You’re never too young to start thinking about your skin and having the right routine is a critical part of a solid overall grooming routine. But, that doesn’t have to mean complex or expensive. Whatever type of routine you develop, simple or complex, just stick to what’s comfortable for you, but make sure you’re addressing your skin’s basic major needs. To get you started or help you develop your existing routine, here are our favorite tips for healthier skin.
1. Address problems first
Acne? See a dermatologist. Dry and flakey? Start finding moisturizers that work best for you. If they’re serious or you’ve tried a bunch of stuff yourself to no avail – go see a professional first. Marketing and sales people likely won’t help and if you have major issues you’ve got to start there.
2. Moisturize every morning and night
Healthy skin starts with regular moisturizing, period.
3. Eye cream at least every night
Fights the signs of aging and fatigue. Especially important for those of you who travel frequently.
4. Sunscreen
Every. Damn. Day. No questions asked. Yes, it’s that important and easy to manage as most good moisturizers have sunscreen in them already.
5. Gently exfoliate daily
Scrubbing away dead skin and dirt will help your skin look and feel better, plus your other products (moisturizers, etc) will work better.
6. Get enough sleep
Don’t underestimate how important a good nights sleep is healthy skin.
7. Hydrate
Believe it or not, drinking a lot of water is the most important tip for healthy skin.
8. A healthy diet
The foods you eat, both good and bad, can impact the health and look of your skin.
9. Exercise
In addition to contributing to your overall health and well-being, regular exercise and sweating clears your pores.
10. Lower stress
However you manage your stress, sleep, exercise, meditation, breaks, whatever, how you feel on the outside impacts your skin more than you think.
It may surprise you, but I think every man should have a bidet in their bathroom!
That’s right, you need a bidet in your life and Tushy’s bidet is easy to use, simple to set up, and a total game-changer. Trust me, once you bidet, you’ll never go back!
Extra special thanks to Tushy for sponsoring this video!
In this article and video, I wanted to to show you the best morning skincare routine for men and the men’s skin products that work well for men with all skin types and for different ages, whether you’re in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s. 50’s and beyond! Be sure to check out my night time skincare regime which goes hand-in-hand with this article.
Just know that no matter your skin type, the below steps won’t change, only the products will. This is sage advice passed down from my friends that I discussed in the intro video, who’s entire job it is to make my client’s skin look movie-star good. So don’t take my word for it, take theirs!
Regardless of whether you take a shower in the AM or PM, (I suggest showering at night) there’s no need to wash your face with cleanser in the morning since you should have gone to bed with a clean, moisturized face. Unless you’re a heavy night sweater or your dermatologist recommends washing two times a day, just splash some cold or luke warm water on your face to remove anything that accumulated on your face overnight and pat dry with a towel. That will be plenty, I promise.
Step 2: Eye Cream
Like I mentioned in my men’s night time skin care routine article & video, if you’re in your late 20’s and beyond, then using eye cream is very important as a preventative measure if you’re younger, or a maintenance measure if you’re older.
Quality eye creams are expensive, but will easily last a year or two since you’re using so little (a pea-size amount, at most), so don’t worry about running out quickly.
Life Pro Tip: Keep it in the fridge when not in use so the chilled cream can help reduce puffiness around the eyes, especially in the morning.
Take a little on your ring finger tip and dab it around the orbital bone area, including your upper eyelid, until it blends in. This is demonstrated in the video at the top.
The Best Eye Creams For Men
$37 – Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate – Good, entry level anti-aging eye oil if you’re under 30 that works very well for the price. $49 – Filorga Optim-Eyes – This one we tried on a whim after a French pharmacist highly recommended it and it was really good for the price. $340 – La Prairie Luxe Eye Lift Cream – If you’re an older gentleman (age 30+) this stuff is a game changer and well worth the price. You’ll notice a huge reduction in the appearance of wrinkles, as this cream delivers intense hydration and firmness. After a year of daily use, you’ll still have 50% of it left – so it goes a LONG way.
