This is the best skincare routine for men (even for beginners) (2024)

1. Hydrating Serums: While there are many types of serums out there, the most essential would be a hydrating serum—specifically with skin-plumping hyaluronic acid. You would apply this product after cleansing and before moisturizing. (Ditto for all serums.) Hyaluronic acid seeps deeper into the skin and actively pulls in moisture (up to 1,000 times its own weight) to keep skin nourished from deep within.

2. Eye Creams: The best eye serums for men are the epitome of ‘big things in small packages’. They’re among the most densely concentrated products, since they are targeting the most delicate, thin skin on your body—that of your eye area. When this delicate skin loses its firmness and thickness, you start to notice things like puffy under eyes, crow’s feet, and dark circles more prominently. So, these eye creams (and serums) help to fortify the skin and keep things tight, bright, and strong. An eye product can work to keep you looking alert during the day, or can feed the skin with a feast of anti ageing peptides as you sleep. Apply it at least once a day—possibly twice, if you so choose.

3. Face Masks: There are many types of face masks, but the two most general categories are “deep cleansing” and “deep nourishing”. The former tend to deploy ingredients like charcoal and clay to suck out excess sebum and grime from deep within the pores (thus they are especially common with oily and acne-prone folks). The hydrating masks, on the other hand, pump highly concentrated serum into the skin, to help revive supremely tired, dull, or dry complexion. Typically, each type is designed for once-weekly use at most.

4. Spot Treatments: Acne treatments are essential for anyone prone to acne, hyperpigmentation, or both. They help disappear angry pimples, heal acne marks, and lessen the likelihood (and longevity) of hyperpigmentation from those blemishes, as well as those from sun or biological factors. You can even use spot treatments proactively, at the first sign of a breakout, to prevent pimples from surfacing at all.

5. Toners: Toners aren’t for everybody, but they are for anyone with especially oily skin, or anyone who has an overly complicated skin care regimen. Simply put, toners help balance your skin’s pH levels (so that skin never gets overly dry and irritated), while also tempering your natural sebum production (so that skin never gets overly oily). You would use it after cleansing (and after any physical exfoliant), but before applying any chemical exfoliants, other serums, and of course before moisturising.

The Advanced Regimen: Ingredient-Focused Remedies

This is where things get serious. The advanced folks are the ones who book out their dermatologist twice a year. The advanced level adds an ingredient-focused approach to any new products. Typically, these will be deployed as best anti-ageing creams for men, best night creams for men, or even as prescriptions from the dermo themselves. These individuals might also regularly get facials or be faithful to a single top-tier brand. But don’t let any of that scare you away from adding an ‘advanced’ element to your regimen.

Retinol and Bakuchiol: Retinol is a vitamin A derivative, and one of the best products that actually reverses signs of aging (and can stop acne in its tracks, too). Bakuchiol is its natural alternative for more sensitive skin. Talk to your doc about a prescription-grade retinol, if you want some serious oomph in your regimen.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is used to boost skin brightness and reduce discolouration and hyperpigmentation. This is a volatile ingredient, too, so it’s worth investing coin in a top-tier serum. You’ll often see ‘ascorbic acid’ listed in place of vitamin C; the former is the purest form of the latter.

Niacinamide: Smoothing and soothing. Niacinamide is also common in many everyday moisturizers, and for good reason.