Best Men Skin Care Routines & Tips for Optimal Results (2024 Guide)

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    Your skin might need some work, but that doesn’t mean you can just slap a skincare product on there and call it a day.

    The truth is that properly caring for your skin takes a little effort and planning a skincare regimen, but the results are well worth the investment in time and money.

    If you’ve never had a good skincare routine before, don’t worry; it’s not as hard as you might hear!

    We’ve put this skincare routine for men guide together to be the ultimate resource for you, the man starting to take a more serious look at his skin.

    If your question is how to get clear skin for men, you’re in the right place.

    Ready?

    Let’s do it!

    Use the table of contents below to jump to the sections most important to you.

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      Men Skin Care Routines

      Clean Skin: What Does it Mean, and How to Get It

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      Everyone, men and women, should want to include clean skin from their daily and weekly beauty routines or hygiene routines.

      But there are a lot of common misconceptions that arise from misinformation concerning clean skin.

      For instance, lots of guys think that just scrubbing your skin with a washcloth while in the shower is enough effort to expect perfectly clean skin every time.

      Other men might go too far in the other direction and scrub their skin, particularly on their face, too hard or too often and end up causing acne outbreaks, overly oily skin, or other uncomfortable conditions.

      Having a proper face care routine can actually help the man face or guy face become cleaner.

      A well-tailored men’s skin care routine must comprise skin care steps that will provide the best skin care regimen and skin care for men.

      The truth is that clean skin is just a matter of using the right skin care products consistently and in the right amounts.

      1. Skin Health


      Skin Health for men

      Contrary to popular belief, clean skin is not necessarily totally free from facial oil or other impurities.

      In fact, your skin has a natural barrier of bacteria and oil that helps protect your skin and keeps it properly hydrated and free from impurities.

      Male skin care or rather men’s skincare is usually taken for granted, but not anymore.

      You don’t want to clean your skin too much or with the wrong skin care products for men since this can erase your skin’s natural defenses and cause you more harm than benefits.

      Healthy skin will have several noticeable aspects: a bright skin tone, a lack of excess oil, especially around the face, little to no acne, and relatively clear pores.

      It’s virtually impossible to totally clean your pores permanently since new dirt and debris will always appear and push their way into your pores as a result of your daily activities.

      However, cleaning your pores frequently and maintaining a face routine can help them generate healthy amounts of face oil or body oil and will keep your skin as naturally healthy as possible.

      Healthy skin will also sometimes experience small acne outbreaks here and there, but it shouldn’t constantly be under attack from pimples and other impurities.

      It should be clear by this point that healthy skin is a relative term: you’ll never be able to totally remove all germs and dirt from your skin on your body or face, but you shouldn’t want to in the first place.

      This is why it is important to go beyond the ordinary acne regimen and focus on how to achieve the best men’s skincare with the best skin care products 2024.

      The key and the objective when smartly using skin care products is to balance cleanliness with natural processes.

      2. Natural Oil


      Natural Oils for mens skin

      Many men don’t understand what a healthy level of natural skin oil needs.

      It all relates to your skin’s pH balance.

      You might recall from our article on the best toners for men that the pH scale measures how acidic or basic something is.

      The scale runs from 0 to 14, with 0 being totally acidic and 14 being totally alkaline or basic.

      It turns out that our skin has a natural pH level of around 5.5, although this might vary slightly from person-to-person.

      To that end, your body’s natural oil production helps your skin maintain this pH level, which in turn helps your skin remain healthy and hydrated.

      When your skin produces too much oil, your pH level can go out of balance.

      This has several adverse effects, including possibly drying out your skin, causing an acne outbreak, or preventing your cells from regenerating themselves properly.

      Sometimes it does take more than purchasing the best skincare products for men and a basic skincare routine to maintain good clean skin.

      This is a critical aspect to keep in mind because whenever we use a skincare product, and especially face skin care products, you never want to eliminate all the oil on your face totally; you want to target excess oil production.

      Common Ingredients in Various Skin Care Products

      Ingredients of face moisturizers

      The ingredients list on the back of a given skincare product might seem a little bit intimidating, but don’t worry.

      We’ll go over some of the most common ingredients you can find on various products so that you can get a sense of what they’ll be good at and whether or not a specific formula will be a good fit for your skin type.

      Hyaluronic Acid

      This is an extremely common moisturizer that’s very powerful and is particularly effective at sealing in moisture in your skin.

      This makes it one of the best compounds you can find in a men skin care product if you have dry skin.

