A simple skincare routine for men: 2 steps in the morning, cleanse and moisturize
In short. A simple skincare routine for men comes down to two steps in the morning: cleanse the skin with a cleanser made for the face, then hydrate it with a light moisturizer. It takes about a minute. A scrub one to three times a week and sun protection on days spent outdoors complete it. The rest is optional.
In our salons, one sentence came up every day in the chair: "I wash my face with shower gel." And when we asked men why they put nothing on their skin, the answer was always the same: "it's too greasy" or "I can't be bothered." Hence this routine: two steps, one minute, nothing more.
How many steps does a men's face routine need?
Two are enough to start: cleanse, then moisturize. What matters is keeping it up every day, not piling up products.
| Step | When | Time | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cleanse | Every morning, in the shower. In the evening too if your skin is oily. | 20 to 30 seconds | Remove sebum, sweat and pollution. |
| 2. Moisturize | Straight afterwards, on clean skin. | A few seconds | Bring water to the skin and stop it feeling tight. |
| Optional: scrub | One to three times a week, after cleansing. | 30 seconds | Remove dead cells. |
| Depending on your day: sun protection | In the morning, last, if you spend time outdoors. | A few seconds | Protect the skin from UV. |
Why isn't shower gel enough for your face?
A shower gel is formulated for the skin of the body. The skin of the face does not have the same needs: the forehead, nose and chin have a high concentration of sebaceous glands, and men's skin is on average thicker and produces more sebum than women's. Washed with a product that is too harsh, it feels tight when you step out of the shower, and many men see the shine come back before noon.
Step 1: how do you cleanse your face properly?
- Wet your face with lukewarm water. Scalding water dries out the skin.
- Take a small amount of cleanser in your palm.
- Massage for 20 to 30 seconds: forehead, nose, cheeks, chin. Avoid the eye area.
- Rinse, then pat dry with a clean towel, without rubbing.
A rule of thumb: if your skin feels tight after rinsing, your cleanser is too harsh for it.
Step 2: which moisturizer if you don't like creams?
Moisturizing means bringing water to the skin and helping it hold on to it. Even oily skin needs it: sebum is oil, not water, and skin can shine and feel tight at the same time. If you don't like the feel of a cream, choose a light texture: fluid, gel or lotion. Apply a small amount to clean skin, face and neck. If it shines or you can feel a deposit, you have used too much.
The order matters. As we say in the salon: cream on poorly washed skin is wax on a dirty car.
Should you use a scrub, and how often?
A cleanser removes the day's oil and pollution. It does not remove the dead cells that build up over the weeks and dull the complexion. That is the job of a scrub: one to three times a week, never every day, and only once if your skin is sensitive.
There are two families: the physical scrub, with grains, and the chemical exfoliant (AHA, BHA), without grains. In both cases, you exfoliate after cleansing and before moisturizing.
What about the sun, and the beard?
A moisturizer is not a sunscreen, unless an SPF is stated on the packaging. On days when you spend time outdoors, add sun protection as the last step of your morning.
If you have a beard, the skin underneath is cleansed and hydrated like the rest of the face. For the hair itself and for itching, read the beard routine to stop the itch.
Our salons' routine, with DAMERET products
Any gentle face cleanser and any light moisturizer will get you started. Here are the ones we developed from what we heard in the chair.
- Cleanse: NIACLEAN, a face cleanser with activated charcoal and niacinamide. One pump, 20 seconds in the shower, every morning, and in the evening too if your skin is oily. 300 ml pump bottle, for oily, combination or blemish-prone skin.
- Moisturize: NO CREAM, a face moisturizer made with seawater. A few drops on the face, no rinsing, once or twice a day. 100 ml pump bottle, for normal, combination and oily skin first and foremost.
- Scrub: GOMMAGE SCRUB, a face scrub with rounded pumice grains and aloe vera. 30 seconds in the shower, one to three times a week. 100 ml tube.
All three are made in Provence to the ISO 22716 standard and are also available in French pharmacies. You will find them in the DAMERET face care for men collection. Don't know your skin type? The free DAMERET diagnostic gives you an answer in 30 seconds, with three photos or a few questions.
When to ask a pharmacist or a dermatologist
A cosmetic routine does not replace medical advice. For established acne, redness or patches that last, or a burning sensation after every product, ask a pharmacist or a dermatologist for advice.
Men's face routine: the questions that keep coming up
How long does a simple face routine for men take?
About a minute in the morning: 20 to 30 seconds to cleanse in the shower, a few seconds to apply moisturizer. On scrub days, add 30 seconds.
Can you wash your face with shower gel?
Better not. A shower gel is made for the skin of the body. On the face, it can strip: the skin feels tight, then it shines again. A cleanser made for the face washes without stripping.
Should you wash your face morning and evening?
The morning is enough to start. Add the evening if your skin is oily, after sport or after a day in the city. Beyond two washes a day, you risk drying out your skin.
Should you moisturize oily skin?
Yes. Oily skin produces a lot of sebum, but it can lack water. Choose a light texture, fluid, gel or lotion, and use only a little.
In what order should you apply face products?
Cleanser first, scrub on some days, moisturizer next, sun protection last if you spend time outdoors.
Does a man need different products from a woman?
The steps are the same. Men's skin is on average thicker and produces more sebum, and shaving puts it under strain: light textures and cleansers that do not strip often suit it better.
A guide by DAMERET, a French men's grooming brand born in the salon, created by Jérôme Dameret, cosmetic formulator, and Nicolas Cervellon, who have run hair salons, barbershops and beauty salons since 2009. Up to 10,000 men a month have come through their salons.