Step 3: Spot Treatment
This step can be skipped, but it’s such a small, 5 second step that it’s really worth the minimal time investment. Spot treatments get rid of pimples quicker, as opposed to doing nothing or popping them.
Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxides are great spot treatments for getting rid of zits or blemishes before they’ve formed or been popped. In testing, subjects responded better to one or the other, so give each a try for about a week or two and from them on, only use the one that worked best.
If you’ve already popped the zit, don’t put either the Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide spot treatments on them. Instead, use an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin because the skin has been broken and now you’ve got to treat the literal wound. If you put the acid or peroxide on it, or just leave it alone, the zit will be redder longer and possibly leave a scar, which you can avoid or diminish significantly with an antibiotic ointment.
Whether you’re using a spot treatment or antibiotic ointment, take a little and dab it onto the problem areas and move on to the next step after about a minute.
The last step of your morning skincare routine is crucial. You should be wearing a daily SPF moisturizer on your face, ears, neck and arms – every.single.day and irregardless of whether you work indoors or outdoors. If you’ll be outside for extended periods of time or participating in outdoor activities, then you should be using a more heavy-duty sport sunblock on your exposed skin.
$28 – Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20 – for dry to normal/combo skin This is hands-down the best moisturizer and SPF combo for it’s price. It’s a broad spectrum, chemical blocker that blends into your skin nicely. If you buy the 8.5oz bottle, it should easily last a long time for daily use.
$25 – Kiehl’s Facial Fuel SPF 15 – normal to oily skin This moisturizer is super lightweight and absorbs quickly. They offer two different versions – with or without SPF.
$27 – Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream SPF 30 – dry skin It’s super hydrating, evens out your skin texture, and isn’t greasy feeling. I can’t recommend this one enough. There’s two different versions – with or without SPF.
$350 – La Prairie Line Interception Power Duo SPF 30 – for dry to normal/combo skin This is the king of moisturizers with SPF. If your budget allows or you’re an older guy, DO NOT hesitate to get it. It goes on evenly, absorbs quickly, evens out your skin tone, reduces wrinkles, and protects really, really well, without making your skin shiny. Every one of my test subjects that tried it loved it.
In this part of my Men’s Grooming Series, I want to go over the best men’s facial night time skin care routine if you want to have clear, good-looking skin, regardless of your skin type or age. Over the last year, I’ve been blind testing products on my male friends, family and clients and this video and article is the result of all that testing. I’m going to go over how to do each step of a solid night time routine as well as discuss the products that tested extremely well.
Just know that no matter your skin type, the below steps won’t change, only the products will. Some men don’t care or want to do all of these steps, so I’ll note that ones that can be skipped but unless you’re naturally blessed with great skin, you’re going to have to work at it to have the best skin possible. This is sage advice passed down from my friends that I discussed in the intro video, who’s entire job it is to make my client’s skin look movie-star good. So don’t take my word for it, take theirs!
In my testing with cleansers, I was a little surprised to see that the ones everyone liked, regardless of their skin type, were the gels. They’re good because they foam up a little bit, they’re not harsh, and they don’t dry out or overly moisturize your skin. They’re perfect for basically all skin types.
Next, take your handy bamboo wash cloth, and using the slightly rougher side, give it a really gentle (GENTLE!) pass around your face, neck, ears, and back of neck.
Do that everyday, but gently and you’ll have the best skin of your life. We did a specific video about the bamboo washcloth because it’s simply amazing and there hasn’t been a single person who’s tried it that doesn’t also rave about it.
You don’t need exfoliating cleansers or those really horrible microdermabrasion tools because they’re awful for your skin, the environment and don’t work half as well as this wash cloth that’ll last you for a few years if you chuck it into the washer every few weeks. Seriously, the cloth is amazing. If you get anything from this article – get that. Beware that there’s a lot of different versions of this cloth, but the ones linked in the article is the only good one that also is in stock and ships quickly.