      It’s often the primary ingredient in a face moisturizer and a secondary ingredient in many lotions and cleansers.

      Look for hyaluronic acid if you have abnormally dry skin, or you’re worried that your preferred exfoliator or face wash will cause your skin to dry out even if you have perfectly hydrated skin under normal conditions.

       Emollients

      These ingredients are often referred to by their specific names rather than their group term, “emollients.”

      They’re things like shea butter, coconut oil, and some other natural extracts.

      Emollients are excellent for your skin because they add a soothing component to any formula and help reduce the space between skin cells.

      This makes your skin appear younger and tighter than before and can help diminish aging lines and wrinkles.

      You’ll commonly find emollients in antiaging skin care products (skin regimen).

      You’ll also find them as soothing elements in other face washes and creams ideal for men’s facial care.

      Look for emollients if you want to tackle aging, or you have sensitive skin.

      Antioxidants

      Antioxidants have an interesting effect on your skin in that they remove free radical oxygen molecules that might move between your skin cells and cause damage.

      This helps your skin retain its smooth surface and appear younger and healthier.

      For this reason, antioxidants are common ingredients in antiaging products, moisturizing products, and cleansing products.

      They are extremely common and can even have some light soothing effects depending on the exact formula.

      Most antioxidants are derived from fruits or plant material or are specific vitamins, such as Vitamin E.

      Look for antioxidants whenever you can as they are always a net benefit for your skin.

      Aloe Vera

      Aloe vera is a moisturizing antioxidant and is a common ingredient in virtually every type of skin care product.

      It’s well known for being soothing as well, so it’s a very versatile ingredient that’s never a drawback no matter what your skin type.

      Most skincare products use aloe vera for its soothing and hydrating capabilities, although it’s rarely a primary ingredient.

      The one exception is certain types of lotion, which might use aloe vera to great extent to make your skin feel smoother and more comfortable regardless of condition.

      Look for aloe vera if you have sensitive or dry skin.

      Caffeine

      Caffeine is a relatively rare ingredient in skincare products, although it’s usually an excellent addition as an anti-inflammatory agent.

      Due to this effect, you’ll often find caffeine is a critical part of eye creams and some other antiaging products.

      You usually don’t find caffeine as a part of other skincare products.

      A side effect of caffeine is that, once it’s been absorbed by your skin, you might experience a slight energy boost.

      This can make it a great addition if you plan to use eye cream in the morning before you head to work; it’ll be like a tiny cup of coffee help you be alert in the morning and start your day!

      Look for caffeine in eye creams and similar products.

      Salicylic/Glycolic Acid

      These two acids, and alpha-hydroxy-acids like them, are primary ingredients in toner products almost exclusively.

      You’ll rarely find them anywhere else.

      This is because they’re relatively harsh on your skin, but they are also exceptionally good at removing excess skin oil.

      You might experience a slight tingling when using a toner with these acids as part of its formula.

      These acids might have minor drying effects on your skin, so if you already suffer from dry skin, it’s a good idea to find a toner that has a moisturizing component as well.

      Alcohol

      Alcohol is another common ingredient in many face washes and cleansers, as well as a primary component in several exfoliators and toners.

      This is because alcohol is another harsh compound, but it’s very good at digging deep into your pores and removing the majority of dirt and debris, as well as fighting excess oil.

      Alcohol does have a tendency to dry out your skin pretty consistently, so it’s a good idea to find a formula that pairs alcohol with a strong moisturizer like hyaluronic acid.

      Look for alcohol in face washes, cleansers, toners, and exfoliators.

      If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid skincare products that have alcohol as their primary ingredient since they will likely make your skin become inflamed or irritated.

      Retinol

      Retinol is one of the most common antiaging compounds that you’ll find across all sorts of skincare products.

      Why is this?

      Retinol helps boost collagen production in your skin cells; collagen is a critical molecule that skin cells require to divide and heal themselves from daily properly and long-term damage.

      As you age, your cells naturally start to produce less collagen, and this is why your skin starts to degrade over time, developing wrinkles and becoming more susceptible to dryness.

      Retinol is one of the best antiaging ingredients can find in relevant products, although you should also be careful not to over apply retinol to your skin.

      Over applying retinol can actually make your skin start to produce collagen poorly once again or dry your skin out even further.

      Look for retinol in antiaging creams and eye creams.

      Activated Charcoal

      Activated charcoal is found in many face masks, and some face washes.

      In both cases, it proves to be an excellent ingredient since it digs deep into your pores and draws out toxins and other impurities to significant effect.

