An aesthetic doctor and general practitioner demystified beauty routines while offering her followers the best skincare for men.
In recent years, men have become more open to using products on their faces besides hot water and sunscreen during the summer. Still, because they have not necessarily grown up with skincare information being pumped into them, some men find it difficult to correctly identify the best products they can use.
Best skincare items for men, according to Dr Raj Arora
Though skincare routines are as unique as the people who use them, some general rules are consistent across about sexes. For instance, Northwestern Medicine argues that a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, sunscreen, exfoliator, and serum are all essential purchases.
Taking to TikTok last year, Dr Raj Arora replied to a comment from a man asking about a typical skincare routine. The first product she recommended was the CeraVe foaming cleanser, which is perfect for normal and oily skin. It’s currently priced at $5.49 at Target.
Next up was The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% toning solution, which is priced at $13.00 for 8oz and $8.75 for 3.38 oz.
“It’s always good to use a good toner for the skin,” the doctor explained. “It helps remove dead skin cells and exfoliate. This one here from The Ordinary is great, 7% Glycolic Acid works wonders.”
After toning, Dr Arora recommended using the Paula’s Choice Skin Restoring Moisturizer; currently priced at $38 on Amazon. The moisturizer also contains a broad-spectrum SPF.
Those three products form the base of a solid morning skincare routine, but in the evening, you’re going to need some more hard-hitting products.
Dr Arora explained: “For your evening routine, you’re pretty much going to follow the same as morning, but you’re going to be adding in a retinol a couple of times a week and building that frequency up.”
She offered another CeraVe product for your retinol choice, with the Skin Renewing Retinol Face Serum currently going for $23.99 at Target.
Why skincare should be different for men and women
Though there is no harm in using so-called female products on male skin, there is a relatively large selection of experts who urge men to find dedicated products for their needs.
“Skin is very sensitive to male and female hormones,” cosmetic doctor Dr Maurice Dray told Marie Claire. “Men have much higher levels of testosterone, which makes their skin 25 percent thicker and behave differently to a woman’s.”
One such difference is skin thickness, which is considerably higher in men due to the natural production of testosterone. Men also have a lower PH on their skin and more sensitive skin around the beard area.
If you ever have serious concerns about your skin or want a dedicated routine for your needs, then it’s best to speak to a dermatologist.
