This time it’s personal: Find the best men’s skincare routine for your skin type
Whether you’ve got oily skin, dry skin, normal skin, or something else entirely, there’s a Bulldog-worthy routine out there for you. Here’s how to figure out your skin type and self-care hack your way to a happy, healthy complexion.
Oily skin. Sensitive skin. Aging skin. They’re terms most of us have heard before, especially in the renaissance age for men’s skincare, but what do they actually mean and – more importantly – why does any of it even matter?
Never fear, your mates at Bulldog are here! 💪 This month we’ve unpacked why knowing your skin type is the ultimate self-care hack, and popped in a few tips and tricks on how to finesse your own skincare routine for good measure. Don’t say we never do anything for you.
Why does my skin type matter?
Long story short, knowing how your skin behaves and why it does what it does is like a life-hack when it comes to building an effective, personalised skincare routine.
You wouldn’t train only legs at the gym if your main goal was to build up your shoulder strength, right? The same logic applies here – if your skin is naturally pretty oily, there’s no point spending money on products designed to add more oil. Likewise, if your skin’s on the drier side, load up on moisture and skip the harsher products. It’s simple once you break it down.
Since our skin is technically our body’s largest organ, it makes sense that everybody’s behaves slightly differently depending on a range of factors from genetics to lifestyle. Skin ‘type’ is a way of describing how your skin behaves most of the time, helping you know your own baseline and build out a personalised routine.
How do I find out my skin type?
If you’ve already got your skin type sussed then props to you. However, if it’s still feeling a bit hazy, set aside a cheeky half-hour on your next day off and try this:
- First, wash your face either with water or a very gentle facial cleanser.
- Next, set a timer on for 30mins and crack out a few chores (or whatever you were up to before conducting a mini-skin experiment)
- When 30mins is up, take a look at your skin in the bathroom mirror and try to notice how it feels. Is it…
- Slightly shiny, but not particularly tight or dry (if this is you, you likely have oily skin)
- Tight-feeling and like it could use a little moisture (both signs of dry skin)
- Red, slightly angry-looking and/or a bit flaky (these are signs you have sensitive skin)
- Neither shiny or dry and fairly calm (if this is your vibe, you’ve got normal skin)
- Similar to 1 – 2 of the options above, but also visibly lined or uneven (you might have ageing skin)
All making a bit more sense? Awesome. Now onto the fun part – how to build a routine that suits your skin type. 🔨
1. My skin is: Oily
Causes:
Contrary to popular belief, oily skin isn’t just a teenage thing. While it can be caused by hormonal fluctuations, all it really means is that your skin produces excess sebum (otherwise known as ‘natural oils’) which can happen no matter how old you are.
Oily skin can be genetic and life-long, or caused by external factors like stress and humidity for a more limited period of time.
Blokes with oily skin often struggle with breakouts and congestion too, as excess sebum sometimes traps dirt, debris and dead skin in the pores of the skin. This eventually leads to things like pimples and blackheads if you don’t have a solid cleansing and exfoliating skin routine. The more you know! 🧠
Routine:
Bulldog Oil Control Face Wash - Designed to remove excess oil and leave the skin shine-free, cleansing deeply to remove dirt and debris while still being gentle on the skin.
Bulldog Original Face Scrub - If you’re prone to blemishes and breakouts, consider using Bulldog Original Face Scrub up to twice per week to buff away any dead skin that could clog pores later on.
Bulldog Oil Control Moisturiser – It’s light, non-greasy, and uses Witch Hazel as a natural astringent to combat breakout-causing bacteria and leave the skin feeling fresh. What’s not to love?
Top tip: Believe it or not, oily skin still needs moisturiser! If your face isn’t getting the moisture it needs, our bodies will kick the skin’s oil production into overdrive to compensate, so using a light moisturiser like Bulldog Oil Control Moisturiser actually helps prevent breakouts in the long run.
2. My skin is: Dry
Causes:
As the name suggests, dry skin is pretty much the polar opposite to oily skin. Instead of producing too much sebum, skin dryness indicates a lack of natural oils and moisture, causing it to feel tight and slightly rough to the touch.
Some blokes are genetically wired to have drier skin no matter what, but harsh weather conditions, air conditioning, and moisture-stripping skin products can all cause or exacerbate dryness if you’re not topping your skin up with a hefty dose of moisture at the same time.
