DO MEN CARE about skincare? It’s a question worth asking. Anecdotally, we’d say it varies on a spectrum ranging from guys with all-in-one shampoo/conditioner/face wash/body wash/aftershave hybrids to men with meticulous 15-step routines that follow the trends of Korean skincare. What the stats show us, however, is that this spectrum is heavily skewed towards one side. We’ll let you guess which.
According to new research, 31% of Australian men don’t have a skincare routine in any way, shape or form. So maybe we set the bar too high by considering that all-in-one skincare concoction to be the low end of the spectrum, as the man who uses it is actually doing more than nearly a third of his demographic. What’s more, 51% of Aussie men don’t use moisturiser, compared to the 84% of women who do.
So, maybe men don’t care all that much about skincare, but they should. In terms of health, the skin is the body’s largest organ and it helps prevent disease and infection, so keeping it healthy is a must. Even if your body’s ability to prevent diseases isn’t something you’d like to boost, there are cosmetic reasons to take care of your skin. Having a solid skincare routine can keep you looking youthful, reducing the impact of common issues like acne, wrinkles and sun damage.
Now the solution here isn’t to simply fire up Amazon and order a bunch of products you don’t know how to use. There are intricacies to skincare and your routine must be adapted to suit your needs. For starters, men have oilier and thicker skin with more collagen than women due to varying hormone levels, so a unisex product may not be your best bet. The warmer months present even more challenges. Should we be moisturising more, or less? Should we swap our serums? Where does sunscreen figure into the routine?
Summer skincare is a minefield, but we’re here to help you navigate it with the help of dermal clinician and skin health expert Jayde Taylor. Read on to find the products that can fill out your summer skincare routine.
Do you need to change your skincare routine in summer?
As the weather shifts heading into summer, your approach to moisturiser should change, according to Taylor. The winter months can dry out your skin, so a heavier moisturiser may be necessary. In summer you can afford to go a little lighter, as oiliness will become more common than dryness.
The introduction of SPF to your skincare routine is another must. Taylor advises that “you should always wear SPF no matter the season,” but it’s even more crucial in summer when the heat really beats down. This uptick in sunscreen may necessitate the use of a skin refresher like WaterWipes, which are suitable for sensitive skin, can remove the residue carried by sweat and will clean your skin before the application of SPF.
WaterWipes, as Taylor explains, are “ideal to use in between applications of SPF as it cleanses and refreshes the skin leaving no sticky or greasy residue.” This refreshment is vital because “sweat, oil flow and layers of SPF with unclean application can lead to congestion rather than the SPF itself,” according to Taylor.
Apart from this, Taylor notes that your summer skincare routine doesn’t need to be overly complicated. “You can keep your routine very simple using a good cleanser, moisturiser and SPF,” she says.
What are the best sunscreens for men?
Cancer Council SPF50+ Hydrating Sunscreen for Men
Protecting your skin from sun damage during summer is one of the easiest ways to improve your skin health. According to Taylor the biggest mistake men make with sunscreen is simply not using it at all. Now that’s something easily solved. This Cancer Council sunscreen is affordable, formulated specifically for men, and will actively hydrate your skin in addition to protecting it.
Go-to Skincare’s Nifty Fifty
So-called because it’s SPF50 and comes with a range of nifty benefits that not only protect but also nourish your skin, Nifty Fifty is a game changer. It’s packed with antioxidants and SPF filters like Kakadu plum, which fights premature ageing, and aloe vera for hydration, in addition to its many sun protection benefits.
Sea Shepherd x SunButter SPF50 Sunscreen
This SunButter sunscreen tin is made with sustainable ingredients and the UVA and UVB mineral blocker zinc oxide. What that means is that it’s suitable for all skin types – even the extremely weathered or sensitive – and boasts restorative qualities. As an added bonus, a percentage of the profits from this particular tin goes to Sea Shepherd Australia to help them continue to defend our oceans.
What are the best moisturisers for men?
Lumin Daily Face Moisturiser
Summer calls for a slightly lighter approach to moisturising, as the humidity can lead to oilier skin than usual, but that doesn’t mean you should be abandoning moisturiser altogether. Lumin’s daily moisturiser is perfect for the man who doesn’t want to put in too much effort, but still wants to look good. It can deliver long-lasting hydration and is infused with botanical ingredients. Crucially, one of these botanical ingredients is meadowfoam seed oil, which protects the skin barrier and can balance oil production amid the warmer weather.
Patricks SL1 Superleggera Moisturiser
For the man who wants nothing but the best, this cream gel with advanced mattifying technology is hard to look past. Critically, the SL1 moisturiser from Patricks hydrates without creating oiliness by combining vitamins, antioxidants and a multi-peptide complex with taurine, which can instantly hydrate, eliminate fine lines and reduce signs of fatigue.
Edible Beauty Man Daily Moisturiser
This revitalising moisturiser makes use of a number of bio-active ingredients including hyaluronic acid, white tea and squalane – and if you’re not up to date on skin care innovation, just know that all three of those might as well be by-words for effectiveness. This moisturiser is also scented with blue cypress oil and Kakadu plum, so you’ll smell as good as you look.
What are the best cleansers for men?
Paula’s Choice Pore Normalising Cleanser
Taylor says that you can use the same cleanser year-round, but it will come in extra handy during summer, when excess oil can be a problem. This blemish-fighting cleanser from Paula’s Choice is designed to remove surplus oil and pore-clogging debris without needlessly drying out your skin or causing redness.
Dermal Therapy Very Dry Face Cleanser
Dermal Therapy clearly knows what men want, because this cleanser undertakes a multi-faceted, four-in-one approach to protecting your skin. It cleanses without stripping natural oils, uses ceramides to strengthen and restore the skin’s protective barrier, hydrates and moisturises with hyaluronic acid, and soothes with colloidal oatmeal. In short, it has everything you could want from a facial cleanser.
Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser
The purpose of a good cleanser is to restore your skin to its natural state. By unclogging your pores and removing oils, you allow the other products in your skincare routine to be effective. This Grown Alchemist Cleanser is one of the best you’ll find. It can effectively remove dirt, oil and other impurities while also soothing and nourishing your skin.
The Aussie Man Face Cleanser
As you can likely tell from its name, The Aussie Man is an Aussie brand, and it’s quickly rising in the skincare game. Formulated for the modern Australian man, the Aussie Man’s face cleanser uses lauryl glucoside to remove dirt without stripping your skin of essential natural oils. It also makes use of papaya and pineapple extracts to offer natural exfoliation and promote cell turnover, which enhances the natural smoothness and brightness of your skin.
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