Face of change: why men are switching to natural skin care

Better Nutrition, June, 2005 by Anna Soref

Think of a man's toiletry products, and a bar of soap, shaving cream and shampoo come to mind--then throw in a bottle of lotion if he's self-indulgent. But times are changing. Whether it's because of attitude-altering television shows such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy or a spouse's products that are just too enticing to pass by, men are slowly but surely beginning to dabble in luxury natural skin care items.

"More men, especially younger men, are going to spas and doctors' offices for facials, microdermabrasion and chemical peels," says Michelle Garbin, a clinical aesthetician for Kaiser Permanente. But spa visits aside, what should the average man's skin care routine consist of?

"Men should cleanse their faces twice daily, using toner after washing and then applying moisturizer," Garbin says. "It's really important for men to use a toner after they wash their faces to close the pores and prevent pimples." And a weekly facial mask thrown in is always a plus.

Men also need to protect their skin from the sun's harmful rays, which can damage the epidermis and cause premature aging. "Men's facial skin includes hair follicles that absorb more UV rays, adding to the importance of sun block," says David Tippie, president of the Anti-Aging Clinic in Florida. So men should either look for a daily moisturizer with sunscreen or apply one after moisturizing.

Pure Products

Once a man decides that he's going to spend some time and money on his skin, the next hurdle is choosing which products to buy. Although department stores offer a growing array of enticing men's products, most are chockfull of chemicals that are hardly healthy for the skin over the long run. But natural products manufacturers savvy to men's needs are rolling out items made just for him--minus the toxic stuff.

Case in point is Aubrey Organics, which recently introduced a full line of men's skin care products. "Our line focuses on the unique needs of men," says Karyn Trumbach, marketing manager for the company. Men will find the best results when they use a system of products designed to complement one another, she says.

For example, Aubrey's three-step shave system begins with a scrub to lift beard hair and remove dead skin, which helps provide a closer shave and prevents ingrown hairs. This is followed by a shave cream that contains avocado and wheat germ oils to prevent nicks, and then an aftershave balm with flaxseed lignan extract that balances oil production to reduce bumps and pimples on the skin, Trumbach says.

One of the advances in men's skin and hair products is that they contain fragrances designed for men, not women. "It's important that [the scent] be something both men and women like," says Tara Estabrook, the national sales manager for Logona USA, which makes a full men's skin care line. Most natural products contain essential oils and botanicals for scent. Logona's men's line has a "spicy scent because men usually like spicy," Estabrook says.

Old School

Some men prefer traditional barbershop-style products but want fewer chemicals. Lucky Tiger has been making men's personal care products since the 1930s, but the company recently updated its line to include organic, all-natural products. "The original line has a barbershop heritage; some of the products have been featured in movies and songs," says Bruce Last, company president. "But the word 'organic' didn't exist in [the 1930s], so the new formulas are completely different."

The new line's masculine brown bottles sport an old-fashioned barbershop-style label, but that's not the only thing about the products that make them uniquely for men. The body scrub contains higher amounts of the exfoliants loofah and apricot seed because men have thicker skin and can handle more abrasion, Last says.

Back to Basics

Men should look for products that are enriched with the same anti-aging ingredients found in many women's skin care products. Last recommends buying products that contain anti-aging ingredients such as antioxidants and fatty acids that are proven to reduce signs of aging.

While many companies add anti-aging ingredients, they're careful not to make the moisturizers too heavy. "Men tend to have oilier skin than women, so they like light-bodied lotions and aftershaves; they don't want to feel something on their skin," says Estabrook.

With conventional shaving products, which contain harsh ingredients such as laurel sulfates, alcohol and artificial fragrances, many men find that their skin feels uncomfortable after shaving. "Most men get burned with all the alcohol in mass market products, which can really irritate the skin," says Stacey Stilts, regional educational director at Jason Natural Cosmetics. She says to look for products that soothe the skin and leave the face glowing.

Given the array of effective and healthy men's skin care products now on the market, there's no reason for a mail not to treat himself to a complete skin care regimen. "Men, just like women, like to have glowing faces," says Stilts.