There is a fine line (no pun intended) between looking mature and neglecting your skin as it ages. While double standards favour men’s ageing process more than women, you still need an anti-ageing skincare regimen.
Take a cue from Clooney and learn how to age like fine wine. You’re welcome!
Men & Ageing: What’s the Deal?
Unlike women, men don’t get fret over every little wrinkle on their faces. Instead, men wear ageing signs like a badge of honour because these make them look mature and prominent. But, the thing is, ageing is not a ‘look’; it’s something more than that.
As you age, your body starts breaking down collagen faster than a sports car. (By the way, collagen is an essential protein that gives your skin and muscles structure.) Your testosterone levels also drop, turning your skin from young and firm to drab and arid. This leads to deeper forehead lines, laugh lines, and wrinkles. Your jawline will also not be as sharp as before because your skin starts to sag.
The Ultimate Anti-Ageing Skincare Routine for Men
Step 1: Cleanse
Cleansing is a vital step in any skincare routine. It removes the dirt and grime lying atop your skin and preps your skin for better absorption. But we are setting the record straight here – stop using a soap bar to cleanse your face! It is harsher on your skin and cannot lift deep-seated dirt in your pores. Opt for a foaming cleanser, oil, or balm – they work better and have skin-friendly ingredients.
Step 2: Exfoliate
Your skin is divided into different layers, with the topmost one filled with debris and dead skin cells. Exfoliation helps slough away that top layer to resurface smoother skin. It also boosts cell renewal, which is essential in fighting off the signs of ageing. Our best bet is glycolic acid, as it gently exfoliates your skin. A plus: this acid cuts through the bonds in your skin cells to boost repair and collagen production.
Step 3: Moisturise
Keeping your skin moisturised is crucial in anti-ageing. This is because moisturisation helps reinforce your skin’s natural barrier, which serves as your first layer of defence. It shields your skin from damaging factors that speed up ageing, such as pollution and free radicals. We also love that it makes your skin look plump and smooth, improving the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Since men tend to have oilier skin than women, it’s best to use water-based moisturisers. We also recommend using moisturisers with SPF to amp up the anti-ageing properties.
Step 4: Anti-ageing serum
To keep ageing signs at bay, you’ve got to pull out the big guns. In this case, it’s an anti-ageing serum. Serums have higher concentrations of anti-ageing ingredients, which helps smooth wrinkles and lines. They supercharge collagen production and cell repair, essential to keep your skin plump and smooth. Our top favourites are vitamin C, retinol, and niacinamide.
Step 5: SPF
You see, the sun is one of the worst culprits in ageing. It emits UV rays that penetrate deep into your skin and damage your cells. (Did you know that they can cause skin cancer too?) This is why sunscreen is non-negotiable – it bounces off those damaging rays so they can’t wreak havoc on your skin. Cap off your anti-ageing routine by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.