Skincare For Men: The 6 Things You Actually Need To Know

To the male readers of The Tweakments Guide – or the partners, friends, and family members of anyone who might need a nudge right now – here’s your ultimate, no-nonsense guide to skincare for men… 

For years, skincare has been pitched as something mostly for women – but your skin doesn’t care about gender. It’s your body’s largest organ, and looking after it is basic health maintenance, as well as helping you look and feel your best as you age. It’s also especially important if you’re curious about tweakments too.

The good news? An effective skincare routine doesn’t have to require buying tons of new products or spending ages in front of the mirror. Instead, we asked top skin experts – Dr Dev Patel and Dr Mervyn Patterson – what men actually need to know to keep their skin healthy, calm, and looking great.

Here are the six things that really matter…

1. Prevention is better than cure

“The biggest myth is ‘I don’t need skincare, my skin is fine.’ That mindset is common but short-sighted,” says Dr Patterson. “Prevention is always easier and more effective than trying to fix damage later. You will save yourself a lot of trouble by looking after your skin before problems start.”

“Skincare isn’t just about looking good  – it’s about maintaining the integrity, health, and function of your skin,” agrees Dr Patel. “For men, whose skin faces daily shaving (well for those not following the beard trend), UV exposure, pollution, and stress, having a simple but effective routine is essential. Think of it as maintenance — the same way you’d look after your car or your body at the gym.”

2. Shaving has to be done with care

Speaking of shaving, good shaving practice isn’t just about avoiding facial cuts.

“A lot of men do not realise that shaving is a form of exfoliation,” reveals Dr Patterson. “It is effectively a form of controlled skin injury because you are removing hair but also taking off the top layer of dead skin. That is why your skin often feels tight, dry, or irritated afterward, especially if you are using a cheap razor or don’t use a proper shaving cream. Many shaving gels don’t actually provide proper cushioning either, leaving the skin exposed to micro-abrasions and inflammation.”

“Over time, shaving can lead to chronic sensitivity or even post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in some skin types,” warns Dr Patel. “So, post-shave care should focus on calming, hydrating, and barrier-repair — think soothing serums with panthenol, allantoin, or growth factors, followed by a non-comedogenic moisturiser. Avoid alcohol-based aftershaves – they do more harm than good.”

3. Skincare for men isn’t just about wrinkles 

Wrinkles do rather steal the ageing headlines, but, for men, they aren’t always the first sign of reduced skin health.

“Men’s skin is around 25% thicker than a woman’s, as well as being generally oilier due to higher sebum production (thanks to testosterone), and it often has a denser collagen structure,” reveals Dr Patel. “This means it can age slower in terms of wrinkle formation, but it’s also more prone to congestion, enlarged pores, and inflammation.”

That’s why men really need to protect their skin barrier – aka the body’s first line of defence. “If the skin barrier is compromised we are more prone to inflammation, infection, and premature ageing,” explains Dr Patel. “Looking after our skin barrier is not just about looking fresher — it is about protecting your health.”

4. You probably do need a moisturiser

5. For anti-ageing, try retinoids or peptides

While healthy skin is the ultimate goal, it’s not effeminate to want to try results-driven skincare for smoothing wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

“As we age the skin does not repair as efficiently as it did when we were younger,” explains Dr Patterson. “This is where the sensible use of retinoids, vitamin A derivatives, becomes important. When used correctly, modern retinoids are one of the most powerful tools we have for maintaining long-term skin health. Glyceryl diretinoate for example is a next-generation retinoid that offers excellent effectiveness while significantly reducing the risk of irritation.”

Peptides are another good option: “peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as messengers in the skin, encouraging it to keep producing key structural proteins like collagen and elastin,” says Dr Patterson. “Your moisturiser is not just about hydration on the surface, it is about stimulating the skin to repair itself from the deeper layers upwards. That is where real barrier support meets long-term anti ageing strategy.”

6. If you do just one thing, make it…

“Wear sunscreen. Every single day. It’s the most underrated yet powerful anti-ageing and health-preserving step,” says Dr Patel. “Many men think that if they’re not getting sunburnt, they don’t need sunscreen, but UV damage is cumulative and accelerates ageing and disease risk. Trying to undo some of that damage can cost you a lot of money, time, and pain.”

Dr Patterson agrees: “If I had to pick just two steps they would be to start with a proper facial cleanser and finish with an SPF you are actually comfortable wearing. If you can get those two habits in place, you are already well ahead of the curve.”

Expert-backed skincare for men

Now you know the advice to follow, here’s a minimal but targeted skincare routine for morning and evening that’s quick and easy to use consistently.

In fact, “if you want the simplest possible skincare routine, you only need three essentials – a cleanser, an active serum (for day and night), and a moisturiser/SPF.  That’s it — done right, it takes 2 minutes a day and delivers long-term results,” says Dr Patel.

Morning routine

1. Cleanser

“A good cleanser makes all the difference,” says Dr Patterson. “Most men either skip this entirely or use body wash or hand soap on their face. That strips the skin and leaves it vulnerable.”

Instead, make it gentle and non-stripping. TTG recommends: Priori LCA Gentle Cleanser, £33.60, SHOP NOW.

2. Active serum 

Such as a protective and brightening vitamin C, which also has hydrating ingredients. TTG recommends Medik8 C-Tetra, £29.60, SHOP NOW.

3. SPF

Dr Patterson recommends: Neova Silc Sheer SPF 50. “It is light, comfortable, blends invisibly, and also includes antioxidant and DNA repair support.”

Evening routine

1.  Cleanser 

Same as your morning routine. You could also use an exfoliating cleanser three nights a week. TTG recommends NeoStrata Enlighten Ultra Brightening Cleanser, £16, SHOP NOW.

2. Active serum 

A retinoid at night for fine lines and to smooth an uneven skin tone.

Dr Patterson recommends “Vital Assist Cellular Renewal Cream, which contains glyceryl diretinoate alongside barrier-supportive lipids, peptides, and antioxidant vitamins.”

A nourishing, repair-focused moisturiser that also works as a post-shave option.

“I use CellDerma GF5 as it provides literally everything my skin needs for repair, calming irritation, and also regeneration (ie anti-ageing),” says Dr Patel.