Beauty / I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here’s What Happened

I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here’s What Happened

Beauty Jun 28, 2021

by Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Has the man in your life expressed concern about his skin? Does he use your products without telling you? Have you noticed changes in his skin that you think should be addressed? I had asked my brother and two of my guy friends to try out a new skincare routine and here is what happened!

Men and beauty routines is a combination that has more commonly been fodder for Hollywood romantic comedies and sitcoms, rather than the subject of serious evaluation in the beauty world. Sure, a while back there was the whole metrosexual trend but that was decisively ousted by lumberjack chic, which conveniently allowed men to hide their jowls under beards, and to dismiss the circles as mere shadows created by manly (read: bushy) eyebrows.

It seemed that men engaging in the complexities of self-care skin routine would be relegated to the realm of imagination … until Zoom meetings taught many men that baggy eyes, uneven skin tone and clogged pores, do not merely reside in the imagination of people who allegedly spend too much time in front of the mirror.

I read that men were increasingly making clandestine trips to the dermatologists for non-surgical interventions, so that they would look younger and fresher on camera. It made me wonder whether men had started to appreciate the power of skincare. So, I decided to search for answers by asking Arun, a successful, hardworking lawyer in his forties; Muhsin (aka Moe Khan), my little brother and a sportscaster in his thirties; and Faisal, a musician in his twenties, to share their routines and to test products.

I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here's What Happened — **I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here’s What Happened: These men had limited knowledge of skincare so I was happy to give them a tutorial.** Photo Credit: www.unsplash.com

AN EYE-OPENING DEBUT

All three testers were open to trying products but I was left somewhat bemused by their questions and lack of beauty vocabulary.

For example, Arun, who professed to being a basic wash and hydrate type of guy just wanted to maintain his normal skin. He was befuddled by the role of toner, the delicateness required in applying eye cream, and why Shiseido cotton pads were an absolute necessity. I literally had to write a step-by-step routine for the morning and night, starting from the basic info like yes, you need to wash your hands, to detailed instructions, such as using your left ring finger to apply eye product. He appreciated the detailed list for the duration of the testing period and used it as a checklist to guide him through the products.

Muhsin had previously expressed concern about the wrinkles on his forehead and his frustration that his skin always looked greasy by midday. He had been following a rudimentary routine but confessed that it left his skin somewhat uneven. Had he listened to me 20 years ago his forehead would be in better shape. He looked so crestfallen that I asked if he would be a tester. He was in, and if anything, his openness demonstrated that one is never too old to learn or change.

Muhsin, unlike Arun, is not a fan of step-by-step guides, what he used was a black marker to write on the gorgeous packages. He added large, messy Arabic numerals to each product, followed by “AM” and “PM”. He did not care to learn about how the left ring finger is connected to heart and had the least pressure, but he completely understood that he should take a droplet and tap it in lightly because dragging the skin would worsen his lines. Progress!

Faisal is a novice and admitted that he had no routine. He did not understand why anyone would need one. Once the basic concepts of skin upkeep were introduced and explained, I presented him with two steps: cleanse and hydrate. He looked genuinely surprised when I instructed him to always apply cream in an upward motion to fight against gravity. I then realized that for someone who is in the bloom of youth, the issue of jowls occupied the same importance as to whether one should buy a VHS or Betamax machine. After I explained both steps, Faisal asked in all earnestness if he needed to wash his face after he applied the cream. I started to laugh and then quickly stopped because I wanted Faisal to embrace skincare and avoid Muhsin’s pitfalls. We reviewed the basic concepts and he looked confident as he embarked on this new adventure.

After prepping the men, I realized that should someone decide to buy skincare products as a gift, it is important to note the following:

Does he have a routine?
What is the skin type, concerns … etc.
If you are introducing new products, be prepared to spend time explaining them using his preferred method of learning written oral, interactive … etc.
Be prepared to answer the most basic questions because what the testers explained is that they have survived their whole lives without toner and fancy cotton pads, and they did not die.

THE PRODUCTS — WHICH ONES MADE THE CUT

Arun’s Faves

He received several products and followed his morning and nightly rituals carefully. After a few weeks of testing, he recommended the following:

Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore Minimizing Toner because it softened his skin and left it soothed after shaving and cleansing his face.

I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And This Is What Happened — **I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here’s What Happened: Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner.** Photo Credit: www.biossance.com

Shiseido Facial Cotton because it did not leave little strings on his face and delivered the toner effectively.

**I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here’s What Happened: Shiseido Facial Cotton.** Photo Credit: www.shiseido.ca

Fresh Black Tea Firming Eye Serum was his favourite, “I thought it was excellent. I saw a real difference under the eyes.” The difference is that the under eyes look brighter and the puffiness is reduced which has created fresh looking, well-rested eyes.

Muhsin’s Faves

Muhsin enjoyed all of the products because he felt confident after each ritual, and at night, after a long day of work, his skin looked refreshed. The following impressed him:

Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore Minimizing Toner because it softened his skin. I note that Muhsin’s skin is oilier than Arun’s but this product impressed the both of them.
bareMinerals Ageless Phyto-Retinol Eye Cream because within 10 days he noticed that the lines under his eyes and crow’s feet softened considerably;

bareMinerals Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate because like the eye cream, he saw such a difference in his forehead wrinkles, that he came to me and said, “Meena, my lines are less.” This is the highest compliment that my brother can give because he not a chatty one.

Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ because it was easy to use, did not leave his skin greasy and it did not leave a white cast on his skin.

Faisal’s Faves

Faisal admitted that he did not always stick to his two-step routine because “… it isn’t a habit like brushing teeth.” He did notice that when he neglected his new routine that a few pimples appeared on his forehead, and he realized that there might be some merit in being disciplined about skin care. These were his favourites.

Roc Multi Correxion® Revive + Glow Gel Cleanser because his skin felt fresher;

Roc Multi Correxion® Revive + Glow Gel Cream because it softened his skin.

So, Have They Been Convinced?

The testers taught me that the answer is yes, so long as the man has a concern or objective … just like us. Arun and Muhsin are on their respective journeys of maintenance and repair, while Faisal is slowly discovering the importance of skin care. You can buy skin care products for the men in your life but you should approach this endeavour not based on what you think they need but on their lifestyle, time budget, discipline and need; otherwise your gift will go to waste. And who wants that, really?

Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Author

Meena (@meenalaregina) always loved the idea of exploring the non-conventional idea of beauty. Having grown up as a pimply chubby teenager, she wanted to see the change in the world that best reflected your uniqueness as well. Her well-received collection of blogs where she tries on various beauty p...

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I Asked Three Guys To Try A New Skincare Routine And Here’s What Happened

by Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

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