What products should men use to take care of their skin?
To start with, all men need a gentle, water-soluble cleanser;
a gentle shaving product (such as Paula's Choice Close Comfort
Shave Gel), followed by a gentle, non-irritating aftershave
or shaving lotion (which for all intents and purposes are
just masculine names for a gentle toner) or an alcohol-free
topical anti-inflammatory product. An ideal after-shave
product for men is an aspirin-based topical product that
uses additional potent anti-irritants. Aspirin is a very
effective anti-inflammatory agent for irritated skin and
is able to alleviate the redness and razor bumps/burn many
men who shave experience. Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
contains stabilized aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) with
other anti-irritants and is designed to work beautifully
as a gentle, effective after-shave for men or women.
Follow with the same options as women's skincare for
treating breakouts (disinfectant and beta hydroxy acid),
sun care (SPF 15 with UVA protection), or dealing with
dry skin (a good moisturizer). The one exception is that
for some skin types it can prove to be too irritating
for men to follow shaving with an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid)
or BHA product.
However, for men dealing with blemishes, milia, or blackheads,
a well-formulated BHA product can be used over non-shaved
areas, or over the entire face in the evening (assuming
the man shaves in the morning). Men who shave do have
an advantage, because shaving removes the top layer of
dead skin cells, improving cell turnover. Yet it doesn't
mean that men have to avoid the advantages of using a
retinoid—like Retin-A or Renova—or that they should omit
using a reliable sunscreen.
Within the Paula's Choice line, here are the skin-care
routines recommended for men:
NORMAL TO DRY SKIN
A.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30
(applied to all exposed areas of skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry
Skin
Paula's Choice 8% Alpha Hydroxy Acid Gel (applied to unshaven
areas, avoiding the eye area)
Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Cream
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DRY TO VERY DRY SKIN
A.M.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Cleanser
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30
(applied to all exposed areas of skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Cleanser
Paula's Choice 8% Alpha Hydroxy Acid Gel (applied to unshaven
areas)
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Moisturizer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORMAL TO OILY/COMBINATION SKIN
A.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Essential Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 15 (applied
to all exposed areas of skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Paula's Choice 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion or 8% Alpha
Hydroxy Acid Gel (applied to unshaven areas, avoiding
the eyes)
Paula's Choice HydraLight Moisture-Infusing Lotion (applied
to dry areas only)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORMAL TO OILY/COMBINATION SKIN PRONE TO BLEMISHES
A.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution or Extra Strength
Blemish Fighting Solution (applied to areas prone to breakouts)
Paula's Choice Essential Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 15 (applied
to all areas of exposed skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Paula's Choice 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion, 2% Beta Hydroxy
Acid Liquid or
2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion
Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution or Extra Strength
Blemish Fighting Solution (applied to areas prone to breakouts)
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisture Gel (applied to
dry areas only)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORMAL TO DRY SKIN PRONE TO BLEMISHES
A.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution or Extra Strength
Blemish Fighting Solution (applied to areas prone to breakouts)
Paula's Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30
(applied to all exposed areas of skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry
Skin
Paula's Choice 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion or 2% Beta
Hydroxy Acid Lotion
Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution or Extra Strength
Blemish Fighting Solution (applied to areas prone to breakouts)
Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Cream
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OILY TO VERY OILY SKIN
A.M.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Essential Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 15 (applied
to all areas of exposed skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Carbon Mask (use 2-3 times
per week or as needed)
Paula's Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OILY TO VERY OILY SKIN PRONE TO BLEMISHES
A.M.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution or Extra Strength
Blemish Fighting Solution (applied to areas prone to breakouts)
Paula's Choice Essential Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 15 (applied
to all areas of exposed skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Carbon Mask (use 2-3 times
per week or as needed)
Paula's Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid
Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution or Extra Strength
Blemish Fighting Solution (applied to areas prone to breakouts)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROSACEA WITH OILY SKIN
A.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
MetroGel, Azelaic Acid or Noritate (prescription-only;
consult your dermatologist)
Paula's Choice Essential Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 15 (applied
to all areas of exposed skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Oily/Combination
Skin
Paula's Choice 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion or 2% Beta
Hydroxy Acid Lotion
MetroGel, Azelaic Acid or Noritate (prescription-only;
consult your dermatologist)
HydraLight Moisture-Infusing Lotion (applied to dry areas
only)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROSACEA WITH DRY, FLAKY SKIN
A.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry
Skin (for very dry skin, choose Skin Recovery Cleanser)
Gentle shave Gels or foams (such as Paula's Choice Close
Comfort Shave Gel)
After shaving: Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment
MetroCream, MetroLotion, Azelaic Acid or Noritate (prescription-only;
consult your dermatologist)
Paula's Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30
(applied to all exposed skin)
P.M.
Paula's Choice One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry
Skin (for very dry skin, choose Skin Recovery Cleanser)
Paula's Choice 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion or 2% Beta
Hydroxy Acid Lotion
MetroCream, MetroLotion, Azelaic Acid l or Noritate (prescription-only;
consult your dermatologist)
Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Cream (applied to dry
areas only)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shave Gels and Foams
The following shaving creams and gels are recommended
because they are effective, gentle (they do not contain
fragrance or common irritants) and reasonably priced:
*Paula's Choice Close Comfort Shave Gel
*Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel
*Edge Active Care Shave Gel Ultra Sensitive