Skincare recommendations

[2000dB]

I never took care of my skin before, but recently I've started to shave more often (didn't have beard before) and my skin has gone quite shitty (not sure it's related to shaving). I've been told my skin is freakishly dry, but I still have a oily forehead at times...

I'm looking for recommendations to ameliorate to appearance (smooth, moisturize, etc..) of my skin as I'm completely clueless as to what to do.

Thanks

[Fuuma]

I never took care of my skin before, but recently I've started to shave more often (didn't have beard before) and my skin has gone quite shitty (not sure it's related to shaving). I've been told my skin is freakishly dry, but I still have a oily forehead at times...

I'm looking for recommendations to ameliorate to appearance (smooth, moisturize, etc..) of my skin as I'm completely clueless as to what to do.

Thanks

www.menessentials.com

They even have forums. Your skin problem is probably due to climate change...

[2000dB]

www.menessentials.com

They even have forums. Your skin problem is probably due to climate change...

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. My skin wasn't great before, but the climate might have something to do.

[seraphim]

Sounds like combination skin, where your 't zone' is quite oily, but the rest of your skin can be dry and flaky.

If you're absurdly rich, go to a dermatologist, if not, then dermalogica or keihls have really good skincare ranges, then of course there's clinique's 3step range, which is meant to be good for men.

Your skin can often get oily and dry at the same time because of cold weather, if you're not moisturising your pores produce more natural oils to compensate.

Shaving also irritates the skin so you should make sure you're not shaving against the grain and always moisturise your skin once you're done dragging a razor over it

[Felix]

what you described is exactly what i had:

here's what i use:

http://us.clarinsmen.com/product_56.html

http://us.clarinsmen.com/product_60.html

active face wash and the moisture gel...it's important that you take the gel when you have oily skin issue!

good luck!

[2000dB]

Thanks for the recommendations so far... keep them coming. Also if anyone knows of a store in Tokyo for men's skin care, please let me know...

[griffin]

I started going to a dermatologist about a year ago. She had me drop all the expensive department store products. I now wash with Cetaphil Facial Cleanser, moisturize with Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer, and shave with Neutrogena Skin Clearing Shave Cream. My skin could not be happier. Moisturizing after you wash will balance out your skin nicely, whether it's dry or oily. If you shave, you do not need to exfoliate. Running a sharp blade across your face is actually a better exfoliator than any product you could buy.

[Lars]

I have similar problems, oily forhead sometimes, dry skin in other places.. I've found that Biotherm homme works best for me. They have a product called T-pur which helps a lot about oily forheads. Their face soap is also extremely long lasting, it's like a paste that come in a really big tube.

Clinique is a wast of money to me.

[mike lowrey]

sounds pretty much like my skin. I use a pretty strong soap for my forehead and the "T" area, but try to avoid scrubbing it on my chin and cheeks because they're more dry.

I suggest getting a good soap meant for combination skin, use it twice a day and more heavily on the oily areas. I've used L'oreal pure zone for a long time and it has been very effective. then use a moisturiser that doesn't have oil in it, I've used the stuff from the same series as the soap and its also very good.

[breakfasteatre]

biotherm homme, l'oreal pure zone?

rofl, talk about a bunch of suckers paying 20 bucks for 5 ml of product

here is what you do, like suggested above, buy cetaphil or any other waterless cleanser

they are extremely mild and this is what you want, you dont want a soap that irritates your skin

you can buy a huge bottle at costco that will last 6 months, its a pump, its very convienient

*now here is the extremely important part

you want your skin moisturized all the fucking time, buy an oil free moisturizer and you want to be moisturizing in the morning and at night after washing your face very lightly

wash your face for no longer than 30 seconds

and for the acne, after moisturizing, use Plenty of 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide, like alot, and you want to very lightly rub it on your entire face

start with just putting it on at night, and dont forget to moisturize before man

i think the key to keeping clear skin is to moisturize, you want to counteract the medications drying affect on your skin because dry skin is prone to being touched, which is prone to transfering bacteria on to your skin which produces acne

and as well, dont touch your face

breakfasteatre what

[xcoldricex]

buying super expensive products usually isn't the way to go as i discovered.

but if you must and feel like pampering yourself

www.menessentials.com (as mentioned before)

www.oseaskin.com (cleansing mudd - probably the best cleanser i've used of many many many cleansers)

www.menscience.com

otherwise just buy some cetaphil as previously mentioned. drink lots of water, don't touch your face, etc. anyway, it's funny because whenever i go to asia i have super clear skin and don't have to do anything.

