The Beauty Diary by Beck Sullivan: The simple men’s skincare guide
Don’t let a rogue breakout ruin your weekend plans. We’ve found a super cheap skincare item you can buy from the chemist that will get rid of it.
There comes a time in every new romantic relationship when it finally becomes appropriate to start changing everything you hate about your partner’s appearance.
We’ve all watched men get about in gross tank tops, white Havaiana thongs and patchy beard growth. We’ve seen them wash their faces with the same bar of soap they scrub their bodies with. We’ve secretly wanted to pluck their stray eyebrow hairs while they’re asleep.
We try to keep quiet about these grooming atrocities, because we love our men.
“Maybe I need to get over the fact that he doesn’t use a moisturiser,” we think to ourselves. “He’s a good person, treats me well and makes me laugh. That’s all that should matter, right?”
I’m sorry, but it absolutely matters. Call me shallow. Whatever. That bar of soap needs to go.
Thankfully, more men are starting to care about the state of their skin. Vanity is winning over toxic masculinity and I’m here for it.
RELATED: The Beauty Diary by Beck Sullivan
Men are getting over any weird issues they have with taking care of themselves. They understand their manhood isn’t going to crumble because they used a face cream in a pink tube. They know a concealer can’t turn you gay.
But sometimes, they still need a little encouragement. So this week we’ve found 15 affordable, foolproof beauty products that are great for men.
If you’re sending this onto the men in your life, reassure them that the first three products are the only real essentials. The other goodies are for when your budding skincare junkie is ready to take their glow up to the next level.
GO-TO SKINCARE’S BRO-TO CLEANSER
Price: $31
Available from: gotoskincare.com
Everyone needs a good cleanser. Cleansing at night is crucial to remove sweat, oil and grime from the day so your pores don’t get blocked, because blocked pores cause pimples and blackheads.
It’s also good to cleanse in the morning, though some people with dry skin prefer not to.
This gentle foaming cleanser from Zoe Foster Blake’s brand Go-To (she’s the wife of Hamish Blake) cleanses properly without drying out the skin.
CETAPHIL MOISTURISER
Price: $10
Available from: Woolworths, Coles, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
Cetaphil make a fantastic range of cheap skincare products and their moisturisers — including the Moisturising Cream and Daily Lotion — are great.
Moisturising the skin morning and night keeps it hydrated. No one wants flaky, dehydrated skin. It’s not cute.
Even if you have oily skin, you need to moisturise. An oil-free or gel-style moisturiser such as the Neutrogena Hydro Boost moisturiser will do the job.
NEUTROGENA SPF50+ HYDRO BOOST SUNSCREEN
Price: $17
Available from: Woolworths, Coles, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
We should all be wearing 50+ sunscreen everyday. The harsh Australian sun is the biggest cause of ageing and it’s important to protect your skin.
This product is basically a moisturising sunscreen but it doesn’t feel greasy or leave you with that annoying white sheen.
If you have oily skin, you can just wear sunscreen instead of moisturiser. You can also use it on your body, so you don’t need to cart around multiple products.
Mecca’s To Save Face 50+ sunscreen ($40) is another great product. Other brands with good sunscreens are La Roche-Posay, Ultraceuticals, Dermalogica, Aspect and Rationale.
ALPHA-H MICRO CLEANSE SUPER SCRUB
Price: $49.95
Available from: Sephora, Alpha-H online, Adore Beauty, Myer
Do you use an exfoliator? If not, you should buy one and start using it once a week, at night time. Exfoliators remove dead skin cells and encourage new cells to come to the surface, making your skin feel smooth and supple.
There are two types of exfoliators — chemical and physical.
Physical exfoliators are just those normal scrubs that you can get from the supermarket or chemist.
Chemical exfoliators usually come as a liquid, gel or pre-soaked pads and use chemicals called Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) to exfoliate the skin. They’re also good for reducing pigmentation and any pimple scarring.
The best and most popular types of chemical exfoliants are lactic acid, glycolic acid and salyclic acid.
Sometimes you’ll get a product like this scrub that mixes mix chemical and physical exfoliants. It contains little jojoba beads plus 12 per cent glycolic acid to give your skin that fresh, clean feel.
THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE AND ZINC SERUM
Price: $9.90
Available from: The Ordinary online, Priceline, Myer, Adore Beauty
Serums can be used morning and night and are best applied onto clean skin, under your moisturiser. They usually have a liquid or gel-like consistency, but there are lots of oil-based serums.
Serums contain high levels of active ingredients that are scientifically proven to make skin better. They’re the fanciest and usually the most expensive type of skincare product out there. But The Ordinary spends no money on marketing and its formulations are very simple, so they can keep costs down.
This serum is a great pimple-killer. You can apply either all over the face or just on pimples, because it calms everything down and kind of seals them off once you’ve squeezed them. Niacinamide is great for reducing redness and helps to calm breakouts. Zinc helps regulate oil production.
If you really struggle with acne, there’s a very effective drug called Accutane you might want to consider. It’s not for everyone, but it does achieve incredible results. You can go on a very high dose or a very low, mild dose — it’s completely different for each person. Have a chat to your GP about it and see if they think it’s appropriate to refer you to a dermatologist for a consultation.
