Introduction to Men’s Skin Health

Michael McGuire, CEO of GM Revolution

Let’s get one thing straight: you cannot have healthy skin without a healthy body. No, this does not mean one cannot achieve acne-free, glowing skin while still being unhealthy. What it means is that true, healthy skin can only be achieved when looked at from the holistic perspective of the entire body.

You cannot have healthy skin without a healthy body.

For some, that statement may come as a surprise. Others may be nodding in agreement. But what is one thing everyone can agree on? You cannot have a healthy body without a healthy heart. Or healthy lungs. Or with a poor diet. Or without enough exercise.

So why would the skin be any different? The existence of millions of skincare and cosmetic products on the market has led consumers to believe that healthy skin is a product to be applied. Something they can buy. The reality is that skin is an organ of the body; in fact, it is the body’s largest organ.

Since everyone knows how an unhealthy heart, lung, kidney, etc. is connected to the rest of the body, it must be accepted that the health of skin is too dependent on the system as a whole. It is rather better to look at the introductory statement as “healthy skin is a healthy body.”

How our Health is Connected to Our Skin

Like any other organ, our skin has certain requirements to maintain its health. The skin itself is living and breathing as it is comprised of millions of cells. These cells are the basic unit of life, each requiring water, oxygen, and energy. When we fail to deliver these requirements to our cells, our bodily response is immediately impacted.

Any health practitioner will tell you the key to a healthy body is a lifestyle designed with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper rest and relaxation. But what is this really saying at the cellular level? This means that we need to give cells the right nutrients (diet), we need to have healthy blood flow (exercise) and need to alleviate stress on the cells (rest).

Outside of the medical reasons for how our skin is connected to the rest of our health, we can anecdotally relate to the feeling of just one of these requirements being out of balance. How do you feel after (not during) an overindulgent meal? How do you feel after long periods without movement or activity? How do you feel after just one sleepless night? It does not take a doctor to diagnose the cause of any of these common ailments. Not only do we feel the effects, but they are written across our faces as well. Literally.

Why Skin is a Window to Holistic Health

Every esthetician should start any treatment with a proper skin consultation. Before topically applying products to the skin, estheticians must understand the whole of the person they are treating. Only when the whole body is fully considered can one align external skin issues with their underlying internal causes.

For example, how can one treat and prescribe products for dark circles under the eyes if they do not actually know the cause of them in the first place? If estheticians are not taking the time to get to the root of skin problems, then their solutions will only be bandaids that attempt to cover what is truly going on underneath.

As skin experts, estheticians must be able to make the connections that consumers are not making. Dark circles under the eye are a red flag for poor blow flow. Think of all the other effects this has on every other body system. Dry skin— are your clients drinking enough water? Are their oil glands not producing as much oil as they age?

An esthetician in today’s industry must be able to connect the dots to have the impact that they set out to create. All of this could not be more true than when working with male clientele.

How to Get Men to Care About Their Skin

On a large scale, most men are not prioritizing their skin. Of course, there are those that have had healthy skincare routines for years, but the main difference in these men is their education. They know why it is important to care for their skin. Unfortunately, most men were simply never taught.

This lack of education opens up a world of opportunity for estheticians. When you can be the source of expert information to someone who has no prior knowledge, they will become your most loyal clients. For those who are already treating men’s skin, you can empathize with the loyalty they have to your services. But how do we get them to care in the first place?

The good news is that most men are predisposed to care about their health. They go to the gym, are active in sports, and like everyone else, they care about how they look. Their passion for their health is what we are tapping into. Men already know about diet, exercise, and rest. But they don’t know that their body will never be as healthy as they want without caring for their skin as well.

Someone who is very active and produces a lot of sweat but does nothing about it will face severe breakouts. Men that are burning the candle from both ends will see dark circles and discoloration.

By connecting the dots for men on how their skin applies to the rest of their lifestyles, they can then make decisions to align their holistic goals. As an esthetician, this starts with a skin consultation but extends much further into their at-home maintenance.

Skincare Routine for Men

CleanserLook for cleansers that are water-based and pH-balanced. Especially important for acne-prone skin, teenage boys need to clean their skin morning and night to flush out the excess oil and dirt that is clogging their pores. The pH balance of the product with the natural pH of the skin (4.5 – 5.5 slightly acidic) is going to assist in removing toxins from the pores as well.
MoisturizerAs our skin begins to age and produces less and less natural oil, it is important to moisturize the skin with highly refined oil. This is going to start to heal the skin while also replenishing the skin with an oil that will not clog the pores, but rather give the skin that much-desired shine. For men, these highly refined oils also serve as a beard moisturizer to give facial hair a healthy sheen as well.
Anti-Aging SerumThis is where being proactive is critical in maintaining healthy skin. By using naturally derived ingredients such as bakuchiol, green tea leaf extract, and peptides, to name a few, men can slow down and reverse the signs of aging. An anti-aging serum should be applied every night across the whole face, but especially where fine lines begin to form, namely on the forehead, eyes, and smile lines.
Hyaluronic AcidWe always recommend finishing both morning and night routines with Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic Acid is going to retain the body’s natural moisture system for an extra boost of hydration and evening of the skin tone. The effects of this ingredient are immediate, especially when looking to fight the dark circles under the eyes.
Charcoal MaskWhile an at-home mask is not necessary for men if they are receiving regular treatments with an esthetician, it is always a good idea to have one that pairs at home with what is happening during a skin series treatment. Especially for teenage boys, an additional purifying mask with activated charcoal is going to work to exfoliate the outer layers of skin, stimulate vascular activity, and get deep into the pores beyond the daily cleanser.