6 Weird Skin Care Products that Actually Work
By Rodney Cutler
Why, yes, there are plenty of perfectly normal, non-serial-killer men who care about the latest in dermatological innovations. Men’s skin care is one of the largest growth areas in the grooming market. But in a bull market, there’s always a lot of bull. The Esquire maintenance team consulted three dermatologists and performed our own tests to determine which are worth trying.
1. Retinol
Retin-A is one of the only FDA-approved antiwrinkle creams. But Retin-A is intense, so you’ll probably want to stick to the over-the-counter version, retinol, like SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0($63). Start by using it twice a week until your skin adjusts or else you’ll wake up feeling like you slept on a jellyfish.
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2. Eye cream
The eyes are often the first area of our body that makes us start to look old and tired. That’s why more men are using eye creams, like Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere Revitalizing Eye Treatment ($60). It immediately hydrates and plumps up the area around the eye. It also has antioxidants, which can stabilize blood vessels, reduce darkening, and improve the look of your eyes over time. Daily use prevents you from looking like you’re perpetually hungover.
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3. Antiaging cream
Guys are lazy — at least this guy is. I won’t add 30 minutes to my morning regimen, and Lab Series gets that. Its Age Rescue+Water-Charged gel cream ($5) has all the skin pepping that you’ll find in some women’s creams — stimulating cell turnover and providing far more moisturization than typical lotions—but it’s way easier to use. You just slap it on and it dries like water.
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4. Pore refinement
Pores are actually a bigger concern for men than for women — or they should be. We have larger oil glands and a higher concentration of them. Over time, our pores get bigger, dulling our complexion. You can minimize them with Clinique Pore Refining Solutions correcting serum ($45).
5. Clay mask
You might think masks are emasculating. But if it feels good and makes your skin look good, who the hell cares? Clay masks, like Baxter of California’s ($18), can be especially helpful for men with oily skin, since they have a mattifying effect.
6. Cleansing brush
Pollution builds up on your skin, generating free radicals, which age your skin faster. Washing with your hands might not be enough, and scrubbing with an abrasive washcloth can create microtears. But an electric brush like the Clinique Sonic System purifying cleansing brush ($90) is thorough yet gentle. And it feels incredibly satisfying after a long day of polluting your face.
With thanks to Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, Dr. Whitney Bowe, and Dr. Jessica Krant. Rodney Cutler is an Ironman triathlete and the owner of Cutler salons in New York City.
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