Men's Skincare Routine: The Simple Basics

A good men’s skincare routine has three steps: wash with a gentle cleanser, apply a moisturizer that suits your skin type, and use broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning. That’s it. If you shave, the shave goes between washing and moisturizing. The AAD’s skin care tips for men cover the same ground.

If you’ve been using whatever shower gel is in reach, or a cabinet of products that all smell like a cologne counter, you’re not alone. Most skin problems men describe, such as tightness, a midday oil slick or stinging after a shave, come from the wrong basics rather than missing extras.

Below are two options for each step, picked from labels we’ve checked: one set for oily skin and one for dry or easily irritated skin.

What is your skin type?

Your skin type decides which cleanser and moisturizer you buy, so it’s worth two minutes. Wash your face, pat it dry, wait an hour without applying anything, and look in the mirror.

• Oily: shiny across your forehead, nose and cheeks.
• Dry: tight, rough or flaky, with no shine.
• Combination: shiny through the middle of your face, normal or dry on the cheeks.
• Sensitive: stings, burns or turns red easily, especially after shaving or with scented products. This can overlap with any of the types above.

The AAD notes that fragrance can irritate and dry the skin, and that products labeled “unscented” can still contain masking fragrance. If your skin is sensitive, look for products sold as fragrance free and check the ingredient list for fragrance or parfum.

Skin Realist check: Your face is not the same as your armpits. The body wash that conquers gym smell is not the thing to use on the skin you shave every morning.

Step 1: Wash your face with a gentle cleanser

Wash with lukewarm water and a mild facial cleanser in the morning, at night, and after a workout. The AAD specifically recommends avoiding regular bar soap on your face because it can be drying. You want your face to feel clean, not squeaky.

For most skin, including sensitive: Laneige Water Bank Gentle Gel Cleanser

Laneige Water Bank Gentle Gel Cleanser is a 250 mL gel cleanser that Laneige describes as low pH and designed to remove sunscreen and light makeup without stripping skin. The brand sells it as fragrance free, and the label lists no fragrance or essential oils. It features hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, allantoin and an amino acid complex, with glycerin second on the ingredient list.

It’s an easy default if your skin is normal, dry or sensitive. Massage it over wet skin and rinse. The caveat is that it’s a gentle wash, so if you’re very oily you may want something with more foam.

→ Check price on Amazon

For oily or combination skin: Laneige Balance Mode Rice Foaming Deep Cleanser

Laneige Balance Mode Rice Foaming Deep Cleanser is a micro-foaming gel cleanser that Laneige lists for combination, oily, normal and sensitive skin. The brand says it lifts excess oil and impurities and gently exfoliates. Laneige sells it as fragrance free. The label includes niacinamide, rice powder, ceramide NP and glycolic acid.

The glycolic acid is the caveat. It’s an exfoliating acid, so if your skin is raw right after shaving, or you already use another exfoliant, this may be one acid too many.

→ See the Balance Mode cleanser on Amazon

Step 2: Shave, if you shave

Shave after washing, while your skin and beard are still wet. Use a shaving cream or gel, a sharp blade, and light strokes in the direction your hair grows. If shaving leaves you red or bumpy, our men’s shave routine for razor burn goes through technique and products step by step.

Step 3: Moisturize while your skin is still damp

The AAD suggests applying moisturizer right after washing or shaving, while your skin is still damp, to help trap water in the skin. That timing matters more than how expensive the jar is.

For oily or combination skin: Laneige Balance Mode Shine Control Weightless Moisturizer

Laneige Balance Mode Shine Control Weightless Moisturizer is a 50 mL fluid gel-cream with a soft, shine-free finish, according to Laneige. The brand lists it for oily, combination, sensitive and normal skin. It’s sold as fragrance free, and the label lists no fragrance or essential oils.

The ingredient list starts with rice bran water and squalane, followed by glycerin and niacinamide. Laneige says niacinamide helps regulate oil and improve the look of pores. Use it morning and night after cleansing. If your skin is dry, this will probably feel too light.

→ Check price on Amazon

For dry or tight skin: COSRX The Ceramide Skin Barrier Moisturizer

COSRX The Ceramide Skin Barrier Moisturizer is an 80 mL cream that COSRX positions for replenishing moisture and supporting the skin barrier. The label lists five ceramides, cholesterol, squalane, panthenol and five forms of hyaluronic acid. COSRX sells it as fragrance free, and the label lists no fragrance, essential oils or retinoids.

It’s richer than a gel, so it suits skin that feels tight after washing or flaky around the beard line. If you’re oily, save it for winter or use it only at night.

