The MANual: Skincare Tips for Men
December 26 2024 – Nicole Regan
Skincare has traditionally been a women’s industry, but more men are now embracing the importance of caring for their skin. Over half of U.S. men use facial skincare products, reflecting a 68% increase since 2022 (Mintel, 2024). The average man can often be less knowledgeable about skincare. Which means they typically neglect simple staples like sunscreen. But knowledge is power and adding even a handful of items to their routine can make an impact! With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s the perfect time to show the men in your life some love by stocking up on skincare essentials. Don’t know where to start, then let Essential Labs help you.
Given that so much of the beauty industry has focused on women instead of men in the past, there is room for a little skincare education. We’ve compiled some of our favorite starting tips and routines for men and hope either you and/or your customers find this information useful. We have also highlighted some of our favorite unisex products, to help build your new line.
Identify Your Skin Type
We hear (and talk) a lot about skin type, and sometimes it’s hard figuring what type of skin you have. It’s also useful to understand the kind of questions you should ask to help your customers identify their skin type too.
- Dry Skin – can’t get enough cream? Flaky or rough skin? If you’re not sure, wash and dry your face and wait a few minutes. Does your skin feel tight? If so, you likely have dry skin.
- Oily Skin – if your skin is often greasy-feeling or extra shiny, you likely have oily skin.
- Combination Skin – a mix of areas that are dry and oily.
- “Normal” Skin – no notable problems, and not sensitive to common products.
- Sensitive Skin – likely reacts to common products, stinging or burning after use.
If you still aren’t sure or are worried you have the wrong products, check out this blog.
Skincare Tips for Men
What skincare tips apply to men? It varies based on personal preferences, but here’s a summary of a standard routine with some products for each step.
1. Moisturizer Suggestions
It’s easy to forget to moisturize, but various creams, lotions, and even balms help lock in moisture and make skin look younger and softer. Use after a shower or cleansing (if you aren’t using a toner or serum first).
Here are some rough guidelines:
Dry skin can handle heavier creams, and you may want to consider balms for added moisturization. Here are some of our favorites, either unscented or ‘unisex’ scents:
Oily skin will prefer lighter creams, perhaps sticking with lotions on the face or using gels as a moisturizer. Here are some great options:
Simple Cucumber & Cranberry Gel
Normal skin should be able to handle most options, and it will come down to your preference. Here are some moisturizers suitable for the middle ground:
Sensitive skin should avoid many ‘active’ ingredients and strong fragrances. Products with chemical exfoliants (think alpha hydroxy acids) should be avoided or used in small or diluted quantities. Here are some products for sensitive skin that our customers love:
2. Wash Your Face
We recommend washing your face daily with a gentle facial cleanser. Bar soap is often stronger and strips away the healthy oils, leading even oily skin feeling tight and thus under-moisturized.
Wet your face with warm water and put a small amount of cleanser in your hands. Gently rub the cleanser over your face, watching out for sensitive eye areas. Rinse off with warm water.
3. Wear Sunscreen
Sunscreen is one of the easiest ways you can look after your skin and preserve your natural youthful glow. Even on cloudy days UV rays penetrate the cloud layer, so choose an SPF and don’t forget to apply it to every area that the sun may hit—scalp, eyelids, ears, face, neck, etc.
4. Exfoliation is Crucial (especially pre-shave)
"There are notable distinctions between male and female skin, and while these can vary depending on race, some universal differences exist. Besides generally having more facial hair, men's skin and women's skin differ structurally. Due to androgen stimulation, men's skin thickens by about 25% compared to women's, resulting in a tougher texture. In this, it is generally true that men's pores are larger than women's. This is primarily due to higher levels of androgens which stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil (as I state below). The increased oil production often leads to larger pores to accommodate the excess sebum. Larger pores can also make men's skin appear rougher than women's.
Sebum production also varies between genders. After puberty, males produce more sebum than females due to androgen activity, which often leads to prolonged acne in men. While men have smaller sebaceous glands, their skin tends to be oilier.” – Laura Badcock (COO)
Tip: Gentle exfoliation (especially pre-shave) is important for men. Exfoliation will help combat sebum build up and remove dead skin cells that help free ingrown hairs, overall helping the appearance of rough textured skin.
5. Be Careful Shaving
If your skin is often unhappy or bumpy after shaving, you may be getting too close a shave. Try using a razor with fewer blades and avoid stretching the skin while shaving. As always, it’s best to soften hair with warm water and a good shaving gel or cream, and to change blades regularly.
Follow our Shave Routine:
Walnut Body Polish
Removes dead skin cells that help uncover ingrown hairs and reveal soft, smooth skin on your face.
Unique combination of oils allows a smooth glide and close shave.
Provides a thin, flawless barrier for smooth blade glide and guarding skin against razor bumps or burn.