[dismalfuture]

I'm a bit in the same way (at age 24!) since moving to Asia. I've spent several years living in the Midwest US, good clean air, little to no bad dust in the air, and I've moved to Seoul, really dirty, and freakishly humid (in the summer) and extremely dry (in the winter). I had developed shaving problems (folliclitis) so I don't really shave but twice a week anymore, and I try to do so as gently as possible.

Part of the problem ended up being the environmental change, but more of it was my fault; I drink a lot more and more often in Asia because I don't have driving responsibilities and alcohol really fucks with your skin in a big way.

I use a woman's Clarins facial cleanser (smells ok, don't worry) and the men's moisturizer. I've tried a lot of brands, all of the above mentioned, and have found a real difference in Clarins, the women's line is much much better than the men's as well. I think the stuff is about $20 a pop or so, not as cheap as Cetaphil, or whatever, but really not too expensive since it lasts a while and does its job. Several girlfriends who come over and use my things comment on it being good as well.

I went to several dermatologists as a kid though, and most of them in America at least usually end up saying the same thing, wash with plain old glycerine soap and drink lots of water.

I've had to go to the dermatologist a couple times since moving here, it's extremely cheap where I live, compared to back home. If you can believe this, I pay about $11 for a consultation and get a prescription written, then pay about $15 for a couple weeks worth of basic antibiotics that will work their course for a month or two, without any co-pay. I know things are more expensive than that over there in Japan but I'm sure visiting a Dermatologist in Tokyo is still much cheaper than in North America. You can get pretty good facial treatments done pretty cheaply too, even if you're skin isn't bad, it's nice to have done. They do a lot of different rubs and massages over the course of an hour or so and it's not expensive at all. You ought to check out that option as it's cheaper and easier to achieve balance that way than pursuing facial products.

[Brienneoftarth]

i ditto the expensive products lesson.

don't spend too much. Cetaphil is great. Aveno makes nice cheap gentle shave products. I have a kiehl's moisturizer which was pricy, but literally lasts me 2 years, just a dab or two.

also

if you can get your hands on it, sulfur soap is a great acne fighter, will kill all the bacteria on your skin and dry it out, but then you just use a moisturizer afterwards. Its available for like 5 bucks with a prescription at most drug stores. Also, wash your face with cold water to keep inflammation down. and if you want to do a diet as well, i got a list from a dermatologist of items not to eat with the most random things, but it helped alot. all i can remember off the top of my head are no pineapple, cola products, and fish.

ALSO, avoid products with foaming agents like laurel/laureth sulfates. it dries out the skin excessively. any foaming face wash with those products shouldn't be used.

good luck.

[mike lowrey]

biotherm homme, l'oreal pure zone?

rofl, talk about a bunch of suckers paying 20 bucks for 5 ml of product

have you tried both products and compared them to a basic water based cleanser? I mean different stuff works for different people but if youre trying to give advice don't talk crap.

I had oily and unclean skin at some point, I had been using a few different cleansers which didn't do much. I tried pure zone and it helped dramatically. then I used some other more basic product for a while, got worse skin again. I switched back and it helped again. so I've tested it a couple of times that it is in fact more effective than many other more basic cleansers, I'm guessing because it included salisylic acid.

I dont know where you get your ideas but the bottle is relatively big, doesn't cost fortunes and it lasts quite a while even though I use it twice a day. paying $20 for a 1/50 bottle sounds pretty fucking stupid.

they are extremely mild and this is what you want, you dont want a soap that irritates your skin

and for the acne, after moisturizing, use Plenty of 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide, like alot, and you want to very lightly rub it on your entire face

mild soap not to irritate and then benxoyl? I used 2.5% brevoxyl (I think..) at some point and it irritated the shit out of my skin, this was when I was using a standard cleanser which wasn't helping. plus I was adviced to use it very lightly on the places needed, not your whole face.

