When should you start an anti-aging routine?
Believe it or not, men and women should both start thinking about anti-aging in their 20s. Let’s be real though, who is thinking anything about aging in their 20s? So, even if you didn’t worry about it then, it’s not too late to start your anti-aging routine.
However, before I get into the steps of a great routine, there are some other factors that influence your skin. These include your diet, the amount of exercise you do, exposure to the sun, smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of sleep. All of these can have a profound effect on the way your skin looks.
So, you may want to consider some of your lifestyle choices and change them as well. You may even consider taking anti-aging supplements.
Morning Routine
Cleanse. Of course, you need to wash your face to prepare it for the other products you will be using. You’ll want to use a gentle cleanser such as Cetaphil or CeraVe with warm, not hot, water. Lather and work the cleanser into your face using circular motions. Don’t forget your neck! You’ll then rinse and pat dry, don’t rub your face and neck with the towel.
Tone. This step isn’t absolutely necessary, but it does have its benefits. Those benefits include minimizing pores, soothing your skin, helping add and retain moisture, or smoothing your skin. Once again and with all products, don’t forget your neck!
For smoothing or if you have any acne issues, a glycolic acid toner is what you’ll use. If you want some extra antioxidant protection, pick a toner with vitamin C. Eve Hansen Toner has pore minimizing, vitamin C, aloe, and is hydrating all in one.
Serum. To have your skin ready for the day, the antioxidant vitamin C needs to be your go-to. Vichy LiftActiv Peptide-C is really a 3-in-1 serum that contains peptides for radiance, vitamin C for protection and brightening, and hyaluronic acid for hydration. With this one serum, there’s no need to buy another for the daytime.
Moisturize. When it comes to your daytime moisturizer, you can use either a lightweight moisturizer and a separate SPF or you can find a moisturizer that contains the SPF.
If you want a separate lightweight moisturizer that isn’t sticky or greasy feeling, then you should try Kiehl’s Age Defender Gel Moisturizer. It will visibly lift and firm while working on any fine lines and wrinkles. You will pair this with an SPF of 30 or higher. Not only does it help with premature aging, but did you know men are twice as likely to develop skin cancer? So absolutely under no circumstances ever skip the SPF, even if staying inside or on cloudy days!
Eye Cream. The cream for your eyes you choose will depend on your concerns, such as puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, or crow’s feet. If you need an eye cream that will do it all, then Youth To The People Superfood Peptide Eye Cream is the one you want to try. It’s gonna be an all-around powerful eye cream to use no matter your concerns because it is packed with some of the best ingredients for your skin.
**Another way to depuff your eyes is to take 2 spoons and place them in the freezer for a bit, then gently press the curved side of the spoon around your eyes.
If you are looking for a retinol eye cream, the retinol would only be used at night. Find the best retinol eye cream below.
Night Routine
For your nighttime routine, you will take the same steps as your morning one with a couple of product changes. You will still cleanse and tone using the same products, but your serum, moisturizer, and eye cream need to be a little different.
Serum. Here is where you start incorporating retinol into your routine. You only use retinol at night because it will degrade in the sun and also make your skin more susceptible to the sun.
Retinol is a weaker derivative of vitamin A, that is available without a prescription. Tretinoin is the prescription form. Both are highly recommended by dermatologists for effectively reversing signs of aging and sun damage.
Retinol comes in multiple strengths ranging from 0.25% to 1%. If you ever pick up a retinol product that doesn’t tell you the strength of the retinol, then it is probably below 0.25% and a waste of money.
When you start using retinol, apply it only two nights a week for the first couple of weeks to see how your skin will tolerate it. You could also perform a skin test by dabbing a bit under your jawline to see how your skin reacts. As you can tolerate it, you can increase the nightly applications. If you experience irritation, cut back.
Retinol Creams and Serums to try
1. Skinceuticals Retinol 1% Refining Night Cream – The great thing about this one is the fact that it is formulated to minimize irritation. They have also used science to enhance its efficacy and stability so you get maximum results.
2. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream – Not only does this one reduce wrinkles by up to 50% but it also helps lift and firm your skin.
3. Vichy LiftActiv Retinol HA Concentrate – Has the highest concentration of retinol with added hydration. Customer reviews reported it working within one month.
Moisturizer, Night Cream.
When choosing a night cream, you should also read my post on investing in a great night cream. You can use either one of those creams suggested and get the results for which you are looking or if you are concerned about someone seeing those creams that may be considered “women’s”, then here I will show choices specifically for men.
1. Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream. This one is pricey but has been said to be worth it for its benefits. It has a rich texture with ingredients to hydrate and nourish which in turn supports cell renewal, elasticity, and the function of the skin barrier. A reduction in signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation has been clinically proven. Women can also benefit from this cream. May be used by all skin types.
2. Brickell Men’s Revitalizing Anti-Aging Cream. Over one million men from 100 different countries trust this brand. This cream not only hydrates but also firms, smooths, and tightens while significantly reducing wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet. May also be used by all skin types.
