Think a bar of soap is all you need? Think again. Guys should use a variety of grooming necessities to look—and feel—sharp, especially in the warmer months. “Men’s skin is very susceptible to environmental hazards and the summer months exasperate the potential damage to their skin unless they take care of it,” says Fadi Mourad, Chief Innovation Officer of Dollar Shave Club. “Men naturally produce more sebum than women and that sebum acts like a magnifying glass, intensifying the negative effects of UV rays. Additionally, men’s skin is thicker, so when the damage from UV rays result in loss of elasticity, skin will sag and age at a faster rate.” Keep your skin and style ageless with these grooming essentials.
FACE WASH
That drying bar of soap you’re using to clean your entire body after your workout isn’t doing your face any favors. That’s why opting for a cleanser specifically designed for your face is key. “One of the biggest mistakes that I’ve seen over the years is that men don’t use a facial cleanser,” says Anthony Sosnick, Founder and CEO of Anthony, a shaving products brand. “This is critical in the grooming process to help avoid ingrown hairs, razor bumps and burn. Also, a clean face will help minimize the signs of aging.” He suggests using a formula appropriate for your skin type, typically one that slants toward normal to oily skin, like Neutrogena Men Invigorating Face Wash ($4.55, Amazon.com). “The key to keeping a healthy complexion in the hot summer months is making sure a product like this is used consistently and in the morning and at night if needed,” says Sosnick.
ASTRINGENT
“This helps to remove excess oil and impurities after cleansing and preps the skin for a moisturizer,” Sosnick says. He recommends using a cotton ball or pad to apply all over face and neck. Alcohol-free Anthony Glycolic Exfoliating & Resurfacing Wipes ($18, Amazon.com) contain Witch Hazel Extract, a natural astringent that tones and refines, as well as Glycolic Acid, an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) that gently exfoliates dead skin cells to increase skin cell renewal, and chamomile, cucumber, white tea leaf and green tea leaf extracts to condition and hydrate.
You may have seen your girlfriend don one of these at night, but they’re not just for women. Slathering one of these on takes removing oil and excess dirt on the face to another level. “It’s a deep clean that works well in the summer months,” Sosnick says. After cleansing your face, pat it dry, then squeeze some of the mask—like LAB SERIES Skincare URBAN BLUE Detox Clay Mask ($29.95, Amazon.com)—into your hand. Apply it in a soft circular motion to help it get into pores. “You want it to be thin enough so that the whole mask can dry and therefore lift away that dirt and oil,” explains Sosnick. “You want the mask to be fully dry so it has sucked all of the impurities away from your pores.” Follow the directions and let the mask dry, which typically takes from 10 to 30 minutes, then rinse off with cool water, which helps seal the pores to prevent grime from getting in in the future.
PRE-SHAVE OIL
Shaving cream isn’t the only product that makes a difference when a razor is involved. “A pre shave oil will help create a perfect slip and protection for the smoothest shave possible,” says Mourad. Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb Pre-Shave Oil ($38, Nordstrom.com) has nourishing botanical oils to soften hair for the closest shave and will leave you wanting more of the classic signature scent.
AFTER SHAVE MOISTURIZER
“Seal in moisture after shaving with the right post shave moisturizer for your skin type or shaving concerns,” Mourad says. Hair serum great for soothing, repairing, and moisturizing skin after shaving to prevent razor bumps, burns, and ingrown hairs.
SERUM
“This is important to use every day as it helps nourish the skin before moisturizing,” Sosnick says. “A serum can help repair fried, sun-damaged skin. Some say that moist skin is 10 times more permeable than dry skin, so apply your serum to damp skin after cleansing with an alcohol-free toner for quick, deep absorption. Press serum into the skin with an open palm instead of fingertips to release active ingredients.” Packed with botanical extracts, such as cooling cucumber, the Amarte Aqua Veil Pure Hydration Serum ($54, Amazon.com) delivers major hydration.
NIGHT CREAM
“Finally, at the end of a day in the sun you want to add back all of the good-for-you ingredients in the skin,” Sosnick says. “Let the powerful ingredients do their job while you sleep.” After washing your face thoroughly with a gentle cleanser that suited to your skin type, pat your face dry and apply night cream—like Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream ($74.99, Amazon.com)—in gentle upward strokes and circular motions by using your fingers, avoiding the area around your eyes.
There’s no better way to keep the skin around the eyes hydrated and protected. “Stop the heat and sun from making the eyes puffy and avoid fine lines that the suns rays can help create,” Sosnick says. Apply by dotting the eye cream, like AHAVA Men’s Age Control All-in-One Eye Care ($28, Amazon.com), under the eye, moving from inner to outer corner. “Press or tap—don’t rub,” cautions Sosnick, since that can be too rough for the area’s delicate skin. “Use a light patting motion under the eye, which gently presses the product in. Follow that with a gentle glide along the orbital bone to further sink the product into the skin.”
HAIR STYLING PRODUCTS
No matter how you wear your hair, getting just so requires the right products. Well-styled hair rounds out the perfect grooming regimen whether your style is messy and textured (try hair clay), slicked back (try hair gel), molded and flexible (try hair flexible hair spray) or naturally flowing (try hair cream), suggests Mourad. All of those products are available on his company’s website, DollarShaveclub.com
SUNSCREEN
“The most common mistake I see men make is improper moisturizing and the use of SPF in their moisturizer,” Mourad says. “Most believe that they should only be applying an SPF moisturizer if they’re going to spend their day outdoors golfing, doing yard work, hiking, or at the beach. However, environmental damage occurs throughout the day, when you’re walking from your car to the office, walking in and out of stores, and even when it’s a cloudy day. These are some of the instances where damage that you don’t see as sunburn on the surface occurs and leads to accelerated aging.” Yes to Natural Man Face Lotion SPF 15 ($8.99, yestocarrots.com) is designed for daily use thanks to its lightweight formula and matte finish.