→ See the COSRX Ceramide Moisturizer on Amazon

Step 4: Finish with sunscreen every morning

Sunscreen is the step men skip most. The AAD recommends broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on all exposed skin, including your ears, neck and scalp if your hair is thin. Its sunscreen FAQs suggest at least a teaspoon for your face and reapplying about every two hours outdoors, or after swimming or sweating.

For workouts and outdoor days: Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50

Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 is a 5.3 oz sunscreen lotion for face and body. Dermalogica states that it’s water resistant for 80 minutes and describes the finish as sheer and non-greasy. The listed filters are avobenzone 3.0%, octisalate 5.0%, homosalate 10.0% and octocrylene 10.0%.

It’s a practical choice if you run, cycle or spend weekends outside. Dermalogica says to apply it 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply after swimming or exercise. The brand doesn’t sell it as fragrance free, though no fragrance appears in the recorded ingredient list.

→ Check price on Amazon

For everyday office days: Elemis Pro-Collagen Skin Protection Fluid SPF 50

Elemis Pro-Collagen Skin Protection Fluid SPF 50 is a 40 mL lightweight broad-spectrum SPF 50 fluid. Elemis lists it for combination, dry, normal, oily and sensitive skin and says to use it as the last step of your morning routine. Its filters are avobenzone 3.0%, homosalate 5.0%, octisalate 5.0% and octocrylene 7.0%, so it’s not a mineral sunscreen.

No ingredient on the recorded list matches our scent glossary, but Elemis doesn’t explicitly market it as fragrance free. It’s a smaller bottle, so it suits the face rather than the whole body.

→ See the Elemis SPF 50 fluid on Amazon

For more on choosing between formulas, see our daily sunscreen guide or browse daily sunscreens and SPF moisturizers.

Quick comparison

Product	Best for	Texture	What stands out on the label
Laneige Water Bank Gentle Gel Cleanser	Normal, dry or sensitive skin	Gel cleanser	Sold as fragrance free
Laneige Balance Mode Rice Foaming Deep Cleanser	Oily or combination skin	Micro-foaming gel	Niacinamide, glycolic acid
Laneige Balance Mode Shine Control Moisturizer	Oily or combination skin	Fluid gel-cream	Niacinamide, squalane
COSRX The Ceramide Skin Barrier Moisturizer	Dry or tight skin	Cream	Five ceramides, cholesterol
Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50	Outdoors, workouts	Sheer lotion	Water resistant 80 minutes
Elemis Skin Protection Fluid SPF 50	Everyday face use	Lightweight fluid	SPF 50, chemical filters

Your routine, in order

1. Morning: wash, shave if you shave, moisturize, sunscreen.
2. Evening: wash, moisturize.
3. After the gym: wash, then moisturize.

Skin Realist check: A routine you actually do beats a ten-step one you abandon by Thursday. Three bottles by the sink is the whole program.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using body wash or bar soap on your face. It can leave skin tight and dry.
• Moisturizing bone-dry skin. Apply it within a minute or two of washing or shaving.
• Treating sunscreen as a beach-only product. The AAD notes that UV rays pass through clouds, so use it daily when you’ll be outside.
• Adding scented products to irritated skin. If something stings, stop using it rather than layering another product on top.
• Ignoring a changing spot. The AAD advises seeing a dermatologist for any spot or mole that itches, bleeds or changes color, and notes men over 50 have a higher risk of melanoma.

A simple drugstore and men’s-brand version

If you’d rather buy everything in one aisle, this covers the same three steps.

• Cleanser for normal to dry skin: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, a creamy wash with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, free of added fragrance.
• Cleanser for oily skin: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, a gel that foams, with ceramides and niacinamide. CeraVe’s page doesn’t make a fragrance-free claim, though none is on the list.
• Light moisturizer: Brickell 6 in 1 Gel Face Moisturizer, a matte-finish gel sold as fragrance free, or Jack Black Clean Break Oil Control Moisturizer for shine, with niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate.
• Morning sunscreen: CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30, a fragrance-free moisturizer and SPF 30 in one step. See our daily sunscreen guide for other options.

The bottom line

Pick one cleanser, one moisturizer and one sunscreen that match your skin type, and use them every day. If you only buy one product, make it a sunscreen you’ll actually wear, such as Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50. If your skin is oily, the two Laneige Balance Mode products make a simple, fragrance-free pair. If it’s dry or sensitive, pair the Water Bank Gentle Gel Cleanser with the COSRX ceramide cream. For more options, browse daily moisturizers and gel creams.