Step 2: Toner
After getting out of the shower, quickly pat dry your face and slap on a little bit of toner with your hands on your face, neck and back of neck.
Toner will remove any excess dirt or soap left on your face and neck and prepare your skin to absorb the other products you’ll be adding in the next steps.
Some people think it’s unnecessary, but if you’re wanting to have the best skin possible, you need to do it. It’s up to you, but I’d recommend it since it’s literally a 5 second step. One tip – avoid the one with alcohol, otherwise they’ll dry out your face like crazy!
After the toner dries, it’s time to add a little serum – a nickle-sized amount should do it.
Serums, while not absolutely necessary, will help with specific issues your skin may be having. A vitamin C serum, like the Mario Badescu one below, will brighten and even your skintone and slowly (over the course of many months) fade age spots and scars so they’re not as noticeable. If you’ve got sun spots or acne scars, definitely start using a vitamin C serum. Other serums, like the Sisley or La Prairie ones below are for people want a little extra moisture – which is especially important if you’re over 30, since your skin will need extra moisture to look youthful and healthy.
You really don’t need much serum, not more than a nickel size, usually, so these will last a LONG time (the La Prairie one just finished after 18 months). Give it a little bit of time to absorb into your skin and move on to the next step.
The Best Serums For Men
$45 – Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum – Especially good for dry skin or during the colder Winter months. It brightens and evens your skin tone while giving a little more moisture. $90 – Kate Somerville Mega-C Dual Radiance Serum – Especially good for mature skin. It’s another awesome vitamin-C serum that is cream based instead of Mario Badescu’s oil serum. $93 – Sisley Purifying Re-Balancing Lotion – This is a great one if you don’t need any scars or spots faded but still need extra moisture and want to even your skin tone. $250 – La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In-Lotion – “Wow” is the feedback from all the test subjects. If you’re an older guy (30+ years old), it’ll help lift and firm your skin, so I can’t recommend this one enough.
Step 4: Eye Cream
Just like I mentioned in my morning skincare routine article/video, if you’re in your mid-twenties and beyond, it’s time to start using an eye cream. This is a preventative measure if you’re younger and a maintenance step if you’re older. The quickest way to tell someone’s age is by the wrinkles around their eyes. I think a lot of men don’t think about this step as part of their skincare routine – and it shows.
You won’t see benefits right away – it’ll take a few weeks or months to be noticeable to others. Lots of test subjects said they started getting compliments of looking “refreshed”, which means it’s working! Do yourself a favor and take a picture when you start and take another one a month later and compare them to really see the benefits.
You should be using an eye cream morning and night. Quality eye creams are expensive, but will easily last a year or two since you’re using so little (a pea-size amount, at most), so don’t worry about running out quickly.
Life Pro Tip: Keep it in the fridge when not in use so the chilled cream can help reduce puffiness around the eyes, especially in the morning.
Take a little on your ring finger tip and just dab it around the orbital bone area, including your upper eyelid. This is demonstrated in the video.
The Best Eye Creams For Men
$37 – Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate – Good, entry level anti-aging eye oil if you’re under 30 that works very well for the price. $49 – Filorga Optim-Eyes – This one we tried on a whim after a French pharmacist highly recommended it and it turned out to be very good and moisturizing for the price. $340 – La Prairie Luxe Eye Lift Cream – If you’re an older gentleman (age 30+) this stuff is a game changer and well worth the price. After a year of daily use, it’s only halfway gone. You’ll notice a huge reduction in the appearance of wrinkles, as this cream delivers intense hydration and firmness.
Step 5: Spot treatment
Along with a serum, this step can be skipped, but again, it’s such a small, 5 second step that it’s really worth the minimal time investment. Spot treatments accelerate the pimple forming process and get rid of them quicker as opposed to doing nothing or popping them.
Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxides are great spot treatments for getting rid of zits or blemishes before they’ve formed or been popped. In testing, subjects responded better to one or the other, so give each a try for about a week or two and from them on, only use the one that worked best.
