Men's Skin Care Guide

Step 1:
Cleanse 2x Daily

Why use a cleanser?
Using a facial cleanser opens up your pores and helps remove any dirt or impurities within them.

How to use a cleanser?
Using warm water, gently rub your cleanser on your face in a circular motion. Don’t rub vigorously – your facial skin is very sensitive. When you’re done, rinse with warm water and then pat dry. Never rub your face dry – this can introduce premature wrinkles.

Top 3 Cleansers for Men

We’ve put together a GHS curated selection of our favorite cleansers for men. We only link to products that we absolutely believe in. All the products we’ve chosen are paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free.

Step 2:
Exfoliate 2-3x a Week

What is exfoliation?
Exfoliation is the process of stimulating new skin cell growth by removing the dead skin cells that are sitting on the surface of your skin.

Why exfoliate?
Exfoliating helps unclog your pores, smooth your skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, brighten your skin, and fade hyperpigmentation. Exfoliation also helps loosen your facial hair and protrude it as high above your skin as possible, allowing for a closer shave, which helps to reduce ingrown hairs, razor burns and irritation.

There are two types of exfoliants - a physical exfoliant (scrubs) and a chemical exfoliant (serums or toners with salicylic acid or with AHAs like glycolic acid and lactic acid).

• Physical exfoliants remove dead skin cells on the surface of your skin through friction. If you have inflamed or severe acne, avoid face scrubs because they can cause irritation.
• Chemical exfoliants remove dead skin cells by dissolving the "glue" that binds them to other cells, giving them the ability to exfoliate deeper into the layers of your skin and gently dissolve dead skin cells within your pores.

If you are using a physical exfoliant, exfoliate in AM before shaving

How to use a physical exfoliant:

Post cleansing, wet your face with warm water and apply a small amount of your scrub (nickel sized) onto your wet face, gently rubbing in circles around your entire face. Avoid the area around your eyes in order to avoid irritation. After a few mins, rinse your face with water and gently pat your face dry.

When scrubbing, take it easy - men tend to go overboard with face scrub because it “feels like something is happening” when they are using it. Overusing a scrub or rubbing the scrub vigorously on your face can cause dryness, irritation, and excess oil production.

Top 3 Physical Exfoliants for Men

We’ve put together a GHS curated selection of our favorite physical exfoliants for men. We only link to products that we absolutely believe in. All the products we’ve chosen are paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free.

If using a chemical exfoliant, exfoliate in PM

How to use a chemical exfoliant:
Apply your chemical exfoliant post cleansing...

• If it’s a liquid (i.e. toner), apply it to your face with a cotton pad - avoid the eye area to avoid any irritation.
• If it's a serum or gel, apply it to your face with your fingers using a small amount (dime-sized) - avoid the eye area to avoid any irritation. Depending on the serum or gel, it's either a leave-on or rinse-off product.

Tingling or a slight burning feeling in the skin is normal when applying chemical exfoliants topically, and it usually goes away in a few minutes. This is not an indicator of effectiveness -- more tingle does not = better. However, use your best judgment -- if you feel like your face is on fire, then rinse it off and look for a different chemical exfoliant product.

For chemical exfoliants, know your ingredients...

• Dry skin: use glycolic acid or lactic acid
• Oily or acne prone skin:: use salicylic acid
• Sensitive skin: use lactic acid

Top 3 Chemical Exfoliants for Men

We’ve put together a GHS curated selection of our favorite chemical exfoliants for men. We only link to products that we absolutely believe in. All the products we’ve chosen are paraben-free, sulfate-free, and phthalate-free.

(Optional) Step 3:
Treat with Serums

What are face serums?
Face serums are skin care products that contain a high concentration of active ingredients. There are many different types of serums, each created with a unique purpose and specific ingredients used to target a skin care concern. Since serums are made up of smaller molecules, it gives them the ability to penetrate deeply into your skin and deliver a very high concentration of active ingredients that target specific skin care concerns. Some serums work better in the morning, while others work best when applied in the evening.

Why should I use face serums?
Using face serums helps you quickly and effectively treat specific skin care concerns (i.e. acne, dark spots, wrinkles, etc) with the most powerful active ingredients.

Top 3 Acne Serums for Men

We’ve put together a GHS curated selection of our favorite acne fighting serums for men. All the products we’ve chosen are sulfate-free and phthalate-free. Remember - results won’t happen overnight. It can take up to 6 weeks of consistent topical use before you begin to see improvements, so stay consistent with your product usage.

One thing to note: we do not like promoting products with parabens, but unfortunately, all the topical products currently available to consumers on the market that contain adapalene (Differin) also contain methylparaben. If you want paraben-free acne products, check out salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and azelaic acid.

Step 4:
Hydrate (Moisturizer) & Protect (SPF)

WHY: Using a daily moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated, strengthens your skin’s protective barrier, and fights skin damage from aging and environmental factors. Using sunscreen daily protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV rays and helps prevent hyperpigmentation as well as premature lines and wrinkles.

HOW TO USE A MOISTURIZER + SUNSCREEN: A little goes a long way. Using the tips of your fingers, gently rub the moisturizer + SPF all over your face and neck. Avoid the eye area.

Guys with oily skin – don’t skip the hydration step. Contrary to popular belief, oily skin does not mean hydrated skin, so you still need to use a moisturizer - look for moisturizers that are labeled 'oil-free' and 'non-comodegenic', meaning they don't clog pores. Lastly, if you will be sweating or swimming in the outdoors, be sure to look for water-resistant sunscreen and reapply every few hours.