Great for any skin in need of soothing love, including after shaving, waxing, or for an anytime splash.
Leaves freshly-shaven skin feeling soothed, conditioned, and revived with calming Aloe and Calendula.
What Goes into Your Skincare Routine
Now that you understand skin types and have a little more background information, you’ll have a better idea of what types of products will make sense for your skin.
P.S. Keep in mind that at night you can, of course, skip the sunscreen!
Step 1: Cleanse. Choose a facial cleanser appropriate for your skin type. Also considering using a gentle chemical exfoliant which uses mild and safe acids to gently slough away dead skin. Use warm water, instead of hot, and then gently pat your face dry. Browse Cleansers.
Some favorite cleansers:
- Green Tea Facial Cleanser is great for dry and sensitive skin
- Equalizer Cream Facial Cleanser for oily, rough, or combination skin
- Wild Oats & Honey Cleanser or Simple Gel Facial Cleanser is perfect for normal-to-oily skin
Step 2: Exfoliate & Tone. This is a less common step but many estheticians swear by it. Use a toner to help prepare your skin for the nutrients to follow, creating a mild base layer. Gently spray or splash a toner on your face using your hands, letting it air dry. Browse Toners.
Some favorite toners:
- AHA Facial Toner for normal or dry skin
- Chaotic Facial Toner for oily, rough, or combination skin
- Calming Facial Toner for sensitive skin
Step 3: Serum. This is the nutrient-packed antioxidant powerhouse of the routine, typically doing the most to minimize the signs of aging and keep skin looking bright and fresh. Browse Serums.
Some favorite serums:
- Supreme Facial Serum for most skin types, rich in nutrients and antioxidants and a best selling favorite. Mildly scented so we recommend ordering a sample.
- Clarifying Facial Serum is designed to bring balance to combination or oily skin.
Step 4: Moisturize. Here you’re setting up your skin for the rest of the day with moisture that helps skin look young and feel soft. We recommend adding a sunscreen, but since we aren’t certified to create SPF products, we recommend starting with a cream or lotion and adding in a sunscreen for days outside. Browse Creams.
Some favorite creams:
- AHA Cream for all types of skin. May be too potent for only the most sensitive skin types.
- Antioxidant Cream for normal and combination skin. Rich in vitamins that reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Clarifying Facial Moisturizer is great for oily skin.
- Moisturizing Body Cream is perfect for dry skin.
Sick of “skin types” or think you have normal skin?
Try out our universal men’s routine, recommended by us:
Step 1: Cleanse (daily)
Vital Skin Cleanser
Cleanse without stripping skin with the power of Charcoal (it’s an adsorbent, not an absorbent!)
Step 2: Exfoliate (2 - 3 times a week)
Blood Orange AHA Mint Walnut Polish
Uses very fine-grained Walnut Shell Powder to remove dead cells that help uncover ingrown hairs and reveal soft, smooth skin on your face and body.
Step 3: Exfoliate (daily)
Formulated with calming herbal extracts like Rooibos and Calendula to help soothe and restore balance to chaotic and/or oily skin.
Step 4: Exfoliate (daily)
Created for mature skin to tone, balance, and replenish. Includes Retinol, Niacinamide, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Carotenoids, and Vitamin C.
Step 5: Exfoliate (daily)
Besides cleansing, keeping your skin hydrated is of the most importance. Try the light yet hydrating feel of our Coenzyme Q10 antioxidant gel, with Astaxanthin, Vitamin E, and Seabuckthorn Berry Oil.
Bonus! Haircare:
Softens and smooths coarse facial hair while the skin below gets an extra dose of hydration.
Add body and sexy volume to hair with a quick spritz of this simple, natural spray.
A highly nourishing cream that styles for shiny, smooth, bouncy hair.
We hope this article has helped you either figure out your own new skincare routine or start to create a line geared towards male clients. The men’s skincare market is expected to grow from ~$12.3 billion in 2020 to almost $19 billion in 2027, making now the perfect time to enter or expand your presence in this market (Grand View Research, n.d.). No more borrowing of the girlfriend’s skin products—men are being catered to directly.
There are many options to choose from, and it always comes down to preference. As the market for men’s skincare grows we’d love to see what products you choose to add to your line, and if you decide to customize them!
Sources:
- Grand View Research. (n.d.). Men's skincare products market size, share & trends analysis report by product, by skin type, by distribution channel, by region, and segment forecasts, 2020–2027. Retrieved December 26, 2024, from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/mens-skincare-products-market#:~:text=The%20global%20men%27s%20skincare%20products%20market%20is%20expected%20to%20grow,USD%2018.92%20billion%20by%202027
- Mintel. (2024, July 24). More than half of US men now use facial skincare, a 68% increase from 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2024, from https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/more-than-half-of-us-men-now-use-facial-skincare-a-68-increase-from-2022/