Salma Khattab 
There is a common misconception that skincare in general is for women only. Well, this isn't true because simply, both genders are humans who have skin and accordingly, they have skin problems! Many of these struggles even start hitting men at a very early age, one of which is the most popular skin problem: teenage acne. And because we know how much men can't handle too much skincare steps, or any steps at all concerning this matter, we brought them the quickest, easiest and most effective skincare routine for men that will both save their skin and time.
For starters, it’s important to identify your skin type: is it normal, dry, oily, or a combination of two of them? Additionally, there are different ways in which acne manifests on your skin – pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, cystic acne, and acne scars.
Well, even a man who knows he should take care of his skin might stop at that phase. The greatest thing he might do is borrow a cream or a lotion from his wife, without knowing what its purpose is. Therefore, the following are some of the skin care routines from which a man can pick what suits him according to his skin need.
1. Cleansing twice daily
It's so simple. Even a lazy man would probably wash his face once in the morning and once during the day or at night. When washing the face, all the dirt, grime, and excess oil that has settled inside the pores and atop the skin are removed. This will prevent clogged pores, breakouts, and will minimize shine.
If a man already uses a product he knows will nourish his skin, cleansing is so crucial before using anything, otherwise he’ll definitely limit the effectiveness of a moisturizer, exfoliate, or mask. He should think of it this way: "I need a clean canvas before I start putting anything on it, and cleanser cleans the canvas".
Face cleansing by just water and a type of soap that is compatible with the skin type is a very simple and handy process. A man can simply wash his face when he wakes up -to clean the grime you accumulated while he slept, and then once again before bed, to flush away the day’s buildup.
2. Exfoliate weekly
Men will love this step a lot; first, because it is done weekly, not everyday, second, because this step is what's behind keeping the youthful face look.
Why do you need to exfoliate? It's because after cleansing, you should scrub away any dead skin cells that would clog pores and accordingly lead to breakouts. This exfoliation also allows the healthier skin cells to live on the surface of the skin, giving the face a “brighter” complexion while also minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. A man should only exfoliate once a week, to avoid too much abrasion.
Exfoliating before shaving is also another tip that not only rids a man's face of dead skin cells and excess oil that causes acne, but it also helps to open up his pores and lift facial hair in order to prevent cuts and in-grown hairs.
3. Moisturize twice daily
Once the skin is cleansed and buffed, it’s time to hydrate and protect the face. Thus, the final product in this simple routine is the moisturizer. It delivers soothing vitamins and nutrients to the skin, while also creating a barrier on the skin so as to shield the face from toxins (e.g. smoke or smog).
Face moisturizing is essential in the morning to recover from lost moisture during sleep, and before-bed moisturizing is important for maximizing the effects of the skin-strengthening nutrients while the body’s cells regenerate. This moisturizer can be any organic oil such as coconut oil, or it could be a night cream on your sister/wife/mother's dresser.
Moisturizing is so crucial as well when it comes to shaving, so here is how to do it:
- Pre-shave moisturizing: Shave cream or beard oil are so important. In order to reduce friction and get a seamless shave, applying a rich shaving cream is a must. The best creams make you feel as though your razor is barely grazing your face -providing a comfortable and pain-free shaving experience.
- No-shave moisturizing: If a man is growing out his facial hair, we recommend any organic moisturizing oil to soften and smooth facial hair and also moisturize the skin underneath.
- After-shave moisturizing: Replacing the aftershave splash with an aftershave balm is the best decision a man can make. Aftershave splashes usually tend to dry out the skin rather than moisturizing it after a man just scrapped off a bunch of dead skin cells. Moisturizing balms help to soothe the skin and reduce irritation caused by shaving.
4. Always use Sunscreen
Ultraviolet rays from the sun harm the cells in the skin -even on cloudy and cold days, too. These UV rays lead to sun spots, wrinkles, sun burns, dry patches, and even cancer. It’s important to shield the skin from these rays with SPF (sun protecting factor), whether it’s included in the daily moisturizer or in a separate sunscreen. Hitting the beach or being outside in direct light for extended periods of time (an hour or more) requires considering something of a high SPF. An SPF of 30 or more is recommended.
Main image credits: Instagram @benjamin