      Activated charcoal is usually pretty gentle on the skin, so even if you have more sensitive skin than average you can feel relatively safe using a skincare product that has activated charcoal as an ingredient.

      Look for activated charcoal in some of the best face masks and washes.

      Chemical/Physical Exfoliators

      Exfoliating scrubs and creams come in two types: chemical and physical.

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      Chemical exfoliators will use either alcohol or an acidic component, such as alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acids, lactic acid, or citric acid to dismantle and dissolve dirt and debris deep within your pores.

      This is usually the gentler of the two solutions, although sometimes it takes longer to cleanse your pores effectively.

      Physical exfoliators are usually either pumice or jojoba beads.

      These physical materials rub deep into your pores and force the dirt and debris out to be washed away by water.

      Whichever type you use, exfoliators are generally a little harsh for men with sensitive skin.

      Never buy a skincare product that has microbeads rather than these two options for its primary exfoliating agents.

      Microbeads are incredibly toxic to the environment and should be avoided at all costs.

      You might find exfoliating agents in face washes or cleansers, and even a handful of lotions, besides their primary purpose as ingredients for exfoliating scrubs.

      While this is fine, be sure to take care when purchasing a face wash, for example, that has jojoba beads if you have sensitive skin.

      Make sure that it has a soothing component, in this case.

      Natural Oils/Extracts

      Finally, you may also come across skincare products that have a large number of natural oils or extracts.

      These are generally added to lotions and facial skin care products to add a soothing element to the overall experience.

      They can allow men with sensitive or dry skin purchase products that would otherwise be too uncomfortable.

      These are usually not a downside in any way, although we would be careful about purchasing a skin care product that has a lot of natural oils in its ingredients list if you already have naturally oily skin.

      How to Clean Effectively

      How to clean your face effectively for men

      Now, let’s get into how to effectively clean your skin without going too far in either direction: not cleaning enough or cleaning too much.

      The first thing you should do whenever cleaning the skin on your body or face is taking a shower or otherwise perform a light cleaning routine that removes surface dirt and debris.

      The best skin care routine will also focus on men’s face care or mens facial care.

      This is an integral part of any man’s skin care routine because it removes the easy impurities and prevents your skin care products from accidentally rubbing dirt into your pores instead of taking them away.

      We recommend always using warm, although this should be a given considering most people’s standard showering preference.

      The reason we use warm is that it helps your pores open wider, allowing both the water and the future skincare products to penetrate your pores more deeply and remove dirt and other impurities and toxins from deeper inside your pores.

      This is also why you should use warm water when shaving; the open pores let you cut facial hair closer to the root, allowing you to get a closer and cleaner shave each time.

      Most skincare products should be applied after this part of your routine, although some products are meant to be used in tandem with the shower, such as body wash.

      Body wash is basically an advanced version of regular bar soap that is more effective at safely and helpfully removing dirt from your skin without also getting rid of healthy amounts of skin oil.

      We’ve done a review on the best body washes for men you should check out.

      Besides, some skincare products are not meant to be used with the shower at all but are instead moisturizers or soothing products, like hand or body lotion.

      Speaking of which, check out our guide on the best body lotions for men.

      Lotions are meant to be used in the morning or evening to form a light film or protective cover over your skin that will help you retain the moisture your body naturally produces.

      Lotions can be used pretty frequently, although you don’t want to overuse them for the same reason that you don’t want to use too much of anything when it comes to your skin; you might accidentally clog your pores or otherwise irritate your skin barrier and cause it to produce excess oil.

      Besides body wash and the lotions (and lip balm!), all other skincare products should only be applied after you’ve already done a thorough cleansing of your body in a surface level way.

      If for whatever reason, you aren’t able to easily access the shower to get this done, you can always accomplish something relatively similar by using a hot washcloth and a good supply of water.

      This is particularly true when it comes to facial skincare products, and if you have a busy schedule or are applying an evening skincare product and don’t want to take a second shower for the day, you can easily replace the showering aspect with a good washcloth.

      In fact, it’s commonly recommended that you use a washcloth anyway just to be sure that you scrub away any excess dirt or other impurities before you start to apply the actual formulas themselves.

      So, in summary: take a shower or clean the surface of your skin before you apply any skin care products that are meant to cleanse or otherwise penetrate deeply into your pores.

      Lotions, body wash, and lip balm are all used differently.

      Face Product Differences

      Face Product Differences

      Let’s start examining some differences in products for facial care for men.

      Most men aren’t aware of the difference between facial washes or cleansers, let alone toners!

