Men’s Daily Anti-Aging Skin Care Routine

 

Men are learning from and following in the footsteps of women and beginning to take better care of their skin. Traditionally, men have opted for a simpler approach to skincare. In recent years, trends of living healthier lifestyles and the dominance of social media have led men to seriously consider their skincare routine and learn how best to take care of their skin and themselves.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body and is exposed to elements that make it very vulnerable. Understanding your skin, the impact elements have on it and the changing needs of your skin as you age can help premature aging of the skin. Achieving healthy skin starts with a daily routine and remaining focused and determined over the long term. 

The Number 1 most important part of any skincare routine is consistency and should include a morning and night time skincare routine. Carefully review product labels and ingredients and your skin type will determine the skincare products you use. 

See understanding and identifying your skin type for information on identifying your skin type and how to best care for your skin type.

 

 Men’s Morning Anti-Aging Skin Care Routine 

Dermatologists recommend following these key steps for a healthier anti-aging skincare regime for men. 

1. Ask yourself ‘how you would wash and take care of your delicate cashmere sweater?’ It is unlikely that you would throw this item of clothing in the washing machine using your standard washing powder. Although very robust and resilient, your skin is also a delicate living fabric and will be subject to wear and tear and exposed to environmental stressors all the time Your skin therefore needs to be looked after with great care and attention. Cleanse your skin with a gentle, non-abrasive and alcohol-free cleanser. Your skin type will determine which is the best cleanser for you. Wash your face twice daily and after exercise. Avoid the temptation to wash often and limit yourself to washing your face once in the morning and once at night. Wash your face and skin as soon as possible after sweating as sweat irritates the skin. Avoid the use of washcloths, sponges or scrubbing as this may irritate your skin. Rinse with lukewarm water and gently pat dry with soft towel.  

2. Exfoliate. Begin to gently exfoliate your skin (if you are not already) to promote cell turnover and collagen production. Select a gentle formula (harsh ingredients may cause micro tears in your skin leading to skin damage) which does not irritate your skin and avoid the temptation to overdo this. Work on the principle of undertaking your exfoliation on a semi-regular basis to begin with (two to three times a month). Step-up your exfoliation depending upon your age and skin needs. Your cell renewal cycle naturally slows down as you age which can leave your face with a duller looking complexion. Adding a glycolic treatment once or twice a week (in the evening) will help to clean away the dead cells and potentially promoting the natural production of collagen. Avoid the temptation to overdo this as this may damage your skin.  

3. Watch your shaving technique (if you shave).This is one of the biggest areas where men can benefit from skincare if they shave. Shaving carefully and correctly is an important step in men’s skincare (in particular for men with sensitive or skin conditions).  See our section on shaving for key tips to follow when shaving.  

4. Eye Cream/Serum. The eyes can be the first place to show signs of aging and there are many different products available depending on what you wish to treat (e.g. dark circles, wrinkles puffy eyes). Some specifically formulated products will aim to treat all these conditions and more. Gently dab on your eye cream/serum with the finger tips all around the delicate skin surrounding the eyes in a circular motion (dermatologists recommend using the ring finger). Golden Oil® recommends Bio Retinol 24k Rose Gold Anti-Aging Eye Serum for an expertly formulated eye serum that takes control of puffiness, dark circles, lines and wrinkles whilst lifting and tightening upper eyelid wrinkles and smoothing out subtler fine lines.  

5. Serums. Serums contain a significant proportion of the active ingredients you will applying to your face and are specifically formulated to penetrate deeper into the layers of your skin. Therefore, applying serums at an early stage in your anti-aging skincare routine provides maximum opportunity for this to be achieved. Select a good multitasking serum that calms, plumps, hydrates and balances out your skin. Although you will be applying serum to your face in the morning and at night, you will need a daytime and night time formulation. A daytime formulation will include antioxidants that protect your skin form harmful environmental factors. You can use a serum and facial oil as part of your daily morning routine. However, if you choose not to use a serum, you can use facial oil instead. You may also use a serum in the morning and a facial oil at night. These decisions and product choices will very much depend on your specific skincare needs and your overall daily skincare routine.    

