The New Year is about new beginnings, starting afresh, and of course, new year’s resolutions. With the majority of us feeling mentally, physically, and financially drained after enjoying the party season, January is the ideal time to start devoting a bit more of your day to self-care. This makes it the perfect opportunity to start building the smart skincare habits that will see you reap huge benefits down the line. For this reason, as part of our Groom 101 series this month, we’re taking it right back to basics with a guide to the basics of skincare for men.
Groom 101: Basic Skincare for Men
The Fundamentals: finding out what you need from your skincare
Before we delve into any practical advice on skincare for men, it’s important to get to grips with a few fundamental ideas:
- Your skin type – this is the most important factor to consider when figuring out what needs to be included in your routine, what products you need to choose, and which you need to stay clear of. You can read more about skin type here.
- From your skin type, you should be able to get a good idea of what your main skincare concerns are.
- Those with the oily skin type should choose products which aim to control levels of sebum on the skin, as well as address the problems that often come with it, such as blackheads, acne, and shine.
- Those with dry skin should prioritise replenishing and retaining moisture, as well as removing dead skin cells, the build up of which can inhibit healthy skin function.
- Many will also have skin of a combination type, in which the skin behaves differently depending on environmental factors, ingredients in skincare and food, or even just in different areas of the face and body.
Building your routine
Once your fundamental skincare needs have been established, building a routine based around products that address these concerns is the next step. Your overall skincare routine can be divided into four key parts, and fine tuning each of them is the easiest way to guarantee you’re getting the maximum benefits. These parts are:
- Day Routine – daytime skincare should be simple and quick, but above all, consistent. Sparing less than 5 minutes each morning to go through the steps outlined in our simple 4-step skincare routine will have a huge payoff long term.
- Night Routine – day routines are all about convenience, but night time routines give you the opportunity to deliver intense benefits without being bothersome. Cleansing, toning if you have oily skin or use cosmetics, and applying a night cream or anti-ageing moisturiser at night will remove impurities, and ensure you receive the maximum possible nutritive effects.
- Facial Treatments – facial treatments that are more time and labour intensive, but deliver incredible results, such as face masks and chemical peels, need to be used less frequently. Added to this, there are many daily products such as Retinol creams or high Vitamin C concentrates that can be used daily, but should be used for limited periods of time with breaks in between, and therefore will not always form part of your daily routine.
- Spot Treatments – building a strong routine will put you in the best possible position to ensure your skin is healthy, but spots and outbreaks, as well as dryness or oiliness, are inevitable from time to time. In these instances, rapidly acting treatments like anti-blemish creams and serums, as well as concealers, matte powders, toning pads and more can be carried with you to quickly address the issue as and when it arises.