3. Jaxon Lane Relax and Repair. Named the “Best Moisturizer” in GQ’s 2021 Grooming Awards, this cream has all the right ingredients to hydrate, firm, stimulate collagen, reduce pores and wrinkles, and protect your skin. It is used by celebrities and dermatologist recommended.
Add a Facial Massage to your daily routine. Massaging your face has so many anti-aging benefits simply because of your increasing circulation. Find out more about facial massage here.
Weekly Routine
Your morning and night routine you will, of course, be doing every day, but you can add some weekly steps to take your skincare to a whole new level.
Exfoliate. Men especially need to exfoliate because of thicker skin, larger pores, and produce more sebum than women. This should be done at least twice a week and three at the most. Exfoliating will also help to keep you from getting ingrown hair when it comes to shaving.
You can choose from face scrubs to get the dead skin cells or use a chemical exfoliation.
If you have normal/oily/combination skin try Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser. It is made with Amazonian White Clay and diatomaceous earth (finely crushed) that will not only cleanse and exfoliate but also shrink those large pores you may have.
To take care of the dullness you may be dealing with, try Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Scrub. This one contains caffeine and menthol and if you use it before shaving, it will help soften the hair.
If you would like to take a chemical approach, I am going to recommend Loreal’s Glycolic Acid Toner. I use this one for myself on a daily basis and it does exactly what it says on the bottle “Smooth in 30 seconds”.
Facial Masks
When it comes to using a facial mask, you can choose either a sheet mask or wash off. Sheet masks will work best on a freshly shaved face or if you have some small stubble. If you have a thick beard, you will want to use a wash-off mask such as mud or clay. Masks are generally done one to three times a week or as preferred.
In either case, the important part is to make sure the mask makes contact with your skin.
Charcoal masks are for oily or acne-prone skin and are also great for blackheads. Peel-off masks are offered but should be avoided if you have facial hair.
For an anti-aging sheet mask made specifically for men, Gentlehomme Collagen Facial Mask For Men is going to be the best go-to. This mask has a liposomal delivery system so the ingredients to hydrate, firm, and tone penetrate the deeper layers of your skin and don’t just sit on top.
Have no worries if you have a beard, they have designed it large enough to work without worrying about it falling off of your face. It is also compatible with all skin types.
If you had rather have a wash-off mask that will firm, lift, and brighten your complexion, then Peter Thomas Roth’s 24K Gold Mask is what you are looking for. Its anti-aging ingredients include colloidal gold, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, Peridot, and, of course, 24K gold. It is also compatible with all skin types.
Introduce LED
In just 10 minutes a day you can reduce fine lines, wrinkles, razor redness and irritation, and dark circles and bags from your eyes.
But how?
With Omnilux Men Led Mask. It’s made specifically to penetrate a man’s thicker skin. It’s also the winner of 2023 Men’s Health Grooming Award.
Learn more about how LED works here.
Conclusion
I know it seems like quite a bit to do, but once you start it will become like second nature to you. The best part will be how good your skin looks and feels, which will have you feeling better and more confident about your looks. So, don’t be afraid of getting older, just start taking better care of yourself.
For the ladies that come across this article, don’t hesitate to show these tips to any of the fellows in your life.
Please leave any questions or comments below.
Hi there,
Wonderful article; thank you for sharing it.
My husband was a fisherman once, so he was always exposed to the sun. And as a result, his skin aged faster than expected. But as you said in your article, it’s never too late:) I love the tips you gave, especially with the spoons for the under eyes. I will put the spoons in the freezer and try it tomorrow.
I see there are various treatments for the skin to do in the morning. How long do you think it will take to do the whole treatment? I don’t want him to get late at work:)
Thank you for this excellent post.
Starting a routine may be a little slow at first but it still shouldn’t take very long. The more he does it the faster he will get. It shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes.
This was an interesting read, really like what you have done here. For someone who is ageing now ive started to look into skin-care & your site was a blessing for me.
my main concern or question would be as there are so many products out there , do you just try different ones to suit your skin or is there a shortcut to finding the best ones for yourself?
i will certainly be trying the frozen spoon technique just to see if it really works.
You do need to know your skin type and then decide on the products accordingly. Unless your skin is one extreme or another, most products will be for all skin types when it comes to anti-aging. As you get older, moisture is important and not overdrying the skin.
Although skin care for men is as important as it is for women, there are very few men that I know that following a skincare routine. Many just wash their face in the shower, and those that do shave, might put on a splash of aftershave when they are finished.
So, it is great to find this guide to anti-aging skincare products for men. I will be sharing this guide with the men in my life that they can see how important skincare is for them, and choose the best products for anti-aging.
If you notice, men’s skin tends to age better than women’s because it’s thicker than ours. However, if they have spent a lot of time out in the sun without sunscreen, it will show.