BEST SKINCARE ROUTINE for MEN: Why less is more

Consistently showing up every day will always get you the best results.

And the key to consistency? Keeping it simple.

We’ve designed a skin care routine that will get your skin looking really good, really quickly.

And we’ve based it on skincare products that will transform the way your skin looks (and feels) in only 4 weeks.

A fast, effective routine that will bring out the best in a man’s skin. 

Keep scrolling for 3 ridiculously easy steps to get your skin looking clean, healthy and younger-looking - and with minimal effort.

If a man wants the best results he’s got to be consistent, and show up every day. Whether you want a fit body, a successful business, or glowing, healthy skin … you’ve got to stick with it.

Do guys even need a skincare routine?

Yes!

Having bad skin can completely kill your confidence.

Whereas with a good skincare routine you know that you’re always looking your best – able to take on anything.

It will keep you looking fresher, healthier and younger-looking.

And prevent signs of aging and sun damage (like fine lines, wrinkles and dark sun spots).

So yes, you need one!

But it doesn’t have to be complicated.

We designed our skincare routine to make it easy for you to keep your skin looking really good.

The key to a good skin care routine

LeBron James, one of the greatest athletes of his generation, doesn’t give many interviews, and when he does he keeps it short and sweet.

When asked about the secret to his phenomenal success in a rare interview on the Tim Ferriss Podcast he was pretty clear…. the answer is consistency!

Whether it’s training his body, recovering from injury, eating well, sleeping or keeping his body very clean, he credits consistency as the reason that he is still top of his game.

And if you want great-looking skin you’ve got to apply the same principle… stick to a routine and show up every day.

There is no ‘silver bullet’, no magic cream, that will instantly make you look ten years younger!

But a consistent skincare regime that you follow every day will give a man healthy, younger-looking skin that others will notice.

 Instagram @jeromeadamoli

Skin care with fast results

If you follow this skincare routine every day you WILL get results. And the best news is that it won’t take long for those results to show.

A successful skin care regimen takes a bit of discipline but sticking to a routine that works for you will keep your skin clear and your face smooth and glowing.

There are going to be many times when you'll be challenged… those mornings when you’re running late, or evenings when you’re too tired to even brush your teeth!

But stay disciplined and your skin will always look great (even on little to no sleep).

ACTION PLAN: the best skincare routine for men

The best way to keep at something every day is to make it so simple and fast, you can’t say no.

So here are the three essential steps for your morning skin care routine:

1. CLEAN & EXFOLIATE
2. HYDRATE
3. PROTECT with sunscreen

And in the evening it’s even quicker. Just repeat, but with no need for the sunscreen.

1. CLEAN & EXFOLIATE
2. HYDRATE

Job done!

Why less is more with skin care

The beauty of this skin care routine is that you won’t overload your skin with so many different product ingredients. 

Because the more skincare products your skin is exposed to the more risk there is of chemical overload which can cause major sensitivity and breakouts. This is especially important if your skin is already sensitive or prone to acne.

Clean skin is essential to looking good and keeping your face looking clear and healthy.

Breaking it down

No matter what your skin type this step by step routine will get your skin in excellent condition, really fast.

STEP 1: CLEAN & EXFOLIATE

Clean skin is the basis of everything. It’s essential to looking good and keeping your face looking fresh and clear. On top of that you need to exfoliate to eliminate dead skin cells, accelerate cell renewal and stimulate your skin’s natural repair mechanism. It's also the key to eliminating blackheads.

The best thing is to find ONE product that will do both. An exfoliating face wash, which includes natural chemical exfoliants, will do double-duty - cleaning and exfoliating – at the same time.

Introducing our Daily Face Wash…

It cleans, exfoliates and regenerates your skin in one step.

Leaving you with a fresh, clean, smooth complexion.

The Exfoliating Face Wash Every Man Needs

For a man, an exfoliating face wash, like our Daily Face Wash, which includes a gentle natural exfoliant (Lactic Acid), is by far the best way to go.

You can use it before you shave without risk of damaging your skin with a grainy scrub, and if you have a beard it won’t leave particles in your beard like a scrub can.  

CLEAN: Cleaning your face every day will wash away dirt and excess oil that has built up on your skin. It also unclogs your pores.

But simply washing your face is not as easy as it sounds. Using plain soap and water will dry out your skin, leaving it feeling tight.

And if you have oily skin this dryness causes your skin to produce even more oil than before to compensate, resulting in breakouts.

A gently exfoliating, ph-balanced face wash is much better than soap and won’t leave your skin feeling itchy.

Look for one that includes a high level of glycerin, like our Daily Face Wash, which will clean your skin without drying it out.

It was created with men’s skin in mind so it also includes:

• Tea Tree Oil to help regulate excess sebum,  
• Aloe Vera to soothe and regenerate your skin,
  and
• an antioxidant (Black Tea Extract) to defend your skin against the daily damage caused by free radicals.

This face wash works even if you have sensitive skin.

