The difference between male and female skin – Men’s skincare

We all know men that love their products and those that prefer to “weather naturally”. We also know men who are not opposed to borrowing our products on occasion. The big question is though – How effective are a woman’s product on a man’s skin and what are the differences between a man and woman’s skin that would make daily products and a regimen differ.

The Differences

The biggest difference is testosterone, it is the basis of all the differences between a man and woman’s skin. Other than coarser hair on a man’s face opposed to a woman’s usually fine hair. Testosterone makes a man’s skin thicker and oilier because of how the sebum is produced and the amount of collagen they have.

Hair – Daily shaving stresses the skin, it becomes more sensitive and reacts faster because the top layer of skin is constantly being removed. This exposes the under layer of younger skin that is not yet ready to face the abrasive environments we expose ourselves to. This means that a man’s skin is more stressed than a woman’s.

Thickness – Men naturally have more collagen than a women, this makes their skin tighter and firmer in appearance. A mans collagen depletes over time and woman’s starts right at menopause. This shows in the aging process we see it in our faces necks and hands before anywhere else. First signs of aging for men will happen behind the ears and then spreads.

Aging – Signs of aging seem to appear later in male skin, due to the collagen and oiliness from the sebaceous glands. When wrinkles do start to appear they are deeper than a woman’s with more peaks and valleys showing definite contouring around the eyes and mouth. Where the wrinkles started behind the ears will start to flow around the bottom of the jaw. Women’s are generally finer and more spidery until much later. Like women men are still affected by sagging around the neck and under chin as well as puffiness around the eyes.

Oiliness – Men have incredibly active sebaceous glands. This means their skin is oilier because they have more pores, which are also larger than a woman’s. Although oilier skin helps with the tightness and firmness it also creates a lower pH level which that even though they are less prone to dry skin conditions they are more likely to get acne and maintain impurities that cause pimples and blackheads.

Men’s Skincare

First of all you need to nail that shave!

To do that you need to ensure you follow these steps:

Hydrate: Hop in the shower or steam up the bathroom and soak your face in warm water. This will soften the skin, soften the hair and open up the follicles.

Wash and Scrub: Use a mild face wash and an exfoliator to remove dirt and clean around the hairs.

Pre- Shave lotion or oil: Depending on your skin type, use a lotion or oil to protect the skin and soften the hairs. Some men don’t like oils because they clog the razor, so a lotion works too.

Hot wash cloth and Foam: Hold a hot damp cloth to your face to open everything up. Try to use a shaving balm/paste and a natural brush instead of a spray-foam and fingers. Balms generally have way less chemicals in them so are less harsh on the skin and a brush will get right in and around the hairs where your fingers cannot. Once the foam is on wait a couple of minutes for it penetrate into the skin and hair softening it again. It will hurt less and make the shave smoother.

Shave: Use the razor you are most comfortable with. Some men shave up and some men shave down. Depending on how you feel when you go against the grain of your hair depends on which direction you’ll use. Everyone has their own routine; the idea is not to miss bits. If you do miss sections and are using the right products without irritation you should be able to go again.

Rinse: Rinse your face thoroughly with warm water. Look to see if you missed any patches and shave again if you have to. If not rinse with cold water as this will help close your pores and seal the follicles.

After-Shave and Moisturize: After-shave will further seal the pores and follicles. It is also antibacterial. If you are not into scents then use a witch hazel or something similar. Then moisturize, use a product that works with your age and skin type.

Outside of a shave, as a man you should be ensuring that you cleanse and moisturize on a daily basis. Using eye-creams are good to reduce puffiness and face-masks work to remove impurities and reduce oiliness on a deeper level. A face-mask does not need to be done everyday. Once a week is good. Ensure you use product with an SPF.

Treating yourself to a facial from time doesn’t go a miss especially if you have problem areas. Remember there is nothing more attractive than smooth and silky skin!