Dear men,
Your skin needs more than cold water splashes and bathing soap to maintain itself. After everything your skin goes through, from harsh sun to pollution and dirt, your skin deserves a gentle, caring skincare routine that brings it back to life. And when you pair it with unhealthy lifestyle habits, a skincare routine for men becomes a must.
For this reason, we have created the best skincare routine suitable for all skin types. Of course, we have also added suggestions on how to tailor it and some pro tips to deal with skin concerns. So, without further ado, go on and scroll to the main deal!
Importance of Skincare for Men
Self-care is as much for you as it is for women. That's not why a skincare routine for men is important. There are much bigger things, and they are as follows:
- Your skin can be just as prone to issues like acne, dryness, and sun damage as women's skin. A good skincare routine can help address these concerns and promote healthier-looking skin.
- Taking care of your skin early on can prevent concerns like premature aging and reduce the risk of skin cancer caused by sun exposure.
- Clear, healthy skin can boost confidence and self-esteem. Why is that important? Because when you feel good about your appearance, you're more likely to project confidence in your personal and professional life. Win-win!
- Neglecting your skin can lead to inflammation, infection, and even skin conditions like dermatitis. A proper skincare routine can strengthen your skin barrier and prevent these problems.
Finally, skincare is a form of self-care. Taking a few minutes each day to care for your skin can be a relaxing ritual that helps reduce stress and improve overall well-being. It can also be a moment of reflection for you – how your day was, how you want it to be, how you feel at the moment, and more!
Morning Skincare Routine
Your morning routine can greatly affect how you feel about your day. A solid routine can help you feel more grounded, connected, and confident throughout the day. And as we know, skincare can be a great time to reflect. So here's a detailed morning skincare routine with specific products for all your hard-working men!
Cleansing
Start your day with a refreshing cleansing experience. Your goal for cleansing should be:
- Select a suitable cleanser according to your skin type.
- Make sure the cleanser is gentle on your skin.
A Mild Cleanser can be your best pick for this step since it is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive.. Since it mirrors your skin's natural pH levels, you can wash your face comfortably, knowing you are not harming its protective barrier.
Plus, ingredients like Japanese Fermented Rice Extract and Alpine Rose Stem Cells give you an added advantage. The soft, foamy texture gently removes all the impurities while strengthening your skin's outer barrier. It also boosts collagen production for firm and elastic skin.
Now, how do you wash your face? Take a small amount of cleanser and gently rub it onto your skin for 1-2 minutes. Use your fingertips for circular motions and soft pressure, and follow the contours of your face. It's best to use mild or cold water to rinse the foam off. Hot water can leave your skin barrier compromised and your skin drier. And you don't want that!
Toning
Of course, your skin will need immediate hydration after cleansing. For that, we have the toner. A Balancing Toner will work well if your goal is to revive your skin's hydration and strengthen the outer barrier. This toner also works in two ways. One, it quickly hydrates your skin. Two, it boosts your collagen. Its thin, slightly gel-like moisturizing formula quickly absorbs into your skin, leaving it feeling fresh.
Now, when choosing a toner, you must choose an alcohol-free toner. They are gentler on your skin and less drying. Plus, they reduce the risk of redness and inflammation due to irritation. Finally, they are suitable for all skin types. So you need not worry much if you have sensitive skin.
Shaving Preparation
Besides having clear skin, it's important to look well-groomed. One of the best ways is to keep your beard in check. When done right, the stubble can enhance your facial features. It can define your jawline and give you a mature appearance. And if done really well, it can make you look ruggedly stylish!
But, of course, there are so many challenges when it comes to shaving. The dryness after shaving, friction between the razor and skin, post-shave bumps, and even small nicks, for that matter. This is where our shaving gel saves the day for you!
It gives you the ultimate shaving experience with a rich lather, ensuring that your razor glides effortlessly across your skin. The well-thought-out balance of botanical ingredients makes the shave an intensely hydrating and skin-softening experience. It will also help your skin heal from any nicks and cuts and tighten it.
Following the shave, you may experience skin that feels drier than usual. For this, you could consider using a shaving mist. Think of it like a post-shave toner. It works wonders in soothing and calming the skin, minimizing post-shave irritation and redness. Plus, the formula will leave your skin supple and radiant. Simply put, no pesky redness, irritation, and dryness post-shave.
Moisturizing
The next step is to apply a moisturizer. Since this is a morning routine, it's better to pick a lightweight, non-greasy, yet intensely hydrating moisturizer. For instance, the Light Moisturizer.
It is infused with two hero ingredients – Sea Holly Plant Stem Cells and Niacinamide. As a result, locks in all the moisture into your skin while tightening pores, firming skin, and protecting it from daily stressors. It restores your skin's natural balance that may have gotten lost in the hustle-bustle of life.
Hand Care
Then there are your hands that work so hard yet get overlooked when it comes to care. They help you get so much done. So they deserve to be treated well with a special hand cream.
Hand creams wrap your hands in a nourishing cocoon to make them softer and smoother. It also repairs the damage the skin of your hand has experienced. ILEM JAPAN's hand cream is formulated with a heritage Japanese ingredient called Ice Plant Juice that calms and softens your skin. With it, the Avocado oil moisturizes it from within while the Sage Leaf Extract brings its antioxidant powers.
Trust us; the choice is all yours when it comes to fragrance. Choose from a special collection of 3 hand creams:
- Rich Hand Cream with its warm and comforting vanilla-like aroma
- Men's Hand Cream boasts exquisite herbal and citrus notes.
- Fresh Hand Cream with a zesty citrusy-sweet fragrance.
Evening Skincare Routine
An evening skincare routine for men looks almost similar to the morning one. 'Almost' is the keyword. There are a few significant changes that make the evening skincare routine more detail-oriented.
