Everyone should take care of their skin. And by “everyone,” we mean you too, guys. If you’ve ever searched for mens skincare online, you’ve likely discovered an endless array of woodsy-smelling scrubs and beard oils cloaked in dark packaging that screams, “I’m manly enough to perform basic personal hygiene.”But as you sifted through all those hundreds of mens skincare products, you likely wondered which ones you actually need. And is skincare really gendered, or is that just a marketing ploy? We’re here to help.
How is Men’s Skin Different?
A man’s skin is structurally different from a woman’s skin. Besides all that facial hair, higher testosterone levels mean a man’s skin is about 25 percent thicker and has a tougher texture than a woman’s skin. Oil production is also different. While men have smaller oil-secreting sebaceous glands, they produce more sebum and generally have oilier skin and suffer from acne longer than women do.So do men really need their own special category of skincare products? We don’t think so. We prefer to think about skin according to its type (oily, combination, or dry) rather than its owner’s sex or gender. That said, we also understand that many men don’t love the idea of wafting a perfumey fragrance through the locker room after they’ve doused themselves with moisturizer from a flower-embellished bottle. (Many women don’t want that either!) Our science-backed, effective-for-everyone formulas have gender-neutral names and packaging to be as inclusive as possible.The Best Skincare Routine for Men
The best skincare routine for men should be simple and easy to follow wherever you go. We recommend starting with a basic, three-step routine consisting of a cleanser, a toner, and a moisturizer. These three products will keep your skin clean, balanced, hydrated and healthy.
The skincare routine below also includes a treatment step for those who may wish to address skin concerns such as uneven pigmentation and skin texture. Think of it like the extra 30 second sprint at the end of a workout. That tiny bit of additional effort can increase the benefit of your entire routine.Step One: Cleanse
While men’s pores are smaller, the fact that they produce more oil can make them more susceptible to clogging. This can mean breakouts, blackheads, and stretched-out pores which can appear enlarged. Our Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser deep-cleans pores using a powerful amino acid complex that breaks down oil and debris without overstripping your skin while our sugar sugarcane-derived squalane delivers a burst of nourishing moisture. Your skin is left clean, hydrated, and refreshed.
“Best cleanser ever,” says Biossance customer Jax Parcell. “I'm on my third bottle. I use nothing else and I've used quite a few products over the years. This line is my favorite.”
Step Two: Tone
Toning is perhaps the most overlooked step in skincare. This crucial step restores the skin’s naturally acidic pH and prepares it to receive moisture.
Use a cotton round or your fingers to apply our BHA Pore-Minimizing toner while your skin is still slightly damp from cleansing. This allows the hyaluronic acid in our toner to bond with the water molecules sitting on top of your skin, pulling them into the epidermis to provide added hydration. Meanwhile, our toner’s active ingredient, white willowbark extract, powerfully exfoliates and unclogs pores and caviar lime extract works its alpha hydroxy magic to provide additional exfoliation.
All of this happens without any drying or over-stripping thanks to our sugarcane-derived squalane, which balances the skin and leaves it smooth and hydrated. Clinical reports show 97 percent of participants had a reduction in blackheads within 2 weeks of use. Step Three (Optional): Treat
Looking to give your skincare routine some extra oomph? We recommend using our Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum as the third step in your daytime routine. This powerful, non-irritating 10% vitamin C serum neutralizes free radicals from UV rays and pollution while visibly fading dark spots left behind by breakouts and sun damage.
Swap it out during your evening routine for our 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Serum to dramatically improve the look of enlarged pores. Our 10% vegan lactic acid formula helps banish dullness by exfoliating to reveal smoother, more even-textured, hydrated skin while clover boosts lactic acid’s exfoliating benefits by revving up cell turnover. Be sure to follow with your favorite sunscreen the next morning to protect those freshly-uncovered skin cells.
Step Four: Moisturize
Moisturizers hydrate the uppermost layers of the skin while shielding against environmental stressors. We recommend using both a moisturizer and an eye cream to give delicate undereye skin some extra TLC.Men’s Health Magazine recognized our lightweight Peptide Eye Gel as Best for Dark Circles for its science-backed ingredient combination of brightening niacinamide, circulation-boosting caffeine, and depuffing peptides. One tester said it helped refresh his dry, hungover eyes after a night out.
If you’re on the drier side, we recommend our multi-award-winning Marine Algae Eye Cream. Our rich, fast-absorbing cream instantly lifts and firms, making tired eyes look brighter and more awake. Pink marine algae, a natural source of peptides, plumps fine lines and wrinkles while our superhero hydrator, squalane, provides deep and lasting moisture.
Follow your eye cream with all-over moisture tailored to your specific skin type. If you’re on the oilier side or suffer from breakouts, we recommend our weightless Probiotic Gel Moisturizer to balance and reduce oiliness. (Fun fact: oily skin is usually dehydrated, which is why sebaceous glands go into oil producing overdrive.)
If you tend to feel dry, deeply nourish and strengthen your skin’s moisture barrier with our award-winning Omega Repair Cream. Moisturizing omega fatty acids similar to what’s in your skin’s moisture barrier work to hydrate and restore your skin’s protective layer while hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates and plumps skin.
Learn which Biossance moisturizer is right for your skin 
