Sure, washing your face is the most important starting point in maintaining good skin. But we know that that’s not enough. Perhaps you have seen people your age looking a lot younger or a lot older than you are. The difference lies in how they take care of their skin. While there are genetic aspects at play too, the fact remains that a proper moisturization regimen can do wonders for your complexion. In staving off wrinkles and crow’s feet, you can appear quite a bit younger than your current age. 

What’s more, facial moisturizers can help revitalize your appearance and prevent you from developing early signs of aging. Moisturizer works to minimize the negatives. It’s not just a girl thing – every aging person on earth needs a moisturizer to keep their skin healthy as much as possible. 

Skincare is very popular for women, but did you know that for men, taking care of their skin is also as important as going to the gym, eating right, and getting the right amount of sleep at night? Even though the beauty industry spends a lot on advertising products for women, the fact is that all people, no matter what gender, have skin that we all need to take good care of. Therefore, moisturizing the skin is also important for men. 

Natural Ways to Help With Moisturization

You might not need to spend a lot on skin moisturizers, especially if you try out some natural ways to keep your skin looking healthy. If you are looking into moisturizing your skin naturally, here are some of the best ways men can accomplish this:

1. Drink Lots of Water

Getting an adequate water intake is important to your health and to your skin, as well. This is because when you are dehydrated, your skin will become dry, tight, and flaky. It will have less resilience, making it prone to wrinkling. Just like all other organs in the body, the skin is composed of millions of cells; without water, it will not function at its best. Do not wait until you feel thirsty to reach for your water bottle. You need to make it a habit to drink enough water every single day to prevent dehydration, and to keep your skin hydrated as well. The recommended amount is around 8 glasses, so try to hit that target each day.  

2.Take Vitamin C

Another way to keep your skin moisturized and looking young is by supplementing your diet with vitamin C, which is an important antioxidant. It can help strengthen collagen, which is essential in maintaining the elasticity of the skin. As people age, and with excessive exposure to the sun and pollutants, the vitamin C levels on the skin begin to decline, leading to a reduction of integrity and firmness. Therefore, it’s great if you can incorporate vitamin C into your daily routine. This will help boost your skin health by increasing its levels on the skin effectively. 

3. Eat Nutritious Foods

Nutrition is another important part of keeping the skin healthy. To keep your skin moisturized, you also need to make sure that you are eating enough fruits and vegetables as well as other essential fatty acids and lean sources of protein. These can also help maintain the barrier function of the skin, protecting it from everyday damaging exposures. 

4. Keep Your Skin Clean 

If you are thinking of using moisturizers, the first step that you need to take is to always keep your skin clean. Removing dirt and oil on your skin’s surface is important to allow any moisturizer to penetrate your skin. You can practice cleansing twice a day, morning, and night. However, avoid using heavy-duty scrubs more than twice a week, as they can irritate your skin and stimulate the production of oil. 

For daily facial washing, use milder soaps. This way, your skin will need less moisturizer because it won’t be scrubbed clean of important body oils. During colder or drier months, use a mild face wash. In humid climates, it’s better to opt for a deeper cleaning scrub. 

How to Choose the Best Moisturizers for Men

While natural methods are great habits to have, there are times when a man just needs some extra help with moisturization. The weather in their area, especially around wintertime, could be very drying for the skin. They may also be experiencing extreme dryness due to some genetic causes. 

However, choosing a moisturizer for anyone is not as simple as picking up the first product you see. Nor is it recommended that we use anyone else’s moisturizer, whether they’re our spouse, sibling, or any other relation. Here are some tips that might help you choose face moisturizers for your unique needs:

Know What Your Skin Type Is

For men, their regimen should be as simple as possible. However, not all skin types are the same. Therefore, knowing what kind of skin you have is important for you to know the moisturizing needs of your skin:

• If you have dry skin, use a moisturizing cleanser, then follow it up with a rich moisturizer. Oil-based lotions are great, as long as acne is not an issue. When you see dry patches on your face, your skin is probably prone to dryness. For such skin, heavy and cream-based moisturizers will be best. Check for ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or even dimethicone for severe dryness issues. 
• For oily skin, do not use any heavy or oil-based formulas. Instead, it’s better to opt for an oil-free or mattifying moisturizer in the morning and then a lightweight serum at night. If your complexion gets shiny fairly often, then you have oily skin. Oily skin may have visible pores and acne blemishes too, so a lightweight moisturizer is the best option. You can go for oil-free products, which use glycerin and hyaluronic acid to bind moisture without the need for oils. Also, check for ingredients that fight scene, such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide
• For normal skin, the secret is by creating balance to keep it moisturized. Go for a medium-weight product that maintains moisture, but choose those that do not add oil to already shiny areas. A lotion-like moisturizer is best for such skin, with a heavier option being preferable for dry winter months
• People with sensitive skin, on the other hand, should avoid products with irritating ingredients, including alcohol, dyes, fragrances, and preservatives or parabens. Use mild products that are designed for sensitive skin and moisturize the skin twice daily. With sensitive skin, make sure to consult your dermatologist before trying any new skincare products. In such cases, you may want to consider a hypoallergenic moisturizer that doesn’t contain common allergens.  It may also be helpful to check out these 5 actionable tips for choosing the best skincare products. 

Check the Ingredients

Moisturization ingredients are an important factor when  you’re choosing a product like this. It’s probably best to conduct some research and only choose moisturizers from known, renowned manufacturers. This will also allow you to look up the companies and make sure that they use proper, pure ingredients. Some of the active ingredients to look for on the labels are:

• Glycerin
• Lanolin
• Petrolatum
• Aloe or oatmeal, as men’s skin is usually prone to inflammation, partly because of their tendency to grow facial hair
• Anti-aging components like Vitamin C
• Antioxidants such as Coenzyme q10 and Vitamin E, which can do away with dullness and skin damage

Protection from the Sun

If a man’s job puts him at a higher risk of sun exposure, they should look for moisturizers with sun blocking ingredients and a high SPF (at least 30). A decent level of SPF will also be an anti-aging factor and lower the chances of skin cancer. 

How to Use Moisturizer

So now you know how choosing a moisturizer works. The next step is to use it in the right way to see good results. Here are some quick tips for using your moisturizer:

• Apply the moisturizer last in your skincare regimen–after cleansing, toner, and any serums or other treatments
• Try moisturizing at least twice a day to compensate for any moisture loss

Conclusion

Moisturizers are among the most essential items a man can have in his grooming kit. Skincare and self-maintenance are not limited for any one gender. For the sake of your skin health and overall appearance, moisturizing properly should be part of your daily routine. If you’re ready to have a regular skincare regime, here’s a guide to men’s grooming kits. Put together one that’s customized to your skin needs, and you’ll likely have glowing, fresh skin throughout the year!