What Should a Men’s Skincare Routine Actually Include in 2027?

Why men’s skincare feels complicated

The men I spoke to fell into two camps. Men in their 40s often felt skincare wasn’t for them, that it was too late to bother. While men in their 20s and 30s often felt they didn’t need it yet.

The research suggests both camps have it wrong, in opposite directions.

Too late? In a randomised trial of 903 adults under 55, the people who applied sunscreen daily showed 24% less skin ageing over four and a half years than those who used it when they chose to. [1] Skin responds to good habits at any age.

Too early? From our mid-twenties, we lose roughly 1% of our skin’s collagen every year. Skin ageing is cumulative, and the habits you build in your 20s and 30s are the ones your 40s will thank you for.

And the complication is often simpler than it looks. 

In a survey of 705 American men, only about a third used moisturizer daily, and the most common deterrent to a daily sunscreen lotion was that it felt too oily (43% of men). [2] That’s a texture problem, not an attitude problem, which is why a routine for men should be light in texture, and quick and easy to keep up.

Skincare isn’t vanity. It’s maintenance, like servicing a car: ignore it for a while and nothing happens, until something does. Nobody wakes up at 45 wishing they’d started later!

For men, I’d argue that a consistent daily routine is the single best thing you can do for how your skin ages. It works with your face as it is, it builds over time, and it is entirely in your hands.

The sooner you start, the better. But a man who starts at 45 is still ahead of the man who doesn’t.

Step 2 | Moisturize, every day

This is the step my interviewee skipped, and the one men most often get wrong.

Here is the counterintuitive part. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that dry skin can mean extra oil, which can clog pores and lead to more breakouts, and recommends a daily moisturizer for people with acne-prone skin. [3] 

So skipping moisturizer to avoid breakouts can backfire. (Counterintuitive, I know.) 

The key is choosing one that is lightweight and labelled oil-free or non-comedogenic. The right moisturizer isn’t the enemy of clear skin.

A moisturizer protects your skin barrier and keeps your skin looking smoother and more hydrated, especially after cleansing and shaving.

Step 3 | Sunscreen, every morning

Applying sunscreen is the best, most researched thing you can do to influence how your skin ages. 

In the trial I mentioned above, regular sunscreen use significantly reduced skin ageing. [1] (Four and a half years of it, which tells you this is a long game, not a quick fix.)

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher - and pick one you like the feel of. The best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually put on. And given that men most often object to an oily feel, a light fluid or gel is a good place to start.

If you shave

Shaving is the most irritating thing most men do to their skin, and it is where my own interest in men’s skincare began. 

A good shave cream cushions the blade so that the razor glides rather than drags.

Step 4 | The layer most routines miss: Supplements

Everything above works on the surface. But a lot of what decides how your skin looks is happening underneath, and no cream can reach it. That is why, having started as a skincare brand, I developed our supplements: to make taking care of your skin as comprehensive as possible.

Below I’ll take the four most common skin concerns in turn, with what to take for each.

The problem: Dull, tired-looking skin

Dullness is usually a sign of oxidative stress: the cumulative wear on skin cells from pollution, poor sleep and a diet that isn’t giving you much to work with. It’s rarely one thing. It’s an accumulation you stop noticing until someone asks if you’re feeling alright.

Antioxidants help neutralise the free radicals behind it.

The problem: Loss of firmness

Collagen decline is a ‘when’, not an ‘If’. Topical products support the surface, but they can’t replace what your body is making less of. Collagen peptides give your skin the building blocks to keep rebuilding. 

Studies of daily hydrolysed collagen over eight to twelve weeks have found improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, although not every analysis agrees. [4]

The problem: Breakouts with no obvious cause

If your breakouts don’t track with anything on the surface, look at your gut. 

Research increasingly links gut health with skin hydration and elasticity, through what’s called the gut-skin axis.

The problem: Not knowing what you’re missing

This is the most common category, and the least dramatic. 

Most men are quietly short on several nutrients, in ways that don’t show up as anything specific enough to diagnose yourself. Covering the baseline is less exciting than a targeted fix, but arguably more important.

FAQs

How many steps should a men’s skincare routine have?

Three in the morning (cleanse, moisturize, sunscreen) and two in the evening (cleanse, moisturize), plus a daily supplement if you want to support your skin from the inside. Add shave cream on the days you shave.

Do men need to use moisturizer?

Yes. Moisturizer helps your skin hold on to water and stay comfortable, whatever your skin type. Even oily or acne-prone skin benefits from a lightweight, oil-free or non-comedogenic moisturizer. [3]

What age should a man start a skincare routine?

As early as possible, but there is no age at which it stops being worth it. Collagen declines by roughly 1% a year from the mid-twenties, and the sunscreen trial above found benefits in adults up to 55. [1]

Can moisturizer cause acne?

A heavy or pore-clogging one can. A lightweight, oil-free or non-comedogenic one shouldn’t, and dryness can make breakouts worse. [3] If you have persistent acne, speak to a dermatologist.

Do skincare supplements work?

The research is still developing and varies by ingredient. The strongest evidence is for hydrolysed collagen, which has been linked to improvements in skin hydration and elasticity over eight to twelve weeks. [4] Supplements work best alongside a good topical routine, not instead of one.

The Takeaway

Men’s relationship with skincare is complicated, and I understand why. But that’s not a reason to wait.

Keep it simple. Cleanse, moisturize and protect in the morning. Take your supplements. Cleanse and moisturize in the evening. Then keep going, because it is consistency, not complexity, that makes the difference.

Start with the step that feels easiest and add the rest when you’re ready. 

If you take one thing from this post, let it be that looking after your skin is not vanity and it is not complicated. It is simply part of looking after yourself, inside and out, and your skin will be glad you did.

Sandra x

RESPECT FOR YOUR SKIN