      In fact, each product is slightly different from one another and they should all be used in a specific order if you plan to use all three in tandem.

      Using them in the wrong order can negate the effects of one or more products and might even irritate your skin, so pay attention if this is your plan.

      Despite this apparent complexity, don’t worry; men face care isn’t too tricky.

      Wash

      Facial wash is distinct from cleanser in that wash is meant to be a little harder on your skin and be slightly more effective at cleaning out deep pore impurities and other dirt or debris, whereas cleanser is usually a little gentler on your skin and often contains more moisturizing components.

      The confusion is natural, especially since many advertisers or skincare products describe themselves using the two terms interchangeably.

      At this stage, many people think that facial washes or cleansers are the same kinds of product even though they technically differ in their material composition and intended purpose.

      The best way to tell the two apart is actually to look at their ingredients lists.

      Face washes will be more targeted towards heavy dirt removal and oil reduction, so they’ll usually have more ingredients like alcohol, exfoliants for removing dead skin cells, or soapy materials and extracts.

      You can see our guide on the best face washes for men for more information.

      Cleanser

      Facial cleansers, as we said above, are usually gentler than facial washes and have more moisturizing or soothing compounds.

      These are meant to make your face feel a little better while still applying light cleansing or cleaning properties.

      They’re great for men who have dry or sensitive skin for this reason since they still clean more gently than regular bar soap and don’t irritate the skin.

      They can help alleviate dryness or other uncomfortable conditions.

      Cleansers are also a little bit better at fighting acne than face wash for this reason, although both are better than nothing at all.

      You’ll usually be able to tell cleansers apart because they’ll have more moisturizing compounds like hyaluronic acid or aloe vera, along with soothing natural extracts.

      It should still be noted that face washes and cleansers might share a lot of the same ingredients; your best bet for identification is to see how much of a particular kind of ingredient any given product has.

      Toner

      Finally, there are toners.

      These are meant to tone your skin if you couldn’t tell by the name alone.

      What does toning mean?

      Essentially, toning your skin means rebalancing your skin’s pH level by removing excess oil from the surface of your skin, as well as cleaning out any further deep pore impurities and dirt.

      This will let your skin healthily regenerate itself and will eventually cause it to regain its natural color, regardless of overall skin tone.

      Because of these effects, toners usually have some kind of acid as their primary ingredient.

      These acids are meant to get rid of excess oil and other deep dirt inside your pores; they’re more effective at deep cleaning then face washes, but they also tend to be a little harsher on the skin.

      Some toners are meant for dry skin or sensitive skin, although these must have a moisturizing or soothing component as a primary part of their formula.

      Related Article: Best Facial Toners for Men (Buyer’s Guide)

      The Best Men Skin Care Regimen

      Best Men Skin Care Routines & Tips for Optimal Results ([year] Guide) 1

      Finally, let’s get to the correct order of application if you plan to use all three types of facial skin care products as a part of your routine.

      We mentioned this earlier when describing the differences between the products, but let’s go over this again to be sure.

      Face wash is excellent for removing surface-level dirt from your face; think of it as a regular soap for your facial skin that won’t remove oil since it’s not alkaline like bar soap.

      This is why it lathers once applied.

      Facial cleanser is a gentler product that goes into your pores and removes further dirt and impurities.

      It often has extra hydrating or nourishing elements to help your skin repair itself.

      Finally, toner removes even more dirt and impurities deeper inside your pores and also helps get rid of excess oil, which can sometimes be deposited by a facial cleanser.

      Face wash and cleanser are very similar, but their differences are real even if marketing on the front sides of products tends to use the two terms relatively interchangeably.

      Which of these should you use?

      Both of them, if you want the cleanest facial skin possible.

      However, if you have super sensitive skin, go with cleanser alone since it’s the middle ground between wash, cleanser, and toner.

      If you don’t like using tons of facial skin care products, it’s perfectly fine to only use one type, since using any of these is better than nothing at all.

      Just remember that the best routine combines all three, and that’s what our example routine will be based on.

      Step 1- Shower and Dry Face

      Firstly, you’ll want to wash your face likely described above, either in the shower or with a hot washcloth.

      Once this has been completed, dry your face with a soft towel by dabbing it gently and avoid irritating your skin, since this might cause your pores to close prematurely.

      Step 2- Face Wash

      When you are mostly dry, you can apply face wash; this is meant to be scrubbed into your skin using light, circular motions without pressing too deeply.

      The face wash will start to operate immediately.

      You’ll see a lather much like traditional soap, which is a good sign.

