- Hi, everyone.
Welcome back to "Skincare Nerds."
Today I'm gonna be talking about men's skincare.
Now, I usually don't really believe
in the term men's skincare,
but there are actually a few differences
between female and male skin.
So we're gonna go through that.
I'm also gonna recommend a little bit of a routine
for the man in your life,
or if you are a man watching, for you.
So stay tuned.
So the main differences between male and female skin
is that male skin tends to be about 25% thicker
than female skin due to testosterone.
They also have more collagen in their skin,
which seems a little bit unfair,
but they also tend to be a little bit
more neglectful with SPF.
So that anti-aging effect they probably get
from the extra collagen is counteracted
by them not using SPF.
And typically a lot of men will have facial hair.
So they're shaving regularly,
and that means that they age better
on the lower half of their face
because they're encouraging cell turnover,
and they also have more active sebaceous glands.
But that's not always a positive
because it can mean that they have more congestion
and more enlarged pores.
Now, there's not one routine that's going to fit all
in this case, but I am gonna recommend some products
in general that I think could be suitable for most men.
So this is taking into account
the more active sebaceous glands,
so concerns around congestion, black heads.
Also taking into account the shaving,
so you might be more prone to ingrown hairs.
And men tending not to use SPF as much as women do.
So let's talk about what would be in a very basic routine
if you are buying for a man or you are a man watching.
So a very basic routine,
and this applies to women as well, would be a cleanser.
And I like a gentle gel cleanser for a male.
A moisturiser.
It might be a little bit more lightweight,
because men tend to be a little bit oilier.
And then, of course, an SPF.
So for a cleanser, I'd probably recommend something like
ASAP gentle cleansing gel, the Ordinary Squalane Cleanser,
or Dermalogica special cleansing gel.
And for a moisturiser,
I'd probably recommend something like
Cosmedix shineless, Kiehl's facial fuel, or Patrick's AM1.
And for SPF, we've got an entire SPF category,
that's probably one of our specialties,
is ranging a lot of amazing SPFs.
So go and check that out if you haven't seen it already.
So that's the basics.
But if you are a man that's wanting to do
a little bit more than basic
or you're buying for a man that wants to do
a little bit more than basic,
there's a few things that you can add.
So if we're taking it up just a notch,
I would introduce a BHA,
so something like ASAP radiant serum,
COSRX AHA/BHA clarifying treatment toner,
Murad daily clarifying peel,
or the Ordinary salicylic acid 2%.
Now, all these products are gonna help with
reducing congestion and treating those enlarged pores.
So salicylic acid, which is a BHA, is oil soluble,
so that helps to exfoliate the inner wall of the pores
and reduce all of that debris, oil, dirt,
all of that stuff that's hanging around in the pores
causing the congestion.
So it's a great product to have
for anyone that suffers from those concerns.
Now, the next product I'd recommend
if we're just going up a notch
is something with niacinamide in it.
So that will help to balance oil production,
brighten the skin, hydrate.
Some products I love with niacinamide in them
are ASAP super B complex, Aesthetics RX B serum,
Alpha-H vitamin B, and the Ordinary niacinamide plus zinc,
which is a bargain option.
And if that's not enough for you and you think,
"No, I want a full advanced skincare routine.
I don't wanna start at the basics and work my way up.
I just wanna go all in."
I wouldn't necessarily recommend that.
I'd probably start off with the basics
and then introduce things slowly.
But these are the things that you could introduce
after your niacinamide and BHAs and all your basics
to really elevate your routine.
So I'd probably start by recommending a vitamin C
to put under your SPF in the morning,
something like Boost Labs vitamin C brightening serum.
That will help to counteract sun damage.
So if you've spent a lot of time in the sun,
haven't been very sun safe,
and you've got signs of pigmentation or sun damage,
that's going to help to treat those concerns.
But it's also going to help fight free radicals
throughout the day as well.
Then we've got a retinol,
which you may have heard in ads on TV.
It's a very popular ingredient
because it is the gold standard of antiaging.
So a retinol serum is gonna help to speed up cell turnover.
It's gonna really have that anti-aging effect on your skin,
treat fine lines and wrinkles.
The Skin Institute retinol is about $30 I think,
maybe a little bit more.
So that's a really good affordable option
if you're just introducing this to your routine.
Make sure you use that on alternating nights
to your BHA or salicylic acid product.
It might just be too many actives at the one time.
And if you are not using your SPF,
you cannot use your retinol.
Do not use the retinol without SPF.
And if you have any concerns around your eyes,
like fine lines or wrinkles,
introducing an eye cream might be a good idea.
The Kiehl's Age Defender Eye Repair
might be a good option for you.
And the last thing I wanna mention
is don't use too much product, please.
When you're applying products,
don't squeeze it into your palm,
squeeze it onto your fingers
and rub together like this when you apply.
I find that something men just typically do
is use way too much product.
If you're spending a lot of money on skincare,
it's not something you wanna do.
So try and preserve your products as much as you can
and don't use too much.
So that's our very brief overview on men's skincare.
If you have any questions,
you can leave them in the comments below.
Otherwise, subscribe, hit the bell button,
and I'll see you next time.