[outline]

2000 db get Nickel. You can't go wrong with it.

I would advise to get a Nickel shaker. It has under eye (by itself it's $25 and yes it's same size, lasts 3 month easy), morning after and cleaner.

http://shavingcream.com/item.php?id=568&bid=24&pg=1

As far as shaving:

Nickel shaving gel

PrИ de Provence after shave, it has a shea butter that is essential for your skin

I would also suggest Anthony Logistics Deep Pore Cleansing Clay, use it twice a week before bed for 10 minutes.

You can get all of this @ shavingcream.com from Mark.

[outline]

Got Sisley last week in Barneys, doesn't work for me. will exchange it for Carnation CDG series 2

There is also a new men's line from Task essential

http://www.made4man.com/produits.php?idfournisseur=7

[dismalfuture]

mild soap not to irritate and then benxoyl? I used 2.5% brevoxyl (I think..) at some point and it irritated the shit out of my skin, this was when I was using a standard cleanser which wasn't helping. plus I was adviced to use it very lightly on the places needed, not your whole face.

agree with lowrey, this is just plain logic. You can't take care of existing skin blemishes by drying them up with acids, that doesn't really address the true problem. Blemishes are the byproduct of bacterial infections- by the time you have a pimple the skin is already treating itself, anything in there inside your pore that you would see with the naked eye is your immune system at work.

Skin pores clog themselves and unclog themselves all the time and most don't become infected so long as you don't intake excess fat and oils or dehydrate yourself, so really, the important part of this is just addressing the issue of bacterial infection. Using something intended to dry and really attack the skin is the wrong way to go.

[superdupersang]

if you get time, this is a godd sghaving routine:

1. pour boiling water into a large tub and stick your face in the steam with a towel over your face. about 10mins

2. then shave

3.splash cold water on your face, dry, then moisturise.

i use disposable womens razors with a single blade, not mach 3 etc, coz they arent as harsh.

also moisturise within 1 minute of coming out of the shower, literally the first thing you do when you get out.

also you can exfoliate before step1 for extra special days..

products is use:

clinique extra mild soap

gillette shaving gel

nivea for men after shave balm as a all over the face moisturiser

[chromesquared]

Some good advice here. I agree with those recommending cetaphil (or any mild cleanser for that matter). In my vast experience with skin care products, dermatologists, and personal experimentation/research I would definitely say that less is more when it comes to skin care (especially with regard to acne). I absolutely disagree with the benzol peroxide rec as this stuff is really irritating to skin and causes redness. I personally use Alba sea mineral cleansing gel follwed by pure (no added colors, fragrances, etc.) aloe vera gel in the morning and at night (great gentle and natural moisturizer). Additionally, I would recommend examing the way you eat and your lifestyle in general as acne can be a sign that something is internally wrong with your body and so trying to fix the problem topically is like putting an air filter on the tailpipe of a car with engine problems so that everything looks copasetic. Its simply a superficial band-aid that is not addressing the root of your problem (you might try curezone for some non-trad approaches to acne/oily skin). This applies to dermatologists as well as they will generally not think of your acne problem in a wholistic manner.

2-cents.

N.

[Arethusa]

agree with lowrey, this is just plain logic. You can't take care of existing skin blemishes by drying them up with acids, that doesn't really address the true problem. Blemishes are the byproduct of bacterial infections- by the time you have a pimple the skin is already treating itself, anything in there inside your pore that you would see with the naked eye is your immune system at work.

Skin pores clog themselves and unclog themselves all the time and most don't become infected so long as you don't intake excess fat and oils or dehydrate yourself, so really, the important part of this is just addressing the issue of bacterial infection. Using something intended to dry and really attack the skin is the wrong way to go.

You don't dry your face out with acids unless they are extremely harsh (eg an acid peel). Most stuff that tends to dry out your face is actually mildly to extremely basic (eg harsh detergents; soaps, which are basic salts; benzoyl peroxide etc). The purpose of alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids isn't to "dissolve blemishes" but to dissolve sebum and dirt buildup in the pores on your face in order to prevent clogging (which can lead to infection, blackheads, and more unpleasant forms of acne). And, as far as far as that goes, they're pretty effective at it, provided you find a product that works for your face. Diet is important, certainly, but most of the time, it isn't close to being enough.