      It means that the face wash is reacting correctly with your skin.

      After about 30 seconds of lathering, you can go ahead and rinse the face wash off your face.

      Use plenty of water and try to get as much of it as possible away from your skin.

      There are a few varieties of facial washes that are meant to be absorbed by your skin instead of rinsed away, although these are the exception rather than the rule.

      Just be sure to read the directions on your given product carefully so that you don’t accidentally misuse it.

      Step 3- Apply Cleanser

      Next, it’s time for the cleanser.

      Cleansers are applied in much the same way as a face wash; simply dab a little onto your fingers and rub it into your skin.

      It’ll take about the same amount of time to fully work, but you should feel a little more relaxed and comfortable once the formula does its job.

      Remember, most cleansers have soothing or hydrating components designed to relax your skin and alleviate any irritation that might felt so far.

      Overall, most men shouldn’t have an issue with any facial skin care products up to this point unless they have excessively sensitive skin.

      Step 4- Apply Toner

      Once this cleanser has been washed away in much the same manner as you would rinse the face wash off, it’s time for the toner.

      The toner is meant to be dabbed onto a cotton pad or ball and rubbed into your skin using that tool.

      This prevents you from accidentally using too much toner, which might remove too much of the good face oil that you want to keep on the surface of your skin.

      Lightly rub the toner, using the cotton pad or ball, onto your skin; be sure to keep the toner away from your eyes or lips, as this compound generally has acidic or alcohol-related ingredients that can be uncomfortable if they get into these areas.

      Unlike the previous two skincare products, toner is meant to be absorbed by your skin.

      If you use the correct amount, your skin shouldn’t be overly oily anymore, and you should notice a beautiful glow within a few minutes.

      Step 5- Apply Moisturizer

      It’s at this point that many men like to add a moisturizer as a final step for their skincare routine.

      This is because toner has a tendency to dry out skin, even if you don’t typically suffer from dry skin as a common issue.

      A moisturizer’s primary duty is to help your skin maintain a healthy level of moisture and prevent it from drying out.

      It’s never a bad idea to add a moisturizer as the final component in a total skincare routine.

      Related Article: Best Face Moisturizers for Men (Buyer’s Guide)

      Step 6 A- Apply Eye Cream/Acne Treatment at Night

      Eye cream is another great addition to an encompassing skin care routine.

      An eye cream can help reduce wrinkles around your eyes and get rid of dark circles, which are frequently caused by inflammation and lack of sleep.

      While there are plenty of eye creams that can be used during the day, the best eye creams usually recommend that they be used before bed.

      This is because sleep is the single most significant amount of uninterrupted time your skin will get when it’s not being bombarded by daily dirt, oil, and other debris.

      An eye cream can work more of its magic over this entire time, yielding better results than if it was fighting off other stuff during the day.

      You should apply eye cream after everything else because it’s supposed to be absorbed by your skin and not rinsed or washed away, especially by toner.

      Besides, you might apply an acne treatment product to your skin.

      It’s imperative that you save this product for the final phase of your routine so that nothing washes it away, and it has every opportunity to sink into your pores and do its job uninterrupted.

      We recommend that this happen during nighttime for the same reason as above; toner and other washing products might get rid of the acne cream or gel before it’s finished its vital work.

      We’ve done a guide on the best acne treatments for men if you want to learn more and find the best type for your needs.

      Step 6 B- Apply Sunscreen During the Day

      On the flipside, if you’re performing this routine in the morning, sunscreen is an excellent addition as a final product to be rubbed into your skin.

      This is particularly important if you live in a climate where you’ll get lots of sun, or if you work in a place where you’ll be exposed to the sun for long periods.

      Either way, sunscreen needs to be applied last for the same reason that eye cream does; it needs to rest atop your skin and be partially absorbed and not washed away by toner or other products.

      If you do apply sunscreen, avoid using an acne treatment beforehand since sunscreen isn’t perfect for your pores anyway.

      Related Article: Best Sunscreens for Men (Buyer’s Guide)

      Summary

      Overall, your routine will be mainly the same between morning or nightly skincare routines, but there are a couple of slight differences.

      Let’s summarize them for easy memorization.

      Morning Routine

      Step One: Shower and dry.
      Step Two: Apply face wash.
      Step Three: Apply facial cleanser.
      Step Four: Apply toner.
      Step Five: Apply moisturizer if needed/wanted.
      Step Six: Apply sunscreen if needed/wanted.

