simple skin (face) care for adult male
October 12, 2016 1:12 PM Subscribe
I'm pestering the hive mind for any suggestions or best practices on trying to maintain my face. Simpler (and cheaper) the better... My googling usually just gets me advertising.
I currently just use lotion with spf each day... Any other thoughts?
After years of trying to sort this out, I finally went to a dermatologist in 2006-ish. What ended up working best is pretty simple: daily face wash (without washcloth, in the shower) with a gentle cleanser (I go for Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser). Works great for face, neck and beard, without drying out beard skin and leading to beard dandruff. Follow with daily bare-bones SPF 15-45 moisturizer, depending on the season (I go for Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 in winter, and either Cetaphil Dermacontrol Moisturizer SPF 30 or Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry Touch Suncreen SPF 45 in summer). Some generic chapstick tossed in and I'm good to go.
I think the key for me was avoiding washing my face too harshly. The gentle "cream/creme cleansers" aren't as harsh as traditional soaps, and that, more than anything, keeps problems from popping up. YMMV. Bottles of these things aren't cheap, but they last a long time. I go through about two bottles of each per year.
Good luck!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:31 PM on October 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
I think the key for me was avoiding washing my face too harshly. The gentle "cream/creme cleansers" aren't as harsh as traditional soaps, and that, more than anything, keeps problems from popping up. YMMV. Bottles of these things aren't cheap, but they last a long time. I go through about two bottles of each per year.
Good luck!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:31 PM on October 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Cerave face wash.
Vitamin C serum. You can get them under $20 on Amazon,read the reviews you want fresh product, keep it in the fridge. It is full of antioxidant, helps fade discolorations & helps sunblock to work better. You have to use an SPF product if you use it though, start once every few days then build up to at night before your put lotion on.
Cerave does a good basic moisturizer with no SPF that is great for night time use.
It's hard to recommend anything else without knowing if you have any specific concerns about your skin. Zits, ingrown hairs, shaving rashes, aging etc.
posted by wwax at 1:37 PM on October 12, 2016
Vitamin C serum. You can get them under $20 on Amazon,read the reviews you want fresh product, keep it in the fridge. It is full of antioxidant, helps fade discolorations & helps sunblock to work better. You have to use an SPF product if you use it though, start once every few days then build up to at night before your put lotion on.
Cerave does a good basic moisturizer with no SPF that is great for night time use.
It's hard to recommend anything else without knowing if you have any specific concerns about your skin. Zits, ingrown hairs, shaving rashes, aging etc.
posted by wwax at 1:37 PM on October 12, 2016
Have you checked your face soap, SPF, aftershave and shaving cream/gel on Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database? The top of the list's By Product Type heading is generally applicable to all people while there's a heading just for men down the page. Props for applying SPF daily because that goes along way to protecting the goods and preventing adult acne too.
posted by dlwr300 at 1:40 PM on October 12, 2016
posted by dlwr300 at 1:40 PM on October 12, 2016
I have tried all kinds of super expensive face lotions, and the best thing I've found for my skin hands down is a $4 bottle of sweet almond oil from the gro sto. For real. I have combination skin that's somehow both oily and dry in places and I just rub in a few drops after I shower. It's evened out my skin so nicely!
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:10 PM on October 12, 2016
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:10 PM on October 12, 2016
Best answer: If you have good skin (not zit prone, not super sensitive), all you need is a gentle facial wash, moisturizer and sunscreen. I'd just pick up all three from CeraVe at once at the drugstore--the hydrating cleanser, the cream (if you're dry) or the moisturizing lotion (if you're oily) and the sunscreen face lotion.