6. Ideally, apply moisturizer to your face (and body) immediately after bathing, showering or shaving while the skin is still damp as this helps the skin absorb the product, hydrate and trap in the water that provides an overall more youthful appearance. Take particular care and apply gently on the delicate skin surrounding the eyes.  

7. Do not neglect your neck and chest areas. The neck and chest are a delicate and prominent region. Without care, this is one of the first areas to show signs of damage and aging. Regardless of how much care and attention to place on caring for the skin on your face, signs of aging will surface in your neck first if this area does not receive attention. Your skincare should not come to a halt at your jawline and should include your neck and chest area (and don’t forget the rest of your body too).  

8. Face Oil. Dermatologists and skincare experts are divided on which stage face oils should be applied. The most dominant view is to apply face oil before sunscreen in the morning. If face oil were an item of clothing, it would be your topcoat. Face oil is occlusive and helps to trap water in your skin by providing a protective barrier. Any product applied after this stage may be of little benefit to your skin as it will have difficulty in penetrating through this barrier. Some dermatologists recommend applying face oil earlier in the routine before moisturizer is applied and will be determined by the type and ingredients of the face oil you use. For example, you could apply your facial oil after your serum or instead of a serum. At whichever stage you use your face oil, avoid the temptation to use too much oil. A little goes a long way and two to three drops of face oil should be more than sufficient in most cases. Do not stop at the jawline. Apply to the neck and décolleté areas. Golden Oil® recommends Bio Retinol Day Time Anti-Aging Elixir which combines Bakuchiol, Nicotinamide and is packed with antioxidants and essential oils that help rejuvenate the skin and plump out wrinkles for a more youthful complexion. If your skin is particularly sensitive and prone to irritations, Golden Oil® recommends Bio Retinol Cannabis Sativa Anti-Aging Elixir.

9. Wear sunscreen whenever outdoors. To minimize your skins exposure to sun damage (that may lead to wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer) apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of skin before going outdoors. Dermatologists recommend using a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.  

10. Inspect your skin regularly. If you notice anything unusual such as spots or moles that itch or bleed or change color, see a medical physician or dermatologist immediacy. Men over 50 in particular are at a higher risk of developing melanoma (a very extreme form of skin cancer), but when identified early, is very treatable.  

 

Men’s Night Time Anti-Aging Skin Care Routine 

1. Start early. Don’t wait until just before you go to bed to begin your night time routine. Make starting early part of your nightly skincare routine and start as soon as it begins to get dark or the sun sets. The cells of your body/skin are driven by your internal clock (circadian rhythm) and synced to naturally start repairing itself as it begins to get dark. With this in mind, cleansing earlier maintains the link between your internal clock and your nightly skincare routine. Maintaining your internal clocks rhythm can also help to protect your skin against damage and early signs of aging and you are also maximizing the time your skin has to thoroughly absorb essential ingredients from your skincare products by applying them earlier. 

2. How would you wash and take care of your delicate cashmere sweater? It is unlikely that you would through this item of clothing in the washing machine using your standard washing powder. Your skin is also a delicate living fabric and will be subject to wear and tear and exposed to environmental stressors all the time and therefore needs to be looked after with great care and attention. Cleanse your skin with a gentle, non-abrasive and alcohol-free cleanser. Your skin type will determine which is the best cleanser for you. Wash your face twice daily and after exercise.Avoid the temptation to wash often and limit yourself to washing your face once in the morning and once at night. Wash your face and skin as soon as possible after sweating as sweat irritates the skin. Avoid the use of washcloths, sponges or scrubbing as this may irritate your skin. Rinse with lukewarm water and gently pat dry with soft towel. Double cleanse your skin using an emulsifying oil. 

3. Eye Cream/Serum. The eyes can be the first place to show signs of aging and there are many different products available depending on what you wish to treat (e.g. dark circles, wrinkles puffy eyes). Some specifically formulated products will aim to treat all these conditions and more. Gently dab on your eye cream/serum with the finger tips all around the delicate skin surrounding the eyes in a circular motion (dermatologists recommend using the ring finger). Golden Oil® recommends Bio Retinol 24k Rose Gold Anti-Aging Eye Serum for an expertly formulated eye serum that takes control of puffiness, dark circles, lines and wrinkles whilst lifting and tightening upper eyelid wrinkles and smoothing out subtler fine lines. 