EXFOLIATION: Exfoliation works to improve your skin’s texture - giving you a glowing complexion, stimulating cell renewal and ‘unglueing’ dead skin cells.

It’s the build-up of these dead cells that mixes with excess oil to give you blackheads.

Plus exfoliating your face goes a long way towards preventing ingrown hairs and razor bumps from developing.

In fact, gently exfoliating is one of the best things you can do for your skin.

But the key word is ‘gently’…

Avoid using a facial scrub to exfoliate your face! They're too harsh for facial skin (especially sensitive skin) damaging the surface and causing your skin to become even more dry and irritated.

A mild ‘chemical’ exfoliant, and a policy of ‘little and often’ is a much kinder way to go.

You need a good quality, non-drying face wash that includes a gently exfoliating Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (an AHA).

AHA’s exfoliate in a much more uniform way. On top of that, they also act as antioxidants, which stimulate the skin’s natural repair mechanisms and collagen production, helping to keep your skin's protective lipid barrier strong.

The best solution: Gently exfoliating everyday with our Daily Face Wash is the best option for a man’s skin. It contains a very mild Alpha-Hydroxy Acid, Lactic Acid, along with hydrating Glycerin and soothing Aloe Vera.

So it’s gentle enough to use twice a day without leaving your skin feeling tight.

OTIS Daily Face Wash does double duty - cleaning and exfoliating in one simple step - but without any irritation at all.

For more on exfoliation check out: "A Man's Guide to Exfoliation: FAQ's".

How often should I clean my face?

In general, you should aim to wash your face twice a day – am and pm – but if you’re doing any sweat-inducing sports you should do it after that too.

AM – Washing your face first thing in the morning gets your day off to a great start. If your skin feels clean and refreshed then chances are you will too!

Even if you don't see any visible dirt on your skin when you look in the mirror, there’s a build-up of oil and dead skin cells that have accumulated throughout the night. And it’s a good idea to clean them off your face before they have a chance to clog your pores.

It also helps to cleanse your face before you shave.
By removing dead skin cells, your razor can run more smoothly over your face.

PM – In the evening you need to get rid of the general grime and bacteria that we all come into contact with during the day, as well as any oil that has accumulated on your skin. So washing it again in the evening is a must.

AFTER SPORTS – Whilst sweating is great for detoxifying, the sweat sits on your skin and acts as a breeding ground for bacteria.

And the salts from sweat can be drying and irritating so you need to clear them away as soon as possible before your complexion suffers.

What To Do: First, wet your face with warm (not hot) water.

Squeeze a small amount of face wash onto your fingertips, and massage on to your face in circular movements. Spend about 30 seconds on this with most of your time spent on those areas where you tend to have a build-up of oil or sweat, typically in your T-zone of forehead, nose and chin. Always massage gently.

Then rinse, and pat your face dry with a clean, soft towel.

And for more on keeping your face clean, check out “Clean: The Best Way To Keep Your Skin Looking Fresh And Healthy”.

PERSONALIZE

Once your skin is nice and smooth and clean, this is the point that you can customize your routine. If it’s a shave day this is when you would shave, if you have a beard, it’s now that you would moisturise with a beard oil, and if you have acne-prone skin, this is the time to apply an acne treatment.  

 

STEP 2: HYDRATE

You already know the benefits of keeping your body well hydrated. Well the same applies to your skin.

Applying a moisturizer to your face every day is essential to helping your skin stay hydrated and slowing down the aging process.

And trust us, it won’t make your skin oily! 

It seems counter-intuitive, but moisturizing is one of the best things you can do for an oily skin.

Hydrating with a moisturizer will reduce fine lines and give your skin a much healthier appearance.

Try to choose a moisturizer that has anti aging benefits, and improves the texture of your skin as well, and you’ve got all your bases covered with one product, one application.

We designed our lightweight Hydrating Daily Moisturizer to be incredibly hydrating (hence the name!) - and it also mattifies your skin really easily so it won't leave your face looking greasy. 

It feels light and refreshing – and prevents mid-day shine from showing up!

Hydrating Moisturizer for Smoother, Firmer Skin

Even better...

It's packed full of the best anti aging ingredients.

Because whatever your age, and whatever your skin type, using a moisturizer every day is a must if you want to keep your complexion looking smooth and youthful.

Our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer :

• hydrates and smooths your skin throughout the day, but with no shininess whatsoever
• evens out your skin tone
• and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, especially the fine lines around your eyes.

It’s packed with the moisturizing ‘superstar’ Hyaluronic Acid to deeply hydrate your skin and smooth your complexion.

And it’s rich in anti-oxidants to keep your skin tone looking even. No more red blotches!

But no matter how many great benefits a moisturizer has, the most important thing is that you use it!

Every. Single. Day.

So the way it feels on your skin, and the texture of the product, are the most important things to consider when you’re deciding which one to buy.

If you like the way a product feels on your face you’re more likely to use it every day – and therefore get the most benefits.

