BE A MAN
As a man, it has always been seen as taboo for us men to care even in the slightest about our appearance. We’re stereotyped to be these tough animals that shouldn’t have to care for bodies or skin, and when we do, we’re considered “gay” or “metrosexual”. This mentality is umbrellaed by the phrase “be a man”, which essentially relates to being physically and mentally strong in the most literal sense — chopping wood, squatting 500-pound weights, and not crying, for example. But, you know, for my entire life I’ve said fuck that. I like to do what I like to do (in moderation), not what someone tells me I should do (again, in moderation). Although I like to hit the gym and chop some wood, I also like to take care of myself in the ways that are perceived as ‘feminine’, because it makes me FEEL good, and I know it’s good for me, and I believe every man should do the same as well, starting with a skincare routine.
BUT WAIT, SKINCARE ISN’T MASCULINE
I am not going to sit here and tell you I am the most masculine man on the planet, but I can at the very least tell you that I see myself as a regular guy. In my eyes, masculinity is just an arbitrary mental construct created by society, and while your mother and girl friends are the one only ones you know that have a skincare routine, I think one of the most masculine things you can do, as a man, is not care what other people think about you. I will give you credit though, skincare isn’t necessarily marketed for men. Many skincare companies still heavily market towards women, because that’s their biggest market. By using soft colors on their branding, female models on their cover pages, and flowery fragrances in their products, sure, you can consider that not to be ‘manly’. However, that doesn’t mean the product isn’t for you, or isn’t good for you. In fact, I use a lot of women-branded products in my routine — but again, I do not care.
What I’m writing today isn’t meant to be a scientific lesson as to why a skincare routine is important, since I am by no means a doctor — I literally work in Marketing. I simply want to show other men that a skincare routine is a good thing to have.
WHY I HAVE A SKINCARE ROUTINE
Like I said before, it all comes down to what makes me feel good. To me, my skincare routine is as refreshing as taking a hot shower after coming home from a long day at work — it’s a routine. Developing daily routines are proven to be beneficial both mentally and physically. It’s therapeutic, calms me down, and a skincare routine also makes me look good. I am a man of routine as well, and having routines in my day-to-day make me feel productive, energetic, and in a better mood. During high school, I used to be self-conscious about my hair, so I would blow-dry and style with product after a shower, which in itself made me self-conscious because I thought of it to be feminine. I didn’t use a face wash in the shower, let alone a moisturizer or SPF. I also didn’t wash my face before bed, so long as I showered at some point in the day. To the women reading this, I’m sorry, because I’m sure you must find that repulsive. My girlfriend actually got me more interested in skincare a couple years ago, which lead me to learning more about skincare through YouTube videos and articles I’d find online, to now having a full-blown skincare routine — and I couldn’t be happier with it, and I also see the benefits it has given me.
WHAT IS MY ROUTINE?
I’m not going to pretend that my skincare routine isn’t a bit extensive, and I’m going to be talking about my facial routine, body routine, and hair routine. Some of the products I would consider to be general must-use types of products on a day-to-day, some I consider to be a luxury that I simply enjoy using, while others are targeted towards issues that I’m trying to fix. However, just because I use these products does not mean they are right for you as it depends on the type of skin you have. For example, I have relatively normal skin, leaning slightly more on the dry side if anything, so I look for products that are more in-line with my skin type. I never had acne, or worry about breakouts, but do have some dark bags under my eyes that I like to target, as well as blackheads on my nose. As far as brands go, I wouldn’t say I’m brand-loyal to any that I use, as I feel I’m more drawn into a blend of quality, convenience, price, past experience, and also (unfortunately) branding.
MY MORNING ROUTINE - SHOWER & HAIR
Starting the day off, I brush my teeth and then hop in the shower. To wash up, I use loofah gloves and lather up some fragrance-free body wash that’s good for moisturizing. I find that the loofah gloves are better than simply using my bare hands because they’re able to exfoliate my skin — and they’re reusable! Just make sure you wash them with your sheets or towels when using hot water (you should be, if not). For my face wash, I again use a fragrance-free product that targets my blackheads, thanks to its salicylic acid ingredient.
