The State of the Men's Skincare Union
GRW 8 Guys
Speaking as a single, heterosexual young adult woman (I know — oh God, what could the rest of this sentence be), men often feel like a foreign species to me. I don’t mean that in a fuck men! way, I genuinely mean that I’m perplexed by the way their brains work. I’m going to assign a huge chunk of the blame to The Media *dun dun* because they’re doing an excellent job of making them out to be sad losers who don’t know how to maintain friendships or take care of themselves or even be friends with women.
Please, we need to stop othering and subsequently coddling men. They’re going to be okay as long as they learn how to express their emotions, God forbid. What they could use is a little more education around how to take care of their skin, because folks — the numbers are frightening. Brace yourself, I’m about to share some very scary statistics with you.
According a recent survey of men ages 18-42, 45% of them said they needed someone to intervene on their skin care regimen or lack thereof. I told you, we need to stop coddling them. Have you ever heard of weaponized incompetence?
Of the men that do have some semblance of a skincare routine, 50% of them only started it because they were about to go on a first date. Also, 45% of them would rather completely clear out their inbox than practice a skin care regimen.
One more terrifying statement: only 54% of men brush their teeth daily. I’m going to just leave that there. I can’t keep thinking about it or I’ll cry. No wonder I’m terrified of these freaks, they don’t even brush their teeth!
Even after all that, I do not hate men and I sure as hell do not feel sorry for them. I actually have a couple of male friends, believe it or not! I will give them a bit of grace while simultaneously blaming The Media once more; why would a man know anything about taking care of their skin if nobody is reporting on it, or at the very least, normalizing it? Aside from teen boys’s elaborate skincare routines (talk about a foreign species) and GQ’s sensitive skincare picks addressed to the “bros,” there’s not a whole lot of info out there about men’s hygiene. It’s our own damn faults.
I also realize that there are exceptions, that data can have biases, and that #notallmen are braindead in the personal care department. Plus, this study came out in 2018, which is still frighteningly recent, but significant strides have been made in the past 7 years (I can hear your jaw are dropping).
This all begs the question: what does an actual adult man’s skincare routine look like? There’s only one way to find out. I asked a bunch of men* how they take care of their skin. I love being nosy for the sake of journalism.
*You could probably figure it out, but it’s worth noting explicitly: these men live in major metropolitan areas with decent disposable incomes and work in creative industries that may or may not intersect with wellness / beauty culture more than the average, say, finance bro. Data requires context!
Partnerships at Substack, Writer of
There are plenty of wellness things I care deeply about — what I eat, where I work out, how high my screen time gets. But I've never become a skincare guy and I'm becoming more self conscious about that in my 30s.
I think I'm now too old to both not believe in sunscreen and only splash on some Cetaphil a few times a week. I'm headed to Korea later this month, where I'm planning to get my first facial. Maybe that'll make me a convert.
Writer of
As much as I aspire to have a 10-step Patrick Bateman style skincare routine, most of the time I keep it pretty simple and stick with just one brand: Aesop. I wash with their Amazing Face Cleanser, tone with the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Toner, and moisturize with their Parsley Seed Facial Hydrating Cream. Once a week I'll use their Primrose Masque which really feels like it's getting the toxins of NYC out of my skin. When it comes to SPF I've been using the Freaks of Nature Daily Defender SPF30.
I have had a long skincare history and used to love messing with different serums, oils, etc. but I find it best when I disturb my skin as little as possible, and getting all of my stuff from the same brand makes it easy when I need to replenish. Plus, they give me tea at Aesop which feels like a small consolation prize for spending $300 there.
Creative Director at Alex Mill, Writer of somstack
I’m pretty lazy when it comes to taking care of my skin — I barely moisturize enough, so the idea of putting on a mask or scheduling a facial is rare to never. That being said, I’m a late bloomer to skin care and I have my sis to thank for that (she’s a skincare obsessive).
My “routine “ if you can call it that started prob about 5 years ago while I was laying out on a beach chair in Positano when my sis rolled over and asked if I was going to put on any sunscreen, to which is said no. But then it got me thinking that maybe I should look into taking care of my skin a bit more…
AM Routine
I wash my face with water and put on the Erewhon face serum — it smells amazing. I have really dry skin so I love oils and rarely find them too greasy. If I go to the gym in the morning, I’ll use the Grown Alchemist Restorative Body Cream.