Our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer is incredibly hydrating - and also mattifies your skin so your face won't look greasy  

We made sure that our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer is extremely light, absorbs easily, and can be used day or night without leaving your face looking shiny.

It’s also suitable for every skin type – even if you have oily or sensitive skin.

EYES: There’s really no need to use a separate eye cream. Our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer is light enough to be applied to the delicate skin around your eyes and because it absorbs easily (without excessive rubbing) you won’t pull on your skin either.

What To Do: Apply one pump of moisturizer to your fingertips, then massage into your face and neck. Apply a second pump around your eyes, tapping the area gently with your ring finger.

When To Do It: morning and evening.

STEP 3: PROTECT

UV rays from the sun cause premature aging and cellular damage. So protecting your face from the sun is one of the best things you can do for your skin.

Even on cloudy days the UV rays can cause damage, so it’s important to use sunscreen every day.

We don’t recommend relying on a moisturizer with an SPF added to give you adequate UV protection. Depending on the strength of the sun that day you will need to re-apply a sunscreen throughout the day (unlike a moisturizer). 

In fact, we recommend two French brands as the best facial sunscreens on the market - La Roche-Posay Anthelios and Avene sun protection.

Honestly we couldn’t make a sunscreen better than these two. Both are extremely light, they won’t add extra oil, and they won’t make your face look shiny or give your skin a white ghostly look.

And that’s it!

A high-performance skincare routine that's simple and quick to do. And you know that you're taking the best care of your skin every day.

Regular workouts keep your body in good shape - and your skin looking great too.

Getting ahead of the game…

Along with an excellent skin care routine, there are some lifelong habits you can adopt to make sure you always have beautiful skin … 

Lifelong habits for great skin 

Get your beauty sleep. Night-time is when your skin has a chance to regenerate and repair. So try to catch as much sleep as you can.

If you're having problems getting to sleep we've got some great tips here – “Why you need your Beauty Sleep: and 14 ways to Sleep Better".

Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water will keep your skin properly hydrated and looking smooth.

Eat healthily. The quality of the food you put into your body shows up in how healthy your skin looks. Try to eat plenty of fresh foods full of vitamins, minerals, Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fibre and antioxidants. These are the building blocks of healthy, younger looking skin.

We’ve listed an ” A-Z of the 27 best anti aging superfoods" to guide you.

Prioritize exercise. We don’t need to tell you staying in good shape is one of the keys to looking good!  Working out will build muscles, reduce belly fat and improve your posture. It’s also great for your complexion.

Remember to wash your face post-workout to get rid of excess oil and any build up of sweat. 

Always wear sunscreen. Even in winter, and even on cloudy days, UV rays are present, and damaging your skin. So always protect your skin from the sun.

And most importantly…

Take good care of yourself. Healthy self-care is not only essential for your mental health, it’s also going to reflect well in how you look.

And in these unusually stressful times it’s more important than ever to take really good care of yourself.

Whether it’s meditation, reading or just going for a walk – try to schedule some self-care regularly into your day.

FAQ’s 

At what age should a man start using skin care?

Every age, and every skin type, benefits from a good skincare routine. It keeps your skin looking healthy and functioning properly.

Prevention is always going to be better than cure. Your skin starts to show the first signs of aging – sun spots, fine lines - from around 20 years of age. So that’s the time you need to take action.

Is men’s skin care different to women’s?

The differences between a man’s and a woman’s skin are small, but they do have an impact on the best way to take care of your skin.

A man’s skin ages differently and is more likely to suffer from environmental damage. Men’s skin also tends to be oilier making you more prone to acne and breakouts.

But the biggest difference of course is that guys have thicker facial hair. So that means either shaving or sporting a beard – and both of those affect the quality of your skin.

OTIS SKINCARE products respect these differences and are designed specifically to give men their healthiest skin. 

Are Otis Skincare products suitable for all skin types?

Yes.

Our products are appropriate for all skin types (even sensitive skins).

They are dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic and non-irritating, and all have undergone and passed the rigorous European Cosmetic Regulations.

Plus they are all cruelty free.

The Takeaway

When it comes to taking the best care of your skin, less is definitely more.

A man’s skincare regimen shouldn’t be complicated or time consuming – you just need to be consistent.

Adopt a simple daily routine using skincare products to clean, smooth and hydrate your skin and you’ll notice a real difference in your skin in four weeks.

Below is the step by step routine to keep your skin looking it’s very best – with minimal effort.

ACTION PLAN: the best skincare routine for men

The three essential daily steps for your morning skin care routine:

1. CLEAN & EXFOLIATE
2. HYDRATE
3. PROTECT with sunscreen

And in the evening it’s even simpler. Just repeat but leave out the sunscreen.

1. CLEAN & EXFOLIATE
2. HYDRATE

Stay motivated by keeping your eye on the big picture – clean, healthy, younger-looking skin.

And when you look in the mirror remember LeBron… consistency is the key!

SHOP THE ROUTINE.
All you need to stay looking handsome. 

PRESTIGE SKINCARE FOR MEN.
MADE IN FRANCE.