      Nightly Routine

      Step One: Shower and dry.
      Step Two: Apply face wash.
      Step Three: Apply facial cleanser.
      Step Four: Apply toner.
      Step Five: Apply moisturizer if needed/wanted.
      Step Six: Apply eye cream or acne treatment if needed/wanted.

      Hand/Body Lotion


      Lotions are a bit separate from the other skin care products.

      It’s always a good idea to use them before bed, but you can also make use of them throughout the day so long as you don’t overapply.

      We’d recommend using them once in the morning and once in the evening unless that becomes too much for your skin to handle.

      Check out our guide on the best hand lotions for men for more info!

      Biweekly Events: Exfoliators and Face Masks


      There are two other skin care products that you can make use of, although we wouldn’t recommend using them every day.

      Exfoliators

      Exfoliators should only be used twice or, if you have particularly dirty or wide pores, three times a week.

      Exfoliators primarily help you slough off dead skin and remove larger pieces of dirt and debris.

      By removing dead skin, you both help other facial skin care products get into your pores to get the smaller stuff and let your skin regenerative itself more easily.

      However, removing dead skin with the help of an exfoliator is somewhat harsh on anyone’s face, not just men with sensitive skin.

      For this reason, don’t use exfoliator scrubs or similar products each day; you’ll rub your skin raw and make it inflamed or irritated.

      Related Article: Best Exfoliators for Men (For Every Skin Type)

      Face Masks

      Face masks are another tremendous pore-cleansing product, but they require time investments of around 15 minutes or longer and are most active at deep-cleansing your pores.

      While this sounds like a good benefit to have each day, the truth is that your pores don’t become so dirty as to require a face mask’s deep-penetration abilities each and every day.

      You’ll get more worth out of your face mask cream supply by using it twice a week to periodically cleanse your pores, rather than wasting the valuable cream on daily maintenance.

      Related Article: Best Face Masks for Men (Buyer’s Guide)

      Example Schedule

      For example, a good, all-encompassing skin care routine might look like this:

      Monday: Daily or Nightly Routine, Plus Exfoliation and/or Face Mask
      Tuesday: Daily or Nightly Routine
      Wednesday: Daily or Nightly Routine
      Thursday: Daily or Nightly Routine, Plus Exfoliation and /or Face Mask
      Friday: Daily or Nightly Routine
      Saturday: Daily or Nightly Routine
      Sunday: Daily or Nightly Routine
      All Days: Apply Hand/Body Lotion as needed.

      You can, of course, alter this routine as you see fit, or modify it if something works better with your personal schedule and skin care needs.

      Listen to Your Skin


      Some men may discover that their skin becomes abnormally dry after using both face wash and cleanser in conjunction with toner.

      The truth is that face wash and cleanser are so similar for most men that you can usually get away with ordering one or the other, depending on how tough your skin is.

      While the maximally effective routine would use both, there’s no shame or harm in only picking one or the other and using them for the washing portion of the routine.

      Go with face wash if you want to be a little cleaner and go with cleanser if you have sensitive skin or want to have a slightly more soothing experience.

      Where Does Wet Shaving Fit Into this Routine?


      Wet shaving should always be completed before you apply anything outside of the shower.

      Most men will use the shower as an optimal time to open up their pores in preparation for skincare efforts or shaving anyway.

      Therefore, the best time to wet shave is either during or immediately after your shower.

      You simply insert shaving into the routine before you apply face wash.

      Applying your face wash after shaving has the added benefit of getting rid of any extra shaving cream that might have been pressed into your pores.

      You don’t want to shave after using cleanser, toner, or a face mask.

      At these stages, your pores are closing as they’re being deeply cleansed.

      Irritating them with shaving cream and the sharp blade of a razor isn’t great for your skin health or your appearance, as your skin is likely to turn red and irritated.

      In summary: shave before applying skincare products, but after you take a good, cleaning shower.

      Since most men don’t shave each and every day, simply add shaving into the routine we described above whenever it applies.

      Bar Soap: Avoid on Face!

      One final thing to explain is why bar soap should be avoided when it comes to your face at all costs.

      While it’s all right to use bar soap for the body, although we still recommend using a designated men’s body wash instead due to its better ingredients, bar soap is a terrible thing to apply to your face.

      This is because most bar soaps are alkaline products, so they are extremely basic, or very high on the pH scale.

      If you recall, your skin’s pH level is supposed to be around 5.5 out of 14.

      Using bar soap reduces your skin’s healthy amount of oil and may cause either irritation or inflammation.

      It also might cause your skin to suddenly double down on oil production to compensate for the removal of its normal levels.

