Skincare for Men (and Women)

A reader who asked to remain anonymous writes:

My 28th birthday was barely a couple of months ago, and I’ve noticed a couple of very faint wrinkles starting to form in my forehead. They’re barely visible right now, but I know that the problem is only going to get worse, and I don’t have any visible other signs of aging at the moment (no crow’s feet, smile/frown lines or lines in my neck etc.). My question is this: what skincare regimen would you recommend to minimize (if not eliminate) aging?

I’d appreciate it if you left my name out if you decide to make a post out of this.

Beauty privilege is real. People will judge you based on how you look. Better looking people earn more money for doing the same job. This is unfair. Welcome to life.

You should therefore have no shame in trying to look younger.

Most skin aging is due to not wearing sunscreen. Always wear sunscreen.

What most people consider aging is really just sun damage. Losing skin tonality, in other words, is not an internal natural process as much as it’s the result of external damage.

Compare a 40-year-old school teacher’s face to a working man’s face. The teacher’s face, unexposed to sun light, will have few lines. The skin will remain taught. The skin will slightly glow.

The man’s face will have deep line carved across his forehead. His facial skin will be dull and starting to sag.

The first rule of skincare for men is to wear sunscreen. If all a man did to his skin was apply a moisturizing sunscreen in the morning, he would look five years younger. (With a proper skincare routine, he’ll look ten years younger.)

There are hundreds of sunscreens on the market, leaving most men confused. There’s no need to be confused if you keep four things in mind:

• The sunscreen must offer UVA and UVB protection;
• The sunscreen must no clog your pores;
• The sunscreen must moisturize;
• The sunscreen should be paraben-free, as parabens are estrogenic.

You need two different sunscreens – one for daily office use, and one for serious outdoor use.

I use Vanicream sunscreen, and consider it among the best in breed. It’s titanium and zinc oxides provide full protection against skin-destroying UVA and UVB rays.

However, Vanicream is thick and can leave some white patches on your skin if, like most guys, you don’t spend several minutes working it into the skin. That’s fine for heavy outdoor use, but can look weird in the office.

Most guys want a “glob and move” sunscreen. Get a blog into your hands, smear it on your face, and get away from the bathroom mirror.

Neutrogena is a great daily-use sunscreen. It’s non-oily, so it won’t clog your pores or make your nose look like a greasy pizza. It’s also affordable.

If you have dry skin, Cetaphil Fragrance Free Daily Facial Moisturizer will be right for you. Cetaphil has extra moisturizing properties. Where as it might make a person with oily skin look greasy, it will make a person with dry skin have a moist face.

Once you’re wearing sunscreen daily, use these advanced skincare tips.

If you’re not wearing sunscreen before sun exposure, nothing else you do will matter. Once you’ve started wearing daily sunscreen, you’ll be ready for more advanced skincare tactics.

To answer your question, we can take one of three approaches. In order of ease and cost effectiveness, here you go:

1. Vaseline on your forehead.
2. Serums.
3. Retin-A.
4. Dysport.

Vaseline. If it won’t make you break out, put a small (smaller than you think, I’m talking not even a dime-sized blob) amount of Vaseline on your forehead before going to bed. That will keep the forehead skin lubricated and prevent wrinkles. You can also put some Vaseline on your forehead during the day. Just wipe it off before going out so you don’t look like a teenage grease ball.

By Vaseline, I don’t mean the fancy lotion they sell. Stick with the pure petroleum jelly.

Retin-A. Retinols (sold over the counter) are a scam. You need full, prescription-strength Retin-A. Retin-A works by encouraging cellular turnover in your skin. It essentially strips down the top, wrinkled layer of your skin, revealing a new smooth layer.

Be careful. Use a tiny amount and don’t use it every day, as it will strip the heck out of your skin if you do. You also have to avoid the sun. As with all prescription medications, do your homework before using it.

Botox/Dysport. The best time to get Botox done is before your wrinkles have formed. It’s actually relatively inexpensive if you’re a younger guy. Since you’ll need only a small amount, a treatment might only cost $300 or so every year. (You’re supposed to go every 6 months, but that’s for old ladies who already have deep wrinkles. If you’re just going for wrinkle prevention, once every 9-12 months is fine.)

Shop around. Dysport is a new competitor to Botox and they often offer coupons to compete with one another. Find a dermatologist on Yelp who only does Botox/cosmetic stuff.

Serums. Serums are topical antioxidants. Vitamin C+E encourages collagen growth. Cosmetic Skin Solutions is as good as the stuff they sell for over $125 in spas.

The Vitamin C serum only last around 30 days, as the Vitamin C oxidizes. It’s probably not cost-effective to just use it on your forehead, and is more for guys who do their whole faces.

Hyaluronic acid is a super moisturizer that will keep your skin moist and supple. For years I used a brand on Amazon that cost over $30 a month. Gorilla Mind has formulated its own skincare product.

This serum is loaded with hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B5, Vitamin E and other anti-inflammatory ingredients.

You can buy it here.