After the shower, I dry off and spray a heat protectant on my hair before blowdrying to prevent frizzing and hair damage. The blowdryer I use outputs high heat, which is great for shaping and styling hair, but you risk damaging your hair more. I use a roll brush to shape my hair like I’m David Beckham, and a hair fiber product for styling. Considering there are many types of hair styling products on the market, I use a Fiber because it holds better than something like pomade, and is perfect for my short, but thick hair. If you’re interested in getting a hair product, I’d do some research on what would work best with your hair type, and then do some trial-and-error based on what you like between a Fiber, Pomade, Wax, Gel, Paste, or Clay.
This may all sound like a lot, but my showers only take about 6 minutes, and styling my hair only takes about 2 minutes — the longest part is taking out my blowdryer, unwrapping the power cord, and plugging it in.
MY MORNING ROUTINE - SKIN AND BODY
After I shower and style my hair, I move onto my facial skincare. As a luxurious treatment, I use a Toner with a cotton pad and pat it around my face and beard. The toner, while not necessary, brings the pH levels of your skin back to normal, while also offering other benefits. Again, it’s not necessary since your skin does this naturally, but I simply just like doing it. Next, another luxurious addition to my routine is a Hyaluronic Acid serum which promotes healthier and hydrated skin, which is great for when my skin is dry. After this, I use a Vitamin C around my eyes to help with the dark circles — and while there’s a lot of speculation as to whether or not this works for bags under the eyes, it has done wonders for me. The final two steps are a Lightweight Moisturizer,
Out of everything that I’ve mentioned thus far, I would say the most important things that every guy should have in a basic skincare routine is a face wash, body wash, moisturizer, and arguably the most important out of them, SPF. Go ahead, Google “why should I use SPF on my face” to learn more.
You may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned things like shampoo and conditioner yet — we’ll get to it, so be patient. Next up, my day-time body care routine. I simply use a lightweight body lotion for extra moisturizing and hydration for my skin, which overall promotes healthier and fresher looking skin.
MY NIGHTTIME ROUTINE - SHOWER & HAIR
My nighttime routine for showering is the same as my daytime routine. However, I usually like to give my hair a full wash before bed, rather than in the morning. I only give a full wash for my hair twice a week though. On the days I don’t, I will just soak my hair in the shower, rinsing out any product I had in there, and drying off normally. However, when I do wash my hair, I use three things — a pre-wash serum (when I have time), shampoo, and conditioner. While I used to be the one to use the 2-In-1 or 3-In-1 shampoo and conditioner combos, mostly for its cost-saving and convenience, it can result in unhealthy build-up on your scalp and hair, so separate shampoos and conditioners are the way to go in my book. While I’d consider it a luxury, I use a serum as a pre-treatment prior to washing to promote a healthier scalp, help with hair management, and hydration. While I feel like it works well for me, I don’t think it’s an absolute must-have.
As far as shampoos and conditioners go, picking one that best matches your hair type while also avoiding ingredients like Sulfates, Parabens, Dimethicone, and Polyethylene Glycols (PEG) will be your best bet. I’m not an expert, and I may be missing out on some iffy ingredients, so I recommend doing a little bit of research and comparison into what ingredients to avoid when picking out your shampoo and conditioner.
MY NIGHTTIME ROUTINE - SKIN AND BODY
This one is a bit easier than my daytime routine! After my shower, again, I use my toner and then apply hyaluronic acid. After, I use what is considered the holy grail in skincare — retinol. While its results are not immediate, over time it can help with aging, skin tone, acne, wrinkles, and more. It should also only be used at bedtime, as it can make your skin very susceptible to burning in the sun. After my retinol, I apply a moisturizer, which is slightly heavier than my daytime moisturizer but gives plenty of hydration overnight.
For body, it’s mostly the same as my daytime, except I add a heavier moisturizer for extra dry parts of my body, such as my hands, elbows, and feet.
I AM NOT A DOCTOR
I have to put emphasis that I am NOT here to tell you which products you should use, as I am not a doctor, nor a professional for that matter. I only want to show that it’s okay to have a full routine, and to not feel afraid of going so big. It’s so important for you to do your own research and find something that suits you best. Be a man, and do the shit that you want to do.
GOING LOCAL
Of course, what would be a better way to end this article than to give you some great local brands to check out for skincare, body care, and hair care!
Treefort Naturals (Colchester, CT)
Goatboy Soaps (New Milford, CT)
Nath Soaps (Wallingford, CT)
Syman Says Farms (Salem, CT)
Johnny Lavoy Hair Products (West Hartford, CT)