PM Routine
I’ll wash my face with water and once in a while when I remember I’ll use the Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser. I love that it’s a powder — it almost feels like it exfoliates, too. After, I’ll use Liquid Amber Face Serum from Li Organics. It’s super soothing, kind of perfect for bedtime.
Leann Abad
Founder of TRIFECTA and
I keep my daily routine pretty simple these days. Cleanse, hydrate, and protect/lock in the moisture.
In the morning, I use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, Rose Water Spray, CosRX Snail Mucin, and Beauty of Joseon Sunscreen.
Everything is the same at night except for the sunscreen, plus Bubble Face Oil.
Sometimes I’ll have a month of using retinol for some dark spots. And in the winter months I try to do at least one session of micro-needling.
Writer of
, Content Creator
AM Routine
My morning skincare routine underwent a complete transformation after interviewing esthetician Sydney Utendahl. Now, I start the day by either using an oil cleanser or simply splashing my face with water. Sydney emphasized the importance of preserving the serums and treatments applied the night before, so a gentle approach in the morning is key. After cleansing, I apply eye cream (my favorite step), vitamin C serum, moisturizer, and, of course, sunscreen to protect my skin throughout the day. Also I try to remember to dry brush every day both morning and night.
PM Routine
On a good day, I commit to a double cleanse — starting with the same oil cleanser from my morning routine, followed by whatever cleanser I’m currently testing (I’ve accumulated quite the collection of skincare products and enjoy trying new ones.
After cleansing, I tone my skin and, if I’ve shaved, I apply IS Clinical Active Serum. I’ll admit, I’m still not entirely sure what it does (despite asking several people), but I use it as a sort of aftershave to prevent ingrown hairs. From there, it’s eye cream, hyaluronic acid, a few additional serums, and finally, moisturizer. I like to end the routine with a gua sha session to relax and boost circulation.
I try to get a facial once a month (pictured at Tracie Martyn) to keep my skin in top shape.
Founder of DS & Durga, Writer of
I have no skincare routine. I only use bar soap. If my skin feels dry I'll use any oil (argan, olive) and rub a lil on the ol' epidermis.
I love hippie patchouli bar soap, or eucalyptus, or Himalayan cedar.
I use our I DON'T KNOW WHAT body soap & lotion because we made it!
I've only had one facial my whole life. I'll do a mask once every 4 years if Kavi is doing one and it seems quaint to join.
Editor at SSENSE, Writer of
I used to be so much more intentional about my skincare routine, but lately, as life has gotten busier — between raising a toddler, a 9-to-5 at SSENSE, writing for various magazines, and Substacking — all those good habits have gone out the window. Now it's pure skincare chaos.
In the morning, I'll splash a little cold water on my face, brush my teeth, walk the dog, guzzle a few supplements (which for the purposes of this exercise include Momentous-brand collagen) and then head to the gym. Unfortunately I am a sunscreen skipper, mostly because I am lazy. If I get a wrinkle, I'll get a wrinkle!
After a workout, I'll shower and apply some moisturizer (I use Aesop Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream, which I was told works well for oily skin) and head to the office, where the radiators are clunking and I will often forget to drink water.
At night, if I'm being good, I'll wash my face with whatever face wash my wife happened to buy. Then I'll dab some TRNR prebiotic moisturizer (got it as a PR gift, I like it) into my hand and add a drop or two of rose-scented face oil, also from Aesop, and smear that all over my face. Then I'll apply a few Starfaces for my pimples that make me look like a monster and it's off to bed.
Nate Rosen
Creator of Express Checkout
AM Routine
I shower and cleanse my face with either La Roche Posay Toleriane Facial Cleanser or the Experiment Plasma Wash. After the shower, I use Experiment's Super Saturated Serum, let that sit for a second, then use the Ponds Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream. Before I go outside I use the Dune Suncare Mug Guard.
PM Routine
I shower again — I never get in bed without showering. I'll use Super Saturated again then throw on the Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer from Trader Joe's.
In bed I use body lotion, currently it’s the TJ's Hand & Body Cream which is fine, but I could use a new one. I also use the Soft Services Theraplush "Hold" (smells amazing! and works wonders).
I honestly love the sheet masks from Trader Joe’s.
I certainly did not have men’s skincare activist on my bingo card for this year, but if the shoe fits? If you, too, love a study, this one breaks down the difference between male and female skin, and the findings are fantastic.
hey boysssss
Not the Humanrace photo to bait me in 😂
…such a fun read!