If you’ve already popped the zit, then don’t put either of the Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide spot treatments on them. Instead, use an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin because the skin has been broken and now you’ve got to treat the literal wound. If you put the acid or peroxide on it, or just leave it alone, the zit will be redder longer and possibly leave a scar, which you can avoid or diminish significantly with an antibiotic ointment.
Whether you’re using a spot treatment or antibiotic ointment, take a little and dab it onto the problem areas and move on to the next step after about a minute.
The last step of your night time skin care routine is also the most important. Without this, all the the other steps are wasted because at the end of the day, healthy skin is moisturized skin. So this step, aside from cleaning and gentle exfoliation, is the most critical. What you 100% have to do, two times a day, is to put moisturizer on your face, neck, ears and back of neck. The main issue I ran into during testing is that good, budget friendly options are few and far between. I included the ones that really stood out, regardless of price, but with moisturizers you almost always get what you pay for, aside from the two exceptions I found below.
If your morning moisturizer, which I talked about in my Morning Skincare Routine article/video, doesn’t have SPF in it, then you can also use it as a night time moisturizer. But if your morning moisturizer does have SPF in it, which I would highly recommend, then you’ll need a separate night time moisturizer since SPF will clog your pores if left on your face for extended periods of time.
The Best Moisturizers/Lotions For Men
$12 – Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream – For the price, there’s nothing better – plain and simple. It’s extremely moisturizing, goes on easily and absorbs quickly. Don’t be fooled by the small size, this will last you quite a while since a little goes a long way. $25 – Kiehl’s Facial Fuel – If testers felt the snail cream was a little too “slimy”, they preferred this one since it absorbs really well and quickly. $27 – Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream – If you’ve got dry skin, then this moisturizer is for you. It’s super hydrating, evens out your skin texture, and isn’t greasy feeling. I can’t recommend this more. $275 – Sisleÿum for Men Anti-Age Global Revitalizer for Normal Skin Sisleÿum for Men Anti-Age Global Revitalizer for Dry Skin – If your budget allows, this stuff is fantastic. My test subjects said it’s easily in the top 2 of best moisturizers they tested. It’ll leave your skin looking super healthy and nourished. If you’re prone to razor burn/bumps, then also use this as an aftershave – it works wonders. $450 – La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream -This is the crème de la crème of anti-aging moisturizers and you will, frankly, pay for it. If you’re an older man and asked me for the best moisturizer, this is what I’d recommend 100% of the time. Good lord is this stuff amazing in regard to hydration, firming and helping to even out and smooth your skin.
In order to realize the most benefits from your skincare routine, you’ve got to determine what type of skin you have so you can get products specifically designed for a man’s skin type. Since it’s a very visual set of instructions, please see the video below and enjoy!
In this part of my Men’s Grooming Essentials series, I want to talk about the best way to shave your face with a safety razor aka double edge razor. It is also commonly called wet shaving. Not only is it cheaper, better for the environment and gives you a much better shave than modern shaving, but frankly, I find it quite sexy watching my man shave with his safety razor and the baby-smooth result speaks for itself, too. Since he’s been shaving with a double edge razor for 10+ years, I asked Dorian to help me with this video/article.
Before we get into it, first of all, if you’re completely happy with your current shaving routine, then definitely stick to it. But I would invite you to see if there’s any ways to make it better or less wasteful, since it isn’t all just about the razor. If you’re unhappy with your current routine, though, then it’s time to change to the best way to shave that’s been around for many decades now.
Benefits Of Safety Razor Shaving
Before we go over the steps and best products, when I asked Dorian why he started wet shaving with a double edge (de) razor, he said he found it:
Gives the best and closest shave he’s ever had.
Is just as convenient as using a modern razor.
Is much less wasteful than modern razors.
Allows him the opportunity to take a little extra time for himself and enjoy the ritual, as opposed to it just being another thing to check off his to-do list.
