Say it’s the fault of capitalism, or the fault of research – the good old days of men using just one bar soap for everything and anything are over. Increasingly, men are realising there’s more to taking care of themselves than a shower. The prevalence of pollution means we need antioxidants to protect from damage. A vainer world (or, longer lifetimes) means men need also to fight ageing in order to look good for longer. Research tells us sun exposure can cause skin cancer, so if you want to live healthily, you got to wear sunscreen. Air-conditioned interiors, while comfortable, sap our skin of moisture, causing dryness and irritation. The list goes on.
Specialised products be damned. No man who tries his best to look, feel, and be his best should be punished with a messy, crowded vanity, or a travel case that takes up too much weight allowance. We can all use products that do double duty, products that multitask! Here’s a list of useful time-savers that will meet your needs without the extra clutter.
1. Alba Botanica Very Emollient Mineral Sunscreen for Kids SPF30
Besides blocking the harmful, skin-aging UV rays from the sun, this sunscreen is also richly moisturizing and potently anti-oxidant. Ingredients like dimethicone, shea butter, grape seed oil, and vitamin E (as tocopheryl acetate) give this product a thick, creamy texture – meaning you can use it as a day moisturizer too. Being a mineral sunscreen (which employs zinc oxide and titanium oxide powder instead of manufactured chemicals like avobenzone), it leaves a white cast on the skin. This can be bad if you use too much, but it can also be used to cover uneven skin tone and contouring. Lastly, it’s formulated extremely gently – no irritants to flare up any sensitivities.
2. Dr. Teal’s Ultra Moisturizing Soothe & Sleep Body Wash with Lavender
This wallet-friendly is a wonderful bag of surprises – the lavender scent is gentle and genuine, the formula foams luxuriously without drying you out, and the aloe vera, shea butter and Vitamin E it contains makes sure your skin is happily moisturised. Better yet, the body wash also touts an epsom salt component, which is known to relax tired and sore muscles. Get the instant relaxing effect with a quick warm shower and deep breaths, or get the full spa deal by adding the body wash into a hot bath and soaking it all in. Hello, better sleep!
3. Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Concealer
For those of us struggling with acne – we know the dilemma. We see a pimple coming, and we slather it with some acne medication. Next thing we know, we’re out with friends who are staring at an angry red blob on our faces! Here’s the solution. While the oil-free concealer gives you the appearance of flawless skin, Clinique’s salicylic acid formula neutralises any errant blemishes at their roots. Which means when you wash it off at night, in the comfort of your home, the pimple’s already on its way out.
4. Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil
The key word here is not ‘miracle’, it’s ‘dry’. A combination of some of Nature’s most nourishing oils – avocado, olive, and almond – Garnier’s hair-body-face spray serves the purpose of eradicating any sign of dryness while remaining smooth to the touch. It’s not cloying or sticky or oily, and saturates the skin beautifully. The trick here is to use it sparingly. Sure, it’s affordable, but use it sparingly. For guys with wavy or frizzy hair, warm a small amount all over your hands (yes, between the digits too), and smooth over towel-dry hair. Dab small amounts with fingertips over dry cheeks. Use it to smooth and tidy up the eyebrows. Smooth over the arms and legs for that slight glow and deepened tan. Eventually you’ll find more ways to use this than us.
5. Paula’s Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum
Isn’t the serum an addition to the basic skincare regime, not a subtraction? True – but only in the short term. Prevention is better than cure, always, so you want to start your anti-aging routine right now. Add this one serum, and you’ll get the brightening, evening effect of Vitamin C, the wrinkle-busting effect of retinol, and the anti-oxidant effect of vitamin E. On top of that, there’s kelp extract and oat kernel oil, which smoothes and minimizes redness – great news after a shave. The luxurious texture can stand on its own as a moisturizer, especially if you use Alba Botanica’s emollient sunscreen (see item #1).
6. Burt’s Bees Baby Wipes
The humble baby wipe is the ultimate multitasker of grooming. Pick an ultra-gentle soap-free chlorine-free formula like Burt’s Bees Baby Wipes, and you’re good for the following. Sweaty after a gym session but need to get somewhere quickly? Wipe down your greasy face and stinky armpits! Hands dirty before a meal but no place for washing? Wipe them down! Exhausted from a long day and lazy to groom? Wipe down your face and go to bed! Need to exfoliate but ran out of scrub? Wipe your face repeatedly and put some elbow into it! Happen to have a messy infant? Wipe it all away! In short: baby wipes, forever.