Improving Your Skincare Routine (And The Products I Use)

In putting together a skincare routine for yourself, you should be concerned about only two things: It’s gotta be easy, and it’s gotta work. 

Skincare, It Needs To Be Easy

Guys get turned off by skincare because they don’t want to spend extra time in the bathroom slathering on a shelf of products. 

And that’s what a lot of skincare companies would have you believe you need to do. They’ll tell you all the products you need and ideally, they’ll tell you to buy them monthly (how convenient).

The truth is, you don’t need as much as you may think. Over the years, I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of men’s faces. The interesting thing is that the ones who look the best, tend to do less. 

Your skin happens to be an excellent natural regulator of itself. By using too many products, you’ve forcing it to adapt and overwork, resulting in troubled skin. 

Here’s an example: Let’s say your skin is a bit oily. You exfoliate daily and use a heavy oil reducing cleanser to try and reduce that oil. Your skin senses that it’s dehydrated, and because of that, and ends up producing more oil, trying to balance itself out. 

Realize that your body is incredible. It’s great on its own. It needs a little backup support, not a full-on airstrike.

Think gentle. Your skin does not need to be regularly scrubbed, dehydrated, exfoliated, and suffocated in every product on the shelf. It’s a living organ. It needs to be cared for. So chill out. 

Get a very gentle cleanser to clean your face. Get a great moisturizer to restore moisture and help lubricate your skin to help decrease signs of aging (bonus points if you use a little SPF with it). That’s really all you need at a base level. Then, tack on what you need to depending on your unique skin care needs. 

Maybe you have some signs of aging you’d like to get rid of, or perhaps a little bit of acne. Whatever it is, adapt your products and add what you need. Personally, I’m prone to bags under the eyes, so I use an eye cream to lift and firm things a bit (which you’ll see below). 

If your skin is already looking good, stop messing with it. Your skin was fine without your input.

I see the young guys slathering themselves in unneeded products, flushing that money down the drain. Get yourself a good moisturizer, enjoy your youthful-looking skin, and save that dough. 

Skincare, It Needs To Be Good

Here’s the problem I see with a lot of the skincare out there today - it’s a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Why should the guy with dry skin be using the same stuff as the guy with oily skin? Why should a 65-year-old man with anti-aging concerns be using the same thing as an acne-prone teen? 

Just like anything with a one-size-fits-all approach, it doesn’t make sense. 

Many companies package up some passable form of skincare in a black bottle, stamp the words “For Men” on it, and expect us to buy it. 

The crazy thing is, we do. 

I’ve worked with several clients who tell me they’re not touching the women’s stuff and want something for men. 

Here’s the deal, skincare products are unisex. What’s on the bottle shouldn’t concern you as long as what’s in the bottle is good. 

Good products are good products, labeling be damned. So don’t fret over the packaging. Go out there and get what you need. 

The great news is that there are lots of these good products floating around these days. But there’s also a lot of bad stuff.

In case you’re curious how all the skincare brands pop up overnight (and how every internet celebrity seems to have one), I’ll give you the quick rundown...

There are several companies out there that white label skincare products for you. They create a basic formula for a product, then you tell them your name/logo, and they’ll slap it on there for you, most even shipping it for you. I’ve had the chance to talk to reps of a few of these companies, and you’d be surprised how cheap you can do this for. 

We’re not seeing different products out there. we’re seeing different packaging. 

So, how can you be sure the products in your routine will be up to par? 

Stick to the companies that specialize in it; companies that have been around for a while; companies that have an emphasis on quality and don’t hide where the product is sourced; and companies you’ve heard good (unsponsored) reviews about. 

There are so many brands out there, and I’ve tested nearly every major one so I know what I’m recommending. However, everyone’s needs and budgets are different, so there is no catch-all brand for skincare. 

But I’m going to share my skincare routine and products with you so you can see what I’m using, and maybe find something that will interest you. 

My Skincare Routine

A Cleanser

Water.

As you can see, I’m really going for the minimal approach these days. As I said previously, some of the best skin I’ve seen is on the guys who don’t wash theirs. I’ve been trying it out for myself, and things feel fine after a couple of months. Not better, not worse. Not oily, not dry. 

I usually used very gentle cleansers. A mistake I made in the past was to use scrubs and exfoliating cleansers that were overkill for my skin - making things dry and red. I’m using Dermalogica Gentle Gel Cleanser. 

A Moisturizer

After being stubborn about the price, I decided to try the Ferulic + Retinol Moisturizer from Dr. Dennis Gross. I’ve been a fan of Dr. Gross products for a while now, but it can be hard justifying a $75 moisturizer for daily use, until you use it. 

Yes, it is worth it. It has retinol in it, which is something that, unlike other skincare products, can begin working right away. It’s best to wear some SPF with this when you’re outside because of that. 

This is one of those products that you will notice a difference in your skin, which is refreshing after trying so many things that you can hardly tell the difference.

A…. Mucus?

How does one categorize snail mucus?

Yeah, I suspected you didn’t have the answer either. 

Weird concept, great product. It softens my skin, provides moisture, nutrients, and helps soothe irritation. It feels incredibly refreshing to put on too. 

Best part? It’s cheap, and there are no side effects that I know of. Basically, it’s something I feel pretty comfortable recommending to most men. 

Eye Cream

I’ve struggled with bags under my eyes since high-school. It takes me a lot to get rid of them. I have to sleep on my back, stay hydrated, avoid certain foods, etc. It’s been a constant struggle, and no company provided a workable solution.

I started doing some digging in the skincare forums a couple years ago (how I spend my Saturday nights is my business), and I came across a guy who makes an eye serum for helping to tighten the area under the eye. Instant Eye Tuck from EES. It works. It was the first thing that did. And it’s so potent that I still am on my first bottle.

The second thing I use for my eyes is Clinique’s Anti-Gravity eye cream. I use this almost daily to help give me a boost around the eye area. For guys looking for a little help with the dark circles, Clinique’s All About Eyes or Chanel’s eye creams are great. 

Men’s Skincare, It’s Not Hard.

To sum everything up, I use a few outstanding products from good brands that work for my skin. And that’s how you formulate a great men’s skincare routine.