LA ROCHE POSAY HYALURONIC ACID AND VITAMIN B5 SERUM
Price: $70
Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
Hyaluronic acid is a great hydrating ingredient that holds 1000 times its own weight in water. It’s become very popular and you’ll see it advertised on the front of many skincare products.
This serum is very hydrating and is good for use under moisturiser or sunscreen. You can use it in the morning, the evening, or both.
TRILOGY OILS
Price: $26-$45
Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
If you have very dry skin and nothing ever seems to be hydrating enough, you might want to consider adding an oil into your regimen. Rosehip, jojoba, evening primrose, marula, argan, almond and macadamia are some of the most popular and effective types.
Oils can either be massaged onto clean skin for a hydration boost, or you can mix a few drops into your moisturiser.
It’s very easy to find great, cheap oils. Trilogy is just one brand — they have a whole range and they’re all great, but my favourite is the Rosehip + Antioxidant. Other brands include the Jojoba Oil Company, Sukin and Votary London.
PRORASO BEARD OIL & BALM
Price: $24-$26
Available from: Men’s grooming stores, beardandblade.com.au
If you have any sort of beard, be it a small amount of stubble or a full-on Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born-style situation, you need to keep that thing soft and supple.
Nothing is more upsetting than having to cut a makeout session short because your face is being assaulted by a beard resembling a broomstick. It’s in your best interests that your facial hair is smooth and well hydrated.
The best way to do that is through a beard oil, balm or moisturiser.
It’s purely personal preference what you use and it depends on the thickness of your beard. This balm smells bloody delicious. You only need a tiny bit rubbed between your hands and then smoothed in upwards motions on your beard.
OLE HENRIKSEN BANANA BRIGHT UNDER-EYE CREAM
Price: $55
Available from: Sephora
Under-eye bags and wrinkles are caused by genetics, dehydration, a lack of sleep and poor lifestyle choices.
Aside from drinking loads of water, getting eight hours a night, eating well and exercising, an eye cream can help make you look more awake and well rested.
This one can be used morning and night and is very subtle. You only need a tiny bit and it’s not noticeable at all.
MAYBELLINE INSTANT AGE REWIND EYE ERASER CONCEALER
Price: $20, sometimes on sale for $10 or less
Available from: Woolworths, Coles, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
If you have dark under-eye circles, giant bags or feel like you always look tired, an under-eye concealer can help.
Of course the aim here is simply to look well-rested, not like you’re actually wearing makeup.
Start off with a small amount and build up if you need the extra coverage. You want it to look natural. Don’t go overboard. It’s a lot easier to add more product than it is to remove it.
Priceline and Chemist Warehouse should have tester products available in-store so you can find your correct shade. If in doubt, always go lighter. It’s very common for women to wear an under-eye concealer shade that’s lighter than their foundation, because it creates the illusion of a brightness.
Use your finger to gently tap the product into the skin. It’s normal for it to settle into fine lines — just use your finger again to keep melting the product and blend out any edges. Make sure you check yourself in natural light to ensure everything looks seamless.
PS, Rimmel’s Match Perfection concealer is also very good and easy to use.
BEAUTY BLENDER
Price: $30
Available from: Sephora
If you often wear concealer, a Beauty Blender can help you blend the product into the skin.
Beauty Blenders are small makeup sponges. Officially, you’re meant to wet the sponge so it expands and then squeeze out any excess water before use. This isn’t entirely necessary and most of the time I don’t bother, because I’m lazy.
Gently press the sponge into the skin using little dabbing motions. After a few practice sessions you’ll get the hang of it.
FIRST AID BEAUTY TRIPLE PROTECTION SKIN TINT SPF 30
Price: $54
Available from: Sephora
So, you want a little extra coverage for everyday. Or maybe just for events, big meetings or dates. A skin tint, tinted moisturiser or BB cream is a great way to cover up redness and even out skin tone, but still look natural.
This is a very thin tint that easily blends into the skin and you only need a little bit. Most people get the most redness around the nose and chin area so start there and sweep the product outwards.
If you have dry skin, this product probably isn’t great for you. But if you love a velvety, matte, satin finish this will be perfect.
NATIO TINTED MOISTURISER SPF 50
Price: $18.95
Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
At Priceline and Chemist Warehouse you’ll find many tinted sunscreens and moisturisers with SPF. These are fantastic, but it’s unlikely you’ll use enough product to give you adequate protection. Plus most men won’t wear coverage everyday.
This tinted moisturiser is still a very thin fluid and is a little more dewy. Natio also has a good BB Cream — that’s got a little bit more coverage than this.
LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS XL TINTED BB CREAM SPF 50
Price: $30
Available from: Priceline
La Roche-Posay is an excellent French pharmacy skincare brand stocked at Chemist Warehouse and Priceline. They make a great range of tinted moisturisers, sunscreens and BB creams. Most of them are SPF 50, which as discussed above is the gold standard.
This particular product is quite creamy and hydrating, so not great if you are super oily. It provides a decent amount of coverage but keeps you dewy.
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