If you have clogged pores (black/white heads), just add a BHA toner after cleansing and before moisturizing. I've also heard good things about this Benton BHA toner, while Stridex pads are cheap and available everywhere (drugstores, Amazon, supermarkets). Stridex can be a bit harsh though.
posted by peripathetic at 2:47 PM on October 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you have clogged pores (black/white heads), just add a BHA toner after cleansing and before moisturizing. I've also heard good things about this Benton BHA toner, while Stridex pads are cheap and available everywhere (drugstores, Amazon, supermarkets). Stridex can be a bit harsh though.
posted by peripathetic at 2:47 PM on October 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I also agree that Cetaphil cleanser and CeraVe lotion are the way to go.
posted by radioamy at 3:01 PM on October 12, 2016
posted by radioamy at 3:01 PM on October 12, 2016
You might want to check paulaschoice for product reviews and recommendations. You can search by name and by product type with multiple filters (e.g., skin type, price range).
posted by she's not there at 3:10 PM on October 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by she's not there at 3:10 PM on October 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
I don't really do anything, but back when I was a teenager I found I could completely eliminate acne by using a gentle face soap containing salicylic acid during my daily shower. It also works well for my beard and short hair (leaving them soft). Now, 20 years later, I still get a bit of acne if I don't use it for a week or two.
For many years, my choice was Clearasil Daily Face Wash, or the Equate-brand knock-off equivalent. However, they have recently added menthol to the formulation, which is stupid and counter-productive. (One of the main reasons I used this brand/type was lack of menthol.)
But it sounds like some of the other suggestions may be basically the same thing, and if they're sans-menthol, then go with that (and I will look into switching too.)
For sun-screen and lotions, if acne avoidance is important, I suggest looking for things marked "non-comedogenic" or "won't clog pores".
posted by teatime at 3:59 PM on October 12, 2016
For many years, my choice was Clearasil Daily Face Wash, or the Equate-brand knock-off equivalent. However, they have recently added menthol to the formulation, which is stupid and counter-productive. (One of the main reasons I used this brand/type was lack of menthol.)
But it sounds like some of the other suggestions may be basically the same thing, and if they're sans-menthol, then go with that (and I will look into switching too.)
For sun-screen and lotions, if acne avoidance is important, I suggest looking for things marked "non-comedogenic" or "won't clog pores".
posted by teatime at 3:59 PM on October 12, 2016
Best answer: Google 'Environmental Working Group criticism' before taking anything there as gospel; it's a bit of a scare site and not always on point. (Of course some critiques have their own issues, but. More than one source for info never hurts.)
Also beware of "X BRAND ITEM MEN!" I bought some clearanced-out "Neutrogena Men" face wash only to find that it was identical to the non-"men" version of the cleanser -- except normally priced higher and in a smaller bottle. Amused as I was to find this one solitary example of men getting the short end of the stick for things (which see cheaper dry cleaning no matter how plain your woman's button-down, cheaper haircuts no matter how macho your haircut), it's still something to avoid, so if a big company makes Wonderful Sudsy Facial Wash and Wonderful Sudsy Facial Wash For Men in blue/grey packaging, make sure you're not paying extra for the sake of a slightly different scent or similar nonsense.
One of the best bits of advice I've received came from a physician grandfather who said "never buy anything you see advertised." Check bottom shelves in skin care aisles, look for stuff in boring packaging; every time I've had a dermatologist recommend a product, it's been made by a boring company that doesn't advertise; they just sit there and quietly make a good plain product and, I assume, get their sales through dermatologist recommendations. (When I was recovering from some laser what-not etc from a derm she recommended, by way of heavy-duty moisturizer, Vaseline or olive oil. Vaseline is woefully overlooked for stuff like winter chafing; it works really well.) I don't know what's available where you are but "Complex 15" lotion is a good enough example of this. Even if you don't have acne, acne.org is a pretty good source of reviews -- they give high marks to plain clear yellow liquid baby body wash as a facial cleanser (which is what I usually use). Makeupalley.com (registration required to peruse the entire database, but free) also has loads of pretty reliable reviews.
If you know the right sort of chatty on-top-of-things pharmacist, it doesn't hurt to ask what dermatologists are telling their patients to use -- there're usually some plain cleansers and lotions behind the counter not because they are prescription or are for some sort of special need, but because people with enviable insurance plans so often get them prescribed by their derm so they'll be reimbursed by insurance; most things I have stuck with over the years have fallen into this category.
