Prior to my involvement, my boyfriend's skin-care routine included washing his face with body wash in the shower and using a body moisturiser whenever he remembered. It wasn't until we started living together that he would ask me, "Do you have a cream for this?," and point to a breakout on his forehead or cheek. That's when I introduced him to face masks (preferably the peel-off kind [1]), and he hasn't looked back since.
I would be naive if I ever thought my boyfriend would join in on the eight-step regimen that I follow [2] so closely, so I focussed on the basics: cleanse, tone, moisturise, and treat. When I developed a skin-care routine for him, I knew it had to involve minimal steps — three, maybe four steps max — and be easy to follow. (So easy, I even numbered his products in Sharpie after I witnessed him use the moisturiser before toner [3].)
To deliver acne-fighting benefits (that's his top skin-care concern), I stacked his product collection with a salicylic acid cleanser for his oily complexion and introduced him to a beauty editor staple: acne patches. I'm not going to say he's a totally changed man and does this routine every day, twice a day, but he has come a long way from using body products on his face. When I hear his cleansing brush turn on from the next room over, I can't help but smile.
Keep reading to see what products he uses in this easy skin-care routine for men.
Step #1: Cleanse
For a deep clean, he uses the Clarisonic Mia Men Facial Cleansing Skincare Device With Charcoal Brush Head [4] ($99) — which is specifically designed to clean men's skin and beard — paired with the Vichy Normaderm Daily Deep Cleansing Gel Face Wash With Salicylic Acid [5] ($18).
Step #2: Tone
To fight breakouts and balance skin, he follows up with the Bioderma Sebium Lotion [6] ($15) by swiping it across his face on a cotton pad.
Step 3: Moisturise
Next, he moisturisers using the Sailor by Captain B. Deep Blue Face Moisturiser [7] ($20). It has a plant-based, all-natural formula and feels lightweight on the skin.
Step #4: Treat
To treat breakouts that pop up, he uses the Mighty Patch Original Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patch Spot Treatment [8] ($13) overnight. The acne patch not only helps breakouts heal faster, but it also keeps him from picking.
Once a Week
Once a week to help detox and reduce oil, he indulges in a face mask — always peel-off because it's easier to remove — like the Boscia Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask [9] ($34).
