Let’s face it, when it comes to guys taking care of their skin, it’s been an uphill battle for decades. Historically, having a good skincare program has never really been, “a guy’s thing”. In years past, guys would go to the barber for a haircut and hope that their dad would show them how to shave, and shave properly. I remember the Barbasol, cold water and single blade razor. That shit tore my face up! Beyond shaving there wasn’t much for men in terms of skincare, other than a splash of nuclear burning Old Spice aftershave!
I remember as a teenager in the 1980’ searching for an acne solution.
My 80’s 3-Step Teenage Acne Treatment
First Step: Scrub your face with a washcloth and lots of soap to get all the dirt off of your face. That was great!
Second Step: Apply Sea Breeze. If you’re not old enough to remember it, you’re so lucky! This astringent just ripped all oils from the skin! Sure, strip away all the oil from the skin – that’ll solve the problem. EYE ROLL!
Third Step: Clearasil spot treat each pimple.
No moisturizer – no, need to add moisture to skin that’s already oily. EYE ROLL!
No sunscreen – in the 80’s we called it Suntan Lotion. You used it to get a better suntan.
The Clinique Years
I had no clue! I walked in a department store and saw a bar of soap and thought, it’s in a green container, that doesn’t look too gay, I’ll buy that. Then the ever so smart retail sales clerk in a white lab coat had me buy their famous 3-step system. So after I stripped all of the oil out of my face with the non-gender specific soap, I could add 2 more layers of gender-neutral, sexuality-safe, fragrance free, almost scientific looking; yet still, shame-inducing skincare. Whew, now to get it out of the store without being seen, never to be discussed again!
So much has changed in the skincare market for men. Now there are entire lines devoted to men’s skincare. Companies have created brands with packaging that appeals to men. Now guys can take care of their skin and still feel like a guy! Many people say that skin is skin and that men don’t need special products. Which may be true to some extent. But many guys to shave every day, which does add extra stress. I mean, it’s rare that women need to deal with razor bumps or razor burn on their face. Also, at the end of the day, guys still want to feel like guys. So products that have girly colors on their packaging or florally scents aren’t going to appeal to guys.
Some companies have even taken men’s skincare one step further and created products that can be used in spas that are specific for men’s facials and men’s chemical peels!
The New Millennium: Guys – it’s time ManUp + ManAge Your Skin!
The Gentleman’s Facial Beauty Box
Prana SpaCeuticals has created The Gentleman’s Facial Beauty Box that a spa can purchase to offer an amazing 6 Step Gentleman’s Facial. I was lucky enough to receive this treatment last year in New York and loved it! This treatment was developed by Cherie Dobbs, an industry pioneer, as a free radical quencher to help treat enlarged pores & blackheads. It’s designed for active guys to help with cellular stimulation to control sebum and revitalize the complexion to give guys a healthy and smooth complexion. It’s also great to treat pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps).
Here’s A Facebook Video Of The Gentleman’s Treatment
Prana SpaCeuticals by Dermastart took the men’s treatment even one step further. In order to help men deal with pseudofolliculitis barbe (razor bumps) and general skin resurfacing and skin health, they created the ManUp and ManAge Peels. We met the Prana SpaCeuticals team in Chicago when they launched the treatment and I had the chance to get this double layer peel and loved it!
Post Peel Glow!
My skin was really happy after the peel, you could see it was smoother and it felt a little tighter. Everything you want a peel to do! The team told me that it was a result of the stability of encapsulated retinol with liposomes that helps promote new collagen and strengthen elasticity within fibroblasts. I asked if my results were common and Cherie told me, “The ManUp and Manage double layer peel will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, lighten and brighten the skin, smooth the outer texture of the skin.” She also told me that “it’s ideal for all skin types especially for guys with pigment irregularities and acne.”
“Also, guys, if you have a beard, the treatment uses a special chisel brush to get the peel solution through your beard to the skin underneath!”
So guys, the options for taking care of our skin have come a long way! Now there are national product lines that are not only creating products for us to use at home, but they’re creating products for spas to use on us! These home care products and professional treatment products are designed to address the specific needs of men’s skin. If you’d like to offer the ManUp + ManAge Peel or would like to sell the Prana SpaCeuticals line contact them here.
Thank you to PranaSpaCeuticals by Dermastart for sponsoring this article.