The SPF lotion during the day is an excellent call; after decades of enjoying all things summer and water-related, I periodically have 'pre-cancerous lesions' frozen off my face; turns out they weren't kidding about skin cancer. Don't forget your ears and the back of your neck, and a lip balm with SPF doesn't hurt.
If you've got skin bothers, BHAs, AHAs, and retinol are good things. (Decent short intro to AHAs and BHAs.) When I lived in the States I found the Alpha Hydrox brand was good -- unfussy, good value, effective.
posted by kmennie at 6:37 PM on October 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Also beware of "X BRAND ITEM MEN!" I bought some clearanced-out "Neutrogena Men" face wash only to find that it was identical to the non-"men" version of the cleanser -- except normally priced higher and in a smaller bottle. Amused as I was to find this one solitary example of men getting the short end of the stick for things (which see cheaper dry cleaning no matter how plain your woman's button-down, cheaper haircuts no matter how macho your haircut), it's still something to avoid, so if a big company makes Wonderful Sudsy Facial Wash and Wonderful Sudsy Facial Wash For Men in blue/grey packaging, make sure you're not paying extra for the sake of a slightly different scent or similar nonsense.
One of the best bits of advice I've received came from a physician grandfather who said "never buy anything you see advertised." Check bottom shelves in skin care aisles, look for stuff in boring packaging; every time I've had a dermatologist recommend a product, it's been made by a boring company that doesn't advertise; they just sit there and quietly make a good plain product and, I assume, get their sales through dermatologist recommendations. (When I was recovering from some laser what-not etc from a derm she recommended, by way of heavy-duty moisturizer, Vaseline or olive oil. Vaseline is woefully overlooked for stuff like winter chafing; it works really well.) I don't know what's available where you are but "Complex 15" lotion is a good enough example of this. Even if you don't have acne, acne.org is a pretty good source of reviews -- they give high marks to plain clear yellow liquid baby body wash as a facial cleanser (which is what I usually use). Makeupalley.com (registration required to peruse the entire database, but free) also has loads of pretty reliable reviews.
If you know the right sort of chatty on-top-of-things pharmacist, it doesn't hurt to ask what dermatologists are telling their patients to use -- there're usually some plain cleansers and lotions behind the counter not because they are prescription or are for some sort of special need, but because people with enviable insurance plans so often get them prescribed by their derm so they'll be reimbursed by insurance; most things I have stuck with over the years have fallen into this category.
The SPF lotion during the day is an excellent call; after decades of enjoying all things summer and water-related, I periodically have 'pre-cancerous lesions' frozen off my face; turns out they weren't kidding about skin cancer. Don't forget your ears and the back of your neck, and a lip balm with SPF doesn't hurt.
If you've got skin bothers, BHAs, AHAs, and retinol are good things. (Decent short intro to AHAs and BHAs.) When I lived in the States I found the Alpha Hydrox brand was good -- unfussy, good value, effective.
posted by kmennie at 6:37 PM on October 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I'm a woman, but hopefully I can provide some useful advice, since what follows is a stripped down, entirely gender neutral version of what I use and constantly recommend to my husband.
The number one skin care step for anyone should be sunscreen, so good for you for already having it in your daily routine! Your lotion with SPF might not be quite enough protection for a dermatologist's liking, but it's a start. I use this Biore Watery Essence one from Japan because it absorbs quickly, isn't greasy, and doesn't smell like sunscreen. My husband likes it too, although he slightly prefers the Biore Perfect Milk because it is water resistant, but it can leave a whitish cast. In my experience, almost all Japanese sunscreens are superior to Western ones because of the way they're formulated. They're a little more expensive and it can be a pain to order them online instead of just getting them from the store, but almost any sunscreen will do as long as it is at least 30 SPF, non-comedogenic, and you apply enough of it (approximately 1/4 teaspoon for the face).
Of course, if you're using sunscreen, you want to make sure you clean it off at the end of the day. Different cleansers do different things, so the best one for your skin depends on what issues you have, but the Cetaphil or Cerave ones recommended above are pretty good for normal skin. Gentle is better; your skin shouldn't feel tight after you clean it, and avoid using washcloths or anything scrubby, because that can aggravate your skin.
