face the night before) for 60 seconds. The average bar soap’s pH (ESPECIALLY African Black soap) is too harsh for the average skin type which causes skin dryness and skin sensitivity that leads to dark spots and acne. You need a cleanser that is going to hydrate and safely cleanse your skin of the day’s sweat, oil, and SPF.
Better cleansers to use than bar soap/African black soap:
Rosen Skincare Super Smoothie Cleanser ($17.99) - Black owned!
Finally, men love to use either shea butter or coconut oil as a moisturizer and it needs to stop. Raw shea butter and coconut oil does not belong on your face. Choose a moisturizer that has concentrated amounts of these oils for the benefits of these natural ingredients, without having to deal with the acne causing clogged pores that butters and oils cause. Raw shea butter and coconut oil are not good for acne prone or ingrown prone skin. Oils don’t hydrate the skin, it just serves as a protective layer to prevent moisture from leaving the skin and preventing any external moisture from coming into the skin. If your skin is dry, the butters and oils are just locking that dryness in. You need a real moisturizer with hydrating ingredients that’s going to provide your skin with the hydration and moisture to needs to support a healthy skin barrier. Remember, during the day you can use your SPF as a moisturizer. Outside of that, you’ll use this moisturizer at night after you wash your face for the evening.
Moisturizers that actually moisturize without clogging your pores:
In short — Making these swaps are a great way to get started on a new and improved skincare journey to help tackle your skin goals. Put the tea tree oil, bar soap, and raw shea butter away and get with the winning team.
Cheers,
Kahina