For your understanding, here's how your evening skincare routine should proceed:
- Cleansing
- Exfoliation
- Toner
- Serum
- Moisturizer
- Eye Cream
Here, we've only discussed the important details and the steps that weren't included in the morning skincare routine.
Deep Cleansing
Cleansing in the morning and evening follows the process. The only difference is that in the evening, you need to cleanse twice. k.a double cleanse. For this, you will need two gentle cleansers, an oil-based cleanser, and a water-based cleanser.
The oil-based cleanser melts away all the day's impurities, oil, and dirt. Follow this up with a water-based cleanser to remove any remaining particles. The reason is that over the day, dirt, dust, and oil clog your pores really bad. And they are pesky! So, you must put in a little more effort to wash it off.
A suitable cleanser for deep cleansing can be our gel-like Deep Cleanser, specially formulated for men. It unclogs your pores as well as nourishes and heals your skin, thanks to two of nature's finest ingredients – Japanese Hinoki Cypress Oil and Comfrey Stem Cells.
Exfoliation
Our skin naturally sheds dead cells, but sometimes, this process can be sluggish, leading to a dull complexion. Exfoliation helps to slough off these dead cells, revealing the brighter skin underneath. You may wonder, "Why is it important to exfoliate?"
Well, dead skin cells, along with excess oil and dirt, can accumulate in pores, leading to congestion and breakouts. Regular exfoliation helps to unclog pores, reducing the likelihood of acne and blackheads. Plus, the removal of the outer layer of dead skin cells gives you a smoother, softer skin texture, making it easier for skincare products to penetrate effectively.
The key to a good exfoliation is the right exfoliant. Choose exfoliants with gentle exfoliating ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid or lactic acid or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid. Moreover, consider the beads in the exfoliator. If it is too hard, it is going to damage your skin's barrier.
The Face and Body Scrub takes care of both these aspects. Additionally, its star heritage ingredient, Japanese Uji Tea Extract, soothes the body. And the beads? They're naturally derived from Japanese Konjac (Glucomannan), making them extremely gentle on the skin.
A good thumb rule is to exfoliate 2-3 times a week. Remember, over-exfoliation can strip the skin of its natural oils and lead to irritation, so it's important to strike a balance.
Serum Application
Serum application is a valuable step in any skincare routine, including a face care routine for men. Why? Because they're packed with active ingredients that help you target specific concerns that otherwise your skincare routine would not. While choosing a serum, your skin type plays an important role.
Besides ingredients and skin concerns, you need to apply it well. Here's the easiest way to use a serum:
- Take a pea-sized amount in your palms.
- Warm the serum between your palms before applying it to your face to increase absorption.
- Use gentle, upward motions to massage the serum into your skin.
- Avoid pulling or tugging, especially around the delicate eye area.
- Relax for a minute or two. Allow the serum to fully absorb into your skin before applying any additional skincare products or moisturizer.
Moisturizing
There's not much difference in the way you moisturize in the morning and evening, just one. If you want, you can go ahead and pick a Deep Moisturizer for the evening.
A deep moisturizer typically contains richer ingredients like shea butter, ceramides, or oils, which work to repair and rejuvenate the skin while you sleep. This added boost of moisture helps to combat dryness, soothe any irritation, and promote a more supple complexion by morning. So, if you want to give your skin some extra TLC, Deep Moisturizer is the way to go!
Eye Creams for Dark Circles and Puffiness
Did you think we would miss taking care of your deeper-than-the-ocean eyes that have so much to tell? Absolutely not! Dark circles and puffiness around the eyes can be caused by a lot of reasons. It could be your lifestyle, screen habits, lack of sleep, or spending a lot of time in the sun. Fortunately, there is a nourishing eye cream to help you.
It is formulated with botanical ingredients to fight off the signs of aging that result from the above-mentioned factors. Plus, it firms, nourishes, & moisturizes the delicate skin around your eyes, leaving you with well-rested eyes.
How do you apply? Do you just rub it in? Well, if you were planning to do that or are doing it, we hate to tell you this, but it is doing more harm than good. Here's how you should be applying your eye cream:
- Use your ring finger, as it applies the least amount of pressure.
- Gently pat the product around the orbital bone, avoiding direct contact with the eyelids to prevent irritation.
- Start applying the eye cream from the inner corner of the eye and move outwards towards the temples. This helps to encourage lymphatic drainage and reduce puffiness.
General Skincare Tips for Men
What you read next may not be new, but it is surely necessary. No matter how good your skincare routine and the products are, if you don't keep these points in mind, you may not achieve the desired results.
Hydration and Diet
- Drinking Enough Water: Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. Proper hydration helps flush out toxins, plumps up the skin, and promotes a radiant complexion.
- Balanced Nutrition for Skin Health: A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats provides essential nutrients that support skin health. Include foods high in antioxidants, vitamins (especially A, C, and E), and omega-3 fatty acids to nourish your skin and protect it from damage caused by free radicals.
Regular Skin Checks
- Monitoring Changes: Make it a habit to regularly examine your skin for any changes, including new moles, spots, or changes in texture or color. Pay close attention to areas exposed to the sun, as they are more prone to damage.
- Seeking Professional Advice when Necessary: If you notice any concerning changes in your skin, such as suspicious moles, persistent acne, or unusual rashes, seek professional advice from a dermatologist.
Skincare Routine For Men: Take Care Of Your Skin The Japanese Way
Your skin will not change overnight. It will need its own sweet time, and we hope you give it that time. That's why consistency is important. Slowly but eventually, you will see your routine working its magic on your skin.
Lastly, not everyone's skin has the same needs. So, choose your products as per your skin's needs and your goal for your skin. After all, skin care is self-care.