      This can then lead to an acne outbreak, and even more issues, and so on and so forth.

      Do you see what we mean?

      Basically, avoid using bar soap for your face, and you should be fine.

      It’s so unhelpful for your facial skin that we would recommend avoiding cleaning your face entirely if the only two options were bar soap and nothing at all.

      For body bar soaps, check out our guide on the best bar soaps for men.

      Specific Skin Care Needs

      specific skin care needs for men

      So, you’ve learned about the proper cleaning routine if you have normal or combination skin, or skin that otherwise doesn’t really suffer from one specific condition.

      But what if you are a man that has a particular problem hounding your body or facial skin?

      Don’t worry; we’ll go over the specific actions you should take for each major skin type so you can effectively work towards clear, clean skin to be proud of.

      Oily Skin


      Many men suffer from oily skin, and in fact, men are more likely to suffer from this skin condition, as well as dry skin or acne than women are.

      This is because men generally have more testosterone, along with other hormones, that cause skin issues.

      Also, many men sweat more than women and are outdoors getting more dirt into their pores.

      All of these factors can combine to give tons of men dirty, ugly skin.

      We’ll cover oily skin first, and separately from acne since not all men with oily skin necessarily have a bunch of acne outbreaks.

      Tip 1

      Oily skin might because by originally washing your skin too roughly, which makes your skin produce extra oil.

      Or you might just be unlucky and have naturally oily skin no matter what you do.

      Either way, you can combat oily skin with face wash and toner, and even some cleansers.

      All of these products will have acids, alcohol, or other ingredients that are specifically designed to reduce the amount of oil on your skin and get rid of dirt and other impurities.

      The reason you want to focus on your pores is that one of the most common reasons for your skin to generate excess oil is because it detects that its pores are clogged up.

      Oil is being generated, in this case, to try to flush that dirt out of your pores so that your skin to regenerate itself helpfully.

      Unfortunately for you, the excess oil sometimes just piles up and doesn’t do its job effectively enough.

      That’s where the skin care products come in.

      Tip 2

      Face masks are another great pick for oily skin since these draw deep into your pores to remove as many toxins and other impurities as possible before being scrubbed or peel the way.

      One benefit to a face mask is that it’s usually gentle enough to be used for many skin types.

      In summary: for oily skin, find products that are very good at cleansing your pores or removing oil by targeting it directly, such as toner.

      Use these every day until the oil subsides and reduce the amount you’re using if your face starts to become irritated.

      Dry Skin


      Dry skin is another common affliction that many men suffer from all the time.

      It’s usually a result of your skin’s failure to trap in an appropriate level of moisture due to bad genetics or bad luck.

      It also might be a result of your climate; many men have dry skin during the winter months since these are historically the driest months of the year for many parts of the world.

      Tip 1

      Whatever your reason, dry skin is primarily combated through moisturizing products as well as lotions.

      That’s because these products often have primary ingredients that are moisturizers first and foremost.

      While you might see some of these ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, as part of the formulas for other skincare products, they are usually only included to negate side effects from their applications.

      For instance, hyaluronic acid is common in face wash so that using the wash doesn’t dry out your skin.

      Moisturizers and lotions, on the other hand, make hyaluronic acid and other water-trapping ingredients the primary focus.

      They usually combine moisturizing ingredients with other natural oils and extracts, which are designed to help further your skin retain water even in dry conditions.

      Moisturizers and lotions also usually have antioxidants, which help repair your skin cells and prevent further damage; this can eventually lead to your skin gaining the ability to maintain its hydration levels effectively without the use of a moisturizer or lotion at all.

      Tip 2

      One thing to keep in mind, especially when it comes to lotions, is that sometimes these products contain oils that can negatively affect your skin level if you already have naturally oily skin.

      These oils usually don’t collect or form an uncomfortable film on your skin, but results may vary.

      If you have dry skin and oily skin, you’ll likely need to use two kinds of products in conjunction, such as a toner and moisturizer, to get perfectly balanced skin.

      Tip 3

      We recommend using skincare products for dry skin after washing has already taken place.

      This way, you get all the potential drying over and done with and can then apply a moisturizing formula to finish things off.

      Sensitive Skin


      Sensitive skin is another common issue that many men face.

      However, it’s also one of the easiest to treat, since you can use virtually all of the skincare products that we’ve described so far as long as they have a few soothing ingredients, or you avoid some of the harsher compounds like alcohol.

      Men with sensitive skin basically just have skin that is easily inflamed or irritated when too much pressure is put on its surface, or harsh ingredients are rubbed into its pores.

