Mens Skincare & Aesthetics
Myth: Real men don’t do any cosmetic procedures.
Fact: Many men dip their toes in the aesthetic world, and you know what? Good for them.
We all care. You. Me. The neighbor down the street. We all care what we look like. Vanity? Maybe. Over the top? Could be. The truth? Definitely.
Men care about what they look like just as women do. It’s a double standard to think for one second that men don’t have an innate desire to want to be attractive. Of course, that word attractive is relative and based entirely on opinion, but I have yet to meet one man who thinks, “Yep. I’m going to wake up my worst. Dress my worst. And hope my skin is as ashy as they come.”
That’s not real. What IS real is that men have gone too long without the attention that they deserve. We owe it to them to buy them better skin care products than Clinique or help to encourage them to purchase good skincare.
This blog is not a game of what and whom we think is attractive (although, that would be entertaining), but more about my hope to rid of the stereotype that men should be nonchalant about their appearance and ambivalent to their skin. My hope is that men will come forward and make the choices related to their skin that enhance their self-esteem (notice I saw enhance, presuming that aesthetics is not the sole answer for healthy self-esteem). I also hope that all women will encourage and embrace their men’s desire to take care of the largest organ in their body—their skin.
According to journalist, Joseph DeAcetis, whom follows trend adoption in luxury lifestyles, there are more people watching male educational videos between midnight and 2 o’clock in the morning than any other time of the day. What does this mean? One of three things: They don’t realize that they are missing vital hours that their cells could be detoxing (optimal time for body to detox is 10pm-2am). They are embarrassed about their searches. Or they are night owls and want to be more informed.
Some men are sick of hiding and the numbers show it. According to the Aesthetic Society for plastic surgery, the number of aesthetic treatments performed on men since 1997 has increased by 325 percent. Botox has increased by 84 percent over the past five years.
Aesthetic procedures have skyrocketed, but what does a quality men’s skincare routine look like?
I’ll tell you.
Wash- am/pmI suggest using the Exfoliating Cleanser by ZO Skin Health. Also, a little trick for my male patients is to use the ZO Skin Health Gentle Cleanser for shaving instead of the toxin filled shaving creams that ultimately clog pores. Both cleansers can be found here. Be sure to cleanse for a full 60 seconds with the last 10 seconds cleansing on the upper and lower eyelid. Men seem to love cleansing with a cleansing device (my husband only will wash his face if using one). If you haven’t tried this yet, give it a go! The device can be found here.
Exfoliate- am or pm. I suggest using the ZO Exfoliating Polish which can be found here. Use this morning OR night for 60 seconds gently with the last 5 seconds being on the upper and lower eyelid.
Toner- am/pmI suggest using the ZO Skin Health Oil Control Pads if you tend to be more oily or the Complexion Renewal Pads if you have combo skin. Both can be found here.
Prevent & Correct- am and or pm. I suggest using the SkinBetter Science Solo for men. This is a clinically tested, once-daily skincare, engineered for men. It is uniquely designed to provide male skin with an enhanced level of antioxidant defense against the environmental stressors of modern life. skinbetter science® Solo Hydrating Defense MEN supports healthier-looking skin by reducing skin surface sebum levels, resulting in a less oily appearance, while simultaneously hydrating with a calming, lightweight formulation. This results in fast, visible improvement in the appearance of pores, skin tone, skin texture and redness. Found here.
SPF- This is a must! Always! Men need to protect their skin from sun damage too. My favorite for men is the Elta MD Clear which can be found here.
For a luxury product that feels amazing and transforms the skin’s health I recommend Anfisa Lilou Balm. Designed to replace a traditional cream moisturizer, this regenerating, oil-based balm is formulated with the best of botanicals - think antioxidant-rich blueberries, moisturizing grape seed oil, and calming matcha tea - to revitalize and restore your complexion at a cellular level. Can be found here.
If you men are feeling extra I highly recommend adding a retinol to your regimen at night. My favorite for my male patients is the Skin Better Science Alpha Ret. Found here.
Don’t let this routine scare you! It’s just a few steps. It will take less than 5 minutes morning and night. We all have that time in our day to devote to our skin.
I want to live in a world where men embrace their appearance and stop using their wives’ products in secret. I want them to stand tall when they say they do “Brotox”. I want men to feel okay with the fact that they want to look good and care about their skin, because it is okay! It’s more than okay.
Shine on men.
xoxo - The Beauty Nurse