Men's Skin Care Basics
What products should men use to take care of their skin?
To start with, all men need a gentle, water-soluble cleanser that can be used standalone or as a gentle shaving product such as the Daily Cleanser or Exfoliating Cleanser from Skin Authority. Cleansing should be followed by a gentle, non-irritating, alcohol-free topical anti-inflammatory product to calm the skin and restore the skin's pH balance.
An ideal after-shave product for men is an aspirin-based topical product that uses additional potent anti-irritants. Aspirin is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent for irritated skin and is able to alleviate the redness and razor bumps/burn many men who shave experience. Acne & Oil Control from Skin Authority contains stabilized aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) with other anti-irritants and is designed to work beautifully as a gentle, effective after-shave for men or women.
Follow with the same options as women's skincare for treating breakouts (disinfectant and beta hydroxy acid), sun care (SPF 30 with UVA protection), or dealing with dry skin (a good moisturizer). The one exception is that for some skin types it can prove to be too irritating for men to follow shaving with an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) or BHA product.
However, for men dealing with blemishes, milia, or blackheads, a well-formulated BHA product can be used over non-shaved areas, or over the entire face in the evening (assuming the man shaves in the morning). Men who shave do have an advantage, because shaving removes the top layer of dead skin cells, improving cell turnover. Yet it doesn't mean that men have to avoid the advantages of using a retinoid—Vitamin A—or that they should omit using a reliable sunscreen.
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