      This can be seen very easily when it comes to exfoliating pads or scrubs since these remove dead skin rather roughly no matter what product you use.

      Tip 1

      For men who have sensitive skin, we’d recommend finding skincare products that have natural extracts or soothing oils, such as aloe vera, which can help reduce inflammation on your skin even while you cleanse it thoroughly.

      Besides, you should also look for skincare products that have antioxidants, since repairing your skin cells will also help your skin become tougher over time and less sensitive.

      Tip 2

      Above all, listen to your body.

      If something isn’t working, stop using it, and find a new product.

      Acne


      Acne is something that virtually every teenage male faces; we all have memories of high school where our faces were covered in temples.

      But that doesn’t have to last into adulthood.

      Acne comes about as a result of two possible scenarios.

      In the first scenario, your hormones are out of balance in your or body is simply sprouting acne everywhere.

      There isn’t much we can do when it comes to skincare products to tackle this potentiality.

      But we can fight the second, which is acne that is a result of overly dirty or oily pores, particularly the latter.

      Acne might build up as a result of having pores that are blocked continuously by oil or other impurities like the dirt.

      To fight this kind of acne, all you need to do is properly cleanse your pores and reduce your skin oil level to a natural level.

      Tip 1

      You can use several different skin care products for this purpose, such as face wash or toner.

      But there are antiacne treatments that combine some of the best ingredients for fighting acne into single formulas or bottles.

      These formulas usually have some sort of acidic ingredients to fight off acne and debris along with several other moisturizing and soothing compounds to promote healthy skin regrowth and keep things comfortable.

      Tip 2

      When it comes to acne skin care routines, we’d recommend keeping as clean a face as possible and using face washes or cleansers with ingredients that can help men with sensitive skin whenever possible.

      After using the washer cleanser, acne treatment product is the next step and can help you eliminate acne for good.

      Tip 3

      Remember not to use acne treatment before any toner that’s going to be part of your routine.

      Tip 4

      A final warning: never used exfoliating scrubs or other exfoliating products if you’re trying to fight off acne.

      This will only irritate and inflame your face and should be saved for when your acne has disappeared.

      Aging Skin


      Men who are starting to rack up years might be noticing wrinkles or crow’s feet around their eyes.

      Fortunately, there are plenty of skin care routines and products to choose from that can help you fight off the effects of aging.

      There are antiaging creams and gels, as well is cream developed explicitly for fighting off wrinkles around your eyes.

      Let’s focus on both aspects separately.

      Tip 1

      If you’re just trying to get rid of wrinkles in general, find an antiaging cream or gel and apply it thoroughly at the end of your day before bed.

      This is meant to be used as a last skincare product, as it’s supposed to be absorbed by your skin; save it for after every other skincare product, such as a wash or cleanser.

      Tip 2

      On the other hand, if you’re trying to tackle the wrinkles around your eyes or dark circles around your eyes, find an eye cream specifically.

      These creams will have ingredients that are high in anti-inflammatory properties.

      Why does this matter?

      It’s because dark circles beneath your eyes or sagging skin is sometimes a result of inflamed or irritated skin cells.

      Ingredients like caffeine or other elements will help reduce inflammation and get rid of that awful dark color.

      Tip 3

      Either way, all of the best antiaging products will have ingredients like retinol, which boosts collagen production in your skin cells and helps them regenerate more appropriately than before.

      Related Article: Best Anti-Aging Creams for Men (For Wrinkles, Puffiness, & Dark Circles)

      They might also have emollients, which are usually recognizable by their individual names: look for things like shea butter, for instance.

      These ingredients help reduce the space between skin cells and will tighten your wrinkles up, giving your skin a more youthful look.

      In short, apply these skincare products right before bed so they can work throughout the night and keep an eye out for the ingredients we discussed above.

      Conclusion

      As you can see, a proper skin care routine isn’t as complicated as you might think.

      Given how little effort it takes as long as you plan out everything ahead of time, there’s no excuse not to give yourself the best skin possible.

      You’ll look better and healthier and feel much younger by adopting a proper skincare routine.

      There’s no reason to wait; start today!

      2 thoughts on “Best Men Skin Care Routines & Tips for Optimal Results (2024 Guide)”

      1. Looking at the skin care routine (wash/cleanse/tone/moisturize), where/how do these steps integrate with my wet shaving routine?

        1. Hey Jim,

          This is a very good point and a huge oversight on my part. My apologies. I have added a section about how wet shaving fits into the routine.

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