3 essential skincare products for the clueless bro

Guys. Gentlemen. Bros. This article is for YOU. Let’s get straight to the point.

SKIN CARE.

Yes we’ve heard the different complaints.

“I’m a man’s man I don’t need girly skin care products!”

“It’s too complicated there are so many steps! I don’t have time for that nonsense!”

Brother. Let us set you straight.

First of all, skin care products do come in white and black and dark blue packaging. And come on, it’s 2022.

Secondly, jokes aside, there is nothing wrong with taking care of your appearances and especially your face. You want to attract the belle of the ball? Yes your personality is wonderful but we’re sure it will help tremendously if the first thing your dream girl sees is a face that is well-taken care of. It speaks of a man who is thoughtful and willing to put in effort! And as the years pass phone cameras are only getting better and better, while our face ages more and more. We’re sure you want to take good-looking selfies for as long as you can right?

Thirdly, you are right. We’ve been there. It can get overwhelmingly complicated should you really dive deep into the world of skincare. How else are there thousands of hours of skin care routine guides on YouTube?

So here is a quick guide to the 3 essential skin care products that every guy should have and use. They aren’t hard to find, and take less time to apply than the duration of “one game only” on most mobile games.

This list is definitely not exhaustive as we will give you a couple suggestions for specific products. But we’re hoping this basic guide at least gets you started on taking care of your skin, and as you progress you will be able to customize your routine according to your needs and budget.

Facial Wash

Facial cleansers are one of, if not the most, important products you need in your skincare routine.

Think of your favourite sports team. Sometimes there are those players in the team that are a bad influence. Off-the-field they drink and party, and on-the-field they don’t put in the effort, and their heads drop when they’re losing. They need to be removed before they infect the rest of the team!

Likewise there are impurities, germs and dirt that build up on our face throughout the day, irritating the skin, whether you are a rough and tumble guy who loves the outdoors, or someone who is indoors for large parts of the day. And so you need a facial cleanser which is designed to remove these irritants, preventing redness, flakiness, acne, and accelerated skin aging. 

This concept of preventing build-up is not hard to grasp. What some guys fail to understand though is that the skin on your face is different from the skin on the rest of your body – it is a lot more sensitive. This means that our favourite body cleansers tend to be too harsh for the face, which results in drying out of the skin. 

Facial cleansers are formulated differently for different skin types as well, whether you have dry, sensitive skin, or oily skin. Find one that is suited for your skin type to achieve the best results!

Cetaphil Pro DermaControl Oil Removing Foam Wash - Facial Cleanser Singapore

($19.90 on Shopee)

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser - Facial Cleanser Singapore ($33 on Shopee)

Exfoliating Scrub

Back to the sports team. There comes a certain point in time when the old guard needs to be phased out in order to allow the up-and-coming talents to take over and lead the team to greater heights. If not, the aging team might lack the energy and conviction of youth, and tension might arise due to conflicting egos.

In the same way, dead skin cells need to be removed in order to allow the fresh new skin cells, which regenerate every night while we sleep, to push to the surface. This is where exfoliating scrubs come in, to remove this top layer of dead cells and prevent clogged pores which will lead to breakouts and dryness, and excessive flakiness and irritation.

When this layer of dead skin is removed, other skincare products are also then able to penetrate deeper and be more effective!

Note: while exfoliation is important you don’t have to do it every night - 2-3 times a week is enough. You don’t want to do more harm than good, as excessive exfoliation can weaken the skin’s natural barrier. Imagine your sports team going through an overhaul every week. Yikes!

Himalaya Gentle Exfoliating Apricot Facial Scrub ($8.50 on Watsons Singapore)

Clarins Purifying Gel Scrub ($54 on Clarins.com)

Moisturiser

Every successful sports team needs a good backroom staff to ensure effective trainings and proper nutrition. And a security team as well right? Who else will protect the players from stalkers and streakers?

Moisturizing is equally important for the health of your skin as it helps maintain the balance of your skin, reducing the chances of skin problems. It also helps the skin stay young, as the skin cells need moisture to repair itself. Moisturizer also helps protect the skin, preventing moisture from evaporating through the surface, creating a shield from the outside world. MVP, anyone?

Moisturizers are also formulated differently for different skin types. There are lighter weight lotions that are great for normal skin, slightly richer textured creams ideal for flaky skin that feels tight, and water-based gel moisturizers for oily skin types which are absorbed quickly into the skin, creating a mattifying finish that removes shininess.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel ($19.00 on Lazada)

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration ($68.50 on Lookfantastic Singapore)

Bonus: Sunblock / Sunscreen

This is the real security team that every sports team needs. Sunblock is the Secret Service security detail that truly keeps your skin presidentially safe.

Sunny Singapore is great and all, and we all love our days off at the beach. But have you seen images of UV damage on skin? And crucially, do you know that UV is everywhere, even indoors away from direct sunlight? That means you are not safe too, my deskbound bro!

Applying a sunscreen daily is one of the best ways to prevent aging and protect your skin. Add one with the appropriate SPF (sun protection factor) rating into your skin care routine if you truly want to take care of your face. If you really are too lazy, there are moisturizers with SPF. But like in most things in life, 2 is better than 1, even 2-in-1s!

The scary thing about UV damage is that it looks time to present itself. So trust us on this - use sunscreen bro, and your future self will thank you! 

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ ($18.90 at Watsons Singapore)

Face Republic Purity Sun Essence ($18.90 on Shopee)

Order of application

1. Facial Wash, morning and night

2. Exfoliation Scrub, 2-3 times a week.

3. Moisturizer, morning and night.

4. Sunscreen, morning

So that’s the simple guide: 3 essential skincare products for the clueless bro. Shouldn’t be too difficult!

Take it from the young at heart here at Lyfeportal, start as soon as you can and your future self will thank you!