6 anti-aging tips for men
Aging is inevitable, but everyone's skin ages at different rates depending on your genetics, environment and most importantly how you look after it.
Whilst a potion to reverse aging in men unfortunately doesn't exist, the good news is that there are things you can do to keep those wrinkles at bay and prolong your youthful looks.
Here are 6 anti aging tips for men and male skin - use them towards an anti-aging routine that will help you stay looking younger for longer:
Anti Aging Tips For Men
1. You should start younger than you expect
Many experts believe that the skin starts to age from around 20 years old, so technically you can start to think about an anti-aging routine in your early twenties.
If personal experience is anything to go by, you are more likely to be coming up with novel ways to speed up the aging process throughout most of your twenties. To any male readers of this age wise enough to be taking an active interest in your skin aging then kudos, you have a major advantage in this aging game.
For many of you reading this post those days may have sailed by, but don’t panic as all is not lost. Men’s looks can improve with age to some degree and it’s never too late to start giving your skin what it needs to look and feel better.
If you don't have one already, then start an anti-aging routine straight away so you can delay the aging process whilst effectively nourishing, repairing and strengthening your skin.
2. Lose the standard soap and invest in a men's face wash
A bit of a recurring theme in our articles, but they do say repetition helps the brain to memorize information.
Your face should be your prized asset (actually for a guy it's probably second), so it needs proper care and attention. The skin on your face in particular is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your body so it's prone to aging if not maintained effectively.
You need to preserve the beneficial oils in your skin whilst removing all the dirt, bacteria, toxins, excess oils and dead skin cells so think carefully about what you use to wash your face (or if you don't wash your face every day then start).
Using a standard soap to wash your face can lead to redness and unwanted drying of the skin, which in turn can speed up the skin aging process. The obvious alternative is to use a premium men’s face wash that is suitable for your skin and designed to cleanse in an optimized way.
Read our post on what is my skin type to understand what you are working with - this will help you to select an appropriate product.
We are working hard at the Unknown to develop a premium charcoal face wash for men, designed to detoxify and purify your skin whilst protecting it from pollution. In the meantime do your research and select a product that is right for you and sign up to our newsletter (in our footer) to be the first to know when our face wash is available to buy.
3. Moisturize your skin every day
For effective skin hydration, you need to be need to be using a good moisturizer and be consistent applying it every day. Try to make moisturizing part of your normal routine, ideally right after cleansing your face every morning.
Do this even if you have oily skin; it's a great misconception that oily skin doesn't need to be moisturized. A good moisturizer provides hydration to your skin which is different from oil. There is evidence to suggest that healthy skin hydration can actually lower the production of sebum (oils).
A good moisturizer can help to improve skin tone and texture and also to reduce the visible signs of fine lines and wrinkles by trapping hydration in the skin and plumping the skin.
The product you use is of course an important factor. At the Unknown we are at the final stages of developing a premium men’s moisturizer we think you will love, but in the meantime look for products with a strong balance of superior active ingredients, ideally optimized for men. Some ingredients that we recommend and most you will find in our finished products include:
- shea butter
- peptides
- squalane
- vitamin E
- SPF protection of factor 30+
- glycerin
- salicylic acid
- hyaluronic acid
At the same time as looking for the right premium ingredients, try to avoid things like silicones, parabens, sulfates and petroleum derivatives that have the potential to irritate the skin.
If you are not sure about any of the ingredients in a product you are considering, then get Googling and make sure you focus on the first 5 or 6 ingredients listed on the packaging. Ingredients must be in order of highest to lowest concentration so there is a good chance the first 5 or 6 make up a high percentage of the overall formulation.
If you need some help with the ingredients, then you can use this great free tool that will help to advise you appropriately. Just copy and paste the ingredients into the search bar and it will take care of the rest.
4. Don’t forget your neck
Whilst your face understandably gets priority on all things anti-aging, there are some rookie mistakes you should avoid.
Have you heard of a turkey neck for instance? Your neck doesn’t have the benefit of the bone structure in your face. Its skin is thinner and the muscle and skin tissue weaker so the aging process can affect your neck more dramatically.
You might get away with facial imperfections looking like they ‘build character,’ but a neglected neck will just drop and add avoidable years to your look.
Treat your neck like an extension of your face; afford it all the same attention, protection, and ideally premium skin care ingredients. Don’t forget the rest of your body too, it may be more durable than your face and neck but don’t let lower priority turn into neglect.
5. Mitigate Your Skin's Sun Exposure
The sun’s UV rays will be responsible for most of your visible aging, if you let them. Protecting yourself effectively from the sun is the single biggest anti-aging change you can make for yourself moving forward.
Some studies estimate that 80% of skin aging is actually caused by the sun ultraviolet radiation. Those pesky rays are the leading cause of wrinkles, reduced skin elasticity, unwanted pigmentation and many other negative effects.
The good news is that the level of this exposure is very much in your control. Seek shade, wear appropriate clothing or just make sure to apply the right SPF protection (we reccomend SPF 30 or higher) and keep it topped up every 2 hours of exposure. This way you can enjoy the benefits of the sun without worrying about any detrimental consequences.
6. Use an effective men's anti-aging product
Finding an anti-aging product that works for your skin is a crucial part of the routine and easier said than done. There are an abundance of creams and serums available for you to choose from, but differentiating marketing claims from reality can be a minefield.
Focus on the ingredients (and their concentration) and do your research as to whether they are genuinely likely to give your skin anti-aging benefits. Many anti-aging products command a premium, so you want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth. You often get what you pay for, but a higher price tag doesn't guarantee a better product or better results.
The Unknown will have you covered soon with a men's anti-aging repair serum, but for the time being let’s try to point you in the right direction. Some premium anti-aging ingredients that we rate include:
- retinol
- hyaluronic acid
- vitamin C and E
- coenzyme Q-10
- niacinamide
- ceramides
- jojoba oil
- green tea
And there you have it, 6 anti aging tips for men to help you hone your anti-aging routine. For more free skin tips and resources, visit out main skin care for men blog page.
Now go and enjoy your youthful looks you handsome devil.
