Summer can look very different for people in disparate parts of the country. If you live in California, you may not notice a lot of changes between the seasons. But if you live in Wisconsin, the difference between winter and summer is like night and day.
There is one key similarity for all people living in the northern hemisphere: summer. feels. hotter. With higher temperatures comes more sweat, and with more sweat comes unique skin challenges, including increased acne breakouts, ingrown hairs, and heat rashes — just to name a few.
So if you’re a man and you want to prepare for the heat of summer, you’ve probably got a couple of important questions like, what should I be doing to keep my skin healthy? Should my skin care routine actually change between the seasons? Finally, where can I get quality products to help improve my summer skin care routine?
In today’s guide, we will answer all of these questions and more, but first, let’s look at the basics of creating a good skin care routine for men:
What Is A Good Men's Skin Care Routine?
Skin care can feel a bit overwhelming, especially for men who’ve never given their skin a second thought. You’re probably not interested in going out and buying 40 different products and learning complicated daily skin care regimens. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a fortune or bend over backward just to improve your skin. In fact, if you just follow a few simple tips and strategies, you’ll find that your skin can look and feel much better in no time!
Wash Your Face
If you fail to keep your face and skin clean, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. Everybody’s skin is different, but cleansing your face with a gentle soap or face cleanser helps wash away dirt, grime, oil, and bacteria. This step is essential if you want to have healthy skin.
And while we often put emphasis on the face, you shouldn’t ignore the needs of your body! Ideally, you should be washing your skin with a good body scrub every day. Just remember that you’ll want to use a different soap or cleanser for your face, as the skin of your face is thinner and more sensitive than the skin of the rest of your body.
Moisturize Daily
For years, many men assumed that they could get by without moisturizing. They were mistaken. Depending on your genetics and environmental factors, failing to moisturize could result in dry, cracked skin or oily, greasy skin. Either way, it’s not a good look. Moisturizing is the best way to maintain the right pH levels and keep your skin looking its best.
Just like washing, moisturizing can differ for the face and body. For your face, you’ll want to use a moisturizer or cream that targets your skin type. You can apply the same rules to the moisturizer you use on your hands, arms, neck, and chest, but since the skin in these areas tends to be thicker, you can often choose a stronger, more robust moisturizer. Just remember not to mix up your face and body creams!
Exfoliate Regularly
Exfoliating is the process of clearing away dead skin cells to expose fresh skin cells. This can help make your skin look brighter and renewed. If you want to save time, you can opt for a facial cleanser and exfoliator combo, or if you don’t want to exfoliate every single time you wash your face, you can get special exfoliating wipes to use as needed.
There’s a lot of different information out there about how often you should exfoliate. Don’t take the recommendations too seriously — just do what works best for you. Some men choose to exfoliate every day, while others can get by exfoliating just once a week. If you tend to have a lot of dead skin buildup, you should probably exfoliate more often. But if you have very sensitive skin, you might prefer to exfoliate less often to avoid irritation. In general, most men should try to exfoliate at least two times per week, but again, your specific routine may vary.
Target Problem Areas
As you might have already figured out, your skin care routine should be specific to you. While certain things like washing and moisturizing are applicable to everybody, there might be unique areas of your face or body that cause you problems. You may struggle with under-eye bags, in which case you’ll want to use a specialized eye cream just for that area.
Many men deal with dry skin on their hands and elbows, and if this applies to you, you’ll want to moisturize these areas more frequently. In any case, make sure to evaluate your needs and even consider talking to a dermatologist to determine the best strategies for your skin care routine.
Factors Affecting Skin Care In The Summer
Now that we’ve covered the basics of year-round skin care, it’s time to look at some factors that could force you to change your routine during the summer months:
- Heat - Higher temperatures will cause you to sweat more, which can lead to an increased risk of acne breakouts and rashes. Heat can also make issues like dry skin or chaffing even more uncomfortable.
- Humidity - Humidity affects the way your skin produces sebum. You may have noticed that when temperatures rise and humidity peaks, your hair and skin become more oilier faster. This can exacerbate acne and lead to excessive oil production.
- Direct Sunlight - More sunlight in summer means more sun exposure for your skin. While the sun can help you absorb more vitamin D through your skin, which is always a plus, it can also wreak havoc on your face. Excessive sunlight can cause sunburn, prickly heat, dry skin, and even discoloration.
The Best Men's Skin Care Routines For The Summer
Taking into account the unique challenges that summer presents for your skin, it’s important to consider some changes to your standard skin care routine. You don’t need to totally reinvent the wheel, but you should think about how summer can change the way your skin looks and behaves. So, here are a few useful tips to help get you through the hot and sticky summer months:
- Shave With Care - You should always be careful when shaving, but don’t let your guard down just because it’s hot outside! Your skin may be more sensitive in hotter weather, so consider using a good shaving cream and after-shave balm to help protect your skin.
- Try a Facial Serum - Facial serums can offer a great way to even out your skin tone, which is particularly important if your skin looks patchy or has areas that have been discolored by the summer sun.
- Exfoliate Often - Even if you exfoliate daily, don’t be afraid to give your face an extra wipe-down when it’s hot outside. If you have oily skin, you may need to up your game whenever the temperature rises. Why? Because you’re more likely to produce excess oil in summer, which can end up getting trapped under the skin if you’re not exfoliating frequently enough.
- Use Sun Protection - Protecting your skin from direct sunlight is vital during the summer months, so you may want to try out a moisturizer with SPF protection.
Want to learn even more about summer skin care routines for men? If so, be sure to check out the great products and solutions available at Anthony today!
