I’ve recently started focusing on the health of my skin. I always knew to wash my face and I had used a face scrub which I had gotten as a gift at one point but I never knew how to properly take care of my skin. It’s something I had thought of doing in the past but never really got the ambition to convince myself to do so. It always seemed like it would be really expensive to keep buying everything. But eventually I realized I’m going to start getting old someday and I’d rather be proactive so I can look 40 when I’m 70, not the other way around.
It all started when my wife and I were at Target and she was trying to find some things in the cosmetic section. I can’t seem to recall exactly what was being discussed but we were talking about something to help with my blackheads. That night and the following couple days I went online and put some real effort into researching skin care routines.
I found a free sample kit from Brickell Men’s Products which I figured would be a good thing to get started with finding a good routine for myself. About a week or so later it came in. There were a couple things missing from the kit but it was free so I have no reason to complain. I hadn’t really planned on using the things which were missing anyway. After doing their suggested morning routine my wife commented on how my face looked very exfoliated. I told her I was trying to find stuff to help with my skin care.
In the time when I was waiting for the sample kit to come in I went looking through routines I could find of other people to find more suggested products. I ended up with a list of various face washes, exfoliators, moisturizers, and other things which they had said worked well for them.
Here’s what I managed to buy to start my skin care journey for about $100 total.
Face Wash:
This one is pretty obvious. It’s to wash my face. I used to just use a bar of soap for my face because I never realized the benefit of having a dedicated face wash. I always assumed my skin is supposed to feel tight after washing. It turns out the skin on your face is different from the rest of your body so it needs a different soap. I’m currently using CeraVe Hydrating Face Wash which I think is working great for me. After I wash, my skin doesn’t feel super tight and it doesn’t burn like a couple other ones I tried while testing other brands. I use this every day in the morning and again before bed.
Face Scrub:
xfoliating is a thing. I had no idea. Face wash will get the layer of gunk and gross that is sitting on your skin but using an exfoliating scrub can help get things out of your pores and get rid of dead skin which the face wash might leave behind. The first one I tried after using the sample kit I had was the M3 Naturals Himalayan Salt Body & Face Scrub. Since I didn’t really know about exfoliating before buying this, and I’ve read it takes a while to really notice a difference, I can’t really attest to how well it is working. I can say that I haven’t experienced anything negative so far. At least, other than getting too close to my eyes the first time I used it. Luckily it was very easy to rinse out of them. Although this is generally recommended to be used only a few times each week in the morning, I also use it any time I shave to help get rid of dead skin which might clog up or slow down my razor.
Shave Butter:
Shave butter is another new thing for me. I had always used shaving cream in the past because that was what I knew about. Brickell had a shaving butter in their sample kit and I was hooked from the start. The only thing I didn’t like about theirs was how quickly it dried out. I didn’t want to buy a large container and have it dry out so I went online and found Van Der Hagen Shave Butter to try instead. It’s great. The butter only needs to be spread on in a thin layer so you don’t need very much to get a decent shave. And it doesn’t foam so you don’t have to worry about bubbles and can be sure all of your skin will be prepared.
After Shave Balm:
Another new thing. I’m noticing a trend. I have used Old Spice After Shave for years. It was really easy to just splash a bit onto my hands and do my best Kevin McCallister impression. Now I use Nivea For Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm. Because it isn’t made with alcohol like traditional aftershave, an after shave balm will go straight to the soothing without any burn. I thought while looking for a good brand I had read it would also help stop bleeding if you nick yourself. It didn’t seem to do so, so I still keep my styptic pencil handy just in case.
Daytime Moisturizer:
Here’s one which I did know about but never used. I thought moisturizing, like all other things which involve a healthy appearance, was something only girls did. I’ve been wrong before, I’ll be wrong at least a hundred times in the future, and I was definitely wrong with this. I never noticed how dry my skin used to be until I started moisturizing. I can’t say much for different brands because I started with Every Man Jack Age Defying Facial Moisturizer and stuck with it.
Nighttime Moisturizer:
For some reason, people were suggesting using a different moisturizer at night time. I’m not really sure what the difference is between the daytime and nighttime ones but I currently use Neutrogena Triple Age Repair Anti-Wrinkle Night Moisturizer with Vitamin C. The only thing I don’t like about it is after using all my other products which have either no scent or a very light scent, this is flowery. I may not be the target audience for this specific product. But I’ll keep using it for now until the flowery smell gets to me too much and I find something else.
Eye Balm:
Like most people I don’t sleep as much as I should. Because of this I tend to have dark puffy circles under my eyes. Although I haven’t really noticed much of a different using Every Man Jack Age Defying Eye Cream, I’m sure it just takes some time for it to be noticeable.
A Couple Other Things:
You can get sunburn on a cloudy day in the middle of winter so it’s always a good idea to use some kind of UV protection. On days when I leave for work after the sun is up or get home before the sun sets I use Neutrogena Age Shield Face Lotion Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 110+ for sun protection. At this time of the year I get to work just before the sun comes up and leave work just after it sets. I also don’t have any windows in my office so I’m only using sunscreen on weekends.
I also use Gold Bond Triple Action Relief Foot Cream on my feet at night. I think my feet are actually in really good condition but my heels and the area inside from the balls of my feet tend to get really dry.
There were some other products which were recommended to use for other things but I didn’t quite understand the purpose so I didn’t purchase them. If at any point I change my routine I will keep an updated list here. I am not a skin care expert. This post is just the result of my research and experience after a short time. Everyone’s skin is different and you should find what works for you.
A Life, Ensnared 