Why use a safety razor over…
Cartridge/Disposable Razors
The modern, multi-blade and disposable razors are good if you need a quick shave with slightly less fuss than a safety razor. The major downsides are that they’re really expensive in comparison, don’t give you the best shave possible and they’re really, really wasteful and environmentally unfriendly.
Straight razors or Cut Throats
While these are great for the same reasons as a safety razor, the issue is that they’re not easy to use and upkeep of the blade is time intensive. Dorian has his great grandfather’s straight razors and gave it an honest try for a few months to get the hang of it and he said he now knows why the safety razor was invented – it gives all the same benefits without the hassle of constantly stropping and sharpening the straight blade.
How To Shave With A Double Edge Safety Razor
1. Make a Beard Map
As mentioned in the video, you’ve got to first understand the direction the hair grows on your face. Without this step, you will never realize the full benefits of safety razor shaving. Seriously, it’s that important.
Go to the link below and spend a few minutes in the mirror creating your beard’s map.
While the cost is definitely more than your standard modern razor to start, the razor and brush could last you for many decades, if not the rest of your life. So when you consider the cost on such a long timeline, it’s significantly cheaper than any other form of shaving.
If you don’t want to mix and match options from below and just get all your tools in one shot (minus a shaving bowl or scuttle) – get this Maggard starter kit for $30.
If you’re wanting to give wet shaving a try, then this plastic razor will give you a really good idea of what you’re dealing with without the larger investment. Don’t let the material fool you, it still gives a great shave and it also comes with some razor blades, too. As a bonus, since it’s made of plastic and lighter, if you want to upgrade to a metal razor later on, it’ll still be great as a travel razor.
This is the razor Dorian started with that still works great after 10 years of constant use. It’s an excellent razor that could easily last you for the rest of your life.
When Dorian upgraded from his Merkur last year, this is what he went with. The slanted angle of the head allows for an even closer shave, although some claim that it’s not any better than a standard non-slanted razor, he said it lives up to the hype.
An adjustable razor allows you to adjust the angle that the blade cuts the hair to exactly what you like. While it might sound complicated, it really isn’t and will work well for a new wet shaver all the way up to a veteran shaver. For other adjustables, there’s always the Rolls Royce of adjustables – the Rockwell 6s – and if you’re more adventurous, you can go the vintage route and get a Gillette Slim, Fat Boy or Super Adjustable.
Blades
As mentioned in the video, if you’re just starting out or haven’t explored many blades, definitely pick up a sampler pack to see what works best for you and your razor. You’d be amazed at how much a difference changing the razor blade makes. Also, you’ll need to carefully dispose of the razors, so pick up a disposal case for the blades, as well.
There’s 3 main types of shaving brushes: Badger, Boar, Synthetic. There’s also horse hair, but we’ll skip those since they’re not as popular. They’re all great options for beginners all the way up to more experienced wet shavers.
You will not go wrong with any of these choices, so use whatever fits your budget or your preferences. Dorian said he likes synthetic and badger brushes best.
Badger is the classic shave brush, but a well-made one can last you for many decades. This is a great, reasonably-priced badger brush.
Shaving Creams & Soaps
Dorian said he prefers creams for beginners because they’re much easier to lather and provide more lubrication, but if you’d like, you can also try shaving soaps, which tend to last longer, but can also be a little more drying on your skin and provide a little less lubrication during the shave – but some people swear by them!
Dorian’s favorite shaving cream of all time. They also make a smaller travel size.
Shaving Bowl or scuttle
To make your lather, you’ll need some sort of shaving bowl or a bowl specifically made for wet shaving called a scuttle. Dorian uses a big, ceramic coffee mug that he found for a dollar. You can go any route you prefer, just make sure the bowl has a wide wide enough opening so you can get a good lather going.
It you nick yourself, you can use an alum block to stop the bleeding almost instantly. Luckily, I recommended a deodorant that’s just a alum block in a different shape in my best men’s deodorants article/video. So you get to save yourself some money and use it for both scenarios.