4. Serums. Serums contain a significant proportion of the active ingredients you will applying to your face and are specifically formulated to penetrate deeper into the layers of your skin. Although you will be applying serum to your face in the morning and at night, you will need a daytime and night time formulation. A night time formulation will include anti-aging and skin repair ingredients. You can use a serum and facial oil as part of your daily night time routine. However, if you choose not to use a serum, you can use facial oil at this stage instead. You may also use a serum in the morning and a facial oil at night. These decisions and product choices will very much depend on your specific skincare needs and your overall daily skincare routine. 

5. Bio-Retinol / Retinol. Helps to boost collagen production, reduce collagen breakdown, increase skin cell regeneration rate, reduce fine lines, reduce size of pores, increase elastin production, even out skin tone and balances oil production. Whereas retinol is a vitamin A derivative, bio-retinol refers to a vegan alternative to retinol which is derived from plants and whilst not the same as the vitamin A based compound found in Retinol, it has the same amazing anti-aging effects on the skin as retinol and is referred to as the ‘new, natural alternative to retinol. Retinol is a strong ingredient and dermatologists recommend gently easing into daily application (e.g. start with 2-3 time a week at night). Bio-retinol (Bakuchiol, Bidens Pilosa) has an astonishing similar effect on skin as retinol and has found to be as effective as retinol in treating the signings of skin aging, but without the irritation associated with the use of retinol. Products containing Bakuchiol can be applied during the day and at night, whereas products containing Bidens Pilosa should only be applied at night. 

6. Moisturizer (take particular care and apply gently on the delicate skin surrounding the eyes). Ideally, apply moisturizer to your face (and body) immediately after bathing, showering or shaving while the skin is still damp as this helps the skin absorb the product, hydrate and trap in the water that provides an overall more youthful appearance. 

7. Face Oil. Dermatologists and skincare experts are divided on which stage face oils should be applied. If face oil were an item of clothing, it would be your topcoat. Face oil is occlusive and helps to trap water in your skin by providing a protective barrier. Any product applied after this stage may have be of little benefit to your skin as it will have difficulty in penetrating through this barrier. Some dermatologists recommend applying face oil earlier in the routine before moisturizer is applied. For example, you could apply facial oil either after your serum at night or instead of your serum at step 7. These decisions and product choices will very much depend on your specific skincare needs, your overall daily skincare routine and ingredients of the face oil you use. At whichever stage you use your face oil, avoid the temptation to use too much oil. A little goes a long way and two to three drops of face oil should be more than sufficient in most cases. Do not stop at the jawline. Apply to the neck and décolleté areas. Golden Oil® recommends Bio Retinol Night Time Anti-Aging Elixir which combines Bakuchiol, Nicotinamide, Biden Pilosa and high concentrations of genistein, vitamin A, B, C and E, essential fatty acids (EFAs), and lecithin which help to reinforce the skin’s surface so it takes on a younger, smoother replenished appearance. If your skin is particularly sensitive and prone to irritations, Golden Oil® recommends Bio Retinol Cannabis Sativa Angi-Aging Elixir.

8. Use face masks. Good face masks will penetrate your skin deeply and exfoliate, hydrate, soothe and restore your natural looking glow. Although masks will contain ingredients that are very beneficial for you skin, you must not overdo them as you may cause damage to your skin. Consider using them 1-2 times per week and always read the instructions carefully as to the recommended number of uses per week for the product you select. Always perform a spot/patch test when trying a new skincare product. Golden Oil® recommends Natural Dead Sea Facial Mud Mask with Collagen. The detoxifying formula includes a complex combination of the finest potent ingredients and infused with collagen to provide the skin with an added boost of essential protein which makes skin healthier and more elastic. 

Every man’s skin is different, and there is no single approach that fits all men. If you are not sure what skin type you have, please see Understanding and identifying your skin type.