As a man who understands the importance of self-love and self-care, skincare should also be a vital part of your daily routine. It is not just a way of improving the overall appearance of your skin, although it is one of the neat benefits you get from it. Rather, skincare is more of a morning reminder that you are to take care of your body, a therapeutic activity that you treat yourself to after a long day’s worth of hustling. It’s a way of communicating that you do love and care about yourself to your body and spirit. 

Skincare for you should be a simple daily routine activity that you do out of the love and concern that you have over your own well-being. So, let’s get down to the basics of what you need to set up an easy morning skincare routine that you can wrap up within 10-15 minutes. You don’t have to worry, either. All of what we’ll be discussing should be available in a drugstore and fit within a compact budget — but it’s still going to be extremely effective and make your skin look and feel amazing. 

You’ve probably read how important it is to cleanse your skin if you’ve scrolled through the average skincare guide for women. Don’t freak out, though. You don’t need to wash your face that often. Men have tougher and oilier skin thanks to increased levels of testosterone in their bodies in comparison to women. So, it takes more to beat our skin up, but too much cleansing could lead to your skin losing its existing moisture. 

You don’t have to wash your face more than once a day, unless you’re hanging around some of the more grimy parts of the town or you’re getting extra sweaty in the gym. Simply wash your face at the end of the day with a mild cleanser to clean off the day’s worth of pollutants. If your skin is on the dry side, just wash it every night with water, and use a cleanser only every few days. If you work out, don’t forget to get all that sweat off with a good splash, too. 

You also don’t want to forget to groom yourself and shave regularly! It’s important that you use a blade that suits your skin type, and keep an eye on your shaving technique, too. If you’re using a multi-blade razor and it’s causing ingrown hairs and razor bumps, try switching to a single blade or double blade razor. Also, ditch the aftershave. It’s mostly made up of alcohol and used to disinfect cuts made by razors. Modern razors don’t pose such problems, so the aftershave only dries your skin out. 

Sunscreen should be an essential, non-negotiable part of your skincare routine. The damage caused by the sun’s UV rays can be much greater than the usual sunburns and tanning, and prolonged exposure could even lead to serious skin diseases such as skin cancer. It’s important that you use a good moisturizing sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30 whenever you head out, even when it isn’t sunny. 

Your skin is subjected to a lot of wear and tear as you get through with your day, but you can repair it with a suitable antioxidant serum after every shave. Antioxidant serums are great for your skin, not just because they prevent inflammation that shaving might cause, but also because they have anti-aging properties that will prevent the development of wrinkles and fine lines.

Plagued by wrinkles and fine lines? While these are common signs of aging, you could always use some help to minimize their appearance. Fine lines are often caused because of skin damage caused by oxidants. Your regular serum may not be enough for this, so upping your antioxidants with the help of anti-aging creams and a Vitamin C serum should be the way to go.

It goes without saying, but you still need to watch what you eat and drink. Going down the skincare rabbit hole will often lead you to questions such as “Does coffee cause acne?” or “Should I stop drinking soda?” The bottom line is, yes, what you eat directly impacts the appearance of your skin. Don’t overthink it, though. You don’t need any major diet changes in the name of skincare. Just try eating healthy, home-cooked stuff and avoid overdoing it on things like soft drinks, dairy, and refined grains and you should be good to go. 

On that note, if you’re a smoker or you drink, now’s the time to put the cigarettes away and ditch the evening nightcap. You’ve probably heard about all the terrible things that these habits do to your organs, but what you might not know is that smoking and drinking have adverse effects on your skin too. Smoking causes your lips to become extremely crusty and chapped. Alcohol shrinks your pores and dehydrates your skin, leading to the formation of blackheads and cystic acne. 

As men, we’ve got it a little bit easier when it comes to taking care of our skin, as it’s fairly resilient against everyday wear and grime. If you’re looking to freshen up your appearance, you don’t have to do all of the things that we’ve mentioned, but it can definitely be a solid foundation to getting started. After all, every man’s skin is different, so don’t be afraid to acknowledge your needs and use the products that suit you even if they aren’t intended for you. However, by introducing these habits, you can make sure you’re always putting your best foot — and your best face — forward every day.