Instead of writing out what is a very visual thing, check the video at this link below that shows you how to put all your tools together to shave: https://youtu.be/qAHwE6lSeLE?t=7m10s
4. Clean Your Tools Off
Once you’re done shaving, you’ve got to clean and dry off your razor and brush.
Run the brush under warm water while swirling it against your palm until the water runs clear, then shake out as much excess water as possible (it will be a little damp still).
Run the razor under warm water and tap the non-razor blade side against a towel to dry. Do not tap the razor’s edge against the towel, as it’ll dull the blade quicker.
In this video/article, I had my partner, Dorian, join me to discuss all the worst skincare advice men will run across on the internet and what to do instead. I cringe every time I see someone talking about popping their pimples, not wearing a moisturizer with SPF, getting a base tan and using those horrible microdermabrasion tools and face scrubs they saw someone “recommend” online.
Eliminate Face Oil
This is such BS, and actually creates more problems than it fixes. Your skin is naturally oily. Now unless your dermatologist is telling you otherwise, the goal is not to “dry your face out”, in fact, you should be moisturizing that bad boy so you skin doesn’t go crazy and over-produce oils on your face, which in-turn causes more zits and imperfections.
Wash your face all time
Unless your dermatologist has advised otherwise, you should only be washing your face with soap once a day, at most. The other time, usually the morning, should just be a splash of water. Washing your face is supposed to get surface dirt and products off your face, that’s it.
Would you wash your hands if they weren’t dirty? Same applies to your face.
The only people telling you to wash with soap twice a day are companies trying to sell you more washing products, or doctors for a very specific reason.
Only Buy “Men’s” Products
Don’t delude yourself and think that womens products won’t be any less or better than men’s. The major difference between men’s and women’s products are scents and packaging – that’s it. Don’t fall for the marketing hype.
Microdermabrasion Tools are good for your skin
They can be HORRIBLE for your skin, actually. This has been proven time and time again, including harsh scrubbing face washes, etc. All the people you see recommending those tools or scrubbing face washes are getting paid to basically ruin your skin. Don’t believe it!
A friend of mine’s is the CEO of the company who invented the microdermabrasion tools you see on the market and he even says it’s horrible for your skin outside of very serious treatments that should be done very rarely.
If you want to see how to have amazing skin, use the gamechanger for men’s skin. This is what my recommended to me years ago that works amazing well and has worked for everyone I’ve ever recommended it to.
Popping pimples makes them go away faster
Popping a pimple is no different than getting a scratch or break in your skin. The second the top layer of your skin is broken, like popping a pimple, you’re exposing the under layers of your epidermis to bacteria, which causes inflammation and infection.
The pimple would actually go away much quicker if you used a topical salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide cream and left it alone.
While we’re on the topic of pimples…
Skip Moisturizers If You Have Acne
Unless your dermatologist is recommending it, skipping moisturizers and having dry skin won’t make your pimples go away, it’ll actually cause more redness and inflammation.
don’t wear a daily SPF if you have dark skin or work indoors
Windows in cars and office buildings don’t block all the UVA and UVB rays that damage your skin, so you need protection regardless of your occupation.
Check the video for what unprotected vs protected skin looks like.
A tan will prevent sunburn & skin damage
Couldn’t be further from the truth. Skin exposed to sun for longer than a few minutes will start getting damaged – regardless of how dark you are. The only difference is you may not get burned as quickly if you have darker skin, but any prolonged exposure causes damage. A little sunshine for vitamin D is great, anything more than a little will damage your skin.
Acne is not influenced by your diet
While diet isn’t the only cause of acne and pimples, it definitely contributes. Everyone’s body reacts differently, but like mine, if I eat a lot of dairy or sugar, I’ll get more zits. I’ve actually tested this on multiple occasions to make sure I wasn’t imagining it.
I brought my friend, Sabrina, on to help me go over the facial hairstyles women love and hate and figure out what is best based on your age and face shape.