Now at this point, a more complicated skincare routine might add a toner, followed by a lotion and/or serum, but we're keeping it simple, so I'm just going to recommend a single product to finish it all up: the Mizon Black Snail All-In-One Cream. "Ew, snail?" you say, and I totally get it, but this stuff is like magic in a gender-neutral jar. Filtered snail mucin is a super common skincare ingredient in Asia, and this cream goes on easy, absorbs quickly, and keeps your face looking good without any additional fuss, which is pretty great in my book. Like the Japanese sunscreen, you won't find it in a Western drugstore, but it's cheap, easily available online, and did I already mention how it was magical? But if the snail squicks you out too much, an easy drugstore alternative that I also like is the Cerave PM Moisturizer.
Finally, if you have issues with acne or even the occasional blemish (and who hasn't?), I am told CosRx Pimple Master Patches practically suck the zits right out of your face, although I should confess that I haven't tried them myself yet,only seen some of the results.
To sum up, at the bare minimum, all you really need are these three things:
1. Sunscreen (at least 30 SPF and 1/4 teaspoon)
2. Cleanser (be gentle!)
3. Moisturizer (don't fear the snail)
Easy!
posted by Diagonalize at 7:59 PM on October 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
The number one skin care step for anyone should be sunscreen, so good for you for already having it in your daily routine! Your lotion with SPF might not be quite enough protection for a dermatologist's liking, but it's a start. I use this Biore Watery Essence one from Japan because it absorbs quickly, isn't greasy, and doesn't smell like sunscreen. My husband likes it too, although he slightly prefers the Biore Perfect Milk because it is water resistant, but it can leave a whitish cast. In my experience, almost all Japanese sunscreens are superior to Western ones because of the way they're formulated. They're a little more expensive and it can be a pain to order them online instead of just getting them from the store, but almost any sunscreen will do as long as it is at least 30 SPF, non-comedogenic, and you apply enough of it (approximately 1/4 teaspoon for the face).
Of course, if you're using sunscreen, you want to make sure you clean it off at the end of the day. Different cleansers do different things, so the best one for your skin depends on what issues you have, but the Cetaphil or Cerave ones recommended above are pretty good for normal skin. Gentle is better; your skin shouldn't feel tight after you clean it, and avoid using washcloths or anything scrubby, because that can aggravate your skin.
Now at this point, a more complicated skincare routine might add a toner, followed by a lotion and/or serum, but we're keeping it simple, so I'm just going to recommend a single product to finish it all up: the Mizon Black Snail All-In-One Cream. "Ew, snail?" you say, and I totally get it, but this stuff is like magic in a gender-neutral jar. Filtered snail mucin is a super common skincare ingredient in Asia, and this cream goes on easy, absorbs quickly, and keeps your face looking good without any additional fuss, which is pretty great in my book. Like the Japanese sunscreen, you won't find it in a Western drugstore, but it's cheap, easily available online, and did I already mention how it was magical? But if the snail squicks you out too much, an easy drugstore alternative that I also like is the Cerave PM Moisturizer.
Finally, if you have issues with acne or even the occasional blemish (and who hasn't?), I am told CosRx Pimple Master Patches practically suck the zits right out of your face, although I should confess that I haven't tried them myself yet,only seen some of the results.
To sum up, at the bare minimum, all you really need are these three things:
1. Sunscreen (at least 30 SPF and 1/4 teaspoon)
2. Cleanser (be gentle!)
3. Moisturizer (don't fear the snail)
Easy!
posted by Diagonalize at 7:59 PM on October 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the great info! I'm lucky enough not to (normally) break out with pimples. I"m going to look into Cetaphil cleanser and CeraVe lotion.
Again I appreciate it!
posted by aggienfo at 8:32 PM on October 12, 2016
Again I appreciate it!
posted by aggienfo at 8:32 PM on October 12, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by essexjan at 1:28 PM on October 12, 2016 [1 favorite]