Routine:
Bulldog Original Face Wash– Uses natural ingredients like Aloe Vera to moisturise and cleanse without stripping the skin.
Bulldog Original Moisturiser - Helps to add back in even more moisture after cleansing, keeping the skin smooth and quenched all day long.
Bulldog Age Defence Moisturiser– On days when your skin needs extra TLC (think brutally cold winter mornings), Age Defence Moisturiser can top it up with an extra dose of nourishment no matter how old you are.
Top tip: Did you know our skin loses more water and moisture at night while we’re sleeping? Consider switching to a more heavy-duty moisturiser overnight to keep your skin’s natural oils locked and loaded for the morning.
3. My skin is: Sensitive
Causes:
While lots of people refer to this as a skin ‘type’, technically it’s more like a skin condition that crops up for various reasons – you can have dry skin that’s also sensitive, normal skin that’s sensitive, or even oily sensitive skin (how good! 🙄)
Skin sensitivity means different things to different people, but in general it’s caused by sensory nerve endings near the surface of the skin becoming irritated in some way, often resulting in things like redness, flaking and rashes.
Exposure to harsh weather conditions, certain skincare chemicals and fragrances, or even underlying skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis can all trigger skin sensitivity.
Routine:
Bulldog Sensitive Face Wash - Cleanses and soothes at the same time with Willowherb to calm down angry skin.
Bulldog Sensitive Moisturiser - Follow up with this epic moisturiser directly after cleansing to leave your skin feeling soft and chilled-out.
Bulldog Sensitive Bamboo Razor - If shaving sometimes makes your sensitive skin worse, consider swapping to Sensitive Steel Blades - they come pre-prepped with a baobab oil-enriched lubricating strip that won’t rub you the wrong way.
Tip: If your skin’s suddenly become sensitive and irritated out of nowhere, your skin products could be the culprit. 😬 Try pausing your regular skin routine for a couple of days ‘til your skin calms down, then slowly add in products again to see if a specific cream or cleanser is causing issues.
4. My skin is: Normal
Causes:
Honestly? Just bloody good luck! ‘Normal’ skin is exactly what it sounds like – skin that isn’t too oily or too dry, and isn’t usually prone to irritation either. As far as skincare’s concerned, in many ways it’s kind of the dream.
Still, even though normal skin doesn’t have any specific skin concerns associated with it, most blokes with this skin type still need a decent skincare routine to keep it looking and feeling its best.
An ideal routine for normal skin should focus on locking in moisture and supporting the skin’s natural protective barrier.
Routine:
Bulldog Original Face Wash – Helps your skin feel clean and fresh without stripping away any of those healthy, natural oils.
Bulldog Original Face Scrub – Keeps your face smooth and clear, using almond shell particles to buff away dead skin.
Bulldog Original Moisturiser – The fresh-smelling, skin-boosting cherry on top of our OG skincare line-up.
Tip: Like most things in life, consistency is key when it comes to skincare. Work on nailing a morning and evening routine that works for you, and try to stick with it for at least a month to check out the results before working out if you need to change anything.
5. My skin is: Ageing
Causes:
If you really stop and think about it for a sec, when aren’t we ageing?
Philosophical musings aside though, in skincare the word ‘ageing’ mostly refers to the wrinkles and fine lines that come maturity, as well as any environmental skin damage like sun spots and redness that’s been accumulated over a lifetime.
While getting older is obviously unavoidable, a solid skincare routine and a few extra-nourishing ingredients here and there can help keep skin damage at bay and reduce the visible signs of aging as a result. Ideal!
Routine:
Bulldog Original Face Wash – Seasoned skin needs face wash too! Soothing Aloe Vera and 94% natural origin ingredients help to gently but thoroughly wash away the day.
Bulldog Original Face Scrub – Helps keep your skin cell turnover whirring, buffing away dead skin and helping to combat dullness as you scrub.
Bulldog Age Defence Moisturiser – Nourishing Marine Algae works as an antioxidant to help fight damage-causing free-radicals and revitalise the skin.
Tip: The key to aging well is starting early - nail your skincare routine while you’re young, keep your skin protected from sun damage with a good SPF, and you’ll be well on your way to Jeff Goldblum-level great skin in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond!