We live in society where men finally feel like it is their right to take care of their skin as well. For years, men would scoff and look down at anything but using a bar of rough soap on their face. But as generational prejudices change men are realizing that they no more want to look old before their time than women. There is a wealth of new skin care products being marketed every year that are aimed specifically at men. These products are excellent and should be utilized by the man who wants to have clean, clear skin that doesn’t age prematurely. So if you are man reading this, or if you are a woman who has men in her life who aren’t taking care of their skin properly, this is for you!

The first step that men need to take towards proper skin care on their face is getting away from washing their face with their regular bar of shower soap. This can be drying out their skin, leading to clogged pores and various other side effects. Instead, invest in a good facial cleanser formulated for men. That’s important as well. Men and women do have different skin chemistries so men should be using these products that are marketed towards men. Of course, they’re all sold in much more manly containers and packaging than most female products, but that’s just to sell them. The product itself is often different and adjusted to suit the chemical balance of a man’s skin better than a woman’s. Using a proper facial cleanser twice a day will in itself make a large difference in the situation for a man’s skin.

The next step after you’ve got him or yourself convinced that washing with a cleanser isn’t’ really that bad is to progress to a moisturizer. There are just as many moisturizing products out there as cleansers for men now and the will make a large difference in keeping the skin looking healthy and young for longer periods of time. Most men are getting the stay young mentality so this should be ample incentive to begin moisturizing.  Buy a product in tandem with a cleanser as most of these products are designed to work together and mixing and matching skin care products can sometimes lead to irritation.

Once you’ve gotten that far it shouldn’t be too hard to take the last few leaps. If acne is a problem, addressing it is important. That can be done either through topical acne medication or prescription antibiotics. Secondly, preventive measures towards skin health go a long way. This includes proper diet, low in refined sugars and high in protein as well as staying properly hydrated. Another very important thing is the use of sunscreen. Whenever you are going to be out in the sun for protracted periods of time it is very important to wear a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher in order to protect yourself. It doesn’t matter how manly you are, you’re just as prone to skin cancer as everyone else.

Also, an exfoliating agent can be useful as well. Shaving constantly can leave lots of little flakes of the top lair of dead skin lying around. A gentle exfoliator will slough those away and leave the skin feeling and looking refreshed.

It’s fantastic that there is now open societal acceptance of a man wanting to take proper care of his skin. It doesn’t seem fair that they should be expected to just let themselves look older than they need too, and now they don’t. Shop around to find a product right for your skin if it be oily or dry, and invest in a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. These three basic elements will form a very solid foundation for ensuring healthy, long lasting, and younger looking skin on any man.