Anyway, I mod over at MenEssentials, so I would unsurprisingly suggest going there if you're interested in finding out more about this. A lot of the suggestions here, especially in regards to products, are honestly not very good. Suggesting entire lines rarely works out well for people, and I don't think I know anyone who uses products exclusively from a single company.

And Kiehl's and Zirh suck.

[Arethusa]

^^ you're kidding... i know everyone's skin is different but i've tried pretty much everything over the years and kiehls does not suck.

totally forgot, def try shiseido men. i use to use the cleanser, scrub (but i needed something more gentle). they work really good. i still use the day/night cream!

I'm really not. They're ludicrously overpriced for rather mediocre products. I guess they don't suck as much as Zirh, in that they are not actively destructive. As with a lot of crappy lines, there are a couple of decent products (some of the hair stuff, mainly), but you can generally do far, far better for less money elsewhere.

And, yes, Shiseido's men's line is pretty decent. A bit overpriced, in my opinion, but not bad.

[outline]

Mankind's user comments are very useful. imo best site on the subject

http://www.mankind.co.uk/

agree on Zirh & Kiehls. there are much better products out there and yes you do need to pick and choose instead of buying whole line of products from the same company.

[xcoldricex]

i'm with arethusa here. zirh is absolute trash.

[DaBestSpoona]

Kiehls for men, good stuff. One good thing about kiehls over other brands is that they will give you samples for everything to see if it works for you.

I've tried Zirh, Anthony, pretty much everything from Men's Essentials and Sephora, all crap.

Since you're japan, the DHC for Men is pretty good and can be found at 7-11. Nudy, Gatsby make good products too.

[poly800rock]

biore in asia is awesome. at least the thai stuff is amazing.

[swisloc]

like lowrey said, acne is caused by bacteria, so, while moisturizing and the like are definitely good for your skin/repairing dmaged skin, they will not solve the problem of you getting the pimples in the first place. If it is a serious problem, consult a physician and get antibiotics to combat the bacteria.

also, get sleep! seriously, when i was in college i could not figure out why i couldn't get my skin to clear up; i was pulling all-nighters regularly in the studio and never getting more than five-six hours. after graduation, i started sleeping more regularly and the acne was virtually non existant. every now and then i still might break out if i stay out all weekend partying or something.

[keri]

I have very dry skin, I use vaseline. Works like a charm. Only issue I've had is my skin's dependent on itnow.

[gunpwdr]

I'm sure there are people with more sensitive skin than me, but as far as facial moisturizers go, I can't use any of the traditional "safe" stuff - Clarins, Cetaphil, Decleor, etc... my face ends up getting red and irritated after 6-7 days of using "normal" stuff. What does work for me, and I can say is easily the best facial moisturizer I've ever used, is DDF's Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew -

http://www.ddfskincare.com/Pages/MainPage.aspx?Page=Product&ProductId=315

One application after a morning shower and I'm good for the entire day. Doesn't feel greasy or heavy at all. It is really worth checking out if you're on the fence with your current moisturizer.

[Arethusa]

I have very dry skin, I use vaseline. Works like a charm. Only issue I've had is my skin's dependent on itnow.

Do. Not. Do this.

A very small number of people with extremely dry skin and extremely dry pores can get away with this. Most can't, and doing this will massively clog the pores on your face and give you and enormous breakout of whiteheads.

Even if you can get away with this, I'd be surprised if it isn't leaving your face extremely shiny. There are better moisturizers for dry skin that pure petrolatum.

I'm sure there are people with more sensitive skin than me, but as far as facial moisturizers go, I can't use any of the traditional "safe" stuff - Clarins, Cetaphil, Decleor, etc... my face ends up getting red and irritated after 6-7 days of using "normal" stuff.

If your skin turns red after less than a week of a daily regimen, your skin is sensitive. That shouldn't happen. Especially with something like Cetaphil, which is one of the more decent drug store brands and is really fairly gentle.

[minya]

I wash my face with Dr. Bronners' tea tree soap in the shower. Works pretty well for me.

I love Dr. Bronners. I could wash my jeans with my face soap. How many soaps can you do that with?