What men need to know when choosing the best cleanser for their skin type
Gentleman's choice: Foaming up with the right cleanser for your skin type. Picture: iStock
Cleansers for men can be confusing. Men’s skincare is not yet as complicated as female-targeted regimens but the language on packaging, which often focuses on clearing a range of imperfections at once or making you look more awake, can leave you unsure of whether a face wash will suit you. Even the lowest maintenance man can benefit from a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser formulated for his type, while the wrong ingredients can leave your face tacky, dry, or irritated.
The ideal wash should leave skin clean and residue-free, without any tightness, and with a natural glow instead of an oily sheen. Texture is a good first indicator of whether a cleanser is for you.
Men experience less transepidermal water loss than women and are less likely to need balm or oil cleansers to moisturise skin or break down cosmetics. Dry skin still happens.
After age 50, the skin’s ability to hold onto moisture is less and UV exposure, genes, or lifestyle habits can weaken the natural moisture barrier at any age. A creamy cleanser should keep skin comfortable and has the added benefit of removing sunscreen filters effectively at the end of the day.
atboots.ie is a classic, rich in conditioning agents and soothing ingredients such as aloe vera and hyaluronic acid. A glycolic acid cleanser can help soften skin and improve its natural moisture content.
at Dermalogica.ie is a great new unisex option. This brightening and conditioning cleanser renews dull, uneven skin tone with the most potent of alpha-hydroxy acids. An added blend of soothing calendula extract and nourishing jojoba seed oil helps condition and replenish skin while maintaining the skin’s lipid barrier.
Men have larger pores and larger sebaceous oil glands than women. Pores are distributed unevenly across the face, and noticeably oilier patches are a sign of combination skin. A tendency towards oiliness can make essential leave-on skincare like sun protection uncomfortable. Starting with the right cleanser can help.
at boots.ie, has cleansing agents that are somewhat soap-like in nature and is potentially more drying than many other water-soluble cleansers, but it certainly does the job when it comes to removing debris and should suit combination types on the oily side. A tight feeling after cleansing combination skin suggests you’re on the drier side and should switch to something more emollient.
at paulaschoice-eu.com is a gentle, soap-free formula that cleanses skin without leaving it feeling dry. It can be used before or after shaving and swiftly removes dirt and excess oil to soothe sensitive skin, reduce redness and help fight acne.
Each of the larger pores mentioned above opens into a hair follicle that includes a sebaceous gland. Men’s oilier skin is prone to ingrown hairs, as well as spots and blackheads, and a mild beta hydroxy acid cleanser can be a great help.
Beta hydroxy acids such as salicylic acid are oil-soluble and can clean inside the pore’s lining, refining its shape, making it less noticeable and regulating oil production. They also reduce redness. Alpha hydroxy acids loosen dead cells from skin’s surface, making a clean shave easier and fading post-acne marks.
at cultbeauty.com is an alpha-beta liquid that sloughs away dulling cells gives skin a smoother look without causing sensitivity. Beyond cleanser, broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher is the only true men’s skincare essential. It is especially important after using an exfoliating cleanser.
The cleanser you avoid can be just as important as what you use. A study published in the North American Contact Dermatitis Group database in 2019 found that there has been a major increase in male contact dermatitis in recent years, which the group attributes to the rise in the number of personal care products for and marketing targeted at men.
Younger men are more likely to be affected, the study found, possibly because of their greater interest in new product trends. Troublesome ingredients cited include fragrance (including natural fragrance ingredients such as essential oils), as well as the preservative methylisothiazolinone.
While these ingredients are less problematic when used in wash-off products such as cleansers than if you leave them on the skin, limiting or avoiding them is the best policy.
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