A simple skincare routine for guys

You don't need a ten-step routine. What people notice up close is simpler: skin that isn't shiny, flaky or irritated, facial hair that looks like a choice, and no stray hairs. Three products and a couple of minutes a day get you there. The hard part is doing it every day, not buying more.

The whole routine

Morning: Wash with a gentle cleanser, then a moisturizer with SPF.
Night: Wash again, then a night moisturizer.
Every few days: Trim your beard or stubble and clean up the neckline.
Every week or two: Check nose hair and eyebrows.

Wash with a gentle cleanser

Morning and night, wet your face with lukewarm water, rub in a small amount of cleanser for about 30 seconds, rinse, and pat dry with a clean towel. Bar soap and body wash tend to leave facial skin tight and dry, so keep them for your body.

A good default is the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (paid link). It's fragrance-free, has no scrub beads, and cleans without stripping your skin. If you train in the morning, wash after the workout, not before.

Moisturizer with SPF in the morning

This is the step most guys skip, and the one that pays off most over the years. The sun is a big part of what makes skin look weathered as you get older, and a moisturizer with sunscreen built in handles that and dryness in one step.

The CeraVe AM Moisturizer SPF 30 (paid link) is light enough to wear every day. After you wash, use about a nickel-sized amount for your face and neck. Don't forget your ears, and the back of your neck if your hair is short. If you'll be outside for hours, reapply or wear a cap.

Night moisturizer

At night you don't need sunscreen, so switch to a plain moisturizer. The CeraVe PM Moisturizer (paid link) is lightweight and soaks in quickly, so it won't feel heavy on your pillow. If your skin runs oily, use a thin layer. If it gets dry or flaky in winter, use a little more.

Lips count too. Cracked lips are easy to notice in conversation. Keep Burt's Bees Lip Balm (paid link) in your pocket or next to your bed, especially when it's cold.

Trim with a plan

Facial hair looks intentional when it's one even length with clean edges. Pick a length, stubble or a short beard, and keep it there. A trimmer with guard combs, like the Philips Norelco Multigroom (paid link), makes that easy: same guard every few days, same result every time.

Trim when your hair is clean and dry.
Start with a longer guard than you think you need. You can always go shorter, never longer.
Set the neckline one to two fingers above your Adam's apple, curving back up to just behind your ears, and clear everything below it. A neckline that sits too high, right on the jaw, is one of the most common mistakes.
Leave the cheek line close to where it grows naturally. Just clean up the stray hairs above it.

Every week or two, check your nose and eyebrows in good light. A Panasonic Nose & Brow Trimmer (paid link) takes care of both in a minute. Don't shape your eyebrows; just remove the hairs between them and any that are much longer than the rest.

What to skip for now

Scrubs, masks, toners and a drawer full of serums can wait. Most of them are optional, and adding several at once makes it hard to tell what helps and what irritates. Run the basics for a month first. If you have breakouts that don't settle, or anything on your skin changes or worries you, see a dermatologist instead of buying more products.

Make it automatic

Keep the cleanser and both moisturizers next to your toothbrush. Washing your face becomes part of brushing your teeth: same place, same time, morning and night. Give it a few weeks of doing it daily before you judge the results, and don't switch products after three days.