Do the men in your life have everything making gift giving a real chore? It can be hard to find something that they will like.
Often, you’ll see lists about the right gifts for men based on their hobbies. Are they hard-core outdoor enthusiasts? Get them a fishing pole! Do they spend hours and hours each week in an office or on a plane? Think about buying them some new headphones!
But what’s a woman to do when even that inspiration falls short? Buy them skincare products!
We know, we know. It seems very counterintuitive that our recommendation for the best gifts for men seems like we’re suggesting beauty products. But, think about it this way: Whatever their profession, whatever they do on the weekends, men will always need skin care.
Whether they admit it openly or not, research shows that men often admire the skincare products women use. Sometimes boyfriends will use their girlfriends’ cleansers, or husbands will use their wives’ face masks. In fact, this happens way more often than you might think.
It’s okay, after all—they need to protect, cleanse, moisturize, and keep their skin looking healthy and young too. Plus, the more youthful your boyfriend or husband appears and the more kissable their face, the better and younger you look on their arm! Who isn’t looking for a gift that will give them something right back?
For a guarantee that they will appreciate and use their gift, give them the best skin care products for men. We’ve done the hard work for you in our guide to the best gifts for men by listing essential characteristics to look for, products to consider, and even specific brands that they’re bound both to benefit from and to appreciate.
Table of Contents
Buying Men’s Skin Care Products
Regardless of gender, skin care is an essential part of personal hygiene and self-care. However, in today’s society, we’re taught from an early age that the products required for a successful skincare routine are too feminine and girly for males to have around. This phenomenon has lead to a sad state of affairs where men give up on protecting and caring for their faces.
Luckily for all of us, things are starting to change.
Luxury department stores including, Harrods, Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus, and others, have expanded their men’s counters to include skin care products right alongside the colognes and aftershaves in an attempt to capture their desire. The problem? Many of these department store products err on the side of gimmicky and aren’t made with the same care and precision as the products at the women’s counter.
The brave men that do purchase these products or receive them as gifts end up dissatisfied and even more frustrated than they were to begin with. It’s a struggle to commit to a skin care system that doesn’t show the results you’re hoping to achieve.
That’s why we’ve created this list of the best gifts for men. We hope to take out the guesswork and reduce wasted effort (and money) on products that aren’t effective. First, let’s take a look at a few universal beauty products that every person needs in their medicine cabinet to have healthy, younger looking skin in general. Then we’ll discuss the specific products the man in your life is sure to enjoy.
Facial Cleanser
Let’s face it; there are just too many men out there still grabbing the bar of soap from the shower and using it to wash their face. Besides the general “ick” factor, let’s agree that body soap and facial cleansers are not created equal. While many women are aware of this, some men are still clueless in the world of skin care.
An excellent entry-level introduction to proper men’s grooming is a facial cleanser. A quality face wash will keep their skin free of dirt, excess sebum, and germs acquired throughout the day.
Look for one that works hard to get the dirt and grime of the day off, but gentle enough that it won’t strip his skin of the natural oils that keep it soft and supple. These needs differ a bit from a woman’s cleanser which may be gentler.
Choose cleansers with natural and organic ingredients like aloe vera that soothe the skin after a day outdoors in the sun and wind, and tea tree oil that helps to clarify the skin, and a combination of nourishing moisturizers like rosehip oil and jojoba oil to keep skin hydrated and supple.
Oil cleansers are also a good idea. They are gentler than most cleansing options, working with the natural oil levels of men’s skin to get rid of dirt and maintain the moisture of the skin.
Stay away from ingredients like sulfates which will dry out the skin. These are found in many generic products, so it’s important to take a look at the ingredients lists of all the products before you buy.
Scrubs
Every man over the age of 25 has a large amount of dead skin on his face and body. We, women, learned a long time ago the importance of sloughing off dead skin to keep our skin smooth and soft. It is high time the guys catch on.
The most critical lesson in teaching your man all of the benefits of a scrub is the reminder that a body scrub product should never be used on the face. It is much too abrasive and will cause irritation at best and damage at worst. If they can keep this differentiation straight, they will be certain to achieve noticeable results.
When choosing a body scrub for the men in your life, look for ingredients like coconut oil and brown sugar with citrus essential oils for scent and clarifying purposes. In no time after beginning a scrub regimen his weathered arms, neck, and legs, will be soft and ready to receive moisturizing creams.
A body scrub that uses salt or sugar is a great natural way to exfoliate without overly damaging the skin. Products like walnut shells or exfoliating microbeads, will be too abrasive for skin and can be dangerous. So we recommend that you steer clear of these ingredients.
For a facial scrub that ranks highly on the best gifts for men list, it’s important to think about the differences in daily life between men and women. Most men don’t need a product that removes makeup, for example.
For the male face, we think it is important to combine the effects of microdermabrasion with the soothing effects of natural moisturizers and healers. Monica’s Beauty Microdermabrasion Scrub was carefully formulated to uncover the healthy-looking complexion that is hiding beneath the dead skin. By using tiny particles to exfoliate the skin, the outer dead layer of skin will be removed to reveal the fresh skin below.
In this microdermabrasion scrub, Avocado, Jojoba, Hemp, Grapeseed, and Shea Butter are blended with Vitamin E for best results. Not only does it exfoliate and remove dry and damaged skin, but it also has moisturizing features to then hydrate and plump the new skin revealed. Together, it’s a powerhouse duo that will leave his facial skin glowing. From the first use, forward, he will see immediate results in how his skin looks and feels.
We know convincing a man of the importance of adding a step to his daily hygiene routine can seem daunting. However, these are the products that will leave the greatest impact on the way your fella’s skin feels and appears.
Moisturizers
A good moisturizing cream or lotion is imperative to keep away fine lines and wrinkles and protect against rapid aging of the skin. When searching for the best moisturizer for the men on your gift list, seek out the ones with natural, wholesome, and organic ingredients.
Another key feature to include in your partner’s moisturizer is sun protection. We all need as much help as we can get to prevent damage from UV rays. Most quality products already include this, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for it.
For men with a few wrinkles and other imperfections like age spots, we recommend a retinol moisturizer with at least 2.5% retinol for best results. This formula from Monica’s Beauty features Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin A, E, and B5 making it one of the best anti-aging creams available on the market today.
Final Thoughts
Forget the multi-tools, tech gadgets, power tools, ties, and socks, and skip the cologne this year. Opt instead for luxurious and natural skin care products for the men on your gift list. By choosing the right products, they will see immediate results, and so should you!
You know how important natural, quality, made in the USA skin care products are to your skin. Why not share your love for the products and give him the gift that will turn back time?
If you choose any of the products on our best gifts for men guide, your boyfriend or husband’s skin will thank you for taking care of its long term health needs. Plus, as an added bonus, they’ll thank you too for a bit of pampering they didn’t even know they needed.