Give him the basic principles of nourishing his skin right in your salon.
These days, you’ve likely noticed that a growing number of your male clientele are putting just as much time and effort into maintaining a fresh, youthful appearance as your female clients. Although there are several reasons for this, experts point to two key motivators: a competitive job market and the desire to attract a partner somewhat later in life.
1. “Men are very driven by their jobs, and they worry about younger men taking their jobs away from them,” says Dr. Barry Lycka, MD, FRCPC, a cosmetic dermatologist and director of Dr. Barry Lycka & Associates in Edmonton.
2. Kimberly Ann O’Connor, a medical aesthetician and laser technician at Toronto Cosmetic Clinic, adds that a greater prevalence of glorified male images in the media coupled with the fact that people tend to stay single longer or find themselves dating after a divorce are other factors that are driving more men to care about keeping up their looks.
Different Skin, Different Care
The structure of a man’s skin differs from that of a woman, with men producing more sebum, meaning they have more naturally occurring oils in their skin. O’Connor says men also tend to retain more water in the skin until about the age of 50, at which point the “physiology of the skin becomes identical to that of a woman.” Because their skin tends to be oilier, O’Connor advises men to stay away from thick, occlusive moisturizers. Instead, she recommends opting for hydrators, which provide water to the skin, over moisturizers, which provide oil. “Choosing a hydrator over a moisturizer can sometimes be a better option for a man because a hydrator is lighter, has a more refreshing feel and absorbs faster into the skin,” she says.
Preventive Measures
Men often get more sun exposure and sun damage than women, particularly men who work outdoors, according to Dr. Lycka, which makes their skin more prone to brown spots and redness. Dr. Lycka emphasizes that sunscreen should be a daily ritual for men. If the skin has already suffered sun damage, Dr. Lycka recommends using products rich in vitamin A. “They will help roll back the clock on skin—vitamin A is useful for helping to normalize some of the damage that has already occurred,” he says.
Offer a Simple Plan
As with hair care, a fuss-free approach to men’s skin-care products is your best bet. Dr. Lycka notes that there are still many men for whom “even soap is a hard sell,” which means a basic skin-care
arsenal needs to contain only three products: a cleanser, a hydrator and sunscreen. “Those three items will keep skin protected, beautiful and young,” says O’Connor. On the plus side, men don’t need to worry much about exfoliation. Shaving on a regular basis means that the skin is continually being naturally exfoliated, which is key to maintaining a youthful complexion.
As part of our ongoing Esthetics series, in partnership with Elevate Magazine, each issue we’ll be featuring a story that will give you added information about everything from the latest trends in professional skin care to advances in technology for cosmetic procedures. Read more anti-aging, wellness and cosmetic enhancement content to help educate your clients at elevatemagazine.com.
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